At the last out of a grove even by,

That was right goodly and plesaunt to sight,
I sie where there came singing lustily

A world of Ladies; but, to tell aright
Their great beauty, it lieth not in my might,
Ne their array; neverthelesse I shall
Tell you a part, though I speake not of all.

The surcotes white of velvet wele † sitting,
They were in cladde; and the semes eche one,
As it were in a manere garnishing,
Was set with emeraudes one and one

By and by; but many a riche stone

Was set on the purfiles, out of dout,
Of colors, sleves, and traines round about;

As of great pearles round and orient,
Diamonds fine, and rubies red,
And many another stone of which I went
The names now; and everich on her head
A rich fret of gold, which without dread
Was full of stately riche stones set;
And every Lady had a chapelet

135

140

145

150

On her head of [branches] fresh and grene,

So wele wrought, and so mervelously,

156

* Sie, i. e. saw, which often occurs; but Urry in this

poem as often reads se. See the Glossary.

+ The true reading, as in the old editions. Urry reads, fitting. See the Glossary.

Wanting in the old editions.

P

That it was a noble sight to sene;
Some of laurer, and some ful plesauntly
Had chapelets of woodbind, and sadly
Some of Agnus castus were also,

Chapelets fresh; but there were many of tho,

That daunced, and eke song ful soberly;
But all they yede in maner of compace.
But one there yede in mid the company
Sole by herself; but all followed the pace
That she kepte, whose heavenly figured face
So plesaunt was, and her wele shape person,
That of beauty she past hem everichon.

And more richly beseene, by many fold,
She was also in every maner thing:
On her head, ful plesaunt to behold,

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165

170

A crown of golde rich for any king;

A braunch of Agnus castus eke bearing

In her hand; and to my sight trewly

175

She Lady was of the company.

And she began a roundell lustely

That Sus le foyle de vert moy men call,
Sine et mon joly coeur est endormy;

Into the middes of the mede ech one,

Before the herber where I was sitting,

185

And God wot me thought I was well bigone;

For than I might avise hem, one by one,

Who fairest was, who coud best dance or sing,
Or who most womanly was in all thing.

They had not danced but a little throw,
When that I hearde fer of sodainly

So great a noise of thundering trumpes blow,
As though it should have departed the skie;
And after that within a while I sie,

190

From the same grove where the Ladies come out, Of Men of armes comming such a rout,

As all the men on earth had been assembled In that place wele horsed for the nones, Stereing so fast that all the earth trembled ; But for to speake of riches and [of] stones, And men and horse, I trow the large wones Of Preter John, ne all his tresory,

Might not unneth have bought the tenth party

Of their array: Who so list heare more,
I shal rehearse, so as I can, a lite.
Out of the grove, that I spake of before,
I sie come first all in their clokes white
A company, that ware for their delite
Chapelets fresh of okes seriall

196

200

205

Newely sprong; and Trumpets they were all. 210

On every trump hanging a broad banere
Of fine Tartarium ful richely bete,

Every Trumpet his lords armes bere,
About their neckes with great pearles set

Collares brode, for cost they would not lete, 215
As it would seeme, for their scochones ech one
Were set about with many a precious stone.

Their horse harneis was all white also;
And after them next in one company
Came Kings of armes, and no mo,
In clokes of white cloth of gold richly ;
Chapelets of green on their heads on hye;
The crowns that they on their scochones bere,
Were set with pearle, ruby, and saphere,

And eke great diamondes many one;
But all their horse harneis, and other geare,
Was in a sute according everichone,
As ye have heard the foresaid Trumpets were;
And by seeming they were nothing to lere,
And their guiding they did so manerly:
And after hem came a great company

Of heraudes and pursevauntes eke, Arraied in clothes of white velvet;

And hardily they were no thing to seke,

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225

230

How they on them shoulden the harneis set; 235

And every man had on a chapelet ;

Scochones and eke horse harneis in dede

They had in sute of hem that 'fore hem yede.

Next after hem came in armour bright,

All save their heades, seemely Knightes nine; 240
And every claspe and naile, as to my sight,
Of their harneis were of red golde fine;
With cloth of gold, and furred with ermine,
Were the *trappoures of their stedes strong,
Wide and large, that to the ground did hong. 245

And every boss of bridle and paitrell
That they had, was worth, as I would wene,
A thousand pound; and on their heades well
Dressed were crownes of [the] laurer grene,
The beste made that ever I had sene;
And every Knight had after him riding
Three henchmen [each] on him awaiting;

250

Of which every † first, on a short tronchoun,
His lordes helme bare so richly dight,

That the worst was worthe the ransoun
Of [any] king; the second a shield bright
Bare at his back; the thirde bare upright
A mighty spear, ful sharpe ground and kene;
And every Childe ware of leaves grene

A fresh chapelet upon his haires bright; And clokes white of fine velvet they ware;

Their steeds trapped and raied right,

* Urry, tappouris.

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260

First, inserted by Urry, to complete the sense; i. e. the first of each Knight's three henchmen.