some staves in fire warmed.

rusty > rusty; blood-stained
knives> knives; swords
warmed > part-burnt (in order to harden the points)

8 Stern was their look, like wild amazed steers,

Stern > Fierce
amazed > confounded, panic-stricken

9 Staring with hollow eyes and stiff upstanding hair.

Staring > Staring; glaring

209.14

Fiersly at first those knights they did assaile,
2 And droue them to recoile: but when againe
They gaue fresh charge, their forces gan to faile,
4 Vnhable their encounter to sustaine;
For with such puissaunce and impetuous maine
6 Those Champions broke on them, that forst them fly,
Like scattered +Sheepe+, whenas the Shepheards swaine
8 A Lyon and a Tigre doth espye,
With greedy pace forth rushing from the forest nye.

7 Sheepe > Speepe _1596_

1 Fiercely at first those knights they did assail,
2 And drove them to recoil: but when again
3 They gave fresh charge, their forces began to fail,
4 Unable their encounter to sustain;
5 For with such puissance and impetuous main

puissance > power, strength
main > force

6 Those champions broke on them, that forced them fly:

that > [that it]
fly > [to] flee

7 Like scattered sheep, when the shepherd's swain

swain > boy

8 A lion and a tiger does espy,
9 With greedy pace forth rushing from the forest nigh.

greedy > eager, reckless

209.15

A while they fled, but soone returnd againe
2 With greater fury, then before was found;
And euermore their cruell +Captaine+
4 Sought with his raskall routs t'enclose them round,
And ouerrun to tread them to the ground.
6 But soone the knights with their bright-burning blades
Broke their rude troupes, and orders did confound,
8 Hewing and slashing at their idle shades;
For though they bodies seeme, yet substance from them fades.

3 Captaine > Capitaine _1609_

1 Awhile they fled, but soon returned again
2 With greater fury than before was found;
3 And evermore their cruel captain
4 Sought with his rascal routs to enclose them round,

rascal routs > rabble

5 And overrun to tread them to the ground.

overrun > [to overrun them]

6 But soon the knights with their bright-burning blades
7 Broke their rude troops, and orders did confound,

rude > clumsy
orders > [their] ranks

8 Hewing and slashing at their idle shades;

idle > empty
shades > shadows

9 For thou