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Aye, aye, and Time was for many other things; but what of that good Mr. Brazenface? I see my master has placed me here on a foolish account. I think I had as good go to sleep too, as stay watching here to no purpose.
While he thus scoffed and taunted, the head spoke a third time, and said, TIME IS PAST; and then with a horrible noise fell down and broke in pieces. On this ensued lamentable cries, lightning, flashes of fire, and rattling of thunder, which awakened the two Friars; in they came in great disorder, found Miles rolling on the floor in a stinking condition, almost dead with fear, and the head lying scattered in a thousand pieces about the room. Having brought him to his senses, they demanded how this came. Nay, said Miles, the Devil knows better than I, for when it fell it gave a bounce like a great cannon.—O, wretch, said Bacon, trifle not with my patience: did you hear it speak, varlet! answer to that—Why, truly, said Miles, it did speak, but it was very simply, considering how long you had been tutoring it; for I could have taught a jack-daw to have spoke better in two days; for it only said TIME IS.—O villain! said Bacon hadst thou called me then, all England had been walled with brass, to my immor-
