ed ruinous and old,
2 And therefore was removed far behind,
3 Yet were the walls, that did the same uphold,
4 Right firm and strong, though somewhat they declined,

Right > Very
declined > leaned, slanted

5 And therein sat an old old man, half blind,

old man > (Compound sb.)

6 And all decrepit in his feeble corse,

corse > body

7 Yet lively vigour rested in his mind,
8 And recompensed him with a better scorse:

scorse > exchange, bargain

9 Weak body well is changed for mind's redoubled force.

well > advantageously

209.56

This man of infinite remembrance was,
2 And things foregone through many ages held,
Which he recorded still, as they did pas,
4 Ne suffred them to perish through long eld,
As all things else, the which this world doth weld,
6 But laid them vp in his immortall scrine,
Where they for euer incorrupted dweld:
8 The warres he well remembred of king _Nine_,
Of old _Assaracus_, and _Inachus_ diuine.

1 This man of infinite remembrance was,
2 And things foregone through many ages held,
3 Which he recorded still, as they did pass,

still > continuously
pass > happen

4 Nor suffered them to perish through long eld,

suffered > allowed
eld > age, period of time

5 As all things else which this world does wield,

As > Like
else > other, otherwise
wield > command, reign over

6 But laid them up in his immortal scrine,

scrine > {Casket or cabinet for archival papers}

7 Where they for ever incorrupted dwelt:

incorrupted > uncorrupted

8 The wars he well remembered of King Ninus,

King Ninus > (Of Assyria, fl. c. 1250 BC. The reputed founder of
Nineveh)

9 Of old Assaracus, and Inachus divine.

Assaracus > (A mythical king of Phrygia, son of Tros (the founder of
Troy); the great-grandfather of Aeneas. See _Iliad_ 20.231-40)
Inachus > (A river-god, king of Argos, father of Io)

209.57

The yeares of _Nestor_ nothing were to his,
2 Ne yet _Mathusalem_, though longest liu'd;
For he remembred both their infancies:
4 Ne wonder then, if that he were depriu'd
Of natiue strength now, that he them suruiu'd.
6 His chamber all was hangd about with rolles,
And old records from auncient times deriu'd,
8 Some made in books, some in long parchment scrolles,
That were all worme-eaten, and full of canker holes.

1 The years of Nestor nothing were to his,

yea