me advancing high above his head,

The same > [His tail]
advancing > raising

2 With sharp intended sting so rude him smote,

intended > extended; intended
rude > violently, roughly

3 That to the earth him drove, as stricken dead;
4 No living wight would have him life behight:

wight > person
behight > {Held out hope of}

5 The mortal sting its angry needle shot
6 Quite through his shield, and in his shoulder seized,

seized > fastened, fixed itself (SUS)

7 Where fast it stuck, nor would thereout be got:

fast > firmly
thereout > thence

8 The grief thereof him wondrous sore diseased,

grief > pain
diseased > "dis-eased", discomforted, distressed, tormented

9 Nor might his rankling pain with patience be appeased.

111.39

But yet more mindfull of his honour deare,
2 Then of the grieuous smart, which him did wring,
From loathed soile he can him lightly reare,
4 And stroue to loose the farre infixed +sting+:
Which when in vaine he tryde with struggeling,
6 Inflam'd with wrath, his raging blade he heft,
And strooke so strongly, that the knotty +string+
8 Of his huge taile he quite +a+ sunder cleft,
Fiue ioynts thereof he hewd, and but the stump him left.

4 sting > string _1596, 1609_
7 string > sting _1596, 1609_
8 a > in _1609_

1 But yet more mindful of his honour dear
2 Than of the grievous smart which him did wring,

smart > acute pain
wring > rack, vex

3 From loathed soil he can him lightly rear,

can him > did himself
lightly > quickly

4 And strove to loosen the far infixed sting:
5 Which when in vain he tried with struggling,
6 Inflamed with wrath, his raging blade he heft,

heft > raised

7 And struck so strongly that the knotty string
8 Of his huge tail he quite asunder cleft:
9 Five joints thereof he hewed, and but the stump him left.

but > only

111.40

Hart cannot thinke, what outrage, and what cryes,
2 With foule enfouldred smoake and flashing fire,
The hell-bred beast threw forth vnto the skyes,
4 That all was couered with darknesse dire:
Then fraught with rancour, and engorged ire,
6 He cast at once him to auenge for all,
And gathering vp himselfe out of the mire,
8 With his vneuen wings did fiercely +fall,+
Vpon his sunne-bright shield, and gript it fast withall.

8 fall, > fall _1609_

1 Heart cannot think what outrage, and what cries,

He