The Datafile PD-CD 5/DATAFILE_PDCD5.iso/education/b/medieval/Sources2

Text File | 1995-10-29 | 5KB | 102 lines

When King Edward died.......Harold immediately seized the kingdom,
thus violating the oath which he had sworn to the duke. Therefore, the duke
at once sent messengers to Harold urging him to desist from this
mad policy, and to keep the faith which he had pledged with his oath....
...the duke hastily built a fleet of 3,000 ships.....and when a
favourable wind blew, het set sail......and landed at Pevensey where
he immediately built a castle...He left this in charge of some
troops, and with others he hurried to Hastings where he erected another
similar fortress. Harold, rejecting caution, advanced against this
and after riding all night, he appeared on the field of battle early
in the morning.

At first light, (the duke) having disposed his troops in three lines of
battle, he advanced undaunted against the terrible enemy. The battle
began at the third hour of the day, and continued, amid a weltage of
carnage and slaughter until nightfall. Harold himself, fighting amid
the front rank of his army, fell covered with deadly wounds. And the
English, seeing their king dead, lost confidence in their own safety,
and as night approached they turned and fled.

William of Jumieges, Gesta Normannorum Ducum.

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Duke William and the whole army committed themselves to
God's protection, with prayers, and offerings, and vows, and
accompanied a procession from the church, carrying the relics of
St Valeri, confessor of Christ, to obtain a favourable wind......
......and landing on the coast of England (they) took possession
of Pevensey and hastings, the defence of which was entrusted to a
chosen body of soldiers, to cover a retreat and guard the fleet.

This author says that after the Battle of Stamford Bridge, Harold's
brother Earl Gurth, said to him, "It is best, dearest brother and lord,
that your courage should be tempered by direction. You are worn
by the conflict with the Norwegians from which you are only just come,
and you are eager in haste to give battle to the Normans, Allow yourself,
I pray you, some time for rest. REFLECT ALSO, IN YOUR WISDOM, ON THE
OATH YOU HAVE TAKEN TO THE DUKE OF NORMANDY. Beware of incurring the
guilt of perjury, lest by so great a crime you draw ruin on yourself
and the forces of the nation, and stain forever the honour of your
own race......"

Harold ignored this........."and even forgot himself so far as to kick
his mother when she hung about him."

The duke readied himself for the battle, even hanging round his kneck
the holy relics that Harold had sworn his oath on !

William also heard mass before the battle.

"The battle commenced at the third hour of the 14th October, and was
fought desperately the whole day, with the loss of many thousands on both
sides.

The Norman duke drew up his light troops, consisting of archers and
men armed with cross-bows, in the first line; the infantry in armour formed
the second rank; and in the third were placed the cavalry, in the centre
of which the duke stationed himself with the flower of his troops, so as
to be able to issue his commands, and give support to every part of the
army."

The English dismounted fro their horses and took position 'at a place
which was anciently called Senlac'.

The Norman infantry attacked first at 'the sound of the trumpet in
both armies'.

'At length the indomitable bravery of the English threw the Bretons, both
horse and foot, into retreat, a great part of the army following them,
in the belief that the duke had been killed.'

'The duke...rode up to the fugitives and checked their retreat, loudly
threatening them, and striking with his lance. Taking off his
helmet, and exposing his naked head, he shouted :'See, I am here;
I am still living, and, by God's help, shall yet have the victory'.
Suddenly the courage of the fugitives was restored by these bold words
of the duke.'

'....the duke had three horses killed under him in the battle; thrice he
remounted...'

'Although the battle was fought with the greatest fury from nine
o'clock in the morning, King harold was slain in the first onset...'

'The Normans, finding the English completely routed, pursued them
all Sunday night, but not without great loss; for, galloping
onwards in hot pursuit, they fell, unawares, horses and armour, into
an ancient trench, overgrown and concealed by the rank grass, and men
in their armour and horses rolling over each other, were crushed and
smothered....'


'The victory being secured, the duke returned to the field of battle,
where he viewed the dreadful carnage........Harold could not be
discovered by his features, but was recognised by other tokens, and his
corpse, being taken to the duke's camp, was, by order of the conqueror,
delivered to William Mallet for interment near the sea-shore.'

Ordericus Vitalis. Historia Ecclesiastica.