There was a French soldier of noble mien, who sat his horse gallantly. He spied two Englishmen who were also carrying themselves boldly. They were both men of great worth, and had become companions in arms and fought together, the one protecting the other. They bore two long and broad bills[5], and did great mischief to the Normans, killing both horses and men. The French soldier looked at them and their bills, and was sore alarmed, for he was afraid of losing his good horse, the best that he had; and would willingly have turned to some other quarter, if it would not have looked like cowardice. He soon, however, recovered his courage, and spurring his horse gave him the bridle, and galloped swiftly forward. Fearing the two bills, he raised his shield by the 'enarmes,' and struck one of the Englishmen with his lance on the breast, so that the iron passed out at his back. At the moment that he fell, the lance broke, and the Frenchman seized the mace[6] that hung at his right side, and struck the other Englishman a blow that completely fractured his skull. [Footnote 1: The author of the continuation of Wace's _Brut d'Angleterre_, says, as to the duration of the battle, La bataille ad bien duré De prime dekes a la vespré: Unkes home ne saveit Ki serreit vencu, ne ki vencreit.] [Footnote 2: This word seems used in a metaphorical sense. In the Fables of _Marie de France_, vol. ii. 243, we find Ne grosse mouske, ne wibet, Ne longe wespe, ne cornet.] [Footnote 3: 'Hache noresche.' See note before at page 175.] [Footnote 4: 'Coignie.'] [Footnote 5: 'Gisarmes.'] [Footnote 6: 'Gibet.'] [Illustration] CHAPTER XXII. THE ROLL OF THE NORMAN CHIEFS; AND THEIR DEEDS. LES NONS DE GRAUNTZ DELA LA MER QUE VINDRENT OD LE CONQUEROUR WILLIAM BASTARD DE GRAUNT VIGOURE[1]. Old Rogier de Belmont[2] attacked the English in the front rank; and was of high service, as is plain by the wealth his heirs enjoy: any one may know that they had good ancestors, standing well with their lords who gave them such honors. From this Rogier descended the lineage of Mellant. Guillame, whom they call Mallet[3], also threw himself boldly into the fray, and with his glittering sword created great alarm among the English. But they pierced his shield and killed his horse under him, and he would have been slain himself, had not the Sire de Montfort[4], and Dam Williame de Vez-pont[5], come up with their strong force and bravely rescued him, though with the loss of many of their people, and mounted him on a fresh horse.