The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus by Christopher Marlowe (ebook reader for comics txt) 📕

questions of astrology,

Which Faustus answer’d with such learned skill

As they admir’d and wonder’d 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[‘t] perform’d.

[Exit.] Enter ROBIN<123> the Ostler, with a book in his hand.

ROBIN. O, this is admirable! here I ha’ stolen one of Doctor

Faustus’ conjuring-books, and, i’faith, I mean to search some

circles for my own use. Now will I make all the maidens in our

parish dance at my pleasure, stark naked, before me; and so

by that means I shall see more than e’er I felt or saw yet.

Enter RALPH, calling ROBIN.

RALPH. Robin, prithee, come away; there’s a gentleman tarries

to have his horse, and he would have his things rubbed and made

clean: he keeps such a chafing with my mistress about it; and

she has sent me to look thee out; prithee, come away.

ROBIN. Keep out, keep out, or else you are blown up, you are

dismembered, Ralph: keep out, for I am about a roaring piece

of work.

RALPH. Come, what doest thou with that same book? thou canst

not read?

ROBIN. Yes, my master and mistress shall find that I can read,

he for his forehead, she for her private study; she’s born to

bear with me, or else my art fails.

RALPH. Why, Robin, what book is that?

ROBIN. What book! why, the most intolerable book for conjuring

that e’er was invented by any brimstone devil.

RALPH. Canst thou conjure with it?

ROBIN. I can do all these things easily with it; first, I can

make thee drunk with ippocras<124> at any tabern<125> in Europe

for nothing; that’s one of my conjuring works.

RALPH. Our Master Parson says that’s nothing.

ROBIN. True, Ralph: and more, Ralph, if thou hast any mind to

Nan Spit, our kitchen-maid, then turn her and wind her to thy own

use, as often as thou wilt, and at midnight.

RALPH. O, brave, Robin! shall I have Nan Spit, and to mine own

use? On that condition I’ll feed thy devil with horse-bread as

long as he lives, of free cost.

ROBIN. No more, sweet Ralph: let’s go and make clean our boots,

which lie foul upon our hands, and then to our conjuring in the

devil’s name.

[Exeunt.] Enter ROBIN and RALPH<126> with a silver goblet.

ROBIN. Come, Ralph: did not I tell thee, we were for ever made

by this Doctor Faustus’ book? ecce, signum! here’s a simple

purchase<127> for horse-keepers: our horses shall eat no hay as

long as this lasts.

RALPH. But, Robin, here comes the Vintner.

ROBIN. Hush! I’ll gull him supernaturally.

Enter VINTNER.

Drawer,<128> I hope all is paid; God be with you!—Come, Ralph.

VINTNER. Soft, sir; a word with you. I must yet have a goblet paid

from you, ere you go.

ROBIN. I a goblet, Ralph, I a goblet!—I scorn you; and you are

but a, &c. I a goblet! search me.

VINTNER. I mean so, sir, with your favour.

[Searches ROBIN.]

ROBIN. How say you now?

VINTNER. I must say somewhat to your fellow.—You, sir!

RALPH. Me, sir! me, sir! search your fill. [VINTNER searches him.]

Now, sir, you may be ashamed to burden honest men with a matter

of truth.

VINTNER. Well, tone<129> of you hath this goblet about you.

ROBIN. You lie, drawer, ‘tis afore me [Aside].—Sirrah you, I’ll

teach you to impeach honest men;—stand by;—I’ll scour you for

a goblet;—stand aside you had best, I charge you in the name of

Belzebub.—Look to the goblet, Ralph [Aside to RALPH].

VINTNER. What mean you, sirrah?

ROBIN. I’ll tell you what I mean. [Reads from a book] Sanctobulorum

Periphrasticon—nay, I’ll tickle you, Vintner.—Look to the goblet,

Ralph [Aside to RALPH].—[Reads] Polypragmos Belseborams framanto

pacostiphos tostu, Mephistophilis, &c.

Enter MEPHISTOPHILIS, sets squibs at their backs, and then exit. They run about.

VINTNER. O, nomine Domini! what meanest thou, Robin? thou hast no

goblet.

RALPH. Peccatum peccatorum!—Here’s thy goblet, good Vintner.

[Gives the goblet to VINTNER, who exit.]

ROBIN. Misericordia pro nobis! what shall I do? Good devil, forgive

me now, and I’ll never rob thy library more.

Re-enter MEPHISTOPHILIS.

MEPHIST. Monarch of Hell,<130> under whose black survey

Great potentates do kneel with awful fear,

Upon whose altars thousand souls do lie,

How am I vexed with these villains’ charms?

From Constantinople am I hither come,

Only for pleasure of these damned slaves.

ROBIN. How, from Constantinople! you have had a great journey:

will you take sixpence in your purse to pay for your supper, and

be gone?

MEPHIST. Well, villains, for your presumption, I transform thee

into an ape, and thee into a dog; and so be gone!

[Exit.]

ROBIN. How, into an ape! that’s brave: I’ll have fine sport with

the boys; I’ll get nuts and apples enow.

RALPH. And I must be a dog.

ROBIN. I’faith, thy head will never be out of the pottage-pot.

[Exeunt.] Enter EMPEROR,<131> FAUSTUS, and a KNIGHT, with ATTENDANTS.

EMPEROR. Master Doctor Faustus,<132> 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 doest, thou shalt be no ways prejudiced or endamaged.

KNIGHT. I’faith, he looks much like a conjurer.

[Aside.]

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

About the honour of mine ancestors,

How they had won<133> by prowess such exploits,

Got such riches, subdu’d so many kingdoms,

As we that do succeed,<134> or they that shall

Hereafter possess our throne, shall

(I fear me) ne’er 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<135> shining of whose glorious acts

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 entomb’d this famous conqueror,

And bring with him his beauteous paramour,

Both in their right shapes, gesture, and attire

They us’d to wear during their time of life,

Thou shalt both satisfy my just desire,

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. I’faith, that’s just nothing at all.

[Aside.]

FAUSTUS. But, if it like your grace, it is not in my ability<136>

to present before your eyes the true substantial bodies of those

two deceased princes, which long since are consumed to dust.

KNIGHT. Ay, marry, Master Doctor, now there’s a sign of grace in

you, when you will confess the truth.

[Aside.]

FAUSTUS. But such spirits as can lively resemble Alexander and

his paramour shall appear before your grace, in that manner that

they both<137> 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.—Mephistophilis, be gone.

[Exit MEPHISTOPHILIS.]

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

[Exit.]

FAUSTUS. I’ll meet with you anon for interrupting me so.

—Here they are, my gracious lord.

Re-enter MEPHISTOPHILIS with SPIRITS in the shapes of 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.

EMPEROR. Sure, these are no spirits, but the true substantial

bodies of those two deceased princes.

[Exeunt Spirits.]

FAUSTUS. Wilt 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.

[Exit ATTENDANT.] Re-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. Thou damned wretch and execrable dog,

Bred in the concave of some monstrous rock,

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; which being all

I desire, I am content to release him of his horns:—and,

sir knight, hereafter speak well of scholars.—Mephistophilis,

transform him straight.<138> [MEPHISTOPHILIS removes the horns.]

—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, Mephistophilis,<139> the restless course

That time doth run with calm and silent foot,

Shortening my days and thread of vital life,

Calls for the payment of my latest years:

Therefore, sweet Mephistophilis, let us

Make haste to Wertenberg.

MEPHIST. What, will you go on horse-back or on foot

FAUSTUS. Nay, till I’m past this fair and pleasant green,

I’ll walk on foot.

Enter a HORSE-COURSER.<140>

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. Do you hear, sir? I have brought you forty dollars

for your horse.

FAUSTUS. I cannot sell him so: if thou likest him for fifty, take

him.

HORSE-COURSER. Alas, sir, I have no more!—I pray you, speak for

me.

MEPHIST. I pray you, let him have