Enter the OLD MAN*. OLD MAN. Accursèd Faustus, miserable man, That from thy soul exclud'st the grace of heaven, And fly'st the throne of his tribunal-seat! Enter DEVILS. Sathan begins to sift me with his pride: [Exeunt, on one side, DEVILS, on the other, Enter the Old Man] Scene, a room in the Old Man's house. -In The History of Doctor Faustus the Old Man makes himself very merry with the attempts of the evil powers to hurt him. "About two dayes after that he had exhorted Faustus, as the poore man lay in his bed, suddenly there was a mighty rumbling in the chamber, the which he was never wont to heare, and he heard as it had beene the groaning of a sow, which lasted long whereupon the good old man began to jest and mocke, and said, Oh, what barbarian cry is this? Oh faire bird, what foul musicke is this? A [Ah] faire angell, that could not tarry two dayes in his place! beginnest thou now to runne into a poore mans house, where thou hast no power, and wert not able to keepe thy owne two dayes? With these and such like words the spirit departed," &c. Sig. I 2, ed. 1648. † smile] Old ed. "smiles"; and in the next line " (This scene is not in the later 4tos). 'laughs." Enter FAUSTUS† with SCHOLARS. FAUST. Ah, gentlemen! FIRST SCHOL. What ails Faustus? FAUST. Ah, my sweet chamber-fellow, had I lived with thee, then had I lived still! but now I die eternally. Look, comes he not? comes he not? SEC. SCHOL. What means Faustus? THIRD SCHOL. Belike he is grown into some sickness by being over-solitary. FIRST SCHOL. If it be so, we'll have physicians to cure him.—'Tis but a surfeit; never fear, man. FAUST. A surfeit of deadly sin, that hath damned both body and soul. SEC. SCHOL. Yet, Faustus, look up to heaven; remember God's mercies are infinite. FAUST. But Faustus' offence can ne'er be pardoned the serpent that tempted Eve may be saved, but not Faustus. Oh, gentlemen, hear me with patience, and tremble not at my speeches! Though my heart pants and quivers to remember that I have been a student here these thirty years, oh, would I had never seen Wertenberg, never read book! and what wonders I have done, all Germany can witness, yea, all the world; for which Faustus hath lost both Germany and the world, yea, heaven itself, heaven, the seat of God, the throne of the blessed, the kingdom of joy; and must remain in hell for ever, hell, Enter Faustus, &c.] Scene, a room in the house of Faustus. ah, hell, for ever! Sweet friends, what shall become of Faustus, being in hell for ever? THIRD SCHOL. Yet, Faustus, call on God. FAUST. On God, whom Faustus hath abjured! on God, whom Faustus hath blasphemed! Oh, my God, I would weep! but the devil draws in my tears. Gush forth blood, instead of tears! yea, life and soul! Oh, he stays my tongue! I would lift up my hands; but see, they hold them, they hold them! ALL. Who, Faustus? FAUST. Lucifer and Mephistophilis. Ah, gentlemen, I gave them my soul for my cunning! ALL. God forbid ! FAUST. God forbade it, indeed; but Faustus hath done it for vain pleasure of twenty-four years hath Faustus lost eternal joy and felicity. I writ them a bill with mine own blood: the date is expired; the time will come, and he will fetch me. FIRST SCHOL. Why did not Faustus tell us of this before¶, that divines might have prayed for thee? FAUST. Oft have I thought to have done so; but || cunning] i. e. knowledge, skill. Why did not Faustus tell us of this before, &c.] "Wherefore one of them said unto him, Ah, friend Faustus, what have you done to conceale this matter so long from us? We would, by the helpe of good divines and the grace of God, have brought you out of this net, and have torne you out of the bondage and chaines of Satan; whereas now we feare it is too late, to the utter ruine both of your body and soule. Doctor Faustus answered, I durst never doe it, although I often minded to settle my life [myself?] to godly people to desire counsell and helpe; and once mine old neighbour counselled me that I should follow his learning and leave all my conjurations: yet, when I was the devil threatened to tear me in pieces, if I named God, to fetch both body and soul, if I once gave ear to divinity and now 'tis too late. Gentlemen, away, lest you perish with me. SEC. SCHOL. Oh, what shall we do to save + Faustus? FAUST. Talk not of me, but save yourselves, and depart. THIRD SCHOL. God will strengthen me; I will stay with Faustus. FIRST SCHOL. Tempt not God, sweet friend; but let us into the next room, and there pray for him. FAUST. Ay, pray for me, pray for me; and what noise soever ye hear*, come not unto me, for nothing can rescue me. SEC. SCHOL. Pray thou, and we will pray that God may have mercy upon thee. FAUST. Gentlemen, farewell: if I live till morning, I'll visit you; if not, Faustus is gone to hell. ALL. Faustus, farewell. [Exeunt SCHOLARS.-The clock strikes eleven. FAUST. Ah, Faustus, minded to amend and to follow that good mans counsell, then came the Devill and would have had me away, as this night he is like to doe, and said, so soone as I turned againe to God, he would dispatch me altogether." The History of Doctor Faustus, Sig. K 3, ed. 1648. † save] So the later 4tos.-Not in 4to 1604. * and what noise soever ye hear, &c.] "Lastly, to knit up my troubled oration, this is my friendly request, that you would go to rest, and let nothing trouble you; also, if you chance heare any noyse or rumbling about the house, be not therewith afraid, for there shall no evill happen unto you," &c. Id. ibid. Now hast thou but one bare hour to live, A year, a month, a week, a natural day, The stars move still, time runs, the clock will strike, ment! One drop would save my soul, half a drop: ah, my Ah, rend not my heart for naming of my Christ! Then will I headlong run into the earth: Whose influence hath allotted death and hell, + O lente, &c.] "At si, quem malles, Cephalum complexa teneres, Clamares, Lente currite, noctis equi." Ovid,-Amor. i. xiii. 39. |