here at his feete, with sorrowfull demaine
8 And deadly hew, an armed corse did lye,
In whose dead face he red great magnanimity.

1 By this that stranger knight in presence came,

By this > At this; by this time
stranger > new-come; foreign

2 And goodly salued them; who naught again

goodly salued > courteously saluted
again > in reply

3 Him answered, as courtesy became,
4 But with stern looks, and stomachous disdain,

stern > fierce, grim
stomachous > haughty, irascible, bitter

5 Gave signs of grudge and discontentment vain:

vain > proud

6 Then, turning to the palmer, he gan spy

gan > did

7 Where at his feet, with sorrowful demean

demean > bearing, demeanour

8 And deadly hue, an armed corse did lie,

deadly hue > deathly colour, death-like appearance
armed corse > [body clad in armour]

9 In whose dead face he read great magnanimity.

read > discerned
magnanimity > greatness of mind (cf. 207.9:3)

208.24

Said he then to the Palmer, Reuerend syre,
2 What great misfortune hath betidd this knight?
Or did his life her fatall date expyre,
4 Or did he fall by treason, or by fight?
How euer, sure I rew his pitteous plight.
6 Not one, nor other, (said the Palmer graue)
Hath him befalne, but cloudes of deadly night
8 A while his heauie eylids couer'd haue,
And all his senses drowned in deepe senselesse waue.

1 Said he then to the palmer, "Reverend sire,

sire > {Father; form of address to an elderly or holy man; the
original form of "sir"}

2 What great misfortune has betide this knight?

betide > befallen

3 Or did his life its fatal date expire,

Or > Either (pleonastic, and thus intensive)
fatal date > preordained term
expire > terminate, use up

4 Or did he fall by treason, or by fight?
5 However, sure I rue his piteous plight."

However > In any case, in either event
rue > {Regard with pity or compassion}

6 "Not one, nor other," said the palmer grave,
7 "Has him befallen, but clouds of deadly night
8 Awhile his heavy eyelids covered have,
9 And all his senses drowned in deep senseless wave.

wave > water (metaphorical)

208.25

+Which, those his cruell foes, that stand hereby+,
2 Making aduantage, to reuenge their spight,
Would him disarme, and treaten shamefully,
4 Vnworthy vsage of redoubted knight.
But you, faire Sir, whose honorable sight
6 Doth