第7到17章诺曼征服到百年战争之前.docx

第7到17章诺曼征服到百年战争之前.docx

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第7到17章诺曼征服到百年战争之前

Chapter7EnglandUnderHaroldtheSecond,andConqueredbyTheNormans

HAROLDwascrownedKingofEnglandontheverydayofthemaudlinConfessor'sfuneral.Hehadgoodneedtobequickaboutit.WhenthenewsreachedNormanWilliam,huntinginhisparkatRouen,hedroppedhisbow,returnedtohispalace,calledhisnoblestocouncil,andpresentlysentambassadorstoHarold,callingonhimtokeephisoathandresigntheCrown.Haroldwoulddonosuchthing.ThebaronsofFranceleaguedtogetherroundDukeWilliamfortheinvasionofEngland.DukeWilliampromisedfreelytodistributeEnglishwealthandEnglishlandsamongthem.ThePopesenttoNormandyaconsecratedbanner,andaringcontainingahairwhichhewarrantedtohavegrownontheheadofSaintPeter.Heblessedtheenterprise;andcursedHarold;andrequestedthattheNormanswouldpay'Peter'sPence'-orataxtohimselfofapennyayearoneveryhouse-alittlemoreregularlyinfuture,iftheycouldmakeitconvenient.

KingHaroldhadarebelbrotherinFlanders,whowasavassalofHAROLDHARDRADA,KingofNorway.Thisbrother,andthisNorwegianKing,joiningtheirforcesagainstEngland,withDukeWilliam'shelp,wonafightinwhichtheEnglishwerecommandedbytwonobles;andthenbesiegedYork.Harold,whowaswaitingfortheNormansonthecoastatHastings,withhisarmy,marchedtoStamfordBridgeupontheriverDerwenttogivetheminstantbattle.

Hefoundthemdrawnupinahollowcircle,markedoutbytheirshiningspears.Ridingroundthiscircleatadistance,tosurveyit,hesawabravefigureonhorseback,inabluemantleandabrighthelmet,whosehorsesuddenlystumbledandthrewhim.

'Whoisthatmanwhohasfallen?

'Haroldaskedofoneofhiscaptains.

'TheKingofNorway,'hereplied.

'Heisatallandstatelyking,'saidHarold,'buthisendisnear.'

Headded,inalittlewhile,'Goyondertomybrother,andtellhim,ifhewithdrawhistroops,heshallbeEarlofNorthumberland,andrichandpowerfulinEngland.'

Thecaptainrodeawayandgavethemessage.

'WhatwillhegivetomyfriendtheKingofNorway?

'askedthebrother.

'Sevenfeetofearthforagrave,'repliedthecaptain.

'Nomore?

'returnedthebrother,withasmile.

'TheKingofNorwaybeingatallman,perhapsalittlemore,'repliedthecaptain.

'Rideback!

'saidthebrother,'andtellKingHaroldtomakereadyforthefight!

'

Hedidso,verysoon.AndsuchafightKingHaroldledagainstthatforce,thathisbrother,andtheNorwegianKing,andeverychiefofnoteinalltheirhost,excepttheNorwegianKing'sson,Olave,towhomhegavehonourabledismissal,wereleftdeaduponthefield.ThevictoriousarmymarchedtoYork.AsKingHaroldsatthereatthefeast,inthemidstofallhiscompany,astirwasheardatthedoors;andmessengersallcoveredwithmirefromridingfarandfastthroughbrokengroundcamehurryingin,toreportthattheNormanshadlandedinEngland.

Theintelligencewastrue.Theyhadbeentossedaboutbycontrarywinds,andsomeoftheirshipshadbeenwrecked.Apartoftheirownshore,towhichtheyhadbeendrivenback,wasstrewnwithNormanbodies.Buttheyhadoncemoremadesail,ledbytheDuke'sowngalley,apresentfromhiswife,upontheprowwhereofthefigureofagoldenboystoodpointingtowardsEngland.Byday,thebannerofthethreeLionsofNormandy,thediversecolouredsails,thegildedvans,themanydecorationsofthisgorgeousship,hadglitteredinthesunandsunnywater;bynight,alighthadsparkledlikeastarathermast-head.Andnow,encampednearHastings,withtheirleaderlyingintheoldRomancastleofPevensey,theEnglishretiringinalldirections,thelandformilesaroundscorchedandsmoking,firedandpillaged,wasthewholeNormanpower,hopefulandstrongonEnglishground.

HaroldbrokeupthefeastandhurriedtoLondon.Withinaweek,hisarmywasready.HesentoutspiestoascertaintheNormanstrength.Williamtookthem,causedthemtobeledthroughhiswholecamp,andthendismissed.'TheNormans,'saidthesespiestoHarold,'arenotbeardedontheupperlipasweEnglishare,butareshorn.Theyarepriests.''Mymen,'repliedHarold,withalaugh,'willfindthosepriestsgoodsoldiers!

'

'TheSaxons,'reportedDukeWilliam'soutpostsofNormansoldiers,whowereinstructedtoretireasKingHarold'sarmyadvanced,'rushonusthroughtheirpillagedcountrywiththefuryofmadmen.'

'Letthemcome,andcomesoon!

'saidDukeWilliam.

Someproposalsforareconciliationweremade,butweresoonabandoned.InthemiddleofthemonthofOctober,intheyearonethousandandsixty-six,theNormansandtheEnglishcamefronttofront.Allnightthearmieslayencampedbeforeeachother,inapartofthecountrythencalledSenlac,nowcalled（inremembranceofthem）Battle.Withthefirstdawnofday,theyarose.There,inthefaintlight,weretheEnglishonahill;awoodbehindthem;intheirmidst,theRoyalbanner,representingafightingwarrior,woveningoldthread,adornedwithpreciousstones;beneaththebanner,asitrustledinthewind,stoodKingHaroldonfoot,withtwoofhisremainingbrothersbyhisside;aroundthem,stillandsilentasthedead,clusteredthewholeEnglisharmy-everysoldiercoveredbyhisshield,andbearinginhishandhisdreadedEnglishbattle-axe.

Onanoppositehill,inthreelines,archers,foot-soldiers,horsemen,wastheNormanforce.Ofasudden,agreatbattle-cry,'Godhelpus!

'burstfromtheNormanlines.TheEnglishansweredwiththeirownbattle-cry,'God'sRood!

HolyRood!

'TheNormansthencamesweepingdownthehilltoattacktheEnglish.

TherewasonetallNormanKnightwhorodebeforetheNormanarmyonaprancinghorse,throwinguphisheavyswordandcatchingit,andsingingofthebraveryofhiscountrymen.AnEnglishKnight,whorodeoutfromtheEnglishforcetomeethim,fellbythisKnight'shand.AnotherEnglishKnightrodeout,andhefelltoo.Butthenathirdrodeout,andkilledtheNorman.Thiswasinthefirstbeginningofthefight.Itsoonragedeverywhere.

TheEnglish,keepingsidebysideinagreatmass,carednomorefortheshowersofNormanarrowsthaniftheyhadbeenshowersofNormanrain.WhentheNormanhorsemenrodeagainstthem,withtheirbattle-axestheycutmenandhorsesdown.TheNormansgaveway.TheEnglishpressedforward.AcrywentforthamongtheNormantroopsthatDukeWilliamwaskilled.DukeWilliamtookoffhishelmet,inorderthathisfacemightbedistinctlyseen,androdealongthelinebeforehismen.Thisgavethemcourage.AstheyturnedagaintofacetheEnglish,someoftheirNormanhorsedividedthepursuingbodyoftheEnglishfromtherest,andthusallthatforemostportionoftheEnglisharmyfell,fightingbravely.Themainbodystillremainingfirm,heedlessoftheNormanarrows,andwiththeirbattle-axescuttingdownthecrowdsofhorsemenwhentheyrodeup,likeforestsofyoungtrees,DukeWilliampretendedtoretreat.TheeagerEnglishfollowed.TheNormanarmyclosedagain,andfelluponthemwithgreatslaughter.

'Still,'saidDukeWilliam,'therearethousandsoftheEnglish,firmsasrocksaroundtheirKing.Shootupward,Normanarchers,thatyourarrowsmayfalldownupontheirfaces!

'

Thesunrosehigh,andsank,andthebattlestillraged.ThroughallthewildOctoberday,theclashanddinresoundedintheair.Intheredsunset,andinthewhitemoonlight,heapsuponheapsofdeadmenlaystrewn,adreadfulspectacle,allovertheground.

KingHarold,woundedwithanarrowintheeye,wasnearlyblind.Hisbrotherswerealreadykilled.TwentyNormanKnights,whosebatteredarmourhadflashedfieryandgoldeninthesunshinealldaylong,andnowlookedsilveryinthemoonlight,dashedforwardtoseizetheRoyalbannerfromtheEnglishKnightsandsoldiers,stillfaithfullycollectedroundtheirblindedKing.TheKingreceivedamortalwound,anddropped.TheEnglishbrokeandfled.TheNormansrallied,andthedaywaslost.

Owhatasightbeneaththemoonandstars,whenlightswereshininginthetentofthevictoriousDukeWilliam,whichwaspitchednearthespotwhereHaroldfell-andheandhisknightswerecarousing,within-andsoldierswithtorches,goingslowlytoandfro,without,soughtforthecorpseofHaroldamongpilesofdead-andtheWarrior,workedingoldenthreadandpreciousstones,laylow,alltornandsoiledwithblood-andthethreeNormanLionskeptwatchoverthefield!

Chapter8EnglandUnderWilliamtheFirst,TheNormanConqueror

UPONthegroundwherethebraveHaroldfell,WilliamtheNormanafterwardsfoundedanabbey,which,underthenameofBattleAbbey,wasarichandsplendidplacethroughmanyatroubledyear,thoughnowitisagreyruinovergrownwithivy.Butthefirstworkhehadtodo,wastoconquertheEnglishthoroughly;andthat,asyouknowbythistime,washardworkforanyman.

Heravagedseveralcounties;heburnedandplunderedmanytowns;helaidwastescoresuponscoresofmilesofpleasantcountry;hedestroyedinnumerablelives.AtlengthSTIGAND,ArchbishopofCanterbury,withotherrepresentativesoftheclergyandthepeople,wenttohiscamp,andsubmittedtohim.EDGAR,theinsignificantsonofEdmundIronside,wasproclaimedKingbyothers,butnothingcameofit.HefledtoScotlandafterwards,wherehissister,whowasyoungandbeautiful,marriedtheScottishKing.Edgarhimselfwasnotimportantenoughforanybodytocaremuchabouthim.

OnChristmasDay,WilliamwascrownedinWestminsterAbbey,underthetitleofWILLIAMTHEFIRST;butheisbestknownasWILLIAMTHECONQUEROR.Itwasastrangecoronation.OneofthebishopswhoperformedtheceremonyaskedtheNormans,inFrench,iftheywouldhaveDukeWilliamfo