Page:Famous history of the learned Friar Bacon (2).pdf/4

 ſcholard, and conſequently a gentleman; for they all profeſs themſelves ſo, though never ſo beggarly, living lazily, and eating up the fat of other men's labours. Marry-gaup! Goodman Two-ſhoes, your great-grandfather, your grandfather, and I, have thought it no ſcorn to dig and delve; and pray what better are you than us? Here, ſirrah! Take this whip, and go with me to plough, or I'll ſo lace your fine ſcholardſhip, that you had better this had never been mentioned to me.

Young Bacon was much diſpleaſed, and highly grieved, but durſt not reply, knowing his father to be a very haſty, choleric old man; however, this ſort of living ſo little agreed with his ſprightly genious, that in a ſhort time he gave him the ſlip; and going to a monaſtery, and making his deſires known to the ſuperior, he kindly entertained him, and made him a brother of the Auguſtin friars. There he profited ſo much that in a few years he was ſent to Oxford to ſtudy at their charge; where he ſoon grew ſuch a proficient, that his fame ſoon ſpread, not only in the univerſity, but alſo over all England, and came to the ears King Edward the Third, who then reigned. And he taking a progreſs with his Queen and nobles, was deſirous to ſee him, and have an experiment of his art; ſo that being at a nobleman's houſe, within four miles of the city of Oxford, he ſent a gentleman