as it wound along from west to east. Beyond the said ridge,
at a place whence you could see the higher hills to the south,
that stretched mainly east and west also, there was presently
an end of the Kingdom of Upmeads, though the neighbours on that
side were peaceable and friendly, and were wont to send gifts
to King Peter. But toward the north beyond the Want-way King
Peter was lord over a good stretch of land, and that of the best;
yet was he never a rich man, for he had no freedom to tax
and tail his folk, nor forsooth would he have used it if he had;
for he was no ill man, but kindly and of measure. On these northern
marches there was war at whiles, whereas they ended in a great
forest well furnished of trees; and this wood was debateable,
and King Peter and his sons rode therein at their peril:
but great plenty was therein of all wild deer, as hart,
and buck, and roe, and swine, and bears and wolves withal.
The lord on the other side thereof was a mightier man than
King Peter, albeit he was a bishop, and a baron of Holy Church.
To say sooth he was a close-fist and a manslayer; though he did
his manslaying through his vicars, the knights and men-at-arms
who held their manors of him, or whom he waged.

In that forest had King Peter's father died in battle,
and his eldest son also; therefore, being a man of peace,
he rode therein but seldom, though his sons, the three eldest
of them, had both ridden therein and ran therefrom valiantly.
As for Ralph the youngest, his father would not have him ride
the Wood Debateable as yet.

So came those young men to the Want-ways, and found their father
sitting there on a heap of stones, and over against him eight horses,