HOW THE THREE NORMAN COMPANIES MOVED ON TO ATTACK THE ENGLISH.
Meanwhile the Normans appeared, advancing over the ridge of a rising
ground; and the first division of their troops moved onwards along the
hill and across a valley. As they advanced king Harold saw them afar
off, and calling to Gurth, said, "Brother, which way are you looking?
See you the duke coining yonder? Our people will have no mischief from
the force I see yonder. There are not men enough there to conquer the
great force we have in this land. I have four times a hundred thousand
armed men, knights and peasants."
"By my faith," answered Gurth, "you have many men; but a great gathering
of vilanaille is worth little in battle. You have plenty of men in every
day clothes, but I fear the Normans much; for all who have come from
over sea are men to be feared. They are all well armed, and come on
horseback, and will trample our people under foot; they have many lances
and shields, hauberks and helmets; glaives and swords, bows and barbed
arrows that are swift, and fly fleeter than the swallow."
"Gurth," said Harold, "be not dismayed, God can give us sufficient aid,
if he so pleases; and there certainly is no need to be alarmed at yonder
army."
But while they yet spoke of the Normans they were looking at, another
division, still larger, came in sight, close following upon the first;
and they wheeled towards another side of the field, forming together as
the first body had done. Harold saw and examined them, and pointing them
out to Gurth, said to him, "Gurth, our enemies grow; knights come up
thickening their ranks; they gather together from all around; I am
dismayed, and was never before so troubled: I much fear the result of
the battle, and my heart is in great tribulation."
"Harold," said Gurth, "you did ill when you fixed a day for the battle.
I lament that you came, and that you did not remain at London, or at
Winchester: but it is now too late; it must be as it is."
"Sire brother," replied Harold, "bygone counsel is little worth; let us
defend ourselves as we can; I know no other remedy."
"If," said Gurth, "you had stayed in London, you might have gone thence
from town to town, and the duke would never have followed you. He would
have feared you and the English, and would have returned or made peace;
and thus you would have saved your kingdom. You would not believe me,
nor value the advice I gave; you fixed the day of battle, and sought it
of your own free will."
"Gurth," said Harold, "I did it for good; I named Saturday because I was
born on a Saturday; and my mother used to tell me that good luck would
attend me on that day."
"He is a fool," said Gurth, "who believes in luck, which no brave man
ought to do. No brave man should trust to luck. Every one has his day of
death; you say you were born on a Saturday, and on that day also you may
be killed."
Meanwhile, a fresh company came in sight, covering all the plain; and in
the midst of them was raised the gonfanon that came from Rome. Near it
was the duke, and the best men and greatest strength of the army were
there. The good knights, the good vassals and brave warriors were there;
and there were gathered together the gentle barons, the good archers,
and the lancemen, whose duty it was to guard the duke, and range
themselves around him. The youths and common herd of the camp, whose
business was not to join in the battle, but to take care of the harness
and stores, moved off towards a rising ground. The priests and the
clerks also ascended a hill, there to offer up prayers to God, and watch
the event of the battle.
Harold saw William come, and beheld the field covered with arms, and how
the Normans divided into three companies, in order to attack at three
places. I know not of which he was most afraid; but his trouble was so
great that he could scarcely say, "We are fallen on an evil lot, and I
fear much lest we come to shame. The count of Flanders hath betrayed me:
I trusted to him, and was a fool for so doing; when he sent me word by
letter, and assured me by messages that William could never collect so
great a chivalry. On the faith of his report I delayed my preparations,
and now I rue the delay."
Then his brother Gurth drew near, and they placed themselves by the
standard; each praying God to protect them. Around them were their
kinsmen, and those barons who were their nearest friends; and they
besought all to do their best, seeing that none could now avoid the
conflict. Each man had his hauberk on, with his sword girt and his
shield at his neck. Great hatchets were also slung at their necks, with
which they expected to strike heavy blows. They were on foot in close
ranks, and carried themselves right boldly; yet if they had foretold the
issue, well might they have bewailed the evil fate--cruel and hard of a
truth--that was approaching. OLICROSSE[1] they often cried, and many
times repeated GODEMITE[2]. 'Olicrosse' is in English what 'Sainte
Croix' is in French, and 'Godemite' the same as 'Dex tot poissant' in
French.
[Illustration]
The Normans brought on the three divisions of their army to attack at
different places. They set out in three companies, and in three
companies did they fight. The first and second had come up, and then
advanced the third, which was the greatest; with that came the duke with
his own men, and all moved boldly forward.
As soon as the two armies were in full view of each other, great noise
and tumult arose. You might hear the sound of many trumpets, of bugles
and of horns; and then you might see men ranging themselves in line,
lifting their shields, raising their lances, bending their bows,
handling their arrows, ready for assault and for defence. The English
stood steady to their post, the Normans still moving on; and when they
drew near, the English were to be seen stirring to and fro; men going
and coming; troops ranging themselves in order; some with their colour
rising, others turning pale; some making ready their arms, others
raising their shields; the brave man rousing himself to the fight, the
coward trembling at the approaching danger.
[Footnote 1: Holy cross. M. de la Rue's MS. reads 'Alicrot.']
[Footnote 2: God Almighty.]
[Illustration]