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at sundry times, to the great effusion of ⟨blood⟩ and often alteration of the constitution ⟨of⟩ governments; and if any thing might ⟨be⟩ contrived to prevent the like for the ⟨future⟩ they should thereby raise a lasting ⟨monument⟩ to their names.
Bacon upon this concluded to frame a he(illegible text) of brass; and if by their art, they ⟨could⟩ cause it to speak, and answer their ⟨demands⟩ they required that all the sea-girt shores ⟨of⟩ England and Wales should be walled ⟨with⟩ brass, and brazen towers be raised on ⟨the⟩ frontiers of Scotland, to hinder the ⟨incursions⟩ and rovings of the hardy Scots.
They laboured to do this by art, but ⟨could⟩ not; so they conjured up a spirit, to ⟨enquire⟩ of the infernal council, whether it 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, they should be answered.”
