Faustus begin thine incantations, And try if devils will obey thy hest; Seeing thou hast pray'd and sacrific'd to them. Sint mihi Dii Acherontis propitii, valeat numen triplex Jehova, ignei, aerii, aquitani spiritus! saluete Orientis Princeps Belzebub, inferni ardentis monarcha et demigorgon, propitiamus vos, ut appareat et surgat Mephostophilis Dragon, quod tumeraris; per Jehovar, Gehennam et consecratum aquam, quam nunc spargo; signumque crucis quod nunc facio; et per rota nostra ipse nunc surgat nobis dictatis Mephostophilis. Enter DEVIL. I charge thee to return and change thy shape; I see there's virtue in my heavenly words; Such is the force of magic, and my spells. [Exit devil. Enter MEPHOSTOPHILIS. MEPH. Now, Faustus, what wouldst thou have me do? FAUST. I charge thee wait upon me whilst I live, To do whatever Faustus shall command; Be it to make the moon drop from her sphere, MEPH. I am a servant to great Lucifer, And pray devoutly to the prince of hell. FAUST. SO Faustus hath already done, and holds this principle, There is no chief but only Belzebub; To whom Faustus doth dedicate himself. This word damnation terrifies not me, My ghost be with the old philosophers. VOL. II. 9 Tell me, what is that Lucifer thy lord? MEPH. Arch regent and commander of all spirits. FAUST. Was not that Lucifer an angel once? MEPH. Yes Faustus, and most dearly lov'd of God. FAUST. How comes it then that he is Prince of Devils? MEPH. Oh! by aspiring pride and insolence, And are for ever damn'd with Lucifer. MEPH. In hell. FAUST. HOW Comes it then that thou art out of hell? O Faustus! leave these frivolous demands, FAUST. What, is great Mephostophilis so pas- For being deprived of the joys of heav'n! Learn thou of Faustus manly fortitude, And scorn those joys thou never shalt possess. Say he surrenders up to him bis soul, So he will spare him four and twenty years, Having thee ever to attend on me; To give me whatsoever I shall ask; To slay mine enemies, and to aid my friends; And then resolve me of thy master's mind. MEPH. I will, Faustus. [Exit. FAUST. Had I as many souls as there be stars, I'd give them all for Mephostophilis. By him I'll be great emperor of the world, The emperor shall not live but by my leave, Now that I have obtain'd what I desir'd. I'll live in speculation of this art, Till Mephostophilis return again. SCENE V. Enter WAGNER and the CLOWN. WAG. Come hither, sirrah! boy! [Exit. CLOWN. Boy! Oh! disgrace to my person! Zounds! boy in your face! you have seen many boys with beards, I am sure. WAG. Hast thou no comings in? CLOWN. And goings out too, you may see, sir. WAG. Alas, poor slave! see how poverty jests in his nakedness. I know the villain's out of service, and so hungry, that I know he would give his soul to the devil for a shoulder of mutton, though it were blood raw. CLOWN. Not so neither; I had need to have it well roasted, and good sauce to it, if I pay so dear, I can tell you. WAG. Sirrah, wilt thou be my man, and wait on me? and I will make thee go like qui mihi discipulus. CLOWN. What, in verse? WAG. No, slave, in beaten silk and stavesaker*. CLOWN. Stavesaker? that's good to kill vermin ; then belike if I serve you I shall be lousy. WAG. Why, so thou shalt be whether thou dost it or no: for, sirrah, if thou dost not presently bind thyself to me for seven years, I'll turn all the lice about thee into familiars, and make them tear thee in pieces. CLOWN. Nay, sir, you may spare yourself a labour, for they are as familiar with me as if they paid for their meat and drink, I can tell you. WAG. Well, sirrah, leave your jesting, and take these guilders. |