urage
and rested where they were; and Odo returned galloping back to where the
battle was most fierce, and was of great service on that day. He had put
a hauberk on over a white aube, wide in the body, with the sleeve tight,
and sat on a white horse, so that all might recognize him. In his hand
he held a mace, and wherever he saw most need he held up and stationed
the knights, and often urged them on to assault and strike the enemy.

"From nine o'clock in the morning, when the combat began, till three
o'clock came, the battle was up and down, this way and that, and no one
knew who would conquer and win the land. Both sides stood so firm and
fought so well that no one could guess which would prevail. The Norman
archers with their bows shot thickly upon the English; but they covered
themselves with their shields, so that the arrows could not reach their
bodies nor do any mischief, how true so ever was their aim or however
well they shot. Then the Normans determined to shoot their arrows upward
into the air, so that they might fall on their enemies' heads and strike
their faces. The archers adopted this scheme and shot up into the air
toward the English; and the arrows, in falling, struck their heads and
faces and put out the eyes of many; and all feared to open their eyes or
leave their faces unguarded.

"The arrows now flew thicker than rain before the wind; fast sped the
shafts that the English call 'wibetes.' Then it was that an arrow, that
had been thus shot upward, struck Harold above his right eye, and put it
out. In his agony he drew the arrow and threw it away, breaking it with
his hands; and the pain to his head was so great that he leaned upon his
shield. So the English were wont to say, and still say to the French,
that the arrow was well shot which was so sent up against their King,
and that the archer won them great glory who thus put out Harold's eye.

"The Normans saw that the English defended themselves well, and were so
strong in their position that they could do little against them. So they
consulted together privily, and arranged to draw off, and pretend to
flee, till the English should pursue and scatter themselves over the
field; for they saw that if they could once get their enemies to break
their ranks, they might be attacked and discomfited much more easily. As
they had said, so they did. The Normans by little and little fled, the
English following them. As the one fell back, the other pressed aft