Note 959 — Chapter XIV · THE NORWEGIAN INVASION AND THE CAMPAIGN OF STAMFORDBRIDGE.[928]

See above, p. 325, note 4. The Abingdon Chronicle speaks of “scipfyrde and eac landfyrde,” that of Worcester of “sciphere and eac landhere.” No doubt both kinds of force were called out. The preparations of Harold are also strongly set forth by Orderic, 500 A; “Hastingas et Penevesellum aliosque portus maris Neustriæ oppositos.... toto anno illo cum multis navibus et militibus callide servaverat.” Compare also his account of Tostig’s expedition, see above, p. 304. And, after all, no one does more justice to Harold in this respect than the most hostile of all writers, William of Poitiers (123); “Heraldus interea promptus ad decernendum prœlio, sive terrestri sive navali, plerumque cum immani exercitu ad littus marinum opperiens.”