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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.
    We shall haue Bungay brought to Brazennose.
    Exeunt.

    Enter three doctors, Burden, Mason,
    Clement.

    825Mason. Now that we are gathered in the regent house,
    It fits vs talke about the kings repaire,
    For he troopt with all the westerne kings
    That lie alongst the Dansick seas by East,
    North by the clime of frostie Germanie,
    830The Almain Monarke, and the Scocon duke,
    Castile, and louely Ellinor with him,
    Haue in their iests resolued for Oxford towne.
    Burden. We must lay plots of stately tragedies,
    Strange comick showes, such as proud Rossius
    835Vaunted before the Romane Emperours.
    Clement. To welcome all the westerne Potentates
    But more the king by letters hath foretold,
    That Fredericke the Almaine Emperour
    Hath brought with him a Germane of esteeme,
    840Whose surname is Don Iaquesse Vandermast,
    Skilfull in magicke and those secret arts.
    Mason. Then must we all make sute vnto the frier,
    To Frier Bacon that he vouch this taske,
    And vndertake to counteruaile in skill
    845The German, els theres none in Oxford can,
    Match and dispute with learned Vandermast.
    Burden. Bacon, if he will hold the German play,
    Weele teach him what an English Frier can doe:
    The diuell I thinke dare not dispute with him.
    850Clement. Indeed mas doctor he pleasured you,
    In that he brought your hostesse with her spit,
    From Henly posting vnto Brazennose.
    Burden. A vengeance on the Frier for his paines,
    But leauing that, lets hie to Bacon straight,
    To
    D3