Peer Reviewed
- Edition: Friar Bacon and Friar Bungay
Friar Bacon and Friar Bungay (Modern)
- Introduction
- Texts of this edition
- Contextual materials
-
- The Famous History of Friar Bacon
-
- Inventions or Devices Very Necessary for all Generals and Captains or Leaders of Men
-
- A Book of Magic, with Instructions for Invoking Spirits
-
- A Geometrical Practice named Pantometria
-
- Autobiographical Tracts of Dr. John Dee
-
- The Vanity of the Eye
-
- The Comical History of Alphonsus King of Aragon
-
Enter a devil to seek Miles.
How restless are the ghosts of hellish spirits,
A scholar, quoth you? Marry, sir, I would I had been made 2024a bottle-maker when I was made a scholar, for I can get neither to 2025be a deacon, reader, nor schoolmaster; no, not the clerk of 2026a parish. Some call me a dunce, another saith my head is as full of 2027Latin as an egg's full of oatmeal. Thus I am tormented that the 2028devil and Friar Bacon haunt me.-- Good Lord, here's one of my 2029master's devils! I'll go speak to him.-- What, Master Plutus, 2030how cheer you?
Dost thou know me?
Know you, sir? Why, are not you one of my master's 2033devils that were wont to come to my master Doctor Bacon at 2034Brazennose?
Yes, marry, am I.
Good Lord, Master Plutus, I have seen you a thousand 2037times at my master's, and yet I had never the manners to make 2038you drink. But, sir, I am glad to see how conformable you are to 2039the statute. [To the audience] I warrant you, he's as yeomanly a man as you shall see; 2040mark you, masters, here's a plain honest man, without welt or 2041guard.-- [To the devil.] But I pray you, sir, do you come lately from hell?
Ay, marry. How then?
Faith, 'tis a place I have desired long to see. Have you not 2044good tippling houses there? May not a man have a lusty fire there, 2045a pot of good ale, a pair of cards, a swingeing piece of chalk, 2046and a brown toast that will clap a white waistcoat on a cup 2047of good drink?
All this you may have there.
You are for me, friend, and I am for you. But I pray 2050you, may I not have an office there?
Yes, a thousand. What wouldst thou be?
By my troth, sir, in a place where I may profit 2053myself. I know hell is a hot place, and men are marvelous dry, and 2054much drink is spent there. I would be a tapster.
Thou shalt.
There's nothing lets me from going with you but 2057that 'tis a long journey and I have never a horse.
Thou shalt ride on my back.
Now surely here's a courteous devil, that for to 2060pleasure his friend will not stick to make a jade of himself.-- But I pray 2061you, goodman friend, let me move a question to you.
What's that?
I pray you, whether is your pace a trot or an amble?
An amble.
'Tis well. But take heed it be not a trot. 2066But 'tis no matter; I'll prevent it. [He puts on spurs.]
What dost?
Marry, friend, I put on my spurs. For if I find your pace 2069either a trot or else uneasy, I'll put you to a false gallop. I'll make 2070you feel the benefit of my spurs.
Get up upon my back.
Oh Lord, here's even a goodly marvel when a man 2073rides to hell on the devil's back!
14.33.1Exeunt roaring.