THE KNIGHTES TALE. 151
As for to speke of knighthod of here hond,
As fer as God hath maked see or lond,
Nas, of so fewe, so noble a compainye.
For every wight that lovede chyvalrye,
And wolde, his thankes, han a passant name,
Hath preyed that he mighte ben of that game ;
And wel was him, that therto chosen was.
For if ther felle to morwe such a caas,
Ye. knowen wel, that every lusty knight.
That loveth paramours, and hath his might,
Were it in Engelond, or elleswhere,
They wolde, here thankes, wilne to be there.
To fighte for a lady ; benedicite!
It were a lusty sighte for to see.
And right so ferden they with Palamon.
With him ther wente knyghtes many oon j
Som wol ben armed in an habergoun,
In a brest-plat and in a light gypoun;
And somme woln have a peyre plates large;
And somme woln have a Pruce scheld, or a targe ;
Somme woln been armed on here legges weel,
And have an ax, and somme a mace of steel.
Ther nys no newe gyse, that it nas old.
Armed were they, as I have you told,
Everich after his opinioun.
Ther maistow sen cornyng with Palamoun Ligurge himselfe, the grete kyng of Trace ; Blak was his berd, and manly was his face. The cercles of his eyen in his heed They gloweden bytwixe jelwe and reed 3 And lik a griffoun lokede he aboute, With kempe heres on his browes stowte; His lymes greete, his brawnes harde and stronge, His schuldres broode, his armes rounde and longe. And as the gyse was in his contre, Ful heye upon a char of gold stood he, With foure white boles in the trays.