The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus Part 16

[Footnote 145: hey-pa.s.s-- Equivalent to--juggler.]

[Footnote 146: ostry-- i.e. inn,--lodging.]

[Footnote 147: cunning-- i.e. skill.]

[Footnote 148: [Exeunt.

Enter the DUKE OF VANHOLT, the d.u.c.h.eSS, and FAUSTUS-- Old ed.;

"Exeunt.

Enter to them the DUKE, the DUTCHESS, the DUKE speakes."

In the later 4tos a scene intervenes between the "Exeunt" of Faustus, Mephistophilis, and Wagner, and the entrance of the Duke of Vanholt, &c.--We are to suppose that Faustus is now at the court of the Duke of Vanholt: this is plain, not only from the later 4tos, --in which Wagner tells Faustus that the Duke "hath sent some of his men to attend him, with provision fit for his journey,"--but from THE HISTORY OF DOCTOR FAUSTUS, the subjoined portion of which is closely followed in the present scene. "Chap. x.x.xix. HOW DOCTOR FAUSTUS PLAYED A MERRY JEST WITH THE DUKE OF ANHOLT IN HIS COURT.

Doctor Faustus on a time went to the Duke of Anholt, who welcommed him very courteously; this was the moneth of January; where sitting at the table, he perceived the dutchess to be with child; and forbearing himselfe untill the meat was taken from the table, and that they brought in the banqueting dishes [i.e. the dessert--, Doctor Faustus said to the dutchesse, Gratious lady, I have alwayes heard that great-bellied women doe alwayes long for some dainties; I beseech therefore your grace, hide not your minde from me, but tell me what you desire to eat. She answered him, Doctor Faustus, now truly I will not hide from you what my heart doth most desire; namely, that, if it were now harvest, I would eat my bellyfull of grapes and other dainty fruit. Doctor Faustus answered hereupon, Gracious lady, this is a small thing for me to doe, for I can doe more than this. Wherefore he tooke a plate, and set open one of the cas.e.m.e.nts of the window, holding it forth; where incontinent he had his dish full of all manner of fruit, as red and white grapes, peares, and apples, the which came from out of strange countries: all these he presented the dutchesse, saying, Madam, I pray you vouchsafe to taste of this dainty fruit, the which came from a farre countrey, for there the summer is not yet ended.

The dutchesse thanked Faustus highly, and she fell to her fruit with full appet.i.te. The Duke of Anholt notwithstanding could not withhold to ask Faustus with what reason there were such young fruit to be had at that time of the yeare. Doctor Faustus told him, May it please your grace to understand that the year is divided into two circles of the whole world, that when with us it is winter, in the contrary circle it is notwithstanding summer; for in India and Saba there falleth or setteth the sunne, so that it is so warm that they have twice a yeare fruit; and, gracious lord, I have a swift spirit, the which can in the twinkling of an eye fulfill my desire in any thing; wherefore I sent him into those countries, who hath brought this fruit as you see: whereat the duke was in great admiration."]

[Footnote 149: Saba-- i.e. Sabaea.]

[Footnote 150: beholding-- i.e. beholden.]

[Footnote 151: Enter WAGNER-- Scene, a room in the house of Faustus.]

[Footnote 152: he hath given to me all his goods-- Compare chap. lvi. of THE HISTORY OF DOCTOR FAUSTUS,--"How Doctor Faustus made his will, in which he named his servant Wagner to be his heire."]

[Footnote 153: HELEN pa.s.seth over the stage-- In THE HISTORY OF DOCTOR FAUSTUS we have the following description of Helen. "This lady appeared before them in a most rich gowne of purple velvet, costly imbrodered; her haire hanged downe loose, as faire as the beaten gold, and of such length that it reached downe to her hammes; having most amorous cole-black eyes, a sweet and pleasant round face, with lips as red as a cherry; her cheekes of a rose colour, her mouth small, her neck white like a swan; tall and slender of personage; in summe, there was no imperfect place in her: she looked round about with a rolling hawkes eye, a smiling and wanton countenance, which neere-hand inflamed the hearts of all the students; but that they perswaded themselves she was a spirit, which made them lightly pa.s.se away such fancies." Sig. H 4, ed. 1648.]

[Footnote 154: Enter an OLD MAN-- See chap. xlviii of THE HISTORY OF DOCTOR FAUSTUS,--"How an old man, the neighbour of Faustus, sought to perswade him to amend his evil life and to fall into repentance,"

--according to which history, the Old Man's exhortation is delivered at his own house, whither he had invited Faustus to supper.]

[Footnote 155: vild-- Old ed. "vild." See note ||, p. 68.

[Note || from page 68 (The Second Part of Tamburlaine the Great):

Vile-- The 8vo "Vild"; the 4to "Wild" (Both eds. a little before, have "VILE monster, born of some infernal hag", and, a few lines after, "To VILE and ignominious servitude":--the fact is, our early writers (or rather transcribers), with their usual inconsistency of spelling, give now the one form, and now the other: compare the folio SHAKESPEARE, 1623, where we sometimes find "vild" and sometimes "VILE.")--]

[Footnote 156: sin-- Old ed. "sinnes" (This is not in the later 4tos).]

[Footnote 157: almost-- So the later 4tos.--Not in 4to 1604.]

[Footnote 158: now-- So the later 4tos.--Not in 4to 1604.]

[Footnote 159: MEPHIST. Do it, then, quickly, &c.-- After this speech, most probably, there ought to be a stage-direction, "FAUSTUS STABS HIS ARM, AND WRITES ON A PAPER WITH HIS BLOOD. Compare THE HISTORY OF DOCTOR FAUSTUS, chap. xlix,--"How Doctor Faustus wrote the second time with his owne blood, and gave it to the Devill."]

[Footnote 160: One thing, good servant, &c.-- "To the end that this miserable Faustus might fill the l.u.s.t of his flesh and live in all manner of voluptuous pleasure, it came in his mind, after he had slept his first sleepe, and in the 23 year past of his time, that he had a great desire to lye with faire Helena of Greece, especially her whom he had seen and shewed unto the students at Wittenberg: wherefore he called unto his spirit Mephostophiles, commanding him to bring to him the faire Helena; which he also did. Whereupon he fell in love with her, and made her his common concubine and bed-fellow; for she was so beautifull and delightfull a peece, that he could not be one houre from her, if he should therefore have suffered death, she had so stoln away his heart: and, to his seeming, in time she was with childe, whom Faustus named Justus Faustus. The childe told Doctor Faustus many things which were don in forraign countrys; but in the end, when Faustus lost his life, the mother and the childe vanished away both together."

THE HISTORY OF DOCTOR FAUSTUS, Sig. I 4, ed. 1648.]

[Footnote 161: Those-- So the later 4tos.--2to 1604 "These."]

[Footnote 162: Faustus, this-- Qy. "This, Faustus"?]

[Footnote 163: topless-- i.e. not exceeded in height by any.]

[Footnote 164: is-- So the later 4tos.--2to 1604 "be."]

[Footnote 165: shalt-- So all the 4tos; and so I believe Marlowe wrote, though the grammar requires "shall."]

[Footnote 166: Enter the OLD MAN-- Scene, a room in the Old Man's house.

--In THE HISTORY OF DOCTOR FAUSTUS the Old Man makes himself very merry with the attempts of the evil powers to hurt him. "About two dayes after that he had exhorted Faustus, as the poore man lay in his bed, suddenly there was a mighty rumbling in the chamber, the which he was never wont to heare, and he heard as it had beene the groaning of a sow, which lasted long: whereupon the good old man began to jest and mocke, and said, Oh, what a barbarian cry is this? Oh faire bird, what foul musicke is this?

A[h--, faire angell, that could not tarry two dayes in his place!

beginnest thou now to runne into a poore mans house, where thou hast no power, and wert not able to keepe thy owne two dayes?

With these and such like words the spirit departed," &c.

Sig. I 2, ed. 1648.]

[Footnote 167: Enter Faustus, &c.-- Scene, a room in the house of Faustus.]

[Footnote 168: cunning-- i.e. knowledge, skill.]

[Footnote 169: Why did not Faustus tell us of this before, &c.-- "Wherefore one of them said unto him, Ah, friend Faustus, what have you done to conceale this matter so long from us? We would, by the helpe of good divines and the grace of G.o.d, have brought you out of this net, and have torne you out of the bondage and chaines of Satan; whereas now we feare it is too late, to the utter ruine both of your body and soule. Doctor Faustus answered, I durst never doe it, although I often minded to settle my life [myself?-- to G.o.dly people to desire counsell and helpe; and once mine old neighbour counselled me that I should follow his learning and leave all my conjurations: yet, when I was minded to amend and to follow that good mans counsell, then came the Devill and would have had me away, as this night he is like to doe, and said, so soone as I turned againe to G.o.d, he would dispatch me altogether." THE HISTORY OF DOCTOR FAUSTUS, Sig. K 3, ed. 1648.]

[Footnote 170: save-- So the later 4tos.--Not in 4to 1604.]

[Footnote 171: and what noise soever ye hear, &c.-- "Lastly, to knit up my troubled oration, this is my friendly request, that you would go to rest, and let nothing trouble you; also, if you chance heare any noyse or rumbling about the house, be not therewith afraid, for there shall no evill happen unto you," &c. THE HISTORY OF DOCTOR FAUSTUS, ubi supra.]

[Footnote 172: O lente, &c.

"At si, quem malles, Cephalum complexa teneres, Clamares, LENTE CURRITE, NOCTIS EQUI."

Ovid,--AMOR. i. xiii. 39.]

[Footnote 173: That, when you, &c.-- So all the old eds.; and it is certain that awkward changes of person are sometimes found in pa.s.sages of our early poets: but qy.,

"That, when THEY vomit forth into the air, My limbs may issue from THEIR smoky mouths," &c.?]

[Footnote 174: and I be chang'd Unto some brutish beast-- "Now, thou Faustus, d.a.m.ned wretch, how happy wert thou, if, as an unreasonable beast, thou mightest dye without [a-- soule! so shouldst thou not feele any more doubts,"

&c. THE HISTORY OF DOCTOR FAUSTUS, Sig. K. ed. 1648.]

[Footnote 175: Exeunt DEVILS with FAUSTUS-- In THE HISTORY OF DOCTOR FAUSTUS, his "miserable and lamentable end" is described as follows: it took place, we are informed, at "the village called Rimlich, halfe a mile from Wittenberg."--"The students and the other that were there, when they had prayed for him, they wept, and so went forth; but Faustus tarried in the hall; and when the gentlemen were laid in bed, none of them could sleepe, for that they att[e--nded to heare if they might be privy of his end. It happened that betweene twelve and one a clocke at midnight, there blew a mighty storme of winde against the house, as though it would have blowne the foundation thereof out of his place. Hereupon the students began to feare and goe out of their beds, comforting one another; but they would not stirre out of the chamber; and the host of the house ran out of doores, thinking the house would fall. The students lay neere unto the hall wherein Doctor Faustus lay, and they heard a mighty noyse and hissing, as if the hall had beene full of snakes and adders. With that, the hall-doore flew open, wherein Doctor Faustus was, that he began to cry for helpe, saying, Murther, murther! but it came forth with halfe a voyce, hollowly: shortly after, they heard him no more. But when it was day, the students, that had taken no rest that night, arose and went into the hall, in the which they left Doctor Faustus; where notwithstanding they found not Faustus, but all the hall lay sprinkled with blood, his braines cleaving to the wall, for the devill had beaten him from one wall against another; in one corner lay his eyes, in another his teeth; a pittifull and fearefull sight to behold. Then began the students to waile and weepe for him, and sought for his body in many places. Lastly, they came into the yard, where they found his body lying on the horse-dung, most monstrously torne and fearefull to behold, for his head and all his joynts were dashed in peeces. The fore-named students and masters that were at his death, have obtained so much, that they buried him in the village where he was so grievously tormented.

After the which they returned to Wittenberg; and comming into the house of Faustus, they found the servant of Faustus very sad, unto whom they opened all the matter, who tooke it exceeding heavily. There found they also this history of Doctor Faustus noted and of him written, as is before declared, all save only his end, the which was after by the students thereto annexed; further, what his servant had noted thereof, was made in another booke. And you have heard that he held by him in his life the spirit of faire Helena, the which had by him one sonne, the which he named Justus Faustus: even the same day of his death they vanished away, both mother and sonne. The house before was so darke that scarce any body could abide therein. The same night Doctor Faustus appeared unto his servant lively, and shewed unto him many secret things, the which he had done and hidden in his lifetime. Likewise there were certaine which saw Doctor Faustus looke out of the window by night, as they pa.s.sed by the house."

Sig. K 3, ed. 1648.]