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  • Title: Friar Bacon and Friar Bungay (Quarto)
  • Editors: Christopher Hicklin, Christopher Matusiak

  • Copyright Queen's Men Editions. This text may be freely used for educational, non-profit purposes; for all other uses contact the Editor.
    Author: Robert Greene
    Editors: Christopher Hicklin, Christopher Matusiak
    Peer Reviewed

    Friar Bacon and Friar Bungay (Quarto)

    The honourable historie of Frier Bacon.
    To Suffolke side, to merrie Fremingham,
    To sport himselfe amongst my fallow deere,
    480From thence by packets sent to Hampton house,
    We heare the Prince is ridden with his lords,
    To Oxford, in the Academie there,
    To heare dispute amongst the learned men,
    But we will send foorth letters for my sonne,
    485To will him come from Oxford to the court.
    Empe. Nay rather Henrie let vs as we be,
    Ride for to visite Oxford with our traine,
    Faine would I see your Vniuersities,
    And what learned men your Academie yields,
    490From Haspurg haue I brought a learned clarke,
    To hold dispute with English Orators.
    This doctor surnamde Iaques Vandermast,
    A Germaine borne, past into Padua,
    To Florence, and to faire Bolonia,
    495To Paris, Rheims, and stately Orleans,
    And talking there with men of art, put downe
    The chiefest of them all in Aphorismes,
    In Magicke, and the Mathematicke rules,
    Now let vs Henrie trie him in your schooles.
    500Henrie. He shal my lord, this motion likes me wel,
    Weele progresse straight to Oxford with our trains,
    And see what men our Academie bringes.
    And woonder Vandermast welcome to me
    In Oxford shalt thou find a iollie frier,
    505Cald Frier Bacon, Englands only flower
    Set him but Non-plus in his magicke spels,
    And make him yeeld in Mathematicke rules,
    And for thy glorie I will bind thy browes,
    Not with a poets garland made of Baies,
    510But with a coronet of choicest gold,
    Whilst then we fit to Oxford with our troupes,
    Lets in and banquet in our English court. Exit.
    Enter
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