Duke William fought gallantly, throwing himself wherever the greatest press was, beating down many who found no rescue; so that it might easily be seen that the business in hand was his own. He who bore his gonfanon that day--Tostein[68], Fitz-Rou le blanc by name, born at Bec near Fescamp--was a brave and renowned knight. He bore the gonfanon boldly, high aloft in the breeze, and rode by the duke, going wherever he went. Wherever the duke turned, he turned also, and wheresoever he stayed his course, there he rested also. And the duke fought where the greatest throng was, where he saw the most English, and wherever the Normans were attacking and slaughtering them. He also had around him a great company, vavassors of Normandy, who to save their lord would have put their own bodies between him and the enemies' blows. Alain Fergant[69], count of Brittany, lead a great company of Bretons, a bold and fierce people, who willingly go wherever booty is to be won. They wounded and killed many; and few that they struck stood their ground. Alain Fergant himself fought like a noble and valiant knight, and led his Bretons on, doing great damage to the English. The sire de St. Galeri[70], and the count d'Ou[71], and Roger de Montgomeri and dam Ameri de Toarz also demeaned themselves like brave men, and those whom their blows reached were ill handled. [Footnote 1: NEEL; see former note on Neel de Saint Sauveur, whose 'company,' as viscount of the Cotentin, seems to be here referred to.] [Footnote 2: RAOL DE GAEL, lord of Gael or Guader, and Montfort in Brittany, 'Ranols de Gader, le proz,' in _Benoit_. It does not appear that Raol commanded all the Bretons, if that be what Wace meant here to say. He is known in English history as Ralf earl of Norfolk, whose estates were forfeited for his treason in 1075. From _Domesday_ it would seem that both he and a former Ralf his father were earls under the Confessor; the father being repeatedly referred to in Norfolk as 'vetus comes,' the predecessor of 'comes Ralf Alius ejus,' and both holding lands in succession during Edward's reign. In one place we find 'Rex Edwardus dedit Radulfo comiti.' Was Ralf 'vetus comes' the same person as Ralf Stalra; can he have held the earldom of Norfolk when the Godwins were in disgrace; and may not his son at his death have failed in succeeding to that earldom, and have then repaired to the continent, and joined William in order to recover his own English property? Ralf the elder no doubt married a Breton heiress; from whom her estates passed to the son; an Englishman of Norfolk on the father's side, as described by the old historians, though also of Breton descent and estate. See _Introd. Domesday,_ i. 471; and Blomfield's _Norfolk_ repeatedly, as to the possessions of the two Ralfs.]