Dr. Faustus (with footnotes) | Page 6

imagine.
Re-enter MEPHISTOPHILIS like a Franciscan friar.<54>
MEPHIST. Now, Faustus, what wouldst thou have me do?
FAUSTUS. I charge thee wait upon me whilst I live, To do whatever
Faustus shall command, Be it to make the moon drop from her sphere,
Or the ocean to overwhelm the world.
MEPHIST. I am a servant to great Lucifer, And may not follow thee
without his leave: No more than he commands must we perform.
FAUSTUS. Did not he charge thee to appear to me?
MEPHIST. No, I came hither<55> of mine own accord.
FAUSTUS. Did not my conjuring speeches raise thee? speak.
MEPHIST. That was the cause, but yet per accidens;<56> For, when
we hear one rack the name of God, Abjure the Scriptures and his
Saviour Christ, We fly, in hope to get his glorious soul; Nor will we
come, unless he use such means Whereby he is in danger to be damn'd.
Therefore the shortest cut for conjuring Is stoutly to abjure the Trinity,
And pray devoutly to the prince of hell.
FAUSTUS. So Faustus hath Already done; and holds this principle,
There is no chief but only Belzebub; To whom Faustus doth dedicate
himself. This word "damnation" terrifies not him, For he confounds
hell in Elysium: His ghost be with the old philosophers! But, leaving
these vain trifles of men's souls, Tell me what is that Lucifer thy lord?
MEPHIST. Arch-regent and commander of all spirits.
FAUSTUS. Was not that Lucifer an angel once?
MEPHIST. Yes, Faustus, and most dearly lov'd of God.
FAUSTUS. How comes it, then, that he is prince of devils?
MEPHIST. O, by aspiring pride and insolence; For which God threw
him from the face of heaven.
FAUSTUS. And what are you that live with Lucifer?
MEPHIST. Unhappy spirits that fell with Lucifer, Conspir'd against our
God with Lucifer, And are for ever damn'd with Lucifer.
FAUSTUS. Where are you damn'd?
MEPHIST. In hell.
FAUSTUS. How comes it, then, that thou art out of hell?
MEPHIST. Why, this is hell, nor am I out of it:<57> Think'st thou that

I, who saw the face of God, And tasted the eternal joys of heaven, Am
not tormented with ten thousand hells, In being depriv'd of everlasting
bliss? O, Faustus, leave these frivolous demands, Which strike a terror
to my fainting soul!
FAUSTUS. What, is great Mephistophilis so passionate For being
deprived of the joys of heaven? Learn thou of Faustus manly fortitude,
And scorn those joys thou never shalt possess. Go bear these<58>
tidings to great Lucifer: Seeing Faustus hath incurr'd eternal death By
desperate thoughts against Jove's<59> deity, Say, he surrenders up to
him his soul, So he will spare him four and twenty<60> years, Letting
him live in all voluptuousness; Having thee ever to attend on me, To
give me whatsoever I shall ask, To tell me whatsoever I demand, To
slay mine enemies, and aid my friends, And always be obedient to my
will. Go and return to mighty Lucifer, And meet me in my study at
midnight, And then resolve<61> me of thy master's mind.
MEPHIST. I will, Faustus. [Exit.]
FAUSTUS. Had I as many souls as there be stars, I'd give them all for
Mephistophilis. By him I'll be great emperor of the world, And make a
bridge thorough<62> the moving air, To pass the ocean with a band of
men; I'll join the hills that bind the Afric shore, And make that
country<63> continent to Spain, And both contributory to my crown:
The Emperor shall not live but by my leave, Nor any potentate of
Germany. Now that I have obtain'd what I desir'd,<64> I'll live in
speculation of this art, Till Mephistophilis return again. [Exit.]
Enter WAGNER<65> and CLOWN.
WAGNER. Sirrah boy, come hither.
CLOWN. How, boy! swowns, boy! I hope you have seen many boys
with such pickadevaunts<66> as I have: boy, quotha!
WAGNER. Tell me, sirrah, hast thou any comings in?
CLOWN. Ay, and goings out too; you may see else.
WAGNER. Alas, poor slave! see how poverty jesteth in his nakedness!
the villain is bare and out of service, and so hungry, that I know he
would give his soul to the devil for a shoulder of mutton, though it
were blood-raw.
CLOWN. How! my soul to the devil for a shoulder of mutton, though
'twere blood-raw! not so, good friend: by'r lady,<67> I had need have it
well roasted, and good sauce to it, if I pay so dear.

WAGNER. Well, wilt thou serve me, and I'll make thee go like Qui
mihi discipulus?<68>
CLOWN. How, in verse?
WAGNER. No, sirrah; in beaten silk and staves-acre.<69>
CLOWN. How, how, knaves-acre! ay, I thought that was all the land
his father left him. Do you hear? I would be sorry to rob you of your
living.
WAGNER.