Meanwhile the Saxon phalanx came on, slow and firm, and in a few
minutes the battle began. It commenced first with the charge of the
English cavalry (never numerous), led by Leofwine and Haco, but the
double palisade of the Norman spears formed an impassable barrier; and
the horsemen, recoiling from the frieze, rode round the iron circle
without other damage than the spear and javelin could effect.
Meanwhile, King Harold, who had dismounted, marched, as was his wont,
with the body of footmen. He kept his post in the hollow of the
triangular wedge; whence he could best issue his orders. Avoiding the
side over which Tostig presided, he halted his array in full centre of
the enemy, where the Ravager of the World, streaming high above the
inner rampart of shields, showed the presence of the giant Hardrada.

The air was now literally darkened with the flights of arrows and
spears; and in a war of missives, the Saxons were less skilled than
the Norsemen. Still King Harold restrained the ardour of his men,
who, sore harassed by the darts, yearned to close on the foe. He
himself, standing on a little eminence, more exposed than his meanest
soldier, deliberately eyed the sallies of the horse, and watched the
moment he foresaw, when, encouraged by his own suspense and the feeble
attacks of the cavalry, the Norsemen would lift their spears from the
ground, and advance themselves to the assault. That moment came;
unable to withhold their own fiery zeal, stimulated by the tromp and
the clash, and the war hymns of their King, and his choral Scalds, the
Norsemen broke ground and came on.

"To your axes, and charge!" cried Harold; and passing at once from the
centre to the front, he led on the array. The impetus of that artful
phalanx was tremendous; it pierced through the ring of the Norwegians;