The main body of the
great army under the king and Tostig landed and prepared to march upon
York. Sudden as the call had been there was no lack of spirit or
patriotism in the English levies. Among their ranks were many priests and
monks, who felt that it was their duty to aid in the defence of the land
against the semi-heathen host that invaded it. The memory of the past
invasion of the Norsemen, when the churches had been sacked and the priests
slain on the altar, inspired them, and they and the monks responded as
readily as did the laymen to the summons of the earls. These had not
hesitated to consult Wulf as to the post where they had best station
themselves to give battle, and the disposition of their forces. One who had
distinguished himself under Duke William of Normandy, and under Harold in
Wales, had, young though he was, more experience of war than any of the
northern thanes, and as the representative of Harold all these were ready
to listen with respect to his advice. He had already spent four or five
days in surveying the ground in the direction from which the Norsemen were
likely to advance, and had decided that a place known as Gate Fulford, two
miles from the city, was best calculated for defence, it being situated on
a narrow ridge, having the river and its swampy banks on one side, and a
flat marshy country on the other. Thither the army of the earls marched to
take up its position.
Pages:
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378
379
380
381
382
383
384
385
386
387
388
389
390
391
392