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ENGLAND UNDER HAROLD THE SECOND, AND CONQUERED BY THE NORMANS
HAROLD was crowned King of England on the very day of the maudlin1 Confessor's funeral. He had good need to be quick about it. When the news reached Norman William, hunting in his park at Rouen, he dropped his bow, returned to his palace, called his nobles to council, and presently sent ambassadors to Harold, calling on him to keep his oath and resign the Crown. Harold would do no such thing. The barons2 of France leagued together round Duke William for the invasion of England. Duke William promised freely to distribute English wealth and English lands among them. The Pope sent to Normandy a consecrated3 banner, and a ring containing a hair which he warranted to have grown on the head of Saint Peter. He blessed the enterprise; and cursed Harold; and requested that the Normans would pay 'Peter's Pence' - or a tax to himself of a penny a year on every house - a little more regularly in future, if they could make it convenient.
King Harold had a rebel brother in Flanders, who was a vassal4 of HAROLD HARDRADA, King of Norway. This brother, and this Norwegian King, joining their forces against England, with Duke William's help, won a fight in which the English were commanded by two nobles; and then besieged5 York. Harold, who was waiting for the Normans on the coast at Hastings, with his army, marched to Stamford Bridge upon the river Derwent to give them instant battle.
He found them drawn6 up in a hollow circle, marked out by their shining spears. Riding round this circle at a distance, to survey it, he saw a brave figure on horseback, in a blue mantle8 and a bright helmet, whose horse suddenly stumbled and threw him.
'Who is that man who has fallen?' Harold asked of one of his captains.
'The King of Norway,' he replied.
'He is a tall and stately king,' said Harold, 'but his end is near.'
He added, in a little while, 'Go yonder to my brother, and tell him, if he withdraw his troops, he shall be Earl of Northumberland, and rich and powerful in England.'
1 maudlin | |
adj.感情脆弱的,爱哭的 | |
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2 barons | |
男爵( baron的名词复数 ); 巨头; 大王; 大亨 | |
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3 consecrated | |
adj.神圣的,被视为神圣的v.把…奉为神圣,给…祝圣( consecrate的过去式和过去分词 );奉献 | |
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4 vassal | |
n.附庸的;属下;adj.奴仆的 | |
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5 besieged | |
包围,围困,围攻( besiege的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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6 drawn | |
v.拖,拉,拔出;adj.憔悴的,紧张的 | |
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7 din | |
n.喧闹声,嘈杂声 | |
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8 mantle | |
n.斗篷,覆罩之物,罩子;v.罩住,覆盖,脸红 | |
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9 honourable | |
adj.可敬的;荣誉的,光荣的 | |
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10 victorious | |
adj.胜利的,得胜的 | |
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11 mire | |
n.泥沼,泥泞;v.使...陷于泥泞,使...陷入困境 | |
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12 wrecked | |
adj.失事的,遇难的 | |
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13 galley | |
n.(飞机或船上的)厨房单层甲板大帆船;军舰舰长用的大划艇; | |
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14 prow | |
n.(飞机)机头,船头 | |
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15 gilded | |
a.镀金的,富有的 | |
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16 scorched | |
烧焦,烤焦( scorch的过去式和过去分词 ); 使(植物)枯萎,把…晒枯; 高速行驶; 枯焦 | |
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17 pillaged | |
v.抢劫,掠夺( pillage的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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18 ascertain | |
vt.发现,确定,查明,弄清 | |
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19 reconciliation | |
n.和解,和谐,一致 | |
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20 warrior | |
n.勇士,武士,斗士 | |
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21 adorned | |
[计]被修饰的 | |
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22 rustled | |
v.发出沙沙的声音( rustle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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23 dreaded | |
adj.令人畏惧的;害怕的v.害怕,恐惧,担心( dread的过去式和过去分词) | |
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24 archers | |
n.弓箭手,射箭运动员( archer的名词复数 ) | |
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25 sweeping | |
adj.范围广大的,一扫无遗的 | |
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26 knight | |
n.骑士,武士;爵士 | |
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27 prancing | |
v.(马)腾跃( prance的现在分词 ) | |
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28 catching | |
adj.易传染的,有魅力的,迷人的,接住 | |
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29 forth | |
adv.向前;向外,往外 | |
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30 slaughter | |
n.屠杀,屠宰;vt.屠杀,宰杀 | |
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31 resounded | |
v.(指声音等)回荡于某处( resound的过去式和过去分词 );产生回响;(指某处)回荡着声音 | |
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32 knights | |
骑士; (中古时代的)武士( knight的名词复数 ); 骑士; 爵士; (国际象棋中)马 | |
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33 battered | |
adj.磨损的;v.连续猛击;磨损 | |
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34 armour | |
(=armor)n.盔甲;装甲部队 | |
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35 fiery | |
adj.燃烧着的,火红的;暴躁的;激烈的 | |
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36 carousing | |
v.痛饮,闹饮欢宴( carouse的现在分词 ) | |
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37 corpse | |
n.尸体,死尸 | |
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