breaches of faith committed
against our people by the men of this country. Think, moreover, what
great honor ye will have to-day if the day be ours. And bethink ye that,
if ye be discomfited, ye be dead men without help; for ye have not
whither ye may retreat, seeing that our ships be broken up, and our
mariners be here with us. He who flies will be a dead man; he who fights
will be saved. For God's sake, let each man do his duty; trust we in
God, and the day will be ours."

[Illustration: William the Conqueror reviewing his Army----357]

The address was too long for the duke's faithful comrade, William
Fitz-Osborn. "My lord," said he, "we dally; let us all to arms and
forward, forward!" The army got in motion, starting from the hill of
Telham or Heathland, according to Mr. Freeman, marching to attack the
English on the opposite hill of Senlac. A Norman, called Taillefer, "who
sang very well, and rode a horse which was very fast, came up to the
duke. 'My lord,' said he, 'I have served you long, and you owe me for
all my service: pay me to day, an it please you; grant unto me, for
recompense in full, to strike the first blow in the battle.' 'I grant
it,' quoth the duke. So Taillefer darted before him, singing the deeds
of Charlemagne, of Roland, of Oliver, and of the vassals who fell at
Roncesvalles." As he sang, he played with his sword, throwing it up into
the air and catching it in his right hand; and the Normans followed,
repeating his songs, and crying, "God help! God help!" The English,
intrenched upon a plateau towards which the Normans were ascending,
awaited the assault, shouting, and defying the foe.

The battle, thus begun, lasted nine hours, with equal obstinacy on both
sides, and varied success from hour to hour. Harold, though wounded at
the commencement of the fray, did not cease for a moment to fight, on
foot, with his two brothers beside him, and around him the troops of
London, who had the privilege of forming the king's guard when he
delivered a battle. Rudely repulsed at the first charge, some bodies of
Norman troops fell back in disorder, and a rumor spread amongst them that
the duke was slain; but William threw himself before the fugitives, and,
taking off his helmet, cried, "Look at me; here I am; I live, and by
God's help will conquer." So they returned to the combat. But the
English were firm; the Normans could not force their intrenchrnents; and
William ordered his men to fei