West. Simon Dun.] of his owne mind, and not by procurement of Tostie, saieng, that Tostie meeting with him in Scotland, did persuade him to go forward in his purposed busines, and that the said Harold Harfager with all conuenient speed passed foorth, & with a nauie of 300 saile entered [Sidenote:  Simon Dun. saith 500.] into the riuer of Tine, where after he had rested a few daies to refresh his people, earle Tostie came also with his power (according to an appointment which should be made betweene them.) They ad furthermore, that they sailed forth alongst the coast, till they [Sidenote:  The Norwegians arriue in Humber.  Richall. Hen.  Hunt.] arriued in the mouth of Humber, & then drawing vp against the streame of the riuer Owse, they landed at length at a place called Richhall, from whence they set forward to inuade the countrie, & neere vnto Yorke on the northside of the citie, they fought with the power of the [Sidenote:  The English men discomfited.] Northumbers, which was led by the earls Edwine and Marchar (two brethren) and there discomfited and chased them into the citie, with great slaughter and bloudshed.

[Sidenote:  This battell was fought on the even of S. Mattew the apostle, as saith Si.  Dun.] Harold king of England being aduertised of this chance, made the more hast forward (for he was alreadie in the field with his armie, intending also to come towards his enimies) so that vpon the fift day after he came to Stamford bridge, finding there the said king Harfager and Tostie readie imbattelled, he first assailed those that kept the bridge, where (as some writers affirme) a Norwegian souldier with [Sidenote:  Wil.  Malm. Hen.  Hunt. Matt.  West.] his axe defended the passage, mauger the whole host of the Englishmen, and slue fortie of them or more with his axe, & might not be ouercome, till an Englishman went with a boat vnder the said bridge, and through an hole thereof thrust him vp into the bodie with his speare:  yet Matt.  West, saith that he was slaine with a dart which one of king Harold his seruants threw at him, & so ended his life.  Which bridge [Sidenote:  The Norwegians discomfited.] being woone, the whole host of the Englishmen passed ouer, and ioined with their enimies, and after a verie great and sore battell put them all to flight.

[Sidenote:  The king of Norwaie and Tostie slaine.] In this conflict Harold Harfager king of the Norwegians was slaine, & so was Tostie the king of England his brother, besides a great number of other, as well in the battell as in the chase:  neither did the Englishmen escape all free, for the Norwegians fought it out a [Sidenote:  This battell was fought on the 25 of September as saith Si.  Dun.] long time verie stoutlie, beating downe and killing great numbers of such as assailed them with great courage and assurance.  The residue of the Norwegians that were left to keepe their ships vnder the guiding of Olaue sonne to the king of Norwaie, and Paule earle