ten to support a
sword}
brave > splendid

9 That shone, like twinkling stars, with stones most precious rare.

precious > [precious and]

107.30

And in the midst thereof one pretious stone
2 Of wondrous worth, and eke of wondrous mights,
Shapt like a Ladies head, exceeding shone,
4 Like _Hesperus_ emongst the lesser lights,
And stroue for to amaze the weaker sights;
6 Thereby his mortall blade full comely hong
In yuory sheath, ycaru'd with curious slights;
8 Whose hilts were burnisht gold, and handle strong
Of mother pearle, and buckled with a golden tong.

1 And in the midst thereof one precious stone
2 Of wondrous worth, and eke of wondrous mights,

eke > also
mights > virtue, efficacy, powers

3 Shaped like a lady's head, exceeding shone,

lady > (Presumably the Faery Queen. In the chronicle of Geoffrey of
Monmouth (_Historia Regum Britanniae_ 9.4), Arthur's shield bore
an image of the Virgin Mary)

4 Like Hesperus amongst the lesser lights,

Hesperus > (The "Evening Star", i.e. the planet Venus)

5 And strove to amaze the weaker sights;

amaze > overwhelm

6 Thereby his mortal blade full comely hung

mortal > lethal
full > very, exceedingly

7 In ivory sheath, carved with curious sleights;

sleights > designs, patterns (SUS)

8 Whose hilts were burnished gold, and handle strong

hilts were > [hilt was: the plural form, which is obsolete, is
apparently used here catachr. to denote the guard, "that part of
the hilt which protects the hand" (_OED_)]

9 Of mother pearl, and buckled with a golden tongue.

mother pearl > mother-of-pearl
tongue > pin (of buckle)

107.31

His haughtie helmet, horrid all with gold,
2 Both glorious brightnesse, and great terrour bred;
For all the crest a Dragon did enfold
4 With greedie pawes, and ouer all did spred
His golden wings: his dreadfull hideous hed
6 Close couched on the beuer, seem'd to throw
From flaming mouth bright sparkles fierie red,
8 That suddeine horrour to faint harts did show;
And scaly tayle was stretcht adowne his backe full low.

1 His haughty helmet, horrid all with gold,

haughty > high, imposing
horrid > bristling, rough

2 Both glorious brightness, and great terror bred;

bred > engendered

3 For all the crest a dragon did enfold

dragon > (Geoffrey of Monmouth (_HRB_ 9.4) says a dragon was engraved
on Arthur's helme