t the villein comming to their +ayd+,
Vpon him fell, and lode vpon him layd;
6 Full litle wanted, but he had him slaine,
And of the battell balefull end had made,
8 Had not his gentle Squire beheld his paine,
And commen to his reskew, ere his bitter bane.

4 ayd > aye _1596_

1 And catching hold of him, as down he leaned,
2 Him backward overthrew, and down him stayed

stayed > held, held motionless

3 With their rude hands and grisly grapplement,

rude > rough, clumsy; violent
grisly > horrible, fearsome
grapplement > grappling; clutch, grasp (WU)

4 Till the villein, coming to their aid,

villein > villain, serf

5 Upon him fell, and load upon him laid;
6 Full little wanted, but he had him slain,

Full little wanted, but he had him slain > [Maleger very nearly
killed him; "full" = "very", "wanted" = "lacked"]

7 And of the battle baleful end had made,

baleful > deadly, unhappy

8 Had not his gentle squire beheld his pain,

his > [Arthur's]
gentle > noble

9 And come to his rescue, ere his bitter bane.

bane > death, murder

211.30

So greatest and most glorious thing on ground
2 May often need the helpe of weaker hand;
So feeble is mans state, and life vnsound,
4 That in assurance it may neuer stand,
Till it dissolued be from earthly band.
6 Proofe be thou Prince, the prowest man aliue,
And noblest borne of all in _Briton_ land;
8 Yet thee fierce Fortune did so nearely driue,
That had not grace thee blest, thou shouldest not +suruiue+.

9 suruiue > reuiue _1590 etc.: FE_

1 So greatest and most glorious thing on ground

So > Thus, in this manner [the]
on ground > in the world (cf. 208.11:2, where the same pun is used)

2 May often need the help of weaker hand;
3 So feeble is man's state, and life unsound,
4 That in assurance it may never stand,

assurance > security

5 Till it dissolved be from earthly band.

band > attachment; bonds; _also, perhaps:_ company, _hence:_ society

6 Proof be you, Prince, the prowest man alive,

prowest > bravest

7 And noblest born of all in Briton land;
8 Yet you fierce Fortune did so nearly drive,

nearly > closely; particularly
drive > (E.g. a game animal into a net, trap, or other confined
space where it can be killed)

9 That had not grace you blessed, you should not survive.

grace > favour, goodwill; God's grace
blessed > protected from