A.D. 1066. This year came King Harold from York to
Westminster,
on the
Easter succeeding the midwinter when the king (Edward)
died. Easter was then on the sixteenth day before the
calends of
May. Then was over all England such a token
seen as no man ever
saw
before. Some men said that it was the
comet-star, which
others
denominate the long-hair'd star. It appeared
first on the
eve
called "Litania major", that is, on the eighth before the
calends
off May; and so shone all the week. Soon
after this came
in Earl
Tostig from beyond sea into the Isle of Wight, with as
large a
fleet as he could get; and he was there supplied with
money and
provisions. Thence he proceeded, and
committed
outrages
everywhere by the sea-coast where he could land, until
he came to
Sandwich. When it was told King Harold, who
was in
London, that
his brother Tostig was come to Sandwich, he gathered
so large a
force, naval and military, as no king before collected
in this
land; for it was credibly reported that Earl William from
Normandy,
King Edward's cousin, would come hither and gain this
land; just
as it afterwards happened. When Tostig
understood that
King Harold
was on the way to Sandwich, he departed thence, and
took some of
the boatmen with him, willing and unwilling, and
went north
into the Humber with sixty skips; whence he plundered
in Lindsey,
and there slew many good men. When the Earls
Edwin
and Morkar
understood that, they came hither, and drove him from
the land. And the boatmen forsook him. Then he went to Scotland
with twelve
smacks; and the king of the Scots entertained him,
and aided
him with provisions; and he abode there all the summer.
There met
him Harold, King of Norway, with three hundred ships.
And Tostig
submitted to him, and became his man. Then
came
King Harold
to Sandwich, where he awaited his fleet; for it
was long ere
it could be collected: but when it was assembled, he
went into
the Isle of Wight, and there lay all the summer and the
autumn. There was also a land-force every where by the
sea,
though it
availed nought in the end. It was now the
nativity of
St. Mary,
when the provisioning of the men began; and no man
could keep
them there any longer. They therefore had
leave to go
home: and
the king rode up, and the ships were driven to London;
but many
perished ere they came thither. When the
ships were
come home,
then came Harald, King of Norway, north into the Tine,
unawares,
with a very great sea-force -- no small one; that might
be, with
three hundred ships or more; and Earl Tostig came to him
with all
those that he had got; just as they had before said: and
they both
then went up with all the fleet along the Ouse toward
York. When it was told King Harold in the south, after
he
had come
from the ships, that Harald, King of Norway, and Earl
Tostig were
come up near York, then went he northward by day and
night, as
soon as he could collect his army. But, ere
King
Harold could
come thither, the Earls Edwin and Morkar had
gathered
from their earldoms as great a force as they could get,
and fought
with the enemy. They made a great slaughter
too;
but there
was a good number of the English people slain, and
drowned, and
put to flight: and the Northmen had possession of
the field of
battle. It was then told Harold, king of the
English,
that this had thus happened. And this fight
was on the
eve of St.
Matthew the apostle, which was Wednesday. Then
after
the fight
went Harold, King of Norway, and Earl Tosty into York
with as many
followers as they thought fit; and having procured
hostages and
provisions from the city, they proceeded to their
ships, and
proclaimed full friendship, on condition that all
would go
southward with them, and gain this land. In
the midst
of this came
Harold, king of the English, with all his army, on
the Sunday,
to Tadcaster; where he collected his fleet. Thence
he proceeded
on Monday throughout York. But Harald, King
of
Norway, and
Earl Tostig, with their forces, were gone from their
ships beyond
York to Stamford bridge; for that it was given them
to
understand, that hostages would be brought to them there from
all the
shire. Thither came Harold, king of the
English,
unawares
against them beyond the bridge; and they closed together
there, and
continued long in the day fighting very severely.
There was
slain Harald the Fair-hair'd, King of Norway, and Earl
Tostig, and a multitude of people
with them, both of Normans and