To save her honour from that villain vile,
5 And cried to heaven, from human help exiled.
6 O you brave knights, that boast this lady's love,

boast > brag of; extol

7 Where be you now, when she is nigh defiled
8 Of filthy wretch? Well may she you reprove

Of > By [a]

9 Of falsehood or of sloth, when most it may behove.

may behove > [behoves you to come to her aid]

308.28

But if that thou, Sir _Satyran_, didst weete,
2 Or thou, Sir _Peridure_, her sorie state,
How soone would yee assemble many a fleete,
4 To fetch from sea, that ye at land lost late;
Towres, Cities, Kingdomes ye would ruinate,
6 In your auengement and dispiteous rage,
Ne ought your burning fury mote abate;
8 But if Sir _Calidore_ could it presage,
No liuing creature could his cruelty asswage.

1 But if you, Sir Satyrane, did weet

weet > know; discover

2 (Or you, Sir Peridure) her sorry state,

Peridure > (The spelling indicates a meaning like "Endurance" or "He
Who Persists". Possibly the intended hero of an unknown book of
_FQ_)
sorry > painful, distressing

3 How soon would you assemble many a fleet,
4 To fetch from sea that you at land lost late;

that > [she whom]
late > lately

5 Towers, cities, kingdoms, you would ruinate

ruinate > demolish; lay waste; overthrow

6 In your avengement and dispiteous rage,

avengement > vengeance
dispiteous > pitiless

7 Nor aught your burning fury might abate;

might > could

8 But if Sir Calidore could it presage,

Calidore > "Beautiful Gift" (Greek); "Clever", "Skilful" (Latin
_callidus_); "Hot", "Fiery", "Passionate" (Latin _calidus_. The
latter meanings are the most appropriate here. Sir Calidore is
the hero of Book VI)
presage > {Have a presentiment of; hence: know of, hear about}

9 No living creature could his cruelty assuage.

308.29

But sith that none of all her knights is nye,
2 See how the heauens of voluntary grace,
And soueraine fauour towards chastity,
4 Doe succour send to her distressed cace:
So much high God doth innocence embrace.
6 It fortuned, whilest thus she stifly stroue,
And the wide sea importuned long space
8 With shrilling shriekes, _Proteus_ abrode did roue,
Along the fomy waues driuing his finny droue.

1 But sith none of all her knights is nigh,

sith > since
none > not one

2 See how the heavens, of voluntary grace