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been no chance to talk. It could be they wanted us for ransom and the presence of the Empress was an accident but I did not believe that.  The Count of Flanders had been ever present since we had landed in Normandy.  I would have to discover why later but first we had to battle them.
    "Stay tight together.  Do not worry about their speed.  We stay as one."
    I turned Star and headed towards them.  They were now cantering down the slope and I spied hope for the first time. They were no longer knee to knee.  We started to trot and I resisted the temptation to glance behind me.  It would not give my men any confidence.  I had to make them believe that we could win and that I was confident.  I was not.  I watched the charging knights lean forward and pull back their lances. I spurred Star to make him go ahead of the other two so that our line would become the arrow. Out of the corner of my eye I saw the spears of Harold and Alan.  They were riding as close to me as they dared.  The slope meant we could not go very fast but it increased the speed of the eight knights who were now galloping full tilt towards us. As they did so they lost the valuable cohesion they needed for an effective charge.
    I suddenly spied a gap big enough for Star emerge between Guillaume of Ghent and the knight next to him.  We were just thirty paces apart and I yelled, "Charge!" I put my spurs to Star. He leapt forward and I pulled back my right arm. I had my shield as tight to my left side as I could get it. I knew that this knight would aim for my head and expect me to do the same.  I readied my arm and at the right moment I punched forward.  As I had expected his shield was held high and the head of my lance slid over the cantle of the saddle and tore into the mail and gambeson.  His lance head clattered into my shield and slid up to my helmet.  The angled cap took the blade away. The force of my blow and the weight of the knight and horse broke my lance and I threw the useless haft away.
    As I drew my sword I saw the mortally wounded knight slipping backwards and holding on to the lance which had struck his vital organs. Our formation had taken them by surprise.  Half of their knights had not had to face an enemy for my men at arms, like their own were some thirty paces behind. I saw that the men at arms had lances and I risked a glance over my shoulder.  We had felled three knights and, as far as I could see lost none.
    " Mêlée !"
    Even Harold and Alan knew what to do.  It was every man for himself and you tried to do as much damage as you could to those around you.  The men at arms coming towards us were not in a single line and their speed meant that it would be possible to avoid their lances if you were agile enough. The first Sergeant at Arms who tried to kill me also made the mistake of hitting my head but he forgot to punch and the blow was weak. I jabbed at him with my shield and slashed down with my sword at the same time.  The combination made him fall from his mount and I was through their line.  As I turned to attack their rear I saw two men at arms with arrows sticking from them. My archers were doing what they did the best. The men at arms did not have full mail and the arrows were deadly
    I ignored the men at arms and rode for the knight who was fighting with Harold.  Both their lances had broken but the knight was having the better of it. Now I had the slope and Star galloped hard. This was what he had been bred for, fighting. I came behind the knight and brought my sword above his cantle and across his back.  The heavy sword, the force of Star and the slope shattered his spine and almost tore him in two.  His lifeless body fell to the ground. I know not if it was the archers or my sudden attack from behind but the others took flight and headed back up the hill, running the gauntlet of Dick and his archers.
    I could see that we had taken casualties. Alan was lying on the ground and did not appear to be