Sheriff. Dr. Buckingham, greetings. We are come from New Haven.

Buckingham. What is your mission to Saybrook?

Sheriff (produces his warrant). I have here a warrant, drawn by due process of law, bidding me demand, in the name of the trustees of Yale College, the books held by you. Furthermore I am empowered to enter your house and take possession of the said books.

(The Saybrook citizens gather about with murmurs and threats.)

Buckingham. I have no books belonging to Yale Collegebut I have the library of the Collegiate School of Saybrook. Therefore, Sheriff, if you enter my house, it shall be upon your peril. I shall defend my trust with all the means in my power!

(The Saybrook citizens shout approval.)

Ist Student (aside to 2nd Student). Libros haberet magno sui cum periculo.

2nd Student (replying to 1st Student). Peritus rerum belli non est. Quid sibi vult?

Sheriff. You must not threaten me, Dr. Buckingham, I shall do my duty! Resistance to the law

Buckingham. Resistance to fiddlesticks, sir! I know my rights! The books shall stay in Saybrook.

(He starts to walk away. The Saybrook citizens gather angrily about him with shouts: "We will stand with you, Doctor Daniel!" "He shan't have the books!" etc.)

Sheriff (to his men). Requisition those ox-carts in the name of the law!

(The Students shout with delight. The Sheriff's assistants go toward the farmers and their carts.)

Students (shouting). Proelium committit! Maturandum est nobis!

(They help to drive the farmers away from the ox-carts and lead the wagons toward Dr. Buckingham's house. Some of the Saybrook citizens aim stones at the Students, who reply with even greater zest.)

Ist Saybrook Citizen (taking the leadership). I have a plan to beat these New Haven thieves! Break down the Bridge!

Saybrook Citizens (some running toward the bridge). The Bridge! Aye-the Bridge! Break it down. Obadiah, where is thy ax?

2nd Saybrook Citizen (rushing toward the bridge). Here it is, by the blessing of Providence!

(Obadiah, who is a lusty youth in homespun, swings great smashing blows at the bridge over a brook on the road to New Haven. Several other Saybrook citizens join him, while others renew their attacks upon the ox-carts.)

1st Student (as a citizen tries to pull him off the ox-cart). Non satis praesidii-for-for-by Virgil's Aeneid, Ezekiel, what is the Latin for ox-cart?

2nd Student (rushing to his assistance). Bos, bovis-I know not-non hostibus parcitur! (He has a violent encounter with a 3rd Saybrook citizen.) Vim facio-I'll show thee, thou lantern jawed oysterman-poenas repeto-thou dweller on a dank marsh-praesto Gallis virtute-I'll send thee secundo flumine— there! (As Saybrook citizen falls.)-se sustinere non potest! Veni-vidi-vici!

3rd Saybrook Citizen. Help! Help! This young ruffian from New Haven is casting a spell upon me—he has invoked a legion of devils and I am spent! He calls upon evil spirits by their names! (To the Student.) Thou shalt lie in the stocks for this, or my name is not Ebenezer Doolittle.

2nd Student (dashing after the ox-cart). Magnae fuit fortunae for thee that I didn't break thy head, Ebenezer!

(All over the stage similar encounters are going on, while the Sheriff's men finally succeed in piling the books into the ox-carts.

But even so the Saybrook citizens recapture a certain number of volumes, while others are scattered about the ground. Dr. Daniel Buckingham looks grimly on, yet takes no actual part in the fighting save for giving commands and words of encouragement to the Saybrook men. At last the ox-carts are loaded and turned toward New Haven. They are under guard and still subject to

active attack.)

Ist Student (standing on a pile of books). Victory! I have no Latin to cast the story of this day into a golden epic! I must rejoice in the vulgar tongue!-but did you see me crack that citizen's crown! I vow the buffet will linger in his memory until the January thaw!

2nd Student (examining his knuckles). Aye-I did not badly-nunc praesidio impedimentis sumus-.

(At that moment they are again attacked. The fight grows more violent as they near the broken-down bridge. Nevertheless the ox-carts valiantly ford the stream. During this operation one of them is overturned and spills its entire contents in the brook. The Saybrook citizens utter a shout of triumph. The other carts reach the opposite shore in safety and the pursuit ends. The Saybrook citizens stand upon one shore shaking their fists at the departing New Haveners.)

Sheriff. Did I not say it would be a bad day's business? But I did my duty as I saw it, praised be! (He muffles himself gloomily in his cloak again.) I shall have a stiff back for a fortnight for going abroad in this East wind.

Ist Student. Sheriff, thou art one of the seven champions of Christendom!

(The little cortège passes out, the students following.)

SCENE IV

THE FIRST COMMENCEMENT

AT NEW HAVEN

By

LEONARD BACON

Before the Rector's House, New Haven. Stupid is revealed, sitting on a bench, working with papers and a lexicon. Enter Clever, singing, followed by Lazy.

Clever.

The leaf of the maple is red again
That flames in the Witches' Wood,
And there is a whisper in my brain,
A tingle in my blood.

My brothers are welcome to all my Greek,
Though it be not a scholar's store.
And save for Horace I care not a leek

If none know Latin more.

Logic how shall I understand,

Or text expound and declare,

If I kiss Mehitabel Chauncey's hand

And see the sun in her hair?

Stupid (from the bench).

Peace! Peace! good Clever! Faith my head spins round.

I founder in the hurricane of sound

I cannot memorize my salutation.

Clever.

(Singing)

Plague take your periods and your peroration!
Saith the proverb: To every dog his day,
So while I have gullet and lungs,

I'll sing, May the devil carry away

The Greek and the Roman Tongues.

Stupid (in despair). Ah! What to do!

Clever (snatching manuscript from him and showing it to Lazy). Ha! Here's the part I wrote.

I'll wager that will stick in Stupid's throat

When he sees the Governor staring with stern eyes

That seem to sneer at his false quantities.

(Singing) To grammar and syntax I wish bad luck,
And to all on that path who plod.

I know a place where a man may pluck

Blue aster and golden rod.

(Enter Tutor with Learned at his heel. Clever ducks behind the bench.)

Tutor.

Stupid.
Tutor.

For shame, Sir! Singing! And your oration, Sir?

Not conned yet, from your bearing, I infer.

Were you religiously convinced, you'd scorn
To trifle on so serious a morn.

But, Mr. Tutor

Your time is misapplied.

Say what you will, the rebuke is justified. Clever (re-appearing from behind the bench).

Tutor.

Clever.

Tutor.

If Stupid sang, it was but as the spheres
Who sing inaudible to Earthly ears.
And as for singing, Sir, I will be bound
Men sin not when they make a godly sound.

And every note that Stupid sang this morn
Was of a godly tenor, I'll be sworn.

Sir! Sir! So ill a course to vindicate
Argues your own heart unregenerate.

Here's Learned now, who has no turn for folly.
'Tis not his virtue, but his melancholy.
But he does that his duty leads him to.

(Enter Rector unperceived.)

T