"
Edith was moved by this sarcasm of her royal kinsman, and
hesitated not to reply that, "To be a harsh and severe judge was
not an attribute proper to her alone of all the Plantagenets."
She had perhaps said more, having some touch of the temper of
that house, which, deriving their name and cognizance from the
lowly broom (PLANTA GENISTA), assumed as an emblem of humility,
were perhaps one of the proudest families that ever ruled in
England; but her eye, when kindling in her reply, suddenly caught
those of the Nubian, although he endeavoured to conceal himself
behind the nobles who were present, and she sunk upon a seat,
turning so pale that Queen Berengaria deemed herself obliged to
call for water and essences, and to go through the other
ceremonies appropriate to a lady's swoon. Richard, who better
estimated Edith's strength of mind, called to Blondel to assume
his seat and commence his lay, declaring that minstrelsy was
worth every other recipe to recall a Plantagenet to life. "Sing
us," he said, "that song of the Bloody Vest, of which thou didst
formerly give me the argument ere I left Cyprus.
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