"The man-ruler famous, The long-worthy atheling, sat very woful, Suffered great sorrow, sighed for his <span>liegemen, When they had seen the track of the hateful pursuer, The spirit accursèd: too crushing that sorrow, Too loathsome and lasting."
The character described in the above lines was HROTHGAR, King Hrothgar to be exact.
He was the man-ruler and he sighed for his liegemen. Liegemen are those who are also called lord's men. King Hrothgar was their liege or lord.</span>
The answer is order of importance