Full soon had he come, our hero, to a mighty woodland shade, And without, in the light of the dawning, his armour a knight displayed. 'Twere a marvel could I, a poor man, of the riches now speak to ye That the heathen he bare as his decking, so costly their worth should be. If more than enough I told ye, yet more would be left to tell; 25 Yet I would not his wealth were hidden--What of riches, I ween, shall dwell In Bretagne alike and England, and be tribute to Arthur's might, They had paid not the stones that, shining, glowed fair on his armour bright. His blazoned coat was costly, and naught but the truth I say, Ruby and Chalcedony, ye had held them not fair that day. 30 And bright as the sun was his vesture, on the mount of Agremontein, In the glowing fires, Salamanders had welded that garment's shine. There jewels rare and precious, with never a fault or flaw, Glowed dark and light; of their nature, I ween, I can tell no more! His desire was for love's rewarding, and the winning of high renown, 35 He had won from the hands of fair women the jewels that his pride did crown. For the favour Frau Minne showed him with joy did his proud heart beat, And it swelled high with manly courage, as is for a lover meet. As reward for his deeds of knighthood on his helmet a beast he bare, Ecidemon, all poisonous serpents they must of its power beware, 40 For of life and of strength doth it rob them, if they smell it but from afar-- Thopedissimonté, Assigarzionté, Thasmé, and Arabia, They scarce of such silk might boast them as was covering for his steed-- He sought, that mighty heathen, in a woman's love his meed, And therefore he bravely decked him, and fain would his courage prove, 45 And his manhood, it urged him onward to battle for sake of love. Now the knight, so young and gallant, in a haven beside the wood, But little known, on the water had anchored his ships so good. And his armies were five-and-twenty, and they knew not each other's speech-- 'Twas a token fair of his riches, and the lands that his power might reach, 50 As the armies, so were the kingdoms that did service unto his hand-- And Moors and Saracens were they, and unlike was each warlike band, And the hue of their skins was diverse--Thus gathered from lands afar Ye might see in his mighty army strange weapons of heathen war.