Not Peer Reviewed
- Edition: Friar Bacon and Friar Bungay
The Comical History of Alphonsus King of Aragon (Selection)
- Introduction
- Texts of this edition
- Contextual materials
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- The Famous History of Friar Bacon
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- Inventions or Devices Very Necessary for all Generals and Captains or Leaders of Men
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- A Book of Magic, with Instructions for Invoking Spirits
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- A Geometrical Practice named Pantometria
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- Autobiographical Tracts of Dr. John Dee
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- The Vanity of the Eye
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- The Comical History of Alphonsus King of Aragon
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Let there be a brazen head set in the middle of the place behind the stage, out of the which, cast flames of fire. Drums rumble within. Enter two Priests.
1 Pr My fellow priests of Mahound始s holy house,
What can you judge of these strange miracles,
Which daily happen in this sacred seat?
Drums rumble within.
Hark what a rumbling rattleth in our cares.
Cast flames of fire forth of the brazen head.
See flakes of fire proceeding from the mouth
Of Mahomet, that God of peerless power.
Nor can I tell with all the wit I have
What Mahomet by these his signs doth crave.
2 Pr Thrice ten times Phoebus with his golden beams
Hath compassed the circle of the sky,
Thrice ten times Ceres hath her workmen hir始d
And filled her barns with fruitful crops of corn
Since first in priesthood I did lead my life.
Yet in this time I never heard before
Such fearful sounds, nor saw such wondrous sights,
Nor can I tell, with all the wit I have,
What Mahomet by these his signs doth crave.
Speak out of the brazen head.
Ma You cannot tell nor will you seek to know.
O perverse priest, how careless are you waxed,
As when my foes approach unto my gates,
You stand still talking of I cannot tell.
Go pack you hence and meet the Turkish kings,
Which now are drawing to my temple ward.
Tell them from me, God Mahomet is dispos始d
To prophesy no more to Amurack,
Since that his tongue is waxen now so free,
As that it needs must chat and rail at me.
Kneel down both.
1 Pr O Mahomet, if all the solemn prayers
Which from our childhood we have offered thee
Can make thee call this sentence back again,
Bring not thy priest into this dangerous state.
For when the Turk doth hear of this repulse,
We shall be sure to die the death therefore.
Ma Thou sayest truth, go call the princes in.
I始ll prophesy unto them for this once,
But in such wise as they shall neither boast,
Nor you be hurt in any kind of wise.
[F1v-F2r]