Page:Powell's Hastings and St Leonards Guide Eighth edition.pdf/37

14th of October, in the year 1066, between Harold and William Duke of Normandy, who, in consequence of a pretended right to the throne of ENGLAND , landed at Pevensey Bay, a few days prior to the battle, with a well appointed army, consisting of near 60,000 men , including a fine body of cavalry. The news of the arrival of the invaders soon reached Harold , who, elated with his recent success in defeating the Norwegians at STAMFORD, lost no time in collecting his troops, and marching to attack them , notwithstanding the entreaties of his brothers to postpone a general engagement, and endeavour to harass the enemy with skirmishes. Harold , although unequal to his rival in point of numbers, particularly in cavalry, having made a happy choice of ground, and the most skilful disposition of his army, was enabled to maintain the best of the engagement for the greater part of the day, until the artful Norman , almost despairing of victory, adopted the stratagem of ordering his troops to make a false retreat, with the view of inducing the English to, quit their favorable position : a snare into which they unhappily fell, thereby giving the enemy an opportunity of bringing their cavalry into action, -