Upon his feet; his legs were silken clad In hose of rarest Totness: and a spear, Bannered and bronzen, dappled as a deer, One hand upheld, like some bright beam of morn; And round his neck was hung a bugle-horn. So with his following, while, bar on bar, The blue mist lay on woodside and on scar, Through mist and dew, through shadow and through ray, Joustward Earl Damas led the forest way. Then to King Arthur, when arrived were these Where bright the lists shone, bannered, through the trees, A wimpled damsel with a falchion came, Mounted upon a palfrey, all aflame With sweat and heat of hurry; and, "From her, Your sister, Morgane, your Excalibur! With tender greeting. For you well may need Its aid in this adventure. So, God speed!" Said and departed suddenly: nor knew The King that this was not his weapon true: A brittle forgery, in likeness of That blade, of baser metal;--in unlove And treason made by her, of all his kin The nearest, Morgane; who, her end to win, Stopped at no thing; thinking, with Arthur dead, The crown would grace her own and Accolon's head. Then, heralded, into the lists he rode. Opposed flashed Accolon, whose strength bestrode, Exultant, strong in talisman of that sword, A dun horse lofty as a haughty lord, White-pasterned, and of small, impatient hoof: Both knight and steed shone armed in mail of proof, Of yellow-dappled, variegated plate Of Spanish laton. And of sovereign state His surcoat robe of honor,--white and black, Of satin, crimson-orphreyed,--at his back The wind made billow: and, from forth this robe, Excalibur,--a throbbing golden globe Of vicious jewels,--thrust its splendid hilt; Its broad belt, tawny and with goldwork gilt, An eyelid clasped, black, of the black sea-horse, Tongued red with rosy gold. And pride and force Sat on his wingéd helmet, plumed, of rich Bronze-hammered laton; blazing upon which A hundred brilliants glittered, thick as on A silver web bright-studding dews of dawn: Its crest, a taloned griffin, high that ramped; In whose horned brow one blood-red gem was stamped. A spear of ash, long-shafted, overlaid With azure silver, whereon colors played, Firm in his iron gauntlet lithely swayed.