RECORDER.  Forasmuch as nature hath done her part in making you a handsome likely man—­

PAGE. 
He is a handsome young man indeed, and hath a proper gelded parsonage.[93]
          
                                                   [Aside.

RECORDER.  In the next place, some art is requisite for the perfection of nature:  for the trial whereof, at the request of my worshipful friend, I will in some sort propound questions fit to be resolved by one of your profession.  Say, what is a person that was never at the university?

IMMERITO.  A person that was never in the university is a living creature that can eat a tithe-pig.

RECORDER.  Very well answered; but you should have added—­and must be officious to his patron.  Write down that answer to show his learning in logic.

SIR RADERIC.  Yea, boy, write that down.  Very learnedly, in good faith.  I pray now, let me ask you one question that I remember:  whether is the masculine gender or the feminine more worthy?

IMMERITO. 
The feminine, sir.

SIR RADERIC. 
The right answer, the right answer.  In good faith, I have been of that
mind always.  Write, boy, that to show he is a grammarian.

PAGE. 
No marvel my master be against the grammar; for he hath always made
false Latin in the genders. [Aside.

RECORDER. 
What university are you of?

IMMERITO. 
Of none.

SIR RADERIC.  He tells truth; to tell truth is an excellent virtue.  Boy, make two heads, one for his learning, another for his virtues; and refer this to the head of his virtues, not of his learning.

PAGE. 
What, half a mess of good qualities referred to an ass’ head?
          
                                          [Aside.

SIR RADERIC.  Now, Master Recorder, if it please you, I will examine him in an author that will sound him to the depth—­a book of astronomy, otherwise called an almanac.

RECORDER.  Very good, Sir Raderic; it were to be wished that there were no other book of humanity, then there would not be such busy, state-frying fellows as are nowadays.  Proceed, good sir.

SIR RADERIC. 
What is the dominical letter?

IMMERITO. 
C, sir, and please your worship.

SIR RADERIC. 
A very good answer, a very good answer, the very answer of the book. 
Write down that, and refer it to his skill in philosophy.

PAGE. 
C the dominical letter?  It is true:  Craft and Cunning do so domineer;
yet, rather C and D are dominical letters, that is, crafty duncery.
          
                                                  [Aside.

SIR RADERIC. 
How many days hath September?

IMMERITO. 
April, June, and November, February hath twenty-eight alone; and all
the rest hath thirty and one.

SIR RADERIC. 
Very learnedly, in good faith, he hath also a smack in poetry.  Write
down that, boy, to show his learning in poetry.  How many miles from
Waltham to London?