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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.
    Bacon. To thee.
    Edward. Who art thou.
    Bacon. Could you not iudge when all your swords grew fast,
    That frier Bacon was not farre from hence:
    585Edward king Henries sonne and Prince of Wales,
    Thy foole disguisd cannot conceale thy selfe,
    I know both Ermsbie and the Sussex Earle,
    Els Frier Bacon had but little skill.
    Thou comest in post from merrie Fresingfield,
    590Fast fancied to the keepers bonny lasse,
    To craue some succour of the iolly Frier,
    And Lacie Eare of Lincolne hast thou left,
    To treat faire Margret to allow thy loues:
    But friends are men, and loue can baffle lords.
    595The Earle both woes and courtes her for himselfe.
    VVarren. Ned this is strange, the frier knoweth al.
    Ermsbie. Appollo could not vtter more than this.
    Edward. I stand amazed to heare this iolly Frier,
    Tell euen the verie secrets of my thoughts:
    600But learned Bacon since thou knowest the cause,
    Why I did post so fast from Fresingfield.
    Helpe Frier at a pinch, that I may haue
    The loue of louely Margret to my selfe,
    And as I am true Prince of Wales, Ile giue
    605Liuing and lands to strength thy colledge state.
    VVarren. Good Frier helpe the Prince in this.
    Raphe. Why seruant Ned, will not the frier doe it. Were
    not my sword glued to my scabberd by coniuration, I would cut
    off his head and make him do it by force.
    610Miles. In faith my lord, your manhood and your sword is all
    alike, they are so fast coniured that we shall neuer see them.
    Ermsbie. Wat doctor in a dumpe, tush helpe the prince,
    And thou shalt see how liberall he will prooue,
    Bacon. Craue not such actions, greater dumps than these,
    615I will my lord straine out my magicke spels,
    For this day comes the earle to Fresingfield,
    And
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