My lord, I must forewarn your majesty,

That when my spirits present the royal shapes
Of Alexander and his paramour,

Your grace demand no questions of the king;

But in dumb silence let them come and go.

Emp. Be it as Faustus please, we are content.

Benv. I, I, and I am content too: an thou bring Alexander and his paramour before the Emperor, I'll be Acteon, 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,
These are but shadows, not substantial.

Emp. O pardon me, my thoughts are so ravished
With sight of this renowned Emperor,

That in mine arms I would have compassed him;
But, Faustus, since I may not speak to them,
To satisfy my longing thoughts at full,
Let me this tell thee: I have heard it said,
That this fair lady, whilst she lived on earth,

Had on her neck a little wart or mole;

Now may I prove that saying to be true?

Faust. Your majesty may boldly go and see.
Emp. Faustus, I see it plain;

And in this sight thou better pleasest me,

Than if I gained another monarchy.

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:
If Faustus do it, you are straight resolved
In bold Acteon's shape to turn a stag.
And therefore, my lord, so please your majesty,
I'll raise a kennel of hounds shall hunt him so,
As all his footmanship shall scarce prevail

To keep his carcase from their bloody fangs.
Ho! Belimote, Argiron, Asterote !

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,
He has done penance now sufficiently.

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 ;
Shall I let slip so great an injury,

When every servile groom jests at my wrongs,
And in their rustic gambols proudly say,
"Benvolio's head was graced with horns to-day?"
O may these eyelids never close again,
Till with my sword I have that conjurer slain :
If you will aid me in this enterprise,

Then draw your weapons and be resolute;
If not, depart; here will Benvolio die,

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,

Close in an ambush there behind the trees;
By this I know the conjurer is near:

I saw him kneel, and kiss the Emperor's hand,
And take his leave, laden with rich rewards:
Then, soldiers, boldly fight; if Faustus die,
Take you the wealth, leave us the victory.

Fred. Come, soldiers, follow me unto the grove,
Who kills him shall have gold and endless love.

[Exit FREDERICK with Soldiers.

Benv. My head is lighter than it was by the horns,
But yet my heart more ponderous than my head,
And pants until I see that conjurer dead.

Mart. Where shall we place ourselves, Benvolio?
Benv. Here will we stay to hide the first assault;
O were that damned hell-hound but in place,
Thou soon should'st see me quit my foul disgrace !

Enter FREDERICK.

Fred. Close, close, the conjurer is at hand, And all alone comes walking in his gown ;

Be ready then, and strike the peasant down.

Benv. Mine be that honour then: now, sword, strike home,

For horns he gave I'll have his head anon.

Enter FAUSTUS, with a false head.

Mart. See, see, he comes.

Beny. No words: this blow ends all;

Hell take his soul, his body thus must fall.

Faust. O!

Fred. Groan you, Master Doctor?

Benv. Break may his heart with groans: dear Frede

rick, see,

Thus will I end his griefs immediately.

Mart. Strike with a willing hand; his head is off.

[BENVOLIO strikes off FAUSTUS's false head. Benv. The Devil's dead, the Furies now may laugh. Fred. Was this that stern aspèct, that awful frown, Made the grim monarch of infernal spirits Tremble and quake at his commanding charms?