Both guests and meat, whenever in they came,

meat > food

5 And knew them how to order without blame,

order > arrange
blame > fault

6 As him the steward bade. They both at one

at one > together; in concord

7 Did duty to their lady, as became;

became > was fitting

8 Who, passing by, forth led her guests anon

anon > straightway

9 Into the kitchen room, nor spared for niceness none.

kitchen room > [stomach]
niceness > fastidiousness

209.29

It was a vaut ybuilt for great dispence,
2 With many raunges reard along the wall;
And one great chimney, whose long tonnell thence,
4 The smoke forth threw. And in the midst of all
There placed was a caudron wide and tall,
6 Vpon a mighty furnace, burning whot,
More whot, then _Aetn'_, or flaming _Mongiball_:
8 For day and night it brent, ne ceased not,
So long as any thing it in the caudron got.

1 It was a vault built for great dispense,

dispense > dispensation, management; expenditure

2 With many ranges reared along the wall;
3 And one great chimney, whose long tunnel thence
4 The smoke forth threw. And in the midst of all
5 There placed was a cauldron wide and tall,
6 Upon a mighty furnace, burning hot,
7 More hot than Etna, or flaming Mongiball:

Etna > (The volcano in Sicily, which was unusually active in the
sixteenth century)
Mongiball > (Another name for Mount Etna, from the Italian,
_Mongibello_)

8 For day and night it burnt, nor ceased not,

not > (The double negative serves as an intensive)

9 So long as anything it in the cauldron got.

209.30

But to delay the heat, least by mischaunce
2 It might breake out, and set the whole on fire,
There added was by goodly ordinaunce,
4 An huge great paire of bellowes, which did styre
Continually, and cooling breath inspyre.
6 About the Caudron many Cookes accoyld,
With hookes and ladles, as need did require;
8 The whiles the viandes in the vessell boyld
They did about their businesse sweat, and sorely toyld.

1 But to delay the heat, lest by mischance

delay > mitigate, assuage

2 It might break out, and set the whole on fire,
3 There added was, by goodly ordinance,

goodly > expert
ordinance > provision; decree, divine decree

4 A huge great pair of bellows, which did stir

bellows > [the lungs]

5 Continually, and cooling breath inspire.

inspire