QueenʼsMen Editions

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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.
    And vow to meditate on heauenly blisse,
    To liue in Framingham a holy Nunne,
    1920Holy and pure in conscience and in deed:
    And for to wish all maides to learne of me,
    To seeke heauens ioy before earths vanitie.
    Friend. And will you then Margret be shorn a Nunne, and so
    leaue vs all.
    1925Margret. Now farewell world the engin of all woe,
    Farewell to friends and father, welcome Christ:
    Adew to daintie robes, this base attire
    Better befits an humble minde to God,
    Than all the shew of rich abilliments,
    1930Loue, oh Loue, and with fond Loue farewell,
    Sweet Lacie whom I loued once so deere,
    Euer be well, but neuer in my thoughts,
    Least I offend to thinke on Lacies loue:
    But euen to that as to the rest farewell.
    1935Enter Lacie, Warrain, Ermsbie, booted and spurd.
    Lacie. Come on my wags weere neere the keepers lodge,
    Heere haue I oft walkt in the watrie Meades,
    And chatted with my louely Margret.
    VVarraine. Sirha Ned, is not this the keeper.
    1940Lacie. Tis the same.
    Ermsbie. The old lecher hath gotton holy mutton to him
    a Nunne my lord.
    Lacie. Keeper how farest thou holla man, what cheere,
    How doth Peggie thy daughter and my loue.
    1945Keeper. Ah good my lord, oh wo is me for Pegge,
    See where she stands clad in her Nunnes attire,
    Readie for to be shorne in Framingham:
    She leaues the world because she left your loue,
    Oh good my lord perswade her if you can.
    1950Lacie. Why how now Margret, what a malecontent,
    A Nunne, what holy father taught you this,
    To taske your selfe to such a tedious life,
    As die a maid, twere iniurie to me.
    To
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