Literature, Medieval -- Translations into English; Tales
But within two hours after Faustus called again to his spirit, who came
in his old manner like a friar. Then Faustus said unto him, "I am not
able to resist or bridle my fancy; I must and will have a wife, and I
pray thee give thy consent to it." Suddenly upon these words came such a
whirlwind about the place that Faustus thought the whole house would
have come down; all the doors of the house flew off the hooks. After all
this his house was full of smoke, and the floor covered with ashes;
which, when Dr. Faustus perceived, he would have gone upstairs, and
flying up he was taken and thrown down into the hall, that he was not
able to stir hand nor foot; then round about him ran a monstrous circle
of fire, never standing still, that Faustus cried as he lay, and
thought there to have been burned. Then cried he out to his spirit
Mephistophiles for help, promising him he would live, for all this, as
he had vowed by his handwriting. Hereupon appeared unto him an ugly
devil, so dreadful and monstrous to behold, that Faustus durst not look
on him. The devil said, "What wouldst thou have, Faustus? How likest
thou thy wedding? What mind art thou in now?" Faustus answered, he had
forgot his promise, desiring of him pardon, and he would talk no more of
such things. "Thou art best so to do;" and so vanished from him.
After appeared unto him his friar Mephistophiles, with a bell in his
hand, and spake to Faustus: "It is no jesting with us; hold thou that
which thou hast vowed, and we will perform that which we have promised;
and more than that, thou shalt have thy heart's 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 wonderful well, and
repented himself that he was so foolish to wish himself 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.
CHAPTER X.
_Questions put forth by Dr. Faustus unto his Spirit Mephistophiles._
Dr. Faustus living in all manner of pleasure that his heart could
desire, continuing of his amorous drifts, his delicate fare, and costly
apparel, called on a time his Mephistophiles to him, who being come,
brought him a book in his hand of all manner of devilish and enchanting
arts, the which he gave Faustus, saying, "Hold, my Faustus; work now thy
heart's desire." The copy of this enchanting book was afterwards found
by his servant Christopher Wagner. "Well," quoth Faustus to his spirit,
"I have called thee to know what thou canst do if I have need of thy
help."
Then answered Mephistophiles, and said, "My lord Faustus, I am a flying
spirit, yea, so swift as thought can think, to do whatsoever."
Here Faustus said, "But how came lord and master Lucifer to have so
great a fall from heaven?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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