Fam His 045

A book ornament featuring Roger Bacon's tutor, the local priest, and his father, "old Bacon", along with a historiated initial T."...young Bacon tooke his learning so fast, that the priest could not teach him any more, which made him desire his master that he would speak to his father to put him to Oxford, that he might not lose that little learning that hee had gained: his master was very willing so to doe: and one day meeting his father, told him, that he had received a great blessing of God, in that he had given him so wise and hopefull a child, as his sonne Roger Bacon was (for so was he named) and wished him withall to doe his duty, and to bring up so his child, that hee might show his thankfulnesse to God, which could not better be done then in making of him a scholler; for he found by his sodaine talking of his learning, that hee was a childe likely to prove a very great clerke: hereat old Bacon was not well pleased (for he desired to bring him up to plough and to the cart, as hee himselfe was brought) yet he for reverence sake to the priest, shewed not his anger, but kindly thanked him for his paines and counsell, yet desired him not to speake any more concerning that matter; for hee knew best what best pleased himselfe, and that he would doe..." (pp. 45-46).