nd themselves by oath to share each other's
fortune. Thus, Falstaff says of Shallow, in "2 Henry IV." (iii. 2): "He
talks as familiarly of John o' Gaunt as if he had been sworn brother to
him." In "Henry V." (ii. 1), Bardolph says: "we'll be all three sworn
brothers to France." In course of time it was used in a laxer sense, to
denote intimacy, as in "Much Ado About Nothing" (i. 1), where Beatrice
says of Benedick, that "He hath every month a new sworn brother."[965]

[965] We may compare, too, what Coriolanus says (ii. 3): "I
will, sir, flatter my sworn brother, the people."

According to the laws of chivalry, a person of superior birth might not
be challenged by an inferior; or, if challenged, might refuse combat, a
reference to which seems to be made by Cleopatra ("Antony and
Cleopatra," ii. 4):

"I will not hurt him.--
These hands do lack nobility, that they strike
A meaner than myself."

Again, in "Troilus and Cressida" (v. 4), the same practice is alluded to
by Hector, who asks Thersites:

"What art thou, Greek? art thou for Hector's match?
Art thou of blood and honour?"

Singer quotes from "Melville's Memoirs" (1735, p. 165): "The Laird of
Grange offered to fight Bothwell, who answered that he was not his
equal. The like answer made he to Tullibardine. Then my Lord Lindsay
offered to fight him, which he could not well refuse; but his heart
failed him, and he grew cold on the business."

_Clubs._ According to Malone, it was once a common custom, on the
breaking-out of a fray, to call out "Clubs, clubs!" to part the
combatants. Thus, in "1 Henry VI." (i. 3), the Mayor declares:

"I'll call for clubs, if you will not away."

In "Titus Andronicus" (ii. 1), Aaron says:

"Clubs, clubs! these lovers will not keep the peace."

"Clubs," too, "was originally the popular cry to call forth the London
apprentices, who employed their clubs for the preservation of the public
peace. Sometimes, however, they used those weapons to raise a
disturbance, as they are described doing in the following passage in
'Henry VIII.' (v. 4): 'I miss'd the meteor once, and hit that woman; who
cried out 'Clubs!' when I might see from far some forty truncheoners
draw to her succour, which were the hope o' the Strand, where she was
quartered.'"[966]

[966] Cf. "Romeo and Juliet," i. 1; "As You Like It," v. 2.

_Color-Lore._ Green eyes have been praised by poets of nearly eve