Literature, Medieval -- Translations into English; Tales
When Dr. Faustus called to mind that his time from day to day drew nigh,
he began to live a swinish and epicurish life. Wherefore he commanded
his spirit Mephistophiles to bring him seven of the fairest women that
he had seen in all the times of his travel; which being brought, he
liked them so well that he continued with them in all manner of love,
and made them to travel with him all his journeys. These women were two
Netherland, one Hungarian, one Scottish, two Walloon, one Franklander.
And with these sweet personages he continued long, yea, even to his last
end.
CHAPTER LIV.
_How Dr. Faustus found a Mass of Money, when he had consumed twenty-two
of his Years._
To the end that the devil would make Faustus his only heir, he showed
unto him where he should go and find a mighty huge mass of money, and
that he should find it in an old chapel that was fallen down, half a
mile distance from Wittenburg. There he bade him to dig, and he should
find it, which he did; and having digged reasonable deep, he saw a
mighty huge serpent, which lay on the treasure itself; the treasure
itself lay like a huge light burning; but Dr. Faustus charmed the
serpent, that he crept into a hole, and when he digged deeper to get up
the treasure, he found nothing but coals of fire. There he also saw and
heard many that were tormented; yet notwithstanding he brought away the
coals, and when he was come home, it was turned into silver and gold;
and after his death it was found by his servant, which was almost, by
estimation, one thousand guilders.
CHAPTER LV.
_How Dr. Faustus made the Spirit of fair Helena of Greece his own
Paramour in his twenty-third Year._
To the end that this miserable Faustus might fill the lust of his flesh
and live in all manner of voluptuous pleasure, it came in his mind,
after he had slept his first sleep, and in the twenty-third year past
of his time, that he had a great desire to lie with fair Helena of
Greece, especially her whom he had seen and shown unto the students at
Wittenburg; wherefore he called his spirit Mephistophiles, commanding
him to bring to him the fair Helena, which he also did.
Whereupon he fell in love with her, and made her his common companion,
for she was so beautiful and delightful that he could not be an hour
from her; if he should therefore have suffered death, she had stolen
away his heart, and to his seeming in time she had child, whom Faustus
named Justus Faustus. The child told Dr. Faustus many things which were
done in foreign countries, but in the end, when Faustus lost his life,
the mother and the child vanished away both together.
CHAPTER LVI.
_How Dr. Faustus made his Will, in which he named his Servant Wagner to
be his Heir._
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