for the expedition, and messengers sent to solicit the aid of the King of France and the benediction of the pope. The former was refused, but the latter was granted, and the blessing alone determined numbers to take part in the invasion. The rumour of William's enterprise soon spread far and wide, and the Counts of Flanders and Boulogne, with a numerous company of barons, crowded round his standard. Emulation excited the Normans not to remain in the background, and it soon became a matter of rivalry who should supply the greatest number of vessels and men-at-arms for the conquest of England, where treasures, estates, and dignities were to be the portion of the conquerors. Such was the activity displayed, that William soon beheld at his disposal a fleet of 3000 ships and open boats, in which he embarked about 60,000 chosen men; and on the 28th of September 1066, he landed without opposition at a place named Bulverhithe, between Pevensey and Hastings, on the coast of Sussex.

11. In the meantime, Harold was threatened with a more immediate danger than that from Normandy. Tostig, his unnatural brother, who had been expelled from Northumberland on account of his tyranny, had repaired to the court of Norway, where he prevailed on Harold Hadrada to in vade England. Early in autumn the Norwegian monarch set sail with a fleet of 200 war-ships, and twice as many vessels of inferior size, laden with all kinds of warlike stores. He sailed up the Humber and captured York; but Harold immediately attacked him, and in the battle of Stamford Bridge most of the invaders perished, and the fleet became the prize of the conqueror.

While Harold was recruiting his exhausted troops at York, he was informed of William's landing in Sussex, and immediately hastened towards London, pressing forward his soldiers with the utmost speed. On the 13th of October, he came in sight of the invading army, and having chosen a favourable position on a declivity named Senlac, nine miles from Hastings, entrenched his camp and waited for the attack. The Normans were posted on the opposite hill, which they descended about nine in the morning of the 14th, and crossing the intervening space, began to ascend that on which the English were stationed.

Before closing with their opponents, they raised the shout of "Dieu aide! God is our help!" and were answered by Harold's troops with that of "Christ's rood-the holy Food!" or cross. The attack was commenced by the Norman

achers, who produced no impression upon the firm phalanx d the English. William then brought his steel-clad horseto the charge, but they were repulsed with great slaugh ter, their coats of mail, on which they so much depended, being no protection against the battle-axes of the sturdy islanders The Normans now began to waver; and a report being spread that the and Hilliam, however, rode up to them with his helm est aluke was killed, a portion of their left wing took to help of God membered as the age with the utmost fury; but the in his hand death was deagain led his troops to the attack, and battle continued to aterbury, on the day of Edwance, and to retire

and crying out, "I am still alive, and with th

a certain distance, then faced about, and on every side and cut off from all retreat, w powered. This feint being successfully arts of the field, greatly weakened the Eng ll continued to maintain their ground, when a brain of Harold as he was bravely fightingo, roops. His two brothers had already h, discouraged by the death of their 1 all sides, and dispersed through the he Normans followed them by the ligh unacquainted with the country, they marshy ground, when the men of K and inflicted severe vengeance on the t, however, retrieve the fortune of th ulsed, but succeeded in preventing a sanguinary and decisive battle of nd men engaged on the side of the art were left dead upon the fiel rses killed under him; a rds who had follow honours, many ought to

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two brothers, almost all the nobility of the south of England had died where they fought; and though the total loss of the vanquished is unknown, it cannot reasonably be estimated at ess than that of the victors. The body of Harold was delivred to his mother, and deposited by her in the church of Taltham.

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12. As we have now reached the end of the Anglo-Saxon iod

to them of English history, it may be well to look back upon

progress made by the nation between the Saxon and the hern invasions. It is doubted how far the feudal system e said to have been adopted before the Conquest. If the ans did not entirely introduce it into England, they at rought it to perfection; but it must not be forgotten, e Saxons before them had established a regular form rnment, in which principles are to be found that have

th becar more valuable to the liberty and happiness of the ecourse han those of feudalism.

h the royal family there were but two classes, thanes immediate ds, i. e. gentry and inferior people. The conquered unnatural bretons were little better than slaves, attached like he estates of their masters. The great council, of Norway, went of the nation, was the witenagemot, or assemvade England wise men. It was composed of prelates, abbots, set sail with af or aldermen of shires; but there was nothing resels of inferior the modern representative system. For the purHe sailed up administering justice, England was divided into immediately a hundreds, and tithings: the county-court was held Bridge most of mes in the course of the year, and its presidents the prize of the bishop and the alderman, or the sheriff. Unless While Hare as denied in this court, there lay no appeal to the he was inform bunal. The law of trial by jury and frank pledge or diately haste responsibility has been spoken of in connexion with with the utgn of King Alfred.

sight of th country was not without learning-indeed for some position on ae peaceful Saxon churchmen were a more civilized and entrenched class than the half military ecclesiastics whom the were post ans thrust among them. Rich libraries existed at Cannine in try, in the monastery of Wearmouth, and particularly at space, be, in which were to be found nearly all the Greek and tioned, a writers illustrious in profane and sacred literature. Four shout of es will suffice to show the literary glory of England under by Hardominion of its Saxon conquerors: Alfred, the learned and odic king; Aldhelm, abbot of Malmesbury, and afterwards

archers, who produced no impression upon the firm phalanx of the English. William then brought his steel-clad horsemen to the charge, but they were repulsed with great slaughter, their coats of mail, on which they so much depended, being no protection against the battle-axes of the sturdy islanders. The Normans now began to waver; and a report being spread that the duke was killed, a portion of their left wing took to flight. William, however, rode up to them with his helmet in his hand, and crying out, "I am still alive, and with the help of God I shall still conquer," succeeded in restoring confidence. He again led his troops to the attack, and the battle continued to i age with the utmost fury; but the English firmly repelled his most furious onsets, and at three o'clock in the afternoon, victory seemed to favour the cause of Harold. The Normans were at length becoming disheartened, when their indefatigable chief had recourse to a statagem. He ordered a body of horsemen to advance, and to retire precipitately as if in flight, which induced a party of the English to leave their position and follow in pursuit.The pretended fugitives being joined by another body of cavalry who were waiting at a certain distance, then faced about, and the pursuers, assailed on every side and cut off from all retreat, rere speedily overpowered. This feint being successfully repeated in different parts of the field, greatly weakened the English; but they still continued to maintain their ground, when a the brain of Harold as he was bravely fighting arrow pierced at the head of his troops. His two brothers had already fallen, and the English, discouraged by the death of their 1 Pring, now gave way on all sides, and dispersed through the woods in their rear. The Normans followed them by the light of the moon, but being unacquainted with the country, they became entangled in marshy ground, when the men of Kent renewed the combat, and inflicted severe vengeance on their pursuers. They could not, however, retrieve the fortune of the day, and were finally repulsed, but succeeded in preventing any further

pursuit.

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Thus ended the sanguinary and decisive battle of Hastings. Of the sixty thousand men engaged on the side of the victors, more than a fourth part were left dead upon the field ec William had three horses killed under him; and of merous knights and lords who had followed his fortunes in the hope of wealth and honours, many found a last place in the soil they had sought to conquer. Besides Harold's

resting

two brothers, almost all the nobility of the south of England had died where they fought; and though the total loss of the vanquished is unknown, it cannot reasonably be estimated at less than that of the victors. The body of Harold was delivered to his mother, and deposited by her in the church of Waltham.

12. As we have now reached the end of the Anglo-Saxon period of English history, it may be well to look back upon the progress made by the nation between the Saxon and the northern invasions. It is doubted how far the feudal system can be said to have been adopted before the Conquest. If the Normans did not entirely introduce it into England, they at least brought it to perfection; but it must not be forgotten, that the Saxons before them had established a regular form of government, in which principles are to be found that have proved far more valuable to the liberty and happiness of the people than those of feudalism.

Beneath the royal family there were but two classes, thanes and churls, i. e. gentry and inferior people. The conquered native Britons were little better than slaves, attached like cattle to the estates of their masters. The great council, the parliament of the nation, was the witenagemot, or assembly of the wise men. It was composed of prelates, abbots, and earls or aldermen of shires; but there was nothing resembling the modern representative system. For the purpose of administering justice, England was divided into counties, hundreds, and tithings: the county-court was held several times in the course of the year, and its presidents were the bishop and the alderman, or the sheriff. Unless justice was denied in this court, there lay no appeal to the royal tribunal. The law of trial by jury and frank pledge or mutual responsibility has been spoken of in connexion with the reign of King Alfred.

The country was not without learning-indeed for some time the peaceful Saxon churchmen were a more civilized and learned class than the half military ecclesiastics whom the Normans thrust among them. Rich libraries existed at Canterbury, in the monastery of Wearmouth, and particularly at York, in which were to be found nearly all the Greek and Latin writers illustrious in profane and sacred literature. Four names will suffice to show the literary glory of England under the dominion of its Saxon conquerors: Alfred, the learned and heroic king; Aldhelm, abbot of Malmesbury, and afterwards