> shows
ready > {Straight, direct; lying immediately before him}

110.34

Wherein his weaker wandring steps to guide,
2 An auncient matrone she to her does call,
Whose sober lookes her wisedome well descride:
4 Her name was _Mercie_, well knowne ouer all,
To be both gratious, and eke liberall:
6 To whom the carefull charge of him she gaue,
To lead aright, that he should neuer fall
8 In all his wayes through this wide +worldes+ waue,
That Mercy in the end his righteous soule might saue.

8 worldes > worlds _1609_

1 Wherein his weaker wandering steps to guide,

Wherein > In which; in respect of which
weaker > too-weak

2 An ancient matron she to her does call,
3 Whose sober looks her wisdom well descried:

descried > announced, bespoke

4 Her name was Mercy, well known over all

over all > everywhere

5 To be both gracious and eke liberal:

eke > also

6 To whom the careful charge of him she gave,
7 To lead aright, that he should never fall

that > [so that]

8 In all his ways through this wide world's wave,
9 That Mercy in the end his righteous soul might save.

That > [And that]

110.35

The godly Matrone by the hand him beares
2 Forth from her presence, by a narrow way,
Scattred with bushy thornes, and ragged breares,
4 Which still before him she remou'd away,
That nothing might his ready passage stay:
6 And euer when his feet encombred were,
Or gan to shrinke, or from the right to stray,
8 She held him fast, and firmely did vpbeare,
As carefull Nourse her child from falling oft does reare.

1 The godly matron by the hand him bears
2 Forth from her presence, by a narrow way

her > [Charissa's]

3 Scattered with bushy thorns and ragged briers,
4 Which still before him she removed away,

still > continually

5 That nothing might his ready passage stay:

That > [So that]
ready > straight, direct
stay > hinder

6 And ever, when his feet encumbered were,
7 Or began to shrink, or from the right to stray,
8 She held him fast, and firmly did upbear,

fast > firmly
did > [did him]

9 As careful nurse her child from falling often does rear.

110.36

Eftsoones vnto an holy Hospitall,
2 That was fore by the way, she did him bring,
In which seuen Bead-men that had vowed all
4 Their life to seruice of high heauens king
Did spend their dayes in doing g