English poetry -- Early modern, 1500-1700; Knights and knighthood -- Poetry; Virtues -- Poetry
The wyld woodgods arriued in the place,
2 There find the virgin dolefull desolate,
With ruffled rayments, and faire blubbred face,
4 As her outrageous foe had left her late,
And trembling yet through feare of former hate;
6 All stand amazed at so vncouth sight,
And gin to pittie her vnhappie state,
8 All stand astonied at her beautie bright,
In their rude eyes vnworthie of so wofull plight.
1 The wild wood-gods, arrived in the place,
2 There find the virgin doleful, desolate,
3 With ruffled raiment, and fair blubbered face,
raiment > clothing
blubbered > {Swollen or stained with tears}
4 As her outrageous foe had left her late,
late > lately
5 And trembling yet through fear of former hate;
former hate > [her former hate: the object of her former hatred
(Sansloy)]
6 All stand amazed at so uncouth sight,
uncouth > extraordinary [a]
7 And begin to pity her unhappy state;
8 All stand astonied at her beauty bright,
astonied > stunned, astonished; dazed
9 In their rude eyes unworthy of so woeful plight.
rude > uneducated; uncivilized
so > [such a]
106.10
She more amaz'd, in double dread doth dwell;
2 And euery tender part for feare does shake:
As when a greedie Wolfe through hunger fell
4 A seely Lambe farre from the flocke does take,
Of whom he meanes his bloudie feast to make,
6 A Lyon spyes fast running towards him,
The innocent pray in hast he does forsake,
8 Which quit from death yet quakes in euery lim
With chaunge of feare, to see the Lyon looke so grim.
1 She, more amazed, in double dread does dwell;
amazed > astounded; panic-stricken
2 And every tender part for fear does shake:
3 As when a greedy wolf, through hunger fell,
fell > fierce, terrible
4 A seely lamb far from the flock does take,
seely > helpless, innocent
5 Of whom he means his bloody feast to make,
6 A lion spies fast running towards him:
A > [And a]
7 The innocent prey in haste he does forsake;
8 Which, quit from death, yet quakes in every limb
quit > released, rescued
9 With change of fear, to see the lion look so grim.
fear > [the source of its fear]
grim > fierce
106.11
Such fearefull fit assaid her trembling hart,
2 Ne word to speake, ne ioynt to moue she had:
The saluage nation feele her secret smart,
4 And read her sorrow in her count'nance sad;
Their frowning forheads with rough hornes yclad,
6 And rusticke horror all a side doe lay,
And gently grenning, shew a semblance glad
8 To comfort her, and feare to put away,
Their backward bent knees teach her humbly to obay.
1 Such fearful fit assayed her trembling heart;
Such > [A similarly]
assayed > assailed; tested
2 Neither word to speak, nor joint to move, she had:
joint > limb
3 The savage nation feel her secret smart,
nation > clan, tribe
smart > pain, suffering
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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