] if the extreame and hard winter which chanced
that yeare, had not staied their enterprise, as it did king William
from assailing them; who hearing of all their dooings in the north
countrie, would else full gladlie haue set vpon them. [Sidenote: The
Danes where they wintered. _Hen. Hunt._ _Polydor._] In the meane time,
the Danes wintered in Yorkeshire, betwixt the two riuers Ouse and
Trent; but so soone as the snow began to melt, and the yce to thaw and
waste away, king William sped him with great hast toward his enimies
into Yorkeshire, and comming to the riuer of Trent, where it falleth
into Humber, he pitched his tents there, to refresh his people, for
his enimies were at hand. The daie following he brought his armie into
the field to fight with the Danish princes, who likewise in battell
araie met them. Then began a right sore and terrible battell,
continuing a long space in equall balance, till at length in one of
the Danish wings the Norman horsemen had put their enimies to flight.
Which when the residue of the Danes perceiued, and therewith put in a
sudden feare, they likewise fled. Harold and Canutus with a band of
hardie souldiers that tarried about them, retired backe (though with
much a doo and great danger) vnto their ships.
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