cipline, and its generals experience. He knew that it
was entirely unprovided with fortified towns, by which it could prolong
the war; but must venture its whole fortune in one decisive action,
against a veteran enemy, who, being once master of the field, would be
in a condition to overrun the kingdom. He saw that Harold, though he had
given proofs of vigor and bravery, had newly mounted a throne which he
had acquired by faction, from which he had excluded a very ancient royal
family, and which was likely to totter under him by its own instability,
much more if shaken by any violent external impulse. And he hoped that
the very circumstance of his crossing the sea, quitting his own country,
and leaving himself no hopes of retreat, as it would astonish the
enemy by the boldness of the enterprise, would inspirit his soldiers by
despair, and rouse them to sustain the reputation of the Norman arms.

The Normans, as they had long been distinguished by valor among all the
European nations, had, at this time, attained to the highest pitch of
military glory. Besides acquiring by arms such a noble territory in
France, besides defending it against continual attempts of the French
monarch and all its neighbors, besides exerting many acts of vigor under
their present sovereign, they had, about this very time, revived their
ancient fame, by the most hazardous exploits, and the moat wonderful
successes, in the other extremity of Europe. A few Norman adventurers
in Italy had acquired such an ascendant, not only over the Italians
and Greeks, but the Germans and Saracens, that they expelled those
foreigners, procured to themselves ample establishments, and laid
the foundation of the opulent kingdom of Naples and Sicily.[*] These
enterprises of men, who were all of them vassals in Normandy many of
them banished for faction and rebellion, excited the ambition of the
haughty William, who disdained, after such examples of fortune and
valor, to be deterred from making an Attack on a neighboring country,
where he could be supported by the whole force of his principality.

[* Gul. Gemet. lib. vii. cap. 30.]

The situation also of Europe inspired William with hopes that, besides
his brave Normans, he might employ against England the flower of the
military force which was dispersed in all the neighboring states.
France, Germany, and the Low Countries, by the progress of the feudal
institutions, were divided and subdivided into many princi