Soone after, both the brethren approching neere togither, ech of them pitched their campe within the sight of other, preparing themselues to giue battell with princelie stomachs. [Sidenote: They ioine in battell.] The king surmounting the duke his brother in number, first bringeth foorth his men in order of battell, and streightwaies the duke likewise, both being readie to trie the matter by dint of sword. Then the one prouoking the other, and the trumpets sounding aloft, the conflict began. The kings souldiers trusting too much in their owne force, by reason of their great multitude, brake their arraie, and assailed their enimies on ech side verie disorderlie: but the Normans being wiselie ordered and instructed by their duke, kept themselues close togither: so that the kings battell, which had without order stept foorth to assaile them, finding sturdie resistance, began now to result or giue backe: for not onelie duke Robert but also William earle of Mortaigne preased foreward amongst their men, and fought valiantlie with their owne hands. Whervpon the king, when he perceiued how his men began to shrinke, cried vpon them to staie, and withall commanded his horssemen to breake vppon the flanks of his enimies battell: which they did, with such violence that they disparkled the same, and caused the enimies to scatter. Herewith also the kings footmen, togither with the horssemen inuaded the Normans afresh, who neuerthelesse resisted a while, till being compassed about in maner on euerie side, they began to flee: [Sidenote: The Normans vanquished.] as oftentimes it chanceth, when a few driuen in sunder by a multitude, are assailed on all sides. The king then hauing vanquished his aduersaries, followeth the chase, and maketh great slaughter of them, though not without some losse of his owne: for the Normans despairing of safetie, turned oftentimes againe vpon their pursuers. [Sidenote: The earle of Mortaigne. _Eadmerus._ W. Crispine. W. Ferreis. Robert de Estoutuille. The number slaine.] Duke Robert and the earle of Mortaigne fighting most manfullie in the verie prease of enimies, were taken or (as other saie) betraied, and deliuered into their enimies hands: beside which twaine, William Crispine, William Ferreis, Robert Estoutuille the elder, with foure hundreth men of armes, and to the number of 10. thousand footmen were taken. As for the number that were slaine in this battell, there is none that declareth the certeintie: but yet it is reported by diuers writers, that no one battell in those daies was sorer fought, nor with greater bloudshed either in Normandie, or elsewhere.