miserable Faustus; how have I been deceived? had not I desired to know so much, I had not been in this case: for having studied the lives of the holy Saints and Prophets, and thereby thought myself to understand sufficient in heavenly matters, I thought myself not worthy to be called Doctor Faustus, if I should not also know the secrets of hell, and be associated with the furious Fiend thereof; now therefore must I be rewarded accordingly. Which speeches being uttered, Faustus went very sorrowfully away from Mephostophiles. CHAPTER XV _How Doctor Faustus desired again of his Spirit to know the secrets and pains of hell; and whether those damned Devils and their company might ever come into the favour of God again or not?_ Doctor Faustus was ever pondering with himself how he might get loose from so damnable an end as he had given himself unto, both of body and soul: but his repentance was like to that of Cain and Judas, he thought his sins greater than God could forgive, hereupon rested his mind: he looked up to heaven, but saw nothing therein; for his heart was so possessed with the Devil, that he could think of nought else but of hell, and the pains thereof. Wherefore in all the haste he calleth unto him his Spirit Mephostophiles, desiring him to tell him some more of the secrets of hell, what pains the damned were in, and how they were tormented, and whether the damned souls might get again the favour of God, and so be released out of their torments or not: whereupon the Spirit answered, my Faustus, thou mayest well leave to question any more of such matters, for they will but disquiet thy mind, I pray thee what meanest thou? Thinkest thou through these thy fantasies to escape us? No, for if thou shouldst climb up to heaven, there to hide thyself, yet would I thrust thee down again; for thou art mine, and thou belongest unto our society: therefore sweet Faustus, thou wilt repent this thy foolish demand, except thou be content that I shall tell thee nothing. Quoth Faustus ragingly, I will know, or I will not live, wherefore dispatch and tell me: to whom Mephostophiles answered, Faustus, it is no trouble unto me at all to tell thee, and therefore sith thou forcest me thereto, I will tell thee things to the terror of thy soul, if thou wilt abide the hearing. Thou wilt have me tell thee of the secrets of hell, and of the pains thereof: know Faustus, that hell hath many figures, semblances, and names, but it cannot be named nor figured in such sort unto the living that are damned, as it is unto those that are dead, and do both see and feel the torments thereof: for hell is said to be deadly, out of the which came never any to life again but one, but he is as nothing for thee to reckon upon, hell is bloodthirsty, and is never satisfied; hell is a valley, into the which the damned souls fall: for so soon as the soul is out of man’s body, it would gladly go to the place from whence it came, and climbeth