They are not true men, Edwin and Morcar; they
surrendered York before an arrow was shot against its walls, and received
Harold Hardrada as their king. They would be equally willing to
acknowledge William of Normandy so that they might but preserve their
earldoms under him. They have promised to send their whole forces forward
without delay, but I have no belief that they will be here. I am going to
Steyning as soon as I have eaten a meal and rested for a few hours. I shall
miss Osgod sorely. I trust that it will not be long before I have him by my
side."
"When will the army be back here, master?"
"In three days at most, I imagine. There will be but short stay here before
Harold marches south to meet the Normans. The news of the wanton
destruction they are making has roused him to fury, and he will assuredly
lose no time, even though he have but half the force of England behind
him."
"It is as well to have something to fall back on," the armourer said. "It
is not by one battle that England is to be conquered, and even if we lose
the first we may gain the second. We can stand the loss better than the
Normans, for doubtless William has brought all his strength with him, and
if beaten must make his way back to his ships, while Harold would in a
short time find himself at the head of a larger army than that with which
he may first meet them. Was the slaughter as great as they say at Stamford
Bridge?"
"It was terrible, Ulred; and though the Norsemen suffered vastly more than
we did, the ranks of the housecarls, on whom the brunt of the fighting
fell, have been sorely thinned.
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