but, on the west, the ground slopes more gradually, and doubtless a barricade similar to that which had withstood . the Norman attack for so many hours in the valley below formed the western defence.
It was here that the third retreat occurred, for the Nor mans forced their way on to the plateau : at first in small numbers -- one knight actually reaching the standard near which his body was found after the battle - till at length a large force had made good their footing. Then the men of Kent and Essex drove them off the plateau, and, we are told , William saw his men " coming out" in disorder. The exhausted English were, however, unable to improve their advantage, and almost immediately afterwards gave way and were cut to pieces under the charge of the heavy Norman cavalry . This decided the fate of the day. In this third repulse, inasmuch as the outer line of the English right was everywhere guarded by a ravine or artificial ditch , it is extremely probable, that the Normans in their flight from the inner line of defences may have got entangled in the water courses in their rear. But in every other respect the circumstances of the retreats differ, and especially in this, that the slaughter in the first case was very great, greater than in any other part of the day, whereas in this case - as the English did not follow up the pursuit vigorously -- the Norman loss must have been relatively small.
The fourth and final check which the Normans encountered was after Harold had been slain and his standard taken. After darkness had set in the Normans were pursuing the -
