The Tragicall History of the Life and Death of Doctor Faustus/Scene 5
Enter Faustus in his study.
Now Faustus must thou needs be damn'd?
Canst thou not be sav'd?
What boots it then to thinke on God or Heaven?
Away with such vaine fancies and despaire,
Despaire in God, and trust in Belzebub,
Now go not backe Faustus, be resolute.
Waverst thou? O something soundeth in mine eare,
Abjure this Magicke, turne to God againe.
Why he loves thee not: The God thou serv'st is thine owe appetite,
Wherein is fixt the love of Belzebub:
To him Ile build an Altar and a Church,
And offer luke-warme blood of new-borne babes.
Enter the two Angels.
Evill An.
Go forward Faustus in that most famous Art,
Good An.
Sweet Faustus leave that execrable Art.
Faust.
Contrition, Prayer, Repentance, What be these?
Good An.
O, they are meanes to bring thee unto heaven.
Bad A.
Rather illusions, fruits of lunacy,
That make men foolish that doe use them most.
Good An.
Sweet Faustus think of heaven and heavenly things.
Bad A.
No Faustus thinke of honor & of wealth. Exeunt An.
Faust.
Wealth? Why the signory of Embden shall be mine.
When Mephostophilis shall stand by me
What power can hurt me? Faustus thou art safe:
Cast no more doubts: Mephostophilis, come,
And bring glad tydings from great Lucifer.
Ist not midnight? Come, Mephostophilis.
Veni, Veni, Mephostophilis. Enter Meph.
Now tell me what saith Lucifer thy Lord?
Meph.
That I shall wait on Faustus whilst he lives,
So he will buy my service with his soule.
Faust.
Already Faustus hath hazarded that for thee.
Meph.
But now thou must bequeath it solemnly,
And write a Deed of Gift with thine owne blood:
For that security craves Lucifer.
If thou deny it I must backe to Hell.
Faust.
Stay, Mephostophilis, and tell me,
What good will my soule do thy Lord?
Meph.
Enlarge his Kingdome.
Faust.
Is that the reason why he tempts us thus?
Meph.
Solamen miseris socios habuisse doloris.
Faust.
Why, have you any paine that torture others?
Meph.
As great as have the humane soules of men.
But tell me Faustus, shall I have thy soule?
And I will be thy slave and wait on thee,
And give thee more then thou hast wit to ask.
Faust.
I Mephostophilis, Ile give it him.
Meph.
Then Faustus stab thy arme couragiously,
And bind thy soule that at some certaine day
Great Lucifer may claime it as his owne:
Then be thou as great as Lucifer.
Faust.
Lo Mepho. for love of thee Faustus hath cut his arme,
And wt his proper blood assures his soule to be great Lucifers:
Chiefe Lord and regent of perpetuall night.
View here this blood that trickles from mine arme,
And let it be propitious for thy wish.
Meph.
But Faustus,
Write it in manner of a Deed of Gift.
Faust.
I so I doe, but Mephostophilis,
My blood conjeales and I can write no more.
Meph.
Ile fetch thee fire to dissolve it straight.Exit.
Faust.
What might the staying of my blood portend?
It is unwilling I should write this bill,
Why streames it not that I may write a fresh?
Faustus gives to thee his soule: O there it staid.
Why shouldst thou not? is not thy soule thine owne?
Then write againe: Faustus gives to thee his
Enter Mephostophilis, with the Chafer of fire.
Meph.
See Faustus here is fire, set it on.
Faust.
So now the blood begins to cleare againe,
Now will I make an end immediatly.
Meph.
What will not I doe to obtaine his soule?
Faust.
Consummatum est: this bill is ended,
And Faustus hath bequeath'd his soule to Lucifer.
But what is this inscription on mine Arme?
Homo fuge, whither should I fly?
If unto heaven, he'le throw mee down to hell.
My senses are deceiv'd, he'res nothing writ:
O yes, I see it plaine, even here is writ
Homo fuge, yet shall not Faustus flye.
Meph.
Ile fetch him somewhat to delight his minde. Exit.
Enter Devils, giving Crownes and rich apparell to
Faustus: they dance and then depart.
Enter Mephostophilis
Faust.
What meanes this shew? speake Mephostophilis.
Meph.
Nothing Faustus, but to delight thy mind,
And let thee see what Magicke can performe.
Faust.
But may I raise such spirits when I please?
Meph.
I Faustus, and doe greater things then these.
Faust.
Then Mephostophilis receive
A deed of Gift, of body and of soule:
But yet conditionally, that thou performe
All Covenants and Articles betweene us both.
Meph.
Faustus, I sweare by Hell and Lucifer,
To effect all promises betweene us both.
Faust.
Then heare me read it Mephostophilis,
On these conditions following.
First, that Faustus may be a spirit in forme and substance.
Secondly, that Mephostophilis shall be his servant, and bee by him commanded.
Thirdly, that Mephostophilis shall doe 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 forme soever he please.
I John Faustus of Wittemberg, Doctor, by these presents, doe give both body and soule to Lucifer, Prince of the East, and his Minister, Mephostophilis, and furthermore grant unto them that foure and twenty yeares being expired, and these Articles above written being inviolate, full power to fetch or carry the said John Faustus body and soule, flesh and blood, into their habitation wheresoever.
Meph.
Speake Faustus, do you deliver this as your Deed?
Faust.
I, take it, and the devill give thee good of it.
Meph.
So now Faustus aske me what thou wilt.
Faust.
First, I will question thee about Hell,
Tell mee, where is that place that men call hell?
Meph.
Under the Heavens.
Faust.
I, so are all things else: but whereabouts?
Meph.
Within the bowels of these Elements,
Where we are tortur'd, and remaine for ever.
Hell hath no limits, nor is circumscrib'd
In one selfe 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 are not heaven.
Faust.
I thinke hell's a meere fable.
Meph.
I, thinke so still, till experience change thy minde.
Faust.
Why dost thou thinke that Faustus shall be damnd?
Meph.
I of necessity, for here's the scrowle
In which thou hast given thy soule to Lucifer.
Faust.
I, and body too, but what of that?
Thinkst thou that Faustus is so fond to imagine
That after this life there is any paine?
No, these are trifles, and meere old wives tales.
Meph.
But I am an instance to prove the contrary:
For I tell thee I am damn'd, and now in hell.
Faust.
Nay and this be hell, Ile willingly be damn'd:
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.
Meph.
Well Faustus, thou shalt have a wife.
Faust.
What sight is this?
Meph.
Now Faustus wilt thou have a wife?
Faust.
Here's a hot whore indeed: no, Ile no wife.
Meph.
Mariage is but a ceremoniall toy,
And if thou lovest me thinke no more of it:
Ile cull thee out the fairest Curtezans,
And bring them every morning to thy bed:
She whom thine eye shall like, thine heart shall have,
Were she as chaste as were Penelope,
As wise as Saba, or as beautiful
As was bright Lucifer before his fall.
Here, take this booke and peruse it well:
The iterating of these lines brings gold.
The framing of this circle on the ground,
Brings Thunder, Whirlewinds, storm and lightning.
Pronounce this thrice devoutly to thy selfe,
And men in harnesse shall appeare to thee,
Ready to execute what thou commandst.
Faust.
Thanks Mephostophilis for this sweet booke:
This will I keepe as chary as my life. Exeunt.
Enter Wagner solus.
Wag.
Learned Faustus
To know the secrets of Astronomy
Graven in the booke of Joves high firmament,
Did mount himselfe to scale Olympus top.
Being seated in a Chariot burning bright,
Drawne by the strength of yoaky Dragons necks,
He now is gone to prove Cosmography,
And as I guesse, will first arive at Rome,
To see the Pope and manner of his Court:
And take some part of holy Peters feast,
That on this day is highly solemnizd.Exit Wagner.