Mediaeval Tales Part 28

Whereupon his spirit required of him three days' respite, which Faustus granted.

The three days being expired, Mephistophiles gave him this answer: "Faustus, my lord Lucifer (so called now for that he was banished out of the clear light of heaven) was at the first an angel of G.o.d, yea, he was so of G.o.d ordained for shape, pomp, authority, worthiness, and dwelling, that he far exceeded all the other creatures of G.o.d, yea, or gold and precious stones; and so illuminated that he far surpa.s.sed the brightness of the sun, and all other stars where G.o.d placed him on the cherubims; he had a kingly office, and was always before G.o.d's seat, to the end he might be the more perfect in all his being; but when he began to be high-minded, proud, and so presumptuous, that he would usurp the seat of G.o.d's Majesty, then was he banished out from amongst the heavenly powers, separated from their abiding, into the manner of a fiery stone, that no water is able to quench, but continually burneth until the end of the world."

Dr. Faustus, when he had heard the words of his spirit, began to ponder with himself, having divers and sundry opinions in his head, and very pensively, saying nothing to his spirit, he went into his chamber and laid him on his bed, recording the words of Mephistophiles, which so pierced his heart that he fell into sighing and great lamentation, crying out, "Alas! Ah, woe is me! What have I done? Even so shall it come to pa.s.s with me: am I not also a creature of G.o.d's making, bearing his own image and similitude, into whom he hath breathed the spirit of life and immortality, unto whom he hath made all things living subject; but woe is me! My haughty mind, proud aspiring stomach, and filthy flesh, hath brought my soul into perpetual d.a.m.nation, yea, pride hath abused my understanding, insomuch that I have forgot my Maker, the Spirit of G.o.d is departed from me; I have promised the devil my soul, and therefore it is but a folly for me to hope for grace, but it must be even with me as with Lucifer, thrown into perpetual burning fire: ah!

woe is me that ever I was born."

In this perplexity lay this miserable Dr. Faustus, having quite forgot his faith in Christ, never falling to repentance truly, thereby to attain the grace and holy Spirit of G.o.d again, the which would have been able to have resisted the strong a.s.saults of Satan; for although he had made him a promise, yet he might have remembered, through true repentance sinners may once come again into the favour of G.o.d, which faith the faithful firmly hold, knowing they that kill the body are not able to hurt the soul; but he was in all his opinions doubtful, without faith or hope, and so he continued.

CHAPTER XIV.

_Another disputation betwixt Dr. Faustus and his Spirit, of the Power of the Devil, and his Envy to Mankind._

After Faustus had a while pondered and sorrowed with himself on his wretched estate, he called again Mephistophiles unto him, commanding him to tell him the judgment, rule, power, attempts, tyranny, and temptation of the devil; and why he was moved to such kind of living?

Whereupon the spirit answered to this question: "That thou demandest of me will turn thee to no small discontentment; therefore thou shouldst not have desired of me such matters, for it toucheth the secrets of our kingdom, although I cannot deny to resolve thy request: therefore know, Faustus, that so soon as my lord Lucifer fell from Heaven, he became mortal enemy both to G.o.d and man, and hath used, as now he doth, all manner of tyranny to the destruction of man, as is manifested by divers examples: one falling suddenly dead, another hangs himself, another drowns himself, others stab themselves, others unlawfully despair, and so come to utter confusion. The first Adam, that was made perfect to the similitude of G.o.d, was by my lord's policy the whole decay of man; yea, Faustus, in him was the beginning and first tyranny of my lord Lucifer to man. The like did he with Cain; the same with the children of Israel when they wors.h.i.+pped strange G.o.ds, and fell to wh.o.r.edom with strange women; the like with Saul; so did he by the seven husbands of her that after was the wife of Tobias; likewise Dagon, our fellow, brought to destruction fifty thousand men, whereupon the ark of G.o.d was stolen, and Belial made David to number his men, whereupon were slain sixty thousand. Also he deceived King Solomon, that wors.h.i.+pped the G.o.ds of the heathen: and there are such spirits innumerable, that can come by men, and tempt them, and drive them to sin, and weaken their belief; for we rule the hearts of kings and princes, stirring them up to war and bloodshed, and to this intent do we spread ourselves through all the world, as the utter enemies of G.o.d and his Son Christ--yea, and all that wors.h.i.+p them, and that thou knowest by thyself, Faustus. How have we dealt by thee?"

To this said Faustus: "Then thou didst also beguile me?"

"I did what I could to help thee forward, for as soon as I saw how thy heart did despise thy degree taken in divinity, and didst study to search and know the secrets of our kingdom, then did I enter into thee, giving thee divers foul and filthy cogitations, p.r.i.c.king thee forward in thy intent, persuading thee thou couldst never attain to thy desire till thou hadst the help of some devil; and when thou wast delighted in this, then took I root in thee, and so firmly, that thou gavest thyself to us both body and soul, which thou canst not deny."

Hereat answered Faustus: "Thou sayest true; I cannot deny it. Ah, woe is me, most miserable Faustus! How have I been deceived! Had I not had a desire to know too much, I had not been in this case; for having studied the lives of the holy saints and prophets, and thereby thought to understand sufficient heavenly matters, I thought myself not worthy to be called Dr. Faustus if I should not also know the secrets of h.e.l.l, and be a.s.sociated with the furious fiends thereof; now, therefore, must I be rewarded accordingly."

Which speeches being uttered, Faustus went very sorrowful away from his spirit.

CHAPTER XV.

_How Dr. Faustus desired again of his Spirit, to know the Secrets and Pains of h.e.l.l; and whether those d.a.m.ned Devils, and their Company, might ever come to the Favour and Love of G.o.d again._

Dr. Faustus was pondering with himself how he might get loose from so d.a.m.nable 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 G.o.d 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 h.e.l.l 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 h.e.l.l; what pain the d.a.m.ned are in, and how they were tormented; and whether the d.a.m.ned souls might get again the favour of G.o.d, 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 h.e.l.l, and of the pains thereof. Know, Faustus, that h.e.l.l hath many figures, semblances, and names; but it cannot be named or figured in such sort to the living that are d.a.m.ned, as it is to those that are dead, and do both see and feel the torments thereof: for h.e.l.l 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; h.e.l.l is bloodthirsty, and is never satisfied: h.e.l.l is a valley into which the d.a.m.ned 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 h.e.l.lish fire is unquenchable: and even as the flint-stone in the fire burns red hot, and consumeth not, so likewise the d.a.m.ned souls in our h.e.l.lish fire are ever burning, but their pain never diminis.h.i.+ng. Therefore is h.e.l.l 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 G.o.d. h.e.l.l 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 d.a.m.ned are frozen, gnash their teeth, howl, and cry, yet cannot die. Other whiles, it sendeth forth most horrible hot mists, or fogs, with flas.h.i.+ng of flames of fire and brimstone, wherein the sorrowful souls of the d.a.m.ned lie broiling in their reiterated torments. Yea, Faustus, h.e.l.l is called a prison, wherein the d.a.m.ned 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 h.e.l.l a ladder, reaching of exceeding height, as though the top of the same would touch the heaven, to which the d.a.m.ned ascend to seek the blessing of G.o.d, 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 h.e.l.l, the while thou art desirous to know the secrets of our kingdom.

And mark, Faustus, h.e.l.l 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 G.o.d. 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 h.e.l.l, 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, hoa.r.s.eness 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 carca.s.s 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 G.o.d, which is, if it be possible for the d.a.m.ned to come again into the favour of G.o.d, 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 h.e.l.l; therefore thou art d.a.m.ned, and how canst thou then come again to the favour of G.o.d? Wherefore I discreetly answer, no; for whomsoever G.o.d hath forsaken and thrown into h.e.l.l 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 G.o.d 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 G.o.d 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, wh.o.r.emongers, backbiters, robbers, murderers, blasphemers, and such like, then were there some hope to be looked for; therefore, my Faustus, as thou comest to h.e.l.l 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 d.a.m.ned 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 G.o.d would have mercy on them, they would be comforted; but now there is no hope that G.o.d once thinks upon them, or that their howling shall ever be heard; yea, so impossible it is for thee to hide thyself from G.o.d, 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 d.a.m.ned, to come again into the favour of G.o.d. 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 G.o.d, 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 G.o.d'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 G.o.dly motions in the wind, going forward still in his wicked practice, to the utter ruin both of body and soul.

CHAPTER XVI.

_Another Question put forth by Dr. Faustus to his Spirit Mephistophiles of 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 G.o.d and man?"

Whereat the spirit smiled, saying, "My Faustus, if I was a man as thou art, and that G.o.d had adorned me with those gifts of nature which thou once hadst, even so long as the breath of G.o.d 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 G.o.d and utter d.a.m.nation."

"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 G.o.d."

"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 G.o.d, that it is too late for thee, for the wrath of G.o.d resteth upon thee."

"Leave off," quoth Faustus, "and tell me my question to my greater comfort."

CHAPTER XVII.

HERE FOLLOWETH THE SECOND PART OF DR. FAUSTUS HIS 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 pa.s.s 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 pa.s.s.