noon
So that , all things considered , it was little wonder if King Peter 's sons found themselves straitened in their little land : wherein was no great merchant city ; no mighty castle , or noble abbey of monks : nought but fair little halls of yeomen , with here and there a franklin 's court or a shield-knight 's manor-house ; with many a goodly church , and whiles a house of good canons , who knew not the road to Rome , nor how to find the door of the Chancellor 's house . So these young men wearied their father and mother a long while with telling them of their weariness , and their longing to be gone : till at last on a fair and hot afternoon of June King Peter rose up from the carpet which the Prior of St. John 's by the Bridge had given him -LRB- for he had been sleeping thereon amidst the grass of his orchard after his dinner -RRB- and he went into the hall of his house , which was called the High House of Upmeads , and sent for his four sons to come to him . And they came and stood before his high-seat and he said : `` Sons , ye have long wearied me with words concerning your longing for travel on the roads ; now if ye verily wish to be gone , tell me when would ye take your departure if ye had your choice ? '' They looked at one another , and the three younger ones nodded at Blaise the eldest : so he began , and said : `` Saving the love and honour that we have for thee , and also for our mother , we would be gone at once , even with the noon 's meat still in our bellies . But thou art the lord in this land , and thou must rule . Have I said well , brethren ? '' And they all said `` Yea , yea . ''