And certainly it was
the most reasonable thing to be done.
"But if you mean to get to York, you must march after another fashion than
this," said Hereward. "See, Sir Earl, why you were broken by Gilbert; and
why you will be broken again, if this order holds. If you march your men
along one of these old Roman streets--By St. Mary! these Romans had more
wits than we; for we have spoilt the roads they left us, and never made a
new one of our own--"
"They were heathens and enchanters,"--and Waltheof crossed himself.
"And conquered the world. Well,--if you march along one of these streets,
you must ride as I rode, when I came up to you. You must not let your
knights go first, and your men-at-arms straggle after in a tail a mile
long, like a scratch pack of hounds, all sizes but except each others'.
You must keep your footmen on the high street, and make your knights ride
in two bodies, right and left, upon the wold, to protect their flanks and
baggage."
"But the knights won't. As gentlemen, they have a right to the best
ground."
"Then they may go to--whither they will go, if the French come upon them.
If they are on the flanks, and you are attacked then they can charge in
right and left on the enemy's flank, while the footmen make a stand to
cover the wagons."
"Yes,--that is very good; I believe that is your French fashion?"
"It is the fashion of common-sense, like all things which succeed.
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