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 third SCENE of the first ACT

The Argument: Ignoramus having called his two Clerks, Dullman and Pecus, doth relate unto them his love to Rosabella and laughes at his third Clark Musaeus, as a predicable and an University man.

Ignoramus, Dullman, Musaeus, Pecus.

IGnor.

Fy, Fy; Tanta pressa, tantum Croudum, ut fui penè trusus ad mortem; Here is so great a presse, so great a Crowd, that I am even thrust to death. I will have an Action of Intrusio a∣g••inst all and every one of them▪ Aha Mounsiers, will you thrust par joinct Tenaunt. It is a plain Case, Il est point dr••ite de le bien

seance, I sweat extremely; O Hot, hot! precor Deum ne mel∣••avi meum pingue, pray God I have not melted my fat. Phy, phy: In the Name of God where are my Clerks? Dullman! Dullman!

Dullm.

Here Master, Here.

Ignora.

Vous auez Dullman, Meltor Dullman meltor rubba me cum Towallio, rubba, O Dullman, I am melted, Dullman, I am melted, Rub me over with a Towel, rub me Dullman, where is Pecus.

Pecus.

Here Sir.

Ignor.

Fac ventum, make a wind, Pecus, so, so, where is Fledwit?

Dullman.

He is not inventus.

Ignor.

Put your Cloaks upon me now for fear I take cold. So, so—Ainsi bene faict, Amongst all my troubles and punishments it doth much rejoice and comfort me at this present that I have made a good agreament at the law amongst our English here at Burdeaux; a good agreament, Aggreamentum quasi aggregatio mentium. Well— too morrow hoyfabimus vela we will hoyse sails, and return to London; It is high ••ime we came hither Octabis Hilarii, and it is now almost Quindena Pasche.

Dullm.

I Swear unto you Master, this day you have tickled the point of the law to some tune: titillasti punctum legis Master.

Igno.

He He, I think I have tickled it; Si le nom del granteur, o•• grante soit raze, ovinterline, on faict pol, le faict est grandement suspitious.

Dull.

And then again, non obstant si faict pol; And that, also in Coin.

Pecus.

But that above all, D'vn faict pendu en le smoake, nun∣quam audivi titillatum melius, I never heard a Case better tickled.

Ignor.

And what do you say Musaeus?

Musaeus.

I understood but little Sir.

Ignor.

You are a Galltierista, vocatus a Coxcombe, Musaeus; I shall never make you a Lawyer.

Dull.

Never, never; He was a praedicabile; he, an Universitant.

Ignor.

They are pitiful Cle••ks, and great Idoets these Uni∣versitants. I do wonder quomodo spendisti tempus, how you did spend your time amongst them?

Musaeus.

For the most part I studied Logick.

Ignor.

Logick! —What Village, what Town is this Logick?

Musae.

It is one of the liberal Arts.

Ignor.

Liberal! So I thought; in the Name of God, study Arts thriving and gainful: Non est mundus, This is not a world for liberal Arts.

Mus.

I was addicted also to the love of Philosphy.

Ignor.

Addicted to love! what? Are you pro Strumpotis & Baggagiis? Strumpets and Baggages; if you take bad courses, you are not for me. I will return you back again unto your parents.

Musae.

God keep you in that mind.

Ignor.

Quotu est Clocka nunc? what a Clock is it now?

Dull.

Between eight and nine.

Ignor.

Go therefore to my lodging with your Bags and your Rolls: what is that? let me see that Instrument; man•• petit, mane— stay a little, stay I say whiles I put my spectacles on my nose: Oh ho, ho: now I know it; This Indenture made betwixt Roger Rattledock of Caxton in the County of Brecknock, O ho: Richard Fen, and John Den: O ho; proud Buzzard plaintiff a∣gainst Peagoose defendant. O ho, look you here? Here is one letter faulty, mend it, mend it; for in law but one Comma mis∣placed, overthrows a whole plea. Now go your wayes. Do you take this? Do you ingrosse that, and do you Pecus trusse up the Portmantles and put all things in a readinesse for our journey.

Exeunt Dullman, Musaeus, Pecus.

Ignoramus alone.

Hoy ho, Rosabella, Hey, ho; I am not going now to the Courts at Westminster but to the joyful Court of Venus held at Torcolls; Cupid her Sheriff would never let me alone till he found me in her Bailiwick: At the first time when I loved Rosabella but a lit∣tle, he sent me a little Capias, and then a great Capias, and after∣wards other Capiasses, and more Capias and innumerable Capias, till at the last capavit me ut legatum, being bereaved of all Sense and Reason; so that I am now but just as a Fly without a head; Buzzo & torno, I buzze up and down, and I turn here and I turn there, but I know not what I doe my self. When I am drawing up an Instrument, if a woman be named, I write Rosabella; For Corpus cum causa, I write Corpus cum cauda; for Nouerint universi, Am a verint universi; for Habere ad rectum, Habere ad lectum;

and so I spoil the whole Instrument: Hey, ho, ho, hey ho.