that the cavalry and heavy infantry must have come down in long successive columns ; and the vanguard, consisting of the splendid horsemen of the Boulonnais, and all William 's Condottieri, under the counts of Montgomery and Boulogne, would , on reaching the brow of the hill, wheel round in front of the Saxon lines,and take up their post on the extreme left, where the ridge terminates abruptly in a hill overlooking the Asten , and is separated by a wide and deep ravine from the Camp Hill. The division of Bretons, under Alan of the Iron Glove, consisting chiefly of infantry, would , by the time the head of their column reached the Tannery, have their rear about the windmill. Then by simply changing their formation from column into line, and slightly bringing their right shoulders forward , they would , after a short descent of the slope,[1] find themselves face to face with Harold 's left, about the same time that the horsemen of Boulogne could be seen on Harold 's right. Meanwhile ,the main body of chosen horse and foot, under William himself, defiling along the high road in the rear of the Breton right,would debouch at Santlache,as it was anciently written,afterwards altered into " Senlac," and now familiarly known as " The Lake." Then filing to the left,they would follow the track of the Count of Montgomery ; and halting a little short of that division,and facing to the right,would occupy a position exactly fronting the royal banner of England , guarded by the Londoners.
The examination of Harold's position confirms me in an -
- ↑ Which is too steep for cavalry.
