from their necks, their lances in their hands ; and all wore cognizances, that Normans might know each other, and that there might be no error ; that one Norman might not
strike another ; nor one Frenchman kill another. The foot soldiers marched in front, in serried ranks, bearing their bows. The knights rode close at hand to guard the archers, Horse and foot, just as they had commenced, held on their way, and kept their - step in serried ranks, their step was short, so that one should not outstep another, nor get
behind or fall out. All marched proudly in serried ranks.
On both flanks archers were stationed to aim crossways.[1] Harold had sent for his men from castles and cities, from ports, villages and burghs. Counts (contes), barons,and vas sals (vavassors). The villagers (vilain ) were called from the villages, they bear such arms as they find ; they carry maces and great shovels (pels), iron forks and stakes (tinels). The English had fortified a field ; Harold was there with his friends and the barons of the country , whom he had summoned.
Of their freewill had come the men of London (Lundres) and of Kent ; the men of Hertford (Herfort) and of Essex (Essesse ), of Surrey (Suree) and of Sussex (Sussesse) of St. Edmund and of Suffolk (Sufoc), and of Norwich (Norwis), and of Norfolk (Norfoc), of Canterbury (Cantorbiere), and of Stamford (Stanfort) ; and the men of Bedford (Bedefort) came, and those who are of Huntingdon (Hundetone) : the men of Northampton (Northamtone), of York (Eurowic), -
- ↑ In the Tapestry the bowmen are placed in great numbers on the flanks.
