Guardian:  And I’ve seen young princes not far from your age, go chasing beasts on a winter day, And carted home with a broken bone, and a yard of a doctor’s bill to pay; Or going to sail in the teeth of a gale, when the waves were rising mountains high, Or fall from a height that was near out of sight, robbing rooks from their nest in a poplar tree.

5th Prince:  (To another.) But that never happened to you or me.

Guardian:  Or travelling far to a distant war, with battles and banners rilling their mind, And creeping back like a crumpled sack, content if they’d left no limbs behind.

1st Prince:  But we’ll have nothing to do with that, but stop at home with an easy mind.

Guardian:  (Sitting down.) That’s right.  And now I would wish you to say over some of your tasks, to make ready for the Dowager Messengers, that they may bring back a good report to the Queen, your Godmother.

1st Prince:  We’ll do that.  We would wish to be a credit to you, sir, and to our teachers.

Guardian:  Say out now some little piece of Latin; that one that is my favourite.

1st Prince: 

  Aere sub gelido nullus rosa fundit odores,
  Ut placeat tellus, sole calesce Dei.

Guardian:  Say out the translation.

2nd Prince:  Beneath a chilly blast the rose, loses its sweet, and scentless blows;

If you would have earth keep its charm, stop in the sunshine and keep warm.

Guardian:  Very good.  Now your history book; you were learning of late some genealogies of kings, might suit your Godmother.

3rd Prince: 

  William the First as the Conqueror known
  At the Battle of Hastings ascended the throne,
  His Acts were all made in the Norman tongue
  And at eight every evening the curfew was rung
  When each English subject by royal desire

  Extinguished his candle and put out his fire. 
  He bridled the kingdom with forts round the Border
  And the Tower of London was built by his order.

2nd Prince: 

  William called Rufus from having red hair,
  Of virtues possessed but a moderate share,
  But though he was one whom we covetous call,
  He built the famed structure called Westminster Hall. 
  Walter Tyrrell his favourite, when hunting one day,
  Attempted a deer with an arrow to slay,
  But missing his aim, shot the King to the heart
  And the body was carried away in a cart.

Guardian:  That will do.  You have that very well in your memory.  Now let me hear the grammar lesson.

3rd Prince: 

  A noun’s the name of anything
  As school or garden, hoop or swing.

Guardian:  Very good, go on.

4th Prince: 

  Adjectives tell the kind of noun
  As strong or pretty, white or brown.