Note 1372 — Chapter XV · THE NORMAN INVASION AND THE CAMPAIGN OF HASTINGS.[1055] (continued 2)

As we have two ensigns, a national and a personal one, so we evidently have a national and a personal war-cry. As, besides the Standard, Harold’s own Standard, we have the national Dragon, so we have the cry of “Holy Cross,” which cannot fail to be an invocation of Harold’s own Holy Cross of Waltham, and we have also another cry of “God Almighty,” which we must infer to be more strictly a national cry. We may fancy that the irregular levies shouted “God Almighty,” while the King’s Thegns and Housecarls shouted “Holy Cross.”