SCENE VII.

Enter1 FAUSTUS and MEPHISTOPHILIS.

Faust. Having now, my good Mephistophilis,
Passed with delight the stately town of Trier,2
Environed round with airy mountain-tops,
With walls of flint, and deep entrenched lakes,
Not to be won by any conquering prince;
From Paris next, coasting the realm of France,
We saw the river Maine fall into Rhine,

Whose banks are set with groves of fruitful vines;
Then up to Naples, rich Campania,

Whose buildings fair and gorgeous to the eye,

The streets straight forth, and paved with finest brick, Quarter the town in four equivalents: 3

There saw we learnèd Maro's golden tomb,

The way he cut, an English mile in length,

Thorough a rock of stone in one night's space; 4
From thence to Venice, Padua, and the rest,
In one of which a sumptuous temple stands,

1 The scene is laid in the Pope's privy-chamber. * Treves.

* Ed. 1604 "equivalence."

♦ Dyce quotes from Petrarch's Itinerarium Syriacum :

"Non longe

a Puteolis Falernus collis attollitur, famoso palmite nobilis. Inter Falernum et mare mons est saxeus hominum manibus confossus quod vulgus insulsum a Virgilio magicis cantaminibus factum putant."

5 So ed. 1616.-Ed. 1604 "in midst of which." (From the prose His. tory of Dr. Faustus, Dyce shows that the "sumptuous temple " is St. Mark's at Venice.)

That threats the stars with her aspiring top.1
Thus hitherto has Faustus spent his time:
But tell me, now, what resting-place is this?
Hast thou, as erst I did command,

Conducted me within the walls of Rome?

20

Meph.2 Faustus, I have; and because we will not be unprovided, I have taken up his Holiness' privy-chamber for our use.

Faust. I hope his Holiness will bid us welcome.

Meph. Tut, 'tis no matter, man, we'll be bold with his good cheer,

And now, my Faustus, that thou may'st perceive
What Rome containeth to delight thee with,

Know that this city stands upon seven hills

That underprop the groundwork of the same:

4

Just through the midst runs flowing Tiber's stream,
With winding banks that cut it in two parts:

Over the which four 5 stately bridges lean,

That make safe passage to each part of Rome :
Upon the bridge called Ponte Angelo
Erected is a castle passing strong,

1 In ed. 1616 these two lines are added:

"Whose frame is paved with sundry coloured stones,
And rooft aloft with curious work in gold."

2 A garbled version of what Marlowe wrote.

Ed. 1616 gives :

"I have, my Faustus, and, for proof thereof,
This is the goodly palace of the Pope :
And, cause we are no common guests,
I choose his privy-chamber for our use."

3 Ed. 1616,-"All's one, for we'll be bold with his venison."

30

4 This line and the next, necessary for the sense, first occur in ed. 1616. 5 Ed. 1616" two."

6 Old eds. "Ponto."

-1

Within 1 whose walls such store of ordnance are,
And double 2 cannons formed of carvèd brass,
As match the days within one complete year;
Besides the gates and high pyramides,
Which Julius Cæsar brought from Africa.
Faust. Now by the kingdoms of infernal rule,
Of Styx, of3 Acheron, and the fiery lake
Of ever-burning Phlegethon, I swear
That I do long to see the monuments
And situation of bright-splendent Rome :
Come therefore, let's away.

40

Meph. Nay, Faustus, stay; I know you'd see the Pope,

And take some part of holy Peter's feast,

Where thou shalt see a troop of bald-pate friars,

Whose summum bonum is in belly-cheer.

51

Faust. Well, I'm content to compass them some sport, And by their folly make us merriment.

Then charm me [Mephistophilis] that I
May be invisible, to do what I please,
Unseen of any whilst I stay in Rome.

[MEPHISTOPHILIS charms him.

1 Ed. 1616 reads:

"Where thou shalt see such store of ord[i]nance
As that the double cannons, forg'd of brass,
Do match the number of the days contain'd
Within the compass of one complete year."

2 This probably means cannons with double bores. Two cannons with triple bores were taken from the French at Malplaquet, and are now in the Woolwich Museum."- Ward.

3 So ed. 1616.-Omitted in ed. 1604.

4 From this point the scene is greatly expanded in ed. 1616. See Appendix.

Meph. So, Faustus, now

Do what thou wilt, thou shalt not be discerned.

Sound a Sonnet.1

60

Enter the POPE and the CARDINAL OF

LORRAIN to the banquet, with Friars attending.

Pope. My Lord of Lorrain, wilt please you draw near? Faust. Fall to, and the devil choke you an you spare! Pope. How now! Who's that which spake ?-Friars, look about.

First Friar. Here's nobody, if it like your Holiness. Pope. My lord, here is a dainty dish was sent me from the Bishop of Milan.

Faust. I thank you, sir.

[Snatches the dish.

Pope. How now! Who's that which snatched the meat from me? Will no man look? My Lord, this dish was sent me from the Cardinal of Florence.

Faust. You say true; I'll ha't.

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[Snatches the dish. Pope. What, again! My lord, I'll drink to your grace. Faust. I'll pledge your grace. [Snatches the cup.

C. of Lor. My lord, it may be some ghost newly crept out of Purgatory, come to beg a pardon of your Holiness. Pope. It may be so. Friars, prepare a dirge to lay the fury of this ghost. Once again, my lord, fall to.

[The POPE crosses himself.

Faust. What, are you crossing of yourself?

Well, use that trick no more I would advise you.

[The POPE crosses himself again.

66

1 Nares enumerates six various forms-Sennet, Senet, Synnet, Cynet, Signet and Signate. It is defined by the same authority as a particular set of notes on the trumpet or cornet, different from a flourish."

80

Well, there's the second time. Aware the third,

I give you fair warning.

[The POPE crosses himself again, and FAUSTUS hits him a box of the ear; and they all run away.

Come on, Mephistophilis, what shall we do?

Meph. Nay, I know not.

We shall be cursed with

bell, book, and candle.

Faust. How! bell, book, and candle,-candle, book,

and bell,

Forward and backward to curse Faustus to Hell!

Anon you shall hear a hog grunt, a calf bleat, an ass bray, Because it is Saint Peter's holiday.

Re-enter the Friars to sing the Dirge.

First Friar. Come, brethren, let's about our business with good devotion.

[They sing.

Cursed be he that stole away his Holiness' meat from the

table! Maledicat Dominus !

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Cursed be he that struck his Holiness a blow on the face! Maledicat Dominus!

Cursed be he that took1 Friar Sandelo a blow on the pate! Maledicat Dominus!

Cursed be he that disturbeth our holy dirge! Maledicat Dominus!

Cursed be he that took away his Holiness' wine! Maledicat Dominus! Et omnes sancti! Amen!

MEPHISTOPHILIS and FAUSTUS beat the Friars, and fling fireworks among them: and so exeunt.

1 Wagner wanted to read "strook," but Ward aptly compares Measure for Measure, ii. 1. 189:-"If he took you a box o' the ear."