Early Modern Drama · Character Archetypes

WARREN

in Friar Bacon and Friar Bongay — Greene, Robert

Metadata

PlayFriar Bacon and Friar Bongay
AuthorGreene, Robert
Year (catalogued)1594
First performance1589
Decade1590s
GenreComedy
Play typeAdult Professional
CompanyQueen Elizabeth's Men
Speech prefix(es)Warren. | VVarren. | Warraine. | VVar. | VVarraine. | VVarr • n.
Words362
Characters1837
Typicality0.31 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP idA02127
BritDrama no.822
ClusterCluster 23 — Gulls, fops & laughing-stocks

Important excerpts

No keyword-matching excerpt could be extracted (the cluster label doesn't share vocabulary with this character's speech).

Full speech

After the Prince God to the keepers lodge And had been iocand in the house a while: Tossing of ale and milk in country cans, Whither it was the countries sweet content: Or else the bonny damsel filled us drink That seemed so stately in her stammell read: Or that a qualm did cross his stomach then, But straight he fell into his passion. Content my lord, and thats a speedy way To wean these headstrong puppies from the teat, Your honour hath said well, but shall we to Brazen nose College before we pull off our boots. Some scholar, and weel ask him where Friar Ba con is. And why so sir? Well doctors seeing I have sported me, With laughing at these mad and merry wags, Know that prince Edward is at Brazennose, And this attired Like the prince of Wales, Is Raphe, king Henries only loved fool, I, earl of Essex, and this Ermsbie Oh e of the privy chamber to the king, Who while the prince with Friar Bacon stays, Have reueld it in Oxford as you see. How provest thou that Raphe? Why Ned I think the deum ll be in my sheath, I cannot get out my dagger. Ned this is strange, the friar knoweth all. Good Friar help the Prince in this. Yes my good lord, and if it please your lordship, I will gather up all your old pantofle, and with the cork, make you a Pinnis of five hundred tun, that shall serve the turn marvelous well, my lord. I will master doctor, and satisfy the vintner for h hurt, only I must desire you to imagine him all this forenoon the prince of Wales. We cannot stay my Lord, and if she be so strict, Our leisure grants us not to woo a fresh. To see the nature of women, that be they never so near God, yet they love to die in a men arms. Why and thinkest thou doctor that he is not so? Darest thou detract and derogate from him, Being so lovely and so brave a youth. Sirrah Ned, is not this the keeper. We will my lord.

Plot summary

Plot — Friar Bacon and Friar Bongay
Primce Bdwafd is in love with the country wench Margarety and he orders Bay to woo her on his behalf. He does so, but she falls for him rather than the Prince. Meanwhile BRiamlBaeoH is questioned by his academic superiors, who suspect him of practising black magic. He explains his plans to make a brazen head which will lecture in philosophy, and to surround England with a defensive wall of brass. The one sceptic, DEIBOTGER, is shown up when Bacon uses his powers to reveal that he sneaks off at night to play cards at a tavern when he should be reading. Prineejkdward and Ralphithelfeal swap clothes and identities when visiting Bacon, but he sees through the deception with ease. Bacon shows Edward events at Suffolk through a magic mirror: Daey is wooing Margaret for himself, and they are to be married by FriamBungay; but Bacon magically strikes Bungay dumb, then brings him to Oxford for dinner. Edward rides to Suffolk to confront Lacy, but Margaret’s determination reconciles him to the situation: even if he tries to remove the obstacle by killing Lacy, she will never love him and will kill herself to be with Lacy. Prince Edward’s future wife, Elifi@f of Castile, arrives in England with a group of foreign potentates. The Emperor of Germany has brought along Wandérmast} a famous magician, to compete with England’s best scholars at Oxford. Vandermast’s first opponent in magic is BriamBuiigay, who conjures up a golden tree. Vandermast summons Hercules to pull it down, but Hercules proves to be more subservient to Fraribacen) who completes his victory by magically sending Vandermast back to Germany. At the ensuing dinner, th@|Emiperot is offended by the mean academic fare, so Bacon conjures up a more sumptuous feast. Bacon’s brazen head is ready, but he is tired from staying up all night waiting for it to speak. He appoints his scholar Miles to watch, and wake him when it does. The head speaks enigmatically and is magically destroyed, but Miles fails to wake his master in time. Bacon sacks him and later sends a devil to carry him to Hell. Two country squires want to marry Margarée but she asks for ten days’ grace to make a decision, confident that Lacy will come for her before then. What actually arrives is a letter telling her that he is to marry someone else, so she decides to enter a nunnery. The two squires kill one another in a duel, and their sons, watching from Oxford through Bacon’s magic mirror, do the same. Bacon smashes the mirror in remorse and…