The muddles continue when Slender adds that he may quarter the coat (at line 20). Slender means that the image on the family coat of arms will be divided into four parts or quarters when he marries, for then his family coat can add the image that represents the family of his bride. Evans again misunderstands and thinks that Slender will simply cut up Shallow’s old coat into four pieces. Evans also misunderstands Shallow, who adds that the coat will be quartered by marrying (line 21), that is by Slender getting married. Evans thinks that Shallow says marring (damaging) instead of marrying, and so the Welshman comments that cutting up a coat into four pieces would definitely be damaging to it.
The comic dialogue serves the purpose of mocking the pride associated with a coat of arms and the aristocratic posturing of Shallow.
Yet, despite his linguistic handicaps, Hugh Evans does hope that he can find an amicable solution to Shallow’s grievance and that he can bring Shallow and Falstaff together as friends.