dence that neglected all the necessary
preparations. The two armies met in the morning; from seven to five the
battle was fought with equal vigor, until at last the Norman army
pretending to break in confusion, a stratagem to which they had been
regularly formed, the English, elated with success, suffered that firm
order in which their security consisted to dissipate, which when William
observed, he gave the signal to his men to regain their former
disposition, and fall upon the English, broken and dispersed. Harold in
this emergency did everything which became him, everything possible to
collect his troops and to renew the engagement; but whilst he flew from
place to place, and in all places restored the battle, an arrow pierced
his brain, and he died a king, in a manner worthy of a warrior. The
English immediately fled; the rout was total, and the slaughter
prodigious.

The consternation which this defeat and the death of Harold produced
over the kingdom was more fatal than the defeat itself. If William had
marched directly to London, all contest had probably been at an end; but
he judged it more prudent to secure the sea-coast, to make way for
reinforcements, distrusting his fortune in his success more than he had
done in his first attempts. He marched to Dover, where the effect of his
victory was such that the strong castle there surrendered without
resistance. Had this fortress made any tolerable defence, the English
would have had leisure to rouse from their consternation, and plan some
rational method for continuing the war; but now the conqueror was on
full march to London, whilst the English were debating concerning the
measures they should take, and doubtful in what manner they should fill
the vacant throne. However, in this emergency it was necessary to take
some resolution. The party of Edgar Atheling prevailed, and he was owned
king by the city of London, which even at this time was exceedingly
powerful, and by the greatest part of the nobility then present. But his
reign was of a short duration. William advanced by hasty marches, and,
as he approached, the perplexity of the English redoubled: they had done
nothing for the defence of the city; they had no reliance on their new
king; they suspected one another; there was no authority, no order, no
counsel; a confused and ill-sorted assembly of unwarlike people, of
priests, burghers, and nobles confounded with them in the general panic,
struck down by the con