Ignoramus a comedy as it was several times acted with extraordinary applause before the Majesty of King James : with a supplement which, out of respect to the students of the common law, was hitherto wanting / written in Latine by R. Ruggles ... ; and translated into English by R. C. ...

The Seventh SCENE of the Fifth ACT.

The ARGUMENT.

Antonio comes and believing that his Father had killed Rosabella, he endeavours to kill himself. Rosabella recovereth from her Swoune. Antonio demands her for his Wife. His Father en∣quires after her Parentage. She makes answer she is the Daugh∣ter of Alphonsus, a Noble man of Portugal who dying at Fesse did bequeath her to her Vncle Roderigo Torcol, who suffring ship∣wrack, and by the force of the wind being driven upon these coasts did live here; Bannacar being demanded concerning her, saith, she is not the daughter of Alphonsus (though alwayes so accoun∣ted) but of a London Merchant whose name was Manly and her Mothers name Dorothy; Moreover that being brought up at Detford she was stollen from thence by Urtade, her Nurses Name was Vrsula, and her own name Isabella, by which tokens together with her picture in Amber, Theodorus perceiveth that this is the daughter of Alderman Manly, who so many years ago was betrothed to his Son Antonio, he therefore gives full consent to the Marriage of Antonio, and Isabella, who was the counter∣feit Rosabella.

Antonio, Theodorus, Bannacar, Rosabella.

Anto.

I Am undone, I have come to late, she is dead already; see where she lyes; Oh that I could breath my soul into thee; O thee and me unhappy for whose sake thou innocently

hast indured this. Why was not I demanded unto death; she, alas, deserved nothing, what fault had she done.

Theo.

What doth he mean to do with himself?

Ant.

Art thou gone from me my dearest love, my life? Thou art gone but I will follow thee.

Theo.

VVill he act some cruelty on himself; Beshrew me I suspect him; why Son? Son Antonio what are you about to do?

Ant.

Am I a Son, or you a Father that have committed so foul an Act? no matter! you shall not hinder him from dying, whom you would not suffer to live.

Theo.

Are you in your right wits?

Anto.

I am not in my wits, nor can I be; I desire it not, how can I be otherwise then mad whom you have made so by your own madnesse.

Theo.

Certainly you are mad.

Anto.

I am so; and I should be mad, if I were not mad: VVould you not have me to be mad? would you have me now to be mad? Rosabella the delight of my Eys, my Joy and my Safety is killed. Rosabella who while she lived excelled all women; Certainly, you turned away your Eyes from her when you did it; for had you beheld her beauty and sweet innocence, I know you had never done it. This only favour I desire of you that since you would not give us leave being alive to enjoy one ano∣ther, you would now suffer us being dead to sleep together, and to be buryed in one grave.

Theo.

Son; Before you dye, learn what it is to live.

Anto

How can I do that, when you have taken away my life.

Theo.

I pray come hither:

Anto.

Approach not too neer, least my youthful sury act that over again which you in your old age already have committed.

Theo.

VVhat do you attempt? are you resolved to dye?

Anto.

As sure as she is dead.

Theo.

But live? and I will graunt you any thing.

Anto.

You will give your graunt now, when there is nothing to be graunted.

Theo.

••f you will believe me, we have not so much as touched her, let us see if we can call her back again to life.

Ant••.

Recal her? are you mad. She cannot return, therefore

to you I come — I come my Rosabella.

Theo.

O my Son, Forbear I pray you; Look on my gray hairs, and rather kill me; I am old, and going down the hill, you are in the flower of your Age.

Rosa.

Where am I?

Theo.

Do you hear her? she is come again to her selfe, I am heartily glad of it.

Rosa.

Where are you Antonio, Antonio?

Anto.

O my dear Life; Do you breath again; you have pre∣served my life.

Theo.

Doe you think Antonio I would have killed her?

Rosa.

I dreamed a very melancholy dream; I thought I was dead, And that there was one would have killed me.

Anto.

Fear not?

Theo.

Do not Fear? you are now safe from danger.

Anto.

How happy now am I, because I see you alive, I begin again my self to live.

Theo.

Let me not live, I am glad to see her restored to life.

Rosa.

I am alive now, but by your benefit.

Anto.

Sir, I beseech you; you see the Destinies are willing to it, let me have but your good will to make her my wife.

Theo.

Be quiet a little! peradventure I will.

Anto.

Peradventure Sir! —This gives no satisfaction.

Theo.

The fury of the Son hath overcome the fury of the Fa∣ther: we are both violently passionate: my own Son all over— But tell me what ••owry are you to have with her?

Anto.

A great Dowry Father! Birth, and Beauty.

Theo.

But Son, nothing is bought in the Market with Birth or Beauty; I see she is beautiful enough; but how shall we know she is of Noble Birth? she seems to be a stranger, and is utterly unknown to me.

Anto.

Her manners speak it in my silence; but she can best her self relate it, if you will give her leave to speak.

Theo.

I will neither interrupt nor contradict her; speak there∣fore but speak truly?

Rosa.

If I speak not the Truth, let Bannacar disprove me who was my Fathers servant.

Theo.

Were you her Fathers servant Bannacar? I think all∣ready you have said it.

Ban.

I have so. I was a servant to her Father at Fesse, before I came unto you: for her Father being dead I travelled into Portugall to procure some way of livelyhood; but finding none, I wandred up and down in France, and came hither at last to Burdeaux where you made me at once both your Servant and a Christian.

Theo.

'Tis well; If she speaks any thing that is untrue, Do you reprove her?

Rosa.

My Father was a great Souldier, and a gallant Com∣mander in War; his Name Alphonso, a Noble Man of Portugall.

Theo.

Bannacar? —

Ban.

It is so.

Rosa.

From Portugall he travelled to exercise his Arms at Fesse, and dying there, he committed me to the Care and Trust of his brother Rodrigo Torcol; for so it fell out that he was then at Fesse in the Condition of a Merchant, and returning with me from thence into Portugall, he was driven hither by violent winds, and his ship being made unserviceable, he ever after dwelt in this City.

Theo.

Is all this true Bannacar?

Bann.

True, as far as she knows.

Theo.

Do you know any thing more then she?

Bann.

I do believe I do, and if you will give me leave I can throughly inf••rm you with it.

Theo.

You have your own Liberty.

Bann.

She was not the true Daughter of Alphonsus.

Rosa.

Just now, you said I was. I must now reprove you, Bannacar.

Anto.

What do you lye, you slave you?

Theo.

Pray Son, Hold your peace but a little while.

Bann.

I speak the Truth, and will speak more if you will hear me out.

Theo.

Proceed!

Bann.

Before I was Alphonsus servant, I served a Portugall Merchant, who lived in Mauritania; his Name was Vrtado; he oftentimes sailed with his merchandise to London, but finding there but bad Markets, he privately would steal all the English Children he could handsomely meet with, and sell them in

Mauritania on his return. As our ship therefore did ride on the River of Thames not farre from Detford, the Nurse of Rosabella (carrying her in her Arms) walked along the banks side, Vrtado by chance was there in a boat, and expressing himself in English to the Nurse in as fair and as flattering words as possibly he could, he so far prevailed that he inticed the Nurse, with her pretty burden in her Arms, to come into his ship, which the easie and foolish Woman did accordingly; she was no sooner in the ship but immediately he Hoysed sayles, and brought her into Mauritania with other English Children, where for a round sum of Money he sold this young Lady, and me with her, at Fesse to Alphonsus, who having no Children of his own did adopt her being about Four Years of Age for his own daughter, and laid a great charge on me, being then his servant, not to reveal it unto any, I therefore did conceale it, and this is the first time I have seen her since the death of my master Alphonsus.

Theo.

But what is become of her who you said was her Nurse?

Banna.

She dyed in the way, and was thrown over board.

Theo.

Do you know what was her name?

Bann.

Vrsula.

Theo.

Vrsula, and Detford? how great is my Hope? but did the Nurse never declare unto you whose her little nurs••ing was, or to whom she did belong?

Banna.

Yes, and with much compunction of spirit, she said oftentimes she was the daughter of an Alderman of London one Mr. Mainly; or Mr. Manly, such a name it was.

Theo.

Mr. Manly I believe.

Ban.

Yes it was so, and that the Name of this young Lady was Isabella.

Theo.

Good God! what Isabella too?

Ban.

For it was Alphonsus her supposed Father that did after∣wards give her the name of Rosabella.

Theo.

Detford—Vrsula—Manly and—Isabella how admirably do these tokens agree? I can hardly containe my self from embracing of her. But tell me Bannacar what do you remember more?

Ban.

Nothing but that the Nurse being dead I took from her a little medail, which I have still in my purse, I keep it for the rare artifice of it.

Theo.

Shew it me Bannacar?

Ban.

Sir, here it is.

Theo.

Come hither my Antonio; you know that Alderman the first wife of my Dorothea had two Daughters by her, Katharine who is now the wife of Anthonine and Isabella, whom many years ago we betrothed unto you when you were little ones. For even then when you could hardly speak plain she would call you Hus-and band, you called her Wife. When I was married to Dorothea we gave to both of you Medails in which your pictures were en∣graven; And this is that which I then gave to Isabella. See— here is the Effigies of a Boy and a Girle, this representeth you, and that Isabella. Behold your hands joyned as in wedlock, and your two faces touching one another. See the two birds, that are the symbols of marriage, and the Inscription of these two Letters, A, and I, that is Antonio, and Isabella.

Ant.

I have at home another most like it, with these two let∣ters, I and A.

Theo.

That is Isabella the wife of Antony. It is the very same which was then given to you. I am now fully satisfied within my selfe that this is the same Isabella that heretofore was betrothed to you.

Anto.

O wonderfull! I am surprized with as much amazement as joy.

Theo.

O my dear daughter in-law Isabella, give me leave, most unworthy of you, to imbrace you.

Rosa.

Now fortune flatters, and smiles upon me; and by and by it may be froward and frown again.

Theo.

Think not so; you have fortune now at your own com∣mand.

Ant.

You who were before my Rosabella, shall be now my deer Isabella. Twice I have found you, and twice I live anew, and ano∣ther life.

Theo.

Imbrace you one another, and ile imbrace you both — my dear son and daughter. Pardon I pray you, my daughter, what but now I so rashly attempted.

Rosa.

Father, if you have done any thing amiss, I have forgot it; but the good which you now doe I shall alwaies be carefull to remember.

Theo.

Excellently spoken! my Antonio, How happy a man are you?

Anto.

I do confesse it, and Father I must beseech you to for∣give those many Untruths which this day I have spoken before you. For to be wise, and be in love, is granted scarce to God above.

The.

You are wise, and she is wise, I do pardon you, and do de∣sire you both pardon me. Tis I only am the fool. O my servant Ban∣nacar, how much are you more wise then I am: but if I do you not much Good for it, rank me not amongst the number of men.

Anto.

And I Bannacar will endeavour to doe thee Good also.

Rosa.

But I most of all.

Bann.

I am glad I have been the Instrument of so much Joy unto you.

Anto.

Father, I must beseech you that you will be pleased to pardon Trico also.

Rosa.

I pray Sir doe! for if he had not bin, I had bin made this day Ignoramus Concubine·

Theo.

Both you and he hath deserved, that I should doe both this and that, and all things else which you do desire of me.