5 A man of hell, that calls himself Despair: 6 Who first us greets, and after fair areads fair areads > expertly tells 7 Of tidings strange, and of adventures rare: adventures > happenings 8 So creeping close, as snake in hidden weeds, 9 Inquires of our states, and of our knightly deeds. states > circumstances; marital states 109.29 Which when he knew, and felt our feeble harts 2 Embost with bale, and bitter byting griefe, Which loue had +launched+ with his deadly darts, 4 With wounding words and termes of foule repriefe, He pluckt from vs all hope of due reliefe, 6 That earst vs held in loue of lingring life; Then hopelesse hartlesse, gan the cunning thiefe 8 Perswade vs die, to stint all further strife: To me he lent this rope, to him a rustie knife. 3 launched > launced _1609_ 1 "Which when he knew, and felt our feeble hearts 2 Embossed with bale and bitter biting grief Embossed > Swollen; encased; driven to extremity (as a hunted animal) bale > torment 3 (Which Love had lanced with his deadly darts), Love > [Cupid] 4 With wounding words, and terms of foul reproof, 5 He plucked from us all hope of due relief, 6 That erst us held in love of lingering life; erst > previously 7 Then hopeless, heartless, gan the cunning thief gan > did; began to 8 Persuade us die, to stint all further strife: die > [to die] 9 To me he lent this rope, to him a rusty knife. rusty > blood-stained; dirty; rusty 109.30 With which sad instrument of hastie death, 2 That wofull louer, loathing lenger light, A wide way made to let forth liuing breath. 4 But I more fearefull, or more luckie wight, Dismayd with that deformed dismall sight, 6 Fled fast away, halfe dead with dying feare: Ne yet assur'd of life by you, Sir knight, 8 Whose like infirmitie like chaunce may beare: But God you neuer let his charmed speeches heare. 1 "With which sad instrument of hasty death 2 That woeful lover, loathing longer light, light > daylight (i.e. life; cf. 107.27:7) 3 A wide way made to let forth living breath. 4 But I, more fearful or more lucky wight, wight > creature, person 5 Dismayed with that deformed dismal sight, deformed > perverted, morally repulsive 6 Fled fast away, half dead with dying fear: dying fear > fear of dying 7 Not yet assured of life by you, sir knight, 8 Whose +like+ infirmity like chance may bear: like > similar 9 But God you never let his charmed speeches hear!" But > [But may] his > [Despair's] 109.31