Of Styx, of Acheron, and the fiery lake MEPH. Nay, stay, my Faustus; I know you'd see the Pope, And take some part of holy Peter's feast, The which with high solemnity, This day is held through Rome and Italy, I'll spend in pleasure and in dalliance, That Faustus' name, whilst this bright frame doth stand, May be admired through the furthest land. MEPH. 'Tis well said, Faustus; come then, stand by me, And thou shalt see them come immediately. FAUST. Nay, stay, my gentle Mephostophilis, And grant me my request, and then I go. Thou know'st within the compass of eight days, There did we view the kingdoms of the world, And what might please mine eye, I there beheld. That this proud Pope may Faustus' coming see. MEPH. Let it be so, my Faustus; but first stay, To make his monks and abbots stand like apes, And I'll perform it, Faustus: hark! they come: Enter the CARDINALS and BISHOPS, some bearing crosiers, some pillars; MONKS and FRIARS singing their procession: then the POPE and RAYMOND, king of Hungary, with BRUNO led in chains. POPE. Cast down our footstool. RAY. Saxon Bruno stoop, Whilst on thy back his holiness ascends BRU. Proud Lucifer, that state belongs to me; POPE. To me and Peter shalt thou groveling lie, And crouch before the papal dignity: Sound trumpets then, for thus Saint Peter's heir, From Bruno's back ascends Saint Peter's chair. [A flourish while he ascends. Thus, as the gods creep on with feet of wool, 1 CARD. We go, my lord. [Exeunt Cardinals. FAUST. GO, haste thee, gentle Mephostophilis, Follow the cardinals to the consistory; And as they turn their superstitious books, Strike them with sloth and drowsy idleness; And make thein sleep so sound, that in their shapes Thyself and I may parley with this Pope, This proud confronter of the emperor, And, in despite of all his holiness, Restore this Bruno to his liberty, And bear him to the states of Germany. MEPH. Faustus, I go. FAUST. Dispatch it soon, The Pope shall curse, that Faustus came to Rome. [Exeunt Faust. and Meph. BRU. Pope Adrian, let me have right of law. I was elected by the emperor. POPE. We will depose the emp'ror for that deed, And curse the people that submit to him: Both he and thou shall stand excommunicate, And interdict from church's privilege, And all society of holy men: He grows too proud in his authority, Depose him from his regal government. BRU. Pope Julius swore to princely Sigismond, For him, and the succeeding popes of Rome, To hold the emperor their lawful lords. POPE. Pope Julius did abuse the church's rites, And therefore none of his decrees can stand. Is not all power on earth bestow'd on us? And therefore tho' we would we cannot err. Behold this silver belt, whereto is fix'd Seven golden seals, fast seal'd with seven seals, In token of our seven-fold power from heaven, Then he and thou, and all the world, shall stoop, To light as heavy as the pains of hell. Enter FAUSTUS and MEPHOSTOPHILIS, like the Cardinals. MEPH. Now tell me, Faustus, are we not fitted well? FAUST. Yes, Mephosto, and two such cardinals Ne'er serv'd a holy Pope, as we shall do. But whilst they sleep within the consistory, Let us salute his reverend fatherhood. RAY. Behold, my lord, the cardinals are return'd. POPE. Welcome, grave fathers; answer presently What have our holy council there decreed, Concerning Bruno and the emperor, In quittance of their late conspiracy, Against our state and papal dignity? FAUST. Most sacred patron of the church of Rome, By full consent of all the synod, Of priest and prelates, it is thus decreed: And by your death to climb St. Peter's chair, |