which trembled as it remained fixed on the lifeless form before
her."

"Who is this Lady Rowena," said Prince John, "of whom we have
heard so much?"

"A Saxon heiress of large possessions," replied the Prior Aymer;
"a rose of loveliness, and a jewel of wealth; the fairest among a
thousand, a bundle of myrrh, and a cluster of camphire."

"We shall cheer her sorrows," said Prince John, "and amend her
blood, by wedding her to a Norman. She seems a minor, and must
therefore be at our royal disposal in marriage.---How sayst thou,
De Bracy? What thinkst thou of gaining fair lands and livings,
by wedding a Saxon, after the fashion of the followers of the
Conqueror?"

"If the lands are to my liking, my lord," answered De Bracy, "it
will be hard to displease me with a bride; and deeply will I hold
myself bound to your highness for a good deed, which will fulfil
all promises made in favour of your servant and vassal."

"We will not forget it," said Prince John; "and that we may
instantly go to work, command our seneschal presently to order
the attendance of the Lady Rowena and her company---that is, the
rude churl her guardian, and the Saxon ox whom the Black Knight
struck down in the tournament, upon this evening's banquet.---De
Bigot," he added to his seneschal, "thou wilt word this our
second summons so courteously, as to gratify the pride of these
Saxons, and make it impossible for them again to refuse;