RalphEnterethIntotheBurgoftheFourFrithsWhentheycameuptothewalltheysawthatitwaswellbuildedofgoodashlar，andsohighthattheymightnotseetheroofsofthetownbecauseofit；butthereweretalltowersonit，amanyofthem，strongandwhite。Theroadledupstraighttothemaster-gateoftheBurg，andtherewasabaileybeforeitstronglywalled，andmannedwithweaponedmen，andacaptaingoingaboutamongstthem。
Buttheyentereditalongwithmenbringingwaresintothetown，andnoneheededthemmuch，tilltheycametotheverygate，onthefurthersideofamoatthatwasbothdeepandclean；
butasnowthebridgewasdownandtheportcullisup，sothatthemarket-peoplemightpassineasily，foritwasyetearlyintheday。
Butbeforethedooroneithersidestoodmen-at-armswellweaponed，andontherightsidewastheircaptain，atallmanwithbaregrizzledhead，butotherwiseall-armed，whostoppedeveryonewhomheknewnot，andaskedtheirbusiness。
AsRalphcameridingupwithRogerbesidehim，oneoftheguardlaidhisspearacrossandbadethemstand，andthecaptainspakeinadrycoldvoice：