pontiff, and conscious of his own breach of faith, would be struck with terror on their appearance, and would prognosticate to himself that fate which his multiplied
crimes had so justly merited. The duke next divided his army into three lines ; the first, led by Montgomery, consisted of archers and light-armed infantry ; the second, commanded by Martel, was composed of his bravest battalions, heavy-armed and ranged in close order ; his cavalry, at whose head he placed himself, formed the third line, and were so disposed that they stretched beyond the infantry, and flanked each wing of the army.
Harold encouraged his men by reminding them of their late victory over the Norwegians, and the miseries they endured under the Danes, who plundered and ruined their flourishing country, despoiled their private estates, and spread devastation and ruin over the land ; " and whether ye will again endure it, lieth," said he, " in the issue of the field, for I am resolved to conquer or perish in the action."
Harold had posted his troops on a rising ground, and drawn some trenches to secure his flanks, determining to stand on the defensive, avoiding all action with the cavalry, in which he was much inferior. The Kentish men were placed in the van ; the Londoners guarded the standard ; the king, dismounting, placed himself at the head of the infantry, with his two brothers, Gurth and Leofwin ; the royal standard was fixed on the hill where Battle Abbey now stands : such was the disposition of the two armies on the morning of the 14th October, 1066.
The duke ordered the signal of battle to be given, and the whole army moving at once, singing the song of Rollo, advanced with order and alacrity towards the enemy .
The Normans began the action with a shower of arrows from the right wing. This mode of fighting, -
