The Canterbury tales and Faerie queene &c., &c., &c., ed. for popular perusal with current illustrations and explanatory notes, by D. Laing Purves.

38 THE CANTERBURY TALES.
And some will have a pair of plates 1 large; Of five and twenty year his age I cast.21
And some will have a Prusse 2 shield, or targe; His beard was well begunnen for to spring;
Some will be armed on'their legges weel; His voice was as a trumpet thundering.
Some have an axe, and some a mace of steel. Upon his head he wore of laurel green
There is no newe guise,4 but it was old. A garland fresh and lusty to be seen;
Armed they weren, as I have you told, Upon his hand he bare, for his delight,
Evereach after his opini6n. An eagle tame, as any lily white.
There may'st thou see coming with Palamon An hundred lordes had he with him there,
Licurgus himself, the great king of Thrace: All armed, save their heads, in all their gear,
Black was his beard, and manly was his face. Full richily in alle manner things.
The circles of his eyen in his head For trust ye well, that earles, dukes, and kings
They glowed betwixti yellow and red, Were gather'd in this noble company,
And like a griffin looked he about, For love, and for increase of chivalry.
With kemped 5 haires on his browes stout; About this king there ran on every part
His limbs were great, his brawns were hard and Full many a tame li6n and leopart.
strong, And in this wise these lordes all and some 22
His shoulders broad, his armes round and long. Be on the Sunday to the city come
And as the guise 4 was in his country, Aboute prime,23 and in the town alight.
Full high upon a car of gold stood'he, This Theseus, this Duke, this worthy knight,
With foure white bulles in the trace. When he had brought them into his city,
Instead of coat-armour on his harness, And inned24 hem, ev'reach at his degree,
With yellow nails, and bright as any gold, Re feasteth them and doth so gret labour
He had a beare's skin, coal-black for old. To easen them and do them all hono
His long hair was y-kempt behind his back, That yet men ween 26 that no mann's wi
As any raven's feather it shone for black. Of none estate could amenden27 it.
A wreath of gold arm-great,7 of huge weight, The minstrelsy, the service at the feast
Upon his head sate, full of stones bright, great gifts to the mostand least
Of fini rubies and clear diamants.
About his car there wenti white alauns,8 The rich array of Theseus' paldce,
Abouty ain caro there, as greahiteas aunysteer, Nor who sate first or last upon the dais,28
Twenty and more, as great as any steer, What ladies fairest be, or best dancing
To hunt the lion or the wilde bear, Or which of them can carol best or sing,
And follow'd him, with muzzle fast y-bound, Or who mst feelingly speaketh of love;
Collars of gold, and torettes 9 filed round. What hawks sitten on the perch above,
An hundred lordes had he in his rout,1 What hounds liggen 2 on the floor adown
Armed full well, with heartes stern and stout. Of all this now me no mentioun
With Arcita, in stories as men find, But of th' effect;that thinketh me the best;
The great Emetrius the king of Ind, Now comes the point, and hearken if you lest.30
Upon a steede bay,ll trapped in steel, The Sunday night, ere day began to spring,
Cover'd with cloth of gold difpred12 well, When Palamon the larke heard sing,
Came riding like the god of armes, Mars. Although it were not day by houris two,
His coat-armoor was of a cloth of Tars,13 Yet sang the lark, and Palamon right tho 3
Couched Ya with pearlts white and round and th
Couched 4 with pearl. s white and round and With holy heart, and with an high courfge,
sgreat. o Arose, to wenden 32 on his pilgrimage
His saddle was of burnish'd gold new beat; Unto the blissful Cithera benign
A mantelet on his shoulders hanging I meane Venus, honourable and digne.
Bretful 15 of rubies red, as fire sparkling. And in her hour 34 he walketh forth a pace
His crisp8 hair like ring&s was y-run,16
His crispe hair like rilnges was y-run,l6 Unto the listis, where her temple was,
And that was yellow, glittering as the sun. And down he kneeleth, and ith humble chee
His nose was high, his eyen bright citrine n s h s
And heart8 sore, he said as ye shall hear.
His lips were round, his colour was sanguine, "Fairest of fair, 0 lady mine Venus
A few4 fracknes in his face y-sprent,l8 Daughter to Jove, and spouse of Vulcanus
Betwixt yellow and black somedeal y-ment, hou gladder of the mount of ithero
And as a lion he his looking cast.20 For thilk37 love thou haddest to Ad 38
1 Back and front armour. 2 Prussian. 20 Cast about his eyes
3 Well-greaved; like Homer's evKVy7Laes AXcot. 21 Reckon; as we now speak of " casting a sum "
4 Fashion. 22 All and sundry.
5 Combed; the word survives in "uankempt." 23 The time of early prayers, between six and nine in
6 Age. 7 As thick as a man's arm. the morning. 24 Lodged; whence "inn."
8 Greyhounds, mastiffs; from the Spanish word 25 Give them pleasure, make them comfortable.
" Alano," signifying a mastiff. 9 Rings. 26 Think. 27 Improve. 28 See note 18, page 21.
10 Retinue, company. 11 Bay horse. 29 Lie. 30 Please. 31 Then. 32 Go. 33 Worthy.
12 Diversified with flourishes or figures. 34 In the hour of the day which, under the astrolo13 A kind of silk. 14 Trimmed. gical system that apportioned the twenty-four among
15 Brimful, covered with. the seven ruling planets, was under the influence of
16 His curled hair ran down into ringlets. Venus.
17 Pale yellow colour. 35 Demeanour. 36 See note 2, page 36. 37 That.
18 A few freckles sprinkled on his face. 38 Adonis, a beautiful youth beloved of Venus, whose
19 Sgomlwht mixed; German, "mengen," to mix. death by the tusk of a boar she deeply mourned.