The history of the damnable life and deserved death of Doctor John Faustus, 1592, together with The second report of Faustus, containing his appearances and the deeds of Wagner, 1594.
History
The history of the damnable life and deserved death of Doctor John Faustus, 1592, together with The second report of Faustus, containing his appearances and the deeds of Wagner, 1594.
Faust, -approximately 1540 -- Legends
Ass, the tail like a Cat, and Claws like an Ox, lacking nothing of an
ell broad. Then came Anobis; this Devil had a head like a Dog, white
and black hair in shape of a Hog, saving that he had but two feet, one
under his throat, the other at his tail: he was four ells long, with
hanging ears like a Bloodhound. After him came Dythycan, he was a short
thief in form of a Pheasant, with shining feathers, and four feet: his
neck was green, his body red, and his feet black. The last was called
Brachus, with four short feet like an Hedgehog, yellow and green: the
upper side of his body was brown, and the belly like blue flames of
fire; the tail red, like the tail of a Monkey. The rest of the Devils
were in form of insensible beasts, as Swine, Harts, Bears, Wolves,
Apes, Buffs, Goats, Antelopes, Elephants, Dragons, Horses, Asses,
Lions, Cats, Snakes, Toads, and all manner of ugly odious Serpents and
Worms: yet came in such sort, that every one at his entry into the
Hall, made their reverence unto Lucifer, and so took their places,
standing in order as they came, until they had filled the whole Hall:
wherewith suddenly fell a most horrible thunder-clap, that the house
shook as though it would have fallen to the ground, upon which every
monster had a muck-fork in his hand, holding them towards Faustus as
though they would have run a tilt at him: which when Faustus perceived,
he thought upon the words of Mephostophiles, when he told him how the
souls in hell were tormented, being cast from Devil to Devil upon
muck-forks, he thought verily to have been tormented there of them
in like sort. But Lucifer perceiving his thought, spake to him, my
Faustus, how likest thou this crew of mine? Quoth Faustus, why came
you not in another manner of shape? Lucifer replied, we cannot change
our hellish form, we have shewed ourselves here, as we are there; yet
can we blind men’s eyes in such sort, that when we will we repair unto
them, as if we were men or Angels of light, although our dwelling be
in darkness. Then said Faustus, I like not so many of you together,
whereupon Lucifer commanded them to depart, except seven of the
principal, forthwith they presently vanished, which Faustus perceiving,
he was somewhat better comforted, and spake to Lucifer, where is my
servant Mephostophiles, let me see if he can do the like, whereupon
came a fierce Dragon, flying and spitting fire round about the house,
and coming towards Lucifer, made reverence, and then changed himself
to the form of a Friar, saying, Faustus, what wilt thou? Saith Faustus,
I will that thou teach me to transform myself in like sort as thou
and the rest have done: then Lucifer put forth his Paw, and gave
Faustus a book, saying hold, do what thou wilt, which he looking upon,
straightways changed himself into a Hog, then into a Worm, then into
a Dragon, and finding this for his purpose, it liked him well. Quoth
he to Lucifer, and how cometh it that all these filthy forms are in
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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