Act 4, Scene 1
A street.
Enter MISTRESS PAGE, MISTRESS QUICKLY, and WILLIAM.
Mistress Page
Is he at Master Ford's already, think'st thou?
Quickly
Sure he is by this, or will be presently: but, truly, he is very courageous mad about his throwing into the water. Mistress Ford desires you to come suddenly.
Mistress Page
I'll be with her by and by; I'll but bring my young man here to school. Look, where his master comes; 'tis a playing-day, I see. How now. Sir Hugh! no school to-day?
Evans
No; Master Slender is let the boys leave to play.
Quickly
Blessing of his heart!
Mistress Page
Sir Hugh, my husband says my son profits nothing in the world at his book. I pray you, ask him some questions in his accidence —
Evans
Come hither, William; hold up your head; come.
Mistress Page
Come on, sirrah; hold up your head; answer your master, be not afraid.
Evans
William, how many numbers is in nouns?
William Page
Two.
Quickly
Truly. I thought there had been one number more, because they say, “'Od's nouns.”
Evans
Peace your tattlings! What is “fair,” William?
William Page
Pulcher.
Quickly
Polecats! there are fairer things than polecats, sure.
Evans
You are a very simplicity 'oman; I pray you, peace. What is “lapis,” William?
William Page
A stone.
Evans
And what is “a stone,” William?
William Page
A pebble.
Evans
No, it is “lapis:” I pray you, remember in your prain.
William Page
Lapis.
Evans
That is a good William. What is he, William, that does lend articles?
William Page
Articles are borrowed of the pronoun, and be thus declined, Singulariter, nominativo, hic, haec, hoc.
Evans
Nominativo, hig, hag, hog; pray you, mark: genitivo, hujus. Well what is your accusative case?
William Page
Accusativo, hinc.
Evans
I pray you, have your remembrance, child; accusativo, hung, hang, hog.
Quickly
“Hang-hog” is Latin for bacon, I warrant you.
Evans
Leave your prabbles. 'oman. What is the focative case, William?
William Page
O, — vocativo, O.
Evans
Remember, William; focative is caret.
Quickly
And that's a good root.
Evans
'Oman, forbear.
Mistress Page
Peace!
Evans
What is your genitive case plural, William?
William Page
Genitive case!
Evans
Ay.
William Page
Genitivo, — horum, harum, horum.
Quickly
Vengeance of Jenny's case! fie on her! never name her, child, if she be a whore.
Evans
For shame, 'oman.
Quickly
You do ill to teach the child such words: he teaches him to hick and to hack, which they'll do fast enough of themselves, and to call “horum:” fie upon you!
Evans
'Oman, art thou lunatics? hast thou no understandings for thy cases and the numbers of the genders? Thou art as foolish Christian creatures as I would desires.
Mistress Page
Prithee, hold thy peace.
Evans
Show me now, William, some declensions of your pronouns.
William Page
Forsooth, I have forgot.
Evans
It is qui, quae, quod: if you forget your “quies,” your “quaes,” and your “quods,” you must be preeches. Go your ways, and play; go.
Mistress Page
He is a better scholar than I thought he was.
Evans
He is a good sprag memory. Farewell, Mistress Page.
Mistress Page
Adieu, good Sir Hugh. Get you home, boy. Come, we stay too long.