afford

that > [that sword]

4 Which he had brought for Braggadocchio vain.

vain > foolish

5 "So would I," said the enchanter, "glad and fain

fain > willingly

6 Beteem to you this sword, you to defend,

Beteem > Grant

7 Or aught that else your honour might maintain;

else > otherwise
maintain > defend, uphold

8 But that this weapon's power I well have kenned

But > Except
kenned > recognized, observed

9 To be contrary to the work which you intend.

208.20

For that same knights owne sword this is of yore,
2 Which _Merlin_ made by his almightie art
For that his noursling, when he knighthood swore,
4 Therewith to doen his foes eternall smart.
The metall first he mixt with _Med{ae}wart_,
6 That no enchauntment from his dint might saue;
Then it in flames of _Aetna_ wrought apart,
8 And seuen times dipped in the bitter waue
Of hellish _Styx_, which hidden vertue to it gaue.

1 "For that same knight's own sword this is of yore,

yore > old

2 Which Merlin made by his almighty art
3 For him, his nursling, when he knighthood swore,

his nursling > [Arthur]
knighthood swore > took the oaths of knighthood

4 Therewith to do his foes eternal smart.

Therewith > With which (catachr., or misprint for "Wherewith")
do > cause, deal
smart > suffering, pain; grief

5 The metal first he mixed with meadwort,

meadwort > (Meadow-sweet, _Filipendula ulmaria_, a herb ruled in
astrology by Jupiter and used for various officinal purposes. It
is also the plant "that Queen Elizabeth of famous memory did more
desire than any sweet herb to strew her chambers"; quoted
Genders, 1971)

6 That no enchantment from its dint might save;

That > [So that]
its dint > [the sword's impact]

7 Then it in flames of Etna wrought apart,

Etna > (The volcano in Sicily, which was very active in the
sixteenth century; its flames were associated with Vulcan, who
forged Aeneas's arms)

8 And seven times dipped in the bitter wave

wave > water

9 Of hellish Styx, which hidden virtue to it gave.

Styx > (The river of hate, one of the five rivers of hell, in which
Vulcan tempered from white heat the sword made for Daunus, the
father of Turnus (_Aen._ 12.90-1))
virtue > efficacy, occult power

208.21

The vertue is, that neither steele, nor stone
2 The stroke thereof from entrance may defend;
Ne euer may be vsed by his fone,
4