Volume Ix Part 6 (1/2)

PIP. _Quaeso, preceptor, quaeso_, for G.o.d's sake do not whip me: _Quid est grammatica_?

AMIN. Not whip you, _quid est grammatica_, what's that?

PIP. _Grammatica est_, that, if I untruss'd, you must needs whip me upon them, _quid est grammatica_.

AMIN. Why, then, _dic mihi_, speak, where hast thou been?

PIP. Forsooth, my mistress sent me of an errand to fetch my master from the Exchange; we had strangers at home at dinner, and, but for them, I had not come _tarde; quaeso, preceptor_!

AMIN. Construe your lesson, pa.r.s.e it, _ad unguem et condemnato_ to, I'll pardon thee.

PIP. That I will, master, an' if you'll give me leave.

AMIN. _Propria quae maribus tribuuntur mascula, dicas; expone, expone_.

PIP. Construe it, master, I will; _dicas_, they say--_propria_, the proper man--_quae maribus_, that loves marrow-bones--_mascula_, miscalled me.

AMIN. A pretty, quaint, and new construction.

PIP. I warrant you, master, if there be marrow-bones in my lesson, I am an old dog at them. How construe you this, master, _rostra disertus amat_?

AMIN. _Disertus_, a desert--_amat_, doth love--_rostra_, roast-meat.

PIP. A good construction on an empty stomach. Master, now I have construed my lesson, my mistress would pray you to let me come home to go of an errand.

AMIN. Your _tres sequuntur_, and away.

PIP. _Canis_ a hog, _rana_ a dog, _porcus_ a frog, _Abeundum est mihi_. [_Exit_.

AMIN. Yours, sirrah, too, and then _ad prandium_.

1ST BOY. _Apis_ a bed, _genu_ a knee, _Vulca.n.u.s_, Doctor Dee: _Viginti minus usus est mihi_.

AMIN. By _Juno's_ lip and _Saturn's_ thumb It was _bonus, bona, bonum_.

2D BOY. _Vitrum_ gla.s.s, _spica_ gra.s.s, _tu es asinus_, you are an a.s.s.

_Precor tibi felicem noctem_.

AMIN. _Claudite jam libros, pueri: sat, prata, bibistis_, Look, when you come again, you tell me _ubi fuistis_.

He that minds trish-trash, and will not have care of his _rodix_.

Him I will be-lish-lash, and have a fling at his _podix_.

[_Exeunt_ BOYS.

_Enter_ YOUNG MASTER ARTHUR.

Y. ART. A pretty wench, a pa.s.sing pretty wench.

A sweeter duck all London cannot yield; She cast a glance on me as I pa.s.s'd by, Not Helen had so ravis.h.i.+ng an eye.