e had kept long time in darksome den.

107.17

Such one it was, as that renowmed Snake
2 Which great _Alcides_ in _Stremona_ slew,
Long fostred in the filth of _Lerna_ lake,
4 Whose many heads out budding euer new,
Did breed him endlesse labour to subdew:
6 But this same Monster much more vgly was;
For seuen great heads out of his body grew,
8 An yron brest, and backe of scaly bras,
And all embrewd in bloud, his eyes did shine as glas.

1 Such one it was, as that renowned snake

snake > (The Hydra, which grew two heads for each one cut off: it
lived in the swamps of Lerna Lake in Argos and was killed by
Hercules as his second labour; see _Met._ 9.68-74)

2 Which great Alcides in Stremona slew,

Alcides > (Another name for Hercules, grandson of Alceus)
Stremona > (Perhaps another name for Thrace, of which the River
Strymon forms one boundary. Thrace was noted for its seditions
(Upton); though Lerna was not in Thrace)

3 Long fostered in the filth of Lerna lake,
4 Whose many heads, out-budding ever new,
5 Did breed him endless labour to subdue:

breed > engender

6 But this same monster much more ugly was;
7 For seven great heads out of his body grew,

seven great heads > (Referring to _Rev._ 13.1, and perhaps also to
the seven hills of Rome)

8 An iron breast, and back of scaly brass,
9 And, all imbrued in blood, his eyes did shine as glass.

imbrued > stained, soaked

107.18

His tayle was stretched out in wondrous length,
2 That to the house of heauenly gods it raught,
And with extorted powre, and borrow'd strength,
4 The euer-burning lamps from thence it +brought+,
And prowdly threw to ground, as things of +nought+;
6 And vnderneath his filthy feet did tread
The sacred things, and holy heasts foretaught.
8 Vpon this dreadfull Beast with seuenfold head
He set the false _Duessa_, for more aw and dread.

4 brought > braught _1590_
5 nought > naught _1590_

1 His tail was stretched out in wondrous length,
2 That to the house of heavenly gods it raught,

That > [So that]
raught > reached

3 And with extorted power, and borrowed strength,

extorted > usurped (i.e. by the Roman Catholic church)

4 The ever-burning lamps from thence it brought,

lamps > [stars; see _Dan._ 8.10-13, 7.23]

5 And proudly threw to ground, as things of naught;
6 And underneath his filthy feet did tread
7