He asks the earl for leave to marry her, and the earl refuses, threatening to beat his daughter. Will says that if he beats her, he will have to fight all his men; John says that if he had to refuse, he might have done so courteously.
He requests the earl's permission to marry her, and the earl denies it, threatening to assault his daughter. Will asserts that if he beats her, he will have to fight all his men; John suggests that if he had to refuse, he might have done so politely.