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town, ‘Jarl Tosti, well acquainted witli the people of that 
town/ and laid his army at Stafnfurdo-bryg. The king 
returned down to his ships .” Thus ends act the first. 
“ A thing appointed for Monday morning early , to settle the 
affairs of the kingdom. The same evening (■ i.e ., that Harold 
of Norway had returned to his ships) came king Harold of 
England, Gfodwinson, from the South to the castle, and rode 
into the city with the good will and consent of the people of 
that castle. All gates were shut, and the army remained 
that night in the towrn. On Monday , Harold Sigurdson 
ordered trumpets to sound to go ashore. The weather was 
fine and hot sunshine, — one-third left to watch the ships. 
As they came near the castle , a great army seemed coming 
against them. The men had come to land but half equipped. 
A cloud of dust reveals their presence. Tosti says, Let us 
turn about as fast as we can to our ships (they could not 
have been far off) to get our men and weapons. King 
Harold says, Let us send three horses and three of our 
briskest lads, and let them ride with all speed to come 
quickly to our relief. King Harold set up his Standard, the 
Landreyda or Land-ravager. The infantry were drawn up 
in a hollow circle (the Shield borh) or Shield fort, shield 
linked to shield, and their spears driven into the earth 
before them, to receive cavalry. Jarl Tosti, at another 
place, had a different banner. A parley takes place with 
him, he is offered half the kingdom for himself, and when he 
asks what for Harold, his ally, the answer is, “Six feet of 
English earth, or as much more as his length exceeds other 
men.” “Hide back,” says the indignant Tosti, “to your 
master, and let him arm for the fight, for never shall it 
become a truthful tradition amongst the Norwegians that 
Jarl Tosti forsook their king in the land of his enemies. 
The English cavalry sw 7 eep down on the Norwegians ; Harold, 
unarmed, rides about encouraging his men, and chanting his 
