erned in it." In Luttrell's Collection I find,
"Ignoramus, an excellent new song, to the tune of Lay by your
Pleading, Law lies a Bleeding." 15 Dec. 1681.
At the Old Bailey,
Where rogues flock daily,
A greater rogue far than Coleman, White, or Stayley,
Was late indicted.
Witnesses cited,
But then he was set free, so the king was righted.
'Gainst princes offences
Proved in all senses,
But 'gainst a whig there is no truth in evidences;
They sham us, and flam us,
And ram us, and damn us.
And then, in spite of law, come off with ignoramus, &c.
This song, according to the invariable practice of the scribblers
on both sides, was answered by a new Ignoramus.
DRAMATIS PERSONAE.
_The King of France._
_Duke of_ GUISE.
_Duke of_ MAYENNE.
GRILLON, _Colonel of the Guard._
ALPHONSO CORSO, _a Colonel._
BELLEURE, _a Courtier._
ABBOT DEL BENE, } _Royalists._
M. MONFERT, }
_The Cardinal of_ GUISE. }
_Archbishop of_ LYONS. }
POLIN, }
AUMALE, } _Of Guise's_
BUSSY, } _Faction._
_The Curate of St_ EUSTACE, }
MALICORN, _a Necromancer,_ }
MELANAX, _a Spirit,_ }
_Two Sheriffs,_
_Citizens and Rabble, &c._
_Queen Mother._
MARMOUTIERE, _Niece to_ GRILLON.
SCENE,--_Paris._
THE DUKE OF GUISE.
ACT I.
SCENE I.--_The Council of Sixteen seated; an empty Chair prepared for
the Duke of Guise._
BUSSY _and_ POLIN, _two of the Sixteen._
_Buss._ Lights there! more lights! What, burn the tapers dim,
When glorious Guise, the Moses, Gideon, David,
The saviour of the nation, makes approach?
_Pol._ And therefore are we met; the whole sixteen,
That sway the crowd of Paris, guide their votes,
Manage their purses, persons, fortunes, lives,
To mount the Guise, where merit calls him, high,
And give him a whole heaven for room to shine.
_Enter Curate of St_ EUSTACE.
_Buss._ The curate of St Eustace comes at last:
But, father, why so late?
_Cur._ I have been taking godly pains to satisfy some scruples raised
amongst weak brothers of our party, that were staggering in the cause.
_Pol._ What could they find to object?
_Cur._ They thought, to arm against the king was treason.
_Buss._ I hope you set them right?
_Cur._ Yes;
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