1 Lightly he clipped her 'twixt his arms twain,

Lightly > Quickly
clipped > embraced
twain > two

2 And straitly did embrace her body bright,

straitly > tightly
bright > beautiful

3 Her body, late the prison of sad pain,

late > lately
sad > heavy, grievous; sad

4 Now the sweet lodge of love and dear delight:
5 But she, fair lady, overcome quite
6 Of huge affection, did in pleasure melt,

Of > By

7 And in sweet ravishment poured out her spirit:
8 No word they spoke, nor earthly thing they felt,
9 But like two senseless stocks in long embracement dwelt.

stocks > {Tree-trunks, taken as the type of what is motionless}

312.46 (1590)

Had ye them seene, ye would haue surely thought,
2 That they had beene that faire _Hermaphrodite_,
Which that rich _Romane_ of white marble wrought,
4 And in his costly Bath causd to bee site:
So seemd those two, as growne together quite,
6 That _Britomart_ halfe enuying their blesse,
Was much empassiond in her gentle sprite,
8 And to her selfe oft wisht like happinesse,
In vaine she wisht, that fate n'ould let her yet possesse.

1 Had you them seen, you would have surely thought
2 That they had been that fair Hermaphroditus,

had been > [were]
Hermaphroditus > (Son of Hermes and Aphrodite (Venus). The nymph of
the fountain of Salmacis, near Halicarnassus, fell in love with
him but could not win his affections. One day, as he was bathing
in the fountain, she embraced him and prayed that she might be
united with him for ever. Her prayer was granted, and their
bodies became one, while retaining the characteristics of either
sex. See _Met._ 4.285-388. The statue of which Spenser speaks,
and its owner, have not been identified)

3 Which that rich Roman of white marble wrought,
4 And in his costly bath caused to be site:

site > placed

5 So seemed those two, as grown together quite,
6 That Britomart, half envying their bliss,
7 Was much empassioned in her gentle spirit,

empassioned > {Moved or touched with deep feeling}
gentle > noble; gentle

8 And to herself oft wished like happiness:

like > similar

9 In vain she wished that fate nould let her yet possess.

that > [that which]
nould > would not

312.47 (1590)

Thus doe those louers with sweet counteruayle,
2 Each other of loues bitter fruit despoile.
But now my teme begins to faint and fayle,
4