Act II
2.1 Enter Faustus in his study. Faustus Now, Faustus, must thou needs be damned? Can'st thou not be saved? What boots it then to think on God or heaven? Away with such vain fancies, and despair, Despair in God, and trust in Beelzebub, Now go not backward, Faustus; be resolute. Why wavers thou? O something soundeth in mine ear. Abjure this magic, turn to God again. Why he loves thee not. The God thou serv'st is thine owe appetite Wherein is fixed the love of Beelzebub To him, I'll build an altar and a church, And offer lukewarm blood, of new-born babes. Enter the two Angels. Evil Angel Go forward, Faustus, in that famous art. Good Angel Sweet Faustus, leave that execrable art. Faustus Contrition, prayer, repentance? What of these? Good Angel O, they are means to bring thee unto heaven. Evil Angel Rather, illusions, fruits of lunacy, That make them foolish that do use them most. Good Angel Sweet Faustus, think of heaven, and heavenly things. Evil Angel No, Faustus, think of honour and of wealth. Exeunt. Angels. Faustus Wealth? Why the signory of Embden shall be mine. When Mephistophilis shall stand by me, What power can hurt me? Faustus, thou art safe. Cast no more doubts; Mephistophilis, And bring glad tidings from great Lucifer Is't not midnight? Come, Mephistophilis. Veni veni Mephostophile. Enter Mephistophilis. Now tell me, what saith Lucifer, thy Lord? That I shall wait on Faustus whilst he lives, So he will buy my service with his soul. Faustus Already Faustus hath hazarded that for thee. Mephistophilis But now thou must bequeath it solemnly, And write a deed of gift with thine owe blood, For that security craves Lucifer If thou deny it I must back to hell. Faustus Stay, Mephistophilis, and tell me, What good will my soul do thy Lord? Mephistophilis Enlarge his Kingdom. Faustus Is that the reason why he tempts us thus? Mephistophilis Solamen miseris, socios habuisse doloris. Faustus Why, have you any pain that torture other? Mephistophilis As great as have the humane souls of men. But tell me Faustus, shall I have thy soul? And I will be thy slave and wait on thee, And give thee more then thou hast wit to ask. Faustus I Mephistophilis, I'll give it him. Mephistophilis Then Faustus stab thy arm courageously, And bind thy soul, that at some certain day Great Lucifer may claim it as his owe, And then be thou as great as Lucifer Faustus Lo Mephistophilis: for love of thee Faustus hath cut his arm, And with his proper blood assures his soul to be great Lucifer's, Chief Lord and Regent of perpetual night. View here this blood that trickles from mine arm, And let it be propitious for my wish. Mephistophilis But, Faustus, Write it in manner of a deed of gift. Faustus Ay, so I do, but, Mephistophilis , My blood congeals, and I can write no more Mephistophilis I'll fetch thee fire to dissolve it straight. Exit. Faustus What might the staying of my blood portend? Is it unwilling I should write this bill? Why streams it not, that I may write afresh? Faustus gives to thee his soul: O there it stayed. Why should'st thou not? Is not thy soul thine owe? Then write again: Faustus gives to thee his soul. Enter Mephistophilis, with the chafer of fire. Mephistophilis See, Faustus, here is fire; set it on. Faustus So, now the blood begins to clear again. Now will I make an end immediately. Mephistophilis What will not I do to obtain his soul? Faustus Consummatum est: this bill is ended, And Faustus hath bequeathed his soul to Lucifer But what is this inscription on mine arm? Homo fuge! Whither should I fly? If unto heaven, he'll throw me down to hell. My senses are deceived; here's nothing writ: O yes, I see it plain, even here is writ Homo fuge, yet shall not Faustus fly. Mephistophilis I'll fetch him somewhat to delight his mind. Exit. Enter Devils, giving crowns and rich apparel to Faustus. They dance, and then depart. Enter Mephistophilis. Faustus What means this show? Speak, Mephistophilis. Mephistophilis Nothing, Faustus, but to delight thy mind, And let thee see what magic can perform Faustus But may I raise such spirits when I please? Mephistophilis Ay, Faustus, and do greater things than these. Faustus Then, Mephistophilis, receive this scroll, A deed of gift, of body and of soul. But yet conditionally, that thou perform All covenants, and articles, between us both. Mephistophilis Faustus, I swear by hell and Lucifer To effect all promises between us both. Faustus Then hear me read it, Mephistophilis, On these conditions following. First, that Faustus may be a spirit in form and substance. Secondly, that Mephistophilis shall be his servant, and be by him commanded. Thirdly, that Mephistophilis shall do for him, and bring him whatsoever. Fourthly, that he shall be in his chamber or house invisible. Lastly, that he shall appear to the said John Faustus, at all times, in what shape and form soever he please. I, John Faustus of Wittenberg, Doctor, by these presents, do give both body and soul to Lucifer, Prince of the East, and his minister Mephistophilis, and furthermore grant unto them that four and twenty years being expired, and these articles written being inviolate, full power to fetch or carry the said John Faustus' body and soul, flesh, blood, into their ha- bitation wheresoever. By me John Faustus. Mephistophilis Speak, Faustus, do you deliver this as your deed? Faustus Ay, take it, and the devil give thee good of it. Mephistophilis So, now Faustus, ask me what thou wilt. Faustus First, I will question thee about hell: Tell me, where is the place that men call hell? Mephistophilis Under the heavens. Faustus Ay, so are all things else, but whereabouts? Mephistophilis Within the bowels of these elements, Where we are tortured, and remain forever. Hell hath no limits, nor is circumscribed, In one self place, but where we are is hell, And where hell is there must we ever be. And to be short, when all the world dissolves, And every creature shall be purified, All places shall be hell that is not heaven. Faustus I think hell's a fable. Mephistophilis Ay, think so still, till experience change thy mind. Faustus Why, dost thou think that Faustus shall be damned? Mephistophilis Ay, of necessity, for here's the scroll In which thou hast given thy soul to Lucifer Mephistophilis Ay, and body too, but what of that? Think'st thou that Faustus, is so fond to imagine, That after this life there is any pain? No, these are trifles, and mere old wives tales. Mephistophilis But I am an instance to prove the contrary, For I tell thee I am damned, and now in hell. Faustus Nay, and this be hell, I'll willingly be damned. What sleeping, eating, walking and disputing? But leaving this, let me have a wife, the fairest maid in Germany, for I am wanton and lascivious, and cannot live without a wife. Mephistophilis Well, Faustus, thou shalt have a wife. He fetches in a woman devil. Faustus What sight is this? Mephistophilis Now, Faustus, wilt thou have a wife? Faustus Here's a hot whore indeed; no, I'll no wife. Mephistophilis Marriage is but a ceremonial toy, And if thou lov'st me think no more of it. I'll cull thee out the fairest courtesans, And bring them every morning to thy bed. She whom thine eye shall like, thy heart shall have, Were she as chaste as was Penelope, As wise as Saba, or as beautiful As was bright Lucifer before his fall. Here, take this book, and peruse it well. The iterating of these lines brings gold; The framing of this circle on the ground Brings thunder, whirl-winds, storm and lightning. Pronounce this thrice devoutly to thyself, And men in harness shall appear to thee, Ready to execute what thou command'st. Faustus Thanks, Mephistophilis, for this sweet book. This will I keep as chary as my life. Exeunt. Enter Wagner solus. Wagner Learned Faustus To know the secrets of Astronomy Graven in the book of Jove's high firmament, Did mount himself to scale Olympus' top. Being seated in a chariot burning bright, Drawn by the strength of yokey dragons' necks, He now is gone to prove cosmography, And as I guess will first arrive at Rome, To see the Pope and manner of his court, And take some part of holy Peter's feast, That to this day is highly solemnized. Exit Wagner. 2.2 Enter Faustus in his study, and Mephistophilis. Faustus When I behold the heavens then I repent And curse thee wicked Mephistophilis, Because thou hast deprived me of those joys. Mephistophilis 'Twas thine owe seeking Faustus, thank thyself. But think'st thou heaven is such a glorious thing? I tell thee, Faustus, it is not half so fair As thou, or any man that breath on earth. Faustus How prov'st thou that? Mephistophilis 'Twas made for man; then he's more excellent. Faustus If heaven was made for man, 'twas made for me. I will renounce this magic and repent. Enter the two Angels. Good Angel Faustus, repent yet God will pity thee. Evil Angel Thou art a spirit; God cannot pity thee. Faustus Who buzzeth in mine ears I am a spirit? Be I a devil, yet God may pity me. Yea, God will pity me if I repent. Evil Angel Ay, but Faustus never shall repent. Exit Angels. Faustus My heart is hardened; I cannot repent. Scarce can I name salvation, faith, or heaven. Swords, poison, halters, and envenomed steel, Are laid before me to dispatch my self, And long ere this, I should have done the deed, Had not sweet pleasure conquered deep despair. Have not I made blind Homer sing to me Of Alexander's love, and OEnon's death? And hath not he that built the walls of Thebes, With ravishing sound of his melodious harp, Made music with my Mephistophilis? Why should I die then, or basely despair? I am resolved; Faustus shall not repent. Come, Mephistophilis, let us dispute again And reason of divine Astrology. Speak, are there many spheres above the Moon? Are all celestial bodies but one globe, As is the substance of this centric earth? Mephistophilis As are the elements, such are the heavens, Even from the moon unto the empirial orb, Mutually folded in each others spheres, And jointly move upon one axle-tree, Whose termine, is termed the world's wide pole. Nor are the names of Saturn, Mars, or Jupiter, Fained, but are evening stars. Faustus But have they all one motion, both situ et tempore? Mephistophilis All move from east to west in four and twenty hours, upon the poles of the world, but differ in their motions upon the poles of the zodiac. Faustus These slender questions Wagner can decide: Hath Mephistophilis no greater skill? Who knows not the double motion of the planets? That the first is finished in a natural day; The second thus: Saturn in 30 years; Jupiter in 12, Mars in 4, the Sun, Venus, and Mercury in a year; the moon in twenty eight days. These are freshmen's questions . But tell me, hath every Sphere a dominion, or intelligentia? Mephistophilis Ay. Faustus How many heavens, or spheres, are there? Mephistophilis Nine, the seven planets, the firmament, and the empyreal heaven. Faustus But is there not coelum igneum, et cristallinum? Mephistophilis No, Faustus, they be but fables. Faustus Resolve me then in this one question: Why are not conjunctions, oppositions, aspects, eclipses, all at one time, but in some years we have more, in some less? Mephistophilis Per inaequalem motum, respectu totius. Faustus Well, I am answered. Now tell me, who made the world? Mephistophilis I will not. Faustus Sweet Mephistophilis, tell me. Mephistophilis Move me not, Faustus. Faustus Villain, have not I bound thee to tell me anything? Mephistophilis Ay, that is not against our kingdom. This is. Thou art damned; think thou of hell. Faustus Think, Faustus, upon God that made the world. Mephistophilis Remember this . Exit. Faustus Ay, go, accursed spirit, to ugly hell. 'Tis thou hast damned distressed Faustus' soul. Is't not too late? Enter the two Angels. Evil Angel Too late. Good Angel Never too late, if Faustus will repent. Evil Angel If thou repent, devils will tear thee in pieces. Good Angel Repent and they shall never raise thy skin. Exit. Angels. Faustus O, Christ my Savior, my Savior, Help to save distressed Faustus' soul. Enter Lucifer, Beelzebub, and Mephistophilis. Lucifer Christ cannot save thy soul, for he is just. There's none but I have interest in the same. Faustus O, what art thou that look'st so terribly? Lucifer I am Lucifer, and this is my companion Prince in hell. Faustus O, Faustus, they are come to fetch thy soul. Beelzebub We are come to tell thee thou dost injure us. Lucifer Thou call'st on Christ contrary to thy promise. Beelzebub Thou should'st not think on God. Lucifer Think on the devil. Beelzebub And his dam too. Faustus Nor will Faustus henceforth. Pardon him for this; And Faustus vows never to look to heaven. Lucifer So shalt thou show thy self an obedient servant, And we will highly gratify thee for it. Beelzebub Faustus, we are come from hell in person to show thee some pastime. Sit down and thou shalt behold the seven deadly sins appear to thee in their own proper shapes and likeness. Faustus That sight will be as pleasant to me, as Paradise was to Adam the first day of his creation. Lucifer Talk not of Paradise or creation, but mark the show. Go, Mephistophilis, fetch them in. Enter the Seven Deadly Sins. Beelzebub Now, Faustus, question them of their names and dispositions. Faustus That shall I soon. What art thou the first? Pride. I am Pride; I disdain to have any parents. I am like to Ovid's Flea; I can creep into every corner of a a wench. Sometimes, like a periwig, I sit upon her brow. Next, like a necklace, I hang about her neck. Then, like a fan of feathers, I kiss her, and then tur- ning myself to a wrought smock do what I list. But. fie,fye, what a smell is here? I'll not speak a word more for a king's ransom, unless the ground be perfumed, and covered with cloth of arras. Faustus Thou art a proud knave indeed. What art thou second? Covetousness I am Covetousness, begotten of an old churl in a leather bag, and might I now obtain my wish, this house you and all, should turn to Gold, that I might lock you safe into my chest. O my sweet Gold! Faustus And what art thou the third? Envy I am Envy, begotten of a chimney-sweeper, and an oyster-wife. I cannot read, and therefore wish all books burned. I am lean with seeing others eat. O that there would come a famine over all the world, that all might die, and I live alone, then thou should'st see how fat I'd be. But must thou sit, and I stand? Come down with a vengeance. Faustus Out envious wretch. But what art thou the fourth? Wrath. I am Wrath. I had neither father nor mother; I leapt out of a lion's mouth when I was scarce an hour old, and ever since have run up and down the world with these case of rapiers, wounding myself when I could get none none to fight withal. I was born in hell, and look to it, for some of you shall be my father. Faustus And what art thou the fifth? Gluttony I am Gluttony; my parents are all dead, and the de- vil a penny they have left me, but a small pension, and that buys me thirty meals a day, and ten beavers: a small trifle to suffice nature. I come of a royal pedigree, my father was a gammon of bacon, and my mother was a Hogs- head of claret wine. My godfathers were these: Peter- Pickled-herring, and Martin Martlemasse-beef: But my god- mother, O she was an ancient gentlewoman. Her name was Margery March-beer. Now, Faustus, thou hast heard all my progeny; wilt thou bid me to supper? Faustus Not I. Gluttony Then the devil choke thee. Faustus Choke thyself glutton. What art thou the sixth? Sloth. Hey ho, I am Sloth. I was begotten on a sunny- bank. Hey ho, I'll not speak a word more for a king's ransom. Faustus And what are you Mistress Minkes, the seventh and last? Lechery Who, I, sir sir? I am one that loves an inch of raw mutton, better than an ell of fried stockfish, and the first letter of my name begins with Lechery. Lucifer Away to hell! Away, on, piper! Exit the Seven Deadlysins. Faustus O, how this sight doth delight my soul. Lucifer But, Faustus, in hell is all manner of delight. Faustus O, might I see hell, and return again safe. How happy were I then. Lucifer Faustus, thou shalt; at midnight I will send for thee. Meanwhile, peruse this book, and, view it thoroughly,throughly, And thou shalt turn thyself into what shape thou wilt. Faustus Thanks mighty Lucifer. This will I keep as chary as my life. Lucifer Now, Faustus, farewell. Faustus Farewell, great Lucifer. Come, Mephistophilis Exeunt omnes, several ways. 2.3 Enter the Clown. What, Dick, look to the horses there till I come again. I have gotten one of Doctor Faustus's conjuring books, and now we'll have such knavery, as't passes. Enter Dick. Dick. What, Robin, you must come away and walk the horses. Robin I walk the horses, I scorned 'faith, I have other matters in hand; let the horses walk themselves and they will. A per se a, t. h. e the: o per se o deny orgon, gorgon. Keep further from me, O thou illiterate, and unlearned hostler. Dick. 'Snails, what hast thou got there, a book? Why thou can'st not tell ne'er a word on't. Robin That thou shalt see presently. Keep out of the cir- cle, I say, lest I send you into the ostry with a vengeance. Dick. That's like 'faith. You had best leave your foolery, for, an my master come, he'll conjure you 'faith. Robin My master conjure me? I'll tell thee what, an my master come here, I'll clap as fair a pair of horns on's head as e'er thou saw'st in thy life. Dick. Thou need'st not do that, for my mistress hath done it. Robin AyI, there be of us here, that have waded as deep in- to matters, as other men, if they were disposed to talk. Dick. A plague take you! I thought you did not sneak up and down after her for nothing. But I prithee tell me, in good sadness Robin, is that a conjuring book? Robin Do but speak what thou'd have me to do, and I'll do't. If thou'd dance naked, put off thy clothes, and I'll conjure thee about presently. Or if thou'd go but to the ta- vern with me, I'll give thee white wine, red wine, claret wine, sack, muskadine, malmesey, and whippincrust.Whippincrust, Hold belly hold, and we'll not pay one penny for it. Dick. O brave, prithee let's to it presently, for I am as dry as a dog. Robin Come, then, let's away. Exeunt. Enter the Chorus. Learned Faustus to find the secrets of Astronomy, Graven in the book of Jove's high firmament, Did mount him up to scale Olympus' top, Where sitting in a chariot burning bright, Drawn by the strength of yoked dragons' necks; He views the clouds, the planets, and the stars, The tropic, zones, and quarters of the sky, From the bright circle of the horned moon, Even to the height of Primum Mobile:. And whirling round with this circumference, Within the concave compass of the pole, From east to west his dragons swiftly glide, And in eight days did bring him home again. Not long he stayed within his quiet house, To rest his bones after his weary toil, But new exploits do hale him out again And mounted then upon a dragon's back, That with his wings did part the subtle air. He now is gone to prove Cosmography, That measures costs, and kingdoms of the earth. And as I guess will first arrive at Rome, To see the Pope and manner of his court, And take some part of holy Peter's feast, The which this day is highly solemnized. Exit.
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