fo that rallying on all hands, the troops poured in upon the enemy from every quarter, fabre in hand, and drove them back in their turn. Many were killed during this close engagement, and fuch as fled were cut in pieces, for the Norman officers ordered no quarter to be given. Thus was the battle restored, folely by the intrepidity of the Duke, on that part, while on every other, the fight was exceeding fierce and obftinate, without any vifible advantage.

On this occafion, Robert, fon to the famous Count de Beaumont, with Touftain du Bec Crefpin, Roger Montgomery, and William Mallet, performed prodigies of valour; but the example of William was beyond all. He was, in a manner, every where, and flew like lightning into thofe places where was the greatest danger. He encouraged with his voice and with his hand to prefs forward. His fword was streaming with gore, and his armour all covered with blood and duft. He had three horses killed under him, and one, by fo furious a stroke, that the hatchet, after cutting off the head, pierced deep into

the ground. All this while the body of the English army ftood firm upon the declivity, and the Normans had fuffered greatly through the disadvantage of the ground. William, finding that the enemy, aided by the advan tage of the ground, and animated by the example of their Prince, ftill made a vigorous resistance, had recourse to a ftratagem which was delicate in its management, but which feemed advisable in his defperate fituation; where, if he gained not a decifive victory, he was totally undone. He commanded his troops to make a hafty retreat, and to allure the enemy from their ground, by the appearance of flight. The English fell into the fnare. Many of their battalions fetched an half compafs about the Normans, and planted themselves at the place which they were to pass through in order to intercept them. They were quickly in the plain, but before they could form, the Norman horfe were upon them, and cut them in pieces. The troops rallied on all fides, and returned to the charge in one compacted column; while the English, who had been decoyed from their station, were now in separate corps, which,

one after another, were deftroyed, by the Norman cavalry. The English, thus repul fed, were driven back to the hill, where, being rallied by the bravery of Harold, who fought on foot the whole day, and killed many of the Normans with his own hand, they were able notwithstanding their lofs, to maintain the poft and continue the combat. The Duke tried the fame ftratagem a fecond time, and with equal fuccefs; but, even after this double advantage, he still found a great body of the English, who, maintaining themselves in firm array, feemed determined to difpute the victory to the laft extremity; upon which he ordered his heavy armed infantry to make an affault upon them, while his archers placed behind fhould gall the enemy, who were exposed by the fituation of the ground. By this difpofition, he at last prevailed. Harold was flain with an arrow, while combating with great bravery at the head of his men. His two brothers fhared the fame fate; and the Englifh, difcouraged by the fall of their princes, gave ground on all fides, and were purfued with great flaughter, by the victorious Nor

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mans. A few troops, however, of the vanquifhed, had ftill the courage to turn upon their purfuers, and having got into a valley that was full of deep ditches, they bravely made a new stand. There had been formerly in that place, a camp, well known to them, but not to the enemy; and the entrenchments being covered with fhrubs and bushes, many of the Norman horfe, prefsing onwards, in the ardour of purfuit, fell headlong into them, while many others were killed by the hands of the English, who here obtained fome revenge for the flaughter and dishonour of the day. By this unexpected ftand, many of the nobleft of the Normans were cut down; Euftace Earl of Boulogne, was dangerously wounded by a blow with a stone, while he was earnestly entreating the Duke to retire, and not hazard his perfon against defperate men, whom the nature of the place fo much assisted: but that intrepid Prince, neither regarding the counfel nor the example of the perfon who gave it, continued the combat till he had driven them out of this ftrong ground, and completed his victory,

Thus was gained, by William, Duke of Normandy, the great and decifive victory of Haftings, after a battle that was fought from morning until sunset, and which feemed worthy from the heroic valour displayed by both commanders and both armies, to decide the fate of a Mighty Kingdom. There fell near 15,000 men on the fide of the Normans, The lofs was ftill more confiderable on that of the English, befides the death of the King and his two brothers. The dead body of Harold was brought to William, who generously restored it, without ranfom, to his mother. The Norman army, left not the field of battle without giving thanks to heaven in the moft folemn manner, for their victory; after which, the Duke, having refreshed his troops, prepared to push to the utmost, his advantage against the divided, dismayed, and discomfited English.

Thus ended the memorable Battle of Haftings, in which the English, though defeated, fhewed, at least, as much valour as those by whom they were vanquished; but less expertness in the discipline and art of war.

Yet,