Whilest Harold desirous to reteine, and verie loth to let go his
vsurped roialtie, had crackt his credit with the duke of Normandie,
and by his lewd reuolting from voluntarie promises ratified with
solemne othes, had also kindled the fire of the dukes furie against
him; it came to passe, that the proud and presumptuous man was (to
[Sidenote: Tostie séekes to disquiets his brother.]
begin withall) vexed in his owne flesh, I meane his owne kinred.
For Tostie the brother of king Harold (who in the daies of king
Edward for his crueltie had béene chased out of the realme by the
Northumbers) returning out of Flanders, assembled a nauie of ships
from diuers parts to the number of 60, with the which he arriued in
[Sidenote: _Matt. West._ saith but 40. _Polydor_. _Ran Higd._
_Sim. Dun._]
the Ile of Wight, & there spoiled the countrie, and afterward sailing
about by the coasts of Kent, he tooke sundrie preies their[a] also, and
came at the last to Sandwich: so that Harold was now constreined to
appoint the nauie which he had prepared against the Normans, to go
against his brother earle Tostie. Whereof the said Tostie being
aduertised, drew towards Lindsey in Lincolnshire, and there taking
[Sidenote: _Wil. Malm._ Tosties repelled. _Polydor_. _Ran. Higd._]
land did much hurt in the countrie, both with sword and fire, till
at length Edwine earle of Mercia, and Marchar earle of Northumberland,
aided with the kings nauie, chased him from thence, and caused him to
flie into Scotland, not without some losse both of his men and ships.
This trouble was scarse quieted, but streightwaies another came in
the necke thereof, farre more dangerous than the first. For Tostie,
perceiuing that he could get no aid in Scotland to make anie
[Sidenote: Harold Harfager king of Norweie.]
acccount of, sailed forth into Norweie, and there persuaded Harold
Harfager king of that realme, to saile with an armie into England,
persuading him that by meanes of ciuill dissention latelie kindled
betwixt the king and his lords (which was not so) it should be an
easie matter for him to make a conquest of the whole realme, and
reigne ouer them as his predecessors had done before. Some authors
affirme, that Harold king of Norwey tooke this enterprise in hand
[Sidenote: _Matt. West._ _Simon Dun._]
of his owne mind, and not by procurement of Tostie, saieng, that
Tostie méeting with him in Scotland, did persuade him to go forward
in his purposed busines, and that the said Harold Harfager with all
conuenient spéed passed foorth, & with a nauie of 300 saile entered
[Sidenote: _Simon Dun._ saith 500.]
into the riuer of Tine, where after he had rested a few daies to
refresh his people, earle Tostie came also with his power (according
to an appointment which should be made betweene them.) They ad
furthermore, that they sailed forth alongst the coast, till they
[Sidenote: The Norwegians arriue in Humber. Richall. _Hen. Hunt._]
arriued in the mouth of Humber, & then drawing vp against the streame
of the riuer Owse, they landed at length at a place called Richhall,
from whence they set forward to inuade the countrie, & néere vnto
Yorke on the northside of the citie, they fought with the power of the
[Sidenote: The English men discomfited.]
Northumbers, which was led by the earls Edwine and Marchar (two
brethren) and there discomfited and chased them into the citie, with
great slaughter and bloudshed.
[Sidenote: This battell was fought on the even of S. Mattew the
apostle, as saith _Si. Dun._]
Harold king of England being aduertised of this chance, made the
more hast forward (for he was alreadie in the field with his armie,
intending also to come towards his enimies) so that vpon the fift day
after he came to Stamford bridge, finding there the said king Harfager
and Tostie readie imbattelled, he first assailed those that kept the
bridge, where (as some writers affirme) a Norwegian souldier with
[Sidenote: _Wil. Malm._ _Hen. Hunt._ _Matt. West._]
his axe defended the passage, mauger the whole host of the Englishmen,
and slue fortie of them or more with his axe, & might not be ouercome,
till an Englishman went with a boat vnder the said bridge, and through
an hole thereof thrust him vp into the bodie with his speare: yet
Matt. West, saith that he was slaine with a dart which one of king
Harold his seruants threw at him, & so ended his life. Which bridge
[Sidenote: The Norwegians discomfited.]
being woone, the whole host of the Englishmen passed ouer, and
ioined with their enimies, and after a verie great and sore battell
put them all to flight.
[Sidenote: The king of Norwaie and Tostie slaine.]
In this conflict Harold Harfager king of the Norwegians was
slaine, & so was Tostie the king of England his brother, besides a
great number of other, as well in the battell as in the chase: neither
did the Englishmen escape all frée, for the Norwegians fought it out a
[Sidenote: This battell was fought on the 25 of September as saith
_Si. Dun._]
long time verie stoutlie, beating downe and killing great numbers
of such as assailed them with great courage and assurance. The residue
of the Norwegians that were left to kéepe their ships vnder the
guiding of Olaue sonne to the king of Norwaie, and Paule earle of
[Sidenote: _Matth. West._]
Orkneie, after they vnderstood by their fellowes that escaped from
the field, how the mater went with Harfager and Tostie, they hoised vp
their sailes and directed their course homewards, bearing sorowfull
newes with them into their countrie, of the losse of their king and
[Sidenote: _Simon Dun._]
ouerthrow of all his people. Some write, that the king of England
permitted them franklie to depart with 20 ships, hauing first caused
them to deliuer such hostages as they had receiued of the citizens
of Yorke. Harold reioising in that he had atteined so glorious a
victorie, and being now surprised with pride and couetousnesse
togither, he diuided the spoile of the field nothing equallie, but
[Sidenote: _M. West._ Vnequall diuiding of the spoile.]
to such as he fauored he distributed liberallie, and to other (though
they had much better deserued) he gaue nothing at all, reteining still
the best part of all to himselfe, by reason whereof he lost the fauor
of manie of his men, who for this his discourtesie, did not a little
alienate their good willes from him. This doone, he repaired to
[Sidenote: _Wil. Malm._]
Yorke, and there staied for a time to reforme the disordered state
of the countrie, which by reason of these warres was greatlie out of
frame.
¶ But Harold being more presumptuous and foole-hardie, than prouident
and wise in his enterprise; bending all his force to redresse
enormities in those quarters of Yorkeshire (much like vnto him, whom
the Comediographer marketh for a foole, "Ea tantùm quæ ad pedes iacent
contemplans, non autem ventura præuidens") neglected the kinglie care
which he should haue had of other parts of his realme, from the which
he had withdrawen himselfe, and (as it is likelie) had not left
sufficientlie prouided of a conuenient vicegerent to gouerne the same
by his warranted authoritie, and such fortifications as might expell
and withstand the enimie. Which want of foresight gaue occasion to the
enimie to attempt an inuasion of the English coasts, as in the next
chapt. shall be shewed.
* * * * *
_William duke of Normandie prepareth to inuade England and to conquere
it, the earle of Flanders and the French king assist him, the number
of his ships, hir arriuall at Peuensey in Sussex, vpon what occasions
he entred this realme; the pope liked well duke Williams attempt, why
king Harold was hated of the whole court of Rome; why duke William
would not suffer his souldiers to wast the countries where they came;
Harold goeth towards his enimies, why his vnskilfull espials tooke the
Normans (being old beaten souldiers) for priests; Girth dissuadeth his
brother Harold from present incountering with the duke; where note
the conscience that is to be had of an oth, and that periurie can not
scape vnpunished._