How Dr. Faustus desired again of his Spirit, to know theSecrets and Pains of Hell;and whether those damned Devils, and their Company, might evercome to the Favour and Love of God again.
Dr. Faustus was pondering with himself how he might get loose from so damnable an end as he had given himself unto, both soul and body; but his repenting was like that of Cain and Judas—he thought his sin greater than God could forgive; hereupon resting his mind, he looked up to heaven, but saw nothing therein, for his heart was so possessed of the devil that he could think of nought else but of hell and the pains thereof.
Wherefore in all haste he called unto him his spirit Mephistophiles, desiring him to tell him some more of the secrets of hell; what pain the damned are in, and how they were tormented; and whether the damned souls might get again the favour of God, and so be released out of their torments or not.
Whereupon the spirit answered: "My Faustus, thou mayst well leave to question any more of such matters, for they will but disquiet thy mind; I pray thee, what meanest thou, thinkest thou through these thy fantasies to escape us? No, for if thou shouldst climb up to heaven, there to hide thyself, yet would I thrust thee down again; for thou art mine, and thou belongest to our society. Therefore, sweet Faustus, thou wilt repent this thy foolish demand, except thou be content that I shall tell thee nothing."
Quoth Faustus, ragingly: "I will know, or I will not live, wherefore dispatch and tell me."
To whom Mephistophiles answered: "Faustus, it is no trouble unto me at all to tell thee; and therefore since thou forcest me thereto, I will tell thee things to the terror of thy soul, if thou wilt abide the hearing: thou wilt have me to tell thee of the secrets of hell, and of the pains thereof. Know, Faustus, that hell hath many figures, semblances, and names; but it cannot be named or figured in such sort to the living that are damned, as it is to those that are dead, and do both see and feel the torments thereof: for hell is said to be deadly, out of which came never any to life again but one, but he is nothing for thee to reckon upon; hell is bloodthirsty, and is never satisfied: hell is a valley into which the damned souls fall; for so soon as the soul is out of man's body, it would gladly go to the place from whence it came, and climbeth up above the highest hills, even to the heavens, where being by the angels of the first model denied entertainment (in consideration of their evil life spent on earth), they fall into the deepest pit or valley, that hath no bottom, into a perpetual fire which shall never be quenched; for like as the flint thrown in the water loseth not virtue, neither is the fire extinguished, even so the hellish fire is unquenchable: and even as the flint-stone in the fire burns red hot, and consumeth not, so likewise the damned souls in our hellish fire are ever burning, but their pain never diminishing. Therefore is hell called the everlasting pain, in which is never hope for mercy; so it is called utter darkness, in which we see neither the light, the sun, moon, nor stars; and were our darkness like the darkness of night, yet were there hope of mercy: but ours is perpetual darkness, clean exempt from the face of God. Hell hath also a place within it, called Chasma, out of which issueth all manner of thunders and lightnings, with such shriekings and wailings, that oftentimes the very devils themselves stand in fear thereof; for one while it sendeth forth wind, with exceeding snow, hail, and rain, congealing the water into ice, with the which the damned are frozen, gnash their teeth, howl, and cry, yet cannot die. Other whiles, it sendeth forth most horrible hot mists, or fogs, with flashing of flames of fire and brimstone, wherein the sorrowful souls of the damned lie broiling in their reiterated torments. Yea, Faustus, hell is called a prison, wherein the damned lie continually bound; it is called Pernicies and Exitium, death, destruction, hurtfulness, mischief, a mischance, a pitiful and evil thing, world without end. We have also with us in hell a ladder, reaching of exceeding height, as though the top of the same would touch the heaven, to which the damned ascend to seek the blessing of God, but through their infidelity, when they are at very highest degree, they fall down again into their former miseries, complaining of the heat of that unquenchable fire; yea, sweet Faustus, so much understand thou of hell, the while thou art desirous to know the secrets of our kingdom. And mark, Faustus, hell is the nurse of death, the heat of fire, the shadow of heaven and earth, the oblivion of all goodness; the pains unspeakable, the griefs unremovable, the dwelling of the devils. Dragons, serpents, adders, toads, crocodiles, and all manner of venomous and noisome creatures; the puddle of sin, the stinking far ascending from the Stygian lake, brimstone, pitch, and all manner of unclean metals, the perpetual and unquenchable fire, the end of whose miseries was never purposed by God. Yea, yea, Faustus, thou sayest I shall, I must, nay, I will tell thee the secrets of our kingdom, for thou buyest it dearly, and thou must and shalt be partaker of our torments, that, as the Lord said, shall never cease, for hell, the woman's belly, and the earth, are never satisfied; there shalt thou abide horrible torments, howling, crying, burning, freezing, melting, swimming in a labyrinth of miseries, scolding, smoking in thine eyes, stinking in thy nose, hoarseness in thy speech, deafness in thy ears, trembling in thy hands, biting thine own tongue with pain, thy heart crushed as with a press, thy bones broken, the devils tossing firebrands unto thee: yea, thy whole carcass tossed upon muck-forks from one devil to another; yea, Faustus, then wilt thou wish for death, and he will fly from thee, thine unspeakable torments shall be every day augmented more and more, for the greater the sin the greater is the punishment. How likest thou this, my Faustus? A resolution answerable to thy request.
"Lastly, Thou wilt have me tell thee that which only belongeth to God, which is, if it be possible for the damned to come again into the favour of God, or not. Why, Faustus, thou knowest that this is against thy promise; for why shouldst thou desire to know that having already given thy soul to the devil, to have the pleasure of the world, and to know the secrets of hell; therefore thou art damned, and how canst thou then come again to the favour of God? Wherefore I discreetly answer, no; for whomsoever God hath forsaken and thrown into hell must there abide his wrath and indignation in that unquenchable fire, where is no hope of mercy to be looked for, but abiding his perpetual pains, world without end: for even as much it availeth thee, Faustus, to hope for the favour of God again as Lucifer himself; who indeed, although he and we have a hope, yet it is to small avail and taketh none effect, for out of that place God will neither hear crying nor singing; if he do, thou shalt have a little remorse, as Dives, Cain, and Judas had. What helpeth the emperor, king, prince, duke, earl, baron, lord, knight, esquire, or gentleman, to cry for mercy being there? Nothing; for if on earth they would not be tyrants and self-willed, rich with covetousness, proud with pomp, gluttons, drunkards, whoremongers, backbiters, robbers, murderers, blasphemers, and such like, then were there some hope to be looked for; therefore, my Faustus, as thou comest to hell with these qualities thou mayst say with Cain, 'My sins are greater than can be forgiven;' go hang thyself with Judas; and lastly, be contented to suffer torments with Dives. Therefore know, Faustus, that the damned have neither end nor time appointed in the which they may hope to be released; for if there were any such hope that they, by throwing one drop of water out of the sea in a day until it were dry, or there were one heap of sand as high as from the earth to the heavens, that a bird carrying away but one corn in a day, at the end of this so long labour, that yet they might hope at the last God would have mercy on them, they would be comforted; but now there is no hope that God once thinks upon them, or that their howling shall ever be heard; yea, so impossible it is for thee to hide thyself from God, as it is impossible for thee to remove the mountains, or to empty the sea, or to tell the drops of rain that have fallen from heaven until this day, or to tell what there is most of in the world; yea, and as for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, even so impossible it is for thee, Faustus, and the rest of the damned, to come again into the favour of God. And thus, Faustus, hast thou heard my last sentence, and I pray thee, how dost thou like it? But know this, that I counsel thee to let me be unmolested hereafter with such disputations, or else will I vex thee every limb to thy small contentment."
Dr. Faustus parted from his spirit very pensive and sorrowful, laying him on his bed, altogether doubtful of the grace and favour of God, wherefore he fell into fantastical cogitations. Fain he would have had his soul at liberty again, but the devil had so blinded him, and had taken such deep root in his heart, that he could never think to crave God's mercy; or, if by chance he had any good motion, straightways the devil would thrust in a fair lady into his chamber, which fell to kissing and dalliance with him, through which means he threw the godly motions in the wind, going forward still in his wicked practice, to the utter ruin both of body and soul.
Another Question put forth by Dr. Faustus to his Spirit Mephistophilesof his own Estate.
Dr. Faustus being yet desirous to hear more strange things, called his spirit unto him, saying, "My Mephistophiles, I have yet another suit unto thee, which I pray thee deny me not to resolve me of."
"Faustus," quoth the spirit, "I am loth to reason with thee any further, for thou art never satisfied in thy mind, but always bringest me a new."
"Yet, I pray thee, this once," quoth Faustus, "do me so much favour as to tell me the truth in this matter, and hereafter I will be no more so earnest with thee."
The spirit was altogether against it; but yet once more he would abide him. "Well," said the spirit to Faustus, "what demandest thou of me."
Faustus said, "I would gladly know of thee if thou wert a man in manner and form as I am, what wouldst thou do to please both God and man?"
Whereat the spirit smiled, saying, "My Faustus, if I was a man as thou art, and that God had adorned me with those gifts of nature which thou once hadst, even so long as the breath of God were by and within me, would I humble myself unto his majesty, endeavouring all that I could to keep his commandments, praise him and glorify him, that I might continue in his favour, so were I sure to enjoy the eternal joy and felicity of his kingdom."
Faustus said, "But that I have not done."
"No, thou sayest truth," quoth Mephistophiles, "thou hast not done it; but thou hast denied the Lord thy Maker which gave thee the breath of life, speech, hearing, sight, and all other thy reasonable senses, that thou mightest understand his will and pleasure, to live to the glory and honour of his name, and to the advancement of thy body and soul. Him, I say, being thy Maker, hast thou denied and defied; yea, wickedly hast thou applied that excellent gift of understanding, and given thy soul to the devil; therefore give none the blame but thine own self-will, thy proud and aspiring mind, which hath brought thee unto the wrath of God and utter damnation."
"This is most true," quoth Faustus; "but tell me, Mephistophiles, would thou be in my case as I am now?"
"Yea," saith the spirit (and with that fetched a great sigh), "for yet I would so humble myself that I would win the favour of God."
"Then," said Dr. Faustus, "it were time enough for me if I amended."
"True," said Mephistophiles, "if it were not for thy great sins, which are so odious and detestable in the sight of God, that it is too late for thee, for the wrath of God resteth upon thee."
"Leave off," quoth Faustus, "and tell me my question to my greater comfort."
HERE FOLLOWETH THE SECOND PART OF DR. FAUSTUSHIS LIFE AND PRACTICES,UNTIL HIS END.
Dr. Faustus having received denial of his spirit to be resolved any more in such questions propounded, forgot all good works, and fell to be a calendar-maker by the help of his spirit, and also in short time to be a good astronomer or astrologian. He had learned so perfectly of his spirit the course of the sun, moon, and stars, that he had the most famous name of all the mathematicians that lived in his time, as may well appear by his works dedicated unto sundry dukes and lords, for he did nothing without the advice of his spirit, which learned him to presage of matters to come, which have come to pass since his death. The like praise won he with his calendars and almanack-making; for when he presaged of anything, operations, and alterations of the weather or elements, as wind, rain, fogs, snow, hail, moist, dry, warm, cold, thunder, lightning, it fell so duly out, as if an angel of heaven had forewarned it. He did not, like the unskilful astronomers in our time, that set in winter, cold moist air, frosty, and in the dog days, hot, dry, thunder, fire, and such like; but he set in all his works the day and hour, when, where, and how it should happen. If any wonderful things were at hand, as mortality, famine, plague, wars, he would set the time and place, in true and just order, when it would come to pass.
A Question put forth by Dr. Faustus to his Spirit,concerning Astronomy.
Now Faustus falling to practice, and making his prognostications, he was doubtful in many points, wherefore he called unto him Mephistophiles his spirit, saying, "I find the ground of the science very difficult to attain unto; for when that I confer Astronomia and Astrologia, as the mathematicians and ancient writers have left in memory, I find them vary, and very much to disagree; wherefore I pray thee to teach me the truth of this matter."
To whom his spirit answered: "Faustus, thou shalt know that the practitioners or speculators, or at least the first inventors of these arts, have done nothing of themselves certain, whereupon thou mayst attain to the true prognosticating or presaging of things concerning the heavens, or of the influence of the planets; for if by chance some one mathematician or astronomer have left behind him anything worthy of memory, they have so blinded it with enigmatical words, blind characters, and such obscure figures, that it is impossible for any earthly man to attain the knowledge thereof without the aid of some spirits, or else the special gift of God, for such as are the hidden works of God from men, yet do we spirits, that fly and fleet all elements, know such; and there is nothing to be done, or by the heavens portended, but we know it, except only the day of doom. Wherefore, Faustus, learn of me: I will teach thee the course and re-course of the planets, the cause of winter and summer, the exaltation and declination of the sun, and eclipse of the moon, the distance and height of the poles and every fixed star, the nature and opposition of the elements—fire, air, water, and earth—and all that is contained in them; yea, herein there is nothing hidden from me, but only the filthy essence which once thou hadst, Faustus, at liberty, but now thou hast lost it past recovery; therefore, leaving that which will not be again had, learn now of me to make thunder, lightning, hail, snow, and rain; the clouds to rend the earth; and craggy rocks to shake and split in sunder; the seas to swell and roar, and overrun their marks. Knowest thou not that the deeper the sun shines the hotter it pierces; so the more thy art is famous whilst thou art here, the greater shall be thy name when thou art gone. Knowest thou not that the earth is frozen, cold, and dry; the water running, cold and moist; the air flying, hot and moist; the fire consuming, hot and dry: yea, Faustus, so must thy heart be inflamed like the fire to mount on high. Learn, Faustus, to fly like myself, as swift as thought from one kingdom to another: to sit at princes' tables, to eat their dainty fare, to have thy pleasure of their ladies, wives, and concubines; to use all their jewels and costly robes as things belonging unto thee, and not unto them. Learn of me, Faustus, to run through walls, doors, and gates of stone and iron; to creep into the earth like a worm, or swim in the water like a fish; to fly in the air like a bird, and to live and nourish thyself in the fire like a salamander: so shalt thou be famous, renowned, far spoken of, and extolled for thy skill; going on knives not hurting thy feet, carrying fire in thy bosom and not burning thy shirt; seeing through the heavens as through a crystal, wherein is placed the planets, with all the rest of the presaging comets—the whole circuit of the world from east to west, north and south. There shalt thou know, Faustus, whereof the fiery sphere above, and the signs of the Zodiac doth not burn and consume the whole face of the earth, being hindered by placing the two moist elements between them—the airy clouds and wavering waves of water. Yea, Faustus, I will learn thee the secrets of Nature; what the cause is, that the sun in summer, being at the highest, giveth all his heat downwards on the earth; and being winter at the lowest, giveth all his heat upwards into the heavens; that the snow should be of so great virtue as the honey, and the Lady Saturnia in occulto more hot than the sun in manifesto. Come on, my Faustus; I will make thee as perfect in these ways as myself; I will learn thee to go invisible, to find out the mines both of gold and silver, the fodines of precious stones—as the carbuncle, the diamond, sapphire, emerald, ruby, topaz, jacinth, granat, jaspies, amethyst: use all these at thy pleasure—take thy heart's desire. Thy time, Faustus, weareth away; then why wilt thou not take thy pleasure of the world? Come up, we will go unto kings at their own courts, and at their most sumptuous banquets be their guests. If willingly they invite us not, then by force we will serve our own turn with their best meat and daintest wine."
"Agreed," quoth Faustus; "but let me pause a while upon this thou hast even now declared unto me."
How Dr. Faustus fell into Despair with himself, for having puta question unto his Spirit; they fell at Variance,whereupon the Rout of Devils appeared unto him,threatening him sharply.
Dr. Faustus resolved with himself the speeches of his spirit, and became so woeful and sorrowful in his cogitations that he thought himself already frying in the hottest flame of hell; and lying in this muse, suddenly there appeared unto him his spirit, demanding what thing so grieved and troubled his conscience?
Whereat Dr. Faustus gave no answer. Yet the spirit lay very earnestly upon him to know the cause, and if it were possible he would find a remedy for his grief and ease him of his sorrows.
To whom Faustus answered, "I have taken thee unto me as a servant to do my service, and thy service will be very dear unto me; yet I cannot have any diligence of thee farther than thou list thyself, neither dost thou in anything as it becometh thee."
The spirit replied: "My Faustus, thou knowest that I was never against thy commandment as yet, but ready to serve and resolve thy questions, although I am not bound unto thee in such respects as concern the hurt of our kingdom; yet was I always willing to answer thee, and so am I still: therefore, my Faustus, say on boldly, what is thy will and pleasure?"
At which words the spirit stole away the heart of Faustus, who spake in this sort: "Mephistophiles, tell me how and after what sort God made the world and all the creatures in it? And why man was made after the image of God?"
The spirit hearing this, answered Faustus: "Thou knowest that all this is in vain for thee to ask. I know that thou art sorry for what thou hast done, but it availeth thee not; for I will tear thee in a thousand pieces if thou change not thy opinions." And hereat he vanished away.
Whereat Faustus, all sorrowful that he had put forth such a question, fell to weeping and to howling bitterly, not for his sins towards God, but that the devil was departed from him so suddenly in such a rage. And being in this perplexity, he was suddenly taken with such extreme cold, as if he would have frozen in the place where he sat, in which the greatest devil in hell appeared unto him, with certain of his hideous and infernal company, in most ugly shapes, that it was impossible to think upon; and traversing the chamber round about where Faustus sat, Faustus thought to himself, "Now are they come for me, though my time be not come, and that because I have asked such questions of my servant Mephistophiles." At whose cogitations the chiefest devil, which was the lord unto whom he gave his soul, that was Lucifer, spake in this sort: "Faustus, I have seen thy thoughts, which are not as thou hast vowed unto me, by the virtue of this letter [and showed him the obligation which he had written with his own blood]; wherefore I am come to visit thee, and to show thee some of our hellish pastimes, in hope that will draw and confirm thy mind a little more steadfast unto us."
"Content," quoth Faustus: "go to, let me see what pastime you can make."
At which words the great devil in his likeness sate him down by Faustus, commanding the rest of his devils to appear in the form as if they were in hell. First entered Belial, in form of a bear, with curled black hair to the ground, his ears standing upright; within his ears were as red as blood, out of which issued flames of fire; his teeth were at least a foot long, and as white as snow, with a tail three ells long at the least, having two wings, one behind each arm; and thus one after another they appeared to Faustus in form as they were in hell. Lucifer himself sate in a manner of a man all hairy, but of brown colour like a squirrel, curled, and his tail curling upwards on his back as the squirrels use. I think he could crack nuts too like a squirrel. After him came Belzebub in curled hair of a horse-flesh colour, his head like the head of a bull, with a mighty pair of horns, and two long ears down to the ground, and two wings on his back, with two pricking things like horns; out of his wings issued flames of fire; his tail was like a cow's. Then came Astaroth in the form of a worm, going upright on his tail, and had no feet, but a tail like a glow-worm; under his chops grew two short hands, and his back was coal black; his belly thick in the middle, yellow, like gold, having many bristles on his back like a hedgehog. After him came Cannagosta, being white and grey mixed, exceeding curled and hairy; he had a head like the head of an ass, and a tail like a cat, and claws like an ox, lacking nothing of an ell broad. Then came Anobis: this devil had a head like a dog, white and black hair; in shape like a hog, saving that he had but two feet—one under his throat, the other at his tail; he was four ells long, with hanging ears like a blood-hound. After him came Dithican: he was a short thief, in form of a large bird, with shining feathers, and four feet; his neck was green, and body red, and his feet black. The last was called Brachus, with very short feet, like a hedgehog, yellow and green; the upper side of his body was brown, and the belly like blue flames of fire, the tail red like the tail of a monkey. The rest of the devils were in form of unreasonable beasts, as swine, harts, bears, wolves, apes, buffes, goats, antelopes, elephants, dragons, horses, asses, lions, cats, snakes, toads, and all manner of ugly odious serpents and worms; yet came in such sort that every one at his entry into the hall made their reverence unto Lucifer, and so took their places, standing in order as they came until they had filled the whole hall, wherewith suddenly fell a most horrible thunder-clap, that the house shook as if it would have fallen unto the ground; upon which every monster had a muck-fork in his hand, holding them towards Faustus as though they would have run a tilt at him; which, when Faustus perceived, he thought upon the words of Mephistophiles, when he told him how the souls in hell were tormented, being cast from devil to devil upon muck-forks, he thought verily to have been tormented there by them in like sort.
But Lucifer perceiving his thought, spake to him, "My Faustus, how likest thou this crew of mine?"
Quoth Faustus, "Why came you not in another manner of shape?"
Lucifer replied: "We cannot change our hellish form, we have showed ourselves here as we are there; yet can we blind men's eyes in such sort, that when we will, we appear unto them as if we were men or angels of light, although our dwelling be in darkness."
Then said Faustus, "I like not so many of you together."
Whereupon Lucifer commanded them to depart, except seven of the principal; forthwith they presently vanished, which Faustus perceiving, he was somewhat better comforted, and spake to Lucifer, "Where is my servant Mephistophiles? let me see if he can do the like."
Whereupon came a fierce dragon flying, and spitting fire round about the house, and coming towards Lucifer, made reverence, and then changed himself to the form of a friar, saying, "Faustus, what wilt thou?"
Faustus said, "I will that thou teach me to transform myself in like sort, as thou and the rest have done."
Then Lucifer put forth his paw and gave Faustus a book, saying, "Hold, do what thou wilt."
Which he looking upon, straightways changed himself into a hog, then into a worm, then into a dragon, and finding thus for his purpose it liked him well.
Quoth he to Lucifer, "And how cometh it that so many filthy forms are in the world?"
Lucifer answered, "They are ordained of God, as plagues unto men, and so shalt thou be plagued," quoth he; whereupon came scorpions, wasps, emets, bees, and gnats, which fell to stinging and biting him, and all the whole house was filled with a most horrible stinking fog, insomuch that Faustus saw nothing, but still was tormented; wherefore he cried for help, saying, "Mephistophiles, my faithful servant, where art thou? Help, help, I pray thee."
Hereat the spirit answered nothing, but Lucifer himself said, "Ho, ho, ho, Faustus, how likest thou the creation of the world?"
And incontinent it was clear again, and the devils and all the filthy cattle were vanished, only Faustus was left alone, seeing nothing, but hearing the sweetest music that ever he heard before; at which he was so ravished with delight, that he forgot his fears he was in before, and it repented him that he had seen no more of their pastime.
How Dr. Faustus desired to see Hell, and of the mannerhow he was used therein.
Dr. Faustus bethinking how his time went away, and how he had spent eight years thereof, he meant to spend the rest to his better contentment, intending quite to forget any such motions as might offend the devil any more: wherefore on a time he called his spirit Mephistophiles, and said unto him, "Bring thou hither unto me thy lord Lucifer or Belial." He brought him (notwithstanding) one that was called Belzebub, the which asked Faustus his pleasure.
Quoth Faustus, "I will know of thee if I might see hell, and take a view thereof?"
"That thou shalt," said the devil, "and at midnight I will fetch thee."
Well, night being come, Dr. Faustus waited very diligently for the coming of the devil to fetch him, and thinking that he tarried too long, he went to the window, where he pulled open a casement, and looking into the element, he saw a cloud in the north more black, and darker, and obscurer than all the rest of the sky, from whence the wind blew most horribly right into Faustus's chamber, and filled the whole house with smoke, that Faustus was almost smothered; hereat fell an exceeding thunder-clap, and withal came a great rugged black bear all curled, and upon his back a chair of beaten gold, and spake to Faustus, saying, "Sir, up and away with me:" and Dr. Faustus that had so long abode the smoke, wished rather to be in hell than there, got on the devil, and so they went on together.
Mark how the devil blinded him, and made him believe he carried him into hell, for he carried him into the lake, where Faustus fell into a sound sleep, as if he had sate into a warm water or bath: at last they came to a place which burneth continually with flashing flames of fire and brimstone, whereout issued an exceeding mighty clap of thunder, with so horrible a noise that Faustus awaked. But the devil went forth on his way, and carried Faustus therein, yea, notwithstanding however it burnt, Dr. Faustus felt no more heat than as it were the glimpse of the sun in May; there heard he all manner of music to overcome him, but saw none playing on them; it pleased him well, but he durst not ask, for he was forbidden it before. To meet the devil and the guest that came with him came three other ugly devils, the which ran back again before the bear, to make the way; against whom there came running an exceeding great hart, which would have thrust Faustus out of the chair; but being defended by the other three devils, the hart was put to the repulse: thence going on the way, Faustus looked, and behold there was nothing but snakes, and all manner of venomous beasts about him, which were exceeding great: unto the which snakes came many storks, and swallowed up the whole multitude of snakes, that they left not one: which when Faustus saw, he marvelled greatly. But proceeding farther on their hellish voyage, there came forth out of a hollow clift an exceeding great flying bull, the which with such a force hit Faustus's chair with his head and horns, that he turned Faustus and his bear over and over, so that the bear vanished away: whereat Faustus began to cry, "Oh! woe to me that ever I came here!" For he thought there to have been beguiled of the devil; and to make an end before his time appointed or conditioned of the devil: but shortly after came to him a monstrous ape, bidding Faustus to be of good cheer, and said, "Get upon me."
All the fire in hell seemed to Faustus to have been put out, whereupon followed a monstrous thick fog, that he saw nothing, but shortly after it seemed to him to wax clear, where he saw two great dragons fastened unto a waggon, in the which the ape ascended and set Faustus therein; forth flew the dragons into an exceeding dark cloud, where Faustus saw neither dragons nor chariot wherein he sate, and such were the cries of tormented souls, with mighty thunder-claps and flashing lightnings about his ears, that poor Faustus shook for fear; upon this they came to a water, stinking and filthy, thick like mud, into the which ran the dragons, sinking under with waggon and all; but Faustus felt no water, but as it were a small mist, saving that the waves beat so sore upon him, that he saw nothing under or over him but only water, in the which he lost his dragons, ape, and waggon; and sinking deeper and deeper, he came at last as it were upon a high rock, where the waters parted and left him thereon: but when the water was gone, it seemed to him he should there have ended his life, for he saw no way but death. The rock was so high from the bottom as heaven is from the earth. There sate he, seeing nor hearing any man, and looked ever upon the rock. At length he saw a little hole out of which issued fire. Thought he, "How shall I now do? I must either fall to the bottom or burn in the fire, or sit in despair." With that, in his madness he gave a skip into the fire-hole, saying, "Hold, you infernal hags! take here this sacrifice as my last end, that which I have justly deserved."
Upon this he was entered, and finding himself as yet unburned or touched of that fire, he was the better appayed. But there was so great a noise that he never heard the like before; it passed all the thunder that ever he had heard. And coming down farther to the bottom of the rock, he saw a fire, wherein were many worthy and noble personages, as emperors, kings, dukes, and lords, and many thousand more tormented souls, at the edge of which fire ran a most pleasant, clear, and cold water to behold; into the which many tormented souls sprang out of the fire to cool themselves, but being so freezing cold, they were constrained to return again into the fire, and thus wearied themselves and spent their endless torments out of one labyrinth into another, one while in heat, another while in cold. But Faustus, standing here all this while gazing on them that were thus tormented, he saw one leaping out of the fire, shrieking horribly, whom he thought to have known, wherefore he would fain have spoken unto him, but remembering he was forbidden, he refrained speaking. Then this devil that brought him in, came to him again in likeness of a bear, with the chair on his back, and bid him sit up, for it was time to depart. So Faustus got up, and the devil carried him out into the air, where he had so sweet music that he fell asleep by the way.
His boy Christopher, being all this while at home, and missing his master so long, thought his master would have tarried and dwelt with the devil for ever; but whilst the boy was in these cogitations, his master came home; for the devil brought him home fast asleep as he sate in his chair, and threw him on his bed, where (being thus left of the devil) he lay until day. When he awaked, he was amazed, like a man who had been in a dark dungeon; musing with himself, if it were true or false that he had seen hell, or whether he was blinded or not; but he rather persuaded himself he had been there than otherwise, because he had seen such wonderful things; wherefore he most carefully took pen and ink, and wrote those things in order as he had seen; which writing was afterwards found by his boy in his study, which afterwards was published to the whole city of Wittenburg in print, for example to all Christians.
How Dr. Faustus was carried through the Air, up to the Heavensto see the whole World, and how the Sky and Planets ruled;after the which he wrote a Letter to his Friend of the same to Liptzig,and how he went about the World in eight days.
This letter was found by a freeman and citizen of Wittenburg, written with his own hand, and sent to his friend at Liptzig, a physician, named Love Victori, the contents of which were as followeth:
"Amongst other things, my beloved friend and brother, I remember yet the former friendship we had together when we were schoolfellows and students in the university at Wittenburg; whereas you first studied physic, astronomy, astrology, geometry, and cosmography, I, to the contrary, you know, studied divinity, notwithstanding now in any of your own studies I am sure I have proceeded farther than yourself; for since I began I have never erred, for, might I speak it without affecting mine own praise, my calendars and other practices have not only the commendations of the common sort, but also the chiefest lords and nobles of this our Dutch nation, because (which is chiefly to be noted) I write and presage of matters to come, which all accord and fall out so right, as if they had already been before. And for thee, my beloved Victori, you write to know my voyage which I made unto the heavens, the which (as you certify me) you have had some suspicion of, although you partly persuade yourself that it is a thing impossible; no matter for that, it is as it is, and let it be as it will, once it is done in such a manner as now according, unto your request, I will give you here to understand. I being once laid in my bed, and I could not sleep for thinking on my calendar and practice, I marvelled with myself how it were possible that the firmament should be known, and so largely written of by men, or whether they write true or false, by their own opinions and suppositions, or by due observation and true course of the heavens; behold, I thought my house would have been blown down, so that all my doors and chests flew open, whereat I was not a little astonished, for withal I heard a groaning voice, which said, 'Get up; the desire of thy heart, mind, and thought thou shalt see.' At the which I answered, 'What my heart desireth that would I fain see; and to make proof if I shall see, I will away with thee.' 'Why, then,' quoth he, 'look out the window, there cometh a messenger for thee.' That did I; and behold, there stood a waggon with two dragons before it to draw the same, and all the waggon was of a light burning fire, and for that the moon shone I was the willinger at that time to depart. But the voice spoke again: 'Sit up, and let us away.' 'I will,' said I, 'go with thee, but upon condition that I may ask after all things that I see, hear, or think on.' The voice answered: 'I am content for this time.' Hereupon I got me into the waggon, so that the dragons carried me up right into the air.
"The waggon had four wheels, the which rattled so, and made such a noise, as if it had been all this while running on the stones, and round about us flew flames of fire; and the higher that I came, the more the earth seemed to be darkened, so that methought I came out of a dungeon; and looking down from heaven, behold Mephistophiles my spirit and servant was behind me; and when he perceived that I saw him, he came and sate by me; to whom I said, 'I pray thee, Mephistophiles, whither shall I go now?' 'Let not that trouble thy mind,' said he; and yet they carried us higher up. And now I will tell thee, good friend and schoolfellow, what things I have seen and proved; for on the Tuesday I went out, and on Tuesday seven nights following I came home again, that's eight days, in which time I slept not, no not one wink came within my eyes; and we went invisible of any man; and as the day began to appear, after the first night's journey, I said to my spirit Mephistophiles, 'I pray thee how far have we now ridden? I am sure thou knowest, for methinks we have ridden exceeding far, the world seemeth so little.' Mephistophiles answered me, 'My Faustus, believe me, that from the place from whence thou camest unto this place where we now are is already forty-seven leagues right in height.' And as the day increased, I looked down into the world. Asia, Europe, and Africa, I had a sight of; and being so high, quoth I to my spirit, 'Tell me how these kingdoms lie, and what they are called?' The which he denied not, saying, 'See this on our left hand is Hungaria, this is also Prussia on our left hand, and Poland, Muscovia, Tartary, Silesia, Bohemia, Saxony; and here on our right hand, Spain, Portugal, France, England, and Scotland; then right on before us lie the kingdoms of Persia, India, Arabia, the king of Althar, and the great Cham. Now we are come to Wittenburg, and are right over the town of Weim, in Austria, and ere long we will be at Constantinople, Tripoli, and Jerusalem, and after will we pierce the frozen zone, and shortly touch the horizon and the zenith of Wittenburg.' There looked I on the ocean sea, and beheld a great many ships and galleys ready to battle one against another; and thus I spent my journey, and I cast my eyes here, now there, towards south, north, east, and west. I have been in one place where it rained and hailed, and in another where the sun shone excellent fair; and so I think that I saw most things in and about the world, with great admiration; that in one place it rained, and in another hail and snow; on this side the sun shone bright, some hills covered with snow never consuming, others were so hot that grass and trees were burned and consumed therewith. Then looked I up to the heavens, and behold they went so swift, that I thought they would have sprung into thousands; likewise it was so clear and so hot, that I could not gaze upon it, it so dimmed my sight; and had not my spirit Mephistophiles covered me, as it were with a shadowing cloud, I had been burnt with the extreme heat thereof; for the sky which we behold here, when we look up from the earth, is so fast and thick as a wall, clear and shining bright as crystal, in which is placed the sun, which casteth forth his rays and beams over the whole world, to the uttermost confines of the earth. But we think that the sun is very little; no, it is altogether as big as the world; indeed the body substantial is but little in compass, but the rays or streams that it casteth forth by reason of the thing wherein it is placed, maketh him to extend and show himself all over the whole world; and we think that the sun runneth his course, and that the heavens stand still; no, it is the heavens that moves his course, and the sun abideth perpetually in his place, he is permanent and fixed in his place; and although we see him beginning to ascend in the orient or east, at the highest in the meridian or south, setting in occident or west, yet is he in the lowest in septentrio or north, and yet he moveth not, it is the axle of the heavens that moveth, the whole firmament being a chaos or confused thing, and for that proof I will show this example: like as thou seest a bubble made of water and soap blown out of a quill, it is in form of a confused mass or chaos, and being in this form is moved at pleasure of the wind, which runneth round about that chaos, and moveth him also round; even so the whole firmament or chaos, wherein are placed the sun and the rest of the planets, is turned and carried at the pleasure of the spirit of God, which is wind. Yea, Christian reader, to the glory of God, and to the profit of my soul, I will open unto thee a divine opinion touching the rule of this confounded chaos, far more than my rude German author, being possessed with the devil, was able to utter, and prove some of my sentences before to be true; look into Genesis, into the works of God, at the creation of the world, there shalt thou find that the spirit of God moved upon the water, before heaven and earth were made. Mark how he made it, and how by his word every element took his place; these were not his works, but his words, for all the words he used before, concluded afterwards in one work, which was in making man. Mark, reader, with patience, for thy soul's health, see into all that was done by the word and work of God. Light and darkness was, the firmament stood, and the great and little light in it; the moist waters were in one place, the earth was dry, and every element brought forth according to the word of God. Now follow his works: he made man after his own image. How? Out of the earth. The earth will shape no image without water; there was one of the elements; but all this while there was wind. All elements were at the word of God. Man was made, and in a form by the work of God, yet moved not that work before God had breathed the spirit of life into his nostrils, and made him a living soul. Here was the first wind and spirit of God, out of his own mouth; which we have likewise from the same seed which was only planted by God in Adam; which wind, breath, or spirit, when he had received, he was living and moved on earth; for it was ordained of God for his habitation, but the heavens are the habitation of the Lord. And like as I showed before of the bubble or confused chaos made of water and soap, through the wind and breath of man is turned round and carried with the wind, even so the firmaments wherein the sun and the rest of the planets are fixed, be moved, turned, and carried with the wind, breath, and spirit of God; for the heavens and firmaments are moveable as the chaos, but the sun is fixed in the firmament. And farther, my good schoolfellow, I was thus nigh the heavens, where methought every planet was but as half the earth, and under the firmament ruled the spirits in the air. As I came down, I looked upon the world and heavens, and methought that the earth was inclosed (in comparison) within the firmament as the yolk of an egg within the white; methought that the whole length of the earth was not a span long, and the water was as it had been twice as broad and as long as the earth. Even thus, at eight days' end, I came home again, and fell asleep, and so I continued sleeping three days and three nights together, and the first hour I waked, fell fresh again to my calendars, and have made them in right ample manner as you know. And to satisfy your request for that you write unto me, I have (in consideration of our old friendship had at the university of Wittenburg) declared unto you my heavenly voyage, wishing no worse unto you than unto myself, that is, that your mind were as mine in all respects. Dixi, Dr. Faustus the astrologian."
How Dr. Faustus made his Journey through the principal and most famous Lands in the World.
Dr. Faustus having overrun fifteen years of his appointed time, he took upon him a journey, with full intent to see the whole world, and calling his spirit Mephistophiles unto him, he said, "Thou knowest that thou art bound unto me upon conditions, to form and fulfil my desire in all things, wherefore my intent is to visit the whole face of the earth, visible and invisible, when it pleaseth me; therefore I command and enjoin thee to the same." Whereupon Mephistophiles answered, "I am ready, my lord, at thy command;" and forthwith the spirit changed himself into the likeness of a flying horse, saying, "Faustus, sit up, I am ready."
Dr. Faustus softly sate upon him, and forwards they went. Faustus came through many a land and province, as Pannonia, Austria, Germany, Bohemia, Silesia, Saxony, Messene, During, Frankland, Swaalband, Byerland, Sayrir, Corinthia, Poland, Litaw, Lesland, Prussia, Denmark, Muscovia, Tartaria, Turkey, Persia, Cathai, Alexandria, Barbaria, Ginny, Porut, the Straights Maghellane, India, all about the frozen zone, and Terra-incognita, Nova Hispaniola, the Isles of Tereza, Madera, St. Michaels, the Canaries, and the Trenorirolcio into Spain, and Mainland, Portugal, Italy, Campania, the Kingdom of Naples, the Isles of Sicilia, Malta, Majorca, Minorca, to the Knights of the Rhodes, Candy or Crete, Cypress, Corinth, Switzerland, France, Freezeland, Westphalia, Zealand, Holland, Brabant, and all the seventeen provinces in Netherland, England, Scotland, Ireland, and America, and Island, the Gut-Isles of Scotland, the Orcades, Norway, the Bishopric of Bream; and so home again.
All these kingdoms, and provinces, and countries he passed in twenty-five days, in which time he saw nothing that delighted his mind; wherefore he took little rest at home, and burning in desire to see more at large, and to behold the secrets of each kingdom, he set forward again on his journey on his swift horse Mephistophiles, and came to Trent, for that he chiefly desired to see this town, and the monuments thereof, but there he saw not any wonders, except two fair palaces that belonged unto the bishop, and also a mighty large castle that was built with brick, with three walls, and three great trenches, so strong that it was impossible for any prince's power to win it; then he saw a church wherein was buried Simon and the bishop of Popo. Their tombs are of most sumptuous stone-marble, closed and joined together with great bars of iron. From thence he departed to Paris, where he liked well the academy; and what place or kingdom soever fell in his mind, the same he visited.
He came from Paris to Mentz, where the river of Maine falls into the Rhine, notwithstanding he tarried not long there, but went into Campania, in the kingdom of Neapoly, in which he saw an innumerable sort of cloisters, nunneries, and churches, and great houses of stone, the streets fair and large, and straight forth from one end of the town to the other all alike, and all the pavement of the city was of brick, and the more it rained in the town the fairer the streets were. There saw he the tomb of Virgil, and the highway that he cut through the mighty hill of stone in one night, the whole length of an English mile, where he saw the number of galleys and argosies that lay there at the city head, the windmill that stood in the water, the castle in the water, and the houses above the water, where many galleys might ride most safely from rain or wind; then he saw the castle on the hill over the town, and many monuments therein, also the hill called Vesuvius, whereon groweth all the Greekish wine and most pleasant sweet olives.
From thence he came to Venice, whereat he wondered not a little to see a city so famously built standing in the sea, where through every street the water came in such largeness that great ships and barques might pass from one street to another, having yet a way on both sides the water whereon men and horses might pass. He marvelled also how it was possible so much victuals to be found in the town, and so good and cheap, considering that for a whole league nothing grew near the same. He wondered not a little at the fairness of St. Mark's Place, and the sumptuous church standing thereon, called St. Mark; how all the pavement was set with coloured stones, and all the rood or loft of the church double gilded over.
Leaving this, he came to Padua, beholding the manner of their academy, which is called the mother or nurse of Christendom; there heard he the doctors, and saw most of the monuments of the town, entered his name in the university of the German nation, and wrote himself Dr. Faustus, the insatiable speculator. Then saw he the worthiest monument in the world for a church, named St. Anthony's Cloister, which for the pinnacles thereof and the contrivement of the church, hath not the like in Christendom. The town is fenced about with three mighty walls of stone and earth, betwixt the which runneth goodly ditches of water. Betwixt every four-and-twenty hours passeth boats betwixt Padua and Venice with passengers, as they do here betwixt London and Gravesend, and even so far they differ in distance. Faustus beheld likewise the council-house and castle, with no small wonder.
Well, forward he went to Rome, which lay, and doth yet lie, on the river Tibris, the which divideth the city into two parts. Over the river are four great stone bridges, and upon the one bridge, called Ponte St. Angelo, is the Castle of St. Angelo, wherein are so many great cast pieces as there are days in the year, and such pieces as will shoot seven bullets off with one fire. To this castle cometh a privy vault from the church and the palace of St. Peter, through the which the pope (if any danger be) passeth from his palace to the castle for safeguard. The city hath eleven gates, and a hill called Vaticinium, whereupon St. Peter's church is built. In that church the holy fathers will hear no confessions without the penitent bring money in his hand. Adjoining to the church is the Campo Santo, the which Carolus Magnus built, where every day thirteen pilgrims have their dinners served of the best; that is to say, Christ and his twelve apostles. Hard by this he visited the churchyard of St. Peter, where he saw that pyramid that Julius Cæsar brought forth of Africa; it stood in Faustus's time leaning against the church-wall of St. Peter's; but Pope Sixtus hath erected it in the middle of St. Peter's churchyard. It is fourteen fathom long, and at the lower end five fathom four square, and so forth smaller upwards. On the top is a crucifix of beaten gold, the stone standing on four lions of brass. Then he visited the seven churches of Rome, that were St. Peter, St. Paul, St. Sebastian, St. John Lateran, St. Laurence, St. Mary Magdalen, and St. Mary Majora. Then went he without the town, where he saw the conduits of water that run level through hill and dale, bringing water into the town fifteen Italian miles off. Other mountains he saw, too many to recite.
But amongst the rest he was desirous to see the pope's court, and his manner of service at his table, wherefore he and his spirit made themselves invisible, and came to the pope's court and privy-chamber, where he was; there saw he many servants attending on his holiness, with many a flattering sycophant carrying his meat; and there he marked the pope, and the manner of his service, which he seeing to be so unmeasurable and sumptuous: "Fie," quoth Faustus, "why had not the devil made a pope of me?" Faustus saw there notwithstanding such as were like to himself, proud, stout, wilful gluttons, drunkards, whoremongers, breakers of wedlock, and followers of all manner of ungodly excess; wherefore he said to his spirit, "I thought that I had been alone a hog or pork of the devil's, but he must bear with me a little longer; for these hogs of Rome are ready fatted, and fitted to make him roast meat; the devil might do well to spit them all, and have them to the fire, and let him summon the nuns to turn the spits; for as none must confess the nun but the friar, so none should turn the roasting friar but the nun." Thus continued Faustus three days in the pope's palace, and yet had no lust to his meat, but stood still in the pope's chamber, and saw everything whatsoever it was.
On a time the pope would have a feast prepared for the Cardinal of Pavia, and for his first welcome the cardinal was bidden to dinner, and as he sate at meat the pope would ever be blessing and crossing over his mouth. Faustus would suffer it no longer, but up with his fist and smote the pope on his face, and withal he laughed that the whole house might hear him, yet none of them saw him, or knew where he was. The pope persuaded his company that it was a damned soul, commanding mass presently to be said for his delivery out of purgatory, which was done; the pope sat still at meat, but when the latter mess came to the pope's board, Dr. Faustus laid hands thereon, saying, "This is mine," and so he took both dish and meat, and flew into the Capitol or Campadolia, calling his spirit unto him, and said, "Come, let us be merry, for thou must fetch me some wine, and the cup that the pope drinks out of; and hereupon morte caval, we will make good cheer in spite of the pope and all his fat abbey lubbers."
His spirit hearing this, departed towards the pope's chamber, where he found them yet sitting, quaking; wherefore he took from before the pope the fairest piece of plate, or drinking goblet, and a flagon of wine, and brought it to Faustus.
But when the pope and the rest of his crew perceived they were robbed, and knew not after what sort, they persuaded themselves that it was a damned soul that before had vexed the pope so, and that smote him on the face; wherefore he sent commandment through the whole city of Rome, that they should say a mass in every church, and ring all the bells, for to lay the walking spirit, and to curse him with bell, book, and candle, that so invisibly had misused the pope's holiness, with the Cardinal of Pavia, and the rest of their company.
But Faustus notwithstanding made good cheer with that which he had beguiled the pope of, and in the midst of the order of St. Bernard's, bare-footed friars, as they were going on procession through the market-place, called Campo de Fiore, he let fall his plate, dish, and cup, and withal for a farewell he made such a thunder-clap and storm of rain, as though heaven and earth would have met together, and left Rome, and came to Millain in Italy, near the Alps or borders of Switzerland, where he praised much to his spirit the pleasures of the place, the city being founded in so brave a plain, by the which ran most pleasant rivers on every side of the same, having besides within the compass of a circuit of seven miles, seven small seas: he saw also therein many fair places, and goodly buildings, the duke's palace, and the mighty strong castle, which is in a manner half the bigness of the town. Moreover, it liked him well to see the hospital of St. Mary, with divers other things: he did there nothing worthy of memory, but he departed back again towards Bologna, and from thence to Florence, where he was well pleased to see the pleasant walk of merchants, the goodly vaults of the city, for that almost the whole city is vaulted, and the houses themselves are built outwardly in such sort, that the people go under them as under a vault: then he perused the sumptuous church in the duke's castle, called Nostra Dama, our Lady's church, in which he saw many monuments, as a marble door most huge to look upon; the gates of the castle are bell-metal, wherein are graven the holy patriarchs, with Christ and his twelve apostles, and divers other histories out of the Old and New Testament.
Then went he to Siena, where he highly praised the church and hospital of Sancta Maria Formosa, with the goodly buildings, and especially the fairness and greatness of the city, and beautiful women: then came he to Lyons in France, where he marked the situation of the city, which lay between two hills, environed with two waters; one worthy monument pleased him well, that was the great church, with the image therein; he commended the city highly for the great resort that it had unto it of strangers.
From thence he went to Cullen, which lieth upon the river of Rhine, wherein he saw one of the ancientest monuments in the world, the which was the tomb of the three kings that came by the angel of God, and their knowledge they had in the stars, to worship Christ, which when Faustus saw, he spake in this manner: "Ah! alas, good men! How have you erred, and lost your way! You should have gone to Palestina, and Bethlehem in Judea; how came you hither? Or belike after your death you were thrown into Mare Mediterraneum, about Tripolis in Syria, and so you steered out of the Straights of Gibralterra, in the ocean seas, and so into the Bay of Portugal. And not finding any rest, you are driven along the coast of Gallicia, Biscay and France, and into the narrow seas: then from thence into Mare Germanicum, and taken up I think about the town of Dort in Holland: you were brought to Cullen to be buried, or else (I think) you came most easily with a whirlwind over the Alps, and being thrown into the river of Rhine, it conveyed you to this place where you are kept a monument." Then saw he the church of St. Ursula, where remains a monument of the thousand virgins; it pleased him also to see the beauty of the women.
Not far from Cullen lieth the town of Ach, where he saw the gorgeous temple that the Emperor Carolus Quartus built of marble-stone for a remembrance of him, to the end that all his successors should there be crowned.
From Cullen and Ach he went to Geneva, a city in Savoy, lying near Switzerland; it is a town of great traffic, the lord thereof is a bishop, whose wine-cellar Faustus and his spirit visited for the love of his good wine.
From thence he went to Strasburg, where he beheld the fairest temple that ever he had seen in his life before, for on every side thereof he might see through, even from the covering of the minster to the top of the pinnacle, and it is named one of the wonders of the world; wherefore, he demanded why it is called Strasburg? His spirit answered, "Because it hath so many highways common to it on every side, for Stros in Dutch is a Highway, and hereof came the name: yea," said Mephistophiles, "the church that thou so wonderest at, hath more revenues belonging to it than the twelve dukes of Silesia are worth, for there pertain unto this church fifty-five towns, and four hundred and sixty-three villages, besides many houses in the town."
From thence went Faustus to Basil, in Switzerland, where the river of Rhine runneth through the town, parting the same as the river of Thames doth London: in the town of Basil he saw many rich monuments, the town walled with brick round about, without it goeth a great trench: no church pleased him but the Jesuits' church, which was sumptuously builded, and set full of alabaster pillars, where the spirit told Faustus that before the city was founded, there used a Basiliscus, a kind of serpent: this serpent killed as many men, women and children as he took a sight of, but there was a knight that made himself a cover of crystal, to come over his head and down to the ground, and being first covered with a black cloth, over that he put the crystal, and so boldly went to see the Basiliscus, and finding the place where she haunted, he expected her coming even before the mouth of the cave, where standing a while, the Basiliscus came forth, where when she saw her own venomous shadow in the crystal, she split in a thousand pieces, wherefore the knight was richly rewarded of the emperor, after the which the knight founded this town upon the place where he had slain the serpent, and gave it the name Basil, in remembrance of his deed.
From Basil, Faustus went to Costnitz in Sweitz, at the head of the Rhine, where is a most sumptuous bridge that goeth over the Rhine, even from the gates of the town to the other side of the stream; at the head of the river of Rhine, is a small sea, called of the Switzers the Black Sea, twenty thousand paces long, and fifty hundred paces broad. The town Costnitz took the name of this; the emperor gave it a clown for expounding of his riddle: wherefore the clown named the town Costnitz, that is in English, "Cost me nothing."
From Costnitz he came to Ulm, where he saw the sumptuous town house built by two-and-fifty of the ancient senators of the city; it took the name Ulm, because the whole land thereabouts is full of Elms: but Faustus minding to depart from thence, his spirit said unto him, "Faustus, think of the town as you will; it hath three dukedoms belonging to it, the which they have bought with ready money."
From Ulm he came unto Watzberg, the chiefest town in Frankland, wherein the bishop altogether keepeth his court, through the which town passeth the river Mayne, that runs into the Rhine; thereabouts groweth strong and pleasant wine, the which Faustus well proved: the castle standeth on a hill on the north side of the town, at the foot thereof runneth the river. This town is full of beggarly friars, nuns, priests, and Jesuits; for there are five sorts of begging friars, besides three cloisters of nuns; at the foot of the castle stands a church, in the which there is an altar, where are engraven all the four elements, and all the orders and degrees in heaven, that any man of understanding whosoever, that hath a light thereof, may say that it is the artificialist thing that ever he beheld.
From thence he went to Norenberg, whither as he went by the way his spirit informed him that the town was named of Claudius Tiberius, the son of Nero the Tyrant. In the town are two famous cathedral churches, one called St. Sabelt, the other St. Laurence; in which church stands all the relics of Carolus Magnus, that is to say, his cloak, his hose, his doublet, his sword and crown, the sceptre and apple. It hath a very glorious gilded conduit in the market-place of St. Laurence; in which conduit is the spear that thrust our Saviour into the side, and a piece of the holy cross; the wall is called the fair wall of Norenberg, and five hundred and twenty-eight streets, a hundred and sixty wells, four great and two small clocks, six great gates, two small doors, eight stone bridges, twelve small hills, ten fair market-places, thirteen common hot-houses, ten churches; within the town are twenty wheels of water-mills, it hath a hundred and thirty-eight tall ships, two mighty town walls of hewed stone and earth, with very deep trenches: the walls have a hundred and eighty towers about them, and four fair platforms, ten apothecaries, ten doctors of the common law, fourteen doctors of physic.
From Norenberg he went to Auspurg, where at the break of the day he demanded of his spirit whereupon the town took his name. "This town," quoth he, "hath had many names; when it was first built, it was called Vindelica; secondly, it was called Zizaria, the iron-bridge; lastly, by the Emperor Octavus Augustus, it was called Augusta, and by the corruption of language, the Germans had named it Auspurg."
Now, for because that Faustus had been there before, he departed (without seeing their monuments) to Ravensberg, where his spirit certified him that the city had seven names: the first Diperia, the second Quadratis, the third Heaspolis, the fourth Reginipolis, the fifth Imbripolis, the sixth Ratisbona, the last is Ravensberg. The situation of this city pleased Faustus well, also the strong and sumptuous building; by the walls thereof runneth the river Danubius, in Dutch called Danow, into which not far from the compass of the city falleth near hand threescore other small rivers and fresh waters. Faustus also liked the sumptuous stone bridge over the same water, with the church standing thereon, the which was founded Anno 1115, the name whereof is called St. Remedian; in the town Faustus went into the cellar of an inn-holder, and let out all the beer and wine that was in the cellar.
After which feat, he returned into Mentz in Bavaria, a right princely town: the town appeared as if it were new, with great streets therein, both of breadth and length from Mentz to Salisburg, where the bishop is always resident: here saw he all the commodities that were possible to be seen, for at the hill he saw the form of a bell made in crystal, a huge thing to look upon, that every year groweth bigger and bigger, by reason of the freezing cold.
From thence he went to Vienna in Austria; the town is of great antiquity, that it is not possible to find the like. "In this town," said the spirit, "is more wine than water, for all under the town are wells, which are filled every year with wine, and all the water that they have runneth by this town; this is the river Danubius."
From thence he went into Prage, the chief city of Bohemia; this is divided into three parts, that is old Prage, little Prage, and new Prage. Little Prage is the place where the emperor's court is placed; upon an exceeding high mountain there is a castle, where are two fair churches; in the one he found a monument which might well have been a mirror for himself, and that was the sepulchre of a notable conjurer, which by his magic had so enchanted his sepulchre that whosoever set foot thereon, should be sure never to die in their beds. From this castle he came and went down over the bridge; this bridge has twenty-four arches, and in the middle of the bridge stands a very fair monument, being a cross builded of stone, and most artificially carved. From thence he went into the old Prage, the which is separated from the new Prage, with an exceeding deep ditch, and round about enclosed with a wall of brick; unto this is adjoining the Jews' town, wherein are thirteen thousand men, women, and children, all Jews; there he viewed the college and the gardens, where all manner of savage beasts are kept; and from thence he fetched a compass round about the three towns, whereat he wondered greatly to see so mighty a city stand all within the walls.
From Prage he flew into the air, and bethought himself what he might do, or which way to take; so looked round about, and behold he espied a passing fair city, which lay not far from Prage, about some four-and-twenty miles, and that was Bressaw in Silesia, in which when he was entered, it seemed to him that he had been in Paradise, so neat and clean were the streets, and so sumptuous were their buildings. In the city he saw not many wonders, except the brazen Virgin that standeth on a bridge over the water, and under which standeth a mill like a paper-mill, which Virgin is made to do execution upon those disobedient town-born children that be so wild that their parents cannot bridle them; which, when any such are found with some heinous offence, turning to the shame of their parents and kindred, they are brought to kiss the Virgin, which openeth her arms. The person then to be executed kisseth her, then doth she close her arms together with such violence, that she crusheth out the breath of the party, breaketh his bulk, and so he dieth; but being dead she openeth her arms again, and letteth the party fall into the mill, where he is stamped into small morsels, which the water carrieth away, so that no part is found again.
From Bressaw he went toward Cracovia, in the kingdom of Polionia, where he beheld the academy, the which pleased him wonderful well. In the city the king most commonly holdeth his court at a castle, in which castle are many famous monuments; there is a most sumptuous church in the same, in which standeth a silver altar gilded and set with rich stones, and over it is a covenance full of all manner of silver ornaments belonging to mass. In the church hangeth the jaw-bones of a huge dragon, that kept the rock before the castle was edified thereon: it is full of all manner of munition, and hath always victuals for three years to serve three thousand men; through the town runneth a river, called the Vessnal or Wessel, where over is a fair wooden bridge; this water divideth the town and Gasmere; in this Gasmere dwell the Jews, being a small walled town by themselves, to the number of twenty-five thousand men, women and children; within one mile of the town there is a salt mine, where they found stones of pure salt, one thousand pound, two thousand pound, or more in weight, and that in great quantity: this salt is as black as the Newcastle coal when it comes out of the mines, but being beaten to powder, it is as white as snow. The like they have four miles from thence at a town called Buckma.
From thence Faustus went to Sandentz, the Captain thereof was called Don Spicket Jordan. In this town are many monuments, as the tomb and sepulchre of Christ, in as ample a manner as that is at Jerusalem, at the proper costs of a gentleman that went thrice a year to Jerusalem from that place and returned again. Not far from that town is a new town wherein is a nunnery of the order of St. Dioclesian, into which order may none come except they be gentlewomen, and well formed, and fair to look upon, which pleased Faustus well; but having a will to travel further, and to see more wonders, mounting up towards the east, over many lands and provinces, as in Hungaria, Transilvania, Shede, Ingatz, Sardinia, and so into Constantinople, where the Turkish emperor kept his court.
This city was surnamed by Constantine, the founder thereof, being builded of very fair stone. In the same the Great Turk hath three fair palaces: the walls are strong, the pinnacles are very huge, and the streets very large. But this liked not Faustus that one man should have as many wives as he would. The sea runneth hard by the city; the wall hath eleven gates. Faustus abode there a certain time to see the manner of the Turkish emperor's service at his table, where he saw his royal service to be such that he thought if all the Christian princes should banquet together, and every one adorn the feast to the utmost, that they were not able to compare with the Turk and his table, and the rest of his country service. Wherefore it so affrighted Faustus that he vowed to be revenged on him, for his pomp, he thought, was more fit for himself; wherefore as the Turk sate at meat Faustus showed them a little apish play, for round about the privy-chamber he sent forth flashing flames of fire, insomuch that the whole company forsook their meat and fled, except only the Great Turk himself; him Faustus charmed in such sort that he could neither rise nor fall, neither could any man pull him up. With this was the hall so light as if the sun had shined in the house. Then came Faustus in form of a pope to the Great Turk, saying, "All hail, emperor, now art thou honoured, that I so worthily appear unto thee as thy Mahomet was wont to do." Hereupon he vanished, and forthwith it thundered that the whole palace shook. The Turk greatly marvelled what this should be that so vexed him, and was persuaded by the chiefest counsellors that it was Mahomet, his prophet, which had so appeared unto them; whereupon the Turk commanded them to fall down on their knees and to give him thanks for doing them so great honour as to show himself unto them. But the next day Faustus went into the castle where he kept his wives and concubines, in which castle might no man, upon the pain of death, come, except those that were appointed by the Great Turk to do him service, and they were all eunuchs, which when Faustus perceived, he said to his spirit Mephistophiles, "How likest thou this sport? Are not these fair ladies greatly to be pitied that thus consume their youth at the pleasure of one only man?"
"Why," quoth the spirit, "mayst not thou instead of the emperor embrace these fair ladies? Do what thy heart desireth herein, and I will aid thee, and what thou wishest thou shalt have it performed."
Wherefore Faustus (being before this counsel apt enough to put such matters in practice) caused a great fog to be round about the castle, both within and without, and he himself appeared amongst the ladies in all points as they used to paint Mahomet; at which sight the ladies fell on their knees and worshipped him. Then Faustus took the fairest by the hand, and when he had delighted himself sufficiently with her, he put her away, and made his spirit bring him another; and so he passed away six days, all which time the fog was so thick and so stinking that they within the house thought that they had been in hell for the time, and they without wondered thereat, in such sort that they went to their prayers, calling on their God Mahomet, and worshipping of the image; where the sixth day Faustus exalted himself into the air like a pope, in the sight of the Great Turk and all his people, and he had no sooner departed the castle but the fog vanished away. Whence presently the Turk went to his wives and concubines, demanding of them if they knew the cause why the castle was beset with a mist so long. They said it was the God Mahomet himself that had caused it, and how he was in the castle personally six days. The Turk, hearing this, fell down upon his knees and gave Mahomet thanks, desiring him to forgive him for being offended with his visiting his castle and wives these six days.
From thence Faustus went to Alker, the which before times was called Chairam, or Memphis. In this city the Egyptian Soldan holdeth his court; from thence the river Nilus hath his head and spring. It is the greatest fresh water river that is in the whole world, and always when the sun is in Cancer it overfloweth the whole land of Egypt.
Then he returned again towards the north-east, and to the town of Osen and Sebasa in Hungaria. This Osen is the closest city in Hungaria, and standing in a fertile soil, wherein groweth most excellent wine; and not far from the tower there is a well called Zipzan, the water whereof changeth iron into copper. There are mines of gold and silver and all manner of metal. We Germans call this town Osen, but in the Hungarian speech it is Start. In the town standeth a very fair castle, and very well fortified.
From thence he went to Austria, and so through Silesia into Saxony, unto the towns of Magdeburg, and Lipzig, and Lubeck. Magdeburg is a bishopric. In this city is one of the pitchers wherein Christ changed the water into wine in Cana in Galilee. At Lipzig nothing pleased Faustus so well as the great vessel in the castle made of wood, the which is bound about with twenty-four iron hoops, and every hoop weighed two hundred pound weight. You must go upon a ladder thirty steps high before you can look into it. He saw also the new churchyard where it was walled, and standeth upon a fair plain. The yard is two hundred paces long, and round about the side of the wall are good places, separated one from each other to see sepulchres in, which in the middle of the yard standeth very sumptuous; therein standeth a pulpit of white work and gold.