Welcome , poor ghosts ! '' ... Thus it fell out that we were rich beyond belief , and lonely . And lonely ! ' ` What did you do ? ' said Dan . ` We watched for Robert of Normandy , ' said the knight . ` De Aquila was like Witta . He suffered no idleness . In fair weather we would ride along between Bexlei on the one side , to Cuckmere on the other -- sometimes with hawk , sometimes with hound -LRB- there are stout hares both on the Marsh and the Downland -RRB- , but always with an eye to the sea , for fear of fleets from Normandy . In foul weather he would walk on the top of his tower , frowning against the rain -- peering here and pointing there . It always vexed him to think how Witta 's ship had come and gone without his knowledge . When the wind ceased and ships anchored , to the wharf 's edge he would go and , leaning on his sword among the stinking fish , would call to the mariners for their news from France . His other eye he kept landward for word of Henry 's war against the Barons . ` Many brought him news -- jongleurs , harpers , pedlars , sutlers , priests and the like ; and , though he was secret enough in small things , yet , if their news misliked him , then , regarding neither time nor place nor people , he would curse our King Henry for a fool or a babe . I have heard him cry aloud by the fishing boats : `` If I were King of England I would do thus and thus '' ; and when I rode out to see that the warning-beacons were laid and dry , he hath often called to me from the shot-window : `` Look to it , Richard ! Do not copy our blind King , but see with thine own eyes and feel with thine own hands . '' I do not think he knew any sort of fear . And so we lived at Pevensey , in the little chamber above the Hall . ` One foul night came word that a messenger of the King waited below . We were chilled after a long riding in the fog towards Bexlei , which is an easy place for ships to land .
De XXXXX sent word the man might either eat with us or wait till we had fed .
Aquila Bexlei Cuckmere Dan Henry Normandy Witta hares jongleurs mariners