From Bruno's back ascends Saint Peter's chair.

[A flourish while he ascends.

Thus, as the gods creep on with feet of wool,
Long ere with iron hands they punish men;
So shall our sleeping vengeance now arise,
And smite with death thy hated enterprise.
Lords cardinals of France, and Padua,
Go forthwith to our holy consistory,
And read among the statutes decretal,
What by the holy council held at Trent
The sacred synod hath decreed for him,
That doth assume the papal government
Without election, and a true consent:
Away, and bring us word with speed.

1 CARD. We go, my lord.

POPE. Lord Raymond.

[Exeunt Cardinals.

FAUST. GO, haste thee, gentle Mephostophilis,

Follow the cardinals to the consistory;

And as they turn their superstitious books,

Strike them with sloth and drowsy idleness;

And make them sleep so sound, that in their shapes Thyself and I may parley with this Pope,

This proud confronter of the emperor,

And, in despite of all his holiness,

Restore this Bruno to his liberty,

And bear him to the states of Germany.

MEPH. Faustus, I go.

FAUST. Dispatch it soọn,

The Pope shall curse, that Faustus came to Rome.

[Exeunt Faust. and Meph.

BRU. Pope Adrian, let me have right of law.

I was elected by the emperor.

POPE. We will depose the emp'ror for that deed, And curse the people that submit to him: Both he and thou shall stand excommunicate, And interdict from church's privilege,

And all society of holy men :

He grows too proud in his authority,
Lifting his lofty head above the clouds,
And like a steeple overpeers the church:
But we'll pull down his haughty insolence;
And as Pope Alexander, our progenitor,
Trod on the neck of German Frederick,
Adding this golden sentence to our praise;
That Peter's heirs should tread on emperors,
And walk upon the dreadful adder's back,
Treading the lion and the dragon down,
And fearless spurn the killing basilisk;
So will we quell that haughty schismatic,
And by authority apostolical,

Depose him from his regal government.

BRU. Pope Julius swore to princely Sigismond, For him, and the succeeding popes of Rome, To hold the emperor their lawful lords.

POPE. Pope Julius did abuse the church's rites, And therefore none of his decrees can stand. Is not all power on earth bestow'd on us? And therefore tho' we would we cannot err. Behold this silver belt, whereto is fix'd

Seven golden seals, fast seal'd with seven seals,

In token of our seven-fold power from heaven,
To bind or loose, lock fast, condemn or judge,
Resign or seal, or what so pleaseth us:

Then he and thou, and all the world, shall stoop,
Or be assured of our dreadful curse,

To light as heavy as the pains of hell.

Enter FAUSTUS and MEPHOSTOPHILIS, like the

Cardinals.

MEPH. Now tell me, Faustus, are we not fitted well?

FAUST. Yes, Mephosto, and two such cardinals Ne'er serv'd a holy Pope, as we shall do. But whilst they sleep within the consistory, Let us salute his reverend fatherhood.

RAY. Behold, my lord, the cardinals are return'd. POPE. Welcome, grave fathers; answer presently What have our holy council there decreed, Concerning Bruno and the emperor,

In

quittance of their late conspiracy,

Against our state and papal dignity?

FAUST. Most sacred patron of the church of Rome, By full consent of all the synod,

Of priest and prelates, it is thus decreed:
That Bruno, and the German emperor,
Be held as Lollards and bold schismatics,
And proud disturbers of the church's peace:
And if that Bruno, by his own assent,
Without enforcement of the German peers,
Did seek to wear the triple diadem,

And by your death to climb St. Peter's chair,

The statutes decretal have thus decreed:
He shall be straight condemn'd of heresy,
And on a pile of faggots burnt to death.

POPE. It is enough: here, take him to your charge, And bear him straight to Ponto Angelo, And in the strongest tower inclose him fast : To-morrow, sitting in our consistory, With all our college of grave cardinals, We will determine of his life and death. Here take this triple crown along with And leave it in the church's treasury. Make haste, again, my good lord cardinals, And take our blessing apostolical.

you,

MEPH. So, so; was never devil thus bless'd before.

FAUST. Away, sweet Mephostophilis, begone;

The cardinals will be plagu'd for this anon.

[Exeunt Faustus and Mephostophilis.

POPE. Go presently and bring a banquet forth,
That we may solemnize St. Peter's feast,

And with Lord Raymond, king of Hungary,
Drink to our late and happy victory.

SCENE II.

[Exeunt.

A senet while the banquet is brought in; and then enter FAUSTUS and MEPHOSTOPHILIS, in their own shapes.

MEPH. Now, Faustus, come, prepare thyself for mirth;

The sleepy cardinals are hard at hand,
To censure Bruno, that is posted hence,

And on a proud pac'd steed, as swift as thought,
Flies o'er the Alps to fruitful Germany,

There to salute the woeful emperor.

FAUST. The Pope will curse them for their sloth

to-day,

That slept both Bruno and his crown away.
But now, that Faustus may delight his mind,
And by their folly make some merriment,
Sweet Mephostophilis, so charm me here,
That I may walk invisible to all,

And do whate'er I please unseen of any.

MEPII. Faustus, thou shalt; then kneel down

presently,

Whilst on thy head I lay my hand,

And charm thee with this magic wand:
First, wear this girdle, then appear
Invisible to all are here;

The planets seven, the gloomy air,
Hell, and the furies' forked hair;
Pluto's blue fire, and Hecat's tree,
With magic spells so compass thee,
That no eye may thy body see.

So, Faustus, now for all their holiness,

Do what thou wilt, thou shalt not be discern'd.

FAUST. Thanks, Mephostophilis; now, friars, take

heed,

Lest Faustus make your shaven crowns to bleed. MEPH. Faustus, no more: see where the cardinals

come.