English drama -- Early modern and Elizabethan, 1500-1600; Heywood, Thomas, approximately 1574-1641
Taber.
Nay, sir, there are two scholars, and they are spouting Latin one
against the other; and in my simple judgment the stranger is the
better scholar, and is somewhat too hard for Sir Boniface: for he
speaks louder, and that you know is ever the sign of the most
learning, and he also hath a great desire to serve your worship.
Sir Harry.
Two scholars! my house hath not place for two.
Thus it shall be. Taber, admit them both;
We, though unlearned, will hear them two dispute,
And he that of the two seems the best read
Shall be received, the other quite cashiered.
Haringfield.
In that you show but justice: in all persons
Merit should be regarded.
_Enter_ Taber, _ushering in_ Sir Boniface, _and_ Sencer,
_disguised like a_ pedant.
Sir Boniface.
_Venerabiles magistri, absint vobis capistri_.
Sencer.
_Et tu, domine calve, iterum atque iterum salve. Amo amas amavi_.
Sweet lady, Heaven save ye!
Sir Harry.
This approves him to be excellent, but I thank my breeding I
understand not a word.
You tongue-men, you whose wealth lies in your brains,
Not in your budgets, hear me. Be it known,
My house affords room for one schoolmaster,
But not for more; and I am thus resolved:
Take you that side, gentle Sir Boniface,
And, sir, possess you that.
He of you two in arguing proves the best,
To him will I subscribe. Are you agreed?
Sir Boniface.
_Nec animo, nec corde, nec utroque_.
Sencer.
No more of that _nec corde_. Noble knight, he wishes you _nec
corde_; think of that.
Sir Harry.
A cord about my neck, Sir Boniface!
Speak, do you use me well?
Sir Boniface.
_Domine, cur rogas_?
Sencer.
Is this to be endured,--to call a knight
Cur, rogue and ass?
Sir Harry.
I find myself abused.
Haringfield.
Yet patience, good Sir Harry, and hear more.
Pray, Sir Boniface, of what university were you of?
Sir Boniface.
I was student in Brazenose.
Haringfield.
A man might guess so much by your pimples.
And of what place were you?
Sencer.
_Petrus dormit securus_; I was, sir, of Peterhouse.[4.44]
Sir Boniface.
_Natus eram_ in Woxford, and I proceeded[4.45]
in Oxford.
Sencer.
_Est mihi bene nostrum_, thou wouldst say, in Gotham; for my part,
Sir Harry, I can read service and marry, _Que genus et flexum_,
though I go in Genes[4.46] fustian; _scalpellum et charta_, I was
not brought up at plough and cart; I can teach _Qui mihi_, and
neither laugh nor tee-hee; _sed as in presenti_, if your worship at
this present, _Iste, ista, istud_, will do me any good, to give me
_legem pone_ in gold or in money, _Piper atque papaver_, I’ll
deserve it with my labour.
Haringfield.
But when go you to dispute?
Sir Boniface.
_Nominativo hic prediculus_, his words are most ridiculous; but _tu_
thou, _qui_ the which, deridest those that be rich, _construe hanc
sententiam_, construe me this sentence: _Est modus in rebus, sunt
certi denique fines_.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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