The Complete Plays (53 page)

CHORUS

When Faustus had with pleasure ta'en the view

Of rarest things and royal courts of kings,

He
stayed his course
and so returnèd home,

Where such as bear his absence but with grief –

I mean his friends and nearest companions –

Did gratulate his safety with kind words.

And in their conference of what befell,

Touching his journey through the world and air,

They put forth questions of astrology,

Which Faustus answered with such learnèd skill

10   As they admired and wondered at his wit.

Now is his fame spread forth in every land;

Amongst the rest the emperor is one,

Carolus the Fifth, at whose palace now

Faustus is feasted 'mongst his noblemen.

What there he did in trial of his art

I leave untold, your eyes shall see performed.

Exit
.

Enter
EMPEROR [OF GERMANY], FAUSTUS, [MEPHISTOPHELES,]
and a
KNIGHT
,
with
ATTENDANTS
.

EMPEROR
Master Doctor Faustus, I have heard strange report
of thy knowledge in the black art – how that none in my
empire, nor in the whole world, can compare with thee for
the rare effects of magic. They say thou hast a familiar spirit by
whom thou canst accomplish what thou list. This, therefore, is
my request: that thou let me see some proof of thy skill, that
mine eyes may be witnesses to confirm what mine ears have
heard reported; and here I swear to thee, by the honour of
mine imperial crown, that whatever thou dost, thou shalt be

10   no ways prejudiced or endamaged.

KNIGHT
(
aside
) I'faith, he looks much like a
conjurer
.

FAUSTUS
My gracious sovereign, though I must confess myself far inferior to the report men have published, and nothing answerable to the honour of your imperial majesty, yet, for that love and duty binds me thereunto, I am content to do whatsoever your majesty shall command me.

EMPEROR

Then, Doctor Faustus, mark what I shall say.

As I was sometime solitary set

Within my closet, sundry thoughts arose

20   About the honour of mine ancestors,

How they had won by prowess such exploits,

Got such riches, subdued so many kingdoms

As we that do succeed or they that shall

Hereafter possess our throne shall,

I fear me, never attain to that degree

Of high renown and great authority.

Amongst which kings is Alexander the Great,

Chief
spectacle of the world's pre-eminence,

The bright shining of whose glorious acts

30   Lightens the world with his reflecting beams,

As when I hear but
motion
made of him,

It grieves my soul I never saw the man.

If, therefore, thou by cunning of thine art

Canst raise this man from hollow vaults below

Where lies entombed this famous conqueror,

And bring with him
his beauteous paramour
,

Both in their right shapes, gesture, and attire

They used to wear during their time of life,

Thou shalt both satisfy my just desire

40   And give me cause to praise thee whilst I live.

FAUSTUS
My gracious lord, I am ready to accomplish your request, so far forth as by art and power of my spirit I am able to perform.

KNIGHT
(
aside
) I'faith, that's just nothing at all.

FAUSTUS
But
if it like your grace
, it is not in my ability to
present before your eyes the true substantial bodies of those two deceased princes, which long since are consumed to dust.

KNIGHT
(
aside
) Ay, marry, Master Doctor, now there's a sign of grace in you, when you will confess the truth.

FAUSTUS
But such spirits as can
lively resemble
Alexander and

50   his paramour shall appear before your grace in that manner
that they best lived in, in their most flourishing estate, which
I doubt not shall sufficiently content your imperial majesty.

EMPEROR
Go to, Master Doctor. Let me see them presently.

KNIGHT
Do you hear, Master Doctor? You bring Alexander and his paramour before the emperor?

FAUSTUS
How then, sir?

KNIGHT
I'faith, that's as true as Diana turned me to a stag.

FAUSTUS
No, sir, but when
Actaeon
died, he left the horns for you.

60   

[
Aside to
MEPHISTOPHELES]
Mephistopheles, begone!

Exit
MEPHISTOPHELES
.

KNIGHT
Nay, an you go to conjuring, I'll be gone.

Exit
KNIGHT
.

FAUSTUS
[
aside
] I'll meet with you anon for interrupting me so.

Here they are, my gracious lord.

Enter
MEPHISTOPHELES
with
ALEXANDER
and his
PARAMOUR
.

EMPEROR
Master Doctor, I heard
this lady
while she lived had a wart or mole in her neck. How shall I know whether it be so or no?

FAUSTUS
Your highness may boldly go and see.

[
The
EMPEROR
examines them, and then
]
exeunt
ALEXANDER
[
and his
PARAMOUR
].

EMPEROR
Sure these are no spirits, but the true substantial bodies of those two deceased princes.

70   

FAUSTUS
Will't please your highness now to send for the knight that was so pleasant with me here of late?

EMPEROR
One of you call him forth.

[
An
ATTENDANT
leaves to summon the
KNIGHT
.]

    
Enter the
KNIGHT
with a pair of horns on his head
.

How now, sir knight? Why, I had thought thou hadst been

a bachelor, but now I see thou hast a wife, that not only

gives thee horns, but makes thee wear them. Feel on thy

head.

KNIGHT
[
to
FAUSTUS
]

Thou damnèd wretch and execrable dog,

Bred in the concave of some monstrous rock,

80   How dar'st thou thus abuse a gentleman?

Villain, I say, undo what thou hast done.

FAUSTUS

O, not so fast, sir. There's
no haste but good
.

Are you remembered how you crossed me in my conference

with the emperor? I think I have met with you for it.

EMPEROR
Good Master Doctor, at my entreaty release him. He hath done penance sufficient.

FAUSTUS
My gracious lord, not so much for the injury he
offered me here in your presence, as to delight you with some
mirth, hath Faustus worthily requited this injurious knight;

90   which being all I desire, I am content to release him of
his horns; and, sir knight, hereafter speak well of scholars.
[
Aside to
MEPHISTOPHELES]
Mephistopheles, transform him
straight. [
The horns are removed
.] Now, my good lord, having
done my duty, I humbly take my leave.

EMPEROR

Farewell, Master Doctor. Yet, ere you go,

Expect from me a bounteous reward.

Exeunt
EMPEROR
[,
KNIGHT
and
ATTENDANTS
].

FAUSTUS

Now, Mephistopheles, the restless course

That time doth run with calm and silent foot,

Short'ning my days and thread of vital life,

100   Calls for the payment of my latest years.

Therefore, sweet Mephistopheles, let us make haste

To Wittenberg.

MEPHISTOPHELES

What, will you go on horseback or on foot?

FAUSTUS

Nay, till I am past this fair and pleasant green,

I'll walk on foot.

Enter [to them] a
HORSE-COURSER
.

HORSE-COURSER
I have been all this day seeking one Master
Fustian
.
Mass
, see where he is. God save you, Master Doctor.

FAUSTUS
What, Horse-courser! You are well met.

HORSE-COURSER
[
offering money
] Do you hear, sir? I have brought you forty dollars for your horse.

FAUSTUS
I cannot sell him so. If thou lik'st him for fifty, take him.

HORSE-COURSER
Alas, sir, I have no more. [
To
MEPHISTOPHELES
]
I pray
you, speak for me.

MEPHISTOPHELES
[
to
FAUSTUS]
I pray you, let him have him;

10   he is an honest fellow, and he has a great charge, neither wife
nor child.

FAUSTUS
Well, come, give me your money. [
He takes the money
.] My boy will deliver him to you. But I must tell you one thing before you have him: ride him not into the
water
, at any hand.

HORSE-COURSER
Why, sir,
will he
not drink of all waters?

FAUSTUS
O, yes, he will drink of all waters. But ride him not into the water. Ride him over hedge, or ditch, or where thou wilt, but not into the water.

HORSE-COURSER
Well, sir. [
Aside
] Now am I made man for

20   ever. I'll not leave my horse for
forty
. If he had but the quality
of
hey, ding, ding
, hey, ding, ding, I'd make a brave living on
him; he has a buttock as slick as an eel. [
To
FAUSTUS]
Well,
goodbye, sir. Your boy will deliver him me? But hark ye, sir,
if my horse be sick or ill at ease, if I bring his
water
to you,
you'll tell me what it is?

FAUSTUS
Away, you villain! What, dost think I am a horse-doctor?

Exit
HORSE-COURSER.

What art thou, Faustus, but a man condemned to die?

Thy fatal time doth draw to final end.

30   Despair doth drive distrust unto my thoughts.

Confound these passions with a quiet sleep.

Tush!
Christ
did call the thief upon the cross;

Then rest thee, Faustus, quiet in conceit.

[
FAUSTUS]
sleep[s] in his chair.

Enter
HORSE-COURSER
all wet,
crying
.

HORSE-COURSER
Alas, alas! ‘Doctor' Fustian, quotha! Mass,
Doctor Lopus
was never such a doctor.
H'as
given me a
purgation, h'as purged me of forty dollars. I shall never see
them more. But yet, like an ass as I was, I would not be ruled
by him, for he bade me I should ride him into no water. Now

40   I, thinking my horse had had some rare quality that he would
not have had me known of, I, like a venturous youth, rid him
into the deep pond at the town's end. I was no sooner in the
middle of the pond, but my horse vanished away and I sat
upon a bottle of hay, never so near drowning in my life. But
I'll seek out my doctor and have my forty dollars again, or I'll
make it the dearest horse!
O, yonder
is his snipper-snapper.
Do you hear? You, hey-pass, where's your master?

MEPHISTOPHELES
Why, sir, what would you? You cannot speak with him.

50   
HORSE-COURSER
But I will speak with him.

MEPHISTOPHELES
Why, he's fast asleep. Come some other time.

HORSE-COURSER
I'll speak with him now, or I'll break his glass windows about his ears.

MEPHISTOPHELES
I tell thee he has not slept this eight nights.

HORSE-COURSER
An he have not slept this eight weeks, I'll speak with him.

MEPHISTOPHELES
See where he is, fast asleep.

HORSE-COURSER
Ay, this is he. God save ye, Master Doctor.

60   Master Doctor, Master Doctor Fustian! Forty dollars, forty
dollars for a bottle of hay!

MEPHISTOPHELES
Why, thou seest he hears thee not.

HORSE-COURSER
(
holler in his ear
)
So-ho
, ho! So-ho, ho! No, will you not wake? I'll make you wake ere I go.

[
The
HORSE-COURSER]
pull[s] him by the leg, and pull[s] it away
.

Alas, I am undone! What shall I do?

FAUSTUS
O my leg, my leg! Help, Mephistopheles! Call the officers! My leg, my leg!

MEPHISTOPHELES
Come, villain, to the constable.

HORSE-COURSER
O Lord, sir, let me go, and I'll give you forty dollars more.

70   

MEPHISTOPHELES
Where be they?

HORSE-COURSER
I have none about me. Come to my hostry, and I'll give them you.

MEPHISTOPHELES
Begone, quickly.

HORSE-COURSER
runs away
.

FAUSTUS
What, is he gone? Farewell, he! Faustus has his leg again, and the horse-courser, I take it, a bottle of hay for his labour. Well, this trick shall cost him forty dollars more.