The scenes, which (as is well known) represent the principal events in the Norman Conquest, are arranged in fifty-eight groups.  The legend of the first runs thus:—­

     Le roi Edouard ordonne a Harold d’aller apprendre au duc Guillaume
     qu’il sera un jour roi d’Angleterre, &c.

After the interview between the ‘sainted’ King Edward and Harold, the latter starts on his mission to ‘Duke William,’ and in the next group we see Harold, ‘en marche,’ with a hawk on his wrist—­then entering a church (the ancient abbey of Bosham, in Sussex), and the clergy praying for his safety before embarking, and—­next, ‘en mer.’  We see him captured on landing, by Guy de Ponthieu, and afterwards surrounded by the ambassadors whom William sends for his release; the little figure holding the horses being one Tyrold, a dependant of Odo, Bishop of Bayeux, and the artist (it is generally supposed) who designed the tapestry.  Then we see Harold received in state at Rouen by Duke William, and afterwards, their setting out together for Mont St. Michael, and Dinan; and other episodes of the war in Brittany.  We next see Harold in England, at the funeral of Edward the Confessor, and have a curious view of Westminster Abbey, in red and green worsted.  After the death of King Edward, we have another group, where ’Edouard (in extremis) parle aux hommes de sa cour;’ evidently an after-thought, or a mistake in taking up the designs to work in their proper order.  Harold is crowned, but with an ill omen (from the Norman point of view), as represented in the tapestry by an evil star—­a comet of extravagant size, upon which the people gaze with most comical expressions of wonder and alarm.

Harold began his reign well, says an old chronicler, he ’stablysshed good lawes, specyally for the defence of holy churche;’ but soon he ‘waxed so proud and covetouse,’ that he became unpopular with his subjects.

Then follows the great historical event, of ’THE INVASION OF ENGLAND BY THE CONQUEROR,’ and we have all the details portrayed of the felling of trees, constructing ships, transporting of cavalry, and the like; we see the preparations for the commissariat, and the curious implements of warfare, shewing, amongst other things, the lack of iron in those days; the spades, for use in earthworks and fortifications, being only tipped with iron.  The bustle and excitement attendant upon the embarcation are given with wonderful reality; and there is many a quaint and natural touch in the attitudes and expressions of these red and yellow men.

The landing in Pevensey bay is next given (the horses being swung out of the ships with cranes and pulleys as in the present day), and soon afterwards, the preparations for a feast; the artist at this point becoming apparently imbued with the true British idea that nothing could be done without a dinner.  There must be a grand historical picture of a banquet before the fight, and so, like Oliver Cromwell and Napoleon, William the Conqueror has his ‘night before the battle,’ and, perhaps, it is the most faithful representation of the three.