The Works of Christopher Marlowe

Dr. Faustus (B Text)


Act: 4 Scene: 1<< <>>>
Enter Martino, and Frederick at several doors.
What ho, officers, gentlemen!
Hie to the presence to attend the Emperor,
Good Frederick, see the rooms be voided straight;
His majesty is coming to the hall.
Go back and see the state in readiness.
But where is Bruno, our elected pope,
That on a fury's back came post from Rome.
Will not his grace consort the Emperor?
O yes, and with him comes the German conjuror,
The learned Faustus, fame of Wittenberg,
The wonder of the world for magic art,
And he intends to show great Carolus,
The race of all his stout progenitors,
And bring in presence of his majesty,
The royal shapes and warlike semblances
Of Alexander and his beauteous paramour.
Where is Benvolio?
Fast asleep I warrant you.
He took his rouse with stoups of Rhennish wine
So kindly yesternight to Bruno's health,
That all this day the sluggard keeps his bed.
See, see his window's ope; we'll call to him.
What hoe, Benvolio!
Enter Benvolio above at a window, in his nightcap, buttoning.
What a devil ail you two?
Speak softly, sir, lest the devil hear you,
For Faustus at the court is late arrived,
And at his heels a thousand furies wait
To accomplish whatsoever the Doctor please.
What of this?
Come leave thy chamber first, and thou shalt see
This conjuror perform such rare exploits
Before the Pope and royal Emperor,
As never yet was seen in Germany.
Has not the Pope enough of conjuring yet?
He was upon the devil's back late enough,
And if he be so far in love with him,
I would he would post with him to Rome again.
Speak, wilt thou come and see this sport?
Not I.
Wilt thou stand in thy window and see it then?
Ay, and I fall not asleep i'th'mean time.
The Emperor is at hand; who comes to see
What wonders by black spells may compass be.
Well, go you attend the Emperor. I am content
for this once to thrust my head out at a window, for they say,
if a man be drunk overnight, the Devil cannot hurt him in
the morning. If that be true, I have a charm in my head
shall control him as well as the conjuror, I warrant you.
Exit.

Act: 4 Scene: 2<< <>>>
A sennet. Charles the German Emperor, Bruno Saxony, Faustus, Mephistophilis, Frede- rick, Martino, and Atten- dants.
Wonder of men, renowned magician,
Thrice-learned Faustus, welcome to our court
This deed of thine in setting Bruno free
From his and our professed enemy
Shall add more excellence unto thine art,
Than if by powerful necromantic spells,
Thou could'st command the world's obedience,
Forever be beloved of Carolus.
And if this Bruno thou hast late redeemed
In peace possess the triple diadem,
And sit in Peter's chair, despite of chance,
Thou shalt be famous through all Italy,
And honoured of the German Emperor.
These gracious words, most royal Carolus,
Shall make poor Faustus to his utmost power,
Both love and serve the German Emperor,
And lay his life at holy Bruno's feet.
For proof whereof, if so your Grace be pleased,
The Doctor stands prepared, by power of art,
To cast his magic charms that shall pierce through
The ebon' gates of ever-burning hell,
And hail the stubborn Furies from their caves
To compass whatsoe'er your grace commands.
Blood, he speaks terribly, but for all that, I do not
greatly believe him; he looks as like conjuror as the Pope to a coster-
monger.
Then, Faustus, as thou late did'st promise us
We would behold that famous conquerour,
Great Alexander, and his paramour,
In their true shapes and state majestical,
That we may wonder at their excellence.
Your majesty shall see them presently.
Mephistophilis, away.
And with a solemn noise of trumpets sound,
Present before this royal Emperor,
Great Alexander and his beauteous paramour.
Faustus, I will.
Well, Master Doctor, an your devils come not away
quickly, have me asleep presently. Zounds, I could
eat my anger to think I have been such an ass
all this stand gaping after the devil's governor, and
can see nothing.
I'll make you feel something anon, if my art fail me not.
My Lord, I must forewarn your majesty
That when my spirits present the royal shapes
Of Alexander and his paramour,
Your grace demand no questions of the King,
But in dumb silence let them come and go.
Be it as Faustus please; we are content.
Ay, ay, and I am content too, and thou bring Alex-
ander and his paramour before the Emperor. I'll be Acte-
on, and turn myself to a stag.
And I'll play Diana, and send you the horns pre- sently.
Sennet. Enter at one the Emperor Alexander, at the other Darius. They meet. Darius is thrown down; Alexan- der kills him, takes off his crown, and offering to go out, his paramour meets him. He embraceth her and sets Darius' crown upon her head, and com- ming back both salute the Emperor, who, leaving his state, offers to em- brace them, which Faustus seeing, suddenly stays him. Then, trum- pets cease and music sounds.
My gracious lord, you do forget yourself;
These are but shadows, not substantial.
O, pardon me, my thoughts are so ravished
With sight of this renowned Emperor,
That in mine arms I would have compassed him.
But, Faustus, since I may not speak to them,
To satisfy my longing thoughts at full,
Let me this tell thee: I have heard it said
That this fair lady, whil'st she lived on earth,
Had on her neck a little wart or mole.
How may I prove that saying to be true?
Your Majesty may boldly go and see.
Faustus, I see it plain,
And in this sight thou better pleasest me
Than if I gained another monarchy.
Away, be gone. Exit Show.
See, see, my gracious lord, what strange beast is yon, that
thrusts his head out at window.
O, wondrous sight. See, Duke of Saxony,
Two spreading horns most strangely fastened
Upon the head of young Benvolio.
What, is he asleep? Or dead?
He sleeps, my lord, but dreams not of his horns.
This sport is excellent. We'll call and wake him.
What ho, Benvolio!
A plague upon you! Let me sleep a while.
I blame thee not to sleep much, having such a head
of thine own.
Look up, Benvolio, 'tis the Emperor calls.
The Emperor? Where? O, zounds, my head.
Nay, and thy horns hold; no matter for thy
head, for that's armed sufficiently.
Why, how now, sir Knight? What, hanged by the
horns? This most horrible! Fie, fie, pull in your head for shame;
let not all the world wonder at you.
Zounds, Doctor, is this your villainy?
O, say not so, sir. The Doctor has no skill,
No art, no cunning, to present these lords,
Or bring before this royal Emperor
The mighty monarch, warlike Alexander.
If Faustus do it, you are straight resolved
In bold Acteon's shape to turn a stag.
And therefore, my lord, so please your majesty,
I'll raise a kennel of hounds shall hunt him so
As all his footmanship shall scarce prevail
To keep his carcass from their bloody fangs.
Ho, Belimote, Argiron, Asterote.
Hold, hold! Zounds, he'll raise up a kennel of devils,
I think anon. Good, my lord, entreat for me. 'Sblood, I am
never able to endure these torments.
Then good Master Doctor,
Let me entreat you to remove his horns;
He has done penance now sufficiently.
My gracious Lord, not so much for injury done to
me, as to delight your majesty with some mirth hath Faustus
justly requited this injurious knight, which being all I de-
sire, I am content to remove his horns. Mephistophilis,
transform him, and hereafter, sir, look you speak well of
scholars.
Speak well of ye? 'Sblood, and scholars be such
cuckold-makers to clap horns of honest men's heads o'this
order; I'll ne'er trust smooth faces and small ruffs more. But,
an I be not revenged for this, would I might be turned to a
gaping oyster and drink nothing but salt water.
Come, Faustus, while the Emperor lives,
In recompense of this thy high desert,
Thou shalt command the state of Germany,
And live beloved of mighty Carolus. Exeunt omnes.

Act: 4 Scene: 3<< <>>>
Enter Benvolio, Martino, Frederick, and Soldiers.
Nay, sweet Benvolio, let us sway thy thoughts
From this attempt against the conjuror.
Away, you love me not to urge me thus,
Shall I let slip so great an injury,
When every servile groom feasts at my wrongs,
And in their rustic gambols proudly say
Benvolio's head was graced with horns to day?
O, may these eyelids never close again
Till with my sword I have that conjuror slain.
If you will aid me in this enterprise,
Then draw your weapons and be resolute.
If not, depart. Here will Benvolio die,
But Faustus' death shall quit my infamy.
Nay, we will stay with thee; betide what may,
And kill that Doctor if he come this way.
Then, gentle Frederick, hie thee to the grove,
And place our servants and our followers
Close in an ambush there behind the trees.
By this (I know) the conjuror is near;
I saw him kneel, and kiss the Emperor's hand,
And take his leave, laden with rich rewards.
Then souldiers boldly fight. If Faustus die,
Take you the wealth; leave us the victory.
Come soldiers, follow me unto the grove.
Who kills him shall have gold and endless love.
Exit Frederick with the Souldiers.
My head is lighter than it was by th'horns,
But yet my heart more ponderous then my head,
And pants until I see that conjuror dead.
Where shall we place ourselves, Benvolio?
Here will we stay to bide the first assault.
O, were that damned hell-hound but in place,
Thou soon should'st see me quit my foul disgrace.
Enter Frederick.
Close, close, the conjuror is at hand,
And all alone comes walking in his gown;
Be ready, then, and strike the peasant down.
Mine be that honour then. Now, sword, strike home.
For horns he gave, I'll have his head anon.
Enter Faustus with the false head.
See, see, he comes.
No words. This blow ends all.
Hell take his soul; his body thus must fall.
Oh!
Groan you, Master Doctor?
Break may his heart with gropes. Dear Frederick, see
Thus will I end his griefs immediately.
Strike with a willing hand; his head is off.
The devil's dead; the Furies now may laugh.
Was this that stern aspect, that awful frown,
Made the grim monarch of infernal spirits
Tremble and quake at his commanding charms?
Was this that damned head, whose heart conspired
Benvolio's shame before the Emperor?
Ay, that's the head and here the body lies,
Justly rewarded for his villainies.
Come, let's devise how we may add more shame
to the black scandal of his hated name.
First, on his head, in quittance of my wrongs,
I'll nail huge forked horns and let them hang
Within the window where he yoked me first,
That all the world may see my just revenge.
What use shall we put his beard to?
We'll sell it to a chimney-sweeper. It will wear out
ten birching brooms, I warrant you.
What shall eyes do?
We'll put out his eyes, and they shall serve for but-
tons to his lips to keep his tongue from catching cold.
An excellent policy. And now, sirs, having divided
him, what shall the body do?
Zounds, the devil's alive again!
Give him his head, for God's sake.
Nay, keep it. Faustus will have heads and hands.
I call your hearts to recompense this deed.
Knew you not, traitors, I was limited
For four and twenty years to breathe on earth?
And had you cut my body with your swords,
Or hewed this flesh and bones as small as sand,
Yet in a minute had my spirit returned,
And I had breathed a man made free from harm.
But wherefore do I dally my revenge?
Asteroth, Belimoth, Mephistophilis,
Enter Mephistophilisand other Devils.
Go horse these traitors on your firey backs, Enter Meph. & other Deuils.
And mount aloft with them as high as heaven;
Thence pitch them headlong to the lowest hell.
Yet stay, the world shall see their misery,
And hell shall after plague their treachery.
Go, Belimothe and take this caitiff hence,
And hurl him in some lake of mud and dirt.
Take thou this other; drag him through the woods
Among'st the pricking thorns and sharpest briars,
Whil'st with my gentle Mephistophilis,
This traitor flies unto some steep rock,
That rolling down, may break the villain's bones,
As he intended to dismember me.
Fly hence, dispatch my charge immediately.
Pity us, gentle Faustus; save our lives.
Away.
He must needs go that the devil drives.
Exeunt spirits with the knights.Enter the ambushed soldiers.
Come, sirs, prepare your sells in readiness;
Make haste to help these noble gentlemen.
I heard them parley with the conjuror.
See where he comes, dispatch, and kill the slave.
What's here? An ambush to betray my life!
Then, Faustus, try thy skill. Base peasants, stand.
For lo, these trees remove at my command,
And stand as bulwarks 'twixt yourselves and me,
To shield me from your hated treachery.
Yet to encounter this your weak attempt,
Behold an army comes incontinent.
Faustus strikes the door, and enter a devil playing on a drum, after him another bearing an ensign, and divers with weapons, Mephistophilis with fireworks; they set upon the soldiers and drive them out.

Act: 4 Scene: 4<< <>>>
Enter at several doors Benvolio, Frederick, and Martino, their heads and faces bloody and besmeared with mud and dirt, all having horns on their heads.
What ho, Benvolio.
Here, what Frederick, ho.
O help me, gentle friend; where is Martino?
Dear Frederick, here,
Half smothered in a lake of mud and dirt,
Through which the Furies dragged me by the heels.
Martino, see
Benvolio's horns again.
O misery! How now, Benvolio?
Defend me, heaven. Shall I be haunted still?
Nay, fear not, man; we have no power to kill.
My friends transformed thus. O hellish spite! Your
heads are all set with horns.
You hit it right;
It is your own you mean. Feel on your head.
'Zounds, horns again!
Nay, chafe not man; we all are sped.
What devil attends this damned magician,
That, spite of spite, our wrongs are doubled?
What may we do, that we may hide our shames?
If we should follow him to work revenge,
He'd join long asses' ears to these huge horns,
And make us laughing stocks to all the world.
What shall we then do, dear Benvolio?
I have a castle joining near these woods,
And thither we'll repair and live obscure,
Till time shall alter this our brutish shapes.
Since black disgrace hath thus eclipsed our fame,
We'll rather die with grief, than live with shame.
Exeunt omnes.

Act: 4 Scene: 5<< <>>>
Enter Faustus and the Horse-courser and Mephistophilis
I beseech your worship, accept of these forty
dollars.
Friend, thou can'st not buy so good a horse for so
small a price. I have no great need to sell him, but if thou
lik'st him for ten dollars more, take him, because I see thou
hast a good mind to him.
I beseech you, sir, accept of this; I am a very poor
man, and have lost very much of late by horse flesh, and this
bargain will set me up again.
Well, I will not stand with thee. Give me the mo-
ney. Now, sirrah, I must tell you that you may ride him o'er
hedge and ditch and spare him not, but do you hear? In any
case, ride him not into the water.
How, sir, not into the water? Why will he not drink
of all waters?
Yes, he will drink of all waters, but ride him not
into the water. O'er hedge and ditch, or where thou wilt, but
not into the water. Go bid the hostler deliver him unto you
and remember what I say.
I warrant you, sir, O joyful day, now am I a
made man forever. Exit.
What art thou, Faustus, but a man condemned to die?
Thy fatal time draws to a final end.
Despair doth drive distrust into my thoughts.
Confound these passions with a quiet sleep.
Tush, Christ did call the thief upon the cross;
Then rest thee, Faustus, quiet in conceit.
He sits to sleep.
Enter the Horse-courser, wet.
O, what a cozening Doctor was this? I, riding my
horse into the water, thinking some hidden mystery had been
in the horse, I had nothing under me but a little straw, and
had much ado to escape drowning. Well, I'll go rouse him,
and make him give me my forty dollars again. Ho, sirrah
Doctor, you cozening scab. Master Doctor, awake and rise
and give me my money again, for your horse is turned to a
bottle of hay, Master Doctor. He pulls off his leg.
Alas, I am undone; what shall I do? I have pulled off his leg.
O, help, help, the villain hath murdered me!
Murder or not murder, now he has but one leg.
I'll out-run him, and cast this leg into some ditch or other.
Stop him, stop him, stop him! ha, ha, ha! Faus-
stus hath his leg again, and the Horse-courser a bundle of hay
for his forty dollars.
Enter Wagner.
How now, Wagner, what news with thee?
If it please you, the Duke of Vanholt doth earnest-
ly entreat your company, and hath sent some of his men to
attend you with provision fit for your journey.
The Duke of Vanholt's an honourable gentle-
man, and one to whom I must be no niggard of my cunning;
Come away. Exeunt.

Act: 4 Scene: 6<< <>>>
Enter Clown, Dick, Horse-courser, and a Carter.
Come, my masters, I'll bring you to the best beer
in Europe. What ho, Hostess; where be these whores?
Enter Hostess.
How now, what lack you? What, my old guests,
welcome.
Sirrah Dick, dost thou know why I stand so mute?
No, Robin, why is't?
I am eighteen pence on the score, but say nothing.
See if she have forgotten me.
Who's this, that stands so solemnly by himself?
What, my old guest?
O, Hostess, how do you? I hope my score stands still.
Ay, there's no doubt of that, for me thinks you make
no haste to wipe it out.
Why, Hostess, I say, fetch us some beer.
You shall presently. Look up into th'hall there, ho! Exit.
Come, sirs, what shall we do now till mine hostess
comes?
Marry, sir, I'll tell you the bravest tale how a con-
juror served me. You know Doctor Faustus?
Ay, a plague take him. Here's some on's have cause
to know him. Did he conjure thee too?
I'll tell you how he served me. As I was going to
Wittenberg th'other day, with a load of hay, he met me,
and asked me what he should give me for as much hay as he
could eat. Now, sir, I, thinking that a little would serve his
turn, bad him take as much as he would for three farthings.
So he presently gave me my money and fell to eating, and as I
am a cursen man, he never left eating till he had eat up all
my load of hay.
O monstrous! Eat a whole load of hay?
Yes, yes, that may be, for I have heard of one that
has eat a load of logs.
Now, sirs, you shall hear how villainously he served
me. I went to him yesterday to buy a horse of him, and he
would by no means sell him under forty dollars. So, sir, because
I knew him to be such a horse as would run over hedge and
ditch and never tire, I gave him his money. So when I had
my horse, Doctor Faustus bad me ride him night and day, and
spare him no time. But, quoth he, in any case ride him not in-
to the water. Now, sir, I thinking the horse had had some
quality that he would not have me know of, what did I but
rid him into a great river, and when I came just in the midst
my horse vanished away, and I sat straddling upon a bottle
of hay.
O, brave Doctor!
But you shall hear how bravely I served him for
it; I went me home to his house, and there I found him
asleep. I kept a hallowing and whooping in his ears, but
all could not wake him. I, seeing that, took him by the leg
and never rested pulling till I had pulled me his leg quite off,
and now 'tis at home in mine hostry.
And has the Doctor but one leg then? That's excel-
lent, for one of his devils turned me into the likeness of an
ape's face.
Some more drink, Hostess.
Hark you, we'll into another room and drink
a while, and then we'll go seek out the Doctor.
Exeunt omnes.

Act: 4 Scene: 7<< <>>>
Enter the Duke of Vanholt, his Duchess, Faustus, and Mephistophilis.
Thanks Master Doctor, for these pleasant sights.
Nor know I how sufficiently to recompense your great de-
serts in erecting that enchanted castle in the air, the
sight whereof so delighted me,
as nothing in the world could please me more.
I do think myself, my good lord, highly recom-
pensed, in that it pleaseth your grace to think but well of
that which Faustus hath performed. But, gracious lady, it
may be that you have taken no pleasure in those sights.
Therefore, I pray you tell me what is the thing you most de-
sire to have? Be it in the world, it shall be yours. I have heard
that great-bellied women do long for things are rare and
dainty.
True, Master Doctor, and since I find you so kind,
I will make known unto you what my heart desires to
have, and were it now summer, as it is January, a dead
time of the winter, I would request no better meat than
a dish of ripe grapes.
This is but a small matter. Go, Mephostophilis, away.
Exit Mephistophilis.
Madam, I will do more than this for your content.
Enter Mephistophilis again with the grapes.
Here, now taste ye these. They should be good
For they come from a far country, I can tell you.
This makes me wonder more than all the rest, that
at this time of the year, when every tree is barren of his
fruit, from whence you had these ripe grapes.
Please it, your grace, the year is divided into two
circles over the whole world, so that when it is winter with
us, in the contrary circle it is likewise summer with them,
as in India, Saba, and such countries that lie far east,
where they have fruit twice a year, from whence, by means
of a swift spirit that I have, I had these grapes brought as
you see.
And trust me, they are the sweetest grapes that e'er I tasted.
The Clowns bounce at the gate within.
What rude disturbers have we at the gate ?
Go, pacify their fury. Set it ope,
And then demand of them what they would have.
They knock again and call out to talk with Faustus.
Why, how now, masters? What a coil is there?
What is the reason you disturb the Duke?
We have no reason for it, therefore a fig for him.
Why, saucy varlets, dare you be so bold?
I hope, sir, we have wit enough to be more bold than welcome.
It appears so. Pray be bold elsewhere, And trouble not the Duke.
What would they have?
They all cry out to speak with Doctor Faustus.
Ay, and we will speak with him.
Will you, sir? Commit the rascals.
Commit with us! He were as good commit with his
father as commit with us.
I do beseech your grace let them come in.
They are good subject for a merriment.
Do as thou wilt, Faustus. I give thee leave.
I thank your grace. Enter theClown, Dick, Carter, and Horse-courser.
Why, how now, my goods friends?
'Faith you are too outrageous, but come near.
I have procured your pardons. Welcome all.
Nay, sir, we will be welcome for our money, and
we will pay for what we take. What ho! Give's half a do-
zen of beer here, and be hanged.
Nay, hark you, can you tell me where you are?
Ay, marry can I. We are under heaven.
Ay, but, sir sauce-box know you in what place?
Ay, ay, the house is good enough to drink in. Zounds,
fill us some beer, or we'll break all the barrels in the house,
and dash out all your brains with your bottles.
Be not so furious. Come, you shall have beer.
My lord, beseech you give me leave awhile.
I'll gage my credit; 'twill content your grace.
With all my heart, kind Doctor, please thyself,
Our servants, and our courts at thy command.
I humbly thank your grace. Then fetch some
beer.
Ay, marry. There spake a Doctor indeed, and 'faith I'll
drink a health to thy wooden leg for that word.
My wooden leg? What dost thou mean by that?
Ha, ha, ha! Dost hear him Dick? He has forgot his
leg.
Ay, ay, he does not stand much upon that.
No, faith. Not much upon a wooden leg.
Good Lord, that flesh and blood should be so frail
with your worship. Do not you remember a horse-courser
you sold a horse to?
Yes, I remember I sold one a horse.
And do you remember you bid he should not ride
into the water?
Yes, I do very well remember that.
And do you remember nothing of your leg?
No, in good sooth.
Then I pray remember your courtesy.
I thank you, sir.
'Tis not so much worth. I pray you, tell me one thing.
What's that?
Be both your legs bedfellows every night together?
Would'st thou make a colossus of me, that thou as-
kest me such questions?
No, truly, sir, I would make nothing of you, but
I would fain know that.
Enter Hostess with drink.
Then I assure thee certainly they are.
I thank you; I am fully satisfied.
But wherefore dost thou ask?
For nothing, sir, but methinks you should have a
wooden bedfellow of one of 'em.
Why do you hear, sir? Did not I pull off one of your
legs when you were asleep?
But I have it again now I am awake. Look you
here, sir.
O horrible! Had the Doctor three legs?
Do you remember, sir, how you cozened me and eat
up my load of ---
Faustus charms him dumb.
Do you remember how you made me wear an
ape's ---
You whoreson conjuring scab, do you remember
how you cozened me with a ho---
Ha'you forgotten me? You think to carry it away
with your hey-pass, and re-pass. Do you remember the
dogs fa--- Exeunt Clowns.
Who pays for the ale? Hear you, Master Doctor,
now you have sent away my guests, I pray who shall pay
me for my a---? Exit Hostess.
My Lord,
we are much beholding to this learned man.
So are we madam, which we will recompense
With all the love and kindness that we may.
His artful sport drives all sad thoughts away. Exeunt.
Nav.
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