3. I cannot pretend to say which was right; but, as it is of more consequence to know how the dispute ended, we will proceed to the history of the conquest.
4. The Normans were great warriors; so that even many of the clergy would sometimes put on armour under their robes, and lead their own vassals to battle; and they had as much interest in the dispute as the nobles, for they expected to come into possession of some of the Bishops’ sees and rich abbey lands, provided Duke William should succeed in his enterprise.
5. While all this was going on in Normandy, Harold’s brother, Tosti, had raised a rebellion in the north of England, and was joined by the king of Norway, who landed with an army in Yorkshire: so Harold had to go and fight with them, and there was a great battle at Stamford Bridge, where the king gained a complete victory.
6. Two or three days after this he was enjoying himself at a great feast, at York, when news was brought to him that the Normans had landed in Sussex, where they were doing all manner of mischief, driving the people away from the towns and villages, and taking every thing they could lay their hands on.
7. The king made all the haste he could to get his soldiers together, and began his march to oppose the invaders, but it took nearly a fortnight to get to where they were; and all that time the invaders were making dreadful havoc for miles round their camp, so that the terrified people fled to the woods, or shut themselves up in the churches, for fear of being killed.
8. At last, Harold came, and a battle was fought near Hastings, on the 14th of October, 1066, where the king and two of his brothers, with a great many of the English nobles, were slain, and the conqueror from that day looked upon himself as the master of the country.
9. But the English had seen enough of the Normans to know that they should be very badly treated if they once suffered a Norman government to be established, so they resolved to do their utmost to prevent it, and thus the Normans had to fight for every town, and castle, before it was given up to them.
10. William had marched to London, and laid siege to it, soon after the battle of Hastings, and the people having submitted to him, he was crowned in Westminster Abbey, on Christmas day.