Of warlike puissaunce in ages spent,
2 Be thou faire Britomart, whose prayse I write,
But of all wisedome be thou precedent,
4 O soueraigne Queene, whose prayse I would endite,
Endite I would as dewtie doth excite;
6 But ah my rimes too rude and rugged arre,
When in so high an obiect they do lite,
8 And striuing, fit to make, I feare do marre:
Thy selfe thy prayses tell, and make them knowen farre.
1 Of warlike puissance in ages spent,
puissance > power, strength spent > passed, gone by
2 Be you, fair Britomart, whose praise I write;
Be > [Are]
3 But of all wisdom be you precedent,
be > [are] precedent > [the] model, exemplar; example (i.e. Britomart is the precedent of ancient puissance and Elizabeth the precedent of all wisdom)
4 O sovereign queen, whose praise I would indite, 5 Indite I would as duty does excite;
excite > incite, stir up; hence: move
6 But ah my rhymes too rude and rugged are,