The meal must necessarily have been a hasty one. One of the guests has already risen from his seat, and calls the attention of the Duke to something that is passing without.
William was now fairly committed to a great and hazardous undertaking, and retreat was not to be thought of; at the same time, the utmost circumspection was necessary, and the Duke of Normandy was not the man to neglect any precaution.
We accordingly next find him in solemn consultation with his two uterine brothers—Odo, Archbishop of Bayeux, and Robert, Count of Mortaine. William has his sword elevated, and Robert is in the act of drawing his from the scabbard—indications which strongly mark the nature of the attempt before them. The legend over this group ([Plate XI.]) is simply, ODO EPISCOPUS: ROBERTUS—Odo the Bishop: Robert.
As the result, probably, of the deliberations of the three brothers, it was resolved strongly to fortify the position occupied by William’s army. Such was the importance of this work, that William, with the consecrated banner in his hand, is seen personally superintending it. The spades of the workmen are worthy of observation. They are evidently made of wood, but shod with iron. They have a notch for the foot on one side only. That they were adapted not merely for turning up the soil, but for trenching the scull of an enemy, is evident not only from their size and form, but from the use to which they are put by two of the parties before us. The inscription over this part is, ISTE JUSSIT UT FODERETUR CASTELLUM AT HESTENGA[M]—He has ordered an intrenchment to be dug at Hastings; and over the castle itself is written, CEASTRA[92]—The camp.
The camp in question could not be the castle, the ruins of which now crown the heights of Hastings. However strong the position of Hastings castle, there is not space enough on the rocky platform on which it stands for the encampment of an army one fourth of the size of William’s; besides, we cannot suppose that William in his present circumstances would attempt the erection of a fort of solid masonry. The camp which William constructed was, as the Tapestry leads us to believe, formed of earth, strengthened with wooden palisades, the whole being commanded at intervals by towers which had been brought in frame from France. The phrase ut foderetur, that they might dig a castle, is express, and the men are seen throwing up the soil. This agrees with what Wace says, “They enclosed a fort and strengthened it round about with palisades and a fosse.” Some extensive entrenchments, still to be seen in the immediate vicinity of the railway station at Hastings, are probably the remains of the Duke’s encampment.[93]
An English knight, who had watched the landing of William, hastened to Harold with the alarming news. He found him rejoicing after the defeat of Tostig and Hardrada. “Foolish” says Wace, “is he who glorifies himself, for good fortune soon passeth away. The heart of man often rejoiceth when ruin is nigh.”
Bitterly did Harold grieve that he had not been at the spot when the Normans landed, that he might have driven them into the sea. “It is a sad mischance,” said he, “but thus it hath pleased our Heavenly King.”
Harold had, by the rapidity of his marches, surprised his brother Tostig, and come upon the troops of Hardrada unawares. He thought to adopt the same policy with William; and, without taking time to refresh or recruit his exhausted army, commenced his march southwards. In the course of a few days he was in the vicinity of his enemy. William, however, was not to be taken by surprise, and Harold was constrained to take up a position at Battle, distant about six miles from Hastings, where the Duke was encamped.