surgat Mephistophilis, quod tumeraris] The later 4tos have "surgat Mephistophilis Dragon, quod tumeraris."There is a corruption here, which seems to defy emendation. For "quod tumeraris," Mr. J. Crossley, of Manchester, would read (rejecting the word "Dragon") "quòd tu mandares" (the construction being "quod tu mandares ut Mephistophilis appareat et surgat"): but the "tu" does not agree with the preceding "vos."-The Revd. J. Mitford proposes "surgat Mephistophilis, per Dragon (or Dagon) quod numen est aëris." t dicatus] So two of the later 4tos.-2to 1604 "dica tis." Re-enter Mephistophilis, &c.] According to The History of Dr. Faustus, on which this play is founded, Faustus raises Mephistophilis in "a thicke wood neere to Wittenberg, called in the German tongue Spisser Wolt.. Presently, not three fathom above his head, fell a flame in manner of a lightning, and changed itselfe into a globe. Suddenly the globe opened, and sprung up in the height of a man; so burning a time, in the end it converted to the shape of a fiery man [?] This pleasant beast ran about the circle a great while, and, lastly, appeared in the manner of a Gray Fryer, asking Faustus what was his request?" Sigs. A 2, A 3, ed. 1648. Again; "After Doctor Faustus had made his promise to the devill, in the morning betimes he called the spirit before him, and commanded him that he should alwayes come to him like a fryer after the order of Saint Francis, with a bell in his hand like Saint Anthony, and to ring it once or twice before he appeared, that he might know of his certaine coming." Id. Sig. A 4. Already done; and holds this principle, Meph. Arch-regent and commander of all spirits. Faust. Was not that Lucifer an angel once? Meph. Yes, Faustus, and most dearly lov'd of God. Faust. How comes it, then, that he is prince of devils? Meph. O, by aspiring pride and insolence; For which God threw him from the face of heaven. Faust. And what are you that live with Lucifer? Meph. Unhappy spirits that fell with Lucifer, Conspir'd against our God with Lucifer, And are for ever damn'd with Lucifer. Faust. Where are you damn'd? Meph. In hell. Faust. How comes it, then, that thou art out of hell?' Meph. Why, this is hell, nor am I out of it:‡ * came hither] So two of the later 4tos.-2to 1604 "came now hither." + accidens] So two of the later 4tos.-2to 1604 "accident." Why, this is hell, nor am I out of it] Compare Milton, Par. Lost, iv. 75; "Which way I fly is hell; myself am hell.' Think'st thou that I, who saw the face of God, Am not tormented with ten thousand hells, For being deprived of the joys of heaven? So he will spare him four and twenty ‡ years, To give me whatsoever I shall ask, To tell me whatsoever I demand, To slay mine enemies, and aid my friends, Go and return to mighty Lucifer, And meet me in my study at midnight, [Exit. Faust. Had I as many souls as there be stars, I'd give them all for Mephistophilis. By him I'll be great emperor of the world, And make a bridge thorough || the moving air, To pass the ocean with a band of men; I'll join the hills that bind the Afric shore, And make that country ¶ continent to Spain, And both contributory to my crown: The Emperor shall not live but by my leave, Nor any potentate of Germany. Now that I have obtain'd what I desir'd,** * these] So the later 4tos.-2to 1604 "those." Jove's] See note 1, p. 80. four and twenty] So the later 4tos.-2to 1604 "24." § resolve] i. e. satisfy, inform. I thorough] So one of the later 4tos. - 2to 1604 "through." ¶ country] So the later 4tos.-2to 1604 "land." ** desir'd] So the later 4tos.-2to 1604 "desire." tt Enter Wagner, &c.] Scene, a street most probably. I pickadevaunts] i. e. beards cut to a point. Wag. Tell me, sirrah, hast thou any comings in? Clown. Ay, and goings out too; you may see else. Wag. Alas, poor slave! see how poverty jesteth in his nakedness! the villain is bare and out of service, and so hungry, that I know he would give his soul to the devil for a shoulder of mutton, though it were blood-raw. Clown. How! my soul to the devil for a shoulder of mutton, though 'twere blood-raw! not so, good friend: by'r lady,* I had need have it well roasted, and good sauce to it, if I pay so dear. Wag. Well, wilt thou serve me, and I'll make thee go like Qui mihi discipulus ? † Clown. How, in verse? Wag. No, sirrah; in beaten silk and stavesacre.‡ Clown. How, how, knaves-acre! ay, I thought that was all the land his father left him. Do you hear? I would be sorry to rob you of your living. Wag. Sirrah, I say in staves-acre. Clown. Oho, oho, staves-acre! why, then, belike, if I were your man, I should be full of vermin.§ Wag. So thou shalt, whether thou beest with me or no. But, sirrah, leave your jesting, and bind yourself presently unto me for seven years, or I'll turn all the lice about thee into familiars,|| and they shall tear thee in pieces. Clown. Do you hear, sir? you may save that labour; they are too familiar with me already: swowns, they are as bold with my flesh as if they had paid for their¶ meat and drink. Wag. Well, do you hear, sirrah? hold, take these guilders. [Gives money. Clown. Gridirons! what be they? Wag. Why, French crowns. Clown. Mass, but for the name of French crowns, a man were as good have as many English counters. And what should I do with these? Wag. Why, now, sirrah, thou art at an hour's *by'r lady] i. e. by our Lady. + Qui mihi discipulus] The first words of W. Lily's Ad discipulos carmen de moribus,— "Qui mihi discipulus, puer, es, cupis atque doceri, Huc ades," &c. ↑ staves-acre] A species of larkspur. § vermin] Which the seeds of staves-acre were used to destroy. I familiars] i. e. attendant-demons. the later 4tos.-2to 1604 "my." warning, whensoever or wheresoever the devil shall fetch thee. Clown. No, no; here, take your gridirons again. Wag. Truly, I'll none of them. Clown. Truly, but you shall. to fetch thee away.-Baliol and Belcher ! Clown. Let your Baliol and your Belcher come here, and I'll knock them, they were never so knocked since they were devils: say I should kill one of them, what would folks say? "Do ye see yonder tall fellow in the round slop?* he has killed the devil." So I should be called Killdevil all the parish over. Enter two Devils; and the Clown runs up and down crying. Wag. Baliol and Belcher, spirits, away! [Exeunt Devils. Clown. What, are they gone? a vengeance on them! they have vile† long nails. There was a he-devil and a she-devil: I'll tell you how you shall know them; all he-devils has horns, and all she-devils has clifts and cloven feet. Wag. Well, sirrah, follow me. Clown. But, do you hear? if I should serve you, would you teach me to raise up Banios and Belcheos? Wag. I will teach thee to turn thyself to any thing, to a dog, or a cat, or a mouse, or a rat, or any thing. Clown. How! a Christian fellow to a dog, or a cat, a mouse, or a rat! no, no, sir; if you turn me into any thing, let it be in the likeness of a little pretty frisking flea, that I may be here and there and every where: O, I'll tickle the pretty wenches' plackets! I'll be amongst them, i'faith. Wag. Well, sirrah, come. Clown. But, do you hear, Wagner? Wag. How!-Baliol and Belcher ! Clown. O Lord! I pray, sir, let Banio and Belcher go sleep. Wag. Villain, call me Master Wagner, and let thy left eye be diametarily fixed upon my right heel, with quasi vestigiis nostris insistere. [Exit. Clown. God forgive me, he speaks Dutch * slop] i. e. wide breeches. † vile] Old ed. "vild." See note 1, p. 68. vestigiis nostris] All the 4tos "vestigias nostras." E. Ang. Rather illusions, fruits of lunacy, That make men foolish that do trust them most. G. Ang. Sweet Faustus, think of heaven and heavenly things. E. Ang. No, Faustus; think of honour and of* wealth. [Exeunt Angels. Faust. Of wealth! 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;— Is't not midnight?-come, Mephistophilis, Veni, veni, Mephistophile! And write a deed of gift with thine own blood; Faust. Stay, Mephistophilis, and tell me, what good will my soul do thy lord? Faust. So, now the blood begins to clear again; Meph. Solamen miseris socios habuisse doloris.+ If unto God, he'll throw met down to hell. others! men. Meph. I'll fetch him somewhat to delight his Meph. Enlarge his kingdom. Faust. Is that the reason why he tempts us thus? But, tell me, Faustus, shall I have thy soul? And bind thy soul, that at some certain day Faust. [Stabbing his arm] Lo, Mephistophilis, for love of thee, My blood congeals, and I can write no more. Meph. I'll fetch thee fire to dissolve it straight. [Exit. Faust. What might the staying of my blood portend? I cut mine arm, and with my proper blood Meph. But, Faustus, thou must Here, Mephistophilis, receive this scroll, Faust. Ay, so I will [Writes]. But, Mephis- All articles prescrib'd between us both. tophilis, Meph. Faustus, I swear by hell and Lucifer To effect all promises between us made! Faust. Then hear me read them. [Reads] On these conditions following. 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.‡ Is it unwilling I should write this bill?¶ own? Then write again, Faustus gives to thee his soul. Re-enter MEPHISTOPHILIS with a chafer of coals. Meph. Here's fire; come, Faustus, set it on. ** Re-enter MEPHISTOPHILIS with Devils, who give crowns and rich apparel to FAUSTUS, dance, and then depart. Faust. Speak, Mephistophilis, what means this show? why] So the later 4tos.-Not in 4to 1604. + Solamen miseris, &c.] An often-cited line of modern Latin poetry: by whom it was written I know not. Why] So the later 4tos.-Not in 4to 1604. § torture] So the later 4tos.-2to 1604 "tortures." ** Here's fire; come, Faustus, set it on] This would not Meph. Nothing, Faustus, but to delight thy And to shew thee what magic can perform. Meph. Ay, Faustus, and do greater things than Faust. Then there's enough for a thousand souls. be intelligible without the assistance of The History of Dr. Faustus, the sixth chapter of which is headed,"How Doctor Faustus set his blood in a saucer on warme ashes, and writ as followeth." Sig. B, ed. 1648. * But what is this inscription, &c.] "He [Faustus] tooke a small penknife and prickt a veine in his left hand; and for certainty thereupon were seen on his hand these words written, as if they had been written with blood, 0 homo, fuge." The History of Dr. Faustus, Sig. B, ed. 1648. me] So the later 4tos.-2to 1604 "thee." the desires] Not in any of the four 4tos. In the tract just cited, the "3d Article" stands thus,-"That Mephostophiles should bring him any thing, and doe for him whatsoever." Sig. A 4, ed. 1648. A later ed. adds "he desired." Marlowe, no doubt, followed some edition of the History in which these words, or something equivalent Fourthly, that he shall be in his chamber or 'house invisible. Lastly, that he shall appear tɔ the said John Faustus, at all times, in what form or shape soever he please. I, John Farstus, 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 the said John Faustus, body and soul, flesh, blood, or goods, into their habitation wheresoever. By me, John Faustus. Meph. Speak, Faustus, do you deliver this as your deed? Faust. Ay, take it, and the devil give thee good on't! Faust. Why, think'st thou, then, that Faustus shall be damn'd? Meph. Ay, of necessity, for here's the scroll Faust. Ay, and body too: but what of that? For I am damn'd, and am now in hell. Faust. How! now in hell! Nay, an this be hell, I'll willingly be damn'd here: Meph. Now, Faustus, ask what thou wilt. Marriage is but a ceremonial toy; If thou lovest me, think not more of it. Meph. Within the bowels of these + elements, All places shall be hell that are § not heaven. Be she as chaste as was Penelope, to them, had been omitted by mistake. (2to 1661, which I consider as of no authority, has "he requireth.") that, &c.] So all the 4tos, ungrammatically. † these] See note §, p. 80. there] So the later 4tos.-Not in 4to 1604. But, leaving off this, let me have a wife,* § are] So two of the later 4tos.-2to 1604 "is." fond] i. e. foolish. What! walking, disputing, &c.] The later 4tos have 64 What, sleeping, eating, walking, and disputing!" But I prithee, Faustus, talk not of a wife. Faust. Nay, sweet Mephistophilis, fetch me one; for I will have one. Meph. Well, thou wilt have one? Sit there till I come: I'll fetch thee a wife in the devil's name. [Exit. Re-enter MEPRISTOPHILIS with a Devil drest like a Woman, with fire-works. Meph. Tell me,† Faustus, how dost thou like Faust. A plague on her for a hot whore ! it is evident that this speech is not given correctly in any of the old eds. * let me have a wife, &c.] The ninth chapter of The History of Dr. Faustus narrates "How Doctor Faustus would have married, and how the Devil had almost killed him for it," and concludes as follows. "It is no jesting [said Mephistophilis] with us: hold thou that which thou hast vowed, and we will performe as we have promised; and more than that, thou shalt have thy hearts desire of what woman soever thou wilt, be she alive or dead, and so long as thou wilt thou shalt keep her by thee.-These words pleased Faustus wonderfull well, and repented himself that he was so foolish to wish himselfe married, that might have any woman in the whole city brought him at his command; the which he practised and persevered in a long time." Sig. B 3, ed. 1648. tme] Not in 4to 1604. (This line is wanting in the later 4tos.) no] So the later 4tos.-Not in 4to 1604. § Saba] i. e. Sabaa-the Queen of Sheba. || iterating] i. e. reciting, repeating. |
