A DISCOURSE OF THE
MOST FAMOUS DR.
JOHN FAUSTUS,
OF WITTENBURG, IN
GERMANY, CONJURER AND NECROMANCER;
WHEREIN IS DECLARED
MANY STRANGE THINGS
THAT HIMSELF HAD
SEEN AND DONE IN
THE EARTH AND AIR,
WITH HIS
BRINGING UP, HIS
TRAVELS, STUDIES, AND LAST END.
THE FAMOUS HISTORY
OF
DOCTOR FAUSTUS.
CHAPTER I.
Of
his Parentage and Birth.
JOHN FAUSTUS, born
in the town of Rhodes, being in the province of Weimar, in Germany, his father
a poor husbandman, and not able well to bring him up, yet having an uncle at
Wittenburg, a rich man, and without issue, took this Faustus from his father,
and made him his heir, insomuch that his father was no more troubled with him,
for he remained with his uncle at Wittenburg, where he was kept at the
university in the same city, to study Divinity; but Faustus being of a naughty
mind, and otherwise addicted, played not his studies, but betook himself to
other exercises, which his uncle oftentimes hearing, rebuked him for it; as Eli
oftentimes rebuked his children for sinning against the Lord, even so this good
old man laboured to have Faustus apply his study to Divinity, that he might come
to the knowledge of God and his law. But it is manifest that many virtuous
parents have wicked children, as Cain, Reuben, Absolom, and such like, have
been to their parents. So Faustus having godly parents, who seeing him to be of
a toward Wit, were desirous to bring him up in those virtuous studies, namely,
of Divinity; but he gave himself secretly to necromancy, and conjuration,
insomuch that few or none could perceive his profession.
But to the purpose,
Faustus continued at study in the university, and was by the rectors, and
sixteen masters afterwards, examined how he had profited in his studies, and
being found by them, that none of his time were able to argue with him in
divinity, or for the excellency of his wisdom to compare with him, with one
consent they made him Doctor of Divinity. But Doctor Faustus, within short time
after he had obtained his degree, fell into such fantasies, and deep
cogitations, that he was mocked of many, and of the most part of the students
was called the Speculator, and sometimes he would throw the Scriptures from
him, as though he had no care of his former profession, so that he began a most
ungodly life, as hereafter more at large may appear, for the old proverb saith,
“Who can hold what will away?” So, who can hold Faustus from the devil, that
seeks after him with all his endeavours; for he accompanied himself with divers
that were seen in those devilish arts, and that had the Chaldean, Persian,
Hebrew, Arabian, and Greek tongues, using figures, characters, conjurations, incantations,
with many other ceremonies belonging to those infernal arts, as necromancy,
charms, soothsaying, witchcraft, enchantment, being delighted with their
books, words, and names so well, that he studied day and night therein,
insomuch that he could not abide to be called Doctor of Divinity, but waxed a
worldly man, and named himself an astrologian, and a mathematician, and for a
shadow sometimes a physician, and did great cures, namely with herbs, roots,
waters, drinks, receipts and glysters; and without doubt he was passing wise
and excellent perfect in Holy Scriptures. But he that knoweth his master’s
will, and doth it not, is worthy to be beaten with many stripes. It is written,
“No man can serve two masters, and thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.” But
Faustus threw all this in the wind, and made his soul of no estimation,
regarding more his worldly pleasures than the joys to come; therefore at the
day of judgment, there is no hope of his redemption.
CHAPTER II.
How Doctor Faustus began to practise
his devilish Art, and how he conjured the Devil, making him to appear,
and meet
him on the morrow-morning at his own House.
You have heard
before that all Faustus’s mind was to study the arts of necromancy and
conjuration, the which exercise he followed day and night, and taking to him
the wings of an eagle thought to fly over the whole world, and to know the
secrets of heaven and earth, for his speculation was so wonderful, being expert
in using his vocabula, figures, characters, conjuration, and other ceremonial
actions, that in all haste he put in practice to bring the devil before him,
and taking his way to a thick wood near to Wittenburg, called in the German
tongue, Spisser Holt, that is in English, the Spisser’s Wood, as Faustus would
oftentimes boast of it among the crew, being in jollity, he came into the Wood
one evening into the cross-way, where he made with a wand a circle in the dust,
and within that many more circles and characters; and thus he past away the
time until it was nine or ten of the clock in the night, then began Dr. Faustus
to call on Mephistophiles the Spirit, and to charge him in the name of
Belzebub, to appear there presently, without any long stay.
Then presently the
devil began so great a rumour in the wood, as if heaven and earth would have
come together, with wind, and the trees bowed their tops to the ground, then
fell the devil to roar, as if the whole wood had been full of lions, and
suddenly about the circle run the devil, as if a thousand waggons had been
running together on paved-stones. After this, at the four corners of the wood
it thundered horribly, with such lightning, as the whole world to his seeming
had been on fire. Faustus all this while, half amazed at the devil’s so long
tarrying, and doubting whether he were best to abide any more such horrible
conjurings, thought to leave his circle, and depart, whereupon the devil made
him such music of all sorts, as if the nymphs themselves had been in place:
whereat Faustus revived, and stood stoutly in his circle, expecting his
purpose, and began again to conjure the spirit Mephistophiles in the name of
the Prince of Devils, to appear in his likeness: whereat suddenly, over his
head hung hovering in the air a mighty dragon; then calls Faustus again after
his devilish manner, at which there was a monstrous cry in the wood, as if hell
had been open, and all the tormented souls cursing their condition.
Presently, not three fathoms above his head, fell a flame in
manner of lightning, and changed itself into a globe; yet Faustus feared it
not, but did persuade himself that the devil should give him his request before
he would leave. Oftentimes after to his companions he would boast that he had
the stoutest head under the cope of heaven at command. Whereat they answered,
They knew no stouter than the Pope or Emperor. But Dr. Faustus said, “The head
that is my servant, is above all upon earth;” and repeated certain words out of
St. Paul to the Ephesians, to make his argument good, “The Prince of the World
is upon earth and under heaven.” Well, let us come again to his conjuration,
where we left him at the fiery globe; Faustus, vexed at his spirit’s so long
tarrying, used his charms, with full purpose not to depart before he had his
intent; and crying on Mephistophiles the spirit, suddenly the globe opened, and
sprung up in the height of a man, so burning a time, in the end it converted to
the shape of a fiery man. This pleasant beast ran about the circle a great
while, and lastly appeared in the manner of a Gray Friar, asking Faustus what
was his request.
Faustus commanded,
that the next morning at twelve of the clock, he should appear to him at his
house; but the devil would in no wise grant it. Faustus began to conjure him
again, in the name of Belzebub, that he should fulfil his request; whereupon
the spirit agreed, and so they departed each on his way.
CHAPTER III.
The
Conference of Doctor Faustus, with his Spirit Mephistophiles, the
Morning
following at his own House.
DR. FAUSTUS, having
commanded the spirit to be with him, at his hour appointed, he came and
appeared in his chamber, demanding of Faustus what his desire was. Then began
Dr. Faustus anew with him, to conjure him, That he would be obedient unto him,
and to answer him certain articles, to fulfil them in all points:
1. That the spirit
would serve him, and be obedient unto him in all things that he asked of him,
from that hour until the hour of his death.
2. Further,
anything that he desired of him, he should bring him.
3. Also that in all
Faustus’s demands and interrogations, the spirit should tell him nothing but
that which was true.
Hereupon the spirit
answered, and laid his case forth, that he had no such power of himself until
he had first given his prince (that was ruler over him) to understand thereof,
and to know if he could obtain so much of his lord:
“Therefore speak
farther, that I may do thy whole desire to my prince; for it is not in my power
to fulfil without his leave.”
“Show me the cause
why?” said Faustus.
The spirit answered
Faustus: “Thou shalt understand, that with us it is even as well a kingdom as
with you on earth; yea, we have our rulers and servants, as I myself am one;
and we have our whole number the legion, for although that Lucifer is thrust
and fallen out of heaven, through his pride and high mind, vet he hath notwithstanding
a legion of devils at his command, that we call the Oriental Princes, for his
power is infinite; also there is a power in meridiem, in septentrion, in
accidente, and for that Lucifer hath his kingdom under heaven; we must change
and give ourselves to men, to serve them at their pleasure. It is also certain,
we have not as yet opened to any man the truth of our dwelling, neither of our
ruling, neither what our power is; neither have we given any man any gift, or
learned him anything, except he promise to be ours.”
Dr. Faustus upon
this arose where he sat, and said, “I will have my request, and yet I Will not
be damned.”
The spirit
answered: “Then shalt thou want thy desire, and yet art thou mine notwithstanding;
if any man would detain thee, it is but in vain, for thy infidelity hath confounded
thee.”
Hereupon spake
Faustus: “Get thee hence from me, and take St. Valentine’s farewell, and
Crisman with thee; yet I conjure thee, that thou be here at evening, and
bethink thyself of what I have asked thee; ask thy prince’s counsel therein.”
Mephistophiles the spirit, thus answered, vanished away,
leaving Faustus in his study, where he sat pondering with himself how he might
obtain his request of the devil, without the loss of his soul; yet he was fully
resolved in himself, rather than to want his pleasure, to do what the spirit
and his lord should condition upon.
CHAPTER IV.
The
second Time of the Spirit’s appearing to Faustus at his Rouse,
and
their Parley.
FAUSTUS continued
in his devilish cogitations, never moving out of the place where the spirit
left him, such was his fervent love to the devil; the night approaching, this
swift-flying spirit appeared to Faustus, offering himself with all submission
to his service, with full authority from his prince, to do whatsoever he would
request; if so be Faustus would promise to be his. “This answer I bring thee,
an answer must tho make by me again: yet I will hear what is thy desire,
because thou hast sworn to me to be here at this time.”
Dr Faustus gave him
this answer, though faintly for his soul’s sake, that his request was none
other, but to become a devil, or at least a limb of him, and that the spirit
should agree to these articles following:
1. That he might be
a spirit in shape and quality.
2. That
Mephistophiles should be his servant at his command.
3. That
Mephistophiles should bring him anything, and do for him whatsoever he desired.
4. That all times
he would be in the house invisible to all men, except only to himself, and at
his command to show himself.
5. That
Mephistophiles should at all times appear at his command, in what form or shape
soever he would.
Upon these points
the spirit answered Dr. Faustus. That all this should be granted him, and fulfilled,
and more if he would agree unto him upon certain articles as followeth:
1. That Dr. Faustus should give himself to the lord Lucifer,
body and soul.
2. For confirmation
of the same, he should make him a writing written in his own blood.
3. That he would be an enemy to all Christian people.
4. That he would
deny the Christian belief.
5. That he let not
any man change his opinion, if so be any man should go about to dissuade or
withdraw him from it.
Farther the spirit
promised Faustus to give him certain years to live in health and pleasure, and
when such years were expired, that then Faustus would be fetched away; and if
he would hold these articles and conditions, that then he should have
whatsoever his heart would wish or desire; and that Faustus should quickly
perceive himself to be a spirit in all manner of actions whatsoever. Hereupon
Dr. Faustus’s mind was inflamed, that he forgot his soul, and promises
Mephistophiles to hold all things as he mentioned them: he thought the devil
was not so black as they used to paint him, nor hell so hot as the people say.
CHAPTER V.
The
third Parley between Dr. Faustus and Mephistophiles about
a
Conclusion.
AFTER Dr. Faustus
had made his promise to the devil, in the morning betimes he called the spirit
before him, and commanded him, that he should always come to him like a friar,
after the order of St. Francis, with a bell in his hand like St. Anthony, and
to ring it once or twice before he appeared, that he might know of his certain
coming: then Faustus demanded of his spirit what was his name?
The spirit
answered, “My name is as thou sayest, Mephistophiles, and I am a prince, but a
servant to Lucifer, and all the circuit from septentrio to the meridian, I rule
under him.”
Even at these words
was this wicked wretch Faustus inflamed, to hear himself to have gotten so
great a potentate to serve him, forgetting the Lord his Maker, and Christ his
Redeemer, he became an enemy to all mankind; yea, worse than the giants, whom
the poets said to climb the hills to make war with the gods, not unlike the
enemy of God and Christ, that for his pride was cast into hell; So likewise
Faustus forgot, that high climbers catch the greatest falls, and sweet meats
have oft sourest sauce.
After a while Faustus promised Mephistophiles to write and
make his obligation with all assurance of the articles in the chapter before
rehearsed: a pitiful case, Christian reader, for certainly this letter or
obligation was fond in his house, after his most lamentable end, with all the
rest of his damnable practices used in his whole life.
Wherefore I wish all Christians to take example by this
wicked doctor, and to be comforted in Christ, concerning themselves with that
vocation whereunto it has pleased God to call them, and not so esteem the vain
delights of this life as did this unhappy Faustus in giving his soul to the
devil: and to confirm it the more assuredly, he took a small penknife, and
pricked a vein in his left hand, and for certainty thereupon were seen on his
hand these words written, as if they had been written in his own blood, O HOMO
FUGE; Whereat the spirit vanished, but Faustus continued in his damnable mind.
CHAPTER VI.
How
Dr. Faustus set his Blood in a Saucer on warm Ashes, and
writ
as followeth:
I, John Faustus, doctor, do openly acknowledge with mine own Band, to
the great force and strengthening of this letter, that since I began to study,
and speculate the course and nature of the elements, I have not found, through
the gift that is given me from above, any such learning and wisdom that can
bring me to my desire, and for that I find that men are unable to instruct me
any farther in the matter; now have I, Dr. Faustus, to the hellish prince of
Orient, and his messenger Mephistophiles, given both body and soul, upon such conditions,
that they shall learn me, and fulfil my desires in all things, as they have
promised and vowed unto me, with due obedience unto me, according to the
articles mentioned between us.
Farther, I do covenant and grant with them by these presents, that at the end of twenty-four years next
ensuing, the date of this present letter, they being expired, and I in the mean
time, during the said years, be served of them at my will, they accomplishing
my desires to the full in all points as we are agreed: that then I give to them
all power to do with me al their pleasure, to rule, to send, fetch or carry me
or mine, be it either body, soul, flesh, blood or goods, into their habitation,
be it wheresoever: and hereupon I defy God and his Christ, all the Host of Heaven,
and all living creatures that bear the shape of God; yea, all that live: And
again I say it, and it shall he so, and to the more strengthening of this
writing, I have written it with my own hand and blood, being in perfect memory:
and hereupon I subscribe to it with my name and title, calling all the
infernal, middle, and supreme powers to witness of this my letter and
subscription.
John
Faustus,
Approved in the elements, and the spiritual doctor.
CHAPTER VII.
How Mephistophiles came for his
Writing, and in what manner he appeared, and his Sights he showed him;
and how
he caused him to keep a Copy of his own Writing.
DR. FAUSTUS sitting
pensive, having but one only boy with him, suddenly there appeared his spirit
Mephistophiles in likeness of a very man, from whom issued most horrible fiery
flames, insomuch that the boy was afraid, but being hardened by his master, he
bid him stand Still, and he should have no harm: this spirit began to bleat as
in a singing manner. This pretty sport pleased Dr. Faustus well; but he would
not call his spirit into his counting-house until he had seen more. Anon was
heard a rushing of armed men, and trampling of horses; this ceasing, came a
kennel of hounds, and they chased a great hart in the hall, and there the hart was
slain. Faustus took heart, came forth and looked upon the hart, but presently
before him there was a lion and a dragon together, fighting so fiercely, that
Faustus thought they would have thrown down the house; but the dragon overcame
the lion, and so they vanished. After this came in a peacock and peahen; the
cock, bruising of his tail, turning to the female, beat her, and so vanished.
Afterward followed a furious bull, that with a full fierceness ran upon
Faustus, but coming near him vanished away. Afterward followed a great old ape;
this ape offered Faustus the hand, but he refused; so the ape ran out of the
hall again. Hereupon fell a mist in the hall, that Faustus saw no light, but it
lasted not; and so soon as it was gone, there lay before Faustus two great
sacks, one full of gold, another of silver.
Lastly, was heard by Faustus all manner of instruments of
music, as organs, clarigolds, lutes, viols, citterns, waits, hornpipes, flutes,
anomes, harps, and all manner of other instruments, which so ravished his mind,
that he thought he had been in another world, forgot both body and soul,
insomuch that he was minded never to change his opinion concerning that which
he had done.
Hereat came
Mephistophiles into the hall to Faustus, in apparel like unto a friar, to whom
Faustus spake: “Thou hast done me a wonderful pleasure in showing me this
pastime; if thou continue as thou hast begun, thou shalt win my heart and soul,
yea, and have it.”
Mephistophiles
answered: “This is nothing; I will please thee better; yea, that thou mayst
know my power on all, ask What request thou wilt of me, that shalt thou have,
conditionally hold thy promise, and give me thy handwriting.” At which words
the wretch thrust forth his hand, saying, “Hold thee, there hast thou my
promise.”
Mephistophiles took the writing and willed Faustus to take a
copy of it. With that the perverse Faustus being resolute in his damnation,
wrote a copy thereof, and gave the devil the one, and kept in store the other.
Thus the spirit and Faustus were agreed, and dwelt together; no doubt there was
a virtuous house-keeping.
CHAPTER VIII.
The
manner how Faustus proceeded in this damnable Life, and of
the
diligent Service that Mephistophiles used towards him.
DR. FAUSTUS having
given his soul to the devil, renouncing all the powers of heaven, confirming
all his lamentable action with his own blood, and having already delivered his
writing now into the devil’s hand, the which so puffed up his heart, that he
forgot the mind of a man, and thought himself to be a spirit.
Thus Faustus dwelt
at his uncle’s house at Wittenburg, who died, and bequeathed it in his
testament to his cousin Faustus.
Faustus kept a boy
with him, that was his scholar, an unhappy wag, called Christopher Wagner, to
whom this sport and life that he saw his master followed, seemed pleasant.
Faustus loved the boy well, hoping to make him as good or better seen in his
hellish exercises than himself, and he was fellow with Mephistophiles.
Otherwise Faustus had no company in his house but himself and boy, and spirit
that ever was diligent at Faustus’s command, going about the house, clothed
like a friar, with a little bell in his hand, seen of none but Faustus.
For victuals and other necessaries, Mephistophiles brought
him at his pleasure, from the Duke of Saxony, the Duke of Bavaria, and the
Bishop of Salisburg; and they had many times their best wine stolen out of
their cellars by Mephistophiles, likewise their provisions for their own table.
Such meat as Faustus wished for, his spirit brought him in. Besides that,
Faustus himself was become so cunning, that when he opened his window, what
fowl soever he wished for, it came presently flying into the house, were it
never so dainty. Moreover, Faustus and his boy went in sumptuous apparel, the
which Mephistophiles stole from the mercers at Norenburg, Aspurg, Franckford,
and Tipzig; for it was hard for them to find a lock to keep out such a thief.
All their maintenance was but stolen and borrowed ware; and thus they lived an
odious life in the sight of God, though as yet the world were unacquainted with
their wickedness. It must be so, for their fruits be none other, as Christ
saith in John, where he calls the devil a thief and murderer; and that found
Faustus, for he stole him away both body and soul.
CHAPTER IX.
How
Dr. Faustus would have married, and how the Devil had
almost
killed him for it.
DR. FAUSTUS continued thus in this epicurish life day and
night, believed not that there was a God, hell, or devil: he thought that soul
and body died together, and had quite forgot divinity, or the immortality of
the soul, but stood in that damnable heresy day and night, and bethinking
himself of a wife, called Mephistophiles to council: which would in no case
agree, demanding of him if he would break the covenant made with him, or if he
had forgot it. “Hast thou,” quoth Mephistophiles, “sworn thyself an enemy to
God and to all creatures? To this I answer thee, Thou canst not marry, thou
canst not serve two masters, God and my prince; for wedlock is a chief
institution ordained of God, and that thou hast promised to defy as we do all,
and that hast thou not only done, but moreover thou hast confirmed it with thy
blood, persuade thyself that what thou dost in contempt of wedlock, it is all
to thy own delight. Therefore, Faustus, look well about thee, and bethink
thyself better, and I wish thee to change thy mind, for if thou keep not what
thou hast promised in thy writing, we will tear thee in pieces like the dust
under thy feet. Therefore, sweet Faustus, think with what unquiet life, anger,
strife, and debate thou shalt live in when thou takest a wife. Therefore change
thy mind.”
Dr. Faustus was
with these speeches in despair; and as all that have forsaken the Lord can
build upon no good foundation, so this wretched doctor having forsook the
rock, fell into despair with himself, fearing, if he should motion matrimony
any more, that the devil should tear him in pieces. “For this time,” quoth he
to Mephistophiles, “I am not minded to marry.” “Then dost thou well,” answered
his spirit.
But within two hours after Faustus called again to his
spirit, who came in his old manner like a friar. Then Faustus said unto him, “I
am not able to resist or bridle my fancy; I must and will have a wife, and I
pray thee give thy consent to it.” Suddenly upon these words came such a
whirlwind about the place that Faustus thought the whole house would have come
down; all the doors of the house flew off the hooks. After all this his house
was full of smoke, and the floor covered with ashes; which, when Dr. Faustus
perceived, he would have gone upstairs, and flying up he was taken and thrown
down into the hall, that he was not able to stir hand nor foot; then round
about him ran a monstrous circle of fire, never standing still, that Faustus
cried as he lay, and thought there to have been burned. Then cried he out to
his spirit Mephistophiles for help, promising him he would live, for all this,
as he had vowed by his handwriting. Hereupon appeared unto him an ugly devil,
so dreadful and monstrous to behold, that Faustus durst not look on him. The
devil said, “What wouldst thou have, Faustus? How likest thou thy wedding? What
mind art thou in now?” Faustus answered, he had forgot his promise, desiring of
him pardon, and he would talk no more of such things. “Thou art best so to do;”
and so vanished from him.
After appeared unto
him his friar Mephistophiles, with a bell in his hand, and spake to Faustus:
“It is no jesting with us; hold thou that which thou hast vowed, and we will
perform that which we have promised; and more than that, thou shalt have thy
heart’s desire of what woman soever thou wilt, be she alive or dead, and so
long as thou wilt thou shalt keep her by thee.” These words pleased Faustus
wonderful well, and repented himself that he was so foolish to wish himself
married, that might have any woman in the whole city brought him at his
command, the which he practised and persevered in a long time.
CHAPTER X.
Questions put forth by Dr. Faustus
unto his Spirit Mephistophiles.
DR. FAUSTUS living
in all manner of pleasure that his heart could desire, continuing of his
amorous drifts, his delicate fare, and costly apparel, called on a time his
Mephistophiles to him, who being come, brought him a book in his hand of all
manner of devilish and enchanting arts, the which he gave Faustus, saying,
“Hold, my Faustus; work now thy heart’s desire.” The copy of this enchanting
book was afterwards found by his servant Christopher Wagner. “Well,” quoth
Faustus to his spirit, I have called thee to know what thou canst do if I have
need of thy help.”
Then answered
Mephistophiles, and said, “My lord Faustus, I am a flying spirit, yea, so swift
as thought can think, to do whatsoever.”
Here Faustus said,
“But how came lord and master Lucifer to have so great a fall from heaven?”
Mephistophiles answered: “My lord Lucifer was a fair angel,
created of God as immortal, and being placed in the Seraphims, which are above
the Cherubims, he would have presumed upon the Throne of God, with intent to thrust
God out of his seat; upon this presumption the Lord cast him down headlong, and
where before he was an angel of light, now dwells in darkness, not able to come
near his first place, without God send for him to appear before him; as
Raphael, unto the lower degree of angels, that have their conversation with
men, he may come, but not unto the second degree of the heavens, that is kept
by the archangels, namely, Michael and Gabriel, for these are called Angels of
God’s wonders; these are far inferior places to that from whence my lord and
master Lucifer fell; and thus far, Faustus, because thou art one of the beloved
children of the lord Lucifer, following thy mind in manner as he did his, I
have shortly resolved thy request, and more I will do for thee at thy
pleasure.”
“I thank thee,
Mephistophiles,” quoth Faustus, “come, let us now go to rest, for it is night;
“upon this they left their communication.
CHAPTER XI.
How Dr. Faustus dreamed that he had
seen Hell in his Sleep, and how he questioned with the Spirit of matters
concerning Hell, with the Spirit’s answer.
THE night following
after Faustus’s communication with Mephistophiles, as concerning the fall of
Lucifer, Dr. Faustus dreamed that he had seen a part of hell, but in what
manner it was, or in what place, he knew not, whereby he was much troubled in
mind, and called unto him Mephistophiles his spirit, saying unto him, “I pray
thee resolve me in this doubt: What is hell? What substance is it of? In what
place stands it? And when was it made?”
Mephistophiles
answered: “Faustus, thou shalt know, that before the fall of my lord Lucifer
there was no hell, but even then was hell ordained. It is no substance, but a
confused thing; for I tell thee, that before all elements were made, or the
earth seen, the spirit of God moved upon the waters, and darkness was over all;
but when God said, ‘Let there be light,’ it was at his word, and the light was
on God’s right hand, and he praised the light. Judge thou farther, God stood in
the middle, the darkness was on his left hand, in the which my Lord was bound
in chains until the day of judgment. In this confused hell is nought to find
but a sulphurish fire, and stinking mist or fog. Farther, we devils know not
what substance it is of, but a confused thing; for as the bubble of water
flieth before the wind, so doth hell before the breath of God. Moreover, the
devils know not how God hath laid the foundation of our hell, nor where it is;
but to be short, Faustus, we know that hell hath neither bottom nor end.”
CHAPTER XII.
The second Question put forth by Dr.
Faustus to his Spirit, what Kingdoms were in Hell, how many, and what were the
Rulers’ names.
FAUSTUS spake again
to his spirit, saying, “Thou speakest of wonderful things: I pray thee now tell
me what kingdoms are there in your hell? How many are there? What they are
called? And who rules them?”
The spirit answered him: “My Faustus, know that hell is, as
thou wouldst think with thyself, another world, in the which we have our being
under the earth, even to the heavens; within the circumference whereof are
contained ten kingdoms, namely, 1. Lacus Mortis. 2. Stagnum Ignis. 3. Terra
Tenebrosa. 4. Tartarus. 5. Terra Oblivionis. 6. Gehenna. 7. Erebus. 8.
Barathrum. 9. Styx. 10. Acheron. The which kingdoms are governed by five kings,
that is, Lucifer in the Orient, Belzebub in Septentrio, Belial in Meredie,
Ascheroth in the Occident, and Phlegeton in the midst of them all; whose rules
and dominions have no end until the day of doom; and thus far, Faustus, hast
thou heard of our rule and kingdom.
CHAPTER XIII.
Another
Question put forth by Dr. Faustus to his Spirit, concerning his
Lord
Lucifer, with the sorrow that Faustus fell afterwards into.
DR. FAUSTUS began
again to reason with Mephistophiles, requiring him to tell in what form and
shape, and in what estimation his lord Lucifer was, when he was in favour with
God.
Whereupon his
spirit required of him three days’ respite, which Faustus granted.
The three days
being expired, Mephistophiles gave him this answer: “Faustus, my lord Lucifer
(so called now for that he was banished out of the clear light of heaven) was
at the first an angel of God, yea, he was so of God ordained for shape, pomp,
authority, worthiness, and dwelling, that he far exceeded all the other creatures
of God, yea, or gold and precious stones; and so illuminated that he far surpassed
the brightness of the sun, and all other stars where God placed him on the
cherubims; he had a kingly Office, and was always before God’s seat, to the end
he might be the more perfect in all his being; but when he began to be
high-minded, proud, and so presumptuous, that he would usurp the seat of God’s
Majesty, then was he banished out from amongst the heavenly powers, separated
from their abiding, into the manner of a fiery stone, that no water is able to
quench, but continually burneth until the end of the world.”
Dr. Faustus, when
he had heard the words of his spirit, began to ponder with himself, having
divers and sundry opinions in his head, and very pensively, saying nothing to
his spirit, he went into his chamber and laid him on his bed, recording the
words of Mephistophiles, which so pierced his heart that he fell into sighing
and great lamentation, crying out, “Alas! Ah, woe is me! What have I done? Even
so shall it come to pass with me: am I not also a creature of God’s making,
bearing his own image and similitude, into whom he hath breathed the spirit of
life and immortality, unto whom he bath made all things living subject; but woe
is me! My haughty mind, proud aspiring stomach, and filthy flesh, hath brought
my soul into perpetual damnation, yea, pride hath abused my under-. standing,
insomuch that I have forgot my Maker, the Spirit of God is departed from me; I
have promised the devil my soul, and therefore it is but a folly for me to hope
for grace, but it must be even with me as with Lucifer, thrown into perpetual
burning fire: ah! woe is me that ever I was born.”
In this perplexity lay this miserable Dr. Faustus, having
quite forgot his faith in Christ, never falling to repentance truly, thereby to
attain the grace and holy Spirit of God again, the which would have been able
to have resisted the strong assaults of Satan; for although he had made him a
promise, yet he might have remembered, through true repentance sinners may once
come again into the favour of God, which faith the faithful firmly hold,
knowing they that kill the body are not able to hurt the soul; but he was in
all his opinions doubtful, without faith or hope, and so he continued.
CHAPTER XIV.
Another
disputation betwixt Dr. Faustus and his Spirit, of the Power
of
the Devil, and his Envy to Mankind.
AFTER Faustus had a
while pondered and sorrowed with himself on his wretched estate, he called
again Mephistophiles unto him, commanding him to tell him the judgment, rule,
power, attempts, tyranny, and temptation of the devil; and why he was moved to
such kind of living?
Whereupon the
spirit answered to this question: “That thou demandest of me will turn thee to
no small discontentment; therefore thou shouldst not have desired of me such
matters, for it toucheth the secrets of our kingdom, although I cannot deny to
resolve thy request: therefore know, Faustus, that so soon as my lord Lucifer
fell from Heaven, he became mortal enemy both to God and man, and hath used, as
now he doth, all manner of tyranny to the destruction of man, as is manifested
by divers examples: one falling suddenly dead, another hangs himself, another
drowns himself, others stab themselves, others unlawfully despair, and so come
to utter confusion. The first Adam, that was made perfect to the similitude of
God, was by my lord’s policy the whole decay of man; yea, Faustus, in him was
the beginning and first tyranny of my lord Lucifer to man. The like did he with
Cain; the same with the children of Israel when they worshipped strange gods,
and fell to whoredom with strange women; the like with Saul; so did he by the
seven husbands of her that after was the wife of Tobias; likewise Dagon, our
fellow, brought to destruction fifty thousand men, whereupon the ark of God was
stolen, and Belial made David to number his men, whereupon were slain sixty
thousand. Also he deceived King Solomon, that worshipped the gods of the
heathen: and there are such spirits innumerable, that can come by men, and
tempt them, and drive them to sin, and weaken their belief; for we rule the
hearts of kings and princes, stirring them up to war and bloodshed, and to this
intent do we spread ourselves through all the world, as the utter enemies of
God and his Son Christ — yea, and all that worship them, and that thou knowest
by thyself, Faustus. How have we dealt by thee?”
To this said
Faustus: “Then thou didst also beguile me?”
“I did what I could
to help thee forward, for as soon as I saw how thy heart did despise thy degree
taken in divinity, and didst study to search and know the secrets of our
kingdom, then did I enter into thee, giving thee divers foul and filthy
cogitations, pricking thee forward in thy intent, persuading thee thou couldst
never attain to thy desire till thou hadst the help of some devil; and when
thou wast delighted in this, then took I root in thee, and so firmly, that thou
gayest thyself to us both body and soul, which thou canst not deny.”
Hereat answered
Faustus: “Thou sayest true; I cannot deny it. Ah, woe is me, most miserable
Faustus! How have I been deceived! Had I not had a desire to know too much, I
had not been in this case; for having studied the lives of the holy saints and
prophets, and thereby thought to understand sufficient heavenly matters, I
thought myself not worthy to be called Dr. Faustus if I should not also know
the secrets of hell, and be associated with the furious fiends thereof; now,
therefore, must I be rewarded accordingly.”
Which speeches being uttered, Faustus went very sorrowful
away from his spirit
.
How Dr. Faustus desired again of his
Spirit, to know the Secrets and Pains of Hell; and whether those damned Devils,
and their Company, might ever come to the Favour and Love of God again.
DR. FAUSTUS was
pondering with himself how he might get loose from so damnable an end as he had
given himself unto, both soul and body; but his repenting was like that of Cain
and Judas — he thought his sin greater than God could forgive; hereupon resting
his mind, he looked up to heaven, but saw nothing therein, for his heart was so
possessed of the devil that he could think of nought else but of hell and the
pains thereof.
Wherefore in all
haste he called unto him his spirit Mephistophiles, desiring him to tell him
some more of the secrets of hell; what pain the damned are in, and how they
were tormented; and whether the damned souls might get again the favour of God,
and so be released out of their torments or not.
Whereupon the
spirit answered: My Faustus, thou mayst well leave to question any more of such
matters, for they will but disquiet thy mind; I pray thee, what meanest thou,
thinkest thou through these thy fantasies to escape us? No, for if thou
shouldst climb up to heaven, there to hide thyself, yet would I thrust thee
down again; for thou art mine, and thou belongest to our society. Therefore,
sweet Faustus, thou wilt repent this thy foolish demand, except thou be content
that I shall tell thee nothing.”
Quoth Faustus,
ragingly: “I will know, or I will not live, wherefore dispatch and tell me.”
To whom
Mephistophiles answered: “Faustus, it is no trouble unto me at all to tell
thee; and therefore since thou forcest me thereto, I will tell thee things to
the terror of thy Soul, if thou wilt abide the hearing: thou wilt have me to
tell thee of the secrets of hell, and of the pains thereof. Know, Faustus, that
hell hath many figures, semblances, and names; but it cannot be named or
figured in such sort to the living that are damned, as it is to those that are
dead, and do both see and feel the torments thereof: for hell is said to be
deadly, out of which came never any to life again hut one, but he is nothing
for thee to reckon upon; hell is bloodthirsty, and is never satisfied: hell is
a valley into which the damned souls fall; for so soon as the soul is out of
man’s body, it would gladly go to the place from whence it came, and climbeth
up above the highest hills, even to the heavens, where being by the angels of
the first model denied entertainment (in consideration of their evil life spent
on earth), they fall into the deepest pit or valley, that hath no bottom, into
a perpetual fire which shall never be quenched; for like as the flint thrown in
the water loseth not virtue, neither is the fire extinguished, even so the
hellish fire is unquenchable: and even as the flint stone in the fire burns red
hot, and consumeth not, so likewise the damned souls in our hellish fire are
ever burning, but their pain never diminishing. Therefore is hell called the everlasting
pain, in which is never hope for mercy; so it is called utter darkness, in
which we see neither the light, the sun, moon, nor stars; and were our darkness
like the darkness of night, yet were there hope of mercy: but ours is
perpetual darkness, clean exempt from the face of God. Hell hath also a place
within it, called Chasma, out of which issueth all manner of thunders and
lightnings, with such shriekings and wailings, that oftentimes the very devils
themselves stand in fear thereof; for one while it sendeth forth wind, with
exceeding snow, hail, and rain, congealing the water into ice, with the which
the damned are frozen, gnash their teeth, howl, and cry, yet cannot die. Other
whiles, it sendeth forth most horrible hot mists, or fogs, with flashing of
flames of fire and brimstone, wherein the sorrowful souls of the damned lie
broiling in their reiterated torments. Yea, Faustus, hell is called a prison,
wherein the damned lie continually bound; it is called Pernicies and Exitium,
death, destruction, hurtfulness, mischief, a mischance, a pitiful and evil
thing, world without end. We have also with us in hell a ladder, reaching of
exceeding height, as though the top of the same would touch the heaven, to
which the damned ascend to seek the blessing of God, but through their
infidelity, when they are at very highest degree, they fall down again into
their former miseries, complaining of the heat of that unquenchable fire; yea,
sweet Faustus, so much understand thou of hell, the while thou art desirous to
know the secrets of our kingdom. And mark, Faustus, hell is the nurse of death,
the heat of fire, the shadow of heaven and earth, the oblivion of all goodness;
the pains unspeakable, the griefs unremovable, the dwelling of the devils.
Dragons, serpents, adders, toads, crocodiles, and all manner of venomous and
noisome creatures; the puddle of sin, the stinking far ascending from the
Stygian lake, brimstone, pitch, and all manner of unclean metals, the perpetual
and unquenchable fire, the end of whose miseries was never purposed by God.
Yea, yea, Faustus, thou sayest I shall, I must, nay, I will tell thee the
secrets of our kingdom, for thou buyest it dearly, and thou must and shalt be
partaker of our torments, that, as the Lord said, shall never cease, for hell,
the woman’s belly, and the earth, are never satisfied; there shalt thou abide
horrible torments, howling, crying, burning, freezing, melting, swimming in a
labyrinth of miseries, scolding, smoking in thine eyes, stinking in thy nose,
hoarseness in thy speech, deafness in thy ears, trembling in thy hands, biting
thine own tongue with pain, thy heart crushed as with a press, thy bones
broken, the devils tossing firebrands unto thee: yea, thy whole carcass tossed
upon muck-forks from one devil to another; yea, Faustus, then wilt thou wish
for death, and he will fly from thee, thine unspeakable torments shall be every
day augmented more and more, for the greater the sin the greater is the
punishment. How likest thou this, my Faustus? A resolution answerable to thy
request.
“Lastly, Thou wilt
have me tell thee that which only belongeth to God, which is, if it be possible
for the damned to come again into the favour of God, or not. Why, Faustus, thou
knowest that this is against thy promise; for why shouldst thou desire to know
that having already given thy soul to the devil, to have the pleasure of the
world, and to know the secrets of hell; therefore thou art damned, and how
canst thou then come again to the favour of God?
Wherefore I
discreetly answer, no; for whomsoever God bath forsaken and thrown into hell
must there abide his wrath and indignation in that unquenchable fire, where is
no hope of mercy to be looked for, but abiding his perpetual pains, world
without end: for even as much it availeth thee, Faustus, to hope for the favour
of God again as Lucifer himself; who indeed, although he and we have a hope,
yet it is to small avail and taketh none effect, for out of that place God will
neither hear crying nor singing; if he do, thou shalt have a little remorse, as
Dives, Cain, and Judas had. What helpeth the emperor, king, prince, duke, earl,
baron, lord, knight, esquire, or gentleman, to cry for mercy being there?
Nothing; for if on earth they would not be tyrants and self-willed, rich with
covetousness, proud with pomp, gluttons, drunkards, whoremongers, backbiters,
robbers, murderers, blasphemers, and such like, then were there some hope to be
looked for; therefore, my Faustus, as thou comest to hell with these qualities
thou mayst say with Cain,
My sins are greater than can be forgiven;’ go hang thyself
with Judas; and lastly, be contented to suffer torments with Dives. Therefore
know, Faustus, that the damned have neither end nor time appointed in the which
they may hope to be released; for if there were any such hope that they, by
throwing one drop of water out of the sea in a day until it were dry, or there
were one heap of sand as high as from the earth to the heavens, that a bird
carrying away but one corn in a day, at the end of this so long labour, that
yet they might hope at the last God would have mercy on them, they would be
comforted; but now there is no hope that God once thinks upon them, or that
their howling shall ever be heard; yea, so impossible it is for thee to hide
thyself from God, as it is impossible for thee to remove the mountains, or to
empty the sea, or to tell the drops of rain that have fallen from heaven until
this day, or to tell what there is most of in the world; yea, and as for a
camel to go through the eye of a needle, even so impossible it is for thee,
Faustus, and the rest of the damned, to come again into the favour of God. And
thus, Faustus, hast thou heard my last sentence, and I pray thee, how dost thou
like it? But know this, that I counsel thee to let me be unmolested hereafter
with such disputations, or else will I vex thee every limb to thy small
contentment.”
Dr. Faustus parted from his spirit very pensive and
sorrowful, laying him on his bed, altogether doubtful of the grace and favour
of God, wherefore he fell into fantastical cogitations. Fain he would have had
his soul at liberty again, but the devil had so blinded him, and had taken such
deep root in his heart, that he could never think to crave God’s mercy; or, if
by chance he had any good motion, straightways the devil would thrust in a fair
lady into his chamber, which fell to kissing and dalliance with him, through
which means he threw the godly motions in the wind, going forward still in his
wicked practice, to the utter ruin both of body and soul.
CHAPTER XVI.
Another
Question put forth by Dr. Faustus to his Spirit .Mephistophiles
of
his own Estate.
DR. FAUSTUS being
yet desirous to hear more strange things, called his spirit unto him, saying,
“My Mephistophiles, I have yet another suit unto thee, which I pray thee deny
me not to resolve me of.”
“Faustus,” quoth
the spirit, “I am loth to reason with thee any further, for thou art never
satisfied in thy mind, but always bringest me a new.”
“Yet, I pray thee,
this once,” quoth Faustus, “do me so much favour as to tell me the truth in
this matter, and hereafter I will be no more so earnest with thee.”
The spirit was
altogether against it; but yet once more he would abide him. “Well,” said the
spirit to Faustus, “what demandest thou of me.”
Faustus said, “I
would gladly know of thee if thou wert a man in manner and form as I am, what
wouldst thou do to please both God and man?”
Whereat the spirit
smiled, saying, “My Faustus, if I was a man as thou art, and that God had
adorned me with those gifts of nature which thou once hadst, even so long as
the breath of God were by and within me, would I humble myself unto his
majesty, endeavouring all that I could to keep his commandments, praise him and
glorify him, that I might continue in his favour, so were I sure to enjoy the
eternal joy and felicity of his kingdom.”
Faustus said, “But
that I have not done.”
“No, thou sayest
truth,” quoth Mephistophiles, “thou hast not done it; but thou hast denied the
Lord thy Maker which gave thee the breath of life, speech, hearing, sight, and
all other thy reasonable senses, that thou mightest understand his will and
pleasure, to live to the glory and honour of his name, and to the advancement
of thy body and soul. Him, I say, being thy Maker, hast thou denied and defied;
yea, wickedly hast thou applied that excellent gift of understanding, and given
thy soul to the devil; therefore give none the blame but thine own self-will,
thy proud and aspiring mind, which hath brought thee unto the wrath of God and
utter damnation.”
“This is most
true,” quoth Faustus; “but tell me, Mephistophiles, would thou be in my case as
I am now?”
“Yea,” saith the
spirit (and with that fetched a great sigh), “for yet I would so humble myself
that I would win the favour of God.”
“Then,” said Dr.
Faustus, “it were time enough for me if I amended.”
“True,” said Mephistophiles, “if it were not for thy great
sins, which are so odious and detestable in the sight of God, that it is too
late for thee, for the wrath of God resteth upon thee.”
“Leave off,” quoth
Faustus, “and tell me my question to my greater comfort.”
CHAPTER XVII.
HERE FOLLOWETH THE
SECOND PART OF DR. FAUSTUS HlS
LlFE AND PRACTICES,
UNTIL HIS END.
DR. FAUSTUS having received denial of his spirit to be
resolved any more in such questions propounded, forgot all good works, and fell
to be a calendar-maker by the help of his spirit, and also in short time to be
a good astronomer or astrologian. He had learned so perfectly of his spirit the
course of the sun, moon, and stars, that he had the most famous name of all the
mathematicians that lived in his time, as may well appear by his works
dedicated unto sundry dukes and lords, for he did nothing without the advice of
his spirit, which learned him to presage of matters to come, which have come to
pass since his death. The like praise won he with his calendars and almanack-making;
for when he presaged of anything, operations, and alterations of the weather or
elements, as wind, rain, fogs, snow, hail, moist, dry, warm, cold, thunder, lightning,
it fell so duly out, as if an angel of heaven had forewarned it. He did not,
like the unskilful astronomers in our time, that set in winter, cold moist air,
frosty, and in the dog days, hot, dry, thunder, fire, and such like; but he set
in all his works the day and hour, when, where, and how it should happen. If
any wonderful things were at hand, as mortality, famine, plague, wars, he would
set the time and place, in true and just order, when it would come to pass.
CHAPTER XVIII.
A Question put forth by Dr. Faustus
to his Spirit, concerning Astronomy.
NOW Faustus falling
to practice, and making his prognostications, he was doubtful in many points,
wherefore he called unto him Mephistophiles his spirit, saying, “I find the
ground of the science very difficult to attain unto; for when that I confer
Astronomia and Astrologia, as the mathematicians and ancient writers have left
in memory, I find them vary, and very much to disagree; wherefore I pray thee
to teach me the truth of this matter.”
To whom his spirit answered: “Faustus, thou shalt know that
the practitioners or speculators, or at least the first inventors of these
arts, have done nothing of themselves certain, whereupon thou mayst attain to
the true prognosticating or presaging of things concerning the heavens, or of
the influence of the planets; for if by chance some one mathematician or
astronomer have left behind him anything worthy of memory, they have so blinded
it with enigmatical words, blind characters, and such obscure figures, that it
is impossible for any earthly man to attain the knowledge thereof without the
aid of some spirits, or else the special gift of God, for such as are the
hidden works of God from men, yet do we spirits, that fly and fleet all
elements, know such; and there is nothing to be clone, or by the heavens
portended, but we know it, except only the day of doom. Wherefore, Faustus,
learn of me: I will teach thee the course and re-course of the planets, the
cause of winter and summer, the exaltation and declination of the sun, and
eclipse of the moon, the distance and height of the poles and every fixed star,
the nature and opposition of the elements — fire, air, water, and earth — and
all that is contained in them; yea, herein there is nothing hidden from me, but
only the filthy essence which once thou hadst, Faustus, at liberty, but now
thou hast lost it past recovery; therefore, leaving that which will not be
again had, learn now of me to make thunder, lightning, hail, snow, and rain;
the clouds to rend the earth; and craggy rocks to shake and split in sunder;
the seas to swell and roar, and overrun their marks. Knowest thou not that the
deeper the sun shines the hotter it pierces; so the more thy art is famous
whilst thou art here, the greater shall be thy name when thou art gone. Knowest
thou not that the earth is frozen, cold, and dry; the water running, cold and
moist; the air flying, hot and moist; the fire consuming, hot and dry: yea,
Faustus, so must thy heart be inflamed like the fire to mount on high. Learn, Faustus,
to fly like myself, as swift as thought from one kingdom to another: to sit at
princes’ tables, to eat their dainty fare, to have thy pleasure of their
ladies, wives, and concubines; to use all their jewels and costly robes as
things belonging unto thee, and not unto them. Learn of me, Faustus, to run
through walls, doors, and gates of stone and iron; to creep into the earth like
a worm, or swim in the water like a fish; to fly in the air like a bird, and to
live and nourish thyself in the fire like a salamander: so shalt thou be
famous, renowned, far spoken of, and extolled for thy skill; going on knives
not hurting thy feet, carrying fire in thy bosom and not burning thy shirt;
seeing through the heavens as through a crystal, wherein is placed the planets,
with all the rest of the presaging comets — the whole circuit of the world from
east to west, north and south. There shalt thou know, Faustus, whereof the
fiery sphere above, and the signs of the Zodiac doth not burn and consume the
whole face of the earth, being hindered by placing the two moist elements
between them — the airy clouds and wavering waves of water. Yea, Faustus, I
will learn thee the secrets of Nature; what the cause is, that the sun in
summer, being at the highest, giveth all his heat downwards on the earth; and
being winter at the lowest, giveth all his heat upwards into the heavens; that
the snow should be of so great virtue as the honey, and the Lady Saturnia in
occulto more hot than the sun in manifesto. Come on, my Faustus; I will make
thee as perfect in these ways as myself; I will learn thee to go invisible, to
find out the mines both of gold and silver, the fodines of precious stones —
as the carbuncle, the diamond, sapphire, emerald, ruby, topaz, jacinth, granat,
jaspies, amethyst: use all these at thy pleasure — take thy heart’s desire. Thy
time, Faustus, weareth away; then why wilt thou not take thy pleasure of the
world? Come up, we will go unto kings at their own courts, and at their most
sumptuous banquets be their guests. If willingly they invite us not, then by
force we will serve our own turn with their best meat and daintest wine.”
“Agreed,” quoth
Faustus; “but let me pause a while upon this thou hast even now declared unto
me.”
CHAPTER
XIX.
How
Dr. Faustus fell into Despair with himself, for having put a question unto his
Spirit; they fell at Variance,
whereupon the Rout of Devils appeared unto him,
threatening him sharply.
DR. FAUSTUS
resolved with himself the speeches of his spirit, and became so woeful and sorrowful
in his cogitations that he thought himself already frying in the hottest flame
of hell; and lying in this muse, suddenly there appeared unto him his spirit,
demanding what thing so grieved and troubled his conscience?
Whereat Dr. Faustus
gave no answer. Yet the spirit lay very earnestly upon him to know the cause,
and if it were possible he would find a remedy for his grief and ease him of
his sorrows.
To whom Faustus
answered, “I have taken thee unto me as a servant to do my service, and thy
service will be very dear unto me; yet I cannot have any diligence of thee
farther than thou list thyself, neither dost thou in anything as it becometh
thee.”
The spirit replied:
“My Faustus, thou knowest that I was never against thy commandment as yet, but
ready to serve and resolve thy questions, although I am not bound unto thee in
such respects as concern the hurt of our kingdom; yet was I always willing to
answer thee, and so am I still: therefore, my Faustus, say on boldly, what is
thy will and pleasure?”
At which words the
spirit stole away the heart of Faustus, who spake in this sort:
“Mephistophiles, tell me how and after what sort God made the world and all the
creatures in it? And why man was made after the image of God?”
The spirit hearing
this, answered Faustus: “Thou knowest that all this is in vain for thee to ask.
I know that thou art sorry for what thou hast done, but it availeth thee not;
for I will tear thee in a thousand pieces if thou change not thy opinions.” And
hereat he vanished away.
Whereat Faustus,
all sorrowful that he had put forth such a question, fell to weeping and to
howling bitterly, not for his sins towards God, but that the devil was departed
from him so suddenly in such a rage. And being in this perplexity, he was
suddenly taken with such extreme cold, as if he would have frozen in the place
where he sat, in which the greatest devil in hell appeared unto him, with
certain of his hideous and infernal company, in most ugly shapes, that it was
impossible to think upon; and traversing the chamber round about where Faustus
sat, Faustus thought to himself, “Now are they come for me, though my time be
not come, and that because I have asked such questions of my servant
Mephistophiles.” At whose cogitations the chiefest devil, which was the lord
unto whom he gave his soul, that was Lucifer, spake in this sort: “Faustus, I
have seen thy thoughts, which are not as thou hast vowed unto me, by the virtue
of this letter [and showed him the obligation which he had written with his own
blood]; wherefore I am come to visit thee, and to show thee some of our hellish
pastimes, in hope that will draw and confirm thy mind a little more steadfast
unto us.”
“Content,” quoth
Faustus: “go to, let me see what pastime you can make.”
At which words the
great devil in his likeness sate him down by Faustus, commanding the rest of
his devils to appear in the form as if they were in hell. First entered Belial;
in form of a bear, with curled black hair to the ground, his ears standing
upright; within his ears were as red as blood, out of which issued flames of
fire; his teeth were at least a foot long, and as white as snow, with a tail
three ells long at the least, having two wings, one behind each arm; and thus
one after another they appeared to Faustus in form as they were in hell.
Lucifer himself sate in a manner of a man all hairy, but of brown colour like a
squirrel, curled, and his tail curling upwards on his back as the squirrels
use. I think he could crack nuts too like a squirrel. After him came Belzebub
in curled hair of a horse-flesh colour, his head like the head of a bull, with
a mighty pair of horns, and two long ears down to the ground, and two wings on
his back, with two pricking things like horns; out of his wings issued flames
of fire; his tail was like a cow’s. Then came Astaroth in the form of a worm,
going upright on his tail, and had no feet, but a tail like a glow-worm; under
his chops grew two short hands, and his back was coal black; his belly thick in
the middle,’ yellow, like gold, having many bristles on his back like a
hedgehog. After him came Cannagosta, being white and grey mixed, exceeding
curled and hairy; he had a head like the head of an ass, and a tail like a cat,
and claws like an ox, lacking nothing of an ell broad. Then came Anobis: this
devil had a head like a dog, white and black hair; in Shape like a hog, saving
that he had but two feet — one under his throat, the other at his tail; he was
four ells long, with hanging ears like a bloodhound. After him came Dithican:
he was a short thief, in form of a large bird, with shining feathers, and four
feet; his neck was green, and body red, and his feet black. The last was called
Brachus, with very short feet, like a hedgehog, yellow and green; the upper
side of his body was brown, and the belly like blue flames of fire, the tail
red like the tail of a monkey. The rest of the devils were in form of
unreasonable beasts, as swine, harts, bears, wolves, apes, buffes, goats,
antelopes, elephants, dragons, horses, asses, lions, cats, snakes, toads, and
all manner of ugly odious serpents and worms; yet came in such sort that every
one at his entry into the hall made their reverence unto Lucifer, and so took
their places, standing in order as they came until they had filled the whole
hall, wherewith suddenly fell a most horrible thunder-clap, that the house
shook as if it would have fallen unto the ground; upon which every monster had
a muck-fork in his hand, holding them towards Faustus as though they would have
run a tilt at him; which, when Faustus perceived, he thought upon the words of
Mephistophiles, when he told him how the souls in hell were tormented, being
cast from devil to devil upon muck-forks, he thought verily to have been
tormented there by them in like sort.
But Lucifer perceiving
his thought, spake to him, “My Faustus, how likest thou this crew of mine?”
Quoth Faustus, “Why
came you not in another manner of shape?”
Lucifer replied:
“We cannot change our hellish form, we have showed ourselves here as we are
there; yet can we blind men’s eyes in such sort, that when we will, we appear
unto them as if we were men or angels of light, although our dwelling be in
darkness.”
Then said Faustus,
“I like not so many of you together.”
Whereupon Lucifer
commanded them to depart, except seven of the principal; forthwith they
presently vanished, which Faustus perceiving, he was somewhat better comforted,
and spake to Lucifer, “Where is my servant Mephistophiles? let me see if he can
do the like.”
Whereupon came a
fierce dragon flying, and spitting fire round about the house, and coming
towards Lucifer, made reverence, and then changed himself to the form of a
friar, saying, “Faustus, what wilt thou?”
Faustus said, “I
will that thou teach me to transform myself in like sort, as thou and the rest
have done.”
Then Lucifer put
forth his paw and gave Faustus a book, saying, “Hold, do what thou wilt.”
Which he looking
upon, straightways changed himself into a hog, then into a worm, then into a
dragon, and finding thus for his purpose it liked him well.
Quoth he to Lucifer, “And how cometh it that so many filthy
forms are in the world?”
Lucifer answered,
“They are ordained of God, as plagues unto men, and so shalt thou be plagued,”
quoth he; whereupon came scorpions, wasps, emets, bees, and gnats, which fell
to stinging and biting him, and all the whole house was filled with a most
horrible stinking fog, insomuch that Faustus saw nothing, but still was
tormented; wherefore he cried for help, saying, “Mephistophiles, my faithful
servant, where art thou? Help, help, I pray thee.”
Hereat the spirit
answered nothing, but Lucifer himself said, “Ho, ho, ho, Faustus, how likest
thou the creation of the world?”
And incontinent it
was clear again, and the devils and all the filthy cattle were vanished, only
Faustus was left alone, seeing nothing, but hearing the sweetest music that
ever he heard before; at which he was so ravished with delight, that he forgot
his fears he was in before, and it repented him that he had seen no more of
their pastime.
CHAPTER XX.
How
Dr. Faustus desired to see Hell, and of the manner how
he
was used therein.
DR. FAUSTUS
bethinking how his time went away, and how he had spent eight years thereof, he
meant to spend the rest to his better contentment, intending quite to forget
any such motions as might offend the devil any more: wherefore on a time he
called his spirit Mephistophiles, and said unto him, “Bring thou hither unto me
thy lord Lucifer or Belial.” He brought him (notwithstanding) one that was
called Belzebub, the which asked Faustus his pleasure.
Quoth Faustus, “I
will know of thee if I might see hell, and take a view thereof?”
“That thou shalt,”
said the devil, “and at midnight I will fetch thee.”
Well, night being
come, Dr. Faustus waited very diligently for the coming of the devil to fetch
him, and thinking that he tarried too long, he went to the window, where he
pulled open a casement, and looking into the element, he saw a cloud in the
north more black, and darker, and obscurer than all the rest of the sky, from
whence the wind blew most horribly right into Faustus’s chamber, and filled the
whole house with smoke, that Faustus was almost smothered; hereat fell an
exceeding thunder-clap, and withal came a great rugged black bear all curled,
and upon his back a chair of beaten gold, and spake to Faustus, saying, “Sir,
up and away with me: “and Dr. Faustus that had so long abode the smoke, wished
rather to be in hell than there, got on the devil, and so they went on
together.
Mark how the devil
blinded him, and made him believe he carried him into hell, for he carried him
into the lake, where Faustus fell into a sound sleep, as if he had sate into a
warm water or bath: at last they came to a place which burneth continually with
flashing flames of fire and brimstone, whereout issued an exceeding mighty
clap of thunder, with so horrible a noise that Faustus awaked. But the devil
went forth on his way, and carried Faustus therein, yea, notwithstanding
however it burnt, Dr. Faustus felt no more heat than as it were the glimpse of
the sun in May; there heard he all manner of music ,to overcome him, but saw
none playing on them; it pleased him well, but he durst not ask, for he was
forbidden it before. To meet the devil and the guest that came with him came
three other ugly devils, the which ran back again before the bear, to make the
way; against whom there came running an exceeding great hart, which would have
thrust Faustus out of the chair; but being defended by the other three devils,
the hart was put to the repulse: thence going on the way, Faustus looked, and
behold there was nothing but snakes, and all manner of venomous beasts about
him, which were exceeding great: unto the which snakes came many storks, and
swallowed up the whole multitude of snakes, that they left not one: which when
Faustus saw, he marvelled greatly. But proceeding farther on their hellish
voyage, there came forth out of a hollow clift an exceeding great flying bull,
the which with such a force hit Faustus’s chair with his head and horns, that
he turned Faustus and his bear over and over, so that the bear vanished away:
whereat Faustus began to cry, “Oh! woe to me that ever I came here!” For he
thought there to have been beguiled of the devil; and to make an end before his
time appointed or conditioned of the devil: but shortly after came to him a
monstrous ape, bidding Faustus to be of good cheer, and said, “Get upon me.”
All the fire in
hell seemed to Faustus to have been put out, whereupon followed a monstrous
thick fog, that he saw nothing, but shortly after it seemed to him to wax
clear, where he saw two great dragons fastened unto a waggon, in the which the
ape ascended and set Faustus therein; forth flew the dragons into an exceeding
dark cloud, where Faustus saw neither dragons nor chariot wherein he sate, and
such were the cries of tormented souls, with mighty thunder-claps and flashing
lightnings about his ears, that poor Faustus shook for fear; upon this they
came to a water, stinking and filthy, thick like mud, into the which ran the
dragons, sinking under with waggon and all; but Faustus felt no water, but as
it were a small mist, saving that the waves beat so sore upon him, that he saw
nothing under or over him but only water, in the which he lost his dragons,
ape, and waggon; and sinking deeper and deeper, he came at last as it were upon
a high rock, where the waters parted and left him thereon: but when the water
was gone, it seemed to him he should there have ended his life, for he saw no
way but death. The rock was so high from the bottom as heaven is from the
earth. There sate he, seeing nor hearing any man, and looked ever upon the
rock. At length he saw a little hole out of which issued fire. Thought he, “How
shall I now do? I must either fall to the bottom or burn in the fire, or sit in
despair.” With that, in his madness he gave a skip into the fire-hole, saying,
“Hold, you infernal hags! take here this sacrifice as my last end, that which I
have justly deserved.”
Upon this he was
entered, and finding himself as yet unburned or touched of that fire, he was
the better appayed. Put there was so great a noise that he never heard the like
before; it passed all the thunder that ever he had heard. And coming down
farther to the bottom of the rock, he saw a fire, wherein were many worthy and
noble personages, as emperors, kings, dukes, and lords, and many thousand more
tormented souls, at the edge of which fire ran a most pleasant, clear, and cold
water to behold; into the which many tormented souls sprang out of the fire to
cool themselves, but being so freezing cold, they were constrained to return
again into the fire, and thus wearied themselves and spent their endless
torments out of one labyrinth into another, one while in heat, another while in
cold. But Faustus, standing here all this while gazing on them that were thus
tormented, he saw one leaping out of the fire, shrieking horribly, whom he
thought to have known, wherefore he would fain have spoken unto him, but
remembering he was forbidden, he refrained speaking. Then this devil that
brought him in, came to him again in likeness of a bear, with the chair on his
back, and bid him sit up, for it was time to depart. So Faustus got up, and the
devil carried him out into the air, where he had so sweet music that he fell
asleep by the way.
His boy Christopher, being all this while at home, and
missing his master so long, thought his master would have tarried and dwelt
with the devil for ever; but whilst the boy was in these cogitations, his
master came home; for the devil brought him home fast asleep as he sate in his
chair, and threw him on his bed, where (being thus left of the devil) he lay
until day. When he awaked, he was amazed, like a man who had been in a dark
dungeon; musing with himself, if it were true or false that he had seen hell,
or whether he was blinded or not; but he rather persuaded himself he had been
there than otherwise, because he had seen such wonderful things; wherefore he
most carefully took pen and ink, and wrote those things in order as he had
seen; which writing was afterwards found by his boy in his study, which
afterwards was published to the whole city of Wittenburg in print, for example
to all Christians.
CHAPTER XXI.
How Dr. Faustus was carried through
the Air, up to the Heavens to see the whole World, and how the Sky and Planets
ruled; after the which he wrote a Letter to his Friend of the same to Liptzig,
and how he went about the World in eight days.
THIS letter was
found by a freeman and citizen of Wittenburg, written with his own hand, and
sent to his friend at Liptzig, a physician, named Love Victori, the contents of
which were as followeth:
“Amongst other
thing; my beloved friend and brother, I remember yet the former friendship we
had together when we were schoolfellows and students in the university at
Wittenburg; whereas you first studied physic, astronomy, astrology, geometry,
and cosmography, I, to the contrary, you know, studied divinity,
notwithstanding now in any of your own studies I am sure I have proceeded
farther than yourself; for since I began I have never erred, for, might I speak
it without affecting mine own praise, my calendars and other practices have not
only the commendations of the common sort, but also the chiefest lords and
nobles of this our Dutch nation, because (which is chiefly to be noted) I write
and presage of matters to come, which all accord and fall out so right, as if
they had already been before. And for thee, my beloved Victori, you write to
know my voyage which I made unto the heavens, the which (as you certify me) you
have had some suspicion of, although you partly persuade yourself that it is a
thing impossible; no matter for that, it is as it is, and let it be as it will,
once it is done in such a manner as now according unto your request, I will
give you here to understand. I being once laid in my bed, and I could not sleep
for thinking on my calendar and practice, I marvelled with myself how it were
possible that the firmament should be known, and so largely written of by men,
or whether they write true or false, by their own opinions and suppositions, or
by due observation and true course of the heavens; behold, I thought my house
would have been blown down, so that all my doors and chests flew open, whereat
I was not a little astonished, for withal I heard a groaning voice, which said,
‘Get up; the desire of thy heart, mind, and thought thou shalt see.’ At the
which I answered, ‘What my heart desireth that would I fain see; and to make
proof if I shall see, I will away with thee.” Why, then,’ quoth he, ‘look out
the window, there cometh a messenger for thee.’ That did I; and behold, there
stood a waggon with two dragons before it to draw the same, and all the waggon
was of a light burning fire, and for that the moon shone I was the willinger at
that time to depart. But the voice spoke again: ‘Sit up, and let us away.’ ‘I
will,’ said I, ‘go with thee, but upon condition that I may ask after all
things that I see, hear, or think on.’ The voice answered: ‘I am content for
this time.’ Hereupon I got me into the waggon, so that the dragons carried me
up right into the air.
“The waggon had four wheels, the which rattled so, and made
such a noise, as if it had been all this while running on the stones, and round
about us flew flames of fire; and the higher that I came, the more the earth
seemed to be darkened, so that methought I came out of a dungeon; and looking
down from heaven, behold Mephistophiles my spirit and servant was behind me;
and when he perceived that I saw him, he came and sate by me; to whom I said, I
pray thee, Mephistophiles, whither shall I go now ?’ ‘Let not that trouble thy
mind,’ said he; and yet they carried us higher up. And now I will tell thee,
good friend and schoolfellow, what things I have seen and proved; for on the
Tuesday I went out, and on Tuesday seven nights following I came home again,
that’s eight days, in which time I slept not, no not one wink came within my
eyes; and we went invisible of any man; and as the day began to appear, after
the first night’s journey, I said to my spirit Mephistophiles, ‘I pray thee
how far have we now ridden? I am sure thou knowest, for methinks we have ridden
exceeding far, the world seemeth so little.’ Mephistophiles answered me, ‘My
Faustus, believe me, that from the place from whence thou camest unto this
place where we now are is already forty-seven leagues right in height.’ And as
the day increased, I looked down into the world. Asia, Europe, and Africa, I
had a sight of; and being so high, quoth I to my spirit, ‘Tell me how these
kingdoms lie, and what they are called?’ The which he denied not, saying, ` See
this on our left hand is Hungaria, this is also Prussia on our left hand, and
Poland, Muscovia, Tartary, Silesia, Bohemia, Saxony; and here on our right
hand, Spain, Portugal, France, England, and Scotland; then right on before us
lie the kingdoms of Persia, India, Arabia, the king of Althar, and the great
Cham. Now we are come to Wittenburg, and are right over the town of Weim, in
Austria, and ere long we will be at Constantinople, Tripoli, and Jerusalem, and
after will we pierce the frozen zone, and shortly touch the horizon and the
zenith of Wittenburg.’ There looked I on the ocean sea, and beheld a great many
ships and galleys ready to battle one against another; and thus I spent my journey,
and I cast my eyes here, now there, towards south, north, east, and west. I
have been in one place where it rained and hailed, and in another where the sun
shone excellent fair; and so I think that I saw most things in and about the
world, with great admiration; that in one place it rained, and in another hail
and snow; on this side the sun shone bright, some hills covered with snow never
consuming, others were so hot that grass and trees were burned and consumed
therewith. Then looked I up to the heavens, and behold they went so swift, that
I thought they would have sprung into thousands; likewise it was so clear and
so hot, that I could not gaze upon it, it so dimmed my sight; and had not my
spirit Mephistophiles covered me, as it were with a shadowing cloud, I had been
burnt with the extreme heat thereof; for the sky which we behold here, when we
look up from the earth, is so fast and thick as a wall, clear and shining
bright as crystal, in which is placed the sun, which casteth forth his rays and
beams over the whole world, to the uttermost confines of the earth. But we
think that the sun is very little; no, it is altogether as big as the world;
indeed the body substantial is but little in compass, but the rays or streams
that it casteth forth by reason of the thing wherein it is placed, maketh him
to extend and show himself all over the whole world; and we think that the sun
runneth his course, and that the heavens stand still; no, it is the heavens
that moves his course, and the sun abideth perpetually in his place, he is
permanent and fixed in his place; and although we see him beginning to ascend
in the orient or east, at the highest in the meridian or south, setting in
occident or west, yet is he in the lowest in septentrio or north, and yet he moveth
not, it is the axle of the heavens that moveth, the whole firmament being a
chaos or confused thing, and for that proof I will show this example: like as
thou seest a bubble made of water and soap blown out of a quill, it is in form
of a confused mass or chaos, and being in this form is moved at pleasure of the
wind, which runneth round about that chaos, and moveth him also round; even so
the whole firmament or chaos, wherein are placed the sun and the rest of the
planets, is turned and carried at the pleasure of the spirit of God, which is
wind. Yea, Christian reader, to the glory of God, and to the profit of my soul,
I will open unto thee a divine opinion touching the rule of this confounded
chaos, far more than my rude German author, being possessed with the devil, was
able to utter, and prove some of my sentences before to be true; look into
Genesis, into the works of God, at the creation of the world, there shalt thou
find that the spirit of God moved upon the water, before heaven and earth were
made. Mark how he made it, and how by his word every element took his place;
these were not his works, but his words, for all the words he used before,
concluded afterwards in one work, which was in making man. Mark, reader, with
patience, for thy soul’s health, see into all that was done by the word and
work of God. Light and darkness was, the firmament stood, and the great and
little light in it; the moist waters were in one place, the earth was dry, and
every element brought forth according to the word of God. Now follow his works:
he made man after his own image. How? Out of the earth. The earth will shape no
image without water; there was one of the elements; but all this while there
was wind. All elements were at the word of God. Man was made, and in a form by
the work of God, yet moved not that work before God had breathed the spirit of
life into his nostrils, and made him a living soul. Here was the first wind and
spirit of God, out of his own mouth; which we have likewise from the same seed
which was only planted by God in Adam; which wind, breath, or spirit, when he
had received, he was living and moved on earth; for it was ordained of God for
his habitation, but the heavens are the habitation of the Lord. And like as I
showed before of the bubble or confused chaos made of water and soap, through
the wind and breath of man is turned round and carried with the wind, even so
the firmaments wherein the sun and the rest of the planets are fixed, be moved,
turned, and carried with the wind,. breath, and spirit of God; for the heavens
and firmaments are moveable as the chaos, but the sun is fixed in the
firmament. And farther, my good schoolfellow, I was thus nigh the heavens,
where methought every planet was but as half the earth, and under the firmament
ruled the spirits in the air. As I came down, I looked upon the world and
heavens, and methought that the earth was inclosed (in comparison) within the
firmament as the yolk of an egg within the white; methought that the whole
length of the earth was not a span long, and the water was as it had been twice
as broad and as long as the earth. Even thus, at eight days’ end, I came home
again, and fell asleep, and so I continued sleeping three days and three nights
together, and the first hour I waked, fell fresh again to my calendars, and
have made them in right ample manner as you know. And to satisfy your request
for that you write unto me, I have (in consideration of our old friendship had
at the university of Wittenburg) declared unto you my heavenly voyage, wishing
no worse unto you than unto myself, that is, that your mind were as mine in
all respects, Dixi, Dr. Faustus the astrologian.”
CHAPTER XXII.
How
Dr. Faustus made his Journey through the principal and
most
famous Lands in the World.
DR. FAUSTUS having
overrun fifteen years of his appointed time, he took upon him a journey, with
full intent to see the whole world, and calling his spirit Mephistophiles unto
him, he said, “Thou knowest that thou art bound unto me upon conditions, to
form and fulfil my desire in all things, wherefore my intent is to visit the
whole face of the earth, visible and invisible, when it pleaseth me; therefore
I command and enjoin thee to the same.” Whereupon Mephistophiles answered, “I
am ready, my lord, at thy command; “and forthwith the spirit changed himself
into the likeness of a flying horse, saying, “Faustus, sit up, I am ready.”
Dr. Faustus softly
sate upon him, and forwards they went.
Faustus came
through many a land and province, as Pannonia, Austria, Germany, Bohemia,
Silesia, Saxony, Messene, During, Frankland, Swaalband, Byerland, Sayrir,
Corinthia, Poland, Litaw, Lesland, Prussia, Denmark, Muscovia, Tartaria,
Turkey, Persia, Cathai, Alexandria, Barbaria, Ginny, Porut, the Straights
Maghellane, India, all about the frozen zone, and Terra-incognita, Nova
Hispaniola, the Isles of Tereza, Madera, St. Michaels, the Canaries, and the
Trenorirolcio into Spain, and Mainland, Portugal, Italy, Campania, the Kingdom
of Naples; the Isles of Sicilia, Malta, Majorca, Minorca, to the Knights of the
Rhodes, Candy or Crete, Cypress, Corinth, Switzerland, France, Freezeland,
Westphalia, Zealand, Holland, Brabant, and all the seventeen provinces in
Netherland, England, Scotland, Ireland, and America, and Island, the Gut-Isles
of Scotland, the Orcades, Norway, the Bishopric of Bream; and so home again.
All these kingdoms,
and provinces, and countries he passed in twenty-five days, in which time he
saw nothing that delighted his mind; wherefore he took little rest at home, and
burning in desire to see more at large, and to behold the secrets of each
kingdom, he set forward again on his journey on his swift horse Mephistophiles,
and came to Trent, for that he chiefly desired to see this town, and the
monuments thereof, but there he saw not any wonders, except two fair palaces
that belonged unto the bishop, and also a mighty large castle that was built
with brick, with ‘three walls, and three great trenches, so strong that it was
impossible for any prince’s power to win it; then he saw a church wherein was
buried Simon and the bishop of Popo. Their tombs are of most sumptuous
stone-marble, closed and joined together with great bars of iron. From thence
he departed to Paris, where he liked well the academy; and what place or
kingdom soever fell in his mind, the same he visited.
He came from Paris
to Mentz, where the river of Maine falls into the Rhine, notwithstanding he
tarried not long there, but went into Campania, in the kingdom of Neapoly, in
which he saw an innumerable sort of cloisters, nunneries, and churches, and
great houses of stone, the streets fair and large, and straight forth from one
end of the town to the other all alike, and all the pavement of the city was of
brick, and the more it rained in the town the fairer the streets were. There
saw he the tomb of Virgil, and the highway that he cut through the mighty hill
of stone in one night, the whole length of an English mile, where he saw the
number of galleys and argosies that lay there at the city head, the windmill
that stood in the water, the castle in the water, and the houses above the
water, where many galleys might ride most safely from rain or wind; then he saw
the castle on the hill over the town, and many monuments therein, also the hill
called Vesuvius, whereon groweth all the Greekish wine and most pleasant sweet
olives.
From thence he
carne to Venice, whereat he wondered not a little to see a city so famously
built standing in the sea, where through every street the water came in such
largeness that great ships and barques might pass from one street to another,
having yet a way on both sides the water whereon men and horses might pass. He
marvelled also how it was possible so much victuals to be found in the town,
and so good and cheap, considering that for a whole league nothing grew near
the same. He wondered not a little at the fairness of St. Mark’s Place, and the
sumptuous church standing thereon, called St. Mark; how all the pavement was
set with coloured stones, and all the rood or loft of the church double gilded
over.
Leaving this, he
came to Padua, beholding the manner of their academy, which is called the
mother or nurse of Christendom; there heard he the doctors, and saw most of
the monuments of the town, entered his name in the university of the German nation,
and wrote himself Dr. Faustus, the insatiable speculator. Then saw he the
worthiest monument in the world for a church, named St. Anthony’s Cloister,
which for the pinnacles thereof and the contrivement of the church, bath not
the like in Christendom. The town is fenced about with three mighty walls of
stone and earth, betwixt the which runneth goodly ditches of water. Betwixt
every four-and-twenty hours passeth boats betwixt Padua and Venice with
passengers, as they do here betwixt London and Gravesend, and even so far they
differ in distance. Faustus beheld likewise the council-house and castle, with
no small wonder.
Well, forward he
went to Rome, which lay, and doth yet lie, on the river Tibris, the which
divideth the city into two parts. Over the river are four great stone bridges,
and upon the one bridge, called Ponte St. Angelo, is the Castle of St. Angelo,
wherein are so many great cast pieces as there are days in the year, and such
pieces as will shoot seven bullets off with one fire. To this castle cometh a
privy vault from the church and the palace of St. Peter, through the which the
pope (if any danger be) passeth from his palace to the castle for safeguard.
The city hath eleven gates, and a hill called Vaticinium, whereupon St. Peter’s
church is built. In that church the holy fathers will hear no confessions
without the penitent bring money in his hand. Adjoining to the church is the
Campo Santo, the which Carolus Magnus built, where every day thirteen pilgrims
have their dinners served of the best; that is to say. Christ and his twelve
apostles. Hard by this he visited the churchyard of St. Peter, where he saw
that pyramid that Julius Cæsar brought forth of Africa; it stood in Faustus’s
time leaning against the church-wall of St. Peter’s; but Pope Sixtus hath
erected it in the middle of St. Peter’s churchyard. It is fourteen fathom long,
and at the lower end five fathom four square, and so forth smaller upwards. On
the top is a crucifix of beaten gold, the stone standing on four lions of brass.
Then he visited the seven churches of Rome, that were St. Peter, St. Paul, St.
Sebastian, St. John Lateran, St. Laurence, St. Mary Magdalen, and St. Mary
Majora. Then went he without the town, where he saw the conduits of water that
run level through hill and dale, bringing water into the town fifteen Italian
miles off. Other mountains he saw, too many to recite.
But amongst the
rest he was desirous to see the pope’s court, and his manner of service at his
table, wherefore he and his spirit made themselves invisible, and came to the
pope’s court and privy-chamber, where he was; there saw he many servants
attending on his holiness, with many a flattering sycophant carrying his meat;
and there he marked the pope, and the manner of his service, which he seeing to
be so unmeasurable and sumptuous: “Fie,” quoth Faustus, “why had not the devil
made a pope of me?” Faustus saw there notwithstanding such as were like to
himself, proud, stout, wilful gluttons, drunkards, whoremongers, breakers of
wedlock, and followers of all manner of ungodly excess; wherefore he said to
his spirit, “I thought that I had been alone a hog or pork of the devil’s, but
he must bear with me a little longer; for these hogs of Rome are ready fatted,
and fitted to make him roast meat; the devil might do well to spit them all,
and have them to the fire, and let him summon the nuns to turn the spits; for
as none must confess the nun but the friar, so none should turn the roasting
friar but the nun.” Thus continued Faustus three days in the pope’s palace, and
yet had no lust to his meat, but stood still in the pope’s chamber, and saw
everything whatsoever it was.
On a time the pope
would have a feast prepared for the Cardinal of Pavia, and for his first
welcome the cardinal was bidden to dinner, and as he sate at meat the pope
would ever be blessing and crossing over his mouth. Faustus would suffer it no
longer, but up with his fist and smote the pope on his face, and withal he
laughed that the whole house might hear him, yet none of them saw him, or knew
where he was. The pope persuaded his company that it was a damned soul,
commanding mass presently to be said for his delivery out of purgatory, which
was done; the pope sat still at meat, but when the latter mess came to the
pope’s board, Dr. Faustus laid hands thereon, saying, “This is mine,” and so he
took both dish and meat, and flew into the Capitol or Campadolia, calling his
spirit unto him, and said, “Come, let us be merry, for thou must fetch me some
wine, and the cup that the pope drinks out of; and hereupon morte caval, we
will make good cheer in spite of the pope and all his fat abbey lubbers.”
His spirit hearing
this, departed towards the pope’s chamber, where he found them yet sitting,
quaking; wherefore he took from before the pope the fairest piece of plate, or
drinking goblet, and a flagon of wine, and brought it to Faustus.
But when the pope
and the rest of his crew perceived they were robbed, and knew not after what
sort, they persuaded themselves that it was a damned soul that before had vexed
the pope so, and that smote him on the face; wherefore he sent commandment
through the whole city of Rome, that they should say a mass in every church,
and ring all the bells, for to lay the walking spirit, and to curse him with
bell, book, and candle, that so invisibly had misused the pope’s holiness, with
the Cardinal of Pavia, and the rest of their company.
But Faustus
notwithstanding made good cheer with that which he had beguiled the pope of,
and in the midst of the order of St. Bernard’s, bare-footed friars, as they
were going on procession through the market-place, called Campo de Fiore, he
let fall his plate, dish, and cup, and withal for a farewell he made such a
thunder-clap and stone of rain, as though heaven and earth would have met
together, and left Rome, and came to Millain in Italy, near the Alps or borders
of Switzerland, where he praised much to his spirit the pleasures of the place,
the city being founded in so brave a plain, by the which ran most pleasant
rivers on every side of the same, having besides within the compass of a
circuit of seven miles, seven small seas: he saw also therein many fair places,
and goodly buildings, the duke’s palace, and the mighty strong castle, which is
in a manner half the bigness of the town. Moreover, it liked him well to see
the hospital of St. Mary, with divers other things: he did there nothing worthy
of memory, but he departed back again towards Bologna, and from thence to
Florence, where he was well pleased to see the pleasant walk of merchants, the
goodly vaults of the city, for that almost the whole city is vaulted, and the
houses themselves are built outwardly in such sort, that the people go under
them as under a vault: then he perused the sumptuous church in the duke’s castle,
called Nostra Dama, our Lady’s church, in which he saw many monuments, as a
marble door most huge to look upon; the gates of the castle are bell-metal,
wherein are graven the holy patriarchs, with Christ and his twelve apostles,
and divers other histories out of the Old and New Testament.
Then went lie to
Siena, where he highly praised the church and hospital of Sancta Maria Formosa,
with the goodly buildings, and especially the fairness and greatness of the
city, and beautiful women: then came he to Lyons in France, where he marked the
situation of the city, which Jay between two hills, environed with two waters;
one worthy monument pleased him well, that was the great church, with the image
therein; he commended the city highly for the great resort that it had unto it
of strangers.
From thence he went
to Cullen, which lieth upon the river of Rhine, wherein he saw one of the
ancientest monuments in the world, the which was the tomb of the three kings
that came by the angel of God, and their knowledge they had in the stars, to
worship Christ, which when Faustus saw, he spake in this manner: “Ah! alas,
good men! How have you erred, and lost your way! You should have gone to
Palestina, and Bethlehem in Judea; how came you hither? Or belike after your
death you were thrown into Mare Mediterraneum, about Tripolis in Syria, and so
you steered out of the Straights of Gibralterra, in the ocean seas, and so into
the Bay of Portugal. And not finding any rest, you are driven along the coast
of Gallicia, Biscay and France, and into the narrow seas: then from thence into
Mare Germanicum, and taken up I think about the town of Dort in Holland: you
were brought to Cullen to be buried, or else (I think) you came most easily
with a whirlwind over the Alps, and being thrown into the river of Rhine, it
conveyed you to this place where you are kept a monument.” Then saw he the
church of St. Ursula, where remains a monument of the thousand virgins; it
pleased him also to see the beauty of the women.
Not far from Cullen
lieth the town of Ach, where he saw the gorgeous temple that the Emperor
Carolus Quartus built of marble-stone for a remembrance of him, to the end that
all his successors should there be crowned.
From Cullen and Ach
he went to Geneva, a city in Savoy, lying near Switzerland; it is a town of
great traffic, the lord thereof is a bishop, whose wine-cellar Faustus and his
spirit visited for the love of his good wine.
From thence he went
to Strasburg, where he beheld the fairest temple that ever he had seen in his
life before, for on every side thereof he might see through, even from the
covering of the minster to the top of the pinnacle, and it is named one of the
wonders of the world; wherefore, he demanded why it is called Strasburg? His
spirit answered, “Because it bath so many highways common to it on every side,
for Stros in Dutch is a Highway, and hereof Caine the name: yeas” said
Mephistophiles, “the church that thou so wonderest at, hath more revenues
belonging to it than the twelve dukes of Silesia are worth, for there pertain
unto this church fifty-five towns, and four hundred and sixty-three villages,
besides many houses in the town.”
From thence went
Faustus to Basil, in Switzerland, where the river of Rhine runneth through the
town, parting the same as the river of Thames doth London: in the town of Basil
he saw many rich monuments, the town walled with brick round about, without it
goeth a great trench: no church pleased him but the Jesuits’ church, which was
sumptuously builded, and set full of alabaster pillars, where the spirit told
Faustus that before the city was founded, there used. a Basiliscus, a kind of
serpent: this serpent killed as many men, women and children as he took a sight
of, but there was a knight that made himself a cover of crystal, to come over
his head and down to the ground, and being first covered with a black cloth,
over that he put the crystal, and so boldly went to see the Basiliscus, and
finding the place where she haunted, he expected her coming even before the
mouth of the cave, where standing a while, the Basiliscus came forth, where
when she saw her own venomous shadow in the crystal, she split in a thousand
pieces, wherefore the knight was richly rewarded of the emperor, after the
which the knight founded this town upon the place where he had slain the
serpent, and gave it the name Basil, in remembrance of his deed.
From Basil, Faustus
went to Costnitz in Sweitz, at the head of the Rhine, where is a most sumptuous
bridge that goeth over the Rhine, even from the gates of the town to the other
side of the stream; at the head of the river of Rhine, is a small sea, called
of the Switzers the Black Sea, twenty thousand paces long, and fifty hundred
paces broad. The town Costnitz took the name of this; the emperor gave it a
clown for expounding of his riddle: wherefore the clown named the town
Costnitz, that is in English, “Cost me nothing.”
From Costnitz he
came to Ulm, where he saw the sumptuous town house built by two-and-fifty of
the ancient senators of the city; it took the name Ulm, because the whole land
thereabouts is full of Elms: but Faustus minding to depart from thence, his
spirit said unto him, “Faustus, think of the town as you will; it hath three
dukedoms belonging to it, the which they have bought with ready money.”
From Ulm he came
unto Watzberg, the chiefest town in Frankland, wherein the bishop altogether
keepeth his court, through the which town passeth the river Mayne, that runs
into the Rhine; thereabouts groweth strong and pleasant wine, the which Faustus
well proved: the castle standeth on a hill on the north side of the town, at
the foot thereof runneth the river. This town is full of beggarly friars, nuns,
priests, and Jesuits; for there are five sorts of begging friars, besides three
cloisters of nuns; at the foot of the castle stands a church, in the which
there is an altar, where are engraven all the four elements, and all the orders
and degrees in heaven, that any man of understanding whosoever, that hath a
light thereof, may say that it is the artificialist thing that ever he beheld.
From thence he went
to Norenberg, whither as he went by the way his spirit informed him that the
town was named of Claudius Tiberius, the son of Nero the Tyrant. In the town
are two famous cathedral churches, one called St. Sabelt, the other St.
Laurence; in which church stands all the relics of Carolus Magnus, that is to
say, his cloak, his hose, his doublet, his sword and crown, the sceptre and
apple. It hath a very glorious gilded conduit in the marketplace of St. Laurence;
in which conduit is the spear that thrust our Saviour into the side, and a
piece of the holy cross; the wall is called the fair wall of Norenberg, and
five hundred and twenty-eight streets, a hundred and sixty wells, four great
and two small clocks, six great gates, two small doors, eight stone bridges,
twelve small hills, ten fair market-places, thirteen common hot-houses, ten
churches; within the town are twenty wheels of water-mills, it bath a hundred
and thirty-eight tall ships, two mighty town walls of hewed stone and earth,
with very deep trenches: the walls have a hundred and eighty towers about them,
and four fair platforms, ten apothecaries, ten doctors of the common law,
fourteen doctors of physic.
From Norenberg he
went to Auspurg, where at the break of the day he demanded of his spirit
whereupon the town took his name. “This town,” quoth he, “hath had many names;
when it was first built, it was called Vindelica; secondly, it was called
Zizaria, the iron-bridge; lastly, by the Emperor Octavus Augustus, it was
called Augusta, and by the corruption of language, the Germans had named it
Auspurg.”
Now, for because
that Faustus had been there before, he departed (without seeing their
monuments) to Ravensberg, where his spirit certified him that the city had
seven names: the first Diperia, the second Quadratis, the third Heaspolis, the
fourth Reginipolis, the fifth Imbripolis, the sixth Ratisbona, the last is
Ravensberg. The situation of this city pleased Faustus well, also the strong
and sumptuous building; by the walls thereof runneth the river Danubius, in
Dutch called Danow, into which not far from the compass of the city falleth
near hand threescore other small rivers and fresh waters. Faustus also liked
the sumptuous stone bridge over the same water, with the church standing
thereon, the which was founded Anno 1115, the name whereof is called St.
Remedian; in the town Faustus went into the cellar of an inn-holder, and let
out all the beer and wine that was in the cellar.
After which feat,
he returned into Mentz in Bavaria, a right princely town: the town appeared as
if it were new, with great streets therein, both of breadth and length from
Mentz to Salisburg, where the bishop is always resident: here saw he all the
commodities that were possible to be seen, for at the hill he saw the form of a
bell made in crystal, a huge thing to look upon, that every year groweth bigger
and bigger, by reason of the freezing cold.
From thence he went
to Vienna in Austria; the town is of great antiquity, that it is not possible
to find the like. “In this town,” said the spirit, “is more wine than water,
for all under the town are wells, which are filled every year with wine, and
all the water that they have runneth by this town; this is the river Danubius.”
From thence he went
into Prage, the chief city of Bohemia; this is divided into three parts, that
is old Prage, little Prage, and new Prage. Little Prage is the place where the
emperor’s court is placed; upon an exceeding high mountain there is a castle,
where are two fair churches; in the one he found a monument which might well
have been a mirror for himself, and that was the sepulchre of a notable
conjurer, which by his magic had so enchanted his sepulchre that whosoever set
foot thereon, should be sure never to die in their beds. From this castle he
came and went down over the bridge; this bridge has twenty-four arches, and in
the middle of the bridge stands a very fair monument, being a cross builded of
stone, and most artificially carved. From thence he went into the old Prage,
the which is separated from the new Prage, with an exceeding deep ditch, and
round about enclosed with a wall of brick; unto this is adjoining the Jews’
town, wherein are thirteen thousand men, women, and children, all Jews; there he
viewed the college and the gardens, where all manner of savage beasts are kept;
and from thence he fetched a compass round about the three towns, whereat he
wondered greatly to see so mighty a city stand all within the walls.
From Prage he flew
into the air, and bethought himself what he might do, or which way to take; so
looked round about, and behold he espied a passing fair city, which lay not far
from Prage, about some four-and-twenty miles, and that was Bressaw in Silesia,
in which when he was entered, it seemed to him that he had been in Paradise, so
neat and clean were the streets, and so sumptuous were their buildings. In the
city he saw not many wonders, except the brazen Virgin that standeth on a
bridge over the water, and under which standeth a mill like a paper-mill, which
Virgin is made to do execution upon those disobedient town-born children that
be so wild that their parents cannot bridle them; which, when any such are
found with some heinous offence, turning to the shame of their parents and
kindred, they are brought to kiss the Virgin, which openeth her arms. The
person then to be executed kisseth her, then cloth she close her arms together
with such violence, that she crusheth out the breath of the party, breaketh his
bulk, and so he dieth; but being dead she openeth her arms again, and letteth
the party fall into the mill, where he is stamped into small morsels, which the
water carrieth away, so that no part is found again.
From Bressaw he
went toward Cracovia, in the kingdom of Polionia, where he beheld the academy,
the which pleased him wonderful well. In the city the king most commonly
holdeth his court at a castle, in which castle are many famous monuments; there
is a most sumptuous church in the same, in which standeth a silver altar gilded
and set with rich stones, and over it is a covenance full of all manner of
silver ornaments belonging to mass. In the church hangeth the jaw-bones of a
huge dragon, that kept the rock before the castle was edified thereon: it is
full of all manner of munition, and bath always victuals for three years to
serve three thousand men; through the town runneth a river, called the Vessnal
or Wessel, where over is a fair wooden bridge; this water divideth the town and
Gasmere; in this Gasmere dwell the Jews, being a small walled town by
themselves, to the number of twenty-five thousand men, women and children;
within one mile of the town there is a salt mine, where they found stones of
pure salt, one thousand pound, two thousand pound, or more in weight, and that
in great quantity: this salt is as black as the Newcastle coal when it comes
out of the mines, but being beaten to powder, it is as white as snow. The like
they have four miles from thence at a town called Buckma.
From thence Faustus
went to Sandentz, the Captain thereof was called Don Spicket Jordan. In this
town are many monuments, as the tomb and sepulchre of Christ, in as ample a
manner as that is at Jerusalem, at the proper costs of a gentleman that went
thrice a year to Jerusalem from that place and returned again. Not far from
that town is a new town wherein is a nunnery of the order of St. Dioclesian,
into which order may none come except they be gentlewomen, and well formed, and
fair to look upon, which pleased Faustus well; but having a will to travel
further, and to see more wonders, mounting up towards the east, over many lands
and provinces, as in Hungaria, Transilvania, Shede, Ingatz, Sardinia, and so
into Constantinople, where the Turkish emperor kept his court.
This city was
surnamed by Constantine, the founder thereof, being builded of very fair stone.
In the same the Great Turk bath three fair palaces: the walls are strong, the
pinnacles are very huge, and the streets very large. But this liked not Faustus
that one man should have as many wives as he would. The sea runneth hard by the
city; the wall hath eleven gates. Faustus abode there a certain time to see the
manner of the Turkish emperor’s service at his table, where he saw his royal
service to be such that he thought if all the Christian princes should banquet
together, and every one adorn the feast to the utmost, that they were not able
to compare with the Turk and his table, and the rest of his country service.
Wherefore it so affrighted Faustus that he vowed to be revenged on him, for his
pomp, he thought, was more fit for himself; wherefore as the Turk sate at meat
Faustus showed them a little apish play, for round about the privy-chamber he
sent forth flashing flames of fire, insomuch that the whole company forsook
their meat and fled, except only the Great Turk himself; him Faustus charmed in
such sort that he could neither rise nor fall, neither could any man pull him
up. With this was the hall so light as if the sun had shined in the house. Then
came Faustus in form of a pope to the Great Turk, saying, “All hail, emperor,
now art thou honoured, that I so worthily appear unto thee as thy Mahomet was
wont to do.” Hereupon he vanished, and forthwith it thundered that the whole
palace shook. The Turk greatly marvelled what this should be that so vexed him,
and was persuaded by the chiefest counsellors that it was Mahomet, his prophet,
which had so appeared unto them; whereupon the Turk commanded them to fall down
on their knees and to give him thanks for doing them so great honour as to show
himself unto them. But the next day Faustus went into the castle where he kept
his wives and concubines, in which castle might no man, upon the pain of death,
come, except those that were appointed by the Great Turk to do him service, and
they were all eunuchs, which when Faustus perceived, he said to his spirit
Mephistophiles, “How likest thou this sport? Are not these fair ladies greatly
to be pitied that thus consume their youth at the pleasure of one only man?”
“Why,” quoth the
spirit, “mayst not thou instead of the emperor embrace these fair ladies? Do
what thy heart desireth herein, and I will aid thee, and what thou wishest thou
shalt have it performed.”
Wherefore Faustus
(being before this counsel apt enough to put such matters in practice) caused a
great fog to be round about the castle, both within and without, and he himself
appeared amongst the ladies in all points as they used to paint Mahomet; at
which sight the ladies fell on their knees and worshipped him. Then Faustus
took the fairest by the hand, and when he had delighted himself sufficiently
with her, he put her away, and made his spirit bring him another; and so he
passed away six days, all which time the fog was so thick and so stinking that
they within the house thought that they had been in hell for the time, and they
without wondered thereat, in such sort that they went to their prayers, calling
on their God Mahomet, and worshipping of the image; where the sixth day Faustus
exalted himself into the air like a pope, in the sight of the Great Turk and
all his people, and he had no sooner departed the castle but the fog vanished
away. Whence presently the Turk went to his wives and concubines, demanding of
them if they knew the cause why the castle was beset with a mist so long. They
said it was the God Mahomet himself that had caused it, and how he was in the
castle personally six days. The Turk, hearing this, fell down upon his knees
and gave Mahomet thanks, desiring him to forgive him for being offended with
his visiting his castle and wives these six days.
From thence Faustus
went to Alker, the which before times was called Chairam, or Memphis. In this
city the Egyptian Soldan holdeth his court; from thence the river Nilus bath
his head and spring. It is the greatest fresh water river that is in the whole
world, and always when the sun is in Cancer it overfloweth the whole land of
Egypt.
Then he returned
again towards the north-east, and to the town of Osen and Sebasa in Hungaria.
This Osen is the closest city in Hungaria, and standing in a fertile soil,
wherein groweth most excellent wine; and not far from the tower there is a well
called Zipzan, the water whereof changeth iron into copper. There are mines of
gold and silver and all manner of metal. We Germans call this town Osen, but in
the Hungarian speech it is Start. In the town standeth a very fair castle, and
very well fortified.
From thence he went
to Austria, and so through Silesia into Saxony, unto the towns of Magdeburg,
and Lipzig, and Lubeck. Magdeburg is a bishopric. In this city is one of the
pitchers wherein Christ changed the water into wine in Cana in Galilee. At
Lipzig nothing pleased Faustus so well as the great vessel in the castle made
of wood, the which is bound about with twenty-four iron hoops, and every hoop
weighed two hundred pound weight. You must go upon a ladder thirty steps high
before you can look into it. He saw also the new churchyard where it was
walled, and standeth upon a fair plain. The yard is two hundred paces long, and
round about the side of the wall are good places, separated one from each other
to see sepulchres in, which in the middle of the yard standeth very sumptuous;
therein standeth a pulpit of white work and gold.
From thence he went to Lubeck and Jamberg, where he made no
abode, but away again to Erford in Duriten, where he visited the Frescold; and
from Erford he went home to Wittenburg, when he had seen and visited many a
strange place, being from home one year and a half, in which time he wrought
more wonders than are here declared.
CHAPTER XXIII.
How Dr. Faustus had sight of
Paradise.
AFTER this Dr.
Faustus set forth again to visit the countries of Spain, Portugal, France,
England, Scotland, Denmark, Sweden, Poland, Muscovy, India, Cataia, Africa,
Persia, and lastly, into Barbaria, amongst the Black Moors; and in all his
wandering he was desirous to visit the ancient monuments and mighty hills,
amongst the rest, beholding the high hill called Theno Reise, was desirous to
rest upon it. From thence he went into the Isle of Britain, wherein he was
greatly delighted to see the fair water and warm baths, the divers sorts of
metal, with many precious stones and divers other commodities, the which
Faustus brought thence with him. He was also at the Orcades behind Scotland,
where he saw the tree that bringeth forth fruit, that when it is ripe, openeth
and falleth in the water, wherein engendereth a certain kind of fowl and birds.
These islands are in number twenty-three, but ten of them are not habitable,
the other thirteen were inhabited.
From thence he went
to the hill Caucasus, which is the highest in all that tropic: it lieth near
the borders of Scythia. Hereon Faustus stood and beheld many lands and
kingdoms. Faustus, being on such a high hill, thought to look over all the world,
and beyond, for he went to Paradise, but he durst not commune with his spirit
thereof; and being on the hill Caucasus, he saw the whole land of India and
Scythia, and as he looked towards the east, he saw a mighty clear streak of
fire coming from heaven upon earth, even as if it had been one of the beams of
the sun. He saw in the water four mighty waters springing, one had his course
towards India, the second towards Egypt, the third and fourth towards Armenia.
When he saw these he would needs know of his spirit what waters they were, and
from whence they came?
His spirit gave him gently an answer, saying, “It is
Paradise that lieth so far in the east, the garden that God himself hath
planted with all manner of pleasure; and the fiery streams which thou seest is
the wall or fence of the garden; but the clear light which thou seest afar of,
that is the angel that hath the custody thereof with a fiery sword; and
although thou thinkest thyself to be hard by, thou are yet further thither from
hence than thou hast ever been. The water that thou seest divided in four
parts, is the water that issueth out of the well in the middle of Paradise. The
first is called Ganges or Pison, the second Gihon, the third Tygris, and the
fourth Euphrates; also thou seest that he standeth under Libra and Aries, right
towards the Zenith; and upon this fiery wall standeth the angel Michael with
his flaming sword, to keep the tree of life, which he hath in charge. But,” the
spirit said to Faustus, “neither thou, nor I, nor any after us, yea, all men
whatsoever, are denied to visit, or come any nearer than we be.”
CHAPTER XXIV.
Of
a certain Comet that appeared in Germany, and how Dr. Faustus
was
desired by certain Friends of his to know the meaning thereof
IN Germany, over
the town of St. Elzeben, was seen a mighty great comet, whereat the people
wondered, but Dr. Faustus being there, was asked of certain of his friends his
judgment or opinion in the matter; whereupon he answered: “It falleth out often
by the course and change of the sun and moon, that the sun is under the earth,
and the moon above; but when the moon draweth near the change, then is the sun
so strong that it taketh away the light of the moon in such sort as she is red
as blood; and, on the contrary side, after they have been together, she soon
taketh her light from him, and so increasing in light to the full, she will be
as red as the sun was before, and change herself into divers and sundry
colours, of which springeth the prodigal monster, or, as you call it, a comet,
which is a figure or token appointed of God as a forewarning of his
displeasure: as at one time he sendeth hunger, plague, sword, or such like,
being all tokens of his judgments, which comet cometh through the conjunction
of the sun and moon, and begetteth a monster, whose father is the sun, and
whose mother is the moon: moon and sun.”
CHAPTER XXV.
Another Question put forth to Dr.
Faustus concerning the Stars.
THERE was a learned
man of the town of Halberstat, named N. W., who invited Dr. Faustus to his table,
but falling into communication before supper was ready, they looked out of the
window, and seeing many stars in the firmament, this man being a doctor of
physic, and a good astrologian, said: “Dr. Faustus, I have invited you as my
guest, hoping you will take in good part with me, and withal, I request you to
impart some of your experience in the stars and planets; “and seeing a star
fall, he said: “I pray you, Faustus, what is the condition, quality, or
greatness of the stars in the firmament?”
Faustus answered him: “My friend and brother, you see that
the stars that fall from heaven, when they come to the earth, they be very
small to our thinking as candles, but being fixed in the firmament, they are
many as great as a city, some as great as a province or dukedom, others as
great as the whole earth, other some far greater than the earth twelve times,
and from the height of the heavens there is scarce any earth to be seen — yea,
the planets in the heavens are some so great as this land, some so great as the
whole empire of Rome, some as Turkey, yea, some as great as the whole world.”
CHAPTER XXVI.
How Faustus was asked a Question
concerning the Spirits that vexed Men.
“THAT is most
true,” said he to Faustus, “concerning the stars and planets; but, I pray you,
in what kind or manner do the spirits use to vex men so little by day and so
greatly by night?”
Dr. Faustus answered: “Because the spirits are of God
forbidden the light; their dwelling is in darkness, and the clearer the sun
shineth, the farther the spirits have their abiding from it, but in the night
when it is dark, they have their familiarity and abiding near unto us men. For
although in the night we see not the sun, yet the brightness thereof so lighted
the first moving of the firmament, as it doth here on earth in the day, by
which reason we are able to see the stars and planets in the night, even so the
rays of the sun piercing upwards into the firmament, the spirits abandon the
place, and so come near us on earth, the darkness filling our heads with heavy
dreams and fond fancies, with shrieking and crying in many deformed shapes: and
sometimes when men go forth without light, there falleth to them a fear, that
their hairs standeth up on end, so many start in their sleep, thinking there is
a spirit by them, groping or feeling for him, going round about the house in
their sleep, and many such like fancies, and all this is, because in the night
the spirits are more familiarly by us than we are desirous of their company,
and so they carry us, blinding us, and plaguing us more than we are able to
perceive.”
CHAPTER
XXVII.
How
Dr. Faustus was asked a Question concerning the Stars
that
fell from Heaven.
DR. FAUSTUS being demanded the cause why the stars fall from
heaven, he answered: “That it is but our opinion; for if one star fall, it is
the great judgment of God upon us, as a forewarning of some great thing to
come: for when we think that a star falleth, it is but as a spark that issueth
from a candle or flame of fire; for if it were a substantial thing, we should
not so soon lose the sight of them as we do. But likewise if so be that we see
as it were a stream of fire fall from the firmament, as it oft happeneth, yet
are they not stars, but as it were a flame of fire vanishing, but the stars are
substantial; therefore are they firm and not falling; if there fall any, it is
a sign of some great matter to come, as a scourge to a people or country; and
then such stars falling, and the gates of heaven are opened, and the clouds
send forth floods and other plagues, to the damage of the whole land and
people.”
CHAPTER XXVIII.
How Faustus was asked a Question
concerning Thunder.
IN the month of
August there was over Wittenburg a mighty great lightning and thunder; and as
Dr. Faustus was jesting merrily in the market-place with certain of his friends
and companions, being physicians, they desired him to tell them the cause of
that weather. Faustus answered: “It hath been commonly seen heretofore that,
before a thunder-clap, fell a shower of rain or a gale of wind; for commonly
after a wind falleth rain, and after rain a thunder-clap, such thickness come
to pass when the four winds meet together in the heavens, the airy clouds are
by force beaten against the fixed crystal firmament, but when the airy clouds meet
with the firmament, they are congealed, and so strike, and rush against the
firmament, as great pieces of ice when they meet on the water; then each other
sounded in our ears, and that we call thunder, which indeed was none other than
you have heard.”
THE
THIRD AND LAST OF DR. FAUSTUS HlS MERRY CONCElTS, SHOWING AFTER WHAT SORT HE
PRACTISED
NECROMANCY IN THE COURTS OF GREAT PRINCES: AND, LASTLY, OF HlS
FEARFUL AND PITIFUL END.
CHAPTER XXIX.
How the Emperor Carolus Quintus requested of Faustus to see some
of his Cunning, whereunto he agreed.
THE Emperor Charles
the Fifth of that name, was personally, with the rest of the nobles and
gentlemen, at the town of Intzbrack, where he kept his court, unto the which
also Dr. Faustus resorted, and being there well known of divers nobles and
gentlemen, he was invited in the court to meat, even in the presence of the
emperor, whom when the emperor saw, he looked earnestly upon him, thinking by
his looks he was some wonderful fellow; wherefore he asked one of his nobles
whom he should be? He answered, that he was called Dr. Faustus. Whereupon the
emperor held his peace until he had taken his repast; after which he called
unto him Faustus into his privy-chamber; where being come, he said unto him:
“Faustus, I have heard much of thee, that thou art excellent in the black art,
and none like thee in my empire; for men say that thou hast a familiar spirit
with thee, and that thou canst do what thou list. It is, therefore,” said the
emperor, “my request of thee that thou let me see proof of thy experience, and
I vow unto thee, by the honour of my imperial crown, none evil shall happen
unto thee for so doing.”
Hereupon Dr.
Faustus answered his Majesty, that upon those conditions he was ready in
anything that he could to do his highness’s command in what service he could
appoint him.
“Well, hear then
what I say,” quoth the emperor. “Being once solitary in my house, I called to
mind my elders and ancestors, how it was possible for them to attain to so
great a degree and authority, yea, so high, that we, the successors of that
line, are not able to come near. As for example, the great and mighty monarch
of the world, Alexander Magnus, was such a pattern and spectacle to all his
successors, as the chronicles make mention of, having so great riches,
conquering and subduing so many kingdoms, the which I and those that follow me
(I fear) shall never be able to attain unto; wherefore, Faustus, my hearty
desire is that thou wouldst vouchsafe to let me see that Alexander and his
paramour, the which was praised to be so fair; and I pray thee show me them in
such sort that I may see their personages, shapes, gesture and apparel, as they
used in their lifetime, and that here before my face, to that end that I may
say, I have my long desire fulfilled, and to praise thee to be a famous man in
thy art and experience.”
Dr. Faustus
answered: “My most excellent lord, I am ready to accomplish your request in all
things, so far forth as I and my spirit are able to perform; yet your Majesty
shall know that their dead bodies are not able substantially to be brought
before you; but such spirits as have seen Alexander and his paramour alive
shall appear unto you in manner and form as they both lived in their most
flourishing time, and herewith I hope to please your imperial Majesty.” Then
Faustus went a little aside and spoke to his spirit, but he returned again
presently, saying, “Now, if it please your Majesty, you shall see them, yet
upon this condition, that you demand no question of them, nor speak unto them;
“which the emperor agreed unto.
Whereupon Dr.
Faustus opened the privy-chamber door, where presently entered the great and
mighty emperor, Alexander Magnus, in all things to look upon as if he had been
alive; in proportion, a strong set thick man, of a middle stature, black hair,
and that both thick and curled, head and beard, red cheeks, and a broad face,
with eyes like a basilisk; he had a complete harness furnished and engraven,
exceeding rich to look upon; and so passing towards the Emperor Carolus he made
a low and reverend courtesy; whereat the Emperor Carolus would have stood up to
receive and greet him with the like reverence. Faustus took hold on him, and
would not permit him to do it. Shortly after Alexander made humble reverence,
and went out again, and coming to the door, his paramour met him. She coming
in, made the emperor likewise reverence. She was clothed in blue velvet,
wrought and embroidered with pearls and gold; she was also excellent fair, like
blood and milk mixed, tall and slender, with a face as round as an apple, and
thus passed they certain times up and down the house, which the emperor
marking, said to himself, “Now I have seen two persons which my heart hath long
wished to behold; and sure it cannot otherwise be,” said he to himself, “but
that the spirits have changed themselves into these forms, and have but
deceived me,” calling to mind the woman that raised the prophet Samuel. And for
that the emperor should be more satisfied in the matter, he said, “I have often
heard that behind in her neck she had a great wart or wen;” wherefore he took
Faustus by the hand without any words, and went to see if it were able to be
seen on her or not; but she perceiving that he came to her, bowed down her
neck, where he saw a great wart, and hereupon she vanished, leaving the emperor
and the rest well contented.
CHAPTER XXX.
How Dr. Faustus, in the sight of the Emperor, conjured a
Pair of Hart’s Horns upon a Knight’s Head, that slept out at a casement.
WHEN Dr. Faustus had accomplished the emperor’s desire in
all things as he was requested, he went forth into the gallery, and leaning
over a rail to look into the privy garden, he saw many of the emperor’s
courtiers walking and talking together, and casting his eyes now this way, now
that way, he espied a knight leaning out of the window of the great hall, who
was fast asleep (for in those days it was hot); but the person shall be
nameless that slept, for that he was a knight, though it was all done to no
little disgrace of the gentleman. It pleased Dr. Faustus, through the help of
his spirit Mephistophiles, to fix on his head as he slept a huge pair of hart’s
horns; and as the knight awaked, thinking to pull in his head, he hit his horns
against the glass, that the panes thereof flew about his ears. Think here how
this good gentleman was vexed, for he could neither get backward nor forward;
which, when the emperor heard, all the courtiers laughed, and came for to see
what had happened. The emperor also, when he beheld the knight with so fair a
head, laughed heartily thereat, and was therewith well pleased. At last Faustus
made him quit of his horns again, but the knight perceived not how they came.
CHAPTER XXXI.
How the above-mentioned Knight went
about to be revenged of Dr. Faustus.
DR. FAUSTUS took
his leave of the emperor and the rest of the courtiers, at whose departure they
were sorry, giving him many rewards and gifts; but being a league and a half
out of the city, he came into a wood, where he beheld the knight that he had
jested with at the court with others in harness, mounted upon fair palfreys,
and running with full charge towards Faustus; but he seeing their intent ran towards
the bushes, and before he came among the bushes he returned again, running as
it were to meet them that chased him: whereupon suddenly all the bushes were
turned into horsemen, which also ran to encounter with the knight and his
company, and coming to them, they enclosed the knight and the rest, and told
them they must pay their ransom before they departed; whereupon the knight
seeing himself in such distress, besought Faustus to be good to them, which he
denied not but let them loose; yet he so charmed them, that every one, knight
and other, for the space of a whole month did wear a pair of goat’s horns on their
brows, and every palfrey a pair of ox’s horns on his head; and this was their
penance appointed by Faustus.
CHAPTER XXXII.
How three young Dukes being together
at Wittenburg, to behold the University, requested Faustus to help them at a
Wish to the Town of Muncheon, in Bavaria, there to see the Duke of Bavaria’s
Son’s Wedding.
THREE worthy young dukes, the which are not here to be
named, but being students all together, at the university of Wittenburg, met on
a time all together, where they fell in reasoning concerning the pomp and
bravery that should be in the city of Muncheon in Bavaria, at the wedding of
the duke’s son, wishing themselves there but one half hour to see the manner of
their jollity; to whom one replied, saying to the two other gentlemen, “If it
please you to give me the hearing, I will give you good counsel, that you may
see the wedding, and be here again to-night, and this is my meaning: let us
send to Dr. Faustus, make him a present of some rare thing, and open our minds
unto him, desiring him to assist us in our enterprise, and assure ye he will
not deny to fulfil our request.” Hereupon they all concluded: sent for Faustus,
told him their minds, and gave him a gift, and invited him to a sumptuous
banquet, wherewith Faustus was well contented, and promised to further their
journey to the uttermost: and when the time was come that the three young
gentlemen came into his house, commanding them that they would put on their
best apparel, and adorn themselves as rich as they could. He took off his
great large cloak, went into the garden that was adjoining unto his house, and
set the three young dukes upon his cloak, and he himself in the midst: but he
gave them in charge, that in anywise they should not at once open their mouths
to speak, or make answer to any man so soon as they went out, not so much as if
the Duke of Bavaria or his son should speak to them, or offer them courtesy,
they should give no word or answer again; to which they all agreed.
These conditions
being made, Dr. Faustus began to conjure, and on a sudden arose a mighty wind,
heaving up the cloak, and so carried them away in the air, and in due time they
came unto Muncheon to the duke’s court; where being entered into the utmost
court, the marshal had espied them, who presently went to the duke, showing his
grace that all the lords and gentlemen were ready set at the table, notwithstanding
there were newly come three goodly gentlemen with one servant, the which stood
without in the court, wherefore the good old duke came out unto them, welcoming
them, requiring what they were, and whence? But they made no answer at all;
whereat the duke wondered, thinking they had been all dumb: notwithstanding
for his honour’s sake he took them into the court, and feasted them. Faustus notwithstanding
spake to them, “If anything happen otherwise than well, when I say, Sit up,
then fall you all on the cloak, and good enough.”
Well, the water
being brought, and that they must wash, one of the three had some manners as to
desire his friend to wash first, which when Faustus heard, he said, “Sit up;
“and all at once they got on the cloak, but he that spoke fell off again, the
other two with Dr. Faustus were again presently at Wittenburg: but he that
remained was taken and laid in prison: wherefore the other two gentlemen were
very sorrowful for their friend, but Faustus comforted them, promising that on
the morrow he should also be at Wittenburg.
Now all this while
was the duke taken in great fear, and strucken into an exceeding dumps, wondering
with himself that his hap was so hard to be left behind, and not the rest: and
now being locked and watched with so many keepers: there was also certain of
the guests that fell to reasoning with him to know what he was, and also what
the other were that were vanished away? But the poor prisoner thought with
himself, “If I open what they are, then it will be evil also with me.”
Wherefore all this while he gave no man any answer, so that he was there a
whole day and gave no man a word: wherefore the old duke gave charge that the
next morning they should rack him until he had confessed; which when the young
duke heard, he began to sorrow, and to say with himself, “It may be, that
to-morrow (if Dr. Faustus come not to aid me) I shall be racked and grievously
tormented, insomuch that I shall be constrained by force to say more than
willingly I would do.”
But he comforted himself with hope that his friends would
entreat Dr. Faustus about his deliverance, as also it came to pass: for that
before it was day, Dr. Faustus was by him, and he conjured them that watched
him into such a heavy sleep, that he with his charms made open all the locks in
the prison, and therewithal brought the young duke again in safety to the rest
of his fellows and friends, where they presented Faustus with a sumptuous gift,
and so departed one from another.
CHAPTER XXXIII.
How
Dr. Faustus borrowed Money of a Jew, and laid his own
Leg
in Pawn for it.
IT is a common proverb in Germany that, although a conjurer
have all things at command, the day will come that he shall not be worth a
penny: so it is like to fall out with Dr. Faustus in promising the devil so
largely; but as the devil is the author of all lies, even so he led Faustus his
mind in practising things to deceive the people, and blinding them, wherein he
took his whole delight, thereby to bring himself to riches. Notwithstanding, in
the end he was never the richer; and although during twenty-four years of his
time that the devil set him he wanted nothing, yet was he best pleased when he
might deceive anybody; for out of the mightiest potentates’ courts in all these
countries he would send his spirit to fetch away their best cheer.
And on a time,
being in his merriment, where he was banqueting with other students in an inn,
thereunto resorted many Jews; which when Dr. Faustus perceived, he was minded
to play a merry jest to deceive a Jew, desiring one of them to lend him some
money for a time. The Jew was content, and lent Faustus threescore dollars for
a month, which time being expired, the Jew came for his money and interest; but
Dr. Faustus was never minded to pay the Jew again. At length the Jew coming
home to his house, and calling importunately for his money, Dr. Faustus made
him this answer: “Jew, I have no money, nor know I how to pay thee; but
notwithstanding to the end thou mayst be contented, I will cut off a limb of my
body, be it arm or leg, and the same thou shalt have in pawn for thy money; yet
with this condition, that when I shall pay thee thy money again, then thou shalt
give me my limb.”
The Jew, that was
never a friend to a Christian, thought with himself, “This fellow is right for
my purpose, that will lay his limbs in pawn for money, ‘and was therewith very
well content. Wherefore Dr. Faustus took a saw and therewith seemed to cut off
his leg, being notwithstanding nothing so. Well, he gave it to the Jew, yet
upon this condition, when he got money to pay the Jew should deliver him his
leg, to the end lie might set it on again.
The Jew was with
this matter very well pleased, took his leg and departed; and having to go far
home he was somewhat weary, and by the way he thus bethought him: “What helpeth
me a knave’s leg? If I should carry it home it would stink and infect my house;
besides, it is too hard a piece of work to set it on again: wherefore, what an
ass was Faustus to lay so great a pawn for so small a sum of money! And for my
part,” quoth the Jew to himself, “this will never profit me anything;” and with
these words he cast the leg away from him into a ditch.
All this Dr.
Faustus knew right well, therefore within three days after sent for the Jew to
make him payment of his sixty dollars. The Jew came, and Dr. Faustus demanded
his pawn — there was his money ready for him. The Jew answered, “The pawn was
not profitable nor necessary for anything, so I cast it away.” But Faustus,
threatening, replied, “I will have my leg again, or else one of thine for it.”
The Jew fell to intreat, promising him to give him what money he would ask if
he would not deal strictly with him. Wherefore the Jew was constrained to give
him sixty dollars more to be rid of him; and yet Faustus had his leg on, for he
had but blinded the Jew.
CHAPTER XXXIV
How Dr. Faustus deceived the
Horse-courser.
AFTER this manner he deceived a horse-courser at a fair,
called Pheifering: for Faustus, through his conjuring, had gotten an excellent
fair horse, whereupon he rid to the fair, where he had many chapmen that
offered him money; lastly, he sold him for forty dollars, and willing him that
bought him, that in anywise he should not ride him over the water. But the
horse-courser marvelled with himself that Faustus bade him ride over no water.
“But,” quoth he, “I will prove;” and forthwith he rid him into the river.
Presently the horse vanished from under him, and he was left on a bottle of
straw, insomuch that the man was almost drowned.
The horse-courser
knew well where he lay that had sold him his horse; whereupon he went angerly
to his inn, where he found Dr. Faustus fast asleep and snorting on a bed. But
the horse-courser could no longer forbear him, but took him by the leg and
began to pull him off the bed; but he pulled him so that he pulled his leg from
his body, insomuch that the horse-courser fell backwards in the place. Then
began Dr. Faustus to cry with open throat, “He hath murdered me.” Hereat the
horse-courser was afraid, and gave the flight, thinking no other with himself
but that he had pulled his leg from his body. By this . means Dr. Faustus kept
his money.
CHAPTER XXXV.
How Dr. Faustus ate a Load of Hay.
DR. FAUSTUS being
at a town in Germany called Zwickow, where he was accompanied with many doctors
and masters, and going forth to walk after supper, they met with a clown that
drew a load of hay.
“Good even, good
fellow,” said Faustus to the clown, “what shall I give thee to let me eat my
bellyful of hay?” The clown thought with himself, “What a madman is this to eat
hay.” Thought he with himself, “Thou wilt not eat much.” They agreed for three
farthings he should eat as much as he could.
Wherefore Dr. Faustus began to eat, and so ravenously, that
all the rest of the company fell a-laughing; blinding so the poor clown that he
was sorry at his heart, for he seemed to have eaten more than half of the hay;
wherefore the clown began to speak him fair, for fear he should have eaten the
other half also. Faustus made as though he had pity on the clown, and went
away. When the clown came in the place where he would be, he had his hay again
as he had before, a full load.
CHAPTER XXXVI.
How Dr. Faustus served the Twelve
Students.
AT Wittenburg, before Faustus’s house, there was a quarrel
between seven students, and five that came to part the rest, one part stronger
than the other. Wherefore Dr. Faustus, seeing them to be over-matched, conjured
them all blind, insomuch that the one could not see the other, and he dealt so
with them, that they fought and smote at one another still; whereat all the
beholders fell a-laughing; and thus they continued blind, beating one another
until the people parted them and led each one to his own house, where being
entered into their houses, they received their sight presently again.
CHAPTER XXXVII.
How Dr. Faustus served the Drunken
Clowns.
DR. FAUSTUS went into an inn wherein were many tables full
of clowns, the which were tippling can after can of excellent wine; and to be
short, they were all drunken; and as they sate, they so sang and holloaed, that
one could not hear a man speak for them. This angered Dr. Faustus; wherefore he
said to them that called him in, “Mark, my masters, I will show a merry jest.”
The clowns
continued still holloaing and singing; he conjured them that their mouths stood
as wide open as it was possible for them to hold them, and never a one of them
was able to close his mouth again; by-and-by the noise was gone; the clowns
notwithstanding looked earnest one upon another, and knew not what was
happened. One by one they went out, and so soon as they came without, they were
all as well as ever they were, but none of them desired to go in any more.
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
How Dr. Faustus sold five Swine for
six Dollars apiece.
DR. FAUSTUS began another jest. He made ready five fat swine
the which he sold to one for six dollars apiece, upon this condition, that the
swine-driver should not drive them into the water. Dr. Faustus went home again,
and as the swine had fouled themselves in the mud, the swine-driver drove them
into the water, where presently they were changed into so many bundles of
straw, swimming upright in the water. The buyer looked wistfully upon them, and
was sorry in his heart; but he knew not where to find Faustus; so he was
content to let all go, and lose both money and hogs.
CHAPTER
XXXIX.
How Dr. Faustus played a merry Jest
with the Duke of Anhalt in his Court.
DR. FAUSTUS on a time
went to the Duke of Anhalt, who welcomed him very courteously. This was in the
month of January; where sitting at table, he perceived the duchess to be with
child; and forbearing himself until the meat was taken from the table, and that
they brought in the banqueting dishes, Dr. Faustus said to the duchess,
“Gracious lady, I have always heard that women with child do always long for
some dainties; I beseech therefore your grace, hide not your mind from me, but
tell me what you desire to eat.”
She answered him:
“Dr. Faustus, now truly I will not hide from you what my heart doth much
desire; namely, that if it were now harvest, I would eat my fill of grapes and
other dainty fruit.”
Dr. Faustus
answered hereupon: “Gracious lady, this is a small thing for me to do, for I
can do more than this.” Wherefore he took a plate and set it upon one of the
casements of the window, holding it forth, where incontinent he had his dish
full of all manner of fruit, as red and white grapes, pears, and apples, the
which came from out of strange countries. All these he presented to the
duchess, saying: “Madam, I pray you vouchsafe to taste of this dainty fruit,
the which came from a far country, for there the summer is not yet ended.” The
duchess thanked Faustus highly, and she fell to her fruit with full appetite.
The Duke of Anhalt
notwithstanding could not withhold to ask Faustus with what reason there were
such young fruits to be had at that time of the year?
Dr. Faustus told him: “May it please your grace to understand,
that the year is divided into two circles of the whole world, that when with us
it is winter, in the contrary circle it is notwithstanding summer; for in India
and Saba there falleth or setteth a sun, so that it is so warm, that they have
twice a year fruit; and, gracious lord, I have a swift spirit, the which can in
a twinkling of an eye fulfil my desire in anything; wherefore I sent him into
those countries, who hath brought this fruit as you see;” whereat the duke
greatly admired.
CHAPTER XL.
How
Dr. Faustus, through his Charms, made a great Castle
in
the presence of the Duke of Anhalt.
DR. FAUSTUS desired
the Duke of Anhalt to walk a little forth of the court with him; wherefore they
went together in the field, where Dr. Faustus (through his skill) had placed a
mighty castle, which when the duke saw he wondered thereat, so did the duchess
and all the beholders, that on that hill which is called Rohumbuel, should on
the sudden be so fair a castle. At length Dr. Faustus desired the duke and
duchess to walk with him into the castle, which they denied not. This castle
was so wonderful strong, having about it a great deep trench of water, the
which was full of fish, and all manner of water-fowl, as swans, ducks, geese,
bitterns, and such like; about the wall was five stone doors, and two other
doors also; within was a great open court, wherein was enchanted all manner of
wild beasts, especially such as was not to be found in Germany, as apes, bears,
buffes, antelopes, and many more strange beasts; also there were harts, hinds,
roebucks, and does, and wild swine; all manner of land-fowl that any man could
think on, which flew from one tree to another.
After all this he
set his guests to the table, being the duke and duchess, with all their train,
for he had provided them a most sumptuous feast both of meat, and also of
drink; for he set nine messes of meat upon the board at once. And all this must
his Wagner do, to place all things on the board, the which was brought unto him
by the spirit invisibly, of all things their hearts could desire, as wild-fowl,
venison, and all manner of dainty fish that could be thought on. of wine also
great plenty, and of divers sorts, French wine, Cullen wine, Crabashir wine,
Renish wine, Spanish wine, Hungarian wine, Waszburg wine, Malmsey, and Sack; in
the whole there was one hundred cans standing round about the house.
This sumptuous banquet the duke took thankfully, and
afterwards he departed homeward; but to their thinking they had neither eat nor
drank, so were they blinded while they were in the castle. But as they were in
their palace, they looked towards the castle, and beheld it all on a flame of
fire, and all those that saw it wondered to hear so strange a noise, as if a
great ordnance had been shot off. And thus the castle burned and consumed clean
away; which done, Dr. Faustus returned to the duke, who gave him great thanks
for showing of him so great a courtesy, and gave him a hundred dollars, and
liberty to depart or stay there at his own discretion.
CHAPTER XLI.
How
Dr. Faustus, with his Company, visited the Bishop of
Salisburg’s
Wine-cellar.
DR. FAUSTUS having
taken leave of the duke, he went to Wittenburg, near about Shrovetide, and
being in company with certain students, Dr. Faustus was himself the God of
Bacchus, who having well feasted the students before with dainty fare, after
the manner of Germany, where it is counted no feast unless all the bidden
guests be drunk, which Dr. Faustus intending, said, Gentlemen, and my guests,
will it please you to take a cup of wine with me in a place or cellar whereunto
I will bring you?” They all said willingly, “We will;” which, when Dr. Faustus
heard, he took them forth, set each of them upon a holly-wand, and so was
conjured into the Bishop of Salisburg’s cellar, for thereabouts grew excellent
pleasant wine. There fell Faustus and his company a-drinking and swilling, not
of the worst, but of the best.
And as they were
merry in the cellar, came to draw drink the bishop’s butler; which when he
perceived so many persons there, he cried with a loud voice, “Thieves,
thieves!” This spited Dr. Faustus wonderfully, wherefore he made every one of
his company to sit on their holly-wand, and so vanished away. And in parting,
Dr. Faustus took the butler by the hair of the head, and carried him away with
them, until they came to a mighty high-lopped tree; and on the top of that huge
tree he set the butler, where he remained in a most fearful perplexity.
Dr. Faustus departed to his house, where they took their
valete one after another, drinking the wine that they had stolen in their
bottles out of the bishop’s cellar. The butler, that had held himself by the
hands upon the lopped tree all the night, was almost frozen with the cold,
espying the day, and seeing the tree of huge great highness, thought with
himself, “It is impossible to come off this tree without peril of death.” At
length, espying certain clowns passing by, he cried, “For the love of God help
me down!” The clowns, seeing him so high, wondered what madman would climb up
so huge a tree; wherefore, as a thing most miraculous, they carried tidings to
the Bishop of Salisburg. Then was there great running on every side to see him
on the tree, and many devices they practised to get him down with ropes, and
being demanded of the bishop how he came there, he said that he was brought
thither, by the hair of the head, by certain thieves that were robbing of the
wine-cellar, but what they were he knew not; “for,” said he, “they had faces
like men, but they wrought like devils.”
CHAPTER XLII.
How Dr. Faustus kept his Shrovetide.
THERE were seven
students and masters that studied divinity, jurisprudentiæ, and medicinæ. All
these having consented, were agreed to visit Dr. Faustus, and to celebrate
Shrovetide with him; who being come to his house, he gave them their welcome,
for they were his dear friends, desiring them to sit down, where he served them
with a very good supper of hens, fish, and other roast, yet were they but
slightly cheered; wherefore Dr. Faustus comforted his guests, excusing himself
that they had stolen upon him so suddenly, that he had not leisure to provide
for them so well as they were worthy. “But, my good friends,” quoth he,
“according to the use of our country, we must drink all this night; and so a
draught of the best wine bedwards is commendable. For you know that in great
potentates’ courts they use at this night great feasting, the like will I do
for you; for I have three great flagons of wine: the first is full of Hungarian
wine, containing eight gallons; the second of Italian wine, containing seven
gallons; the third containing six gallons of Spanish wine; all the which we
will tipple up before it be day. Besides, we have fifteen dishes of meat, the
which my spirit Mephistophiles bath fetched so far, that it was cold before he
brought it, and they are all full of the daintiest things that one’s heart can
devise. But,” saith Faustus, “I must make them hot again; and you may believe
me, gentlemen, that this is no blinding of you; whereas you think that this is
no natural food, verily it is as good and as pleasant as ever you eat.”
And having ended his tale, he commanded his boy to lay his
cloth, which done, he served them with fifteen messes of meat, having three
dishes in a mess; in the which were all manner of venison, and dainty
wild-fowl; and for wine there was no lack, as Italian wine, Hungarian wine, and
Spanish wine; and when they were all made drunk, and that they had eaten their
good cheer, they began to sing and dance until it was day. And so they departed
every one to his own habitation; at whose departing, Dr. Faustus desired them
to be his guests again the next day following.
CHAPTER XLIII.
How Dr. Faustus feasted his Guests on
Ash Wednesday.
UPON Ash Wednesday
came unto Dr. Faustus his bidden guests, the students, whom he feasted very
royally, insomuch that they were all full and lusty, dancing and singing as the
night before; and when the high glasses and goblets were caroused one to
another, Dr. Faustus began to play them some pretty feats, insomuch that round
about the hall was heard most pleasant music, and that in sundry places: in
this corner a lute, in another a cornet, in another a cittern, clarigols, harp,
hornpipe, in fine, all manner of music was heard there in that instant; whereat
all the glasses and goblets, cups, and pots, dishes, and all that stood upon
the board began to dance. Then Dr. Faustus took ten stone pots and set them
down on the floor, where presently they began to dance, and to smite one
against another, that the shivers flew round about the whole house, whereat the
whole company fell a-laughing. Then began he another jest: he set an instrument
upon the table, and caused a mighty great ape to come among them, which ape
began to dance and skip, showing them merry conceits.
In this and such
pastime they passed away the whole day. When night being come Dr. Faustus bid
them all to supper, which they lightly agreed unto, for students in these cases
are easily intreated; wherefore he promised to feast them with a banquet of
fowl, and afterwards they would go all about with a mask. Then Dr. Faustus put
forth a long pole out of the window, whereupon presently there came innumerable
numbers of birds and wild-fowl, and so many as came had not the power to fly
away again; but he took them and flung them to the students, who lightly pulled
off the necks of them, and being roasted, they made their supper, which being
ended, they made themselves ready for the mask.
Dr. Faustus commanded every one to put on a clean shirt over
the other clothes, which being done, they looked one upon another. It seemed to
each one of them that they had no heads; and so they went forth unto certain of
their neighbours, at which sight the people were most wonderfully afraid; and
as the use of Germany is, that wheresoever a mask entereth the good man of the
house must feast him, so as these maskers were set to their banquet, they
seemed again in their former shape with heads, insomuch that they were all
known whom they were; and having sat and well eat and drank, Dr. Faustus made
that every one had an ass’s head on, with great long ears, so they fell to
dancing and to drive away the time until it was midnight, and then every one
departed home; and as soon as they were out of the house, each one was in his
natural shape, and so they ended and went to sleep.
CHAPTER XLIV.
How
Dr. Faustus the Day following was feasted by the Students, and of
his
merry Jests with them while he was in their Company.
THE last
bacchanalia was held on Thursday, where ensued a great snow, and Dr. Faustus
was invited unto the students that were with him the day before, where they
prepared an excellent banquet for him, which banquet being ended, Dr. Faustus
began to play his old projects. And forthwith was in the place thirteen apes,
that took hands and danced round in a ring together; then they fell to tumbling
and vaulting one after another, that it was most pleasant to behold; then they
leaped out of the window and vanished away. Then they set before Dr. Faustus a
roasted calf’s head, which one of the students cut a piece off, and laid it on
Dr. Faustus his trencher, which piece was no sooner laid down but the calf’s
head began to cry mainly out like a man, “Murder, murder! Out, alas! what dost
thou to me?” Whereat they were all amazed, but after a while, considering of
Faustus’s jesting tricks, they began to laugh, and they pulled asunder the
calf’s head and eat it up.
Whereupon Dr.
Faustus asked leave to depart, but they would in nowise agree to let him go,
except that he would promise to come again presently. Then Faustus, through his
cunning, made a sledge, the which was drawn about the house with four fiery
dragons. This was fearful for the students to behold, for they saw Faustus ride
up and down, as though he would have fired and slain all them that were in the
house. This sport continued until midnight, with such a noise that they could
not hear one another; the heads of the students were so light that they thought
themselves to be in the air all that time
.
CHAPTER
XLV.
How
Dr. Faustus showed the fair Helena unto the Students
upon
the Sunday following.
THE Sunday
following came the students home to Dr. Faustus his own house, and brought
their meat and drink with them. Those men were right welcome guests unto
Faustus, wherefore they all fell to drinking of wine smoothly; and being merry,
they began some of them to talk of beauty of women, and every one gave forth
his verdict what he had seen, and what he had heard. So one amongst the rest
said, “I was never so desirous of anything in this world as to have a sight (if
it were possible) of fair Helena of Greece, for whom the worthy town of Troy
was destroyed and razed down to the ground; therefore,” saith he, “that in all
men’s judgments she was more than commonly fair, because that when she was
stolen away from her husband there was for her recovery so great bloodshed.”
Dr. Faustus
answered: “For that you are all my friends, and are so desirous to see that
stately pearl of Greece, fair Helena, the wife to King Menelaus, and daughter
of Tyndarus and Leda, sister to Castor and Pollux, who was the fairest lady of
all Greece, I will therefore bring her into your presence personally, and in
the same form and attire as she used to go when she was in her chiefest flower
and choicest prime of youth. The like have I done for the Emperor Carolus
Magnus; at his desire I showed him Alexander the Great, and his paramour. But,”
said Dr. Faustus, “I charge you all that upon your perils you speak not a word,
nor rise up from the table so long as she is in your presence.”
And so he went out
of the hall, returning presently again, after whom immediately followed the
fair and beautiful Helena, whose beauty was such that the students were all
amazed to see her, esteeming her rather to be an heavenly than an earthly
creature. This lady appeared before them in a most rich gown of purple velvet,
costly embroidered; her hair hanging down loose, as fair as the beaten gold,
and of such length that it reached down to her hams; having most amorous
coal-black eyes; a sweet and pleasant round face, with lips as red as any
cherry; her cheeks of a rose colour, her mouth small; her neck white like a
swan, tall and slender of personage; in sum, there was no imperfect place in
her. She looked round about her with a rolling hawk’s eye, a smiling and wanton
countenance, which near hand inflamed the hearts of all the students, but that
they persuaded themselves she was a spirit, which made them lightly pass away
such fancies; and thus fair Helena and Faustus went out again one with another.
But the students, at Faustus entering in the hall again,
requested him to let them see her again the next day, for that they will bring
with them a painter to take a counterfeit, which he denied, affirming that he
could not always raise up his spirit, but only at certain times. “Yet,” said
he, “I will give unto you her counterfeit, which shall be as good to you as if
yourself should see the drawing thereof;” which they received according to his
promise, but soon after lost it again. The students departed from Faustus to
their several lodgings, but none of them could sleep that night for thinking of
the beauty of fair Helena; therefore a man may see how the devil blindeth and
inflameth the heart oftentimes, that men fall in love with harlots, from which
their minds can afterwards be hardly removed.
CHAPTER XLVI.
How Dr. Faustus conjured the four
Wheels from the Clowns Waggon.
DR. FAUSTUS was
sent for to come to the Marshal of Brunswick, who was marvellously troubled
with the falling sickness. Now Faustus had this quality, he seldom rid, but
commonly walked afoot to ease himself when he list; and as he came near unto
the town of Brunswick there overtook him a clown with four horses and an empty
waggon, to whom Dr. Faustus (jestingly, to try him) said: “I pray thee, good
fellow, let me ride a little to ease my weary legs;” which the buzzardly ass
denied, saying that his horse was weary; and he would not let him get up.
Dr. Faustus did this but to prove this clown if there were
any courtesy to be found in him if need were; but such churlishness is usually
found among clowns. But he was well requited by Faustus, even with the like
payment: for he said to him, “Thou dotish clown, void of all humanity, seeing
thou art of so churlish a disposition, I will pay thee as thou hast deserved,
for the four wheels of thy waggon thou shalt have taken from thee; let me see
then how thou canst shift.” Whereupon his wheels were gone, his horses fell
also down to the ground as though they had been dead; whereat the clown was
sore affrighted, measuring it as a just scourge of God for his sins and
churlishness. Wherefore with a trembling and wailing he humbly besought Dr.
Faustus to be good unto him, confessing he was worthy of it; notwithstanding if
it pleased him to forgive him he would hereafter do better. Which submission
made Faustus his heart to relent, answering him on this manner: “Well, do so no
more; but when a poor man desireth thee, see that thou let him ride. But yet
thou shalt not go altogether clear, for although thou have again thy four
wheels, yet thou shalt fetch them at the four gates of the city.” So he threw
dust on the horses and revived them again. And the clown for his churlishness
was fain to fetch his wheels, spending his time with weariness; whereas if
before he had showed a little kindness he might quietly have gone about his
business.
CHAPTER XLVII.
How
four Jugglers cut one another’s Heads off, and set them on
again,
and Faustus deceived them.
DR. FAUSTUS came in
Lent unto Frankland fair, where his spirit Mephistophiles gave him to
understand that in an inn were four jugglers that cut one another’s heads off:
and after their cutting off sent them to the barber to be trimmed, which many
people saw.
This angered Faustus, for he meant to have himself the only
cook in the devil’s banquet, and went to the place where they were, to beguile
them, and as the jugglers were together, ready one to cut off another’s head,
there stood also the barber ready to trim them, and by them upon the table
stood likewise a glass full of stilled waters, and he that was the chiefest
among them stood by it. Thus they began; they smote off the head of the first,
and presently there was a lily in the glass of distilled water, where Faustus
perceived this lily as it was springing, and the chief juggler named it the
tree of life. Thus dealt he with the first, making the barber wash and comb his
head, and then he set it on again. Presently the lily vanished away out of the
water; hereat the man had his head whole and sound again. The like did he with
the other two; and as the turn and lot came to the chief juggler, that he also
should be beheaded, and that this lily was most pleasant, fair, and flourishing
green, they smote his head off, and when it came to be barbed, it troubled Faustus
his conscience, insomuch that he could not abide to see another do anything,
for he thought himself to be the principal conjurer in the world; wherefore Dr.
Faustus went to the table whereat the other jugglers kept that lily, and so lie
took a small knife and cut off the stalk of the lily, saying to himself, “None
of them shall blind Faustus.” Yet no man saw Faustus to cut the lily; but when
the rest of the jugglers thought to have set on their master’s head, they could
not; wherefore they looked on the lily, and found it bleeding. By this means
the juggler was beguiled, and so died in his wickedness; yet no one thought
that Dr. Faustus had done it.
CHAPTER XLVIII.
How
an old Man, the Neighbour of Faustus, sought to persuade him
to
mend his Life, and to fall unto Repentance.
A GOOD Christian,
an honest and virtuous old man, a lover of the Holy Scriptures, who was
neighbour to Dr. Faustus, when lie perceived that many students had their
recourse in and out unto Dr. Faustus, he suspected his evil life, wherefore
like a friend he invited Dr. Faustus to supper unto his house, to which he
agreed, and having entered their banquet, the old man began with these words:
“My loving friend
and neighbour, Dr. Faustus, I am to desire of you a friendly and Christian request,
beseeching you would vouchsafe not to be angry with me, but friendly resolve me
in my doubt, and take my poor inviting in good part.”
To whom Dr. Faustus
answered, “My good neighbour, I pray you say your mind.”
Then began the old
patron to say, “My good neighbour, you know in the beginning how that you have
defied God and all the host of heaven, and given your soul to the devil,
wherewith you have incurred God’s high displeasure, and are become from a
Christian far worse than a heathen person. Oh! consider what you have done, it
is not only the pleasure of the body, but the safety of the soul that you must
have respect unto; of which, if you be careless, then are you cast away, and
shall remain in the anger of the Almighty God. But yet it is time enough, O
Faustus! if you repent, and call upon the Lord for mercy, as we have example in
the Acts of the Apostles, the eighth chapter, of Simon in Samaria, who was led
out of the way, affirming that he was Simon homo sanctus. This man
notwithstanding in the end, was converted, after he had heard the sermon of
Philip, for he was baptized and saw his sin and repented. Likewise I beseech
you, good brother, Dr. Faustus, let my rude sermon be unto you a conversion,
and forget thy filthy life that thou hast led, repent, ask mercy, arid live:
for Christ saith,
Come unto me all ye
that are weary and heavy laden, and I will refresh you.’ And in Ezekiel, ‘I
desire not the death of a sinner, but rather that he will convert and live.’
Let my words, good brother Faustus, pierce into your adamant heart, and desire
God for his Son Christ his sake to forgive you. Wherefore have you lived so
long in your devilish practices, knowing that in the old and New Testament you
are forbidden, and men should not suffer any such to live, neither have any
conversation with them, for it is an abomination unto the Lord, and that such
persons have no part in the kingdom of God.”
All this while Dr.
Faustus heard him very attentively, and replied: “Father, your persuasions like
me wondrous well, and I hank you with all my heart for your good will and
counsel, promising you, as far as I may, to allow your discipline.” Whereupon
he took his leave, and being come home, he laid him very pensive on his bed,
bethinking himself of the words of this old man, and in a manner began to
repent that he had given his soul to the devil, intending to deny all that he
had promised to Lucifer.
Continuing in these cogitations, suddenly his spirit
appeared unto him, clapping him upon the head, and wrung it as though he would
have pulled his head from his shoulders, saying unto him, “Thou knowest,
Faustus, that thou hast given thyself, body and soul, to my lord Lucifer, and
thou hast vowed thyself an enemy to God and to all men; and now thou beginnest
to hearken to an old doting fool, which persuadeth thee as it were to good,
when indeed it is too late, for thou art the devil’s, and he hath great power
presently to fetch thee. Wherefore he hath sent me unto thee to tell thee, that
seeing thou hast sorrowed for that which thou hast done, begin again, and write
another writing with thine own blood; if not, then will I tear thee in pieces.”
Hereat Dr. Faustus was sore afraid, and said, “My
Mephistophiles, I will write again what thou wilt.” Then presently he sat him down,
and with his own blood wrote as followeth: which writing was afterwards sent to
a dear friend of Faustus, being his kinsman.
CHAPTER XLIX.
How
Dr. Faustus wrote the second time with his own Blood,
and
gave it to the Devil.
I, Dr. John
Faustus, do acknowledge by this my deed and handwriting, that since my first
writing, which is seventeen years past, I have right willingly held, and have
been an utter enemy to God and all men; the which I once again confirm, and
give fully and wholly myself unto the devil, both body and soul, even unto
great Lucifer, and that at the end of seven years ensuing after the date
hereof, he shall have to do with me according as it pleaseth him, either to
lengthen or shorten my life as it pleaseth him; and hereupon I renounce all persuaders,
that seek to withdraw me from my purpose by the word of God, either ghostly or
bodily; and farther I will never give ear to any man, be he spiritual or
temporal, that moveth any matter for the salvation of my soul. of all this
writing, and that therein contained, be witness my blood, which with my own
hands I have begun and ended. Dated at Wittenburg, the 25th of July.
And presently upon
the making of this writing, he became so great an enemy to the poor old man,
that he sought his life by all means possible; but this good old man was strong
in the Holy Ghost, that he could not be vanquished by any means; for about two
days after that he had exhorted Faustus, as the poor old man lay in his bed,
suddenly there was a mighty rumbling in the chamber, which he was never wont to
hear, and he heard as it had been the groaning of a sow, which lasted long:
whereupon the good old man began to jest and mock, and said, “oh! what
barbarian cry is this? Oh, fair bird! what foul music is this? A fair angel,
that could not tarry two days in this place? Beginnest thou now to turn into a
poor man’s house, where thou hast no power, and wert not able to keep thine own
two days?” With these and such like words the spirit departed; and when he came
home, Faustus asked him how he had sped with the old man, to whom the spirit
answered: “The old man was harnessed so, that he could not once lay hold upon
him; “but he would not tell how the old man had mocked him, for the devils can
never abide to hear of their fall. Thus doth God defend the hearts of all
honest Christians that betake themselves to his tuition.
CHAPTER L.
How Dr. Faustus made a Marriage
between two Lovers.
IN the city of Wittenburg was a student, a gallant gentleman,
named N. N. This gentleman was far in love with a gentlewoman, fair and proper
of personage: this gentlewoman had a knight that was a suitor unto her, and
many other gentlemen, which desired her in marriage, but none could obtain her.
So it was that in despair with himself, that he pined away to skin and bones.
But when he opened the matter to Dr. Faustus, he asked
counsel of his spirit Mephistophiles, the which told him what to do. Hereupon
Dr. Faustus went home to the gentleman, who bade him be of good cheer, for he
should have his desire, for he would help him to that he wished for, and that
this gentlewoman should love none other but him only: wherefore Dr. Faustus so
changed the mind of the damsel by the practice he wrought, that she could do no
other thing but think on him whom before she had hated, neither cared she for
any man but him alone. The device was thus: Faustus commanded the gentleman
that he should clothe himself in all the best apparel that he had, and that he
should go unto the gentlewoman and show himself, giving him a ring, commanding
him in anywise that he should dance with her before he departed; who following
his counsel, went to her, and when they began to dance, they that were suitors
began to take every one his lady by the hand; this gentleman took her who
before had so disdained him, and in the dance he put the ring into her hand
that Faustus had given him, which she no sooner touched, but she fell presently
in love with him, smiling at him in the dance, and many times winking at him,
rolling her eyes, and in the end she asked him if he could love her, and make
her his wife. He gladly answered that he was content; whereupon they concluded,
and were married by the means and help of Faustus, for which the gentleman well
rewarded him.
CHAPTER LI.
How
Dr. Faustus led his Friends into his Garden at Christmas, and
showed
them many strange Sights, in the nineteenth Year.
IN December, about Christmas, in the city of Wittenburg,
were many young gentlemen, which were come out of the country to be merry with
their friends, amongst whom there were certain well acquainted with Dr.
Faustus, who often invited them home unto his house. They being there on a
certain time, after dinner he had them into his garden, where they beheld all
manner of flowers and fresh herbs, and trees bearing fruit, and blossoms of all
sorts; who wondered to see that his garden should so flourish at that time, as
in the midst of the summer, when abroad in the streets and all the country lay
full of snow and ice; wherefore this was noted of them as a thing miraculous,
every one gathering and carrying away all such things as they best liked, and
so departed, delighted with their sweet-smelling flowers.
CHAPTER LII.
How Dr. Faustus gathered together a
great Army of Men in his extremity, against a Knight that would have
Conjured
him on his own Journey.
Dr. FAUSTUS
travelled towards Evzeleben, and when he was nigh half the way, he espied seven
horsemen, and the chief of them he knew to be the knight with whom he had
jested in the emperor’s court, for he had left a great pair of hart’s horns
upon his head; and when the knight now saw that he had a fit opportunity to be
revenged of Faustus, he ran upon him, and those that were with him, to mischief
himself, intending privily to slay him; which when Faustus espied, he vanished
away into a wood that was hard by them, but when the knight perceived that he
was vanished away, he caused his men to stand still; but where they remained,
they heard all manner of warlike instruments of music, as drums, flutes,
trumpets, and such like, and a certain troop of horsemen running towards them;
then they turned another way, and were also met on that side; then another way,
and yet were freshly assaulted, so that which way soever they turned
themselves, they were encountered, insomuch that when the knight perceived that
he could escape no way, but that his enemies lay on him which way soever he
offered to fly, he took good heart, and ran amongst the thickest, and thought
with himself better to die than to live with so great infamy; therefore being
at handy blows with them, he demanded the cause why they should so use them?
But none of them would give him answer, until Dr. Faustus showed himself unto
the knight; whereupon they enclosed him round, and Dr. Faustus said unto him,
“Sir, yield your weapon and yourself, otherwise it will go hard with you.”
The knight knew no other but that he was conjured with a
host of men, whereas indeed they were none other but devils, yielded; then
Faustus took away his sword, his piece, and horse, with all the rest of his
companions. And farther he said unto him: “Sir, the chiefest general of our
army hath commanded me to deal with you, according to the law of arms; you
shall depart in peace, whither you please.” And then he gave the knight a
horse, after the manner, and set him thereon, so he rode, the rest went on
foot, until they came to their inn, where he being alighted, his page rode on
his horse to the water, and presently the horse vanished away, the page being
almost sunk and drowned, but he escaped; and coming home, the knight perceiving
the page to be bemired, and on foot, asked where his horse was; who answered,
that he was vanished away. Which when the knight heard, he said, “Of a truth
this is Faustus his doing, for he serveth me now, as he did before at the
court, only to make me a scorn and laughing-stock.”
CHAPTER
LIII.
How Dr. Faustus used Mephistophiles,
to bring him seven of the fairest Women he could find in all the
Countries he
had travelled the twenty Years.
WHEN Dr. Faustus
called to mind that his time from day to day drew nigh, he began to live a
swinish and epicurish life. Wherefore he commanded his spirit Mephistophiles to
bring him seven of the fairest women that he had seen in all the times of his
travel; which being brought, he liked them so well that he continued with them
in all manner of love, and made them to travel with him all his journeys. These
women were two Netherland, one Hungarian, one Scottish, two Walloon, one
Franklander. And with these sweet personages he continued long, yea, even to
his last end.
CHAPTER LIV.
How
Dr. Faustus found a Mass of Money, when he had consumed
twenty-two
of his Years.
TO the end that the devil would make Faustus his only heir,
he showed unto him where he should go and find a mighty huge mass of money, and
that he should find it in an old chapel that was fallen down, half a mile
distance from Wittenburg. There he bade him to dig, and he should find it,
which he did; and having digged reasonable deep, he saw a mighty huge serpent,
which lay on the treasure itself; the treasure itself lay like a huge light
burning; but Dr. Faustus charmed the serpent, that he crept into a hole, and
when he digged deeper to get up the treasure, he found nothing but coals of
fire. There he also saw and heard many that were tormented; yet notwithstanding
he brought away the coals, and when he was come home, it was turned into silver
and gold; and after his death it was found by his servant, which was almost, by
estimation, one thousand guilders.
CHAPTER LV.
How
Dr. Faustus made the Spirit of fair Helena of Greece his own
Paramour
in his twenty-third Year.
To the end that this miserable Faustus might fill the lust
of his flesh and live in all manner of voluptuous pleasure, it came in his
mind, after he had slept his first sleep, and in the twenty-third year past of
his time, that he had a great desire to lie with fair Helena of Greece,
especially her whom he had seen and shown unto the students at Wittenburg;
wherefore he called his spirit Mephistophiles, commanding him to bring to him
the fair Helena, which he also did.
Whereupon he fell in love with her, and made her his common
companion, for she was so beautiful and delightful that he could not be an hour
from her; if he should therefore have suffered death, she had stolen away his
heart, and to his seeming in time she had child, whom Faustus named Justus
Faustus. The child told Dr. Faustus many things which were done in foreign
countries, but in the end, when Faustus lost his life, the mother and the child
vanished away both together.
CHAPTER LVI.
How
Dr. Faustus made his Will, in which he named his Servant
Wagner
to be his Heir.
DR. FAUSTUS was now
in his twenty-fourth and last year, and he had a pretty stripling to his
servant, which had studied also at the university of Wittenburg. This youth was
very well acquainted with his knaveries and sorceries, so that he was hated as
well for his own knavery as also for his master’s, for no man would give him
entertainment into his service because of his unhappiness but Faustus. This
Wagner was so well beloved of Faustus that he used him as his son, for do what
he would, his master was always therewith contented.
And then when the time drew nigh that Faustus should end, he
called unto him a notary and certain masters, the which were his friends and
often conversant with him, in whose presence he gave this Wagner his house and
garden. Item, he gave him in ready money sixteen thousand guilders. Item, one
farm. Item, a gold chain, much plate, and other household stuff, that gave he
to his servant, and the rest of his time he meant to spend in inns and
students’ company, drinking and eating, with other jollity. And thus he
finished his will at that time.
CHAPTER LVII.
How
Dr. Faustus fell in talk with his Servant, touching his
Testament,
and the Covenants thereof.
NOW when this will
was made, Dr. Faustus called unto his servant, saying, “I have thought upon
thee in my testament, for that thou hast been a trusty servant unto me, and
faithful, and hast not opened my secrets. And yet farther,” said he, “ask of me
before I die what thou wilt, and I will give it unto thee.”
His servant rashly
answered, “I pray you, let me have your cunning.”
To which Dr. Faustus answered, “I have given thee all my
books, upon this condition, that thou wouldst not let them be common, but use
them for thy own pleasure, and study carefully in them; and dost thou also
desire my cunning? That thou mayst peradventure have, if thou love and peruse
my books well.”
“Farther,” said Dr.
Faustus, “seeing that thou desirest of me this request, I will resolve thee. My
spirit Mephistophiles his time is out with me, and I have nought to command
him, as touching thee. Yet I will help thee to another if thou like well
thereof.”
And within three
days after he called his servant unto him, saying, “Art thou resolved? wouldst
thou verily have a spirit? Then tell me in what manner or form thou wouldst
have him.” To whom his servant answered that he would have him in the form of
an ape. Whereupon appeared presently a spirit unto him in manner and form of an
ape; the which leaped about the house.
Then said Faustus,
“See, there thou hast thy request; but yet he will not obey thee until I be
dead, for when my spirit Mephistophiles shall fetch me away, then shall thy
spirit be bound unto thee, if thou agree, and thy spirit shalt thou name
Aberecock, for so he is called. But all this upon a condition. that you publish
my cunning and my merry conceits, with all that I have done (when I am dead) in
an history, and if thou canst not remember all, the spirit Aberecock will help
thee; so shall the acts that I have done be made manifest unto the world.”
CHAPTER LVIII.
How Dr. Faustus having but one Month
of his appointed Time to come, fell to Mourning and
Sorrowing with himself for
his devilish exercise.
TIME ran away with Faustus, as the hour-glass; for he had
but one month to come of his twenty-four years, at the end whereof he had given
himself to the devil, body and soul, as is before specified. Here was the first
token, for he was like a taken murderer, or a thief, the which finding himself
guilty in conscience before the judge has given sentence, fears every hour to
die; for he was grieved, and in wailing spent the time, went talking to
himself, wringing of his hands, sobbing and sighing. His flesh fell away, and
he was very lean, and kept himself close; neither could he abide, see, or hear
of his Mephistophiles any more.
CHAPTER LIX.
How
Dr. Faustus complained that he should in his lusty Time,
and
youthful Years, die so miserably.
THE sorrowful time drawing near, so troubled Dr. Faustus,
that he began to write his mind, to the end he might peruse it often and not
forget it, which was in manner as followeth: “Ah! Faustus, thou sorrowful and
woeful man, now must thou go to the damnable company in unquenchable fire,
whereas thou mightest have had the joyful immortality of thy soul, the which
now thou hast lost! Ah! gros understanding and wilful will! What seizeth upon
thy limbs, other than robbing of my life? Bewail with me, my sound and
healthful body, will, and soul; bewail with me, my senses, for you have had
your part and pleasure as well as I. Oh! envy and disdain! How have you crept
both at once upon me, and now for your sakes I must suffer all these torments!
Ah! whither is pity and mercy fled? Upon what occasion hath heaven repaid me
with this reward, by sufferance, to suffer me to perish? Wherefore was I
created a man? The punishment I see prepared for me of myself, now must I
suffer. Ah! miserable wretch! There is nothing in this world to show me
comfort! Then woe is me! What helpeth my wailing?”
CHAPTER LX.
How
Dr. Faustus bewailed to thinly on Hell, and the miserable
Pains
therein provided for him.
NOW thou Faustus, damned wretch! how happy wert thou if, as
an unreasonable beast, thou mightest die with a soul? so shouldest thou not
feel any more doubts; but now the devil will take thee away, both body and
soul, and set thee in an unspeakable place of darkness; for although other
souls have rest and peace, yet I, poor damned wretch, must suffer all manner of
filthy stench, pains, cold, hunger, thirst, heat, freezing, burning, hissing,
gnashing, and all the wrath and curse of God; yea, all the creatures God hath
created are enemies to me. And too late I remember that my spirit
Mephistophiles did once tell me there was great difference amongst the damned,
for the greater the sin the greater the torment; as the twigs of a tree make
greater flames than the trunk thereof, and yet the trunk continueth longer in
burning, even so the more that a man is rooted in sin, the greater is his
punishment. Ah! thou perpetual damned wretch! how art thou thrown into the
everlasting fiery lake that shall never be quenched! there must I dwell in all
manner of wailing, sorrow, misery, pain, torment, grief, howling, sighing,
sobbing, running at the eyes, stinking at the nose, gnashing of teeth, snare to
the ears, horror to the conscience, and shaking both of hand and foot? Ah! that
I could carry the heavens upon my shoulders, so that there were time at last to
quit me of this everlasting damnation. Oh! what can deliver me out of the
fearful tormenting flame, the which I see prepared for me? Oh! there is no
help, nor can any man deliver me; nor my wailing of sins can help me; neither
is there rest for me to be found day or night! Ah! woe is me! for there is no
help for me, no shield, no defence, no comfort; where is my help? Knowledge
dare I not trust; and for a soul to Godwards, that have I not, for I ashame to
speak unto him; if I do, no answer shall be made me; but he will hide his face
from me, to the end that I should not behold the joys of the chosen. What mean
I then to complain, where no help is? No, I know no hope resteth in my
groanings; I had desired it would be so, and God hath said, Amen, to my
misdoings; for now I must have shame to comfort me in my calamities.
CHAPTER LXI.
Here
followeth the Miserable and Lamentable End of Doctor Faustus, by
which
all Christians may take an Example and Warning.
THE full time of
Dr. Faustus, his four-and-twenty years being come, his spirit appeared unto
him, giving him his writing again, and commanding him to make preparation, for
that the devil would fetch him against a certain time appointed.
Dr. Faustus mourned
and sighed wonderfully, and never went to bed, nor slept a wink for sorrow.
Wherefore his
spirit appeared again, comforting him, and saying: “My Faustus, be not thou so
cowardly minded; for although thou lovest thy body, it is long unto the day of
judgment, and thou must die at the last, although thou live many thousand
years. The Turks, the Jews, and many an unchristian emperor are in the same
condemnation; therefore, my Faustus, be of good courage, and be not
discomforted, for the devil hath promised that thou shalt not be in pains, as
the rest of the damned are.” This and such like comfort he gave him, for he
told him false, and against the saying of the Holy Scriptures.
Yet Dr. Faustus, that had no other expectation but to pay
his debt, with his own skin, went (on the same day that his spirit said the
devil would fetch him) unto his trusty and dearly beloved brethren and
companions, as masters and bachelors of art, and other students more, the which
did often visit him at his house in merriment; these he intreated that they
would walk into the village called Rimlich, half a mile from Wittenburg, and
that they would there take with him for their repast a small banquet; the which
they agreed unto; so they went together, and there held their dinner in a most
sumptuous manner.
Dr.
Faustus with
them, dissemblingly was merry, but not from the heart; wherefore he
requested
them that they would also take part of his rude supper, the which they
agreed
unto; “for,” quoth he, “I must tell you
what is the victualler’s due;” and when
they slept (for drink was in their heads) then Dr. Faustus paid the
shot, and
bound the students and masters to go with him into another room, for he
had
many wonderful matters to tell them; and when they were entered the
room, as he
requested, Dr. Faustus said unto them as followeth:
CHAPTER LXII.
An Oration of Dr. Faustus to the
Students.
“My trusty and
well-beloved friends, the cause why I have invited you in this place is this:
forasmuch as you have known me these many years, what manner of life I have
lived; practising all manner of conjurations and wicked exercises, the which I
obtained through the help of the devil, into whose devilish fellowship they
have brought me; the which use, the art, and practice, urged by the detestable
provocation of my flesh and my stiff-necked and rebellious will, with my filthy
infernal thoughts, the which were ever before me, pricking me forward so
earnestly that I must perforce have the consent of the devil to aid me in my
devices. And to the end I might the better bring my purpose to pass, to have
the devil’s aid and furtherance, which I never have wanted in my actions, I
have promised unto him at the end, and accomplishment of twenty-four years,
both body and soul, to do therewith at his pleasure.
“This dismal day,
these twenty-four years are fully expired; for night beginning, my hour-glass
is at an end, the direful finishing whereof I carefully expect; for out of all
doubt, this night he will fetch me to whom I have given myself in recompense of
his service, body and soul, and twice confirmed writings with my proper blood.
“Now have I called
you, my well-beloved lords, friends and brethren, before that fatal hour, to
take my friendly farewell, to the end that my departure may not hereafter be
hidden from you, beseeching you herewith (courteous loving lords and brethren)
not to take in evil part anything done by me, but with friendly commendations
to salute all my friends and companions wheresoever, desiring both you and
them, if ever I have trespassed against your minds in anything, that you would
heartily forgive me; and as for those lewd practices, the which these full
twenty-four years I have followed, you shall hereafter find them in writing:
and I beseech you let this my lamentable end, to the residue of your lives, be
a sufficient warning, that you have God always before your eyes, praying unto
him, that he will defend you from the temptation of the devil, and all his
false deceits, not falling altogether from God, as I wretched and ungodly
damned creature have done; having denied and defied baptism, the sacrament of
Christ’s body, God himself, and heavenly powers, and earthly men: yea, I have
denied such a God, that desireth not to have one lost. Neither let the evil
fellowship of wicked companions mislead you, as it hath done me: visit
earnestly and often the church; war and strive continually against the devil,
with a good and steadfast belief in God and Jesus Christ, and use your vocation
and holiness.
“Lastly, to knit my
troubled oration, this is my friendly request, that you would go to rest, and
let nothing trouble you: also if you chance to hear any noise or rumbling about
the house, be not therewith afraid, for there shall no evil happen unto you;
also I pray you rise not out of your beds; but above all things, I intreat you,
if hereafter you find my dead carcass, convey it unto the earth, for I die both
a good and bad Christian, though I know the devil will have my body, and that
would I willingly give him, so that he would leave my soul to quiet; wherefore
I pray you, that you would depart to bed, and so I wish you a quiet night,
which unto me, notwithstanding, shall be horrible and fearful.”
This oration was
made by Dr. Faustus, and that with a hearty and resolute mind, to the end he
might not discomfort them; but the students wondered greatly thereat, that he
was so blinded, for knavery, conjuration, and such foolish things, to give his
body and soul unto the devil, for they loved him entirely, and never suspected
any such thing, before he had opened his mind unto them.
Wherefore one of
them said unto him, “Ah! friend Faustus, what have you done to conceal this
matter so long from us? We would by the help of good divines, and the grace of
God, have brought you out of this net, and have torn you out of the bondage and
chains of Satan, whereas we fear now it is too late, to the utter ruin both of
body and soul.”
Dr. Faustus
answered, “I durst never do it, although often minded to settle myself to godly
people, to desire counsel and help; and once my old neighbour counselled me,
that I should follow his learning, and leave all my conjurations: yet when I
was minded to amend, and to follow that good counsel, then came the devil, and
would have had me away, as this night he is like to do: and said, so soon as I
turned again to God, he would dispatch me altogether. Thus, even thus (good
gentlemen and dear friends) was I inthralled in that fanatical bond, all good
desires drowned, all piety vanished, all purposes of amendment truly exiled, by
the tyrannous oppression of my deadly enemy.”
But when the
students heard his words, they gave him counsel to do nothing else but call
upon God, desiring him, for the love of his sweet Son Jesus Christ his sake, to
have mercy upon him: teaching him this form of prayer: “O God! be merciful unto
me, poor and miserable sinner; and enter not into judgment with me, for no
flesh is able to stand before thee; although, O Lord! I must leave my sinful
body unto the devil, being by him deluded, yet thou in mercy may preserve my
soul.”
This they repeated
to him, yet he could take no hold; but even as Cain, he also said, that his
sins were greater than God was able to forgive, for all his thought was on the
writing: he meant he had made it too filthy in writing with his own blood.
The students and
the others that were there, when they had prayed for him, they wept, and so
went forth. But Faustus tarried in the hall; and when the gentlemen were laid
in bed, none of them could sleep, for that they attended to hear if they might
be privy of his end.
It happened that
between twelve and one o’clock of midnight, there blew a mighty storm of wind
against the house, as though it would have blown the foundation thereof out of
its place.
Hereupon the
students began to fear, and go out of their beds, but they would not stir out
of the chamber, and the host of the house ran out of doors, thinking the house
would fall,
The students lay
near unto the hall wherein Dr. Faustus lay, and they heard a mighty noise and
hissing, as if the hall had been full of snakes and adders. With that the hall
door flew open wherein Dr. Faustus was. Then he began to cry for help, saying,
“Murder, murder!” but it was with a half voice, and very hollow. Shortly after
they heard him no more.
But when it was
day, the students, that had taken no rest that night, arose and went into the
hall in which they left Dr. Faustus, where notwithstanding they found not
Faustus, but all the hall sprinkled with blood, the brains cleaving to the
wall, for the devil had beaten him from one wall against another. In one corner
lay his eyes, in another his teeth, a fearful and pitiful sight to behold.
Then began the
students to wail and weep for him, and sought for his body in many places.
Lastly, they came into the yard, where they found his body lying on the horse
dung, most monstrously torn, and fearful to behold, for his head and all his
joints were dashed to pieces. The forenamed students and masters that were at
his death, obtained so much, that they buried him in the village where he was
so grievously tormented.
After the which
they turned to Wittenburg, and coming into the house of Faustus they found the
servant of Faustus very sad, unto whom they opened all the matter, who took it
exceedingly heavy. There they found this history of Dr. Faustus noted, and of
him written, as is before declared, all save only his end, the which was after
by the students thereunto annexed. Farther, what his servant noted thereof was
made in another book. And you have heard he held by him, in his life, the
spirit of fair Helena, who had by him one son, the which he named Justus
Faustus: even the same day of his death they vanished away, both mother and
son. The house before was so dark that scarce anybody could abide therein. The
same night Dr. Faustus appeared unto his servant lively, and showed unto him
many secret things which he had done and hidden in his lifetime. Likewise there
were certain which saw Dr. Faustus look out of the window by night as they
passed by the house.
And thus ended the
whole history of Dr. Faustus, his conjuration, and other acts that he did in
his life, out of which example every Christian may learn, but chiefly the
stiff-necked and high-minded, may thereby learn to fear God, and to be careful
of their vocation, and to be at defiance with all devilish works, as God hath
most precisely forbidden. To the end we should not invite the devil as a guest,
nor give him place, as that wicked Faustus hath done, for here we have a wicked
example of his writing, promise, and end, that we may remember him, that we may
not go astray, but take God always before our yes, to call alone upon him, and
to honour him all the days of our life, with heart and hearty prayer, and with
all our strength and soul to glorify his holy name, defying the devil and all
his works; to the end we may remain with Christ in all endless joy. Amen, amen.
That wish I to every Christian heart, and God’s name be glorified. Amen.
THE END.
PRINTED BY
BALLANTYNE, HANSON AND CO.
LONDON AND
EDINBURGH
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