[Footnote 175: Exeunt DEVILS with FAUSTUS-- In THE HISTORY OF DOCTOR FAUSTUS,
his "miserable and lamentable end" is described as follows: it
took place, we are informed, at "the village called Rimlich,
halfe a mile from Wittenberg."--"The students and the other that
were there, when they had prayed for him, they wept, and so went
forth; but Faustus tarried in the hall; and when the gentlemen
were laid in bed, none of them could sleepe, for that they att[e--nded
to heare if they might be privy of his end. It happened that
betweene twelve and one a clocke at midnight, there blew a mighty
storme of winde against the house, as though it would have blowne
the foundation thereof out of his place. Hereupon the students
began to feare and goe out of their beds, comforting one another;
but they would not stirre out of the chamber; and the host of
the house ran out of doores, thinking the house would fall. The
students lay neere unto the hall wherein Doctor Faustus lay, and
they heard a mighty noyse and hissing, as if the hall had beene
full of snakes and adders. With that, the hall-doore flew open,
wherein Doctor Faustus was, that he began to cry for helpe,
saying, Murther, murther! but it came forth with halfe a voyce,
hollowly: shortly after, they heard him no more. But when it was
day, the students, that had taken no rest that night, arose and
went into the hall, in the which they left Doctor Faustus; where
notwithstanding they found not Faustus, but all the hall lay
sprinkled with blood, his braines cleaving to the wall, for the
devill had beaten him from one wall against another; in one corner
lay his eyes, in another his teeth; a pittifull and fearefull
sight to behold. Then began the students to waile and weepe for
him, and sought for his body in many places. Lastly, they came
into the yard, where they found his body lying on the horse-dung,
most monstrously torne and fearefull to behold, for his head and
all his joynts were dashed in peeces. The fore-named students and
masters that were at his death, have obtained so much, that they
buried him in the village where he was so grievously tormented.
After the which they returned to Wittenberg; and comming into the
house of Faustus, they found the servant of Faustus very sad,
unto whom they opened all the matter, who tooke it exceeding
heavily. There found they also this history of Doctor Faustus
noted and of him written, as is before declared, all save only
his end, the which was after by the students thereto annexed;
further, what his servant had noted thereof, was made in another
booke. And you have heard that he held by him in his life the
spirit of faire Helena, the which had by him one sonne, the which
he named Justus Faustus: even the same day of his death they
vanished away, both mother and sonne. The house before was so
darke that scarce any body could abide therein. The same night
Doctor Faustus appeared unto his servant lively, and shewed unto
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