The First Part OF Dr. Faustus, Abreviated and brought into VERSE. SHEWING The Wickedness of his, Life, and the Tyranny of the Devil; who after he had insnared him by Delusions and large promises of 24 Years prosperiry threatned to pull and tear him in pieces when he seemed to Repent. With many other things worthy to be minded.
Printed by I. M. for I. Deacon, and C: Dennisson, and are to be sold at their Shops, at the Angel in Guilt-spur-Street and at the Stationers-Arms within Aldgate
THE FIRST PART OF Doctor Faustus. SHEWING The VVickedness of his Life.
CHAP. I. The place of his Birth and Education.
STrange news I from the German Empire bring
A true account of a most horrid thing;
Done by one Doctor Faustus call'd by name,
Who by delusion Satan overcame.
At Wittenberg this Faustus he did dwell,
A place in Germany is known full well;
His Uncle brought him up most carefully;
Putting him to the University;
Twas his good old Uncles plain design,
That he should study what is call'd divine:
But he inclined was to Sin by Nature,
And minded not the will of his Creator:
Giving himself to wicked exercise,
Forsaking that which only makes men wise;
And Negromancy he did study so,
That thereby he wrought his souls overthrow;
In sinful manner then by day and night,
He spent his precious time, and took delight
In nothing else but what we count most Evil,
Offending God, to gratifie the Devil.
CHAP. II. how Doctor Faustus began his devilish Act.
POor Faustus thus deluded and undone,
His joys did vanish, and his woe begun;
For Satan evermore doth take great care,
To bring poor mortal men into a snare.
Faustus most Hellish arts then understood,
And privately he hasted to a Wood,
Not distant far from whence he then did dwell,
And there invok'd a Damned Fiend of Hell;
And Mephostophiles he call'd his Name,
Who soon appeared in a dreadful flame:
Half frighted was he at this fearful sight,
Which was about the hour of ten at night;
For at his coming he so loud did roar;
The frightned artist thought to call no more.
This Hellish Fiend, which when the Devil knew,
He thought by policy him to subdue;
When he perceiv'd that he was so affrighted,
He studies how to make him be delighted:
And straightway he such pleasant musick hears,
As ne'r before did fill his joyful Ears.
These warbling Charms exceedingly did please,
No shape of man as yet the Doctor sees:
But hopes, that in a very short time he,
So much desired without all doubt should see;
So Mephostophiles he calls again,
Conjuring him by cursed Pluto's Name:
When on a sudden o're the Doctors head,
A mighty Dragon plainly hovered:
And in the Wood was such a dismal cry,
As if Hell would have open'd instantly:
And after that a flashing fiery flame,
Forth with a fiend immediately there came,
About the Circle that the Doctor made,
This beast did run, yet he was not affraid:
So for a time he seem'd to dance the Hay,
At last appear'd like to a Fryar in Gray:
What's thy request? then did this Fryar say,
Tell me your mind and make you no delay.
To which the Doctor straight way did reply,
Tomorrow wait on me, and don't deny,
At twelve a Clock come to me here be sure,
but these commands the fryar could not endure
Till Faustus did by Belzehub Conjure.
The Spirit then did soon thereto agree,
The Doctor then homeward returned he.
CHAP. III. The Doctors Conference with the Devil at his own House.
THe hour appointed quickly did draw near,
And Mephostophiles did there appear:
So Doctor Faustus did him thus Conjure,
All my commands you must obey be sure;
Answer me true to all that I shall ask,
Fulfil my mind, for this must be your task:
First, from this time so long as I have breath
Obey my will until the hour of death.
And secondly, what thing so e're I crave,
See that the same I instantly may have;
And thirdly, all that I shall ask of you,
What you reply, let e'ry word be true.
To which the Spirit quickly answer made,
He could not grant to all that he had said;
But first he must acquaint his Prince with all,
For we our Rulers still do princes call;
And thou thy self dost very much deceive,
To think I can do this without his leave;
And let me tell you Faustus, we as well,
A Kingdom have in our dark Pit of Hell,
As you on Earth, we Rulers have 'tis known,
And Servants too, for I my self am one:
But Lucifer he is the Chief of all,
Insulting pride procur'd his deadly fall;
Yet there's a Legion of Devils there
At his command, and of him stand in fear.
The Doctor then enrag'd, thus answered he,
I'le have my will, and will not Damned be.
The Spirit said, thou shalt want thy desire,
And yet shalt burn in neve-rceasing fire;
Thy Infidelity thy ruine wrought,
And after death thou wilt to Hell be brought,
The Spirit then did vanish quite away,
And Faustus he did in his Closet stay;
Resolving that his will he would have done,
Though he did yield to what they stood upon.
CHAP. IV. The Spirits second Apparition to Faustus.
THus where there the Spirit Faustus staid,
Till night approach'd, and little was afraid
At last the swist-wing'd Spirit to him came,
Ask what thou wilt, quoth he, i'le do the same
My Prince commands me for to tell thee this,
He'l be at thy command, wilt thou be his?
The Spirit askt the Doctor his request,
Come tell me truly, Faustus do not jest.
Then Faustus fainting, made him this reply,
Thou Damned art become, and so would I,
If thou wilt to these articles agree,
First, that I may a Devil be like thee:
And secondly, thou night and day shalt stand,
To wait on me, and do what I command.
Thirdly, if I do covet any thing,
Let it be what it will, thou must it bring.
Fourthly, thou shalt at all times present be,
Within my House, and none but I see thee.
Lastly, when I would have thee to come here,
In what shape I do please thou shalt appear,
The Spirit told him, wilt thou yield to me,
The things thou dost desire shall granted be:
First, thou to Lucifer thy Soul shalt give,
& serve him whilst on Earth thou here dost live.
And secondly, this must be understood,
He'l have a Writing written with thy blood.
Thirdly, thou shalt all Christian people hate,
Who serve the God who first did thee create,
And of these terms, the fourth must be the chief,
Thou must deny the Christian Belief.
Fifthly, that thou shalt any man deny,
Who from these Principles would have thee flye,
Then Satan promised to Faustus, he
Should many years live in Prosperity:
And when thou dyest, the Spirit then did say,
The Fiends of Hell shall fetch thee quite away?
But wicked Faustus did to this agree,
So Damn'd his Soul to all Eternity.
CHAP. V. The third Parly between Faustus and Mephostophiles.
WHen Faustus had his precious Soul betray'd,
and to the Devil had this promise made,
He call'd his Spirit on him to attend,
Who from th' infernal Lake did soon ascend;
Commanding him, like a Franciscan Fryar,
Still to appear, for it was his desire:
And like St. Anthany come with a Bell,
That of his coming he might know full well.
Faustus demanded then the Spirits name,
Who very willingly told him the same:
My name is Mephostophiles; said he,
And am a Prince that now doth wait on thee.
Thus Faustus was content with his Souls loss,
But smeet meats often have the sourest sauce.
This Obligation Faustus was to make,
Which he performed for his promise-sake;
And with a Pen-knife he did make a wound,
And writ the words that did his Soul confound
CHAP: VI. Faustus warms his Blood in a Sawter and writ [...] as followeth.
I Doctor Faustus do confess your due
Is for to have both Soul and Body too;
I with my Pen the same do now declare;
Writ with my hand, seal'd with my blood they,
Provided you your promise do make good,
Which by the Lines above are understood:
That after twenty-four years do expire,
If I before satisfie my desire.
And what I do command you do obey,
You then shall carry Faustus hence away:
In the mean time I do expect to have
The power to raise dead bodies from the grave
And have at will whatever I desire,
By your assistance, e're these years expire:
And if what I desire you grant to me,
Then Lucifer, Faustus shall come to thee.
CHAP. VII. How the Spirit came for his Writing, in what shape, and what he shewed him; causing him to keep a Coppy of his own Writing.
AS Doctor Faustus was pausing alone,
Except 1 boy, then with him there was none;
The Spirit suddenly unto him came,
Appearing in a dreadful fiery Flame;
The Boy affrighted was and much dismay'd,
His Master bid him not to be afraid,
No harm should come to him, the Spirit then
Began to shew some pretty tricks agen;
Which pleased Faustus most exceeding well,
Such tricks before he ne'r see come from Hell:
A mighty Army presently appear'd,
Trampling of Horses too by them was heard;
And after this a pack of greedy Hounds,
Did chase a Hart seemingly through the grounds
This ceasing, then appeared to their sight,
A Lyon and a Dragon both in fight,
The Dragon over came the Lyon then,
Away the Dragon vanisht to his Den.
A Peacock and a Pea-Hen then came in,
To beat the Hen, the Peacock did begin:
He brussling of his tayl, beat her so sore,
They vanisht then, and so was seen no more.
A furious Bull came in at Faustus run,
But vanisht e're any harm was done:
A sudden mist upon them then did fall,
And Faustus he could see no light at all,
But when the light appear'd he did behold
Two Sacks; one full of Silver, one of Gold.
Lastly, such pleasant musick he did hear,
that pleas'd him, yet nothing did appear:
At last did Mephostophiles come in,
And thus to treat him Faustus did begin:
So well thou now hast pleas'd me in my mind,
That if such pastime I can always find,
My mind i [...]le never change, but thou shalt see,
Both Soul and Body I will give to thee.
But Mephostophiles did soon reply,
With greater wonders I will please thine Eye
Command me what thou wilt and thou shalt see
I in a moment will provide it thee;
But first I want the Writing thou hast made,
Give me but that, I'le do what I have said,
Then stretching forth his hand, here take, said he
The Writing that I did provide for thee.
And Mephostophiles thus to him spake,
Wishing that he should a coppy take;
Which being done, together they did stay,
He waited on the Doctor night and day.
CHAP. VIII. Faustus's Damnable Proceeding, and the Devils diligence.
WHen Faustus finisht had his curst design,
He then grew bold, & did no whit repine,
His Hellish Servant still was diligent,
To fill his Masters mind with all content:
For what soe're he did desire to eat,
Though hollow Fowls, or any other meat;
Or did he wish to tast all sorts of Wine,
That were on this side or beyond the Line:
Or were it all the World, be't what it will.
This Devil would his lustful mind fullfil,
And from great Dukes would steal them all away
What he desire'd was quickly made his prey,
Sy by this means his God he soon forgot,
And that he mortal was supposed not.
CHAP. IX. How Faustus would have Married, and how the Devil beat him for it.
FAustus not dreaming he had so miscarried,
Forgot his promise, & would needs be married
His Spirit thereunto would not agree,
But bid him be content, it could not be,
Thou hast indented unto the contrary,
And do you now intend for to forswear ye?
No, no, be sure you mind what you have sworn
Or else in pieces you will soon be torn:
Marriage appointed is by God, then why
Should you mind that who must for ever fry?
The Doctor hearing this, fell in dispair,
Fearing the Devil would in pieces tear
His cursed Body, and did then deny,
And after this I Marriage will defie.
Thou hast done well, quoth he, but now behold;
His flaming fancy was not yet grown cold:
But soon his spirit call'd to him again,
And thus to him began for to complain,
I can't subdue my fancy for my Life,
I must and will by all means have a Wife:
Without one I can never be content,
Then unto this I prithee give consent.
A mighty VVhirl-wind then there did arise,
Which did the Doctor much with fear surprize.
And afterwards the House so strangely smoak'd,
That the poor Doctor he was almost choakd,
Then up the stairs he ran with might and main,
But quickly he was tumbled down again:
And flames of fire in circles round him run,
The Doctor then cry'd out he was undone;
Come now and help me this one time, quoth he,
To my Subscription I will faithful be.
Another Devil then to him appear'd
So ugly, that poor Faustus was afear'd
To look on him, and thus the Fiend did say,
Faustus how dost thou like thy wedding day?
How then to answer was to him unknown,
But pardon then he begg'd of him alone.
CHAP. X. Questions asked by Faustus of his Spirit Mephostophilis.
AFter this time Faustus did strangely live,
And wholly did himself to pleasure give,
So on a time he did his Spirit call,
And askt him how his Master came to fall
From Heavens joys into the pains of Hell
To this the Spirit presently reply'd,
The great and chiefest cause of this was pride,
For God made him an Angel for to be,
To live with him in blest Eternity:
But he aspiring, too great was his pride,
And now must be for ever terrify'd.
CHAP. XI. More Questions asked by Faustus of his Spirit Mephostophiles, concerning Hell.
The following night faustus he strangly dream'd
And in his dream affrighted much he seem'd
He thought he plainly saw a part of Hell,
But what it was, he could by no means tell;
And waking, he did for his spirit call,
That he by him might know the truth of all;
And being come, he took him unto task,
Then did he of him several Questions ask:
What's Hell qd. he? & of what substance made?
Where does it stand? to whom the spirit said,
Thou soon shalt know there was no Hell at all,
Before great Lucsfer's unhappy fall;
And after that was presently ordain'd,
A place for wicked Devils to be chain'd;
What substance it is of, no Devils know,
But 'tis a strange confused place below;
Of a foundation none of us can tell,
So strange a place is our accursed Hell;
No end not bottom there is I believe,
Experience an account in time will give.
CHAP. XII. More Questions asked by Faustus, (Viz.) What Kingdoms was in Hell, and what the Rulers Names was?
Faustus again desires strange things to know,
And Mephostophiles calls from below,
Strange things, quoth he, thou hast aready told,
Now one thing more I pray thee to unfold.
What Kingdoms are there where the Devils dwell
Or what call you their Names that rule in Hell?
My Faustus then, quoth he thou soon shalt know,
There is ten Kingdoms that we have below:
There's Lucus Morbis, Stagnuia, Ignis too,
And Terra Tenchrosa, this is true:
The fourth is Tartarus, and there one is,
By dwellers there, call'd Terra Oblivonis;
The sixth Gehenna, the next Erebus,
And these are names that common are with us:
There's Barathrum, and Setix, and Athiron,
I think I shall have nam'd them all anon.
Lucifer governs o're the Orient,
And Asceroth doth Rule the Orident.
And Belzehub rules in Septertrio;
And Bellal in Meredid, I do know,
Phlegeton is i'th middle of them all,
The greatest Sinners thereinto do fall.
CHAP. XIII. Faustus begins to repent his wicked deed.
Faustus was ne'r with Questions satisfi'd,
But still ask't more concerning Pluto's pride;
What was he, when quoth he, he liv'd above,
Blest with the Smiles of great Iehovah's love?
To which the Spirit presently stood mute,
And beg'd he'd give him 3 days time to do't?
Three days expir'd, he then this answer gave,
Lucifer now, a damn'd accursed Slave,
Was then above, an Angel clear and bright,
In whom the great Creator took delight:
But he did covet Gods Almighty Throne,
And is therefore made an accursed one.
At first he did surpass the Glorious Sun,
Now by his Pride, for ever he's undone:
In Heaven he had a Kingly Office great,
Now banisht from the Almighty's blessed Seat.
The Doctor minding what the Spirit said,
Grew pensive, and in heart almost afraid;
Into his Chamber straightway then he went,
Opprest with care, and fill'd with discontent:
Ah, woe is me, quoth he, what have I done?
I've lost that Kingdom which I might have Won
I once Gods Image wore, but now I see,
I from his presence banished must be:
With Lucifer I must in torments dwell,
My Pride, like his, hath cast me into Hell.
CHAP. XIV. Faustus asketh the Spirit the Devils Power and Enmity to Mankind in this manner.
FAustus unsatisfied, ask Questions still,
Thinking to compass his ambitious will:
Quoth he, now tell me truly, whats the cause,
That Satan still doth violate Gods Laws?
For I do well obesrve he is inclin'd,
To seek the utter ruine of mankind.
To which the Spirit straightway did reply,
When Lucifer was curst by God on high,
And cast into this utter darkness then,
An Enemy he grew to God and Men:
He causes all the wickedness that is,
And he's the cause so many does amiss;
Some fall into dispair, and cruelly
Lay hands upon themselves and murdering dye:
He caused Adam first for to transgress,
And then began all Mens unhappiness:
He was the cause poor Abel he was slain,
By that his unkind Brother Cain;
By him all flesh into Rebellion run,
And he's the cause if all the World's undone.
CHAP. XV. Faustus desires to know more of Hell, and whether the Devils might ever come into Favour with God.
FAustus dispairing of all mercy then,
Doth call his spirit to discourse agen;
Tell me, quoth he, how do the Damned dwell?
What pains do they endure that are in Hell?
Will the Almighty e're be reconcil'd,
To him who fain would have his God beguil'd
Forbear, quoth he, do not such questions raise,
They' breed but trouble to thee all thy days.
Quoth Faustus, I must know or i'le not live,
Then did the Spirit him this answer give:
Forth from the Lake of Hell, 'twas never known
That ever any came, except 'twere one;
With him thou nothing hast to do, 'tis plain,
Those that are Damn'd must still in Hell remain.
There is such pains that tongue cannot express,
The wrath of God, and endless bitterness:
Sometimes they burn in flames, none can endure,
And sometimes frosts their torments do procure,
To go about to tell you, all's in vain,
For tongue cannot express their endless pain
That damned Souls do feel, in Hell that lye,
Doth burn and freeze, and yet they cannot dye:
And now O Faustus! let me tell to thee,
All this and more will sure thy portion be.
When thou dost come to be with us in Hell,
Thou shalt be poyson'd with a noysom smell.
There thou shalt grow deaf, thy hand shall tremble
The Devils with their firebrands shall be nimble
To toss thee too and fro, from one to th'other,
[...] stinking brimstone shall them almost smother.
Thou shalt tormented be, but shall not flye,
Thou then shalt wish for death, but shalt not dye,
And to be short, thy pains shall still encrease,
Never to end, nor never to find ease,
And more & moe thy plagues shall thee torment
What-sayst thou now? can this breed thy content?
How lik'st thou this that I relate to thee,
This is the state wherein the Damned be.
FINIS.