[Enter Faustus in his Study.]

FAUSTUS.

Now, Faustus, must thou needs be damned,
And canst thou not be saved:
What boots it then to think of God or heaven?
Away with such vain fancies, and despair,
Despair in God, and trust in Belzebub.(5)
Now go not backward: no, Faustus, be resolute;
Why waver'st thou? O, something soundeth in mine ears:
“Abjure this magic, turn to God again!”
Ay, and Faustus will turn to God again.(10)
To God? He loves thee not.
The god thou serv'st is thine own appetite,
Wherein is fixed the love of Belzebub.
To him I'll build an altar and a church,
And offer lukewarm blood of newborn babes.(15)

[Enter Good Angel and Evil Angel.]

GOOD ANGEL.

Sweet Faustus, leave that execrable art.

FAUSTUS.

Contrition, prayer, repentance! What of them?

GOOD ANGEL.

O, they are means to bring thee unto Heaven!

EVIL ANGEL.

Rather illusions—fruits of lunacy,(20)
That makes men foolish that do trust them most.

GOOD ANGEL.

Sweet Faustus, think of Heaven and heavenly things.

EVIL ANGEL.

No, Faustus, think of honour and of wealth.

[Exit Angels.]

FAUSTUS.

Of wealth!(25)
Why, the signiory of Embden shall be mine.
When Mephistophilis shall stand by me,
What god can hurt thee? Faustus, thou art safe:
Cast no more doubts. Come, Mephistophilis,
And bring glad tidings from great Lucifer; —(30)
Is't not midnight? Come, Mephistophilis;
Veni, veni, Mephistophile!

[Enter Mephistophilis.]

Now tell me, what says Lucifer thy lord?

MEPHISTOPHILIS.

That I shall wait on Faustus whilst he lives,
So he will buy my service with his soul.(35)

FAUSTUS.

Already Faustus hath hazarded that for thee.

MEPHISTOPHILIS.

But, Faustus, thou must bequeath it solemnly,
And write a deed of gift with thine own blood,
For that security craves great Lucifer.
If thou deny it, I will back to hell.(40)

FAUSTUS.

Stay, Mephistophilis! and tell me what good
Will my soul do thy lord?

MEPHISTOPHILIS.

Enlarge his kingdom.

FAUSTUS.

Is that the reason why he tempts us thus?

MEPHISTOPHILIS.

Solamen miseris socios habuisse doloris.(45)

FAUSTUS.

Why, have you any pain that tortures others?

MEPHISTOPHILIS.

As great as have the human souls of men.
But tell me, Faustus, shall I have thy soul?
And I will be thy slave, and wait on thee,
And give thee more than thou hast wit to ask.(50)

FAUSTUS.

Ay, Mephistophilis, I give it thee.

MEPHISTOPHILIS.

Then, Faustus, stab thine arm courageously
And bind thy soul that at some certain day
Great Lucifer may claim it as his own;
And then be thou as great as Lucifer.(55)

FAUSTUS.

[Stabbing his arm.] Lo, Mephistophilis, for love of thee,
I cut mine arm, and with my proper blood
Assure my soul to be great Lucifer's,
Chief lord and regent of perpetual night!(60)
View here the blood that trickles from mine arm,
And let it be propitious for my wish.

MEPHISTOPHILIS.

But, Faustus, thou must
Write it in manner of a deed of gift.

FAUSTUS.

Ay, so I will. But, Mephistophilis,(65)
My blood congeals, and I can write no more.

MEPHISTOPHILIS.

I'll fetch thee fire to dissolve it straight.

[Exit Mephistophilis.]

FAUSTUS.

What might the staying of my blood portend?
Is it unwilling I should write this bill?
Why streams it not, that I may write afresh?(70)
"Faustus gives to thee his soul". Ah, there it stayed!
Why should'st thou not? Is not thy soul thine own?
Then write again, "Faustus gives to thee his soul."

[Re-enter Mephistophilis with a chafer of coals.]

MEPHISTOPHILIS.

Here's fire. Come, Faustus, set it on.

FAUSTUS.

So now the blood begins to clear again;(75)
Now will I make an end immediately.

MEPHISTOPHILIS.

O, what will not I do to obtain his soul?

FAUSTUS.

Consummatum est: this bill is ended,
And Faustus hath bequeathed his soul to Lucifer.
But what is this inscription on mine arm?(80)
Homo, fuge! Whither should I fly?
If unto God, he'll throw me down to hell.
My senses are deceived; here's nothing writ:—
I see it plain; here in this place is writ
Homo, fuge! Yet shall not Faustus fly.(85)

MEPHISTOPHILIS.

I'll fetch him somewhat to delight his mind.

[Exit. Re-enter Mephistophilis with Devils, who give crowns and rich apparel to Faustus, dance, and depart.]

FAUSTUS.

Speak, Mephistophilis, what means this show?

MEPHISTOPHILIS.

Nothing, Faustus, but to delight thy mind withal,
And to show thee what magic can perform.(90)

FAUSTUS.

But may I raise up spirits when I please?

MEPHISTOPHILIS.

Ay, Faustus, and do greater things than these.

FAUSTUS.

Then there's enough for a thousand souls.
Here, Mephistophilis, receive this scroll,
A deed of gift of body and of soul:(95)
But yet conditionally that thou perform
All articles prescribed between us both.

MEPHISTOPHILIS.

Faustus, I swear by hell and Lucifer
To effect all promises between us made.

FAUSTUS.

Then hear me read them: On these conditions following: (100)
First, that Faustus may be a spirit in form and substance.
Secondly, that Mephistophilis shall be his servant, and at his command.
Thirdly, that Mephistophilis shall do for him and bring him whatsoever he desires.
Fourthly, that he shall be in his chamber or house invisible. (105)
Lastly, that he shall appear to the said John Faustus, at all times, and in what form or shape soever he pleases.
I, John Faustus of Wertenberg, Doctor, by these presents, do give both body and soul to Lucifer, Prince of the East, and his minister, Mephistophilis: and furthermore grant unto them, that twenty-four years being expired the articles above-written inviolate full power to fetch or carry said john faustus body and soul flesh blood goods into their habitation wheresoever.
          By me, John Faustus.

MEPHISTOPHILIS.

Speak, Faustus, do you deliver this as your deed?(115)

FAUSTUS.

Ay, take it, and the Devil give thee good on't!

MEPHISTOPHILIS.

Now, Faustus, ask what thou wilt.

FAUSTUS.

First will I question with thee about hell.
Tell me where is the place that men call hell?

MEPHISTOPHILIS.

Under the heavens.(120)

FAUSTUS.

Ay, but whereabout?

MEPHISTOPHILIS.

Within the bowels of these elements,
Where we are tortured and remain for ever;
Hell hath no limits, nor is circumscribed
In one self place; for where we are is hell,(125)
And where hell is there must we ever be:
And, to conclude, when all the world dissolves,
And every creature shall be purified,
All places shall be hell that is not Heaven.

FAUSTUS.

Come, I think hell's a fable.(130)

MEPHISTOPHILIS.

Ay, think so still, till experience change thy mind.

FAUSTUS.

Why, think'st thou, then, that Faustus shall be damned?

MEPHISTOPHILIS.

Ay, of necessity, for here's the scroll
Wherein thou hast given thy soul to Lucifer.(135)

FAUSTUS.

Ay, and body too; but what of that?
Think'st thou that Faustus is so fond to imagine
That, after this life, there is any pain?
Tush; these are trifles and mere old wives' tales.

MEPHISTOPHILIS.

But, Faustus, I am an instance to prove the contrary, (140)
For I am damned, and am now in hell.

FAUSTUS.

How! now in hell?
Nay, an this be hell, I'll willingly be damned here;
What? walking, disputing, &c.?(145)
But, leaving off this, let me have a wife,
The fairest maid in Germany;
For I am wanton and lascivious,
And cannot live without a wife.

MEPHISTOPHILIS.

How—a wife? I prithee, Faustus, talk not of a wife. (150)

FAUSTUS.

Nay, sweet Mephistophilis, fetch me one, for I will have one.

MEPHISTOPHILIS.

Well—thou wilt have one? Sit there till I come:
I'll fetch thee a wife in the Devil's name.(155)

[Exit. Re-enter Mephistophilis with a Devil dressed like a woman, with fireworks.]

MEPHISTOPHILIS.

Tell me, Faustus, how dost thou like thy wife?

FAUSTUS.

A plague on her for a hot whore!

MEPHISTOPHILIS.

Tut, Faustus, Marriage is but a ceremonial toy;
If thou lovest me, think no more of it.(160)
I'll cull thee out the fairest courtesans,
And bring them every morning to thy bed;
She whom thine eye shall like, thy heart shall have,
Be she as chaste as was Penelope,
As wise as Saba, or as beautiful(165)
As was bright Lucifer before his fall.
Here, take this book, peruse it thoroughly:
The iterating of these lines brings gold;
The framing of this circle on the ground
Brings whirlwinds, tempests, thunder and lightning;(170)
Pronounce this thrice devoutly to thyself,
And men in armour shall appear to thee,
Ready to execute what thou desir'st.

FAUSTUS.

Thanks, Mephistophilis: yet fain would I have a
book wherein I might behold all spells and incantations,(175)
that I might raise up spirits when I please.

MEPHISTOPHILIS.

Here they are in this book.

[Turns to them.]

FAUSTUS.

Now would I have a book where I might see all
characters and planets of the heavens, that I might know
their motions and dispositions.(180)

MEPHISTOPHILIS.

Here they are too.

[Turns to them.]

FAUSTUS.

Nay, let me have one book more,—and then I have
done,—wherein I might see all plants, herbs, and trees,
that grow upon the earth.

MEPHISTOPHILIS.

Here they be.(185)

FAUSTUS.

O, thou art deceived.

MEPHISTOPHILIS.

Tut, I warrant thee.

[Enter Faustus and Mephistophilis.]

FAUSTUS.

When I behold the heavens, then I repent,
And curse thee, wicked Mephistophilis,
Because thou hast deprived me of those joys.

MEPHISTOPHILIS.

Why, Faustus,
Thinkest thou Heaven is such a glorious thing?(5)
I tell thee, 'tis not half so fair as thou,
Or any man that breathes on earth.

FAUSTUS.

How prov'st thou that?

MEPHISTOPHILIS.

'Twas made for man, therefore is man more excellent.(10)

FAUSTUS.

If it were made for man, 'twas made for me;
I will renounce this magic and repent.

[Enter Good Angel and Evil Angel.]

GOOD ANGEL.

Faustus, repent; yet God will pity thee.

EVIL ANGEL.

Thou art a spirit; God can not pity thee.

FAUSTUS.

Who buzzeth in mine ears I am a spirit?(15)
Be I a devil, yet God may pity me;
Ay, God will pity me if I repent.

EVIL ANGEL.

Ay, but Faustus never shall repent.

[Exeunt Angels.]

FAUSTUS.

My heart's so hardened, I cannot repent.
Scarce can I name salvation, faith, or heaven,(20)
But fearful echoes thunder in mine ears
“Faustus, thou art damned!” Then swords, and knives,
Poison, gun, halters, and envenomed steel
Are laid before me to despatch myself,(25)
And long ere this I should have slain myself,
Had not sweet pleasure conquered deep despair.
Have not I made blind Homer sing to me
Of Alexander's love and Oenon's death?
And hath not he that built the walls of Thebes(30)
With ravishing sound of his melodious harp,
Made music with my Mephistophilis?
Why should I die then, or basely despair?
I am resolved: Faustus shall ne'er repent.—
Come, Mephistophilis, let us dispute again,(35)
And argue of divine astrology.
Tell me, are there many heavens above the moon?
Are all celestial bodies but one globe,
As is the substance of this centric earth?

MEPHISTOPHILIS.

As are the elements, such are the spheres,(40)
Mutually folded in each other's orb,
And, Faustus, all jointly move upon one axletree,
Whose terminine is termed the world's wide pole;
Nor are the names of Saturn, Mars, or Jupiter(45)
Feigned, but are erring stars.

FAUSTUS.

But tell me, have they all one motion both, situ et tempore?

MEPHISTOPHILIS.

All jointly move from east to west in twenty-four
hours upon the poles of the world; but differ in(50)
their motion upon the poles of the zodiac.

FAUSTUS.

Tush! These slender trifles Wagner can decide;
Hath Mephistophilis no greater skill?
Who knows not the double motion of the planets?(55)
The first is finished in a natural day;
The second thus: as Saturn in thirty years; Jupiter in
twelve; Mars in four; the Sun, Venus, and Mercury in
a year; the Moon in twenty-eight days. Tush, these are
freshmen's suppositions. But, tell me, hath every sphere a(60)
dominion or intelligentia?

MEPHISTOPHILIS.

Ay.

FAUSTUS.

How many heavens, or spheres, are there?

MEPHISTOPHILIS.

Nine: the seven planets, the firmament, and the empyreal heaven.(65)

FAUSTUS.

Well, resolve me in this question: Why have we
not conjunctions, oppositions, aspects, eclipses, all at one
time, but in some years we have more, in some less?

MEPHISTOPHILIS.

Per inqualem motum respectu totius.

FAUSTUS.

Well, I am answered. Tell me who made the world? (70)

MEPHISTOPHILIS.

I will not.

FAUSTUS.

Sweet Mephistophilis, tell me.

MEPHISTOPHILIS.

Move me not, for I will not tell thee.

FAUSTUS.

Villain, have I not bound thee to tell me anything? (75)

MEPHISTOPHILIS.

Ay, that is not against our kingdom; but this is.
Think thou on hell, Faustus, for thou art damned.

FAUSTUS.

Think, Faustus, upon God that made the world.

MEPHISTOPHILIS.

Remember this.(80)

[Exit Mephistophilis.]

FAUSTUS.

Ay, go, accursed spirit, to ugly hell.
'Tis thou hast damned distressed Faustus' soul.
Is't not too late?

[Enter Good Angel and Evil Angel.]

EVIL ANGEL.

Too late.

GOOD ANGEL.

Never too late, if Faustus can repent.(85)

EVIL ANGEL.

If thou repent, devils shall tear thee in pieces.

GOOD ANGEL.

Repent, and they shall never raze thy skin.

[Exeunt Angels.]

FAUSTUS.

Ah, Christ, my Saviour,(90)
Seek to save distressed Faustus' soul!

[Enter Lucifer, Belzebub, and Mephistophilis.]

LUCIFER.

Christ cannot save thy soul, for he is just;
There's none but I have interest in the same.

FAUSTUS.

O, who art thou that look'st so terrible?

LUCIFER.

I am Lucifer, and this is my companion prince in hell. (95)

FAUSTUS.

O, Faustus, they are come to fetch away thy soul!

LUCIFER.

We come to tell thee thou dost injure us;
Thou talk'st of Christ, contrary to thy promise:(100)
Thou shouldst not think of God: think of the devil,
And of his dam too.

FAUSTUS.

Nor will I henceforth: pardon me in this,
And Faustus vows never to look to Heaven,
Never to name God, or to pray to him,(105)
To burn his Scriptures, slay his ministers,
And make my spirits pull his churches down.

LUCIFER.

Do so, and we will highly gratify thee. Faustus, we
are come from hell to show thee some pastime: sit down,
and thou shalt see all the Seven Deadly Sins appear in(110)
their proper shapes.

FAUSTUS.

That sight will be as pleasing unto me,
As Paradise was to Adam, the first day
Of his creation.

LUCIFER.

Talk not of Paradise nor creation, but mark this(115)
show: talk of the Devil, and nothing else: come away!

[Enter the Seven Deadly Sins.]

Now, Faustus, examine them of their several names and dispositions.

FAUSTUS.

What art thou—the first?

PRIDE.

I am Pride. I disdain to have any parents. I am like(120)
to Ovid's flea: I can creep into every corner of a wench;
sometimes, like a periwig, I sit upon her brow; or like
a fan of feathers, I kiss her lips; indeed I do—what do I
not? But, fie, what a scent is here! I'll not speak another
word, except the ground were perfumed, and covered(125)
with cloth of arras.

FAUSTUS.

What art thou—the second?

COVETOUSNESS.

I am Covetousness, begotten of an old
churl in an old leathern bag; and, might I have my wish
I would desire that this house and all the people in it(130)
were turned to gold, that I might lock you up in my good
chest. O, my sweet gold!

FAUSTUS.

What art thou—the third?

WRATH.

I am Wrath. I had neither father nor mother: I
leapt out of a lion's mouth when I was scarce half an(135)
hour old; and ever since I have run up and down the
world with this case of rapiers, wounding myself when
I had nobody to fight withal. I was born in hell; and
look to it, for some of you shall be my father.

FAUSTUS.

What art thou—the fourth?(140)

ENVY.

I am Envy, begotten of a chimney sweeper and an
oyster-wife. I cannot read, and therefore wish all books
were burnt. I am lean with seeing others eat. O that
there would come a famine through all the world, that
all might die, and I live alone! then thou should'st see(145)
how fat I would be. But must thou sit, and I stand!
Come down with a vengeance!

FAUSTUS.

Away, envious rascal! What art thou—the fifth?

GLUTTONY.

Who I, sir? I am Gluttony. My parents are(150)
all dead, and the devil a penny they have left me, but
a bare pension, and that is thirty meals a day and ten
bevers,—a small trifle to suffice nature. O, I come of
a royal parentage! My grandfather was a Gammon of
Bacon, my grandmother was a Hogshead of Claret-(155)
wine; my godfathers were these, Peter Pickleherring
and Martin Martlemas-beef; O, but my godmother,
she was a jolly gentlewoman, and well beloved in
every good town and city; her name was Mistress
Margery March-beer. Now, Faustus, thou hast heard(160)
all my progeny, wilt thou bid me to supper?

FAUSTUS.

No, I'll see thee hanged: thou wilt eat up all my victuals.

GLUTTONY.

Then the Devil choke thee!

FAUSTUS.

Choke thyself, glutton! Who art thou—the sixth? (165)

SLOTH.

I am Sloth. I was begotten on a sunny bank, where I
have lain ever since; and you have done me great injury
to bring me from thence: let me be carried thither again
by Gluttony and Lechery. I'll not speak another word for(170)
a king's ransom.

FAUSTUS.

What are you, Mistress Minx, the seventh and last?

LECHERY.

Who, I, sir? I am one that loves an inch of raw
mutton better than an ell of fried stockfish; and the first(175)
letter of my name begins with L.

LUCIFER.

Away, to hell, to hell! Now, Faustus, how dost thou like this?

[Exit the Seven Deadly Sins.]

FAUSTUS.

O, this feeds my soul!

LUCIFER.

Tut, Faustus, in hell is all manner of delight.(180)

FAUSTUS.

O might I see hell, and return again, how happy were I then!

LUCIFER.

Thou shalt; I will send for thee at midnight.
In meantime take this book; peruse it throughly,
And thou shalt turn thyself into what shape thou wilt.(185)

FAUSTUS.

Great thanks, mighty Lucifer! This will I keep as chary as my life.

LUCIFER.

Farewell, Faustus, and think on the Devil.

FAUSTUS.

Farewell, great Lucifer. Come, Mephistophilis.(190)

[Exeunt.]