t them in. King
Henry, who was then in a distant part of Normandy, began to put his army
in motion to come to the rescue of Arques.

[Footnote E: See map, chapter ix.]

Things being in this state, William left a strong body of men to
continue the investment and siege of Arques, and went off himself, at
the head of the remainder of his force, to intercept Henry on his
advance. The result was a battle and a victory, gained under
circumstances so extraordinary, that William, young as he was, acquired
by his exploits a brilliant and universal renown.

It seems that Henry, in his progress to Arques, had to pass through a
long and gloomy valley, which was bounded on either side by precipitous
and forest-covered hills. Through this dangerous defile the long train
of Henry's army was advancing, arranged and marshaled in such an order
as seemed to afford the greatest hope of security in case of an attack.
First came the vanguard, a strong escort, formed of heavy bodies of
soldiery, armed with battle-axes and pikes, and other similar weapons,
the most efficient then known. Immediately after this vanguard came a
long train of baggage, the tents, the provisions, the stores, and all
the munitions of war. The baggage was followed by a great company of
servants--the cooks, the carters, the laborers, the camp followers of
every description--a throng of non-combatants, useless, of course, in a
battle, and a burden on a march, and yet the inseparable and
indispensable attendant of an army, whether at rest or in motion. After
this throng came the main body of the army, with the king, escorted by
his guard of honor, at the head of it. An active and efficient corps of
lancers and men-at-arms brought up the rear.

William conceived the design of drawing this cumbrous and unmanageable
body into an ambuscade. He selected, accordingly, the narrowest and most
dangerous part of the defile for the purpose, and stationed vast
numbers of Norman soldiers, armed with javelins and arrows, upon the
slopes of the hill on either side, concealing them all carefully among
the thickets and rocks. He then marshaled the remainder of his forces
in the valley, and sent them up the valley to meet Henry as he was
descending. This body of troops, which was to advance openly to meet the
king, as if they constituted the whole of William's force, were to fight
a pretended battle with the vanguard, and then to retreat, in hopes to
draw the whole train after them in