SCENE II.--_At Oxford.

_Enter_ KING HENRY, _the_ EMPEROR, _the_ KING OF CASTILE, ELINOR, VANDERMAST, _and_ BUNGAY.

_Emp._ Trust me, Plantagenet, these Oxford schools Are richly seated near the river-side: The mountains full of fat and fallow deer, The battling[209] pastures lade[210] with kine and flocks, The town gorgeous with high-built colleges, And scholars seemly in their grave attire, Learnèd in searching principles of art.-- What is thy judgment, Jaques Vandermast?

_Van._ That lordly are the buildings of the town, Spacious the rooms, and full of pleasant walks; But for the doctors, how that they be learnèd, It may be meanly, for aught I can hear.

_Bun._ I tell thee, German, Hapsburg holds none such None read so deep as Oxenford contains: There are within our academic state Men that may lecture it in Germany To all the doctors of your Belgic schools.

_K. Hen._ Stand to him, Bungay, charm this Vandermast, And I will use thee as a royal king.

_Van._ Wherein dar'st thou dispute with me?

_Bun._ In what a doctor and a friar can.

_Van._ Before rich Europe's worthies put thou forth The doubtful question unto Vandermast.

_Bun._ Let it be this,--Whether the spirits of pyromancy or geomancy, be most predominant in magic?

_Van._ I say, of pyromancy.

_Bun._ And I, of geomancy.

_Van._ The cabalists that write of magic spells, As Hermes,[211] Melchie,[212] and Pythagoras, Affirm that, 'mongst the quadruplicity Of elemental essence, _terra_ is but thought To be a _punctum_ squarèd to[213] the rest; And that the compass of ascending elements Exceed in bigness as they do in height; Judging the concave circle of the sun To hold the rest in his circumference. If, then, as Hermes says, the fire be greatest, Purest, and only giveth shape to spirits, Then must these dæmones that haunt that place Be every way superior to the rest.

_Bun._ I reason not of elemental shapes, Nor tell I of the concave latitudes, Noting their essence nor their quality, But of the spirits that pyromancy calls, And of the vigour of the geomantic fiends. I tell thee, German, magic haunts the ground, And those strange necromantic spells That work such shows and wondering in the world Are acted by those geomantic spirits That Hermes calleth _terræ filii_. The fiery spirits are but transparent shades, That lightly pass as heralds to bear news; But earthly fiends, clos'd in the lowest deep, Dissever mountains, if they be but charg'd, Being more gross and massy in their power.

_Van._ Rather these earthly geomantic spirits Are dull and like the place where they remain; For when proud Lucifer fell from the heavens, The spirits and angels that did sin with him, Retain'd their local essence as their faults, All subject under Luna's continent: They which offended less hung in the fire, And second faults did rest within the air; But Lucifer and his proud-hearted fiends Were thrown into the centre of the earth, Having less understanding than the rest, As having greater sin and lesser grace. Therefore such gross and earthly spirits do serve For jugglers, witches, and vile sorcerers; Whereas the pyromantic genii Are mighty, swift, and of far-reaching power. But grant that geomancy hath most force; Bungay, to please these mighty potentates, Prove by some instance what thy art can do.

_Bun._ I will.

_Emp._ Now, English Harry, here begins the game; We shall see sport between these learnèd men.

_Van._ What wilt thou do?

_Bun._ Show thee the tree, leav'd with refinèd gold, Whereon the fearful dragon held his seat, That watch'd the garden call'd Hesperides, Subdu'd and won by conquering Hercules.

_Here_ BUNGAY _conjures, and the Tree appears with the Dragon shooting fire._

_Van._ Well done!

_K. Hen._ What say you, royal lordings, to my friar? Hath he not done a point of cunning skill?

_Van._ Each scholar in the necromantic spells Can do as much as Bungay hath perform'd. But as Alcmena's bastard raz'd this tree, So will I raise him up as when he liv'd, And cause him pull the dragon from his seat, And tear the branches piecemeal from the root.-- Hercules! _Prodi, prodi,_ Hercules!

HERCULES _appears in his lion's skin._

_Her. Quis me vult?_

_Van._ Jove's bastard son, thou Libyan Hercules, Pull off the sprigs from off the Hesperian tree, As once thou didst to win the golden fruit.

_Her. Fiat._ [_Begins to break the branches._

_Van._ Now, Bungay, if thou canst by magic charm The fiend, appearing like great Hercules, From pulling down the branches of the tree, Then art thou worthy to be counted learnèd.

_Bun._ I cannot.

_Van._ Cease, Hercules, until I give thee charge.-- Mighty commander of this English isle, Henry, come from the stout Plantagenets, Bungay is learn'd enough to be a friar; But to compare with Jaques Vandermast, Oxford and Cambridge must go seek their cells To find a man to match him in his art. I have given non-plus to the Paduans, To them of Sien, Florence, and Bologna, Rheims, Louvain, and fair Rotterdam, Frankfort, Lutrech,[214] and Orleans: And now must Henry, if he do me right, Crown me with laurel, as they all have done.

_Enter_ BACON.

_Bacon._ All hail to this royal company, That sit to hear and see this strange dispute!-- Bungay, how stand'st thou as a man amaz'd? What, hath the German acted more than thou?

_Van._ What art thou that question'st thus?

_Bacon._ Men call me Bacon.

_Van._ Lordly thou look'st, as if that thou wert learn'd; Thy countenance, as if science held her seat Between the circled arches of thy brows.

_K. Hen._ Now, monarchs, hath the German found his match.

_Emp._ Bestir thee, Jaques, take not now the foil, Lest thou dost lose what foretime thou didst gain.

_Van._ Bacon, wilt thou dispute?

_Bacon._ No, unless he were more learn'd than Vandermast; For yet, tell me, what hast thou done?

_Van._ Rais'd Hercules to ruinate that tree, That Bungay mounted by his magic spells.

_Bacon._ Set Hercules to work.

_Van._ Now, Hercules, I charge thee to thy task; Pull off the golden branches from the root.

_Her._ I dare not; see'st thou not great Bacon here, Whose frown doth act more than thy magic can?

_Van._ By all the thrones, and dominations, Virtues, powers, and mighty hierarchies, I charge thee to obey to Vandermast.

_Her._ Bacon, that bridles headstrong Belcephon, And rules Asmenoth, guider of the north, Binds me from yielding unto Vandermast.

_K. Hen._ How now, Vandermast! have you met with your match?

_Van._ Never before was't known to Vandermast That men held devils in such obedient awe. Bacon doth more than art, or else I fail.

_Emp._ Why, Vandermast, art thou overcome?-- Bacon, dispute with him, and try his skill.

_Bacon._ I came not, monarchs, for to hold dispute With such a novice as is Vandermast; I came to have your royalties to dine With Friar Bacon here in Brazen-nose: And, for this German troubles but the place, And holds this audience with a long suspence, I'll send him to his académy hence.-- Thou, Hercules, whom Vandermast did raise, Transport the German unto Hapsburg straight, That he may learn by travail, 'gainst the spring, More secret dooms and aphorisms of art. Vanish the tree, and thou away with him! [_Exit_ HERCULES _with_ VANDERMAST _and the Tree._

_Emp._ Why, Bacon, whither dost thou send him?

_Bacon._ To Hapsburg: there your highness at return Shall find the German in his study safe.

_K. Hen._ Bacon, thou hast honour'd England with thy skill, And made fair Oxford famous by thine art: I will be English Henry to thyself;-- But tell me, shall we dine with thee to-day?

_Bacon._ With me, my lord; and while I fit my cheer, See where Prince Edward comes to welcome you, Gracious as the morning-star of heaven. [_Exit._

_Enter_ PRINCE EDWARD, LACY, WARREN, ERMSBY.

_Emp._ Is this Prince Edward, Henry's royal son? How martial is the figure of his face! Yet lovely and beset with amorets.[215]

_K. Hen._ Ned, where hast thou been?

_P. Edw._ At Framlingham, my lord, to try your bucks If they could scape the teasers or the toil. But hearing of these lordly potentates Landed, and progress'd up to Oxford town, I posted to give entertain to them: Chief to the Almain monarch; next to him, And joint with him, Castile and Saxony Are welcome as they may be to the English court. Thus for the men: but see, Venus appears, Or one that overmatcheth Venus in her shape! Sweet Elinor, beauty's high-swelling pride, Rich nature's glory, and her wealth at once, Fair of all fairs, welcome to _Albion_; Welcome to me, and welcome to thine own, If that thou deign'st the welcome from myself.

_Elin._ Martial Plantagenet, Henry's high-minded son, The mark that Elinor did count her aim, I lik'd thee 'fore I saw thee: now I love, And so as in so short a time I may; Yet so as time shall never break that so: And therefore so accept of Elinor.

_K. of Cast._ Fear not, my lord, this couple will agree, If love may creep into their wanton eyes:-- And therefore, Edward, I accept thee here, Without suspence, as my adopted son.

_K. Hen._ Let me that joy in these consorting greets, And glory in these honours done to Ned, Yield thanks for all these favours to my son, And rest a true Plantagenet to all.

_Enter_ MILES _with a cloth and trenchers and salt._

_Miles. Salvete, omnes reges,_ That govern your _greges_ In Saxony and Spain, In England and in Almain! For all this frolic rabble Must I cover the table With trenchers, salt, and cloth; And then look for your broth.

_Emp._ What pleasant fellow is this?

_K. Hen._ 'Tis, my lord, Doctor Bacon's poor scholar.

_Miles._ [_aside_]. My master hath made me sewer of these great lords; and, God knows, I am as serviceable at a table as a sow is under an apple-tree: 'tis no matter; their cheer shall not be great, and therefore what skills where the salt stand, before or behind?[216] [_Exit._

_K. of Cast._ These scholars know more skill in axioms, How to use quips and sleights of sophistry, Than for to cover courtly for a king.

_Re-enter_ MILES _with a mess of pottage and broth; and after him,_ BACON.

_Miles._ Spill, sir? why, do you think I never carried twopenny chop before in my life?-- By you leave, _nobile decus_, For here comes Doctor Bacon's _pecus_, Being in his full age To carry a mess of pottage.

_Bacon._ Lordings, admire not if your cheer be this, For we must keep our academic fare; No riot where philosophy doth reign: And therefore, Henry, place these potentates, And bid them fall unto their frugal cates.

_Emp._ Presumptuous friar! what, scoff'st thou at a king? What, dost thou taunt us with thy peasant's fare, And give us cates fit for country swains?-- Henry, proceeds this jest of thy consent, To twit us with a pittance of such price? Tell me, and Frederick will not grieve thee long.

_K. Hen._ By Henry's honour, and the royal faith The English monarch beareth to his friend, I knew not of the friar's feeble fare, Nor am I pleas'd he entertains you thus.

_Bacon._ Content thee, Frederick, for I show'd the cates To let thee see how scholars use to feed; How little meat refines our English wits:-- Miles, take away, and let it be thy dinner.

_Miles._ Marry, sir, I will. This day shall be a festival-day with me, For I shall exceed in the highest degree. [_Exit._

_Bacon._ I tell thee, monarch, all the German peers Could not afford thy entertainment such, So royal and so full of majesty, As Bacon will present to Frederick. The basest waiter that attends thy cups Shall be in honours greater than thyself; And for thy cates, rich Alexandria drugs,[217] Fetch'd by carvels from Ægypt's richest straits, Found in the wealthy strand of Africa, Shall royalize the table of my king; Wines richer than th' Ægyptian courtesan Quaff'd to Augustus' kingly countermatch, Shall be carous'd in English Henry's feast; Candy shall yield the richest of her canes; Persia, down her Volga by canoes, Send down the secrets of her spicery; The Afric dates, mirabolans[218] of Spain, Conserves, and suckets[219] from Tiberias, Cates from Judæa, choicer that the lamp That firèd Rome with sparks of gluttony, Shall beautify the board for Frederick: And therefore grudge not at a friar's feast.