Page:Famous history of the learned Friar Bacon (2).pdf/17

 might be done, or not. The ſpirit however was unwilling to anſwer till Friar Bacon threatened with his charms to bind him in chains in the Red-Sea, or to a burning rock, and make him the ſport of wrecking whirlwinds.

Terrified by this means, he ſaid, of himſelf he could give no anſwer, but muſt enquire of his lord Lucifer. They granted him two days for an anſwer, accordingly he returned this. "If they for two months would carefully watch the head, it ſhould in that time ſpeak, but the certain time ſhould not be known to them, and then if they did hear it, and made ſome demands, what they required ſhould be anſwered."

At this they much rejoiced, and watched by turns very carefully for ſix weeks, and no voice was uttered. At length tired out, and broken for want of their natural reſt, they concluded ſome other might watch as well as they, till they refreſhed themſelves in repoſe, and call them when the head began to ſpeak, which would be time enough; and becauſe this was a ſecret, they did not care for having it known till they ſaw what they could make of it. Bacon thereupon propoſed his man Miles, and Bungey approved of it; ſo they called Miles, told him the nature of the brazen head and what was intended, by giving him a ſtrict charge, on his life, to awake them as ſoon as ever he heard it ſpeak.