bounty > goodness, virtue; generosity; valour
3 Nor thought of honour ever did assay
assay > assail; make a test of
4 His baser breast, but in his kestrel kind
baser > more base; most base kestrel > {A small falcon, Falco tinnunculus, deemed worthless for sport. The Boke of St Albans defines the hawk appropriate to each social station: the eagle for an emperor, the peregrine for an earl, and so down the scale until the kestrel is assigned to a "knave". Hence "kestrel" here = "knavish". The word is also confused with "coistrel" = "groom", "varlet"; cf. Twelfth Night I iii 37} kind > nature; disposition; social class
5 A pleasing vein of glory vain did find,
glory vain > {Vainglory; "glory" on its own = "boastful spirit". See also Textual Appendix}
6 To which his flowing tongue, and troublous spirit 7 Gave him great aid, and made him more inclined): 8 He, that brave steed there finding ready dight,
brave > splendid dight > decked, prepared; hence: caparisoned
9 Purloined both steed and spear, and ran away full light.