The Crown Prince has fallen in love with a young country lass, and
sends his best friend to find out if the young girl
cares for him, or
if his suit is in vain. The man he sends, however, falls in love with
her (Margaret, the Maid of Fassingfield, the Keeper's daughter). He
determines to marry her, rather than let her become the Prince's
concubine. Prince Edward has gone to see Friar Bacon, a great
magician,
and sees this in a magic glass. He is angry, but the lovers ask to die
rather than be parted. Edward takes the high ground, and blesses their
union. He takes Lacy to Oxford, and meets Elinor, the Spanish princess,
and decides to marry her. Lacy sends a letter and money to Margaret,
and says farewell, and she determines to becomes a nun. Two of the
local squires fight over her, and kill each other; then sons in Oxford
see this (through Friar Bacon's magic glass), and kill each other
duelling. Friar Bacon has won debates with a German master; he created
a brass head to help him with his magic, but his apprentice doesn't
wake him in time, and his work is ruined. He breaks his glass and
repents, determining to pray the rest of his life and to forego magic
and necromancy. Friar Bungay is a less successful magician, but does
not renounce magic. Meanwhile, Lacy goes back and tells Margaret that
he was just testing her fidelity, and she gives up all notion of the
nunnery, and the Prince and his friend are married on the same day to
Elinor and Margaret, respectively, and all ends happily.