Shall make poor Faustus, to his utmost power, For proof whereof, if so your grace be pleased, And hale the stubborn Furies from their caves, To compass whatsoe'er your grace commands. Benv. Blood, he speaks terribly! but for all that, I do not greatly believe him; he looks as like [a] conjurer as the Pope to a costermonger. Emp. Then, Faustus, as thou late didst promise us, We would behold that famous conqueror, Great Alexander, and his paramour, In their true shapes and state majestical, That we may wonder at their excellence. Faust. Your majesty shall see them presently. Mephistophilis, away; And with a solemn noise of trumpets' sound Present before this royal Emperor Great Alexander and his beauteous paramour. Benv. Well, Master Doctor, an your devils come not away quickly, you shall have me asleep presently: zounds! I could eat myself for anger, to think I have been such an ass all this while, to stand gaping after the devil's governor, and can see nothing. Faust. I'll make you feel something anon, if my art fail me not. [Aside. My lord, I must forewarn your majesty, That when my spirits present the royal shapes Your grace demand no questions of the king; Emp. Be it as Faustus please, we are content. Benv. Ay, ay, and I am content too: an thou bring Alexander and his paramour before the Emperor, I'll be Actæon, and turn myself to a stag. Faust. And I'll play Diana, and send you the horns presently. Sennet.-Enter at one door the Emperor ALEXANDER, at the other DARIUS; they meet; DARIUS is thrown down; ALEXANDER kills him, takes off his crown, and offering to go out, his Paramour meets him; he embraceth her, and sets DARIUS' crown upon her head; and coming back, both salute the EMPEROR, who, leaving his state, offers to embrace them; which FAUSTUS seeing, suddenly stays him: then trumpets cease and music sounds. My gracious lord, you do forget yourself, Emp. O pardon me, my thoughts are so ravished Had on her neck a little wart or mole; Now may I prove that saying to be true? And in this sight thou better pleasest me, Faust. Away! begone! [Exit show.] See, see, my gracious lord! what strange beast is yon that thrusts his head out at window? Emp. O wondrous sight! see, Duke of Saxony, Two spreading horns most strangely fastened Upon the head of young Benvolio. Sax. What, is he asleep or dead? Faust. He sleeps, my lord, but dreams not of his horns. Emp. This sport is excellent: we'll call and wake him. What ho! Benvolio ! Benv. A plague upon you, let me sleep awhile. Emp. I blame thee not to sleep much, having such a head of thine own. Sax. Look up, Benvolio, 'tis the Emperor calls. Benv. The Emperor! where? O, zounds, my head! Emp. Nay, an thy horns hold, 'tis no matter for thy head, for that's armed sufficiently. Faust. Why, how now, sir knight? what, hanged by the horns? This [is] most horrible: fie, pull in your head for shame; let not all the world wonder at you. Benv. Zounds, Doctor, is this your villainy? Faust. O say not so, sir, the Doctor has no skill! No art, no cunning, to present these lords, Or bring before this royal Emperor The mighty monarch, warlike Alexander: To keep his carcass from their bloody fangs. Benv. Hold, hold! zounds! he'll raise up a kennel of devils, I think, anon: good my lord entreat for me; 'sblood, I am never able to endure these torments. Emp. Then, good Mr. Doctor, Let me entreat you to remove his horns, Faust. My gracious lord; not so much for injury done to me, as to delight your majesty with some mirth, hath Faustus justly requited this injurious knight; which being all I desire, I am content to remove his horns. Mephistophilis, transform him; and hereafter, sir, look you speak well of scholars. Benv. Speak well of ye? 'Sblood, an scholars be such cuckold-makers to clap horns of honest men's heads o' this order, I'll ne'er trust smooth faces and small ruffs more. But an I be not revenged for this, would I might be turned to a gaping oyster, and drink nothing but salt water. Emp. Come, Faustus, while the Emperor lives, In recompense of this thy high desert, Thou shalt command the state of Germany, And live beloved of mighty Carolus. VOL. I. [Aside. [Exeunt omnes. U Then follow two scenes not found in the two earlier eds. :— [SCENE Xa.] Enter BENVOLIO, Martino, FREDERICK, and Soldiers. Mart. Nay, sweet Benvolio, let us sway thy thoughts From this attempt against the conjurer. Benv. Away, you love me not to urge me thus ; When every servile groom jests at my wrongs, But Faustus' death shall quit my infamy. Fred. Nay, we will stay with thee, betide what may, And kill that doctor if he come this way. Benv. Then, gentle Frederick, hie thee to the grove, And place our servants and our followers, By this I know the conjurer is near: I saw him kneel, and kiss the Emperor's hand, Fred. Come, soldiers, follow me unto the grove, [Exit FREDERICK with Soldiers. |