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- Edition: The Merry Wives of Windsor
The Merry Wives of Windsor (Modern, Folio)
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- Facsimiles
1822[4.1]
1823Enter Mistress Page, Quickly, [and] William.
1824Mistress Page
Is he at Master Ford's already, think'st thou?
1825Quickly
Sure he is by this, or will be presently, but 1826truly he is very courageous mad about his throwing 1827into the water. Mistress Ford desires you to come su1828ddenly.
1829Mistress Page
I'll be with her by and by. I'll but bring 1830my young man here to school. Look where his master 1831comes. 'Tis a playing day I see.
Enter Evans.
How now, Sir Hugh, no 1832school today?
1833Evans
No. Master Slender is let the boys leave to play.
1834Quickly
'Blessing of his heart.
1835Mistress Page
Sir Hugh, my husband says my son pro1836fits nothing in the world at his book. I pray you ask 1837him some questions in his accidence.
1838Evans
Come hither, William. Hold vp your head, come.
1839Mistress Page
Come on, sirrah, hold up your head. An1840swer your master – be not afraid.
1841Evans
William, how many numbers is in nouns?
1842William
Two.
1843Quickly
Truly, I thought there had been one number 1844more, because they say "'od's nouns".
1845Evans
[To Quickly] Peace, your tattlings. – What is "fair", William?
1846William
Pulcher.
1847Quickly
Polecats? There are fairer things than polecats, 1848sure.
1849Evans
1851William
A stone.
1852Evans
And what is a stone, William?
1853William
A pebble.
1854Evans
No; it is lapis . I pray you remember in your 1855prain.
1856William
Lapis .
1857Evans
That is a good William. What is he, William, that 1858does lend articles?
1859William
Articles are borrowed of the pronoun; and be 1860thus declined. Singulariter nominativo hic haec, hoc .
1861Evans
Nominatiuo hig, hag, hog. Pray you mark: geni 1862tiuo huius.Well, what is your accusative case?
1863William
Accusatiuo hinc .
1864Evans
I pray you have your remembrance, child: ac1865cusativo hing, hang, hog.
1866Quickly
"Hang-hog" is Latin for bacon, I warrant you.
1867Evans
Leave your prabbles, 'oman. – What is the foca1868tive case, William?
1869William
O – vocativo – O.
1870Evans
Remember, William, vocative is caret.
1871Quickly
And that's a good root.
1872Evans
'Oman, forbear.
1873Mistress Page
Peace.
1874Evans
What is your genitive case plural, William?
1875William
Genitive case?
1876Evans
Ay.
1877William
Genitive horum, harum, horum.
1878Quickly
Vengeance of Jenny's case! Fie on her! Never 1879name her, child, if she be a whore.
1880Evans
For shame, 'oman.
1881Quickly
You do ill to teach the child such words. He 1882teaches him to hick, and to hack, which they'll do fast 1883enough of themselves, and to call "horum" – fie upon you!
1884Evans
'Oman, art thou lunatics? Hast thou no un 1885derstandings for thy cases, and the numbers of the gen1886ders? Thou art as foolish Christian creatures as I would 1887desires.
1888Mistress Page
[To Quickly?] Prithee hold thy peace.
1889Evans
Show me now, William, some declensions of your 1890pronouns.
1891William
Forsooth, I have forgot.
1892Evans
It is qui, que, quod. If you forget your quis, 1893your ques, and your quods, you must be preeches. Go 1894your ways and play, go.
1895Mistress Page
He is a better scholar than I thought he was.
1896Evans
He is a good sprag memory: Farewell, Mistress Page.
1897Mistress Page
Adieu, good Sir Hugh. -- [Exit Evans.]
1898Get you home boy. [Exit William.]
Come we stay too long. Exeunt.