The Works of Christopher Marlowe Including His Translations

And, melting, heavens conspired his overthrow;

For falling to a devilish exercise,
And glutted now with learning's golders
gifts,

He surfeits upon cursed Necromancy.
Nothing so sweet as Magic is to him,
Which he prefers before his chiefest bliss.
And this the Man that in his Study sits!

Faustus in his Study.

[Exit.

Faust. Settle thy studies, Faustus, and begin To sound the depth of that thou wilt profess;

Having commenced be a Divine in show,
Yet level at the end of every Art,
And live and die in Aristotle's works.
Sweet Analytics, 'tis thou hast ravished me,
Bene disserere est finis logices.

Is to dispute well Logic's chiefest end?
Affords this Art no greater miracle?
Then read no more, thou hast attained that
end;

A greater subject fitteth Faustus' wit:
Bid Economy farewell and Galen come,
Seeing Ubi desinit Philosophus ibi incipit
Medicus,

Be a physician, Faustus, heap up gold

THE TRAGICAL HISTORY OF DOCTOR FAUSTUS. (QUARTO, 1604.) 289

And be eternized for some wondrous cure.
Summum bonum medicinæ sanitas,
The end of physic is our body's health.
Why, Faustus, hast thou not attained that
end?

Is not thy common talk found Aphorisms?
Are not thy bills hung up as monuments,
Whereby whole cities have escaped the
Plague,

And thousand desperate maladies been eased?

Yet art thou still but Faustus and a man.
Couldst thou make men to live eternally,
Or, being dead, raise them to life again,
Then this profession were to be esteemed.
Physic farewell.-Where is Justinian?
Si una eademque res legatur duobus, alter

rem alter valorem rei, &c.

A pretty case of paltry legacies!

Enter Wagner.

Wagner, commend me to my dearest friends,
The German Valdes and Cornelius;
Request them earnestly to visit me.
Wag. I will, sir.

[Exit. Faust. Their conference will be a greater help to me

Than all my labours, plod I ne'er so fast.

Enter Good Angel and Evil Angel.

G. Ang. Oh, Faustus, lay that damned book aside,

And gaze not on it lest it tempt thy soul, And heap God's heavy wrath upon thy head. Read, read the Scriptures. That is blasphemy.

E. Ang. Go forward, Faustus, in that famous art,

Exhæreditare filium non potest pater nisi, Wherein all Nature's treasure is contained,

&c.

Such is the subject of the Institute

And universal Body of the Law.

This study fits a mercenary drudge,

Who aims at nothing but external trash;
Too servile and illiberal for me.
When all is done Divinity is best;
Jerome's Bible, Faustus, view it well.

Be thou on earth as Jove is in the sky, Lord and commander of these elements. [Exeunt Angels.

Faust. How am I glutted with conceit of

this!

Shall I make spirits fetch me what I please,
Resolve me of all ambiguities,

Stipendium peccati mors est. Ha! Sti- I'll have them fly to India for gold,

Perform what desperate enterprise I will?

pendium, &c.

The reward of sin is death. That's hard. Si peccasse negamus fallimur et nulla est in nobis veritas. If we say that we have no sin we deceive ourselves, and there's no truth in us. Why then, belike we must sin, and so consequently die;

Aye, we must die an everlasting death.
What doctrine call you this, Che sera sera,
What will be shall be? Divinity, adieu!
These metaphysics of Magicians
And necromantic books are heavenly:
Lines, circles, scenes, letters, and charac-
ters:

Aye, these are those that Faustus most de

sires.

Oh what a world of profit and delight,
Of power, of honour, of omnipotence
Is promised to the studious artisan!
All things that move between the quiet poles
Shall be at my command: Emperors and
Kings

Are but obeyed in their several provinces, Nor can they raise the winds or rend the clouds;

But his dominion that exceeds in this
Stretches as far as doth the mind of man.
A sound Magician is a mighty god:
Here, Faustus, tire thy brains to gain a
Deity.

Ransack the Ocean for orient pearl,
And search all corners of the new-found
world

For pleasant fruits and princely delicates;
I'll have them read me strange Philosophy
And tell the secrets of all foreign kings;
I'll have them wall all Germany with brass,
And make swift Rhine circle fair Werten-
berg,

I'll have them fill the public schools with silk

Wherewith the students shall be bravely

clad ;

And chase the Prince of Parma from our I'll levy soldiers with the coin they bring,

land,

And reign sole King of all the Provinces ;
Yea, stranger engines for the brunt of War
I'll make my servile spirits to invent.
Than was the fiery keel at Antwerp's bridge,

Enter Valdes and Cornelius.

Come German Valdes and Cornelius, And make me blest with your sage conference.

Valdes, sweet Valdes, and Cornelius, Know that your words have won me at the last

To practise Magic and concealed arts:

Yet not your words only, but mine own fan-
tasy

That will receive no object, for my head
But ruminates on necromantic skill.
Philosophy is odious and obscure,

Both Law and Physic are for petty wits;
Divinity is basest of the three,

Faust. Nothing, Cornelius! Oh this
cheers my soul !

Come show me some demonstrations magical
That I may conjure in some lusty grove,
And have these joys in full possession.
Vald. Then haste thee to some solitary
grove

Unpleasant, harsh, contemptible, and vile:And bear wise Bacon's and Albertus' works,
"Tis Magic, Magic that hath ravished me. The Hebrew Psalter and New Testament;
Then, gentle friends, aid me in this attempt; And whatsoever else is requisite
And I that have with concise syllogisms
Gravelled the pastors of the German Church,
And made the flowering pride of Werten-
berg

Swarm to my problems, as the infernal
spirits

On sweet Musæus when he came to hell,
Will be as cunning as Agrippa was,
Whose shadow made all Europe honour
him.

Vald. Faustus, these books, thy wit, and

our experience

Shall make all nations to canonize us.
As Indian Moors obey their Spanish Lords,
So shall the Spirits of every element
Be always serviceable to us three;
Like lions shall they guard us when we
please;

Like Almain Rutters with their horsemen's

staves

Or Lapland giants, trotting by our sides;
Sometimes like women or unwedded maids,
Shadowing more beauty in their airy brows
Than have the white breasts of the Queen

of love :

From Venice shall they drag huge argosies,
And from America the golden fleece
That yearly stuffs old Philip's treasury;
If learned Faustus will be resolute.
Faust. Valdes, as resolute am I in this
As thou to live; therefore object it not.
Corn. The miracles that Magic will per-
form

Will make thee vow to study nothing else.
He that is grounded in Astrology,
Enriched with Tongues, well seen in Mine-
rals,

Hath all the principles Magic doth require.
Then doubt not, Faustus, but to be re-
nowned,

And more frequented for this mystery
Than heretofore the Delphian Oracle.
The spirits tell me they can dry the sea,
And fetch the treasure of all foreign
wrecks,

Aye, all the wealth that our forefathers hid
Within the massy entrails of the earth;
Then tell me, Faustus, what shall we three
want?

We will inform thee ere our conference cease.

Corn. Valdes, first let him know the
words of art;

And then, all other ceremonies learned,
Faustus may try his cunning by himself.

Vald. First I'll instruct thee in the rudi-
ments,

And then wilt thou be perfecter than I.
Faust. Then come and dine with me, and
after meat,

We'll canvas every quiddity thereof;
For ere I sleep I'll try what I can do:
This night I'll conjure tho' I die therefore.
[Exeunt.

Enter two Scholars.

1st Schol. I wonder what's become of Faustus that was wont to make our schools ring with sic probo?

2nd Schol. That shall we know, for see here comes his boy.

Enter Wagner.

Ist Schol. How now, sirrah! Where's thy master?

Wag. God in heaven knows.

2nd Schol. Why, dost not thou know? Wag. Yes, I know. But that follows not. 1st Schol. Go to, sirrah! leave your jesting, and tell us where he is.

Wag. That follows not necessary by force of argument, that you, being licentiates, should stand upon: therefore acknowledge your error and be attentive.

2nd Schol. Why, did'st thou not say thou knewest?

Wag. Have you any witness on't?
Ist Schol. Yes, sirrah, I heard you.
Wag. Ask my fellows if I be a thief.
2nd Schol. Well, you will not tell us?

Wag. Yes, sir, I will tell you; yet if you were not dunces, you would never ask me. such a question; for is not he corpus naturale? and is not that mobile? then wherefore should you ask me such a question? But that I am by nature phlegmatic, slow to wrath, and prone to lechery (to love, 1 would say), it were not for you to come

within forty foot of the place of execution, although I do not doubt to see you both hanged the next sessions. Thus having triumphed over you, I will set my countenance like a Precisian, and begin to speak thus-Truly, my dear brethren, my master is within at dinner, with Valdes and Cornelius, as this wine, if it could speak, would inform your worships; and so the Lord bless you, preserve you, and keep you, my dear brethren, my dear brethren. [Exit. 1st Schol. Nay, then, I fear he is fallen into that damned Art, for which they two are infamous through the world.

2nd Schol. Were he a stranger, and not allied to me, yet should I grieve for him. But come, let us go and inform the Rector, and see if he by his grave counsel can reclaim him.

1st Schol. Oh, but I fear me nothing can reclaim him.

and Schol. Yet let us try what we can do. [Exeunt.

Enter Faustus to conjure.

Faust. Now that the gloomy shadow of the earth

Longing to view Orion's drizzling look, Leaps from the antarctic world unto the sky,

And dims the welkin with her pitchy breath,

Faustus, begin thine incantations,

And try if devils will obey thy hest,
Seeing thou hast prayed and sacrificed to
them.

Within this circle is Jehovah's name,
Forward and backward anagrammatized,
The breviated names of holy saints,
Figures of every adjunct to the Heavens,
And characters of signs and erring stars,
By which the spirits are enforced to rise :
Then fear not, Faustus, but be resolute,
And try the uttermost magic can perform.
Sint mihi Dei Acherontis propitii!
Valeat numen triplex Jehova! Ignei, aerii,
aquatani spiritus, salvete! Orientis prin-
ceps Belzebub, inferni ardentis monarcha, et
Demogorgon, propitiamus vos, ut appareat et
surgat Mephistophilis, quod tumeraris; per
Jehovam, Gehennam, et consecratam aquam
quam nunc spargo, signumque crucis quod
nunc facio, et per vota nostra, ipse nunc
surgat nobis dicatus Mephistophilis I

Enter Mephistophilis.

Go, and return an old Franciscan friar ;
That holy shape becomes a devil best.

[Exit Mephistophilis.
I see there's virtue in my heavenly words;
Who would not be proficient in this art?
How pliant is this Mephistophilis,
Full of obedience and humility!
Such is the force of Magic, and my spells :
No, Faustus, thou art conjuror laureat,
Thou can'st command great Mephistophilis :
Quin regis Mephistophilis fratris imagine.

Re-enter Mephistophilis, like a
Franciscan Friar.

Meph. Now, Faustus, what would'st thou
have me do?

Faust. I charge thee wait upon me whilst
I live,

To do whatever Faustus shall command,
Be it to make the moon drop from her
sphere,

Or the ocean to overwhelm the world.

Meph. I am a servant to great Lucifer, And may not follow thee without his leave :

No more than he commands must we perform.

Faust. Did not he charge thee to appear to me?

Meph. No, I came hither of mine own accord.

Faust. Did not my conjuring speeches raise thee? Speak.

Meph. That was the cause, but yet per
accidens;

For when we hear one rack the name of
God,

Abjure the Scriptures and his Saviour
Christ,

We fly in hope to get his glorious soul;
Nor will we come, unless he use such

means

Whereby he is in danger to be damned.
Therefore the shortest cut for conjuring
Is stoutly to abjure the Trinity,
And pray devoutly to the Prince of Hell.
Faust. So Faustus hath
Already done; and holds this principle,
There is no Chief but only Belzebub,
To whom Faustus doth dedicate himself.
This word damnation terrifies not him,
For he confounds Hell in Elysium ;
His ghost be with the old philosophers!
But, leaving these vain trifles of men's
souls,

I charge thee to return and change thy Tell me what is that Lucifer thy lord?
shape;

Thou art too ugly to attend on me.

Meph. Arch-regent and commander of all spirits.

U 2

Faust. Was not that Lucifer an Angel

once?

Meph. Yes, Faustus, and most dearly loved of God.

Faust. How comes it then that he is Prince of Devils?

Meph. Unhappy spirits that fell with
Lucifer

Conspired against our God with Lucifer,
And are for ever damned with Lucifer.
Faust. Where are you damned?
Meph. In Hell.

Faust. How comes it then that thou art out of Hell?

Meph. Why this is Hell, nor am I out of it:

Think'st thou that I who saw the face of
God,

And tasted the eternal joys of Heaven,
Am not tormented with ten thousand Hells,
In being deprived of everlasting bliss?
Oh, Faustus, leave these frivolous demands,
Which strike a terror to my fainting soul.

Faust. What, is great Mephistophilis so passionate

For being deprived of the joys of Heaven?
Learn thou of Faustus manly fortitude,
And scorn those joys thou never shalt
possess.

Go bear these tidings to great Lucifer :
Seeing Faustus hath incurred eternal death
By desperate thoughts against Jove's deity,
Say he surrenders up to him his soul,
So he will spare him four and twenty years,
Letting him live in all voluptuousness:
Having thee ever to attend on me ;
To give me whatsoever I shall ask,
To tell me whatsoever I demand,

To slay mine enemies, and aid my friends,
And always be obedient to my will.
Go, and return to mighty Lucifer,
And meet me in my study at midnight,
And then resolve me of thy master's mind.
Meph. I will, Faustus.

[Exit.

Faust. Had I as many souls as there be stars,

I'd give them all for Mephistophilis.
By him I'll be great Emperor of the world,
And make a bridge thorough the moving air,
To pass the ocean with a band of men:
I'll join the hills that bind the Afric shore,
And make that country continent to Spain,
And both contributory to my Crown.
The Emperor shall not live but by my
leave,

Nor any Potentate of Germany.
Now that I have obtained what I desired,
I'll live in speculation of this Art
Till Mephistophilis return again.

[Exit.

Enter Wagner and Clown. Wag. Sirrah boy, come hither. Clown. How, boy! Swowns, boy! I hope you have seen many boys with such pickadevaunts as I have; boy, quotha!

Wag. Tell me, sirrah, hast thou any comings in?

Clown. Aye, and goings out too. You may see else.

Wag. Alas, poor slave! see how poverty jesteth in his nakedness! the villain is bare and out of service, and so hungry that I know he would give his soul to the Devil for a shoulder of mutton, though it were blood

raw.

Clown. How. My soul to the Devil for a shoulder of mutton, though 'twere blood raw! Not so, good friend. By'r Lady, I had need have it well roasted and good sauce to it, if I pay so dear.

Wag. Well, wilt thou serve us, and I'll make thee go like Qui mihi discipulus? Clown. How, in verse?

Wag. No, sirrah; in beaten silk and stavesacre.

Clown. How, how, Knave's acre ! Aye, I thought that was all the land his father left him. Do you hear? I would be sorry to rob you of your living.

Wag. Sirrah, I say in stavesacre.

Clown. Oho! Oho! Stavesacre! Why then belike if I were your man I should be full of vermin.

Wag. So thou shalt, whether thou beest with me or no. But, sirrah, leave your jesting, and bind yourself presently unto me for seven years, or I'll turn all the lice about thee into familiars, and they shall tear thee in pieces.

Clown. Do you hear, sir? You may save that labour: they are too familiar with me already: swowns! they are as bold with my flesh as if they had paid for their meat and drink.

Wag. Well, do you hear, sirrah? Hold, take these guilders. [Gives money. Clown. Gridirons! what be they? Wag. Why, French crowns.

Clown. Mass, but in the name of French crowns, a man were as good have as many English counters. And what should I do with these?

Wag. Why, now, sirrah, thou art at an hour's warning, whensoever and wheresoever the Devil shall fetch thee.

Clown. No, no. Here, take your gridirons again.

Wag. Truly I'll none of them.

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