The ladies dress'd in rich symars were seen Of Florence satin, flower'd with white and green, And for a shade betwixt the bloomy gridelin. The borders of their petticoats below Were guarded thick with rubies on a row; And every damsel wore upon her head Of flowers a garland blended white and red. Attired in mantles all the knights were seen, That gratified the view with cheerful green: Their chaplets of their ladies' colours were, 350 Composed of white and red, to shade their shining hair. Before the merry troop the minstrels play'd; All in their masters' liveries were array'd, And clad in green, and on their temples wore The chaplets white and red their ladies bore. Their instruments were various in their kind, Some for the bow, and some for breathing wind; The sawtry, pipe, and hautboy's noisy band, And the soft lute trembling beneath the touching hand. A tuft of daisies on a flowery lea 360 They saw, and thitherward they bent their way; To this both knights and dames their homage made, And due obeisance to the daisy paid. And then the band of flutes began to play, To which a lady sung a virelay:[78] And still at every close she would repeat The burden of the song, _The daisy is so sweet, The daisy is so sweet_: when she begun, The troop of knights and dames continued on. The concert and the voice so charm'd my ear, And soothed my soul, that it was heaven to hear. 370