4 Else never should your judgement be so frail 5 To measure manhood by the sword or mail.
To > [As to] mail > chain-mail; chain-armour
6 Is not enough four quarters of a man, 7 Without sword or shield, a host to quail?
host > army quail > daunt
8 You little wot what this right hand can:
wot > know can > [can do; is capable of]
9 Speak they, who have beheld the battles which it won!"
203.17
The man was much abashed at his boast;
2 Yet well he wist, that who so would contend
With either of those knights on euen coast,
4 Should need of all his armes, him to defend;
Yet feared least his boldnesse should offend,
6 When Braggadocchio said, Once I did sweare,
When with one sword seuen knights I brought to end,
8 Thence forth in battell neuer sword to beare,
But it were that, which noblest knight on earth doth weare.
1 The man was much abashed at his boast; 2 Yet well he wist that whoso would contend