se which had been
pronounced against England; but they knew that the curse was unjust,
and were resolved to fight to the last against the invader.

Harold rode round the camp to speak a last word of encouragement to his
men before they slept. He still hoped that the northern earls, Edwin
and Morcar, would come up before the battle; but Edwin and Morcar were
traitors. They had said to themselves, 'If Harold falls, we shall
divide England with Duke William, and be kings of our share of the
country instead of earls.' So they remained in the north; and the
sacrifice that Harold had made in marrying their sister proved to be in
vain.

Morning dawned, and the two armies drew themselves up in order of
battle. The English numbered only twenty thousand men, while William
had brought against them sixty thousand; but the English had the
advantage of a stronger position.

Harold drew up his bodyguard on the crest of the hill, where he had
planted his standard, the Golden Dragon of Wessex. Close by were the
men of London, who had the right of fighting by the side of their king.
These men were all clad in coats of mail, and carried battle-axes, and
javelins for throwing. On the sides of the hill were posted the other
soldiers and the country people, many of whom were armed only with
darts, knives, and pitchforks, for they had come in very hastily from
the fields. Round the hill the men had dug a trench, and fortified it
with a stockade; and behind the stockade Harold posted a line of
soldiers, standing close together, shield touching shield.

Then Harold and his two brothers rode through the army, saying, 'Keep
your ranks, men! Stand shoulder to shoulder, and we shall win the day.
But if you leave your line, or allow the Normans to break it, we are
lost. Stand firm!'

After having passed from rank to rank, and spoken to all the men,
Harold and his brothers rode back to the royal standard and dismounted,
for they were resolved to fight on foot and take what came like the
meanest of their soldiers.

Meanwhile Duke William had drawn up his men in three divisions, with a
long line of archers in front. In the centre were posted the Norman
knights with William at their head; and the sacred banner, the three
lions of Normandy, floating above them.

Suddenly there burst from the Norman lines their battle-cry of 'God aid
us!' and the vast army began to move across the plain. At the head
rode a minstrel-knight, singing an o