"HIC HAROLD MARE NAVIGAVIT ET VELIS VENTO PLENIS

"VENIT IN TERRAM WIDONIS COMITIS."

Here Harold has embarked on the sea, and, with sails filled with wind, is driven on the coast of the Earl Wido. This part of the story represents Harold embarking with his attendants, to take the diversion of fishing, and driven by a violent wind on the coast of Picardy, belonging to Earl Wido, or, as he is termed, Earl of Ponthieu.

"HIC APPREHENDIT WIDO HAROLDUM ET DUXIT EUM AD BELREM "ET IBI EUM TENIT."

Here Wido makes Harold prisoner, and conducts him to Belrem, and there detains him.

"UBI HAROLD ET WIDO PARABOLANT."

Where (at Belrem) Harold and Wido hold a conference.

"UBI NUNTII WILLIELMI DUCIS VENERUNT AD WIDONEM." Where the Ambassadors of Duke William (of Normandy) come to Wido.

Harold, having found the means of informing Duke William of his misfortune, the latter sends ambassadors to Wido, for the purpose of Harold's ransom.

"HIC NUNTII WILLIELMI DUCIS."

These are Duke William's ambassadors.

Plate 11.

"VENIT NUNTIUS AD WII GELMUM DUCEM."

An ambassador comes (from Wido) to Duke William.
"HIC WIDO ADDUXIT HAROLDUM AD
"WILGELMUM NORMANORUM DUCEM."

Here Wido has conducted Harold to William Duke of Normandy.
"UBI UNUS-CLERICUS ET ELFGIVA."

Here is a person (a clerk or secretary) coming to Elfgiva. Elfgiva is stated to be the Duke William's Duchess, and this secretary is supposed to relate to her the promise the Duke had given of her daughter Adeliza in marriage to Harold. Why the Duchess is here termed Elfgiva, instead of Matilda, is by no means satisfactorily accounted for.

"HIC WILLEM DUX ET EXERCITUS EJUS VENERUNT AD MONTEM "MICHAELIS ET HIC TRANSIERUNT FLUMEN COзNONIS.

"ET HIC HAROLDUS DUX TRAHEBAT EOS DE ARENA"

Here Duke William and his band come to Mount St. Michael, and cross the River Cosnon. And here Duke Harold, (who is mentioned to

have been a very tall and powerful man) drags them (those who are sinking in the sands) on shore.

"ET VENERUNT AD DOL: ET CONAN FUGA VERTIT REDN." Here they come to (the town of) Dol; and Conan (Earl of Bretagne, who was then besieging it) turns back in flight.

"HIC MILITES WILLELMI DUCIS PUGNANT CONTRA
"DINANTES ET CUNAN CLAVES PORREXIT."

Here Duke William's soldiers engage with those of Dinant, and Cunant (or Conan) is offering up the Keys (of the City of Dinant.)

"HIC DEDIT WILLELMUS ARMA HAROLDO."

Here William gives Harold arms,—or knights him.

Plate III.

"HIC WILLELMUS VENIT BAGIAS-UBI HAROLDUS
"SACRAMENTUM FECIT WILLELMO DUCI."

Here William comes to Bayeux; where Harold takes an oath of fealty to Duke William.

"HIC HAROLDUS DUX REVERSUS EST AD ANGLICAM TERRAM
"ET VENIT AD EDWARDUM REGEM."

Here Duke Harold returns back to England, and presents himself to King Edward.-This was Edward the Confessor, who had married Harold's sister, and raised him to the highest rank in the Kingdom.

"EADWARDUS REX IN LECTO ALLOQUITUR FIDELES."

King Edward (reclining) on a couch, confers with his faithful attendants, (or counsellors).

"ET HIC DEFUNCTUS EST."

And here he dies.

"HIC PORTATUR CORPUS EADWARDI REGIS AD ECCLESIAM

"SANCTI PETRI APOSTOLI."

Here the body of King Edward is borne to the Church of St. Peter the Apostle (Westminster-Abbey.)

"HIC DEDERUNT HAROLDO CORONAM REGIS."

Here the kingly crown is given to Harold.

"HIC RESIDET HAROLDUS REX ANGLORUM."

Here sits (enthroned) Harold, King of the English, (or Anglo-Saxons.)

"STIGANT- ARCHIEPISCOPUS."

Stigant, the Archbishop (of Canterbury) who is standing at Harold's left hand at his Coronation.

"ISTI MIRANTUR STELLAM."

These (some of the Spectators, assembled at the Coronation) are looking with wonder at a Constellation.-A Comet is stated to have appeared at this time, and to have been regarded by the People, as the precursor of some great and ominous event to the Kingdom.

"HIC NAVIS ANGLICA VENIT IN

"TERRAM WILLELMI DUCIS."

Here an English ship comes to the Coasts of Duke William.—This ship was probably sent to announce to him Edward's death, and Harold's accession to the throne.

"HIC WILLELMUS DUX JUSSIT

"NAVES EDIFICARE."

Here Duke William orders Ships to be built.

Plate IV.

"HIC TRAHUNT NAVES AD MARE."

Here they draw ships into the Sea. This Plate represents men in the act of drawing ships into the water with ropes; a practice used most likely at that time of floating them, before the present mode of launching vessels was discovered.

"ISTI PORTANT ARMAS AD NAVES, ET HIC TRAHUNT

"CARUM, CUM VINO ET ARMIS."

Some are carrying arms to the ships, and here they are embarking provision with wine and arms.

"HIC WILLELMUS DUX IN MAGNO NAVIGIO,

"MARE TRANSIVIT ET VENIT AD PEVENSE."

Here Duke William, in a large ship, has crossed the sea, and is come to Pevensey.

"HIC EXEUNT CABALLI DE NAVIBUS."

Here they disembark the horses from the ships.

"ET HIC MILITES FESTINAVERUNT HESTING A
"ET CIBUM RAPPERENTUR."

And here the soldiers are sent in haste to Hastings, and plunder provisions.

"HIC EST WADARDUS."

Here is a Warden-a person superintending the provisions as they are brought in.

"HIC COQUITUR CARO-ET HIC MINISTRAVERUNT MINISTRI." Here the provision is cooked, and here the attendants serve the feast.

"HIC FECERUNT PRANDIUM, ET HIC EPISCOPUS CIBUM ET POTUM "BENEDICIT."

Here they are feasting, and here the Bishop blesses the meat and drink.

Plate V.

"ISTE JUSSIT UT FODERENTUR CASTELLUM AD HESTENG."

He (Robert, Count de Mortain, a brother of William) gives orders for digging (or laying the foundation of) a castle (or fort) at Hastings.

From the term foderentur, made use of, and of which the literal translation is here given, (from fodio, to dig, delve, or mine) it has been inferred, by some authors, that the castle of Hastings owed its first origin to William the Conqueror. But if this opinion have been grounded on the story described in this tapestry, and rests solely on that, it ought rather to be received as conjecture, than regarded as an authority sufficiently weighty, for the decision or establishment of so important an historical fact. The word Castellum, the diminutive of Castrum, a castle, would seem to imply that, in the hurry and pressure of their time and circumstances, the Normans were anxious to take measures for present and immediate defence against the exasperated inhabitants of the country they had invaded; and that, for this purpose, orders had been given for erecting a small castle, or fortress (for such Castellum more properly signifies) or, for throwing up some hasty intrenchments, as the word foderentur might mean, for the exigencies of the moment. Circumstanced as

William was, he must have had other objects, more pressing on his attention, and more essential to his immediate safety and the success of his enterprise, to have attended to: nor could he have had either time or the ability to have employed himself in the erection of a castle of such size and massive strength and power, as that of Hastings must have been, and which, from the ruins of it time has left us, must have occupied years of labour in its building and completion.

"HIC NUNTIATUM EST WILLELMO DE HAROLDO."

Here news is brought to William respecting Harold; to apprise him that he is advancing to give him battle.

NORTH WEST VIEW OF THE CASTLE,

To JOHN TOMPSETT ESQ TOWN CLERK of HASTINGS, This plate is respectfully inscribed by
Published Feb. 1824 by W. Mejs Konungen

Printed by R.Miller,

Engraved by H.Adlard.

W. & Moss.

Preef