A Select Collection of Old English Plays Volume Ix Part 6

PIP. _Quaeso, preceptor, quaeso_, for G.o.d's sake do not whip me: _Quid est grammatica_?

AMIN. Not whip you, _quid est grammatica_, what's that?

PIP. _Grammatica est_, that, if I untruss'd, you must needs whip me upon them, _quid est grammatica_.

AMIN. Why, then, _dic mihi_, speak, where hast thou been?

PIP. Forsooth, my mistress sent me of an errand to fetch my master from the Exchange; we had strangers at home at dinner, and, but for them, I had not come _tarde; quaeso, preceptor_!

AMIN. Construe your lesson, pa.r.s.e it, _ad unguem et condemnato_ to, I'll pardon thee.

PIP. That I will, master, an' if you'll give me leave.

AMIN. _Propria quae maribus tribuuntur mascula, dicas; expone, expone_.

PIP. Construe it, master, I will; _dicas_, they say--_propria_, the proper man--_quae maribus_, that loves marrow-bones--_mascula_, miscalled me.

AMIN. A pretty, quaint, and new construction.

PIP. I warrant you, master, if there be marrow-bones in my lesson, I am an old dog at them. How construe you this, master, _rostra disertus amat_?

AMIN. _Disertus_, a desert--_amat_, doth love--_rostra_, roast-meat.

PIP. A good construction on an empty stomach. Master, now I have construed my lesson, my mistress would pray you to let me come home to go of an errand.

AMIN. Your _tres sequuntur_, and away.

PIP. _Canis_ a hog, _rana_ a dog, _porcus_ a frog, _Abeundum est mihi_. [_Exit_.

AMIN. Yours, sirrah, too, and then _ad prandium_.

1ST BOY. _Apis_ a bed, _genu_ a knee, _Vulca.n.u.s_, Doctor Dee: _Viginti minus usus est mihi_.

AMIN. By _Juno's_ lip and _Saturn's_ thumb It was _bonus, bona, bonum_.

2D BOY. _Vitrum_ gla.s.s, _spica_ gra.s.s, _tu es asinus_, you are an a.s.s.

_Precor tibi felicem noctem_.

AMIN. _Claudite jam libros, pueri: sat, prata, bibistis_, Look, when you come again, you tell me _ubi fuistis_.

He that minds trish-trash, and will not have care of his _rodix_.

Him I will be-lish-lash, and have a fling at his _podix_.

[_Exeunt_ BOYS.

_Enter_ YOUNG MASTER ARTHUR.

Y. ART. A pretty wench, a pa.s.sing pretty wench.

A sweeter duck all London cannot yield; She cast a glance on me as I pa.s.s'd by, Not Helen had so ravis.h.i.+ng an eye.

Here is the pedant Sir Aminadab; I will inquire of him if he can tell By any circ.u.mstance, whose wife she is: Such fellows commonly have intercourse Without suspicion, where we are debarr'd.

G.o.d save you, gentle Sir Aminadab!

AMIN. _Salve tu quoque_! would you speak with me?

You are, I take it, and let me not lie, For, as you know, _mentiri non est meum_, Young Master Arthur; _quid vis_--what will you?

Y. ART. You are a man I much rely upon; There is a pretty wench dwells in this street That keeps no shop, nor is not public known: At the two posts, next turning of the lane, I saw her from a window looking out; O, could you tell me how to come acquainted With that sweet la.s.s, you should command me, sir, Even to the utmost of my life and power.

AMIN. _Dii boni, boni_! 'tis my love he means; But I will keep it from this gentleman, And so, I hope, make trial of my love. [_Aside_.]

Y. ART. If I obtain her, thou shalt win thereby More than at this time I will promise thee.

AMIN. _Quando venis aput_, I shall have two horns on my _caput_.

[_Aside_.]

Y. ART. What, if her husband come and find one there?

AMIN. _Nuncquam time_, never fear, She is unmarried, I swear.

But, if I help you to the deed, _Tu vis narrare_ how you speed.

Y. ART. Tell how I speed? ay, sir, I will to you: Then presently about it. Many thanks For this great kindness, Sir Aminadab. [_Exit_.

AMIN. If my _puella_ prove a drab, I'll be reveng'd on both: _ambo_ shall die; Shall die! by what? for _ego_ I Have never handled, I thank G.o.d, Other weapon than a rod; I dare not fight for all my speeches.

_Sed cave_, if I take him thus, _Ego sum expers_ at untruss.

[_Exit_.

SCENE II.

_A Room in Justice Reason's House_.

_Enter_ JUSTICE REASON, OLD MASTER ARTHUR, OLD MASTER LUSAM, MISTRESS ARTHUR, YOUNG MASTER LUSAM, _and_ HUGH.

O. ART. We, Master Justice Reason, come about A serious matter that concerns us near.

O. LUS. Ay, marry, doth it, sir, concern us near; Would G.o.d, sir, you would take some order for it.

O. ART. Why, look ye, Master Lusam, you are such another, You will be talking what concerns us near, And know not why we come to Master Justice.

O. LUS. How? know not I?

O. ART. No, sir, not you.

O. LUS. Well, I know somewhat, though I know not that; Then on, I pray you.

JUS. Forward, I pray, [and] yet the case is plain.