fitter task,

enforced > compelled [by the Muse]

4 For trumpets stern to change my oaten reeds,

stern > fierce
oaten reeds > (Of which shepherds' pipes were supposedly made. Cf.
_SC_, "October", 7-8)

5 And sing of knights' and ladies' gentle deeds;

gentle > noble; courteous, generous

6 Whose praises, having slept in silence long,
7 Me, all too mean, the sacred Muse areads

mean > unworthy, ignoble
areads > counsels; instructs

8 To blazon broad amongst her learned throng:

blazon > proclaim (with additional meaning of describing or painting
heraldic devices or armorial bearings)
broad > widely, far

9 Fierce wars and faithful loves shall moralize my song.

100.2

Helpe then, {o^} holy Virgin chiefe of nine,
2 Thy weaker Nouice to performe thy will,
Lay forth out of thine euerlasting scryne
4 The antique rolles, which there lye hidden still,
Of Faerie knights and fairest _Tanaquill_,
6 Whom that most noble Briton Prince so long
Sought through the world, and suffered so much ill,
8 That I must rue his vndeserued wrong:
O helpe thou my weake wit, and sharpen my dull tong.

1 Help then, O holy virgin, chief of nine,

chief > chief, first; best (here Spenser is addressing either Clio,
the Muse of history, or Calliope, the Muse of epic poetry;
probably Clio. Clio is the first of the nine Muses in Hesiod's
_Theogony_, and is usually represented with an open roll of paper
or a chest of books. Spenser calls her "thou eldest Sister of
the crew" at _TM_ 53. See also 111.5:6-8, 303.4:6, 706.37:9,
707.1:1)

2 Your weaker novice to perform your will;

weaker > too-weak

3 Lay forth out of your everlasting scrine

scrine > {Casket or cabinet for archival papers}

4 The antique rolls, which there lie hidden still,

antique > ancient

5 Of Faery knights and fairest Tanaquil,

Faery > {An archaic variant of "fairy", used by Spenser to denote
the imaginary land, analogous to Britain, where his poem is set}
Tanaquil > (Caia Tanaquil, wife of Tarquinius Priscus, 5th King of
Rome (- 577 BC); an exemplary queen, taken as a type for the
Faery Queen. See 210.76)

6 Whom that most noble Briton prince so long

Briton prince > (Prince Arthur. For the origin of Arthur's quest
for the Faery Queen, see 109.8-15)

7 Sought through the world, and suffered so much ill,

suffered > [for whom he suffered]
ill > evil, distres