Fam His 055

A historiated initial F featuring Roger Bacon and Thomas Bungay at work over a furnace, forging their Brazen Head. Also, a border formed by flames rising from an incense censer.

"Fryer Bacon reading one day of the many conquests of England, bethought himselfe how he might keepe it hereafter from the like conquests, and so make himselfe famous hereafter to all posteries. This (after great study) hee found could be no way so well done as one; which was to make a head of brasse, and if he ould make this head to speake (and here it when it speakes) then might hee be able to wall all England about with brasse. To this purpose he got one Fryer Bungey to assist him, who was a great scholler and a magician, (but not to be compared to Fryer Bacon) these two with great study and paines so framed a head of brasse, that in the inward parts thereof there was all things like as in a naturall mans head: this being done, they were as farre from perfection of the worke as they were before..." (p. 55)