effect, they must not be too severe upon boys who forget the respect
due to their office. Nevertheless, I admitted that you were wrong,
and I promised the king, who was perhaps more disturbed by this
incident than there was any occasion for, that I would take you to
task seriously, and that to avoid any further brawl between you and
young Fitz-Urse, you should for a time be sent away from court. I
did this on the agreement that the bishop should, on his part,
admonish Walter Fitz-Urse against discourteous behaviour and unseemly
brawling, and had I known that he had put his hand on his dagger,
I would have gone further. Have you any witnesses that he did so?"

"Yes, my lord; I saw the smith Ulred among those standing by, and
doubtless he would see the action."

"That is well," Harold said. "I shall acquaint the bishop with the
fact when I tell him that I have ordered you to leave for your
estate at Steyning, and that if his page denies it, I have witnesses
to prove the truth of your assertions. I think in that case he will
be glad to drop the matter, for were I to mention the fact to the
king, he, who has a horror of the drawing of weapons, would order
Walter Fitz-Urse to be sent back to Normandy. So your exile is not
likely to be of long duration. You understand, Wulf, that I am not
seriously angered with you in this matter. You are but a boy, and
one cannot expect that you will behave as a prudent man; but remember,
lad, even a boy's words may do mischief, especially when placed as
you are. There may come a time when you shall show by deeds and not
by words your feelings against the Normans, but till then bear
yourself prudently. We Saxons are over given to hasty words, and
this is a fault. I myself, as all men know, have no love for the
Normans, but no one has heard me speak against them. The king loves