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into any thing, let it be in the likeness of a little pretty frisking flea, that I may be here and there and every where: oh, I'll tickle the pretty wenches' plackets! I'll be amongst them, i'faith.

WAG. Well, sirrah, come.

CLOWN. But, do you hear, Wagner?
WAG. HOW!-Baliol and Belcher!

CLOWN. Oh, Lord! I pray, sir, let Banio and Belcher go sleep.

WAG. Villain, call me Master Wagner, and let thy left eye be diametarily fixed upon my right heel, with quasi vestigias nostras* insistere.

[Exit. CLOWN. God forgive me, he speaks Dutch fustian. Well, I'll follow him; I'll serve him, that's flat.

FAUSTUS discovered in his study.

FAUST. NOW, Faustus, must

[Exit.

Thou needs be damn'd, and canst thou not be sav'd:

What boots it, then, to think of God or heaven?
Away with such vain fancies, and despair;

Despair in God, and trust in Belzebub:

Now go not backward; no, Faustus, be resolute : Why waver'st thou? Oh, something soundeth in

mine ears,

"Abjure this magic, turn to God again!"

Ay, and Faustus will turn to God again.

vestigias nostras] Most probably the blunder was intended

by the author.

To God? he loves thee not;

The god thou serv'st is thine own appetite,
Wherein is fix'd the love of Belzebub:

To him I'll build an altar and a church,
And offer lukewarm blood of new-born babes.

Enter GOOD ANGEL and EVIL ANGEL.

G. ANG. Sweet Faustus, leave that execrable art. FAUST. Contrition, prayer, repentance-what of them?

G. ANG. Oh, they are means to bring thee unto heaven!

E. ANG. Rather illusions, fruits of lunacy, That make* men foolish that do trust them most. G. ANG. Sweet Faustus, think of heaven and heavenly things.

E. ANG. No, Faustus; think of honour and oft [Exeunt Angels.

wealth.

FAUST. Of wealth!

Why, the signiory of Embden shall be mine.

When Mephistophilis shall stand by me,

What god can hurt thee, Faustus? thou art safe:
Cast no more doubts.-Come, Mephistophilis,
And bring glad tidings from great Lucifer ;-
Is't not midnight?-come, Mephistophilis,
Veni, veni, Mephistophile!

*

make] So the later 4tos.-2to 1604 " makes." tof] So the later 4tos.-Not in 4to 1604.

Enter MEPHISTOPHILIS.

Now tell me *what says Lucifer, thy lord?
MEPH. That I shall wait on Faustus whilst he lives†,
So he will buy my service with his soul.

FAUST. Already Faustus hath hazarded that for thee.

MEPH. But, Faustus, thou must bequeathe it solemnly,

And write a deed of gift with thine own blood;
For that security craves great Lucifer.

If thou deny it, I will back to hell.

FAUST. Stay, Mephistophilis, and tell me, what good will my soul do thy lord?

MEPH. Enlarge his kingdom.

FAUST. Is that the reason why ‡ he tempts us thus? MEPH. Solamen miseris socios habuisse doloris §. FAUST. Why, have you any pain that torture T others?

MEPH. As great as have the human 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 than thou hast wit to ask.

*me] So the later 4tos.-Not in 4to 1604.
+ he lives] So the later 4tos.-2to 1604 "I liue."
why] So the later 4tos.-Not in 4to 1604.

§ Solamen miseris, &c.] An often-cited line of modern Latin poetry by whom it was written I know not.

Why] So the later 4tos.-Not in 4to 1604.

¶ torture] So the later 4tos.-2to 1604 "tortures."

FAUST. Ay, Mephistophilis, I give it thee.

MEPH. Then, Faustus*, stab thine arm courage

ously,

And bind thy soul, that at some certain day

Great Lucifer may claim it as his own;

And then be thou as great as Lucifer.

FAUST. [Stabbing his arm] Lo, Mephistophilis, for love of thee,

I cut mine arm, and with my proper

Assure my soul to be great Lucifer's,

blood

Chief lord and regent of perpetual night!

View here the blood that trickles from mine arm,
And let it be propitious for my wish.
MEPH. But, Faustus, thou must
Write it in manner of a deed of gift.

FAUST. Ay, so I will [Writes]. But, Mephistophilis,
My blood congeals, and I can write no more.
MEPH. I'll fetch thee fire to dissolve it straight.

[Exit. FAUST. 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: ah, there it stay'd! Why shouldst thou not? is not thy soul thine own? Then write again, Faustus gives to thee his soul.

*Faustus] So the later 4tos.-Not in 4to 1604.
+ bill] i. e. writing, deed.

Re-enter MEPHISTOPHILIS with a chafer of coals. MEPH. Here's fire; come, Faustus, set it on*. FAUST. So, now the blood begins to clear again; Now will I make an end immediately. [Writes. MEPH. Oh, what will not I do to obtain his soul? [Aside.

FAUST. Consummatum est; this bill is ended,
And Faustus hath bequeath'd his soul to Lucifer.
But what is this inscription ‡ on mine arm?
Homo, fuge: whither should I fly?

If unto God, he'll throw me§ down to hell.
My senses are deceiv'd; here's nothing writ:
I see it plain; here in this place is writ,
Homo, fuge: yet shall not Faustus fly..

MEPH. I'll fetch him somewhat to delight his mind. [Aside, and then exit.

* Here's fire; come, Faustus, set it on] This would not be intelligible without the assistance of The History of Dr. Faustus, the sixth chapter of which is headed, "How Doctor Faustus set his blood in a saucer on warme ashes, and writ as followeth." Sig. B, ed. 1648.

But what is this inscription, &c.] "He [Faustus] tooke a small penknife and prickt a veine in his left hand; and for certainty thereupon were seen on his hand these words written, as if they had been written with blood, O homo, fuge." The History of Dr. Faustus, Sig. B, ed. 1648.

§ me] So the later 4tos.-2to 1604 "thee."

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