with equal valour by the English, and, after a furious combat, which remained long undecided, the former, overcome by the difficulty of the ground, and being hard pressed by the enemy, began to retreat; and confusion was rapidly spreading itself through the ranks, when William, who found himself on the brink of destruction, ́hastened, with a select band, to the relief of his dismayed forces. His presence restored order; and the English retired with loss. The duke, ordering his second line to advance, renewed the attack with fresh forces, and with renovated courage. Finding that the English, aided by the advantage of the ground, and animated by the example of their prince, continued to make a vigorous resistance, he had recourse to a stratagem, which, for subtilty of contrivance and celerity of execution, was worthy the genius of the most celebrated modern chieftain. He commanded his

troops to make a hasty retreat, and to allure the enemy from their ground, by the appearance of flight. The artifice succeeded against raw, inexperienced soldiers, who, heated by the action, precipitately followed the Normans; unable to advance in a line, from the situation of the morass, they defiled off. William, who was aware of the existence of the narrow pass, which had compelled the English thus to defile, suffered a considerable number to 'advance, and, without giving them time to form,

ordered that his infantry should promptly face about upon their pursuers, while the cavalry made an assault upon their wings; and that both should follow up the advantage, which the surprise and terror of the enemy must give them in that critical and decisive moment. The English were repulsed with great slaughter, and driven back to the hill; where, being rallied by the bravery and heroism of Harold, they were able, notwithstanding their loss, to maintain their post, and continue the combat. The duke tried the same stratagem a second time, and with equal success; but, even after this double advantage, he still found a great body of the English, who, maintaining themselves in firm array, seemed determined to dispute the victory to the last extremity. He ordered his heavy-armed infantry to make an assault upon them, while his archers, placed behind, should gall the English, who were exposed by the situation of the ground, and who were intent on defending themselves against the swords and spears of their assailants. By this disposition, he at last prevailed. Harold was slain by an arrow, while he was combating with great bravery at the head of his men; his two brothers shared the same fate; and the English, depressed and discouraged by the fall of their princes, gave ground on all sides, and were pursued with great slaughter by the victorious Normans. A few hardy spirits, however, undismayed amidst the

scene of havoc that was passing before them, courageously turned upon their pursuers, and, attacking them in deep and miry ground, obtained some revenge for the slaughter and disasters of the day. But the appearance of the duke obliged them to seek their safety by flight, and darkness saved them from farther pursuit.

Thus terminated the battle of Hastings, and with it the independence of the kingdom; and though the English yielded to the superior skill of the Conqueror, the native valour of the land was never more strikingly displayed than on that memorable and fatal day. William had three horses killed under him, and there fell nearly fifteen thousand men on the side of the Normans: the loss was still more considerable on that of the English, besides the death of the king, and his two brothers; but the actual number which was left dead in the field, was never correctly ascertained. The dead body of Harold was carried to William, who restored it, without ransom, to his mother; and the duke, after refreshing his troops, hastened to follow up his advantage, by pursuing his route to London*.

* A curious circumstance is related of the conduct of an individual in this battle, of the name of Truelove, the founder, it would seem, of the Eyres, one of the most ancient families in Derbyshire. The circumstance alluded to, as related in an

G

PLATE XXXVIII.

Interior under the Refectory, Battle Abbey.

To what purpose this interior was appropriated, is uncertain, but, probably, to that of a kitchen, and communicating by a door now blocked up ; adjoining it, at the west end, is another building of a similar description, but of smaller dimensions, which, together with the one here represented, form the support of the grand refectory, which extends over the roofs of both.

old pedigree, still preserved at Hassop, is this:-The first of the Eyres came in with William the Conqueror, and his name was Truelove; but, in the battle of Hastings, (Oct. 14, 1066,) this Truelove, seeing the king unhorsed, and his helmet beat so close to his face, that he could not breathe, pulled off his helmet, and horsed him again. The king said, "Thou shalt hereafter, from Truelove, be called Air, or Eyre, because thou hast given me the air I breathe." After the battle, the king called for him; and, being found with his thigh cut off, William ordered him to be taken care of; and, after his recovery, gave him lands in the county of Derby, in reward for his services. The seat he lived at was called Hope, because he had hope in the greatest extremity; and the king gave the leg and thigh cut off, in armour, for his crest, and which is still the crest of all the Eyres in England.

PLATE XXXIX.

Remains of the Altar, on the Site of which the body of King Harold was found,-Battle Abbey.

THIS drawing represents the Ruins of St. Martin's Church, Battle Abbey; the altar of which is said to have been built in commemoration of the event above related. It is distinguished from the surrounding masses of stone which formed the bases of the columns supporting the roof, by its centrical situation, its white front, and a figure standing upon it. On the right of the view may be seen the remains of the entrance to the church, with steps to descend into its area; this spot must have been about the centre of Harold's army, as the situation clearly demonstrates. This view describes only the foundation of the church, which was cleared of its rubbish some years ago, at a great expense, by Sir Godfrey Webster, in order to preserve the memorials of transactions so intimately connected with the history of the country. In the back ground is seen part of Crowhurst Park and the Hastings road.

The disastrous issue of this battle, and the consequences resulting therefrom, give rise to reflections, which, after a lapse of seven hundred and fifty years,