Dr. Faustus - Christopher Marlowe (best desktop ebook reader TXT) š
- Author: Christopher Marlowe
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GLUTTONY. Who I, sir? I am Gluttony. My parents are 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,āa small trifle to suffice nature. O, I come of a royal parentage! my grandfather was a Gammon of Bacon, my grandmother a Hogshead of Claret-wine; my godfathers were these, Peter Pickle-herring 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 all my progeny; wilt thou bid me to supper?
FAUSTUS. No, Iāll see thee hanged: thou wilt eat up all my victuals.
GLUTTONY. Then the devil choke thee!
FAUSTUS. Choke thyself, glutton!āWhat art thou, the sixth?
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. Iāll not speak another word for a kingās 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 stock-fish; and the first letter of my name begins with L.
FAUSTUS. Away, to hell, to hell! [Exeunt the SINS.]
LUCIFER. Now, Faustus, how dost thou like this?
FAUSTUS. O, this feeds my soul!
LUCIFER. Tut, Faustus, in hell is all manner of delight.
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.
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. [Exeunt LUCIFER and BELZEBUB.]
Come, Mephistophilis. [Exeunt.]
Enter CHORUS.
CHORUS. Learned Faustus, To know the secrets of astronomy Graven in the book of Joveās high firmament, Did mount himself to scale Olympusā top, Being seated in a chariot burning bright, Drawn by the strength of yoky dragonsā necks. He now is gone to prove cosmography, And, as I guess, will first arrive at Rome, To see the Pope and manner of his court, And take some part of holy Peterās feast, That to this day is highly solemnizād. [Exit.]
Enter FAUSTUS and MEPHISTOPHILIS.
FAUSTUS. Having now, my good Mephistophilis, Passād with delight the stately town of Trier, Environād round with airy mountain-tops, With walls of flint, and deep-entrenched lakes, Not to be won by any conquering prince; From Paris next, coasting the realm of France, We saw the river Maine fall into Rhine, Whose banks are set with groves of fruitful vines; Then up to Naples, rich Campania, Whose buildings fair and gorgeous to the eye, The streets straight forth, and pavād with finest brick, Quarter the town in four equivalents: There saw we learned Maroās golden tomb, The way he cut, an English mile in length, Thorough a rock of stone, in one nightās space; From thence to Venice, Padua, and the rest, In one of which a sumptuous temple stands, That threats the stars with her aspiring top. Thus hitherto hath Faustus spent his time: But tell me now what resting-place is this? Hast thou, as erst I did command, Conducted me within the walls of Rome?
MEPHIST. Faustus, I have; and, because we will not be unprovided, I have taken up his Holinessā privy-chamber for our use.
FAUSTUS. I hope his Holiness will bid us welcome.
MEPHIST. Tut, ātis no matter; man; weāll be bold with his good cheer. And now, my Faustus, that thou mayst perceive What Rome containeth to delight thee with, Know that this city stands upon seven hills That underprop the groundwork of the same: Just through the midst runs flowing Tiberās stream With winding banks that cut it in two parts; Over the which four stately bridges lean, That make safe passage to each part of Rome: Upon the bridge callād Ponte Angelo Erected is a castle passing strong, Within whose walls such store of ordnance are, And double cannons framād of carved brass, As match the days within one complete year; Besides the gates, and high pyramides, Which Julius Caesar brought from Africa.
FAUSTUS. Now, by the kingdoms of infernal rule, Of Styx, of Acheron, and the fiery lake Of ever-burning Phlegethon, I swear That I do long to see the monuments And situation of bright-splendent Rome: Come, therefore, letās away.
MEPHIST. Nay, Faustus, stay: I know youād fain see the Pope, And take some part of holy Peterās feast, Where thou shalt see a troop of bald-pate friars, Whose summum bonum is in belly-cheer.
FAUSTUS. Well, Iām content to compass then some sport, And by their folly make us merriment. Then charm me, that I May be invisible, to do what I please, Unseen of any whilst I stay in Rome. [Mephistophilis charms him.]
MEPHIST. So, Faustus; now Do what thou wilt, thou shalt not be discernād.
Sound a Sonnet. Enter the POPE and the CARDINAL OF LORRAIN to the banquet, with FRIARS attending.
POPE. My Lord of Lorrain, willāt please you draw near?
FAUSTUS. Fall to, and the devil choke you, an you spare!
POPE. How now! whoās that which spake?āFriars, look about.
FIRST FRIAR. Hereās nobody, if it like your Holiness.
POPE. My lord, here is a dainty dish was sent me from the Bishop of Milan.
FAUSTUS. I thank you, sir. [Snatches the dish.]
POPE. How now! whoās that which snatched the meat from me? will no man look?āMy lord, this dish was sent me from the Cardinal of Florence.
FAUSTUS. You say true; Iāll haāt. [Snatches the dish.]
POPE. What, again!āMy lord, Iāll drink to your grace.
FAUSTUS. Iāll pledge your grace. [Snatches the cup.]
C. OF LOR. My lord, it may be some ghost, newly crept out of Purgatory, come to beg a pardon of your Holiness.
POPE. It may be so.āFriars, prepare a dirge to lay the fury of this ghost.āOnce again, my lord, fall to. [The POPE crosses himself.]
FAUSTUS. What, are you crossing of yourself? Well, use that trick no more, I would advise you. [The POPE crosses himself again.]
Well, thereās the second time. Aware the third; I give you fair warning. [The POPE crosses himself again, and FAUSTUS hits him a box of the ear; and they all run away.]
Come on, Mephistophilis; what shall we do?
MEPHIST. Nay, I know not: we shall be cursed with bell, book, and candle.
FAUSTUS. How! bell, book, and candle,ācandle, book, and bell,ā Forward and backward, to curse Faustus to hell! Anon you shall hear a hog grunt, a calf bleat, and an ass bray, Because it is Saint Peterās holiday.
Re-enter all the FRIARS to sing the Dirge.
FIRST FRIAR. Come, brethren, letās about our business with good devotion.
They sing.
CURSED BE HE THAT STOLE AWAY HIS HOLINESSā MEAT FROM THE TABLE! maledicat Dominus! CURSED BE HE THAT STRUCK HIS HOLINESS A BLOW ON THE FACE! maledicat Dominus! CURSED BE HE THAT TOOK FRIAR SANDELO A BLOW ON THE PATE! maledicat Dominus! CURSED BE HE THAT DISTURBETH OUR HOLY DIRGE! maledicat Dominus! CURSED BE HE THAT TOOK AWAY HIS HOLINESSā WINE! maledicat Dominus? sic> Et omnes Sancti! Amen!
[MEPHISTOPHILIS and FAUSTUS beat the FRIARS, and fling fire-works among them; and so exeunt.]
Enter CHORUS.
CHORUS. When Faustus had with pleasure taāen the view Of rarest things, and royal courts of kings, He stayād his course, and so returned home; Where such as bear his absence but with grief, I mean his friends and nearāst companions, Did gratulate his safety with kind words, And in their conference of what befell, Touching his journey through the world and air, They put forth questions of astrology, Which Faustus answerād with such learned skill As they admirād and wonderād at his wit. Now is his fame spread forth in every land: Amongst the rest the Emperor is one, Carolus the Fifth, at whose palace now Faustus is feasted āmongst his noblemen. What there he did, in trial of his art, I leave untold; your eyes shall see[āt] performād. [Exit.]
Enter ROBIN the Ostler, with a book in his hand.
ROBIN. O, this is admirable! here I haā stolen one of Doctor Faustusā conjuring-books, and, iāfaith, I mean to search some circles for my own use. Now will I make all the maidens in our parish dance at my pleasure, stark naked, before me; and so by that means I shall see more than eāer I felt or saw yet.
Enter RALPH, calling ROBIN.
RALPH. Robin, prithee, come away; thereās a gentleman tarries to have his horse, and he would have his things rubbed and made clean: he keeps such a chafing with my mistress about it; and she has sent me to look thee out; prithee, come away.
ROBIN. Keep out, keep out, or else you are blown up, you are dismembered, Ralph: keep out, for I am about a roaring piece of work.
RALPH. Come, what doest thou with that same book? thou canst not read?
ROBIN. Yes, my master and mistress shall find that I can read, he for his forehead, she for her private study; sheās born to bear with me, or else my art fails.
RALPH. Why, Robin, what book is that?
ROBIN. What book! why, the most intolerable book for conjuring that eāer was invented by any brimstone devil.
RALPH. Canst thou conjure with it?
ROBIN. I can do all these things easily with it; first, I can make thee drunk with ippocras at any tabern in Europe for nothing; thatās one of my conjuring works.
RALPH. Our Master Parson says thatās nothing.
ROBIN. True, Ralph: and more, Ralph, if thou hast any mind to Nan Spit, our kitchen-maid, then turn her and wind her to thy own use, as often as thou wilt, and at midnight.
RALPH. O, brave, Robin! shall I have Nan Spit, and to mine own use? On that condition Iāll feed thy devil with horse-bread as long as he lives, of free cost.
ROBIN. No more, sweet Ralph: letās go and make clean our boots, which lie foul upon our hands, and then to our conjuring in the devilās name. [Exeunt.]
Enter ROBIN and RALPH with a silver goblet.
ROBIN. Come, Ralph: did not I tell thee, we were for ever made by this Doctor Faustusā book? ecce, signum! hereās a simple purchase for horse-keepers: our horses shall eat no hay as long as this lasts.
RALPH. But, Robin, here comes the Vintner.
ROBIN. Hush! Iāll gull him supernaturally.
Enter VINTNER.
Drawer, I hope all is paid; God be with you!āCome, Ralph.
VINTNER. Soft, sir; a word with you. I must yet have a goblet paid from you, ere you go.
ROBIN. I a goblet, Ralph, I a goblet!āI scorn you; and you are but a, &c. I a goblet! search me.
VINTNER. I mean so, sir, with your favour. [Searches ROBIN.]
ROBIN. How say you now?
VINTNER. I must say somewhat to your fellow.āYou, sir!
RALPH. Me, sir! me, sir! search your fill. [VINTNER searches him.] Now, sir, you may be ashamed to burden honest men with a matter of truth.
VINTNER. Well, tone of you hath this goblet about you.
ROBIN. You lie, drawer, ātis afore me [Aside].āSirrah you, Iāll teach you to impeach honest men;āstand by;āIāll scour you for a goblet;āstand aside you had best, I charge you in the name of Belzebub.āLook to the goblet, Ralph [Aside to RALPH].
VINTNER. What mean you, sirrah?
ROBIN. Iāll tell you what I mean. [Reads from a book] Sanctobulorum Periphrasticonānay, Iāll tickle you, Vintner.āLook to the goblet, Ralph [Aside to RALPH].ā[Reads] Polypragmos Belseborams framanto pacostiphos tostu, Mephistophilis, &c.
Enter MEPHISTOPHILIS, sets squibs at their backs, and then exit. They run
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