The trumpets issued, in white mantles dress’d,
  A numerous troop, and all their heads around
  With chaplets green of cerrial-oak[76] were crown’d, 230
  And at each trumpet was a banner bound;
  Which, waving in the wind, displayed at large
  Their master’s coat of arms, and knightly charge. 
  Broad were the banners, and of snowy hue,
  A purer web the silk-worm never drew. 
  The chief about their necks the scutcheons wore,
  With orient pearls and jewels powder’d o’er: 
  Broad were their collars too, and every one
  Was set about with many a costly stone. 
  Next these, of kings-at-arms a goodly train 240
  In proud array came prancing o’er the plain: 
  Their cloaks were cloth of silver mix’d with gold,
  And garlands green around their temples roll’d: 
  Rich crowns were on their royal scutcheons placed,
  With sapphires, diamonds, and with rubies graced: 
  And as the trumpets their appearance made,
  So these in habits were alike array’d;
  But with a pace more sober, and more slow;
  And twenty, rank in rank, they rode a-row. 
  The pursuivants came next, in number more; 250
  And, like the heralds, each his scutcheon bore: 
  Clad in white velvet all their troop they led,
  With each an oaken chaplet on his head.

    Nine royal knights in equal rank succeed,
  Each warrior mounted on a fiery steed;
  In golden armour glorious to behold;
  The rivets of their arms were nail’d with gold. 
  Their surcoats of white ermine fur were made;
  With cloth of gold between, that cast a glittering shade. 
  The trappings of their steeds were of the same; 260
  The golden fringe even set the ground on flame,
  And drew a precious trail:  a crown divine
  Of laurel did about their temples twine.

    Three henchmen were for every knight assign’d,
  All in rich livery clad, and of a kind;
  White velvet, but unshorn, for cloaks they wore,
  And each within his hand a truncheon bore: 
  The foremost held a helm of rare device;
  A prince’s ransom would not pay the price. 
  The second bore the buckler of his knight, 270
  The third of cornel-wood a spear upright,
  Headed with piercing steel, and polish’d bright. 
  Like to their lords their equipage was seen,
  And all their foreheads crown’d with garlands green.

    And after these came, arm’d with spear and shield,
  A host so great as cover’d all the field: 
  And all their foreheads, like the knights before,
  With laurels ever-green were shaded o’er,
  Or oak, or other leaves of lasting kind,
  Tenacious of the stem, and firm against the wind. 280
  Some in their hands, beside the lance and shield,
  The boughs of woodbine, or of hawthorn held,