[**]
William had now assembled a fleet of three thousand vessels, great and
small,[***] and had selected an army of sixty thousand men from among
those numerous supplies, which from every quarter solicited to be
received into his service.
[* Baker, p. 22, edit. 1634.]
[** Camden. Introd. ad Britann. p. 212, 2d edit.
Gibs. Verstegan. p. 173]
[*** Gul. Gemet. lib. vii. cap. 34.]
The camp bore a splendid, yet a martial appearance, from the discipline
of the men, the beauty and vigor of the horses, the lustre of the arms,
and the accoutrements of both; but above all, from the high names of
nobility who engaged under the banners of the duke of Normandy. The
most celebrated were Eustace, count of Boulogne, Aimeri de Thouars, Hugh
d'Estaples, William d'Evreux, Geoffrey de Rotrou, Roger de Beaumont,
William de Warenne, Roger de Montgomery, Hugh de Grantmesnil, Charles
Martel, and Geoffrey Giffard.[*] To these bold chieftains William held
up the spoils of England as the prize of their valor; and pointing to
the opposite shore, called to them that _there_ was the field,
on which they must erect trophies to their name, and fix their
establishments.
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