Their instruments were various in their kind, Some for the bow, and some for breathing wind; The sawtry,[200] pipe, and hautboy's noisy band, And the soft lute trembling beneath the touching hand. A tuft of daisies on a flowery lea 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:[201] 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 charmed my ear, And soothed my soul, that it was heaven to hear. But soon their pleasure passed; at noon of day, The sun with sultry beams began to play: Not Sirius shoots a fiercer flame from high, When with his poisonous breath he blasts the sky; Then drooped the fading flowers (their beauty fled) } And closed their sickly eyes, and hung the head, } And, rivelled up with heat, lay dying in their bed. } The ladies gasped, and scarcely could respire The breath they drew, no longer air but fire; The fainty knights were scorched; and knew not where To run for shelter, for no shade was near. And after this the gathering clouds amain Poured down a storm of rattling hail and rain; And lightning flashed betwixt: the field, and flowers, Burnt up before, were buried in the showers. The ladies and the knights, no shelter nigh, Bare to the weather and the wintry sky, Were dropping wet, disconsolate, and wan, And through their thin array received the rain; While those in white, protected by the tree, Saw pass the vain assault, and stood from danger free. But as compassion moved their gentle minds, When ceased the storm, and silent were the winds, Displeased at what, not suffering, they had seen, They went to cheer the faction of the green: The queen in white array, before her band, Saluting, took her rival by the hand; So did the knights and dames, with courtly grace, And with behaviour sweet their foes embrace. Then thus the queen with laurel on her brow,-- Fair sister, I have suffered in your woe; Nor shall be wanting aught within my power For your relief in my refreshing bower.-- That other answered with a lowly look, And soon the gracious invitation took: For ill at ease both she and all her train The scorching sun had borne, and beating rain. Like courtesy was used by all in white, Each dame a dame received, and every knight a knight. The laurel champions with their swords invade The neighboring forests, where the justs were made, And sere wood from the rotten hedges took, And seeds of latent fire from flints provoke: A cheerful blaze arose, and by the fire They warmed their frozen feet, and dried their wet attire. Refreshed with heat, the ladies sought around