But weened you > If you did but know
wight > person

2 Much greater grief and shamefuller regret

shamefuller > more shameful

3 For your hard fortune then you would renew,

renew > resume; say in resumption; repeat

4 That of a single damsel you were met

of > by
single > solitary

5 On equal plain, and there so hard beset;

equal > level (physically); equitable, impartial

6 Even the famous Britomart it was,
7 Whom strange adventure did from Britain fetch,

adventure > fortune, occurrence

8 To seek her lover (love far sought, alas),
9 Whose image she had seen in Venus' looking-glass.

Venus' looking-glass > (The magic globe described at 302.18-21)

301.9

Full of disdainefull wrath, he fierce vprose,
2 For to reuenge that foule reprochfull shame,
And snatching his bright sword began to close
4 With her on foot, and stoutly forward came;
Die rather would he, then endure that same.
6 Which when his Palmer saw, he gan to feare
His toward perill and vntoward blame,
8 Which by that new rencounter he should reare:
For death sate on the point of that enchaunted speare.

1 Full of disdainful wrath, he fierce uprose

disdainful > angry, indignant

2 To revenge that foul reproachful shame,
3 And, snatching his bright sword, began to close
4 With her on foot, and stoutly forward came;

stoutly > boldly

5 Die rather would he, than endure that same.
6 Which when his palmer saw, he began to fear

palmer > (Guyon's companion and mentor: see 201.7 ff.)

7 His toward peril and untoward blame,

toward > impending
untoward > unlucky; unseemly; foolish
blame > injury; reprehension; fault

8 Which by that new rencounter he should rear:

rencounter > engagement, conflict
rear > bring into being

9 For death sat on the point of that enchanted spear.

301.10

And hasting towards him gan faire perswade,
2 Not to prouoke misfortune, nor to weene
His speares default to mend with cruell blade;
4 For by his mightie Science he had seene
The secret vertue of that weapon keene,
6 That mortall puissance mote not withstond:
Nothing on earth mote alwaies happie beene.
8 Great hazard were it, and aduenture fond,
To loose long gotten honour with one euill hond.

1 And, hasting towards, him gan fair persuade

hasting towards > hastening in his direction
gan fair persuade > did courteously adv