To William though, the morning has arrived and there was no surprise attack, but he’s still expecting a ‘sudden onset’. All he knows is that whatever has been planned hasn’t happened yet.
We hear later about what the Normans are doing; there are descriptions of dressing, and prayers, and getting the army arranged, and a long-winded thing about who will carry the standard all day, and a speech by William, at which he is challenged for delaying too long, and only then do they eventually set off.
On the morning of the battle, the descriptions of the advancing Norman army are very revealing. Here’s what is said about it in the Carmen:
“He dispatched the foot in advance to open the battle with arrows and set crossbowmen in the midst so that their speeding shafts might pierce the faces of the English (these wounds given, they might fall back).”
And in Wace:
“Those on foot moved forward, in close formation, carrying their bows and the knights, who protected the archers, rode behind them.”
And:
“The archers, who had to shoot laterally, were on both sides.”
Therefore, more than one source suggests an extremely safe, prudent, cautious advance using archers as forward defence. Usually, an army marching straight to battle does not advance so cautiously.
They set off in this cautious manner, heading North West on the London road out of their camp.
William advances along this road about a mile and a half from camp to a point where there is a view ahead, around half a mile from the place we now know as Battle.
It’s around 8:30 am (assuming the battle starts at about 9:30 am).
He’s arrived at this point and something catches his (or a scout’s) eye in the middle distance.