Literature, Medieval -- Translations into English; Tales
Hereat Dr. Faustus was sore afraid, and said, "My Mephistophiles, I will
write again what thou wilt." Then presently he sat him down, and with
his own blood wrote as followeth: which writing was afterwards sent to a
dear friend of Faustus, being his kinsman.
CHAPTER XLIX.
_How Dr. Faustus wrote the second time with his own Blood, and gave it
to the Devil._
I, Dr. John Faustus, _do acknowledge by this my deed and handwriting,
that since my first writing, which is seventeen years past, I have right
willingly held, and have been an utter enemy to God and all men; the
which I once again confirm, and give fully and wholly myself unto the
devil, both body and soul, even unto great Lucifer, and that at the end
of seven years ensuing after the date hereof, he shall have to do with
me according as it pleaseth him, either to lengthen or shorten my life
as it pleaseth him; and hereupon I renounce all persuaders, that seek to
withdraw me from my purpose by the word of God, either ghostly or bodily;
and farther I will never give ear to any man, be he spiritual or
temporal, that moveth any matter for the salvation of my soul. Of all
this writing, and that therein contained, be witness my blood, which
with my own hands I have begun and ended. Dated at Wittenburg, the 25th
of July._
And presently upon the making of this writing, he became so great an
enemy to the poor old man, that he sought his life by all means
possible; but this good old man was strong in the Holy Ghost, that he
could not be vanquished by any means; for about two days after that he
had exhorted Faustus, as the poor old man lay in his bed, suddenly there
was a mighty rumbling in the chamber, which he was never wont to hear,
and he heard as it had been the groaning of a sow, which lasted long:
whereupon the good old man began to jest and mock, and said, "Oh! what
barbarian cry is this? Oh, fair bird! what foul music is this? A fair
angel, that could not tarry two days in this place? Beginnest thou now
to turn into a poor man's house, where thou hast no power, and wert not
able to keep thine own two days?" With these and such like words the
spirit departed; and when he came home, Faustus asked him how he had
sped with the old man, to whom the spirit answered: "The old man was
harnessed so, that he could not once lay hold upon him;" but he would
not tell how the old man had mocked him, for the devils can never abide
to hear of their fall. Thus doth God defend the hearts of all honest
Christians that betake themselves to his tuition.
CHAPTER L.
_How Dr. Faustus made a Marriage between two Lovers._
In the city of Wittenburg was a student, a gallant gentleman, named N.
N. This gentleman was far in love with a gentlewoman, fair and proper of
personage: this gentlewoman had a knight that was a suitor unto her, and
many other gentlemen, which desired her in marriage, but none could
obtain her. So it was that in despair with himself, that he pined away
to skin and bones.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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