William took them, caused them to be led through his whole camp, and then dismissed.

'The Normans,' said these spies to Harold, 'are not bearded on the upper lip as we English are, but are shorn.

They are priests.' 'My men,' replied Harold, with a laugh, 'will find those priests good soldiers!' 'The Saxons,' reported Duke William's outposts of Norman soldiers, who were instructed to retire as King Harold's army advanced, 'rush on us through their pillaged country with the fury of madmen.' 'Let them come, and come soon!' said Duke William.
Some proposals for a reconciliation were made, but were soon abandoned.
In the middle of the month of October, in the year one thousand and sixty- six, the Normans and the English came front to front.

All night the armies lay encamped before each other, in a part of the country then called Senlac, now called (in remembrance of them) Battle.

With the first dawn of day, they arose.