His haughtie helmet, horrid all with gold,
2 Both glorious brightnesse, and great terrour bred;
For all the crest a Dragon did enfold
4 With greedie pawes, and ouer all did spred
His golden wings: his dreadfull hideous hed
6 Close couched on the beuer, seem'd to throw
From flaming mouth bright sparkles fierie red,
8 That suddeine horrour to faint harts did show;
And scaly tayle was stretcht adowne his backe full low.

1 His haughty helmet, horrid all with gold,

haughty > high, imposing horrid > bristling, rough

2 Both glorious brightness, and great terror bred;

bred > engendered

3 For all the crest a dragon did enfold

dragon > (Geoffrey of Monmouth (HRB 9.4) says a dragon was engraved on Arthur's helmet; Arthur's father, Uther Pendragon, also wore such a device, and from it derived his name: the Brythonic "pen" = "head")

4 With greedy paws, and over all did spread

greedy > eager; greedy

5 His golden wings: his dreadful hideous head, 6 Close couched on the beaver, seemed to throw