BATTLE OF STAMFORD BRIDGE. 



507 



day of the week there should be a Thing, at which Humid \\us 

 to appoint chiefs and give rights and grants. The same evening, 

 after sunset, Harald, son of Godwin, came from the south with 

 an overwhelming host ; he was led into the town with the 

 consent and goodwill of all the townsmen; then till the m:nl> 

 and the gates were occupied so that the Northmen should not 

 get any news ; the host was in the town during the night. 



" On Monday, when King Harald Sigurdarson and his men 

 had had their day meal, he sounded the horns to go ashore ; 

 he made his host ready, and selected those who should remain 

 or go ashore ; * he let two men from each detachment 2 go, 

 and one remain. Tosti jarl prepared himself and his host to 

 go ashore with the king ; but Olaf, the king's son, and Eystein 

 Orri (black cock) were left behind to guard the ships ; also 

 the son of Thorberg Arnason, who was then the most renowned 

 and dearest of all lendirmen in Norway to the king Harald 

 had promised him his daughter Maria the jarls of the Ork- 

 neys, Pal and Erlend, remained behind. The weather was 

 exceedingly fine, and the sun so hot that the men left their 

 armour behind, and went up with shields, helmets, spears, and 

 swords ; many carried bows and arrows, and they were in high 

 spirits. When they came near the town they saw great clouds 

 of dust, and a large host on horseback, with fine shields and 

 shining brynjas. The king stopped, and, calling Tosti jarl, 

 asked what men those were who were coming against them. 

 The jarl said : ' They are most likely foes, though it may be 

 that they are some of our kinsmen who come to seek friend- 

 ship and mercy from us, and give us in return their faith and 

 trust.' The king said that they would stop there and find out 

 about this host ; they did so, and the nearer the host approached 

 the more numerous it seemed. It was so well armed, and the 

 weapons glittered so, that it was as if one looked at broken 

 shining ice. Then Tosti jarl said : ' Herra (lord), let us take a 

 good expedient. It cannot be doubted that these are foes, and 

 the king himself probably leads them.' The king asked : 'What 

 is your advice ? ' Tosti answered : ' The first is to go back as 

 soon as we can to the ships to fetch the rest of our men and our 

 coats of mail (brynjas), then let us fight as well as we can ; or 

 otherwise let us go on board the ships, and then the horsemen 

 cannot reach us.' The king said : ' I will follow another plan. 

 I will put three brave men on the swiftest horses, and let them 

 ride to our men as fast as they can, and tell them what has 

 happened ; their aid will soon come, for the English will have 



1 All through the Sagas we see that it 

 seemed the custom that one-third of the 



men should remain on board of tin- shij>s 

 to protect them. 2 Sveit. 



