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Doctor Faustus (Marlowe)

Act II

2.1

Enter Faustus in his study.

Faustus

Now, Faustus, must thou needs be damned?

Can'st thou not be saved?

What boots it then to think on God or heaven?

Away with such vain fancies, and despair,

Despair in God, and trust in Beelzebub,

Now go not backward, Faustus; be resolute.

Why wavers thou? O something soundeth in mine ear.

Abjure this magic, turn to God again.

Why he loves thee not. The God thou serv'st is thine owe appetite

Wherein is fixed the love of Beelzebub

To him, I'll build an altar and a church,

And offer lukewarm blood, of new-born babes.

Enter the two Angels.

Evil Angel

Go forward, Faustus, in that famous art.

Good Angel

Sweet Faustus, leave that execrable art.

Faustus

Contrition, prayer, repentance? What of these?

Good Angel

O, they are means to bring thee unto heaven.

Evil Angel

Rather, illusions, fruits of lunacy,

That make them foolish that do use them most.

Good Angel

Sweet Faustus, think of heaven, and heavenly things.

Evil Angel

No, Faustus, think of honour and of wealth. Exeunt. Angels.

Faustus

Wealth? Why the signory of Embden shall be mine.

When Mephistophilis shall stand by me,

What power can hurt me? Faustus, thou art safe.

Cast no more doubts; Mephistophilis,

And bring glad tidings from great Lucifer

Is't not midnight? Come, Mephistophilis.

Veni veni Mephostophile. Enter Mephistophilis.

Now tell me, what saith Lucifer, thy Lord?

That I shall wait on Faustus whilst he lives,

So he will buy my service with his soul.

Faustus

Already Faustus hath hazarded that for thee.

Mephistophilis

But now thou must bequeath it solemnly,

And write a deed of gift with thine owe blood,

For that security craves Lucifer

If thou deny it I must back to hell.

Faustus

Stay, Mephistophilis, and tell me,

What good will my soul do thy Lord?

Mephistophilis

Enlarge his Kingdom.

Faustus

Is that the reason why he tempts us thus?

Mephistophilis

Solamen miseris, socios habuisse doloris.

Faustus

Why, have you any pain that torture other?

Mephistophilis

As great as have the humane souls of men.

But tell me Faustus, shall I have thy soul?

And I will be thy slave and wait on thee,

And give thee more then thou hast wit to ask.

Faustus

I Mephistophilis, I'll give it him.

Mephistophilis

Then Faustus stab thy arm courageously,

And bind thy soul, that at some certain day

Great Lucifer may claim it as his owe,

And then be thou as great as Lucifer

Faustus

Lo Mephistophilis: for love of thee Faustus hath cut his arm,

And with his proper blood assures his soul to be great Lucifer's,

Chief Lord and Regent of perpetual night.

View here this blood that trickles from mine arm,

And let it be propitious for my wish.

Mephistophilis

But, Faustus,

Write it in manner of a deed of gift.

Faustus

Ay, so I do, but, Mephistophilis ,

My blood congeals, and I can write no more

Mephistophilis

I'll fetch thee fire to dissolve it straight. Exit.

Faustus

What might the staying of my blood portend?

Is it unwilling I should write this bill?

Why streams it not, that I may write afresh?

Faustus gives to thee his soul: O there it stayed.

Why should'st thou not? Is not thy soul thine owe?

Then write again: Faustus gives to thee his soul.

Enter Mephistophilis, with the chafer of fire.

Mephistophilis

See, Faustus, here is fire; set it on.

Faustus

So, now the blood begins to clear again.

Now will I make an end immediately.

Mephistophilis

What will not I do to obtain his soul?

Faustus

Consummatum est: this bill is ended,

And Faustus hath bequeathed his soul to Lucifer

But what is this inscription on mine arm?

Homo fuge! Whither should I fly?

If unto heaven, he'll throw me down to hell.

My senses are deceived; here's nothing writ:

O yes, I see it plain, even here is writ

Homo fuge, yet shall not Faustus fly.

Mephistophilis

I'll fetch him somewhat to delight his mind.

Exit.

Enter Devils, giving crowns and rich apparel to

Faustus. They dance, and then depart.

Enter Mephistophilis.

Faustus

What means this show? Speak, Mephistophilis.

Mephistophilis

Nothing, Faustus, but to delight thy mind,

And let thee see what magic can perform

Faustus

But may I raise such spirits when I please?

Mephistophilis

Ay, Faustus, and do greater things than these.

Faustus

Then, Mephistophilis, receive this scroll,

A deed of gift, of body and of soul.

But yet conditionally, that thou perform

All covenants, and articles, between us both.

Mephistophilis

Faustus, I swear by hell and Lucifer

To effect all promises between us both.

Faustus

Then hear me read it, Mephistophilis,

On these conditions following.

First, that Faustus may be a spirit in form and substance.

Secondly, that Mephistophilis shall be his servant, and be by

him commanded.

Thirdly, that Mephistophilis shall do for him, and bring him

whatsoever.

Fourthly, that he shall be in his chamber or house invisible.

Lastly, that he shall appear to the said John Faustus, at all

times, in what shape and form soever he please.

I, John Faustus of Wittenberg, Doctor, by these presents, do

give both body and soul to Lucifer, Prince of the East, and

his minister Mephistophilis, and furthermore grant unto them

that four and twenty years being expired, and these articles

written being inviolate, full power to fetch or carry the

said John Faustus' body and soul, flesh, blood, into their ha-

bitation wheresoever.

By me John Faustus.

Mephistophilis

Speak, Faustus, do you deliver this as your deed?

Faustus

Ay, take it, and the devil give thee good of it.

Mephistophilis

So, now Faustus, ask me what thou wilt.

Faustus

First, I will question thee about hell:

Tell me, where is the place that men call hell?

Mephistophilis

Under the heavens.

Faustus

Ay, so are all things else, but whereabouts?

Mephistophilis

Within the bowels of these elements,

Where we are tortured, and remain forever.

Hell hath no limits, nor is circumscribed,

In one self place, but where we are is hell,

And where hell is there must we ever be.

And to be short, when all the world dissolves,

And every creature shall be purified,

All places shall be hell that is not heaven.

Faustus

I think hell's a fable.

Mephistophilis

Ay, think so still, till experience change thy mind.

Faustus

Why, dost thou think that Faustus shall be damned?

Mephistophilis

Ay, of necessity, for here's the scroll

In which thou hast given thy soul to Lucifer

Mephistophilis

Ay, and body too, but what of that?

Think'st thou that Faustus, is so fond to imagine,

That after this life there is any pain?

No, these are trifles, and mere old wives tales.

Mephistophilis

But I am an instance to prove the contrary,

For I tell thee I am damned, and now in hell.

Faustus

Nay, and this be hell, I'll willingly be damned.

What sleeping, eating, walking and disputing?

But leaving this, let me have a wife, the fairest maid in

Germany, for I am wanton and lascivious, and cannot live

without a wife.

Mephistophilis

Well, Faustus, thou shalt have a wife.

He fetches in a woman devil.

Faustus

What sight is this?

Mephistophilis

Now, Faustus, wilt thou have a wife?

Faustus

Here's a hot whore indeed; no, I'll no wife.

Mephistophilis

Marriage is but a ceremonial toy,

And if thou lov'st me think no more of it.

I'll cull thee out the fairest courtesans,

And bring them every morning to thy bed.

She whom thine eye shall like, thy heart shall have,

Were she as chaste as was Penelope,

As wise as Saba, or as beautiful

As was bright Lucifer before his fall.

Here, take this book, and peruse it well.

The iterating of these lines brings gold;

The framing of this circle on the ground

Brings thunder, whirl-winds, storm and lightning.

Pronounce this thrice devoutly to thyself,

And men in harness shall appear to thee,

Ready to execute what thou command'st.

Faustus

Thanks, Mephistophilis, for this sweet book.

This will I keep as chary as my life. Exeunt.

Enter Wagner solus.

Wagner

Learned Faustus

To know the secrets of Astronomy

Graven in the book of Jove's high firmament,

Did mount himself to scale Olympus' top.

Being seated in a chariot burning bright,

Drawn by the strength of yokey dragons' necks,

He now is gone to prove cosmography,

And as I guess will first arrive at Rome,

To see the Pope and manner of his court,

And take some part of holy Peter's feast,

That to this day is highly solemnized. Exit Wagner.

2.2

Enter Faustus in his study, and Mephistophilis.

Faustus

When I behold the heavens then I repent

And curse thee wicked Mephistophilis,

Because thou hast deprived me of those joys.

Mephistophilis

'Twas thine owe seeking Faustus, thank thyself.

But think'st thou heaven is such a glorious thing?

I tell thee, Faustus, it is not half so fair

As thou, or any man that breath on earth.

Faustus

How prov'st thou that?

Mephistophilis

'Twas made for man; then he's more excellent.

Faustus

If heaven was made for man, 'twas made for me.

I will renounce this magic and repent.

Enter the two Angels.

Good Angel

Faustus, repent yet God will pity thee.

Evil Angel

Thou art a spirit; God cannot pity thee.

Faustus

Who buzzeth in mine ears I am a spirit?

Be I a devil, yet God may pity me.

Yea, God will pity me if I repent.

Evil Angel

Ay, but Faustus never shall repent.

Exit Angels.

Faustus

My heart is hardened; I cannot repent.

Scarce can I name salvation, faith, or heaven.

Swords, poison, halters, and envenomed steel,

Are laid before me to dispatch my self,

And long ere this, I should have done the deed,

Had not sweet pleasure conquered deep despair.

Have not I made blind Homer sing to me

Of Alexander's love, and OEnon's death?

And hath not he that built the walls of Thebes,

With ravishing sound of his melodious harp,

Made music with my Mephistophilis?

Why should I die then, or basely despair?

I am resolved; Faustus shall not repent.

Come, Mephistophilis, let us dispute again

And reason of divine Astrology.

Speak, are there many spheres above the Moon?

Are all celestial bodies but one globe,

As is the substance of this centric earth?

Mephistophilis

As are the elements, such are the heavens,

Even from the moon unto the empirial orb,

Mutually folded in each others spheres,

And jointly move upon one axle-tree,

Whose termine, is termed the world's wide pole.

Nor are the names of Saturn, Mars, or Jupiter,

Fained, but are evening stars.

Faustus

But have they all one motion, both situ et tempore?

Mephistophilis

All move from east to west in four and

twenty hours, upon the poles of the world, but differ in

their motions upon the poles of the zodiac.

Faustus

These slender questions Wagner can decide:

Hath Mephistophilis no greater skill?

Who knows not the double motion of the planets?

That the first is finished in a natural day;

The second thus: Saturn in 30 years;

Jupiter in 12, Mars in 4, the Sun, Venus, and

Mercury in a year; the moon in twenty eight days.

These are freshmen's questions . But tell me, hath every

Sphere a dominion, or intelligentia?

Mephistophilis

Ay.

Faustus

How many heavens, or spheres, are there?

Mephistophilis

Nine, the seven planets, the firmament, and the

empyreal heaven.

Faustus

But is there not coelum igneum, et cristallinum?

Mephistophilis

No, Faustus, they be but fables.

Faustus

Resolve me then in this one question:

Why are not conjunctions, oppositions, aspects, eclipses,

all at one time, but in some years we have more, in some less?

Mephistophilis

Per inaequalem motum, respectu totius.

Faustus

Well, I am answered. Now tell me, who made the world?

Mephistophilis

I will not.

Faustus

Sweet Mephistophilis, tell me.

Mephistophilis

Move me not, Faustus.

Faustus

Villain, have not I bound thee to tell me anything?

Mephistophilis

Ay, that is not against our kingdom.

This is. Thou art damned; think thou of hell.

Faustus

Think, Faustus, upon God that made the world.

Mephistophilis

Remember this . Exit.

Faustus

Ay, go, accursed spirit, to ugly hell.

'Tis thou hast damned distressed Faustus' soul. Is't not too late?

Enter the two Angels.

Evil Angel

Too late.

Good Angel

Never too late, if Faustus will repent.

Evil Angel

If thou repent, devils will tear thee in pieces.

Good Angel

Repent and they shall never raise thy skin. Exit. Angels.

Faustus

O, Christ my Savior, my Savior,

Help to save distressed Faustus' soul.

Enter Lucifer, Beelzebub, and Mephistophilis.

Lucifer

Christ cannot save thy soul, for he is just.

There's none but I have interest in the same.

Faustus

O, what art thou that look'st so terribly?

Lucifer

I am Lucifer, and this is my companion Prince in hell.

Faustus

O, Faustus, they are come to fetch thy soul.

Beelzebub

We are come to tell thee thou dost injure us.

Lucifer

Thou call'st on Christ contrary to thy promise.

Beelzebub

Thou should'st not think on God.

Lucifer

Think on the devil.

Beelzebub

And his dam too.

Faustus

Nor will Faustus henceforth. Pardon him for this;

And Faustus vows never to look to heaven.

Lucifer

So shalt thou show thy self an obedient servant,

And we will highly gratify thee for it.

Beelzebub

Faustus, we are come from hell in person to show

thee some pastime. Sit down and thou shalt behold the seven

deadly sins appear to thee in their own proper shapes

and likeness.

Faustus

That sight will be as pleasant to me, as Paradise

was to Adam the first day of his creation.

Lucifer

Talk not of Paradise or creation, but mark

the show. Go, Mephistophilis, fetch them in.

Enter the Seven Deadly Sins.

Beelzebub

Now, Faustus, question them of their names and

dispositions.

Faustus

That shall I soon. What art thou the first?

Pride.

I am Pride; I disdain to have any parents. I am

like to Ovid's Flea; I can creep into every corner of a a

wench. Sometimes, like a periwig, I sit upon her

brow. Next, like a necklace, I hang about her neck.

Then, like a fan of feathers, I kiss her, and then tur-

ning myself to a wrought smock do what I list. But. fie,fye,

what a smell is here? I'll not speak a word more for a

king's ransom, unless the ground be perfumed, and covered

with cloth of arras.

Faustus

Thou art a proud knave indeed. What art thou

second?

Covetousness

I am Covetousness, begotten of an old churl

in a leather bag, and might I now obtain my wish, this house

you and all, should turn to Gold, that I might lock you safe

into my chest. O my sweet Gold!

Faustus

And what art thou the third?

Envy

I am Envy, begotten of a chimney-sweeper, and

an oyster-wife. I cannot read, and therefore wish all books

burned. I am lean with seeing others eat. O that there

would come a famine over all the world, that all might die, and

I live alone, then thou should'st see how fat I'd be. But must

thou sit, and I stand? Come down with a vengeance.

Faustus

Out envious wretch. But what art thou the fourth?

Wrath.

I am Wrath. I had neither father nor mother; I

leapt out of a lion's mouth when I was scarce an hour old,

and ever since have run up and down the world with these

case of rapiers, wounding myself when I could get none none

to fight withal. I was born in hell, and look to it, for some

of you shall be my father.

Faustus

And what art thou the fifth?

Gluttony

I am Gluttony; my parents are all dead, and the de-

vil a penny they have left me, but a small pension, and that

buys me thirty meals a day, and ten beavers: a small trifle

to suffice nature. I come of a royal pedigree, my father

was a gammon of bacon, and my mother was a Hogs-

head of claret wine. My godfathers were these: Peter-

Pickled-herring, and Martin Martlemasse-beef: But my god-

mother, O she was an ancient gentlewoman. Her name was

Margery March-beer. Now, Faustus, thou hast heard all my

progeny; wilt thou bid me to supper?

Faustus

Not I.

Gluttony

Then the devil choke thee.

Faustus

Choke thyself glutton. What art thou the sixth?

Sloth.

Hey ho, I am Sloth. I was begotten on a sunny-

bank. Hey ho, I'll not speak a word more for a king's ransom.

Faustus

And what are you Mistress Minkes, the seventh and last?

Lechery

Who, I, sir sir? I am one that loves an inch of raw

mutton, better than an ell of fried stockfish, and the first

letter of my name begins with Lechery.

Lucifer

Away to hell! Away, on, piper! Exit the Seven Deadlysins.

Faustus

O, how this sight doth delight my soul.

Lucifer

But, Faustus, in hell is all manner of delight.

Faustus

O, might I see hell, and return again safe. How

happy were I then.

Lucifer

Faustus, thou shalt; at midnight I will send for thee.

Meanwhile, peruse this book, and, view it thoroughly,throughly,

And thou shalt turn thyself into what shape thou wilt.

Faustus

Thanks mighty Lucifer.

This will I keep as chary as my life.

Lucifer

Now, Faustus, farewell.

Faustus

Farewell, great Lucifer. Come, Mephistophilis

Exeunt omnes, several ways.

2.3

Enter the Clown.

What, Dick, look to the horses there till I come again.

I have gotten one of Doctor Faustus's conjuring books, and

now we'll have such knavery, as't passes.

Enter Dick.

Dick.

What, Robin, you must come away and walk the horses.

Robin

I walk the horses, I scorned 'faith, I have other

matters in hand; let the horses walk themselves and they will.

A per se a, t. h. e the: o per se o deny orgon, gorgon. Keep

further from me, O thou illiterate, and unlearned hostler.

Dick.

'Snails, what hast thou got there, a book? Why thou

can'st not tell ne'er a word on't.

Robin

That thou shalt see presently. Keep out of the cir-

cle, I say, lest I send you into the ostry with a vengeance.

Dick.

That's like 'faith. You had best leave your foolery,

for, an my master come, he'll conjure you 'faith.

Robin

My master conjure me? I'll tell thee what, an my

master come here, I'll clap as fair a pair of horns on's

head as e'er thou saw'st in thy life.

Dick.

Thou need'st not do that, for my mistress hath done it.

Robin

AyI, there be of us here, that have waded as deep in-

to matters, as other men, if they were disposed to talk.

Dick.

A plague take you! I thought you did not sneak

up and down after her for nothing. But I prithee tell me, in

good sadness Robin, is that a conjuring book?

Robin

Do but speak what thou'd have me to do, and I'll

do't. If thou'd dance naked, put off thy clothes, and I'll

conjure thee about presently. Or if thou'd go but to the ta-

vern with me, I'll give thee white wine, red wine, claret

wine, sack, muskadine, malmesey, and whippincrust.Whippincrust,

Hold belly hold, and we'll not pay one penny for it.

Dick.

O brave, prithee let's to it presently, for I am as

dry as a dog.

Robin

Come, then, let's away. Exeunt.

Enter the Chorus.

Learned Faustus to find the secrets of Astronomy,

Graven in the book of Jove's high firmament,

Did mount him up to scale Olympus' top,

Where sitting in a chariot burning bright,

Drawn by the strength of yoked dragons' necks;

He views the clouds, the planets, and the stars,

The tropic, zones, and quarters of the sky,

From the bright circle of the horned moon,

Even to the height of Primum Mobile:.

And whirling round with this circumference,

Within the concave compass of the pole,

From east to west his dragons swiftly glide,

And in eight days did bring him home again.

Not long he stayed within his quiet house,

To rest his bones after his weary toil,

But new exploits do hale him out again

And mounted then upon a dragon's back,

That with his wings did part the subtle air.

He now is gone to prove Cosmography,

That measures costs, and kingdoms of the earth.

And as I guess will first arrive at Rome,

To see the Pope and manner of his court,

And take some part of holy Peter's feast,

The which this day is highly solemnized. Exit.

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