By this wilie stratagem and policie of warre, the Englishmen were
deceiued: for they beholding the Normans somwhat shrinking backe to
bring themselues into the aboue said order, thought verelie that they
had fled, and therevpon meaning to pursue them before they should
recouer their ground, they brake their arraie, and began to follow the
chase: wherevpon the Normans (perceiuing now that all things came to
passe as they desired) speedilie returned, and casting themselues
togither quicklie into arraie, began to charge them againe afresh, and
[Sidenote: A sore foughten battell. King Harold slaine.]
so hauing them at that aduantage, they slue them downe on euerie
side. The Englishmen on the other part fought sore, and though their
king was beaten downe among them and slaine, yet were they loth to
flee or giue ouer; so sharpe was the battell, that duke William
himselfe had three horsses slaine vnder him that day, and not without
great danger of his person.
[Sidenote: _Wil. Malm._ _Matth. West._]
Some of the Englishmen got them to the height of an hill, and beate
backe the Normans that forced themselues to win the hill of them, so
that it was long yer the Normans could preuaile, being oftentimes
driuen downe into the botome of the vallie beneath.
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