The Works of Christopher Marlowe

Dr. Faustus (B Text)

Act: 4 Scene: 5<< <>>>
Enter Faustus and the Horse-courser and Mephistophilis
Horse-courser
I beseech your worship, accept of these forty
dollars.
Faustus
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.
Horse-courser
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.
Faustus
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.
Horse-courser
How, sir, not into the water? Why will he not drink
of all waters?
Faustus
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.
Horse-courser
I warrant you, sir, O joyful day, now am I a
made man forever. Exit.
Faustus
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.
Horse-courser
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.
Faustus
O, help, help, the villain hath murdered me!
Horse-courser
Murder or not murder, now he has but one leg.
I'll out-run him, and cast this leg into some ditch or other.
Faustus
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?
Wagner
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.
Faustus
The Duke of Vanholt's an honourable gentle-
man, and one to whom I must be no niggard of my cunning;
Come away. Exeunt.
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