Printed
8 pages
Burlesque upon Magistracy; or, Punch out of Humour
Burlesque upon Magistracy; or, Punch out of Humour is a play printed in London and in Dublin in 1736.
The title page indicates that the show can be seen at the “Roiting House" of a certain Don Parabocka, but that its script is printed because it is entirely new and an "intelligent interpreter" has not yet been found.
A thief disguises himself as a magistrate
Punch is furious because his sister, Mopsa, has been insulted. He offers to avenge her, but Mopsa prefers to go to court to ask their father, the magistrate Gormoncho, to punish the insult.
Gormoncho comes on. The stage direction states that he should be wearing regalia, but that thieves have attacked the puppeteers on their way to the city and have stolen it.
In court, Wyario, the clerk, reads Gormoncho an accusation against unknown people for robbing the regalia. The magistrate promises to punish the thieves, and moves on to the next case – Mopsa’s complaint.
Mopsa accuses Alanio of having sung a bawdy song under her window.
Alanio bursts into the room attended with two constables: it turns out that the thief is none other than Gormoncho himself.
First performance
Don Parabocka's Roiting House
Publications and translations
Burlesque upon Magistracy; or, Punch out of Humour. Dublin: 1736.