VIII
All wondrous in green was this wight, and his weeds: A close-fitting coat that clung on his body, A merry mantle over it, meetly adorn’d With fair-trimmed fur, a lining full fine Of blythe ermine bright; and a hood with it bound, Caught back from his locks and laid on his shoulders; Neat hose well-haul’d, of that hue all of green, That closed on his calf, and clean spurs under Of bright gold, on silk bands, barrèd full richly, And pointed shoes under shanks, that shone in the stirrup All his vésture vérily was of verdant sheen, Both the bars of his belt, and the bright jewels That were richly arranged o’er the radiant array Of silken stuffs, on himself and his saddle. It were tedious to tell of the trifles one half That were broider’d thereon, of the birds and the flies, All in gay hues of green, with gold in the midst. The pendants of his poitrel and the proud crupper, The molains, the metal, aumáil’d were of green, The stirrups that he stood in stain’d of the same, The saddlebows in suit, and the splendid pommels— All glimmer’d and gleam’d with the green jewels; And the foal that he fared on, of fine green too, certain; A green horse great and strong, A stiff steed to restrain, With broider’d bridle-thong, He match’d the man, ’tis plain.