be thrown into the Thames, and cooled, glowing hot, in that surge, like a horse-shoe; think of that, — hissing 120 hot, think of that, Master Brook.

Ford. In good sadness, sir, I am sorry that for my sake you have suffer'd all this. My suit, then, is desperate; you'll undertake her no more?

Fal. Master Brook, I will be thrown into Etna, as I have been into Thames, ere I will leave her thus. Her husband is this morning gone a birding: I have received from her another embassy of meeting; twixt eight and nine is the hour, Master Brook.

Ford. "Tis past eight already, sir.

Fal. Is it? I will then address me to my appointment. Come to me at your convenient leisure, and you shall know how I speed; and the conclusion shall be crowned with your enjoying her: adieu. You shall have her, Master Brook; Master Brook, you shall cuckold Ford.

[Exit.

130

Ford. Hum: ha! is this a vision? is this a dream? do I sleep? Master Ford, awake! awake, Master Ford ! 140 there's a hole made in your best coat, Master Ford. This 't is to be married: this 't is to have linen, and buck-baskets. — Well, I will proclaim myself what I am: I will now take the lecher; he is at my house : he cannot 'scape me; 't is impossible he should: he cannot creep into a halfpenny purse, nor into a pepperbox; but, lest the devil that guides him should aid him, I will search impossible places. Though what I am I cannot avoid, yet to be what I would not, shall not 150 make me tame: if I have horns to make me mad, let the proverb go with me, I'll be horn mad.

[Exit.

mad. The misprint is common. [Recent editors retain one mad.]

ACT FOUR.

SCENE I. The Street.

Enter Mrs. PAGE, Mrs. QUICKLY, and WILLIAM.

MRS.

RS. PAGE. Is he at Master Ford's already, think'st thou ?

Quick. 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.

Mrs. Page. I'll be with her by and by: I'll but bring my young man here to school. Look, where his master comes; 't is a playing-day, I see.

Enter Sir HUGH EVANS.

How now, Sir Hugh! no school to-day?

Eva. No; Master Slender is let the boys leave to play.

Quick. Blessing of his heart!

Mrs. 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.

Eva. Come hither, William: hold up your head;

come.

Mrs. Page. Come on, sirrah: hold up your head; answer your master; be not afraid.

Eva. William, how many numbers is in nouns?
William. Two.

16 questions in his accidence. These are taken from Lily's Accidence, the customary grammar

10

20

school text-book in Shakespeare's day. (R)

Quick. Truly, I thought there had been one number more, because they say, od's nouns.

Eva. Peace your tattlings! What is fair, William ?

Quick. Pole-cats! there are fairer things than polecats, sure.

Eva. You are a very simplicity 'oman: I pray you, 30 peace. What is lapis, William ?

Will. A stone.

Eva. And what is a stone, William ?

Will.

Eva. prain.

A pebble.

No, it is lapis: I pray you remember in your

Will. Lapis.

Eva. That is good, William. What is he, William, that does lend articles?

Will. Articles are borrowed of the pronoun; and 40 be thus declined, Singulariter, nominativo, hic, hæc, hoc. Eva. Nominativo, hig, hag, hog; - pray you, mark : genitivo, hujus. Well, what is your accusative case? Will. Accusativo, hinc.

Eva. I pray you, have your remembrance, child: accusativo, hing, hang, hog.

Quick. Hang hog is Latin for bacon, I warrant you. Eva. Leave your prabbles, 'oman. What is the 50 focative case, William ?

Will. Ovocativo, O.

Eva. Remember, William; focative is, caret.
Quick. And that's a good root.

24 od's nouns, i. e. God's wounds, a petty oath. (R)

49 Hang hog is Latin for bacon. Lord Bacon in his Apophthegms says that his father Sir Nicholas

Bacon told a criminal named Hog, who appealed to their relationship, that "Hog is not Bacon till it be well hanged." (R)

Eva. 'Oman, forbear.

Mrs. Page. Peace!

Eva. What is your genitive case plural, William ?
Will. Genitive case?

Eva. Ay.
Will.

Genitive, horum, harum, horum.

Quick. Vengeance of Jenny's case!, fie on her! Never name her, child, if she be a whore.

Eva. For shame, 'oman!

Quick. 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!

Eva. 'Oman, art thou lunatics? hast thou no understandings for thy cases, and the numbers of the genders? Thou art as foolish Christian creatures as 70 I would desires.

Mrs. Page. Pr'ythee hold thy peace.

Eva. Show me now, William, some declensions of your pronouns.

Will. Forsooth, I have forgot.

Eva. It is qui, quæ, quod; if you forget your quis, your quas, and your quods, you must pe preeches. Go your ways, and play; go.

Mrs. Page. He is a better scholar, than I thought 80 he was.