(1)
William
of Poitiers, Deeds of William,
Duke of the Normans and King of the English (c. 1073)
(1) Duke William advanced with the banner which the Pope had
sent him. There were two bishops from Normandy, together with many
clergy and a number of monks. The clergy led prayers before the battle.
(2) The
vast forces of English had come from all regions. Harold took up position
on higher ground, on a hill by a forest through which they had just
come. They abandoned their horses and drew themselves up in close
order.
(3) The
duke placed his infantry in front armed with bows and crossbows and
behind them other infantry more heavily armed with mail tunics; in
the rear came the mounted knights.
(4) The
terrible sound of trumpets on both sides announced the opening of
the battle. The Norman foot soldiers... challenged the English, raining
wounds and death upon them with their missiles. The English... threw
spears and weapons of every kind, murderous axes and stones tied to
sticks.
(5) The
English were greatly helped by the advantage of the high ground...
also by their great number, and further, by their weapons which could
easily find a way through shields and other defences... Terrified
by this ferocity, the Norman foot soldiers began to retreat... The
duke galloped up in front of them, shouting and brandishing his lance.
Removing his helmet to bare his head, he cried: 'Look at me. I am
alive, and, by God's help, I shall win. What madness puts you to flight?
Where do you think you can go? You are deserting victory and everlasting
honour; you are running away to destruction and everlasting shame.
And by flight not one of you will avoid death.' The duke was the first
to charge forward, sword flashing, cutting down the English who deserved
death as rebels to him, their king.
(6) The
English were so densely massed that the dead could scarcely fall.
However, breaches were cut in several places by the swords of the
Norman knights... The Normans realising that they could not overcome
an enemy so numerous and standing so firm without great loss to themselves,
retreated, deliberately feigning flight. The English poured scorn
upon our men and boasted that they would be destroyed then and there.
As before, thousands of them were bold enough to launch themselves
as if on wings after those they thought to be fleeing.
(7) The
Normans, suddenly wheeling their horses about, cut them off, surrounding
them, and slew them on all sides, leaving not one alive.
(8) Twice
they used the same strategy to the same effect, and then attacked
more furiously than ever... The English began to weaken.
(9) William
was a noble general, inspiring courage, sharing danger, more often
commanding men to follow than urging them on from the rear... The
enemy lost heart at the mere sight of this marvellous and terrible
knight. Three horses were killed under him. Three times he leapt to
his feet. Shields, helmets, hauberks were cut by his furious and flashing
blade, while yet other assailants were clouted by his own shield.
His knights were astonished to see him a foot-soldier, and many, stricken
with wounds, were given new heart.
(10) As
the day went on the English army realised they could no longer stand
against the Normans. They knew they were reduced by heavy loses; that
the king himself, with his brothers and many other magnates, had fallen.
Those who still stood were almost drained of strength...
(11) They
saw the Normans threatening them more keenly than in the beginning,
as if they found new strength in the flight; they saw the fury of
the duke who spared no one who resisted him; they saw that courage
which could only find rest in victory. They therefore turned to fight
and made off as soon as they got the chance, some on stolen horses,
many on foot... The Normans pursued them keenly, slaughtering the
guilty fugitives and bringing matters to a fitting end.
(12) Victory
won, the duke returned to the field of battle. He was met with a scene
of carnage which he could not regard without pity in spite of the
wickedness of the victims. Far and wide the ground was covered with
the flower of English nobility and youth. Harold's two brothers were
found lying beside him...
(13) Harold's
mother offered for her beloved son's body his weight in gold. William
believed Harold to be unworthy of burial as his mother wished. He
gave the body to William Malet, and not to Harold's mother.
The
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