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So uncouth* and so rich, and wrought so weel *unkown, rare

Of goldsmithry, of brouding*, and of steel; *embroidery

The shieldes bright, the testers*, and trappures** *helmets

Gold-hewen helmets, hauberks, coat-armures; **trappings

Lordes in parements* on their coursers, *ornamental garb ;

Knightes of retinue, and eke squiers,

Nailing the spears, and helmes buckeling,

Gniding* of shieldes, with lainers** lacing; *polishing

There as need is, they were nothing idle: **lanyards

The foamy steeds upon the golden bridle

Gnawing, and fast the armourers also

With file and hammer pricking to and fro;

Yeomen on foot, and knaves* many one *servants

With shorte staves, thick* as they may gon**; *close **walk

Pipes, trumpets, nakeres*, and clariouns, *drums

That in the battle blowe bloody souns;

The palace full of people up and down,

There three, there ten, holding their questioun*, *conversation

Divining* of these Theban knightes two. *conjecturing

Some saiden thus, some said it shall he so;

Some helden with him with the blacke beard,

Some with the bald, some with the thick-hair'd;

Some said he looked grim, and woulde fight:

He had a sparth* of twenty pound of weight. *double-headed axe

Thus was the halle full of divining* *conjecturing

Long after that the sunne gan up spring.

The great Theseus that of his sleep is waked

With minstrelsy, and noise that was maked,

Held yet the chamber of his palace rich,

Till that the Theban knightes both y-lich* *alike

Honoured were, and to the palace fet*. *fetched

Duke Theseus is at a window set,

Array'd right as he were a god in throne:

The people presseth thitherward full soon

Him for to see, and do him reverence,

And eke to hearken his hest* and his sentence**. *command **speech

An herald on a scaffold made an O,

Till the noise of the people was y-do*: *done

And when he saw the people of noise all still,

Thus shewed he the mighty Duke's will.

"The lord hath of his high discretion

Considered that it were destruction

To gentle blood, to fighten in the guise

Of mortal battle now in this emprise:

Wherefore to shape* that they shall not die, *arrange, contrive

He will his firste purpose modify.

No man therefore, on pain of loss of life,

No manner* shot, nor poleaxe, nor short knife *kind of

Into the lists shall send, or thither bring.

Nor short sword for to stick with point biting

No man shall draw, nor bear it by his side.

And no man shall unto his fellow ride

But one course, with a sharp y-grounden spear:

*Foin if him list on foot, himself to wear. *He who wishes can

And he that is at mischief shall be take*, fence on foot to defend

And not slain, but be brought unto the stake, himself, and he that

That shall be ordained on either side; is in peril shall be taken*

Thither he shall by force, and there abide.

And if *so fall* the chiefetain be take *should happen*

On either side, or elles slay his make*, *equal, match

No longer then the tourneying shall last.

God speede you; go forth and lay on fast.

With long sword and with mace fight your fill.

Go now your way; this is the lordes will.

The voice of the people touched the heaven,

So loude cried they with merry steven*: *sound

God save such a lord that is so good,

He willeth no destruction of blood.

Up go the trumpets and the melody,

And to the listes rode the company

*By ordinance*, throughout the city large, *in orderly array*

Hanged with cloth of gold, and not with sarge*. *serge

Full like a lord this noble Duke gan ride,

And these two Thebans upon either side:

And after rode the queen and Emily,

And after them another company

Of one and other, after their degree.

And thus they passed thorough that city

And to the listes came they by time:

It was not of the day yet fully prime*. *between 6 & 9 a.m.

When set was Theseus full rich and high,

Hippolyta the queen and Emily,

And other ladies in their degrees about,

Unto the seates presseth all the rout.

And westward, through the gates under Mart,

Arcite, and eke the hundred of his part,

With banner