QueenʼsMen Editions

About this text

  • 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.

    Hercules appeares in his Lions skin.

    Hercules. Quis me vult.
    1210Vandermast. Ioues bastard sonne thou libian Hercules
    Pull off the sprigs from off the Hesperian tree,
    As once thou didst to win the golden fruit.
    Hercules. Fiat.

    Heere he begins to breake the branches.

    1215Vander. Now Bungay if thou canst by magicke charme,
    The fiend appearing like great Hercules,
    From pulling downe the branches of the tree,
    Then art thou worrhy to be counted learned.
    Bungay. I cannot.
    1220Vander. Cease Hercules vntill I giue thee charge,
    Mightie commander of this English Ile,
    Henrie come from the stout Plantagenets,
    Bungay is learned enough to be a Frier.
    But to compare with Iaquis Vandermast,
    1225Oxford and Cambridge must go seeke their celles,
    To find a man to match him in his art.
    I haue giuen non-plus to the Paduans,
    To them of Sien, Florence, and Belogna,
    Reimes, Louain and faire Rotherdam,
    1230Franckford, Lutrech and Orleance:
    And now must Henrie if he do me right,
    Crowne me with lawrell as they all haue done.

    Enter Bacon.

    Bacon. All haile to this roiall companie,
    1235That sit to heare and see this strange dispute:
    Bungay, how standst thou as a man amazd,
    What hath the Germane acted more than thou,
    Vander.