Soon after Faustus retired from Inspruck. Meanwhile the knight, having
conceived a high resentment against the conjuror, waylaid him with
seven horsemen on the road by which he had to pass. Faustus however
perceived them, and immediately made himself invisible. Meanwhile the
knight spied on every side to discover the conjuror; but, as he was
thus employed, he heard a sudden noise of drums and trumpets and
cymbals, and saw a regiment of horse advancing against him. He
immediately turned off in another direction; but was encountered by a
second regiment of horse. This occurred no less than six times; and
the knight and his companions were compelled to surrender at
discretion. These regiments were so many devils; and Faustus now
appeared in a new form as the general of this army. He obliged the
knight and his party to dismount, and give up their swords. Then with
a seeming generosity he gave them new horses and new swords, But this
was all enchantment. The swords presently turned into switches; and
the horses, plunging into a river on their road, vanished from beneath
their riders, who were thoroughly drenched in the stream, and scarcely
escaped with their lives.
Many of Faustus's delusions are rather remarkable as tricks of merry
vexation, than as partaking of those serious injuries which we might
look for in an implement of hell. In one instance he inquired of a
countryman who was driving a load of hay, what compensation he would
judge reasonable for the doctor's eating as much of his hay as he
should be inclined to. The waggoner replied, that for half a stiver
(one farthing) he should be welcome to eat as much as he pleased. The
doctor presently fell to, and ate at such a rate, that the peasant was
frightened lest his whole load should be consumed. He therefore
offered Faustus a gold coin, value twenty-seven shillings, to be off
his bargain. The doctor took it; and, when the countryman came to his
journey's end, he found his cargo undiminished even by a single blade.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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