Mediaeval Tales Part 31

After this Dr. Faustus set forth again to visit the countries of Spain, Portugal, France, England, Scotland, Denmark, Sweden, Poland, Muscovy, India, Cataia, Africa, Persia, and lastly, into Barbaria, amongst the Black Moors; and in all his wandering he was desirous to visit the ancient monuments and mighty hills, amongst the rest, beholding the high hill called Theno Reise, was desirous to rest upon it. From thence he went into the Isle of Britain, wherein he was greatly delighted to see the fair water and warm baths, the divers sorts of metal, with many precious stones and divers other commodities, the which Faustus brought thence with him. He was also at the Orcades behind Scotland, where he saw the tree that bringeth forth fruit, that when it is ripe, openeth and falleth in the water, wherein engendereth a certain kind of fowl and birds. These islands are in number twenty-three, but ten of them are not habitable, the other thirteen were inhabited.

From thence he went to the hill Caucasus, which is the highest in all that tropic: it lieth near the borders of Scythia. Hereon Faustus stood and beheld many lands and kingdoms. Faustus, being on such a high hill, thought to look over all the world, and beyond, for he went to Paradise, but he durst not commune with his spirit thereof; and being on the hill Caucasus, he saw the whole land of India and Scythia, and as he looked towards the east, he saw a mighty clear streak of fire coming from heaven upon earth, even as if it had been one of the beams of the sun.

He saw in the water four mighty waters springing, one had his course towards India, the second towards Egypt, the third and fourth towards Armenia. When he saw these he would needs know of his spirit what waters they were, and from whence they came?

His spirit gave him gently an answer, saying, "It is Paradise that lieth so far in the east, the garden that G.o.d himself hath planted with all manner of pleasure; and the fiery streams which thou seest is the wall or fence of the garden; but the clear light which thou seest afar of, that is the angel that hath the custody thereof with a fiery sword; and although thou thinkest thyself to be hard by, thou are yet further thither from hence than thou hast ever been. The water that thou seest divided in four parts, is the water that issueth out of the well in the middle of Paradise. The first is called Ganges or Pison, the second Gihon, the third Tygris, and the fourth Euphrates; also thou seest that he standeth under Libra and Aries, right towards the Zenith; and upon this fiery wall standeth the angel Michael with his flaming sword, to keep the tree of life, which he hath in charge. But," the spirit said to Faustus, "neither thou, nor I, nor any after us, yea, all men whatsoever, are denied to visit, or come any nearer than we be."

CHAPTER XXIV.

_Of a certain Comet that appeared in Germany, and how Dr. Faustus was desired by certain Friends of his to know the meaning thereof._

In Germany, over the town of St. Elzeben, was seen a mighty great comet, whereat the people wondered, but Dr. Faustus being there, was asked of certain of his friends his judgment or opinion in the matter; whereupon he answered: "It falleth out often by the course and change of the sun and moon, that the sun is under the earth, and the moon above; but when the moon draweth near the change, then is the sun so strong that it taketh away the light of the moon in such sort as she is red as blood; and, on the contrary side, after they have been together, she soon taketh her light from him, and so increasing in light to the full, she will be as red as the sun was before, and change herself into divers and sundry colours, of which springeth the prodigal monster, or, as you call it, a comet, which is a figure or token appointed of G.o.d as a forewarning of his displeasure: as at one time he sendeth hunger, plague, sword, or such like, being all tokens of his judgments, which comet cometh through the conjunction of the sun and moon, and begetteth a monster, whose father is the sun, and whose mother is the moon: moon and sun."

CHAPTER XXV.

_Another Question put forth to Dr. Faustus concerning the Stars._

There was a learned man of the town of Halberstat, named N. W., who invited Dr. Faustus to his table, but falling into communication before supper was ready, they looked out of the window, and seeing many stars in the firmament, this man being a doctor of physic, and a good astrologian, said: "Dr. Faustus, I have invited you as my guest, hoping you will take in good part with me, and withal, I request you to impart some of your experience in the stars and planets;" and seeing a star fall, he said: "I pray you, Faustus, what is the condition, quality, or greatness of the stars in the firmament?"

Faustus answered him: "My friend and brother, you see that the stars that fall from heaven, when they come to the earth, they be very small to our thinking as candles, but being fixed in the firmament, they are many as great as a city, some as great as a province or dukedom, others as great as the whole earth, other some far greater than the earth twelve times, and from the height of the heavens there is scarce any earth to be seen--yea, the planets in the heavens are some so great as this land, some so great as the whole empire of Rome, some as Turkey, yea, some as great as the whole world."

CHAPTER XXVI.

_How Faustus was asked a Question concerning the Spirits that vexed Men._

"That is most true," said he to Faustus, "concerning the stars and planets; but, I pray you, in what kind or manner do the spirits use to vex men so little by day and so greatly by night?"

Dr. Faustus answered: "Because the spirits are of G.o.d forbidden the light; their dwelling is in darkness, and the clearer the sun s.h.i.+neth, the farther the spirits have their abiding from it, but in the night when it is dark, they have their familiarity and abiding near unto us men. For although in the night we see not the sun, yet the brightness thereof so lighted the first moving of the firmament, as it doth here on earth in the day, by which reason we are able to see the stars and planets in the night, even so the rays of the sun piercing upwards into the firmament, the spirits abandon the place, and so come near us on earth, the darkness filling our heads with heavy dreams and fond fancies, with shrieking and crying in many deformed shapes: and sometimes when men go forth without light, there falleth to them a fear, that their hairs standeth up on end, so many start in their sleep, thinking there is a spirit by them, groping or feeling for him, going round about the house in their sleep, and many such like fancies, and all this is, because in the night the spirits are more familiarly by us than we are desirous of their company, and so they carry us, blinding us, and plaguing us more than we are able to perceive."

CHAPTER XXVII.

_How Dr. Faustus was asked a Question concerning the Stars that fell from Heaven._

Dr. Faustus being demanded the cause why the stars fall from heaven, he answered: "That it is but our opinion; for if one star fall, it is the great judgment of G.o.d upon us, as a forewarning of some great thing to come: for when we think that a star falleth, it is but as a spark that issueth from a candle or flame of fire; for if it were a substantial thing, we should not so soon lose the sight of them as we do. But likewise if so be that we see as it were a stream of fire fall from the firmament, as it oft happeneth, yet are they not stars, but as it were a flame of fire vanis.h.i.+ng, but the stars are substantial; therefore are they firm and not falling; if there fall any, it is a sign of some great matter to come, as a scourge to a people or country; and then such stars falling, and the gates of heaven are opened, and the clouds send forth floods and other plagues, to the damage of the whole land and people."

CHAPTER XXVIII.

_How Faustus was asked a Question concerning Thunder._

In the month of August there was over Wittenburg a mighty great lightning and thunder; and as Dr. Faustus was jesting merrily in the market-place with certain of his friends and companions, being physicians, they desired him to tell them the cause of that weather.

Faustus answered: "It hath been commonly seen heretofore that, before a thunder-clap, fell a shower of rain or a gale of wind; for commonly after a wind falleth rain, and after rain a thunder-clap, such thickness come to pa.s.s when the four winds meet together in the heavens, the airy clouds are by force beaten against the fixed crystal firmament, but when the airy clouds meet with the firmament, they are congealed, and so strike, and rush against the firmament, as great pieces of ice when they meet on the water; then each other sounded in our ears, and that we call thunder, which indeed was none other than you have heard."

THE THIRD AND LAST OF DR. FAUSTUS HIS MERRY CONCEITS, SHOWING AFTER WHAT SORT HE PRACTISED NECROMANCY IN THE COURTS OF GREAT PRINCES: AND, LASTLY, OF HIS FEARFUL AND PITIFUL END.

CHAPTER XXIX.

_How the Emperor Carolus Quintus requested of Faustus to see some of his Cunning, whereunto he agreed._

The Emperor Charles the Fifth of that name, was personally, with the rest of the n.o.bles and gentlemen, at the town of Intzbrack, where he kept his court, unto the which also Dr. Faustus resorted, and being there well known of divers n.o.bles and gentlemen, he was invited in the court to meat, even in the presence of the emperor, whom when the emperor saw, he looked earnestly upon him, thinking by his looks he was some wonderful fellow; wherefore he asked one of his n.o.bles whom he should be? He answered, that he was called Dr. Faustus. Whereupon the emperor held his peace until he had taken his repast; after which he called unto him Faustus into his privy-chamber; where being come, he said unto him: "Faustus, I have heard much of thee, that thou art excellent in the black art, and none like thee in my empire; for men say that thou hast a familiar spirit with thee, and that thou canst do what thou list. It is, therefore," said the emperor, "my request of thee that thou let me see proof of thy experience, and I vow unto thee, by the honour of my imperial crown, none evil shall happen unto thee for so doing."

Hereupon Dr. Faustus answered his Majesty, that upon those conditions he was ready in anything that he could to do his highness's command in what service he could appoint him.

"Well, hear then what I say," quoth the emperor. "Being once solitary in my house, I called to mind my elders and ancestors, how it was possible for them to attain to so great a degree and authority, yea, so high, that we, the successors of that line, are not able to come near.

As for example, the great and mighty monarch of the world, Alexander Magnus, was such a pattern and spectacle to all his successors, as the chronicles make mention of, having so great riches, conquering and subduing so many kingdoms, the which I and those that follow me (I fear) shall never be able to attain unto; wherefore, Faustus, my hearty desire is that thou wouldst vouchsafe to let me see that Alexander and his paramour, the which was praised to be so fair; and I pray thee show me them in such sort that I may see their personages, shapes, gesture and apparel, as they used in their lifetime, and that here before my face, to that end that I may say, I have my long desire fulfilled, and to praise thee to be a famous man in thy art and experience."

Dr. Faustus answered: "My most excellent lord, I am ready to accomplish your request in all things, so far forth as I and my spirit are able to perform; yet your Majesty shall know that their dead bodies are not able substantially to be brought before you; but such spirits as have seen Alexander and his paramour alive shall appear unto you in manner and form as they both lived in their most flouris.h.i.+ng time, and herewith I hope to please your imperial Majesty." Then Faustus went a little aside and spoke to his spirit, but he returned again presently, saying, "Now, if it please your Majesty, you shall see them, yet upon this condition, that you demand no question of them, nor speak unto them;" which the emperor agreed unto.

Whereupon Dr. Faustus opened the privy-chamber door, where presently entered the great and mighty emperor, Alexander Magnus, in all things to look upon as if he had been alive; in proportion, a strong set thick man, of a middle stature, black hair, and that both thick and curled, head and beard, red cheeks, and a broad face, with eyes like a basilisk; he had a complete harness furnished and engraven, exceeding rich to look upon; and so pa.s.sing towards the Emperor Carolus he made a low and reverend courtesy; whereat the Emperor Carolus would have stood up to receive and greet him with the like reverence. Faustus took hold on him, and would not permit him to do it. Shortly after Alexander made humble reverence, and went out again, and coming to the door, his paramour met him. She coming in, made the emperor likewise reverence. She was clothed in blue velvet, wrought and embroidered with pearls and gold; she was also excellent fair, like blood and milk mixed, tall and slender, with a face as round as an apple, and thus pa.s.sed they certain times up and down the house, which the emperor marking, said to himself, "Now I have seen two persons which my heart hath long wished to behold; and sure it cannot otherwise be," said he to himself, "but that the spirits have changed themselves into these forms, and have but deceived me," calling to mind the woman that raised the prophet Samuel. And for that the emperor should be more satisfied in the matter, he said, "I have often heard that behind in her neck she had a great wart or wen;" wherefore he took Faustus by the hand without any words, and went to see if it were able to be seen on her or not; but she perceiving that he came to her, bowed down her neck, where he saw a great wart, and hereupon she vanished, leaving the emperor and the rest well contented.

CHAPTER x.x.x.

_How Dr. Faustus, in the sight of the Emperor, conjured a Pair of Hart's Horns upon a Knight's Head, that slept out at a cas.e.m.e.nt._

When Dr. Faustus had accomplished the emperor's desire in all things as he was requested, he went forth into the gallery, and leaning over a rail to look into the privy garden, he saw many of the emperor's courtiers walking and talking together, and casting his eyes now this way, now that way, he espied a knight leaning out of the window of the great hall, who was fast asleep (for in those days it was hot); but the person shall be nameless that slept, for that he was a knight, though it was all done to no little disgrace of the gentleman. It pleased Dr.

Faustus, through the help of his spirit Mephistophiles, to fix on his head as he slept a huge pair of hart's horns; and as the knight awaked, thinking to pull in his head, he hit his horns against the gla.s.s, that the panes thereof flew about his ears. Think here how this good gentleman was vexed, for he could neither get backward nor forward; which, when the emperor heard, all the courtiers laughed, and came for to see what had happened. The emperor also, when he beheld the knight with so fair a head, laughed heartily thereat, and was therewith well pleased. At last Faustus made him quit of his horns again, but the knight perceived not how they came.