_Mar._ And doth the English prince mean true? Will he vouchsafe to cease his former loves, And yield the title of a country maid Unto Lord Lacy? _P. Edw._ I will, fair Peggy, as I am true lord. _Mar._ Then, lordly sir, whose conquest is as great, In conquering love, as Cæsar's victories, Margaret, as mild and humble in her thoughts As was Aspasia unto Cyrus self, Yields thanks, and, next Lord Lacy, doth enshrine Edward the second secret in her heart. _P. Edw._ Gramercy, Peggy:--now that vows are past, And that your loves are not to be revolt,[208] Once, Lacy, friends again. Come, we will post To Oxford; for this day the king is there, And brings for Edward Castile Elinor. Peggy, I must go see and view my wife: I pray God I like her as I lovèd thee. Beside, Lord Lincoln, we shall hear dispute 'Twixt Friar Bacon and learn'd Vandermast. Peggy, we'll leave you for a week or two. _Mar._ As it please Lord Lacy: but love's foolish looks Think footsteps miles, and minutes to be hours. _Lacy._ I'll hasten, Peggy, to make short return.-- But please your honour go unto the lodge, We shall have butter, cheese, and venison; And yesterday I brought for Margaret A lusty bottle of neat claret-wine: Thus can we feast and entertain your grace. _P. Edw._ 'Tis cheer, Lord Lacy, for an Emperor, If he respect the person and the place: Come, let us in; for I will all this night Ride post until I come to Bacon's cell. [_Exeunt._ 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.