And vnder the blacke vele of guilty Night,
8 Her with a scarlot mantle couered,
That was with gold and Ermines faire enueloped.

1 Now when all the world in silence deep
2 Shrouded was, and every mortal wight

wight > creature, person

3 Was drowned in the depth of deadly sleep,

deadly > death-like

4 Fair Malecasta, whose engrieved spirit

engrieved > aggravated

5 Could find no rest in such perplexed plight,

perplexed > troubled

6 Lightly arose out of her weary bed,

Lightly > Quickly, easily; unchastely

7 And, under the black veil of guilty Night,

Night > (Nox; see 105.20 ff.)

8 Her with a scarlet mantle covered,

Her > [Herself]
scarlet > {A rich kind of cloth, usually red or or orange in colour}

9 That was with gold and ermines fair enveloped.

ermines > (Ermine pelts. The ermine is a traditional emblem of
chastity, though "ermine" is also the name for the stoat, an
emblem of unchastity, in its winter pelage)
fair > beautiful (if applied to the ermines); skilfully (if applied
to the verb)
enveloped > enveloped _making the lining scarlet; or, perhaps,
catachr.:_ lined (cf. 207.4:2)

301.60

Then panting soft, and trembling euery ioynt,
2 Her fearfull feete towards the bowre she moued;
Where she for secret purpose did appoynt
4 To lodge the warlike mayd vnwisely loued,
And to her bed approching, first she prooued,
6 Whether she slept or wakt, with her soft hand
She softly felt, if any member mooued,
8 And lent her +weary+ eare to vnderstand,
If any puffe of breath, or signe of sence she +fond+.

8 weary > wary _1590_
9 fond > fand _1609_

1 Then panting soft, and trembling every joint,

joint > limb

2 Her fearful feet towards the bower she moved;

bower > chamber, bedroom

3 Where she for secret purpose did appoint
4 To lodge the warlike maid unwisely loved;
5 And to her bed approaching, first she proved

proved > tested

6 Whether she slept or waked: with her soft hand

waked > [was awake]

7 She softly felt if any member moved,
8 And lent her weary ear to understand

weary > ?wary (see Textual Appendix)

9 If any puff of breath, or sign of sense she found.

301.61

Which whenas none she fond, with easie shift,
2 For feare least her vnwares she should abrayd,
Th'embroderd quilt she lightly vp did lift,
4 And by her side her selfe she softly layd,