Narrated by Sir Dickon Mountjoy, a twelfth-century Norman nobleman, the novel describes his lifelong friendship with Cedric of Pelham Wood, a Saxon yeoman. Cedric the forester saves Sir Dickon's life and is made his squire. The two men become friends and have many adventures. Set in the time of King Richard the Lionhearted, Cedric plays a pivotal role in the signing of the Magna Carta.