4 But yelling Meawes, with Seagulles hoarse and bace,
And Cormoyrants, with birds of rauenous race,
6 Which still sate +waiting+ on that wastfull clift,
For spoyle of wretches, whose vnhappie cace,
8 After lost credite and consumed thrift,
At last them driuen hath to this despairefull drift.

6 waiting > weiting _1590;_ wayting _FE_

1 For-thy, this hight the Rock of vile Reproach,

For-thy > For this reason
hight > is called

2 A dangerous and detestable place,
3 To which +nor+ fish nor fowl did once approach,

nor > neither

4 But yelling mews, with seagulls hoarse and base,

But > Except
mew > {The common gull, _Larus canus_, which has a mewing cry}
seagulls > (Probably denoting the larger species, such as herring
gull, _Larus argentatus_, great black-backed gull, _L. marinus_,
etc., which have deeper cries)
base > (Because gulls are associated with deception; or: bass, of
their voices)

5 And cormorants, with birds of ravenous race,

cormorant > (_Phalacrocorax_ sp., the sea-raven, noted for its
greed)
ravenous > {Ravenous; given to ravin or robbery; also, perhaps,
punningly: raven-like}

6 Which still sat waiting on that wasteful cliff,

still > continuously
waiting > keeping watch
wasteful > desolate

7 For spoil of wretches, whose unhappy case,

spoil > plunder, booty

8 After lost credit and consumed thrift,

thrift > prosperity; savings

9 At last them driven has to this despairful drift.

drift > {The condition of being driven}

212.9

The Palmer seeing them in safetie past,
2 Thus said; +behold+ th'ensamples in our sights,
Of lustfull luxurie and thriftlesse wast:
4 What now is left of miserable wights,
Which spent their looser daies in lewd delights,
6 But shame and sad reproch, here to be red,
By these rent reliques, speaking their ill plights?
8 Let all that liue, hereby be counselled,
To shunne _Rocke of Reproch_, and it as death to dred.

2 behold > Behold _1609_

1 The palmer, seeing them in safety past,

them > [himself, Guyon, and the ferryman]

2 Thus said: "Behold the examples in our sight
3 Of lustful luxury and thriftless waste:

luxury > surfeit, excess; dissipation
thriftless > improvident

4 What now is left of miserable wights

wights > people

5 Who spent their looser days in lewd delights,

looser > too-loose
lewd > lewd, wanton; ignorant, good-for-nothi