Upon this popular romance Greene, one of the best of the second-class Elizabethan dramatists, founded his rattling comedy, entitled '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.
[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 mediæval alchemists pretend to recognise in him the founder of their art. Gower, in his 'Confessio Amantis,' says:
'Of whom if I the namès 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 god of the caduceus.
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 assistance 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.
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!)