Enter Friar Bacon with Friar Bungay to his cell.
What means the friar that frolicked it of late
12.21781To sit as melancholy in his cell
12.41783As if he had neither lost nor won today?
Ah, Bungay, my brazen head is spoiled,
12.61785My glory gone, my seven years' study lost.
12.71786The fame of Bacon bruited through the world
12.81787Shall end and perish with this deep disgrace.
Bacon hath built foundation of his fame
12.101789So surely on the wings of true report,
12.111790With acting strange and uncouth miracles,
12.121791As this cannot infringe what he deserves.
Bungay, sit down, for by prospective skill
12.141793I find this day shall fall out ominous.
12.151794Some deadly act shall 'tide me ere I sleep,
12.161795But what and wherein little can I guess.
My mind is heavy whatsoe'er shall hap.
Who's that knocks?
[Opening the door.]Two scholars that desire to speak with you.
Bid them come in. [Enter two Scholars, sons to Lambert and Serlsby.] Now, my youths, what would you have?
Sir, we are Suffolk men and neighboring friends,
12.221803Our fathers in their countries lusty squires.
12.231804Their lands adjoin: in Crackfield mine doth dwell,
12.241805And his in Laxfield. We are college mates,
12.251806Sworn brothers, as our fathers live as friends.
To what end is all this?
Hearing your worship kept within your cell
12.281809A glass prospective wherein men might see
12.291810Whatso their thoughts or hearts' desires could wish,
12.301811We come to know how that our fathers fare.
My glass is free for every honest man.
12.331814How or in what state your friendly fathers live.
Mine Lambert.
And mine Serlsby.
Bungay, I smell there will be a tragedy.
12.37.11819Enter [as in the magic glass] Lambert and Serlsby, with rapiers and daggers. Serlsby, thou hast kept thine hour like a man.
12.391821Th'art worthy of the title of a squire
12.401822That durst for proof of thy affection,
12.411823And for thy mistress's favor, prize thy blood.
12.421824Thou knowst what words did pass at Fressingfield,
12.431825Such shameless braves as manhood cannot brook.
12.441826Ay, for I scorn to bear such piercing taunts,
12.451827Prepare thee, Serlsby; one of us will die.
Thou seest I single thee the field,
12.471829And what I spake I'll maintain with my sword.
12.481830Stand on thy guard! I cannot scold it out,
12.491831And if thou kill me, think I have a son
12.501832That lives in Oxford in the Broadgates Hall,
12.511833Who will revenge his father's blood with blood.
And, Serlsby, I have there a lusty boy
12.531835That dares at weapon buckle with thy son,
12.541836And lives in Broadgates too, as well as thine.
12.551837But draw thy rapier, for we'll have a bout.
Now, lusty younkers, look within the glass
12.571839And tell me if you can discern your sires.
Serlsby, 'tis hard. Thy father offers wrong
12.591841To combat with my father in the field.
Lambert, thou liest. My father's is the abuse,
12.611843And thou shalt find it, if my father harm.
How goes it, sirs?
Our fathers are in combat hard by Fressingfield.
Sit still, my friends, and see the event.
Why stand'st thou, Serlsby? Doubt'st thou of thy life?
12.661848A veny, man. Fair Margaret craves so much.
Then this, for her! [They fight.]
Ah, well thrust!
But mark the ward.
12.69.11852They [Lambert and Serlsby] fight and kill each other. Oh, I am slain!
And I! Lord have mercy on me!
My father slain! Serlsby, ward that!
And so is mine, Lambert. I'll quite thee well.
12.73.1The two Scholars stab one another. O strange stratagem!
See, friar, where the fathers both lie dead.
12.761860Bacon, thy magic doth effect this massacre.
12.771861This glass prospective worketh many woes,
12.781862And therefore, seeing these brave lusty brutes,
12.791863These friendly youths, did perish by thine art,
12.801864End all thy magic and thine art at once.
12.811865The poniard that did end the fatal lives
12.821866Shall break the cause
efficiat of their woes.
12.831867So fade the glass, and end with it the shows
12.841868That necromancy did infuse the crystal with!
What means learned Bacon thus to break his glass?
I tell thee, Bungay, it repents me sore
12.871872That ever Bacon meddled in this art.
12.881873The hours I have spent in pyromantic spells,
12.891874The fearful tossing in the latest night
12.901875Of papers full of necromantic charms,
12.911876Conjuring and adjuring devils and fiends
12.921877With stole and alb and strange pentaganon,
12.931878The wresting of the holy name of God,
12.961881With praying to the five-fold powers of heaven,
12.971882Are instances that Bacon must be damned
12.981883For using devils to countervail his God.
12.991884Yet, Bacon, cheer thee, drown not in despair.
12.1001885Sins have their salves; repentance can do much.
12.1011886Think mercy sits where Justice holds her seat,
12.1021887And from those wounds those bloody Jews did pierce,
12.1031888Which by thy magic oft did bleed afresh,
12.1041889From thence for thee the dew of mercy drops,
12.1061891And make thee as a newborn babe from sin.
12.1071892Bungay, I'll spend the remnant of my life
12.1091894That he would save what Bacon vainly lost.
12.109.1[Exeunt Bacon and Bungay with the bodies.]