BA TIL i: OF //.IN TINGS. .". 1 ?, 



when he came on the heath north of Kastaldbryggja (Castle- 

 bridge) two king's stewards met him with a detachment, took 

 him and fettered him, and he was slain ; the English call him 

 a saint. William was king over England for twenty-one years, 

 and his kin ever since " (Harald Hardradi's Saga, Hkr. cc. 99- 

 101). 



The battle of Hastings was fought on October 14th, lOlii't. 

 Gyrd played an important part in the conflict. 



" Then said Gyrd jarl to his brother King Harald : ' I fear 

 that thou wilt not succeed in the fight against William, for 

 thou hast sworn not to defend England against him.' The 

 king replied : ' It may be, brother, that it will suit thee better 

 to fight against William than me ; but I have not been wont 

 to lie in my room when other men have fought, and William 

 shall not hear that I dare not behold him.' After this King 

 Harald had his standard raised, and began the battle against 

 William. The fight was most violent, and it was long thought 

 uncertain which of them would get the victory ; but as the 

 battle continued the fall of men turned on the hands of the 

 English (Enskir rnenn). William had before the attack let 

 the relics of Otmar be tied to his standard ; on these Harald 

 had taken his oath. But when the battle began to turn against 

 King Harald, he asked : ' What is tied to William's standard ? ' 

 xVnd when he was told, he said : ' It may be that we need not 

 then expect victory in this battle.' And thus it ended that 

 King Harald and his brother Gyrd fell, and a large part of 

 their men, but all who were alive fled " (Fornmauna Sogur, vi. 

 c. 121). 



VOL. II. 



2 L 



