17 



BAYEUX TAPESTRY. 



BAYEUX TAPESTRY. 



is 



considered it to be an apologetical history of the claims of William 

 to the crown of England, and of the breach of faith and fall of 

 Harold; and that, as it stands, it contains a perfect and finished 

 action. 



In the mean time, the Society of Antiquaries in 1816 despatched an 

 excellent and accurate artist, Mr. Charles Stothard, to Bayeux, who, in 

 that and the succeeding year, brought home a perfect fac-simile of the 

 tapestry, the drawings of which have been since engraved, coloured 

 like the original, and published in the 6th volume of the ' Vetusta 

 Monumenta,' plates i. to xvii. 



The appearance of the first portion of Mr. Stothard's drawings gave 

 rise to some Observations from Mr. Amyot, in refutation of an histo- 

 rical fact which the tapestry had been supposed to establish ; namely, 

 that of Harold's mission to Normandy by the Confessor to offer the 

 succession to William. (' Archscol.' vol. xix. p. 88.) These were followed 

 by C. Stothard's own observations while at Bayeux, pointing out such 

 circumstances as presented themselves to his notice during the minute 

 investigation to which the tapestry was necessarily subjected (Ibid, 

 vol. xix. p. 184), and again followed by ' A. Defence of the early anti- 

 quity of the Tapestry,' by Mr. Amyot (Ibid. p. 192), in which the 

 objections raised by the Abbd de la Rue against the tradition which 

 made the tapestry coeval with the events it celebrates, are com- 

 pletely invalidated. 



The work begins with the figure of a king seated upon his throne, 

 \\ho in addressing one of two persons standing by his side : the in- 

 scription is simply ' EDWARD RES.* It appears to be Harold taking 

 leave. We next see Harold proceeding to Boseham attended by several 

 followers ; he carries a hawk upon his fist, at that time the distin- 

 guishing mark of nobility ; his dogs are running before him : ' IBI 



HAROLD DVX ANGLORVM ET SVI MILITES EQVITANT AD BOSHAM.' A 



church is then represented, in front of which are two men who appear 

 about to enter : above is the word ' ECCLESIA.' This church is Bose- 

 ham in Sussex. The party next appear feasting at a table in a house, 

 previous to their embarkation. Some persons are descending the 

 steps from the apartment where they have been dining ; others are 

 embarking in four vessels. Harold enters first, still bearing the hawk 

 and carrying a dog under his arm. These last-mentioned figures are 

 wading through the water, naked from the waist downwards : ' HIO 



HAROLD MARE JJAVIOAVIT ET VELIS VENTO PLENIS VENIT IN TEKRAM 



WIDONIS COMITIS.' The last of the four vessels next appears anchoring 

 in France, Harold standing at the prow : his name ' HAROLD ' above. 

 Three figures are then represented upon land ; one of them is Harold 

 in the act of being seized by order of Guy Earl of Ponthieu, who is on 

 horseback, followed by his people : ' me APPREHENDIT WIDO HAROLDVM 

 ET DVXIT EVM AD BF.LREM ET IBI EVM TENVIT.' Harold and Guy are 

 next seen mounted upon their horses, and attended both by Saxon and 

 Norman soldiers. The Saxons are distinguished by wearing musta- 

 chios ; the Normans have none. Harold and Guy appear in conver- 

 sation, ' VBI HAROLD ET WIDO FAHABOLANT :' when messengers arrive 

 from William Duke of Normandy to the Earl of Ponthieu ' VBI NVNTII 

 WIMEI.MI nvcis VKXFRVNT AD wiDOXEM.' Between the Earl of Pon- 

 thieu who is seated, and his guards who receive the messengers, a tree 

 divides the subject, as other trees, in like manner, divide all the 

 principal events throughout the work. A dwarf, with the name ol 

 'TVROLD' above, holds the horses of Duke William's messengers. 

 William's messengers are again represented on horseback, bearing 

 shields; ' XVXTII WII.IEI.MI.' Next is a Saxon messenger mustached 

 kneeling to William on his ducal seat : ' HIC VENIT NVNCIVS AD WIL- 

 VM DVCEM.' Guy is seen immediately after, conducting Harold to 

 the duke : ' HIC WIDO ADDVXIT HAROLDVM AD WILGELMVM NORMANNO 

 RVX DVCEM.' William meets them, and returns with Harold to his 

 palace : ' me DUX WILGELM CVM HAROLDO VENIT AD PALATIUM SVVM. 

 We have then a female figure within the door of a church, and a priest 

 and beneath them the words ' vxvs CLEBICVS ET JELFGYVA.' Mr. Douce 

 says evidently Adeliza, William's daughter, who was affianced to 

 Hnrold. The next event is William's warfare with Conan Earl o: 

 Bretagne, in which it is apparent Harold assisted and rendered essen 

 tial service to the Norman party : 'HIC WILLEM DVX ET EXERCITVS 

 BTVS VEXKRVNT AD MOXTEM MiCHAELls.' Soldiers, mounted on horse 

 back, arrive at Mount St. Michael and pass the river Cosno : ' ET HIC 



TRAXSIERVNT FLYMEN COSXOXIS ET VENERVXT AD DOL.' Harold is 



depicted among them, assisting some persons who had fallen into the 

 quicksands while passing the river : ' me HAROLD DVX TRAHEBAT EOS 

 . HEXA.' We have then the words ' ET cox AN PVGA VEHTIT. 

 ii is seen escaping from Dol and descending the walls by a rope 

 Troop* are flying and approach Rennes : ' REDXES.' The Norman 

 soldiers are next employed in attacking Dinant: 'HIC MILITEB 

 overs PVGXAXT CONTRA DIXAXTES.' Conan delivers up t< 

 the keys of the town, which they succeed in taking : ' ET CVNAI 

 i LAVES PORREXIT.' After this event William rewards the services o 

 1 by giving him a suit of armour : ' HIC WILLELM DEDIT HAHOLDI 

 ARM A.' William and his party then arrive .it Bayeux ; ' Hie WILLELS 

 VENIT BAOIAS.' Is is said that William, in order to secure to hiinsel 

 the succession of the Saxon throne, without having Harold for a com 

 petitor, caused him to take a solemn vow that he would never attemp 

 the possession of the English crown : this vow he obliged Harold (thei 

 within his power) to make upon a covered altar, beneath which Willian 

 had placed the most sacred and precious relics. No sooner had Haro 

 ARTS AND SCI. DIV. VOL. II. 



worn the oath, than the Norman duke uncovered the altar, and 



y showing him what sacred things he had vowed, enforced upon his 



mind the blasphemy he would be guilty of, if he ever attempted the 



violation of his oath. Harold is represented taking the oath, while 



tanding between two covered altars : ' VBI HAROLD SACRAMENTVM 



ECIT WILLELMO Dvci.' Harold next embarks for England : ' HIO 



IAROLD DVX REVERSVS EST AD -ANGLICAM TEKRAM ET VENIT AD 



DWARDVM REGEM ;' and is immediately after represented as relating 

 lie events of his journey to the Saxon king. 



The next subject is the death and funeral of Edward the Confessor, 

 'he funeral procession comes first : ' HIC PORTATVR CORPVS EADWARDI 

 IEGIS AD ECCLESIAM FETRi APOSTOLi.' The king is then represented 

 in his bed, giving his last directions to the officers of his court : his 

 rife Editha weeping by his side : ' HIC EADWAHDVS REX ALLOQVIT 

 IDELES.' Beneath he is represented dead and laid out : ' ET HIO 

 IEFVNCTVS EST.' The next subject is the crown offered to Harold by 

 he people : ' HIC DEDERVNT HAROLDO CORONAM REGIS.' Harold then 

 ppears upon his throne, Stigand, Archbishop of Canterbury, at his 

 ide : ' HIC RESIDET HAROLD REX ANGLORVM. STIGANT ARCHIEPISCOPVS.' 

 subject that follows is the appearance of a comet, at which the 

 lo are gazing : ' ISTI MIRANT STELLAM.' Harold is seen below it, 

 istening to a person who has approached him : his name above, 

 HAROLD.' Boats are represented in the border beneath. The next 

 ubject which the tapestry represents is a ship, bringing to William 

 he news of Harold's having assumed the English crown : ' HIC NAVIS 

 NGLICA VENIT IN TERRAM wiLLELMi Dvois.' William and his half- 

 rother, Odo, bishop of Bayeux (distinguishable by the tonsure), appear 

 ionsulting together and giving orders that ships should be built for 

 ,he purposed invasion of England : ' Hie WILLELM DVX IVSSIT NAVES 

 EDIFICARE.' Accordingly several persons are next represented as 

 employed in cutting down trees; carpenters are constructing vessels, 

 and others draw them into the sea : ' HIC TRAHVNT NAVES AD MAKE.' 

 The embarkation of the Normans forms the succeeding subject ; they 

 carry with them on board the ships wine, arms, and provisions : ' ISTI 



'ORTANT ARMAS AD NAVES ET TRAHVXT CARRVM CVM VINO ET ARMI6.' 



William going to his own vessel is next represented : ' Hie WILLELM 

 DVX IN MAGXO NAVIGIO.' Numerous ships are then seen passing the 

 sea, loaded with troops and horses, and William arrives in Pevensey 

 aay (his own vessel known by the figure of a boy holding a pennon at 

 the stern ; it bears a lantern at the mast) : ' MARE TRANSIVIT ET VENIT 

 AD PEVENES.*:.' The troops and horses next appear disembarking : 

 they proceed to Hastings, where they seize provisions : ' HIC EXEVNT 



CABALLI DE NAVIBVS ET HIC MILITES FESTINAVERVNT HASTINGA VT 



:rBVM RAPERENTVR.' A figure on horseback, bearing a pennon at the 

 end of his lance, is here distinguished by the words ' me EST WADARD.' 

 The Normans are now busied in cooking meats and regaling them- 

 selves : ' HIC COQVITVR CARO ET HIC MINISTRAVERVNT MINISTRI. HIC 



FECERVNT PRANDIVM.' The soldiers dine upon their shields. Odo 

 seated at a table, with William on his right hand, bestows his bene- 

 diction on the viands : ' ET HIC EPISCOPVS CIBVM ET POTVM BENEDICIT.' 

 William, with Odo and Robert Earl of Mortaigne, are seated under a 

 canopy : ' ODO EPISCOPVS. WILLELM. ROTBERTVS.' A figure carrying a 

 pennon then appears giving orders that the army should encamp at 

 Hastings : ' ISTE IVSSIT VT FODERETVR CASTELLVM AT HESTENOA.' The 

 camp forming : ' CASTRA." William appears directing the building 

 of a castle. The news is then brought to William that Harold is 

 advancing to oppose the Normans ; William on a raised seat : ' HK3 

 NVXTIATVM EST WILLELMO DE HAROLD.' Two Normans setting fire to 

 a house ; a woman and child escaping from it : ' HIC DOMVS INCIN- 

 DITVR.' The soldiers of William leave Hastings to meet Harold in the 

 field ; and the duke now, for the first time since his arrival, appears in 

 armour : the march of the horsemen : ' me MILITES EXIERVNT DE 



HESTENGA ET VENERVNT AD PRELIYM CONTRA HABOLDVM REGEM.' Odo 



is represented bearing a mace, but preceded by William on horseback 

 with a club, who interrogates Vitalis, an individual of his army, also 

 on horseback, whether he has seen Harold's forces : ' WILLELM DVX 



INTERROOAT VITAL. SI VIDISSET EXERCITVM HAROLDI.' Harold also 



receives information relative to William's force : ' ISTE NVNTIAT 

 HAROLDVM DE EXERCITV WILLELMI Dvcis.' William then addresses his 

 soldiers, who are proceeding onward to the battle : ' HIC WILLELM DVX 



ALLOQV1TVR SVIS MILITIBVS VT PREPARARENT SE VIRILITER ET SAPIENTER 



AD PRELIVM CONTRA ANGLORVM EXERCITVM.' The Normans approach, 

 mostly on horseback, but intermixed with archers on foot. The battle 

 now ensues, in which the Saxons are chiefly on foot, their shields dis- 

 tinguished from those of the Normans by being usually round with a 

 boss hi the centre. Lewine and Gyrth, the brothers of Harold, arc 

 slain : ' HIC CECIDERVNT LEWINE ET GYRTH FUATRES HAROLDI REGIS." 

 The obstinacy of the contest is next represented : ' BIO CECIDERVNT 

 SIMVL ANOLI ET FRANCi IN PRE1IO.' Odo is now represented charging 

 full speed and striking at a horseman with a club or mace : ' HIC ooo 

 EPISCOPVS BACVLVM TENENS CONFORTAT PVEROS.' This probably 

 means that Odo had to encourage the troops, upon a report that 

 William was slain. The battle continues ; ' HIC EST WILLELM DVX.' 

 The duke appears showing himself and giving orders : ' HIC FRANCI 

 PVGNANT ET CECIDERVNT QVI ERANT CVM HAROLDO.' The death of 

 Harold, the standard carried before whom appears to be a dragon. 

 We have then the discomfiture and flight of the Saxons. Here the 

 tapestry ends with figures of persons retreating in great haste; not 



o 



