The Historical Faustus                                                           About the Faust Book

A History of the Emperor Charles V

and Doctor Faustus

XXIII

Our Emperor Charles the Fifth of that name was come with his court entourage to Innsbruck, whither Doctor Faustus had also resorted. Well acquainted with his arts and skill were divers knights and counts, particularly those whom he had relieved of sundry pains and diseases, so that he was invited, summonsed and accompanied to meat at court. Here the Emperor espied him and wondered who he might be. When someone remarked that it was Doctor Faustus, the Emperor noted it well but held his peace until after meat (this being in the summer and after St. Philip and St. James) .Then the Emperor beckoned Faustus into his Privy Chamber and, disclosing to him that he deemed him adept in nigromantia, did therefore desire to be shown a proof in something which he would like to know. He vowed unto Faustus by his Imperial Crown that no ill should befall him, and Doctor Faustus did obediently acquiesce to oblige his Imperial Majesty.

Now hear me then, quoth the Emperor. In my camp I once did stand pondering on my ancestors who before me had risen to such high degree and sovereignty as would scarcely be attainable for me and my successors, especially how Alexander the Great, of all monarchs the most mighty, was a light and an ornament among all Emperors. Ah, it is well known what great riches, how many kingdoms and territories he did possess and acquire, the which to conquer and to organize again will fall most difficult for me and my succession, such territories being now divided into many separate kingdoms. It is my constant wish that I had been acquainted with this man and had been able to behold him and his spouse in the person, figure, form, mien and bearing of life. I understand that thou be an adept master in thine art, able to realize all things according to matter and complexion, and my most gracious desire is that thou give me some answer now in this regard.

Most gracious Lord, quoth Faustus, I will, in so far as I with my spirit am able, comply with Your Imperial Majesty's desire as concerns the personages of Alexander and his spouse, their aspect and figure, and cause them to appear here. But Your Majesty shall know that their mortal bodies cannot be present, risen up from the dead, for such is impossible. Rather, it will be after this wise: the spirits are experienced, most wise and ancient spirits, able to assume the bodies of such people, so transforming themselves that Your Imperial Majesty will in this manner behold the veritable Alexander.

Faustus then left the Emperor's chamber to take counsel with his spirit. Being afterward come in again to the Emperor's chamber, he indicated to him that he was about to be obliged, but upon the one condition that he would pose no questions, nor speak at all, the which the Emperor agreed unto. Doctor Faustus opened the door. Presently Emperor Alexander entered in the very form which he had borne in life--namely: a well-proportioned, stout little man with a red or red-blond, thick beard, ruddy cheeks and a countenance as austere as had he the eyes of the Basilisk. He stepped forward in full harness and, going up to Emperor Charles, made a low and reverent curtesy before him. Doctor Faustus restrained the Emperor of Christendom lest Charles rise up to receive him. Shortly thereafter, Alexander having again bowed and being gone out at the door, his spouse now approached the Emperor, she, too, making a curtesy. She was clothed all in blue velvet, embroidered with gold pieces and  pearls. She, too, was excellent fair and rosy-cheeked, like unto milk and blood mixed, tall and slender, and with a round face.

Emperor Charles was thinking the while: Now I have seen the two personages whom I have long desired to know, and certainly it cannot be otherwise but that the spirit hath indeed changed into these forms, and he doth not deceive me, it being even as with the woman who raised the prophet Samuel for Saul.

But the Emperor,desiring to be the more certain of the matter, thought to himself: I have often heard tell that she had a great wen on her back. If it is to be found upon this image also, then I would believe it all the better.

So, stepping up to her, he did lift her skirt, and he found the wen. For she stood stock still for him, disappearing again afterwards. Thus the Emperor's desire was granted withal, and he was sufficiently content.

Concerning the Antlers of a Hart

XXIV

Upon a time soon after Doctor Faustus had accomplished the Emperor's will as was reported above he, hearing the signal for meat in the evening, did lean over the battlements to watch the domestics go out and in. There he espied one who was fallen asleep while lying in the window of the great Knights' Hall across the court (it being very hot) .I would not name the person, for it was a knight and a gentleman by birth.

Now with the aid of his spirit Mephostophiles, Faustus did charm a pair of hart's horns upon the knight's head. This good lord's head nodded upon the window sill, he awoke, and perceived the prank. Who could have been more distressed! For , the windows being closed, he could go neither forward nor backward with his antlers, nor could he force the horns from off his head. The Emperor, observing his plight, laughed and was well pleased withal until Doctor Faustus at last released the poor knight from the spell again.

Concerning Three Lords Who Were

Rapidly Transported to the Royal

Wedding in Munich

XXV

Three sons of noble lords (whom I dare not call by name) were students in Wittemberg. They met together on a time and, talking of the magnificent pomp which would attend the wedding of the son of the Duke of Bavaria in Munich, did heartily wish that they might go there, if only for a half an hour. Such talk caused the one of them to take thought of Doctor Faustus, and he said to the other two lords:

Cousins, if ye will follow me, hush and keep it to yourselves, then will I give you good counsel, how we can see the wedding and then be back to Wittemberg again in the self-same night. Here is what I have in mind: if we send for Doctor Faustus, tell him what we desire, and explain our plans to him, giving him a bit of money besides, then he surely will not deny us his aid.

Having deliberated and agreed upon the matter, they called on Doctor Faustus, who, touched by their present and also being well pleased with a banquet which they were clever enough to give in his honor, did consent to grant them his services.

The day arrived when the wedding of the Bavarian Duke's son was to be celebrated, and Doctor Faustus sent word to the young lords that they should come to his house arrayed in the very finest clothing they possessed. He then took a broad cloak, spread it out in his garden (which lay right beside his house), seated the lords upon it, himself in their midst, and at last gave strict command that none should speak a word so long as they be abroad--even though they be in the Bavarian Duke's Palace and someone should speak to them, they should give no answer--the which they all did pledge to obey. This matter being settled, Doctor Faustus sat down and commenced his coniurationes. Presently there arose a great wind which lifted the cloak and transported them through the air with such speed that they arrived betimes at the Duke's court in Munich.

They had travelled invisible, so that no one noticed them until they entered the Bavarian Palace and came into the hall, where the Marshall, espying them, indicated to the Duke of Bavaria how, although the princes, lords and gentlemen were already seated at table, there were still standing three more gentlemen without who had just arrived with a servant, and who also ought to be received. The old Duke of Bavaria arose to do this, but when he approached and spake to them, none would utter a word.

This occurred in the evening just before meat, they having hitherto observed all day the pomp of the wedding without any hindrance, for Faustus' art had kept them invisible. As was reported above, Doctor Faustus had sternly forbidden them to speak this day. He had further instructed them that so soon as he should call out: Up and away! all were to seize upon the cloak at once, and they would fly away again in the twinkling of an eye.

Now when the Duke of Bavaria spake to them and they gave no answer, handwater was proffered them anyhow. It was then that Doctor Faustus, hearing one of the lords forget himself and violate his command, did cry aloud: Up and away! Faustus and the two lords who held to the cloak were instantly flown away but the third, who had been negligent, was taken captive and cast into a cell. The other two lords did upon arrival at midnight in Wittemberg behave so glumly on account of their kinsman that Doctor Faustus sought to console them, and he promised that the young man would be released by morning.

The captive lord, being thus forsaken, in locked custody besides, and constrained by guards, was sore afraid. To make matters worse, he was questioned as to what manner of vision he been a part of, and as to the other three who were now vanished away.

He thought: If I betray them, then the ending will be bad.

He therefore gave answer to none who were sent to him, and when they saw that nothing was to be got out of him this day they finally informed him that on the morrow he would be brought down to the dungeon, tortured, and compelled to speak.  The lord thought to himself:

So my ordeal is appointed for the morrow. If Doctor Faustus should not release me today, should I be tortured and racked, then I needs must speak.

But he still had the consolation that his friends would entreat Doctor Faustus for his release, and that is indeed the way it fell  out. Before day break Doctor Faustus was in the cell, having cast such a spell on the watch that they fell into a heavy sleep. Faustus used his art to open all doors and locks, and he brought the lord punctually to Wittemberg, where a sumptuous honorarium was presented him as a reward.

Concerning an Adventure with a Jew

XXVI

It is said that the fiend and the sorcerer will not wax three penny richer in a year, and even so did it come to pass with Doctor Faustus. Much had been promised by his spirit,  but much had been lies, for the Devil is the spirit of lies. Mephostophiles had once reproached Doctor Faustus, saying:

With the skill wherewith I have endowed thee thou shouldst acquire thine own wealth. Such arts as mine and thine can scarcely lose thee money. Thy years are not yet over. Only four years are past since my promise to thee that thou wouldst want neither for gold nor for goods. Why, thy meat and drink hath been brought thee from the courts of all the great potentates, all by mine art (what the spirit here states, we did already report above).

Doctor Faustus, who did not know how to disagree with these things, began to take thought and to wonder just how apt he might be in obtaining money. Not long after the spirit had told him those things, Faustus went banqueting with some good fellows and, finding himself without money, went and raised some in the Jewish quarter, accepting sixty Talers for a month's time. The money-lender, when the loan fell due, was ready to take his capital together with the usury, but Doctor Faustus was not at all of the opinion that he ought to pay anything. The fellow appeared at Faustus' house with his demand and received this answer:

Jew, I have no money. I can raise no money. But this I will do. From my body I will amputate a member, be it arm or leg, and give it thee in pawn--but it must be returned so soon as I am in money again.

The Jew (for Jews are enemies to us Christians, anyhow) pondered the matter and concluded that it must be a right reckless man who would place his limbs in pawn. "But still he accepted it. Doctor Faustus took a saw and, cutting off his leg withal, committed it unto the Jew (but it was only a hoax) upon the condition that it must be returned so soon as he be in money again and would pay his debt, for he would fain put the member back on. The Jew went away with the leg, well satisfied at first with his contract and agreement. But very soon he became vexed and tired of the leg, for he thought:

What good to me is a knave's leg? If I carry it home it will begin to stink. I doubt that he will be able to put it on again whole, and, besides, this pledge is a parlous thing for me, for no higher pawn can a man give than his own limb. But what profit will I have of it?

Thinking these and such like things as he crossed over a bridge, the Jew did cast the leg into the water. Doctor Faustus knew all about this of course, and three days later he summoned the Jew in order to pay and settle his account. The Jew appeared and explained his deliberations, saying he had thrown the leg away because it was of no use to anyone. Doctor Faustus immediately demanded that his pledge be returned or that some other settlement be made. The Jew was eager to be free of Faustus, and he finally had to pay him sixty Guilders more (Doctor Faustus still having his leg as before).

An Adventure at the Court

of the Count of Anhalt

XXVII

Faustus came upon a time to the Count of Anhalt, where he was received with all kindness and graciousness. Now this was in January , and at table he perceived that the Countess was great with child. When the evening meat had been carried away and the collation of sweets was being served, Doctor Faustus said to the Countess:

Lady, I have always heard that the greatbellied women long for diverse things to eat. I beg your Grace not to withhold from me what you would please to have.

She answered him: Truly my Lord, I will not conceal from you my present wish that it were Harvest time, and I were able to eat my fill of fresh grapes and of other fruit.

Doctor Faustus said: Gracious Lady, this is easy for me to provide. In an hour your Grace's will shall be accomplished.

Faustus now took two silver bowls and set them out before the window. When the hour was expired he reached out the window and drew in one bowl with white and red grapes which were fresh from the vine, and the other bowl full of green apples and pears, but all of a strange and exotic sort. Placing them before the Countess, he said to her:

Your Grace need have no fear to eat, for I tell you truly that they are from a foreign nation where summer is about to end, although our year is, to be sure, just beginning here.

While the Countess did eat of all the fruit with pleasure and great wonderment, the Count of Anhalt could not withhold to ask for particulars concerning the grapes and other fruit.

Doctor Faustus answered: Gracious Lord, may it please your Grace to know that the year is divided into two circles in the world, so that it is summer in Orient and Occident when it is winter here, for the Heavens are round. Now, from where we dwell the sun hath at this season withdrawn to the highest point, so that we are having short days and winter here, but at the same time it is descending upon Orient and Occident--as in Sheba, India and in the East proper. The meaning of this is that they are having summer now. They enjoy vegetables and fruit twice a year in those parts. Furthermore, gracious Lord, when it is night here, day is just dawning there. The sun hath even now betaken himself beneath the earth, and it is night; but in this very instant the sun doth run above the earth down there, and they shall have day (in likeness thereof, the sea runneth higher than the world, and if it were not obedient to God, it could inundate the world in a moment) .In consideration of such knowledge, gracious Lord, I sent my spirit to that nation upon the circumference of the sea where the sun now riseth, although it setteth here. He is a flying spirit and swift, able to transform himself in the twinkling of an eye. He hath procured these grapes and fruit for us.

The Count did attend these revelations with great wonderment.

The Manner in Which Doctor Faustus

as Bacchus Kept Shrovetide

XXVIII

The greatest effort, skill and art produced by Doctor Faustus  was that which he demonstrated to the Count of Anhalt, for with the aid of his spirit he accomplished not merely the things I have told about, but he created all sorts of four-footed beasts as well as winged and feathered fowl, too. Now after he had taken leave of the Count and was returned back to Wittemberg, Shrovetide approached. Doctor Faustus himself played the role of Bacchus, entertaining several learned students, whom he persuaded, after they had been well fed and sated by Faustus, had crowned him Bacchus and were in the act of celebrating him) to go into a cellar with him and to try the magnificent drinks which he would there offer and provide them, a thing to which they readily assented. Doctor Faustus then laid out a ladder in his garden, seated a man on each rung, and away he whisked, coming by night into the cellar of the Bishop of Saltzburg

Here they tasted all sorts of wine, for this bishop hath a glorious grape culture, but when the good gentlemen were just in a fine temper, the Bishop's butler by chance did come downstairs and seeing them ( for Doctor Faustus had brought along a flint so that they might better inspect all the casks), did charge them as thieves who had broken in. This offended Doctor Faustus, who, warning his fellows to prepare to leave, seized the butler by the hair and rode away with him until he saw a great high fir tree, in the top of which he deposited the frightened man. Being returned home again, he and his Shrovetide guests celebrated a valete with the wine which he had brought along in a big bottle from the Bishop's cellar . The poor butler had to hold fast all night to the tree, lest he fall out, and he almost froze to death. When day brake and he perceived the great height of the fir as well as the impossibility of climbing down (for it had no branches except in the very top), he had to call out to some peasants whom he saw drive by, and tell them what had happened to him. The peasants did marvel at all this and, coming into Saltzburg, reported it at court. This brought out a great crowd, who with much exertion and effort with ropes did bring the butler down. But he never knew who those were whom he had found in the cellar, nor who he was who had put him into the tree top.

Concerning Helen, Charmed Out of Greece

XXIX

On Whitsunday the students came unannounced to Doctor Faustus' residence for dinner, but, as they brought ample meat and drink along, they were welcome guests. The wine was soon going round at table, and they fell to talking of beautiful women, one of the students asserting that there were no woman whom he would rather see than fair Helen from Greece, for whose sake the worthy city of Troy had perished. She must have been beautiful, he said, for she had been stolen away from her husband, and a great deal of strife had arisen on her account.

Doctor Faustus said: Inasmuch as ye are so eager to behold the beautiful figure of Queen Helen, I have provided for her wakening and will now conduct her hither so that ye may see her spirit for yourselves, just as she appeared in life (in the same way, after all, that I granted Emperor Charles V his wish to see the person of Emperor Alexander the Great and his spouse).

Forbidding that any should speak or arise from table to receive her, Faustus went out of the parlor and, coming in again, was followed at the heel by Queen Helen, who was so wondrously beautiful that the students did not know whether they were still in their right minds, so confused and impassioned were they become. For she appeared in a precious deep purple robe, her hair, which shone golden and quite beautifully glorious, hanging down to her knees. She had coal black eyes, a sweet countenance on a round little head. Her lips were red as the red cherries, her mouth small, and her neck like a white swan's. She had cheeks pink like a rose, an exceeding fair and smooth complexion and a. rather slim, tall and erect bearing. In summa, there was not a flaw about her to be criticized. Helen looked all around in the parlor with a right wanton mien, so that the students were violently inflamed with love for her, but since they took her to be a spirit they controlled their passion without difficulty, and she left the room again with Doctor Faustus.

After the vision had passed away, the young .men begged Faustus to be so good as to have the image appear just once more, for they would fain send a painter to his house the next day to make a counterfeit of her. This Doctor Faustus refused to do, saying that he could not make her spirit appear at just any time, but that he would procure such a portrait for them. Later, he did indeed produce one, and all the students had it copied by sending painters to his house (for it was a fair and glorious figure of a Woman). Now it is unknown to this day who got this painting away from Doctor Faustus. As concerns the students, when they came to bed they could not sleep for thinking of the figure and form which had appeared visibly before them, and from this we may learn how the Devil doth blind men with love--oh it doth often happen that a man awhoring for so long that at last he can no longer be saved from it.

Concerning a Gesticulation

Involving Four Wheels

XXX

Doctor Faustus was summoned and commanded to come to the town of Brunswick to cure a marshall there who had consumption. Now he was used to ride neither horseback nor by coach, but was of a mind to walk wherever he was invited as guest or summoned as physician. When he was about a half a quarter from Brunswick and could see the town before him, a peasant with four horses and an empty wagon came clattering along. Doctor Faustus addressed the clown in all kindness, requesting that he be allowed to climb on and be driven the rest of the way up to the town gate, but the bumpkin refused to do this and turned Faustus away, saying he would have enough to haul on his return trip. Doctor Faustus had not been serious in his request, wanting only to prove the peasant, whether there were any love to be found in him, but now he repaid the clown's churlishness (such as is, after all, commonly found among peasants ) in like coin, speaking to him thus:

Thou bumpkin and worthless ass, since thou hast demonstrated such churlishness unto me, and since thou wilt certainly use others the same and probably already hast done so, thou shalt this time be paid for thy trouble. Thy four wheels shalt thou find one at each gate of Brunswick town. Immediately the wagon wheels sprang away, floating along in the air so that each one came to a different gate, without being noticed by anyone there. The peasant's horses also fell down as if they had suddenly died and lay there quite still. At this was the poor clown sore affright, measuring it as a special scourge of God for his misanthropy. All troubled and weeping, with outstretched hands and upon his knees, he did beg Faustus for forgiveness, confessing himself indeed well worthy of such punishment, but vowing that the next time this would serve as a remembrance to him, so that he would never use such misanthropy again.

Doctor Faustus took pity upon the clown's humility and answered him, saying that he must treat no one else in this hard manner, there being nothing more shameful than the qualities of churlishness and misanthropy--and the wicked pride which accompanieth them. Now the man should but take up some earth and throw it upon the team, which would then rise up and live out its days. So it came to pass, Faustus saying as he departed from the peasant:

Thy churlishness cannot go altogether unpunished, but must be repaid in equal measure, inasmuch as thou hast deemed it such a great effort to take a tired man onto an empty wagon. Lo, thy wheels are without the town at four different gates. There wilt thou find all four of them.

The peasant went along and found them as Doctor Faustus had said, but with great effort, travail and neglect of the trade and business which he had intended to accomplish. And thus will churlishness ever punish its owner.

Concerning Four Sorcerers Who Cut Off

One Another's Heads and Put Them

On Again.Wherein Doctor Faustus

Attending Their Performance,

Doth Play the Major Role

XXXI

Doctor Faustus came to the Carnival in Frankfurt, where his spirit Mephostophiles did inform him that there were four sorcerers at an inn in Jews Alley who were attracting a great audience by chopping off one another's heads and sending them to the barber to be trimmed. Now that vexed Faustus, who liked think that he were the only cock in the Devil's basket. When he went to behold the thing, he found the sorcerers just getting ready to chop off their heads, and with them was a barber who was going to trim and wash them. Upon a table they had a glass cruse with distilled water in it. One among them, the chief sorcerer and also their executioner, laid his hands upon the first of his fellows and charmed a lily into this cruse. It waxed green, and he called it the Root of Life. Now he beheaded that first  fellow and let the barber dress the head, then set it upon the man's shoulders again. In one and the same instant, the lily disappeared and the man was whole again. This was done with the second and the third sorcerer in like manner. A lily was charmed for each in the water, they were executed, their heads were then dressed and put back on them again.

At last it was the turn of the chief sorcerer and executioner . His Root of Life was blooming. away in the water and waxing green, now his head was smitten off also, and they set to washing it and dressing it in Faustus' presence, which sorcery did sorely vex him: the arrogance of this magicus princeps, how he let his head be chopped off so insolently, with blasphemy and laughter in his mouth. Doctor Faustus went up to the table where the cruse and the flowering lily stood, took out his knife, and snipped the flower, severing the stem. No one was aware of this at the time, but when the sorcerers sought to set the head on again their medium was gone, and the evil fellow had to perish with his sins upon his severed head.

Afterwards they did find the stem cut, but they were not able to discover how this came to pass. This is the way the Devil at last rewards all his servants, absolving them thus, the manner in which Doctor Faustus dealt with this man being entirely consonant with the shameful absolution which he did himself receive when he was repaid for his own sins.

Concerning an Old Man Who Would

Have Converted Doctor Faustus

from His Godless Life

XXXII

A Christian, pious, godfearing physician, a person zealous of the honor of God, was also a neighbor of Doctor Faustus, and, seeing that many students frequented Faustus' house, he considered such a den as bad as a brothel, for he did compare Faustus to all the Jews, who, so soon as they fell away from God  also became His declared enemies, dedicating themselves unto sorcery for the sake of prophecy and deceit, seeking not only the bodily harm of many a pious child whose parents have devoted much effort to his Christian rearing, but also causing him to forget the Lord's Prayer. This old neighbor of Doctor Faustus had observed his rascality in such a light for long years and no longer doubted the devilish nature of his mischief, but he also knew that the time was not yet ripe for the civil authorities to establish these facts.

Considering thus above all the weal of the young men he did in Christian zeal summon Faustus as a guest into his own lodging. Faustus came, and at table his old godfearing patron addressed him thus:

M y sweet Lord, as a friend and as a Christian I ask you not to receive my discourse in rancor or ill will, nor to despise these small victuals, but charitably to take and to be content with what our sweet Lord provideth us.

Doctor Faustus requested him to declare his purpose, saying he would, attend him obediently. His patron then commenced:

My sweet Lord and Neighbor, ye know your own actions, that ye have defied God and all the Saints, that ye have given yourself up unto the Devil, whereby ye are now come into God's greatest wrath and are changed from a Christian into a very heretic and devil. O why do ye deprave your soul! Ye must not heed the body, but your sweet soul, lest ye reside in the eternal punishment and displeasure of God. Look ye to it, my Lord, ye are not yet lost if ye will but turn from your evil way, beseech God for Grace and pardon, as ye may see in the example in Acts viii concerning Simon in Samaria, who had also traduced many. They thought him to be a god, calling him the Power of God and Simon Deus Sanctus. But he was converted when he heard a sermon of St. Philip, was baptized and did believe on our Lord Jesus Christ. It is particularly noted and praised in Acts how he did afterward much consort with Philip. Thus, my Lord, allow my sermon also to appeal to you. O, let it be a heartfelt Christian admonition! To sin no more is the penance wherewith ye must seek Grace and pardon, as ye may learn from the fine examples of the thief on the cross, as well as from St. Peter, St. Matthew and Magdalena. Yea, Christ our Lord speaketh unto all sinners: Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Or, in the Prophet Ezekiel: I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked should turn from his way and live, for his hand is not withered, that he were no longer useful. I beg you my Lord, take my plea to your heart, ask God for pardon for Christ's sake, and abjure at the same time your evil practices, for sorcery is against God and His Commandment, inasmuch as He doth sorely forbid it in both the Old and the New Testaments. He speaketh: Ye shall  not allow them to live, ye shall not seek after them nor hold counsel with them, for it is an abomination unto God. Thus St. Paul called Bar-Jesus, or Elymas the Sorcerer, a child of the Devil and an enemy of all righteousness, saying that such should have no share in the Kingdom of God.

Faustus attended him diligently and said that the speech had well pleased him. He expressed his gratitude to the Old Man for his good will and took his leave, promising to comply in so far as he was able.

When he arrived home he took the Old Man's counsel to heart, considering how he had indeed depraved his soul by yielding himself up to the accursed Devil, and at last Faustus felt a desire to do penance and to revoke his promise to the Devil.                                           

While he was occupied in such thoughts, his spirit appeared him, groping after him as if to twist his head off his shoulders. The spirit then spake, rebuking him: What is thy purpose with thyself?

 

He reminded him of his motives in first consigning himself to the Devil. Having promised enmity toward God and all mankind, he was not now fulfilling that pledge but was following after this old reprobate, feeling charity toward a man and hence toward God--now, when it was already too late and when he was clearly the property of the Devil.

The Devil hath the power (he spake) to fetch thee away. I am in fact now come with the command to dispose of thee--or to obtain thy promise that thou wilt never more allow thyself to be seduced, and that thou wilt consign thyself anew with thy blood. Thou must declare immediately what thou wouldst do, or I am to slay thee.

Sore affright, Doctor Faustus consented, sat down and with his blood did write as followeth (this document being found after his death):

Pact

XXXIII

I Doctor Johann Faustus,

Do  declare in this mine own hand and blood:

Whereas I have truly and strictly observed my first instrumentum and pact for these nineteen years, in defiance of God and all mankind;

And Whereas, pledging body and soul, I therein did empower the mighty God Lucifer with full authority over me so soon as five more years be past;

And Whereas he hath further promised me to increase my days in death, thereby shortening my days in Hell, also not to allow me to suffer any pain;

Now Therefore do I further promise him that I will never more heed the admonitions, teachings, scoldings, instructions or threats of mankind, neither as concerneth the Word of God nor in any temporal or spiritual matters whatsoever; but particularly do I promise to heed no man of the cloth nor to follow his teachings.

In good faith and resolve contracted by these presents and in mine own blood, etc.

Now just as soon as Faustus had executed this godless, damned pact, he began to hate the good Old Man so intensely that he sought some means to kill him, but the Old Man's Christian prayers and Christian ways did such great offense to the Evil Fiend that he could not even approach him.

Two days after the events just recounted, when the Old Man was retiring, he heard a mighty rumbling in his house, the like of which he was never wont to hear. It came right into his chamber, grunting like a sow and continuing for a long time. Lying abed, the Old Man began to mock the spirit, saying:

Ah, what a fine bawdy music! Now what a beautiful hymn sung by a ghoul! Really a pretty anthem sung by a beautiful angel--who could not tarry in Paradise for two full days. This wretched fellow must now go avisiting in other folks' houses, for he is banished from his own home.

With such mockery he drave the spirit away. When Doctor Faustus asked him how he had fared with the Old Man, Mephostophiles answered that he had not been able to lay hold on him, for he had worn armor (referring to the prayers of the Old Man) and had mocked him besides.

Now the spirits and devils cannot suffer a good humor, particularly when they are reminded of their fall. Thus doth God protect all good Christians who seek in Him succor against the Evil One.