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 Sixth SCENE of the Second ACT.

The ARGUMENT.

Musaeus complaineth of Ignoramus, and what a slavish life he leads with him. He propounds him in a Riddle unto Trico, and in∣forms him, that Ignoramus is coming with six hundred Crowns, Trico sends Musaeus to Antonio, and Cupes, to acquaint them with it.

Musaeus, Trico.

Musae.

I Would my parents had broke my neck when they first placed me to this Fool Ignoramus; Let me say, or doe what I can to please him, he is alwayes exclaiming against me; How ill favouredly doth he carry himself? This is my fine schollar; he neither knows how to put a Bridle on a Horse, nor to ride him, being bridled, nor mend a broken Girt; where are your Syllogismes now, you Vniversity-Coxcomb?

Tric.

Musaeus how do you?

Musae.

Well Trico, were it not ill with me in having so bad a Master; I would he had his due for me.

Tric.

What is the matter?

Musae.

He doth so torment and confound me with his babling.

Tric.

Why, Is he not fluent, accurate, and eloquent?

Musae.

There be others indeed that are so, but he is nothing lesse; he doth all things so perversly, he puts his Cap on his Feet, and his shooes on his Head.

Tric.

O most ridiculous!

Musae.

Trico I will read thee a Riddle, and do you solve it?

Tric.

Let me hear it.

Musae.

What is that which liveth by Right, and by Wrong, which hath a great Heart and no Heart, which is both an Ambidexter, and a Bifront, which speaketh Much, and speaketh Nothing; which is Jest in Earnest, and Earnest in Jest; which speaketh English, Dutch, French and Latine, yet speaketh neither English, nor Dutch, nor French, nor Latine; which writeth Lawes that they may be mis∣prisions, and which writeth misprisions that they may be Lawes,

which maketh a Finite Infinite; Truth, no Truth, and no Truth, Truth.

Tric.

Which maketh Truth no Truth, who should this be, but Belzebub Cydonius?

Mus.

It is he, and it is not he.

Tric.

Who loves to speak in an unknown Tongue— It is A Popish Priest.

Mus.

It is something like him, but not the same.

Tri.

What a Blockhead am I? now I have it.

Mus.

What, or who is it?

Tri.

It is your Master Ignoramus.

Mes.

You are an Oedipus.

Tri.

Who was Father to this Monster?

Mus.

Francus Soloicophan••s, his Mothers Name was Barbara Latina.

Tric.

Where was he born?

Mus.

In great Puritania.

Tri.

In what City?

Mus.

Either Aurelia, or Argentina.

Tri.

What doth he feed upon?

Mus.

The Common Law.

Tri.

Is he not Learned? Doth he not know the seven Liberal Arts?

Mus.

The Seven Arts! why, I tell you, he knows all letters.

Tri.

Good God! what all letters?

Mus.

Why—There are but four and twenty Letters in all.

Tri.

He is a Man of a Thousand!

Mus.

Certainly there are but few such as he is; Every Order neverthelesse hath both good and bad, both wise men and fools; In good corn there are some bad ears, and in bad some good ones; It were foolish therefore and inhumane (although many are guilty of it) to inveigh against whole Societies and Orders, and the studies of many Men for the extravagancies of some few persons; If need were I could number up many excellent Men of this Order so transcendent for Wisdome, Learning, and Piety, that they are hardly to be parallel'd, who have both learnedly expounded, and sincerely delivered the Laws of their own Coun∣try, then which there is nothing more just, or righteous: These

Men we alwayes prosecute with deserved honour; for they pro∣ceeded from us, and are for us. No man is an Enemy to Learn∣ing but Ignoramus; Let Ignoramus therefore and such as he are, who desire the Ruine of the Church and Universities—

Tric.

Be for ever banished.

Mus.

Nay, let them go into Morbonia.

Tric.

They will be angry with you.

Mus.

Ignoramus will, but no man else; but what he thinketh or thinketh not, is all one to me.

Tric.

To bring such a man upon the Stage were dangerous.

Mus.

Not at a jot, why all the world is but a Stage where e∣very mans a player.

Tric.

Come Musaeus we grow too serious, Tell me what is thy Master Ignoramus now about?

Mus.

He is coming unto Torcol; He hath told the Money just now.

Tric.

I am undone.

Mus.

I came on purpose to acquaint you with it▪

Tric.

And why with a pox no sooner? make all the hast you can to Cupes, and bid him be sure to remember the Horn.

Mus.

What Horn?

Tri.

VVhat is that to you; He knows already what is to be done, let him immediately acquaint Antonio with it, let them be both in a readinesse.

Mus.

I fly, may some evil fall on Ignoramus, I heartily do wish it.

Tri.

If he comes not immediately away,—the whole plot is spoyled, Woe is me, Ignoramus is come already.