ither could his mightie puissance sustaine.

1 As savage bull, whom two fierce mastiffs bait,

savage > wild; savage
bait > harass, attack; _also:_ worry, torment (a captive or chained
animal, for "sport")

2 When rancour does with rage him once engore,

once > [once and for all, finally]
engore > gore, wound deeply; _hence:_ infuriate

3 Forgets with wary ward them to await,

ward > guard
await > [keep watch for]

4 But with his dreadful horns them drives afore,
5 Or flings aloft, or treads down in the floor,

floor > ground (catachresis prompted by the rhyme)

6 Breathing out wrath, and bellowing disdain,

disdain > wrath

7 That all the forest quakes to hear him roar:

That > [So that]

8 So raged Prince Arthur 'twixt his foemen twain,

foemen > enemies
twain > two, double, twofold (emphasizing their unfairness)

9 That neither could his mighty puissance sustain.

That > [So that]
puissance > strength, power
sustain > endure, withstand

208.43

But euer at _Pyrochles_ when he smit,
2 Who _Guyons_ shield cast euer him before,
Whereon the Faery Queenes pourtract was writ,
4 His hand relented, and the stroke forbore,
And his deare hart the picture gan adore,
6 Which oft the Paynim sau'd from deadly stowre.
But him henceforth the same can saue no more;
8 For now arriued is his fatall howre,
That no'te auoyded be by earthly skill or powre.

1 But ever at Pyrochles when he smote
2 (Who Guyon's shield cast ever him before,
3 Whereon the Faery Queen's portrait was writ),

Whereon > On which
writ > drawn, painted

4 His hand relented, and the stroke forbore,
5 And his dear heart the picture gan adore,

dear > loving
gan > did

6 Which oft the paynim saved from deadly stour.

paynim > pagan, heathen
stour > peril

7 But him henceforth the same can save no more:
8 For now arrived is his fatal hour,

hour > moment

9 That no'te avoided be by earthly skill or power.

no'te > cannot
skill > knowledge

208.44

For when _Cymochles_ saw the fowle reproch,
2 Which them appeached, prickt with +guilty+ shame,
And inward griefe, he fiercely gan approch,
4 Resolu'd to put away that loathly blame,
Or dye with honour and desert of fame;
6 And on the hauberk stroke the Prince so sore,
That quite disparted all the linked frame,
8 And pierced to the skin, but bit +no more+,
Y