Also a considerable
fleet had to be built. All this took time, and Harold was therefore
perfectly aware of what Duke William intended, and gathered his forces,
both of ships and men, to meet him in the south of England. All through
the spring and summer he waited, in vain. Meantime, soon after Easter,
a strange portent appeared in the heavens "the comet star which some
men call the hairy star," and no man could say what it might mean. It
was not this, however, which delayed William; he was not ready. It is
possible that had he been able to advance during the summer the whole
history of England might have been different. As it was, when autumn
was at hand with the Birthday of the Blessed Virgin, Harold's men were
out of provisions and weary of waiting; they were allowed to disperse,
Harold himself went to London and the fleet beat up into the Thames,
not without damage and loss, against the wind, which, had he but known
it, now alone delayed the Duke.
But that wind which kept William in port brought another enemy of
Harold's to England with some three hundred galleys, Hardrada of
Norway, who came to support the claims of Tostig, now his man, King
Harold's exiled brother, to Northumbria; for the Northumbrians had
rebelled against him, and Harold had acquiesced in their choice of
Morkere for lord.
Pages:
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209