Witch, Warlock, and Magician Part 3

What hath all my knowledge of Nature's secrets gained me?

Onely this, the losse of a better knowledge, the losse of Divine Studies, which makes the immortal part of man (his soule) blessed. I have found that my knowledge has beene a heavy burden, and has kept downe my good thoughts; but I will remove the cause, which are these Bookes, which I doe purpose here before you all to burne. They all intreated him to spare the bookes, because in them there were those things that after-ages might receive great benefit by. He would not hearken unto them, but threw them all into the fire, and in that flame burnt the greatest learning in the world. Then did he dispose of all his goods; some part he gave to poor schollers, and some he gave to other poore folkes: nothing left he for himselfe: then caused hee to be made in the Church-Wall a Cell, where he locked himselfe in, and there remained till his Death. His time hee spent in prayer, meditation, and such Divine exercises, and did seeke by all means to perswade men from the study of Magicke. Thus lived hee some two years s.p.a.ce in that Cell, never comming forth: his meat and drink he received in at a window, and at that window he had discourse with those that came to him; his grave he digged with his owne nayles, and was there layed when he dyed. Thus was the Life and Death of this famous Fryer, who lived most part of his life a Magician, and dyed a true Penitent Sinner and Anchorite.'

Upon this popular romance Greene, one of the best of the second-cla.s.s Elizabethan dramatists, founded his rattling comedy, ent.i.tled 'The Historye of Fryer Bacon and Fryer Bungay,' which was written, it would seem, in 1589, first acted about 1592, and published in 1594. He does not servilely follow the old story-book, but introduces an under-plot of his own, in which is shown the love of Prince Edward for Margaret, the 'Fair Maid of Fressingfield,' whom the Prince finally surrenders to the man she loves, his favourite and friend, Lacy, Earl of Lincoln.

FOOTNOTES:

[4] This patriotic sentiment would seem to show that the book was written or published about the time of the Spanish Armada.

[5] Hermes Trismegistus ('thrice great'), a fabulous Chaldean philosopher, to whom I have already made reference. The numerous writings which bear his name were really composed by the Egyptian Platonists; but the mediaeval alchemists pretend to recognise in him the founder of their art. Gower, in his 'Confessio Amantis,' says:

'Of whom if I the names calle, Hermes was one the first of alle, To whom this Art is most applied.'

The name of Hermes was chosen because of the supposed magical powers of the G.o.d of the caduceus.

GREENE'S COMEDY.

In Scene I., which takes place near Framlingham, in Suffolk, we find Prince Edward eloquently expatiating on the charms of the Fair Maid to an audience of his courtiers, one of whom advises him, if he would prove successful in his suit, to seek the a.s.sistance of Friar Bacon, a 'brave necromancer,' who 'can make women of devils, and juggle cats into coster-mongers.'[6] The Prince acts upon this advice.

Scene II. introduces us to Friar Bacon's cell at Brasenose College, Oxford (an obvious anachronism, as the college was not founded until long after Bacon's time). Enter Bacon and his poor scholar, Miles, with books under his arm; also three doctors of Oxford: Burden, Mason, and Clement.

BACON. Miles, where are you?

MILES. _Hic sum, doctissime et reverendissime Doctor._ (Here I am, most learned and reverend Doctor.)

BACON. _Attulisti nostros libros meos de necromantia?_ (Hast thou brought my books of necromancy?)

MILES. _Ecce quam bonum et quam jucundum habitare libros in unum!_ (See how good and how pleasant it is to dwell among books together!)

BACON. Now, masters of our academic state That rule in Oxford, viceroys in your place, Whose heads contain maps of the liberal arts, Spending your time in depths of learned skill, Why flock you thus to Bacon's secret cell, A friar newly stalled in Brazen-nose?

Say what's your mind, that I may make reply.

BURDEN. Bacon, we hear that long we have suspect, That thou art read in Magic's mystery: In pyromancy,[7] to divine by flames; To tell by hydromancy, ebbs and tides; By aeromancy to discover doubts,-- To plain out questions, as Apollo did.

BACON. Well, Master Burden, what of all this?

MILES. Marry, sir, he doth but fulfil, by rehearsing of these names, the fable of the 'Fox and the Grapes': that which is above us pertains nothing to us.

BURD. I tell thee, Bacon, Oxford makes report, Nay, England, and the Court of Henry says Thou'rt making of a Brazen Head by art, Which shall unfold strange doubts and aphorisms, And read a lecture in philosophy: And, by the help of devils and ghastly fiends, Thou mean'st, ere many years or days be past, To compa.s.s England with a wall of bra.s.s.

BACON. And what of this?

MILES. What of this, master! why, he doth speak mystically; for he knows, if your skill fail to make a Brazen Head, yet Master Waters' strong ale will fit his time to make him have a copper nose....

BACON. Seeing you come as friends unto the friar, Resolve you, doctors, Bacon can by books Make storming Boreas thunder from his cave, And dim fair Luna to a dark eclipse.

The great arch-ruler, potentate of h.e.l.l, Tumbles when Bacon bids him, or his fiends Bow to the force of his pentageron.[8] ...

I have contrived and framed a head of bra.s.s (I made Belcephon hammer out the stuff), And that by art shall read philosophy: And I will strengthen England by my skill, That if ten Caesars lived and reigned in Rome, With all the legions Europe doth contain, They should not touch a gra.s.s of English ground: The work that Ninus reared at Babylon, The brazen walls framed by Semiramis, Carved out like to the portal of the sun, Shall not be such as rings the English strand From Dover to the market-place of Rye.

In this patriotic resolution of the potent friar the reader will trace the influence of the national enthusiasm awakened, only a few years before Greene's comedy was written and produced, by the menace of the Spanish Armada.

It is unnecessary to quote the remainder of this scene, in which Bacon proves his magical skill at the expense of the jealous Burden. Scene III. pa.s.ses at Harleston Fair, and introduces Lacy, Earl of Lincoln, disguised as a rustic, and the comely Margaret. In Scene IV., at Hampton Court, Henry III. receives Elinor of Castile, who is betrothed to his son, Prince Edward, and arranges with her father, the Emperor, a compet.i.tion between the great German magician, Jaques Vandermast, and Friar Bacon, 'England's only flower.' In Scene V. we pa.s.s on to Oxford, where some comic incidents occur between Prince Edward (in disguise) and his courtiers; and in Scene VI. to Friar Bacon's cell, where the friar shows the Prince in his 'gla.s.s prospective,' or magic mirror, the figures of Margaret, Friar Bungay, and Earl Lacy, and reveals the progress of Lacy's suit to the rustic beauty. Bacon summons Bungay to Oxford--straddling on a devil's back--and the scene then changes to the Regent-house, and degenerates into the rudest farce. At Fressingfield, in Scene VIII., we find Prince Edward threatening to slay Earl Lacy unless he gives up to him the Fair Maid of Fressingfield; but, after a struggle, his better nature prevails, and he retires from his suit, leaving Margaret to become the Countess of Lincoln. Scene IX. carries us back to Oxford, where Henry III., the Emperor, and a goodly company have a.s.sembled to witness the trial of skill between the English and the German magicians--the first international compet.i.tion on record!--in which, of course, Vandermast is put to ridicule.

Pa.s.sing over Scene X. as unimportant, we return, in Scene XI., to Bacon's cell, where the great magician is lying on his bed, with a white wand in one hand, a book in the other, and beside him a lighted lamp. The Brazen Head is there, with Miles, armed, keeping watch over it. Here the dramatist closely follows the old story. The friar falls asleep; the head speaks once and twice, and Miles fails to wake his master. It speaks the third time. 'A lightning flashes forth, and a hand appears that breaks down the head with a hammer.' Bacon awakes to lament over the ruin of his work, and load the careless Miles with unavailing reproaches. But the whole scene is characteristic enough to merit transcription:

Scene XI.--_Friar Bacon's Cell._

_FRIAR BACON is discovered lying on a bed, with a white stick in one hand, a book in the other, and a lamp lighted beside him; and the BRAZEN HEAD, and MILES with weapons by him._

BACON. Miles, where are you?

MILES. Here, sir.

BACON. How chance you tarry so long?

MILES. Think you that the watching of the Brazen Head craves no furniture? I warrant you, sir, I have so armed myself that if all your devils come, I will not fear them an inch.

BACON. Miles, Thou know'st that I have dived into h.e.l.l, And sought the darkest palaces of fiends; That with my magic spells great Belcephon Hath left his lodge and kneeled at my cell; The rafters of the earth rent from the poles, And three-form'd Luna hid her silver looks, Tumbling upon her concave continent, When Bacon read upon his magic book.

With seven years' tossing necromantic charms, Poring upon dark Hecat's principles, I have framed out a monstrous head of bra.s.s, That, by the enchanting forces of the devil, Shall tell out strange and uncouth aphorisms, And girt fair England with a wall of bra.s.s.

Bungay and I have watch'd these threescore days, And now our vital spirits crave some rest: If Argus lived and had his hundred eyes, They could not over-watch Phobetor's[9] night.

Now, Miles, in thee rests Friar Bacon's weal: The honour and renown of all his life Hangs in the watching of this Brazen Head; Therefore I charge thee by the immortal G.o.d That holds the souls of men within his fist, This night thou watch; for ere the morning star Sends out his glorious glister on the north The Head will speak. Then, Miles, upon thy life Wake me; for then by magic art I'll work To end my seven years' task with excellence.

If that a wink but shut thy watchful eye, Then farewell Bacon's glory and his fame!

Draw close the curtains, Miles: now, for thy life, Be watchful, and ... (_Falls asleep._)

MILES. So; I thought you would talk yourself asleep anon; and 'tis no marvel, for Bungay on the days, and he on the nights, have watched just these ten and fifty days: now this is the night, and 'tis my task, and no more. Now, Jesus bless me, what a goodly head it is! and a nose! You talk of _Nos[10]

autem glorificare_; but here's a nose that I warrant may be called _Nos autem populare_ for the people of the parish.

Well, I am furnished with weapons: now, sir, I will set me down by a post, and make it as good as a watchman to wake me, if I chance to slumber. I thought, Goodman Head, I would call you out of your _memento_.[11] Pa.s.sion o' G.o.d, I have almost broke my pate! (_A great noise._) Up, Miles, to your task; take your brown-bill in your hand; here's some of your master's hobgoblins abroad.

THE BRAZEN HEAD (_speaks_). Time is.

MILES. Time is! Why, Master Brazen-Head, you have such a capital nose, and answer you with syllables, 'Time is'? Is this my master's cunning, to spend seven years' study about 'Time is'? Well, sir, it may be we shall have some better orations of it anon: well, I'll watch you as narrowly as ever you were watched, and I'll play with you as the nightingale with the glow-worm; I'll set a p.r.i.c.k against my breast.[12] Now rest there, Miles. Lord have mercy upon me, I have almost killed myself. (_A great noise._) Up, Miles; list how they rumble.

THE BRAZEN HEAD (_loquitur_). Time was.

MILES. Well, Friar Bacon, you have spent your seven years'

study well, that can make your Head speak but two words at once, 'Time was.' Yea, marry, time was when my master was a wise man; but that was before he began to make the Brazen Head. You shall lie while you ache, an your head speak no better. Well, I will watch, and walk up and down, and be a peripatetian[13] and a philosopher of Aristotle's stamp. (_A great noise._) What, a fresh noise? Take thy pistols in hand, Miles. (_A lightning flashes forth, and a Hand appears that breaks down the HEAD with a hammer._) Master, master, up!

h.e.l.l's broken loose! Your Head speaks; and there's such a thunder and lightning, that I warrant all Oxford is up in arms. Out of your bed, and take a brownbill in your hand; the latter day is come.

BACON. Miles, I come. (_Rises and comes forward._)

O, pa.s.sing warily watched!

Bacon will make thee next himself in love.

When spake the Head?

MILES. When spake the Head? Did you not say that he should tell strange principles of philosophy? Why, sir, it speaks but two words at a time.

BACON. Why, villain, hath it spoken oft?

MILES. Oft! ay, marry hath it, thrice; but in all those three times it hath uttered but seven words.