at mortall men their weary cares
2 Do lay away, and all wilde beastes do rest,
And euery riuer eke his course +forbeares,+
4 Then doth this wicked euill thee infest,
And riue with thousand throbs thy thrilled brest;
6 Like an huge _Aetn_' of deepe engulfed griefe,
Sorrow is heaped in thy hollow chest,
8 Whence forth it breakes in sighes and anguish rife,
As smoke and sulphure mingled with confused strife.

3 forbeares, > forbeares _1596_

1 "The time that mortal men their weary cares

that > [when]

2 Do lay away, and all wild beasts do rest,
3 And every river eke his course forbears,

eke > moreover

4 Then does this wicked evil you infest,

infest > harass, molest

5 And rive with thousand throbs your thrilled breast;

rive > tear asunder
thrilled > pierced

6 Like a huge Etna of deep engulfed grief,

Etna > (The volcano in Sicily, which was very active in the 16th
century; its flames were associated with Vulcan's forge.
Perhaps, here, this association alludes to the royal line to be
established by the marriage of Britomart and Artegall)
engulfed > buried

7 Sorrow is heaped in your hollow chest,

hollow > ?vacant (thus being, like Etna, more resonant, and so
amplifying her sighs; intention otherwise unclear. Cf. 303.18:7)

8 Whence forth it breaks in sighs and anguish rife,
9 As smoke and sulphur mingled with confused strife.

strife > {The act of striving; strong effort}

302.33

Aye me, how much I feare, least loue it bee;
2 But if that loue it be, as sure I read
By knowen signes and passions, which I see,
4 Be it worthy of thy race and royall sead,
Then I auow by this most sacred head
6 Of my deare foster child, to ease thy griefe,
And win thy will: Therefore away doe dread;
8 For death nor daunger from thy dew reliefe
Shall me debarre, tell me therefore my liefest liefe.

1 "Ay me, how much I fear lest love it be;

Ay me > Ah me! Alas! (chiefly in northern dialect)

2 But if love it be (as sure I read

read > observe

3 By known signs and passions which I see)

passions > {Afflictions; overpowering fits of emotion}

4 Be it worthy of your race and royal seed,

Be it > [Let your love be]
seed > children [as yet unborn]

5 Then I avow, by this most sacred head

avow > take a vow
by this most sacred head > [by your most royal head; "by my head" is
an oath: cf. 201.19:1]