Page:Gesta Romanorum - Swan - Wright - 2.djvu/28

16 the year which he had covenanted to serve, he had wrested the whole kingdom from the hands of their enemies. He demanded therefore, his hire, intending to pass into another country. "My lord," said the seneschal, "you have merited much more than our agreement stipulated; let us hasten to the queen, and there conclude as to the recompense." They went accordingly: and the seneschal thus spoke. "My dear lady, I would say something, which will be to your advantage. From the absence of a head, we have sustained many grievous afflictions. It were desirable, therefore, to take a husband, who is able to defend us from a return of the like troubles. Your kingdom is rich enough, so that I would not advise you to select a spouse for his wealth. And this being allowed, I know not where you could find one in every respect so suitable and beneficial to the state, as my lord Gregory." The lady, as we have seen before, rejected a second marriage; but overcome by the arguments and urgency of her seneschal, appointed a day, on which, after mature deliberation, she