A Child's History of England

uen, he dropped his bow, returned to his palace, called his nobles to council, and presently sent ambassadors to Harold, calling on him to keep his oath and resign the Crown. Harold would d

d of Saint Peter. He blessed the enterprise; and cursed Harold; and requested that the Normans would pay 'Peter's Pence'

r forces against England, with Duke William's help, won a fight in which the English were commanded by two nobles; and then besieged York. Harold, wh

ng round this circle at a distance, to survey it, he saw a brave figure on horsebac

s fallen?' Harold asked

f Norway,'

ely king,' said Harold

and tell him, if he withdraw his troops, he shall be Ea

de away and ga

y friend the King of No

th for a grave,' r

rned the brothe

tall man, perhaps a little

er, 'and tell King Harold t

s son, Olave, to whom he gave honourable dismissal, were left dead upon the field. The victorious army marched to York. As King Harold sat there at the feast, in the midst of all his com

, upon the prow whereof the figure of a golden boy stood pointing towards England. By day, the banner of the three Lions of Normandy, the diverse coloured sails, the gilded vans, the many decorations of this gorgeous ship, had glittered in the sun and sunny water; by night, a light had sparkled

took them, caused them to be led through his whole camp, and then dismissed. 'The Normans,' said these spies to Harold, 'are not bearded on th

, who were instructed to retire as King Harold's army advanced, '

and come soon!'

d Senlac, now called (in remembrance of them) Battle. With the first dawn of day, they arose. There, in the faint light, were the English on a hill; a wood behind them; in their midst, the Royal banner, representing a fighting warrior, woven in gold thread, adorned with precious stones;

n, a great battle-cry, 'God help us!' burst from the Norman lines. The English answered with their own

e bravery of his countrymen. An English Knight, who rode out from the English force to meet him, fell by this Knight's hand. Another English Knight

e William was killed. Duke William took off his helmet, in order that his face might be distinctly seen, and rode along the line before his men. This gave them courage. As they turned again to face the English, some of their Norman horse divided the pursuing body of the English from the rest, and thus all that foremost portion of the Engli

lish, firms as rocks around their King. Shoot upward, Norma

ay, the clash and din resounded in the air. In the red sunset, and in the white moonlig

d golden in the sunshine all day long, and now looked silvery in the moonlight, dashed forward to seize the Royal banner from the English Knights and soldiers, stil

ell-and he and his knights were carousing, within-and soldiers with torches, going slowly to and fro, without, sought for the corpse of Harold among piles of