hese mighty men were women mixed,
2 Proud women, vain, forgetful of their yoke:
3 The bold Semiramis, whose sides transfixed

Semiramis > (Fl. c. 1250 BC, queen of King Ninus of Assyria; seduced
her own son, who murdered her)

4 With son's own blade, her foul reproaches spoke;
5 Fair Sthenoboea, that herself did choke

Sthenoboea > (Queen of King Proetus of Argos, rejected lover of his
brother Bellerophon; committed suicide on Bellerophon's marriage)

6 With wilful cord, for wanting of her will;

wanting > being deprived

7 High-minded Cleopatra, that with stroke

Cleopatra > (69-30 BC, daughter of Ptolemy XI; queen of Egypt,
mistress of Marcus Antonius; killed herself when Antony fell on
his sword)

8 Of asp's sting herself did stoutly kill:

stoutly > proudly

9 And thousands more the like, that did that dungeon fill.

105.51

Besides the endlesse routs of wretched thralles,
2 Which thither were assembled day by day,
From all the world after their wofull falles,
4 Through wicked pride, and wasted wealthes decay.
But most of all, which in +that+ Dongeon lay
6 Fell from high Princes courts, or Ladies bowres,
Where they in idle pompe, or wanton play,
8 Consumed had their goods, and thriftlesse howres,
And lastly throwne themselues into these heauy stowres.

5 that > the _1590 etc.: FE_

1 Besides the endless routs of wretched thralls

routs > crowds
thralls > slaves, prisoners

2 Who thither were assembled day by day
3 From all the world, after their woeful falls,
4 Through wicked pride, and wasted wealth's decay,

decay > downfall, destruction

5 But most of all, who in that dungeon lay,

But > (This does not follow from "Besides" in line 1. The sense
seems to be: "Besides the endless routs ... decay, were also,
most of all, those who in that dungeon lay ...")

6 Fallen from high princes' courts, or ladies' bowers,

bowers > bedrooms

7 Where they in idle pomp, or wanton play,
8 Consumed had their goods and thriftless hours,
9 And lastly thrown themselves into these heavy stours.

stours > straits, distressful circumstances

105.52

Whose case when as the carefull Dwarfe had tould,
2 And made ensample of their mournefull sight
Vnto his maister, he no lenger would
4 There dwell in perill of like painefull plight,
But early rose, and ere that dawning light
6 Discouered had the world