at]

4 Than of wild beasts if she had chased been:
5 Yet he her followed still with courage keen,

courage > spirit; vigour; confidence; lustiness

6 So long that now the golden Hesperus

Hesperus > (Name for the planet Venus when it appears as the evening
star; Venus is also the morning star. Hesperus is, as here,
accorded male gender at 102.6. For a clue to the analogy between
Florimell and the Faery Queen, see 107.30:4)

7 Was mounted high in top of heaven sheen,

sheen > shining, resplendent; beautiful (applicable both to
"_Hesperus_" and "heauen")

8 And warned his other brethren joyous

brethren joyous > heavenly brothers

9 To light their blessed lamps in Jove's eternal house.

304.52

All suddenly dim woxe the dampish ayre,
2 And griesly shadowes couered heauen bright,
That now with thousand starres was decked fayre;
4 Which when the Prince beheld, a lothfull sight,
And that perforce, for want of lenger light,
6 He mote surcease his suit, and lose the hope
Of his long labour, he gan fowly wyte
8 His wicked fortune, that had turnd aslope,
And cursed night, that reft from him so goodly scope.

1 All suddenly dim waxed the dampish air,

waxed > grew, became

2 And grisly shadows covered heaven bright,

grisly > grim, fearsome
bright > beautiful

3 That now with thousand stars was decked fair;
4 Which when the prince beheld, a loathful sight,

loathful > loathsome

5 And that perforce, for want of longer light,

that > [that when he also beheld that]

6 He might surcease his suit, and lose the hope

might > must
surcease > discontinue, desist from; _hence:_ be thwarted in
suit > pursuit; wooing

7 Of his long labour, he gan foully wite

gan > did
wite > blame

8 His wicked fortune, that had turned aslope,

aslope > slantwise; _hence:_ awry

9 And cursed Night, that reft from him so goodly scope.

Night > (Nox)
reft > took away
so goodly > such a beautiful
scope > aim, end in view; object of desire

304.53

Tho when her wayes he could no more descry,
2 But to and fro at disauenture strayd;
Like as a ship, whose Lodestarre suddenly
4 Couered with cloudes, her Pilot hath dismayd;
His wearisome pursuit perforce he stayd,
6 And from his loftie steed dismounting low,
Did let him forage. Downe himselfe he layd
8 Vpon the grassie ground, to sleepe a throw;
The cold e