ranks, a champion from Harold's troops advanced to meet him ; but the Duke with one stroke laid his antagonist on the ground. This brought on a general action with the two front lines, which was furious, and remained long undecided ; but the Normans, overcome by the difficulty of the ground, and hard pressed by the enemy, began first to relax their vigour, then to retreat, and confusion was spreading among the ranks, which William observing, hastened with a select band to the relief of his dismayed forces. His pretence restored the action, and the English were obliged to retire with loss.
The Duke now ordered a general charge to be sounded, so that the whole army moved at once, singing the hymn or song of Rollo, the famous Peer of Charlemagne. A shower of darts was the first salute ; but this doing no great execution against the impenetrable wall formed by the bucklers, they advanced to a more close engagement with sabre and hatchet.
