Of the death of Harold diuerse report diuerslie, in so much that Girald Cambrensis saith, that after king Harold had receiued manie wounds, and lost his left eie, he fled from the field vnto the citie of Westchester, and liued there long after, an holie life, as an anchoret in the cell of S. James, fast by S. Johns church, and there made a godlie end.  But the saieng of Girald Cambren. in that point [Sidenote:  Wil.  Malm. Hen.  Hunt. Matth.  West.] is not to be credited, bicause of the vnlikelihood of the thing it selfe, and also generall consent of other writers, who affirme vniuersallie that he was killed in the battell, first being striken thorough the left eie by the scull into the braine with an arrow, wherevpon falling from his horsse to the ground, he was slaine in [Sidenote:  Floriac. Simon Dun.] that place, after he had reigned nine moneths and nine daies, as Floriacensis dooth report.  He was a man of a comelie stature, and of a hawtie courage, & albeit that for his valiancie he was highlie [Sidenote:  Henr.  Hunt. Polydor.] renowmed and honored of all men, yet through his pride and ambition he lost the harts of manie.  There were slaine in this [Sidenote:  The chronicles of Normandie haue of English men slaine 67974, and of Normans 6013.] battell, besides king Harold and his two brethren, Girth and Leofrike, what on the one side and on the other, aboue twentie thousand men.

The bodie of king Harold being found among other slaine in the field, was buried at Waltham, within the monasterie of the holie crosse which he before had founded, and indowed to the behoofe of such canons as he had placed there, with faire possessions.  Verelie (as some old [Sidenote:  Ex 6. libro Polycraticon, side de nugis curialium. John Sarisb.] writers haue reported) there was nothing in this man to be in anie wise dispraised, if his ambitious mind could haue beene staied from coueting the kingdome, and that he could haue beene contented to haue liued as a subiect.  Among other manifest proofes of his high valiancie, this is remembred of him, that being sent against the Welshmen (as before is partlie mentioned) knowing their readie nimblenesse in seruice, and how with their light armed men they were accustomed to annoie and distresse those that should assaile them, he likewise (to match them) prepared light armed men for the purpose, & so being furnished with such bands of nimble men and light souldiers, entered vpon the mounteins of Snowdon, and there remained amongst the enimies for the space of two yeeres.  He sore afflicted the Welsh nation, tooke their kings, and sent their heads vnto the king that sent him about his businesse, and proceeding in such rigorous maner as might mooue the hearers to lament and pitie the case, he caused all the male kind that might be met with, to be miserablie slaine:  and so with the edge of his swoord he brought the countrie to quiet, and withall made this