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The Tragicall History of the Life and Death of Doctor Faustus. Written by Ch. Mar. London, Printed for John Wright, and are to be sold at his shop without Newgate, at the signe of the Bible, 1616, 4to.

The Tragicall History of the Life and Death of Doctor Favstus. With new Additions. Written by Ch. Mar. Printed at London for John Wright, and are to be sold at his shop without Newgate, 1624, 4to.

The Tragicall Historie of the Life and Death of Doctor Faustus. With new Additions. Written by Ch. Mar. Printed at London for John Wright, and are to be sold at his shop without Newgate, 1631, 4to.

In a few places I have amended the text of this play by means of 4to 1604.-I have made no use of the comparatively modern edition, 4to 1663.

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Scholars, Cardinals, Archbishop of Rheims, Bishops, Monks, Friars,

Soldiers, and Attendants.

DUCHESS OF VANHOLT.

HOSTESS.

LUCIFER.

BELZEBUB.

MEPHISTOPHILIS.

GOOD ANGEL.

EVIL ANGEL.

THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS.

DEVILS.

Spirits in the shapes of Alexander the Great, of his paramour, of

Darius, and of Helen.

CHORUS.

THE TRAGICAL HISTORY OF

DOCTOR FAUSTUS.

Enter CHORUS.

CHORUS. NOT marching in the fields of Tharsimene,
Where Mars did mate the warlike Carthagens*;
Nor sporting in the dalliance of love,

In courts of kings where state is overturn'd;
Nor in the pomp of proud audacious deeds,
Intends our Muse to vaunt his heavenly verse:
Only this, gentles, we must now perform,
The form of Faustus' fortunes, good or bad:
And now to patient judgments we appeal,
And speak for Faustus in his infancy.
Now is he born of parents base of stock,
In Germany, within a town call'd Rhodes:
At riper years, to Wittenberg he went,
Whereas his kinsmen chiefly brought him up.
So much he profits in divinity,

That shortly he was grac'd with doctor's name,
Excelling all, and sweetly can dispute
In th' heavenly matters of theology;

Till swoln with cunning, oft a self-conceit,
His waxen wings did mount above his reach,
And, melting, heavens conspir'd his overthrow;
For, falling to a devilish exercise,

And glutted now with learning's golden gifts,
He surfeits upon‡ cursed necromancy;

Nothing so sweet as magic is to him,

* Carthagens] So 4tos 1616, 1624, (and compare 4to 1604, p, 5).-2to 1631 "Carthagen."

+ of] So 4to 1616.-2tos 1624, 1631, "and."

upon] So 4to 1616.-2tos 1624, 1631, "on the."

Which he prefers before his chiefest bliss:

And this the man that in his study sits.

FAUSTUS discovered in his study.

FAUST. Settle thy studies, Faustus, and begin
To sound the depth of that thou wilt profess:
Having commenc'd, 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 ravish'd me!
Bene disserere et finis logices.

Is, to dispute well, logic's chiefest end?
Affords this art no greater miracle?

Then read no more; thou hast attain'd that end:

A greater subject fitteth Faustus' wit:
Bid Economy farewell, and Galen come :
Be a physician, Faustus; heap up gold,
And be eterniz'd for some wondrous cure:
Summum bonum medicina sanitas,
The end of physic is our body's health.
Why, Faustus, hast thou not attain'd that end?
Are not thy bills hung up as monuments,
Whereby whole cities have escap'd the plague,
And thousand desperate maladies been cur'd?
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 esteem'd.
Physic, farewell! Where is Justinian?

[Exit

[Reads.

Si una eademque res legatur ‡ duobus, alter rem, alter valorem rei,&c. A petty § case of paltry legacies!

Exhæreditare filium non potest pater, nisi, &c. ||

* thousand] So 4to 1616.-2tos 1624, 1631, "diuers."

+ them] So 4to 1616.-2tos 1624, 1631, " men." legatur] Old eds. "legatus."

[Reads.

§ petty] I may notice that 4to 1604 has "pretty," which is perhaps the right reading.

&c.] So 4tos 1624, 1631.-Not in 4to 1616.

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