The Duke in the meane time sent a messenger vnto him, who demanded the Kingdome in so stout maner, that he was at the point to haue bene euill entreated by the King. Againe the King sent his messenger to the Duke, forbidding him60 with loftie language, to make any stay within that Countrey; but to returne againe no lesse speedily, then rashly he had entred. The Duke betweene mirth and scorne returned answere; That ashe came not vpon his entreaty, so at his command he would not depart. But (said he) I am not come to word with your King, I am come to fight, and am desirous to fight: I will be ready to fight with him, albeit I had but 10000. such men as I haue brought 60000. K. Harold spent little time, lost none (vnlesse happely that which hee might haue taken more) both in appointing and ordering his Armie. And when he was ready to take the field, his mother entreated him, first moderately, then with words of passion and with teares, that he would not aduenture his person to the battaile. Her importunitie was admired the more, for that it was both without any apparant cause, and not vsuall in former times. But Harold with vndaunted countenance and heart, conducted his Armie into Sussex, and encamped within seuen miles of the Normans: who thereupon approched so neere to the English, that the one Armie was within view of the other.
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First, espials were sent on both sides, to discouer the state and condition of their enemies. They who were sent from the English made a large report, both of the number, and appointment, and discipline of the Normans. Whereupon Girth, yonger brother to King Harold presented him with aduise, not to play his whole State at a cast; not to bee so caried with desire of victory, as not to awaite the time to attaine it: that it is proper to Inuaders presently to fight, because they are then in the very pride and flourish of their strength; but the assailed should rather delay battell, rather obserue only and attend their enemies, cut off their reliefe, vexe them with incommodities, weary them, and weare them out by degrees: that it could not be long before the Dukes armie, being in a strange Countrey, would be reduced to necessities; it could not bee long but by reason it consisted of diuers nations, it would draw into disorder: that it was proper to an armie compounded of different people, to be almost inuincible at the first, whilest all contend to excell or at least to equal other in braue performance; but if they be aduisedly endured, they will easily fall into disorders, and
lastly of themselues62 dissolue. Or if (sayd he) you resolue to fight, yet because you are sworne to the Duke, you shall doe well to withdraw your presence; to imploy your authoritie in mustering a new armie, to bee readie to receiue him with fresh forces. And if you please to commit the charge of this incounter vnto me, I will not faile to expresse, both the loue of a brother, and the care and courage of a Commander. For as I am not obliged to the Duke by oath, so shall I either preuaile with the better cause, or with the quieter conscience die.
Both these counsailes were reiected by Harold: The first out of a violent vehemencie of these Northerne nations, who doe com-
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monly esteeme delay of battell a deiected cowardise, a base and seruile deflouring of time; but to beare through their designes at once, they account a point of honourable courage. The second he esteemed both shamefull to his reputation, and hurtfull to the state of his affaires. For what honour had he gained by his former victories, if when he came to the greatest pinch of danger, hee should fearefully shrinke backe? with what heart should the Souldiers fight, when they haue not his presence for whom they fight? when they haue not their Generall63 an eye witnesse of their performance? when they want his sight, his encouragement,
his example to enflame them to valour? The presence of the Prince is worth many thousands of ordinarie Souldiers: The ordinary
Souldier wil vndertake both labour and danger for no other respects so much, as by the presence of the Prince. And therefore he
did greatly extenuate the worth of the Normans, terming them a company of Priests; because their fashion was to shaue their faces: But whatsoeuer they were, as he had (hee said) digested in his minde the hardest euents of battell; so either the infamie or suspicion of cowardise in no case hee would incurre. Hee resolued not to ouerliue so great dishonour; he resolued to set vp as his last rest,
his Crowne, and Kingdome; and life withall. And thus oftentimes Fortune dealeth with men, as Executioners doe with condemned persons; she will first blindfold, and then dispatch them.
After this the Norman sent a Monke to offer the choise of these conditions to Harold; Either to relinquish his kingdome vpon certaine conditions; or to hold it vnder homage to the Duke; or to try their cause by single combate;64 or to submit it to the iudgement of the Pope, according to the Lawes of Normandy or of England, which he would. Againe, some conditions were propounded from K. Harold to the Duke: But their thoughts were so lifted vp both with pride and confidence, by reason of their former victories, that no moderate ouerture could take place: and so they appointed the day following, which was the 14. of October, to determine their quarrell by sentence of the sword. This happened to be the birth day of K. Harold, which for that cause by a superstitious errour, he coniectured would be prosperous vnto him.
The night before the battaile for diuers respects was vnquiet. The English spent the time in feasting and drinking, and made the aire ring with showtings and songs: the Normans were more soberly silent, and busied themselues much in deuotion; being rather still then quiet, not so much watchful as not able to sleepe. At the first appearance of the day, the King and the Duke were ready in
Armes, encouraging their Souldiers, and ordering them in their arrayes; in whose eyes it seemed that courage did sparckle, and that in their face65 and gesture victorie did sit. The Duke put certaine reliques about his necke, vpon which King Harold had sworne vnto him. It is reported that when he armed, the backe of his Curasses was placed before by errour of him that put it on: some would haue bin dismayed hereat, but the Duke smiled, and said; Assuredly this day my Fortune will turne, I shall either be a King, or nothing before night.
The English were knit in one maine body on foot; whereof the first rancks consisted of Kentishmen (who by an ancient custome did challenge the honour of that place,) the next were filled with Londoners; then followed the other English. Their chiefe weapons were pole-axe, sword and dart, with a large target for their defence. They were paled in front with paueises in such wise, that it was thought impossible for the enemie to breake them. The King stood on foot by his Standard, with two of his brothers, Girth and Leofwine; as well to relieue from thence all parts that should happen to be distressed, as also to manifest to the Souldiers, that they reteined no thought of escaping by flight. On the other side, the Normans were diuided into three battailes: The66 first was conducted by Roger Montgomerie, and William Fitz-Osborne; it consisted of horsemen of Aniou, Maine and Britaine, commanded by a Britaine named Fergent; It caried the Banner which the Pope had sent. The middle battaile consisting of Souldiers out of Germanie and Poictou, was led by Geoffrye Martell, and a Prince of Almaine. The Duke himselfe closed the last battaile, with the strength of his Normans and the flowre of his Nobilitie. The Archers were diuided into wings, and also dispersed by bands through all the three battails.
Thus were both sides set vpon a bloody bargaine; ambition, hope, anger, hate, enflaming them to valour. The duke edged his Souldi-
ers, by declaring vnto them the noble Acts of their ancesters, the late admirable atchieuement of their fellow Normans in subdu-ing the Kingdome of Sicill, their owne braue exploits vnder him; by shewing them all that pleasant and plentifull Countrey, as the purchase of their prowesse, as the gaine and reward of their aduenture: by putting them in minde, that they were in a Countrey both hostile & vnknowne, before them the sword, the vast Ocean behind, no place of retreit, no surety but in valour and67 in victory; so as they who would not contend for glory, were vpon necessitie to fight for their liues: Lastly, by assuring them, that as he was the first in aduise, so would he be the foremost in aduenture, being fully resolued either to vanquish, or to die. The King encouraged his men, by presenting to their remembrance, the miseries which they susteined not long before, vnder the oppression of the Danes; which whether they were againe
