army
or such good men and true as were then forming around him. Then they
cheered him in turn, and cried out: "'You will not see one coward; none
here will fear to die for love of you, if need be.' And he answered
them: 'I thank you well. For God's sake, spare not; strike hard at the
beginning; stay not to take spoil; all the booty shall be in common, and
there will be plenty for everyone. There will be no safety in asking
quarter or in flight; the English will never love or spare a Norman.
Felons they were, and felons they are; false they were, and false they
will be. Show no weakness toward them, for they will have no pity on
you; neither the coward for running well, nor the bold man for smiting
well, will be the better liked by the English, nor will any be the more
spared on either account. You may fly to the sea, but you can fly no
farther; you will find neither ships nor bridge there; there will be no
sailors to receive you, and the English will overtake you there and slay
you in your shame. More of you will die in flight than in battle. Then,
as flight will not secure you, fight and you will conquer. I have no
doubt of the victory; we are come for glory; the victory is in our
hands, and we may make sure of obtaining it if we so please.'

"As the Duke was speaking thus and would yet have spoken more, William
Fitzosbern rode up with his horse all coated with iron. 'Sire,' said he,
'we tarry here too long; let us all arm ourselves. _Allons! allons!_'

"Then all went to their tents and armed themselves as they best might;
and the Duke was very busy, giving everyone his orders; and he was
courteous to all the vassals, giving away many arms and horses to them.
When he prepared to arm himself, he called first for his hauberk, and a
man brought it on his arm and placed it before him, but in putting his
head in, to get it on, he unawares turned it the wrong way, with the
back part in front. He soon changed it; but when he saw that those who
stood by were sorely alarmed, he said: 'I have seen many a man who if
such a thing had happened to him would not have borne arms or entered
the field the same day; but I never believed in omens, and I never will.
I trust in God, for he does in all things his pleasure, and ordains what
is to come to pass according to his will. I have never liked
fortune-tellers, nor believed in diviners, but I commend myself to Our
Lady. Let not this mischance give you trouble. The hauberk which was
tu