The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus

wretch and execrable dog,

Bred in the concave of some monstrous rock,

How darest thou thus abuse a gentleman?

Villain, I say, undo what thou hast done!

Faustus
O, not so fast, sir; there’s no haste; but, good, are you remembered how you crossed me in my conference with the Emperor? I think I have met with you for it.


Emperor
Good Master Doctor, at my entreaty release him: he hath done penance sufficient.


Faustus
My gracious lord, not so much for the injury he offered me here in your presence, as to delight you with some mirth, hath Faustus worthily requited this injurious knight: which being all I desire, I am content to release him of his horns: and, sir knight, hereafter speak well of scholars. Mephistopheles, transform him straight. Mephistopheles removes the horns. Now, my good lord, having done my duty I humbly take my leave.


Emperor

Farewell, Master Doctor; yet, ere you go,

Expect from me a bounteous reward.




Exeunt.


Scene XI




Enter Faustus and Mephistopheles. 60


Faustus

Now, Mephistopheles, the restless course

That Time doth run with calm and silent foot,

Shortening my days and thread of vital life,

Calls for the payment of my latest years:

Therefore, sweet Mephistopheles, let us

Make haste to Wertenberg.



Mephistopheles
What, will you go on horseback or on foot?


Faustus
Nay, till I’m past this fair and pleasant green, I’ll walk on foot.



Enter a Horse-Courser. 61


Horse-Courser
I have been all this day seeking one Master Fustian: mass, see where he is! God save you, Master Doctor!


Faustus
What, horse-courser! You are well met.


Horse-Courser
Do you hear, sir? I have brought you forty dollars for your horse.


Faustus
I cannot sell him so: if thou likest him for fifty, take him.


Horse-Courser
Alas, sir, I have no more.⁠—I pray you, speak for me.


Mephistopheles
I pray you, let him have him: he is an honest fellow, and he has a great charge, neither wife nor child.


Faustus
Well, come, give me your money. Horse-Courser gives Faustus the money. My boy will deliver him to you. But I must tell you one thing before you have him; ride him not into the water, at any hand.


Horse-Courser
Why, sir, will he not drink of all waters?


Faustus
O yes, he will drink of all waters, but ride him not into the water: ride him over hedge or ditch, or where thou wilt, but not into the water.


Horse-Courser
Well, sir.⁠—Now am I made man forever: I’ll not leave my horse for forty: if he had but the quality of hey-ding-ding, hey-ding-ding, I’d make a brave living on him: he has a buttock as slick 62 as an eel Aside.⁠—Well, God b’wi’ye, sir, your boy will deliver him me: but hark you, sir; if my horse be sick or ill at ease, if I bring his water to you, you’ll tell me what it is.


Faustus
Away, you villain; what, dost think I am a horse-doctor?



Exit Horse-Courser.




What art thou, Faustus, but a man condemned to die?

Thy fatal time doth draw to final end;

Despair doth drive distrust into my thoughts:

Confound these passions with a quiet sleep:

Tush, Christ did call the thief upon the cross;

Then rest thee, Faustus, quiet in conceit.

Sleeps in his chair.




Re-enter Horse-Courser, all wet, crying.


Horse-Courser
Alas, alas! Doctor Fustian, quoth a? mass, Doctor Lopus 63 was never such a doctor: has given me a purgation has purged me of forty dollars; I shall never see them more. But yet, like an ass as I was, I would not be ruled by him, for he bade me I should ride him into no water: now I, thinking my horse had had some rare quality that he would not have had me know of, I, like a venturous youth, rid him into the deep pond at the town’s end. I was no sooner in the middle of the pond, but my horse vanished away, and I sat upon a bottle of hay, never so near drowning in my life. But I’ll seek out my Doctor, and have my forty dollars again, or I’ll make it the dearest horse!⁠—O, yonder is his snipper-snapper.⁠—Do you hear? you, hey-pass, 64 where’s your master?


Mephistopheles
Why, sir, what would you? You cannot speak with him.


Horse-Courser
But I will speak with him.


Mephistopheles
Why, he’s fast asleep. Come some other time.


Horse-Courser
I’ll speak with him now, or I’ll break his glass windows about his ears.


Mephistopheles
I tell thee, he has not slept this eight nights.


Horse-Courser
An he have not slept this eight weeks I’ll speak with him.


Mephistopheles
See where he is, fast asleep.


Horse-Courser
Ay, this is he. God save you, Master Doctor, Master Doctor, Master Doctor Fustian Forty dollars, forty dollars for a bottle of hay!


Mephistopheles
Why, thou seest he hears thee not.


Horse-Courser
So-ho, ho!⁠—so-ho, ho! Hollows in his ear. No, will you not wake? I’ll make you wake ere I go. Pulls Faustus by the leg, and pulls it away. Alas, I am undone! what shall I do?


Faustus
O my leg, my leg! Help, Mephistopheles! call the officers. My leg, my leg!


Mephistopheles
Come, villain, to the constable.


Horse-Courser
O Lord, sir, let me go, and I’ll give you forty dollars more.


Mephistopheles
Where be they?


Horse-Courser
I have none about me. Come to my ostry, 65 and I’ll give them you.


Mephistopheles
Begone quickly.



Horse-Courser runs away.


Faustus
What, is he gone? Farewell he! Faustus has his leg again, and the horse-courser, I take it, a bottle of hay for his labour. Well, this trick shall cost him forty dollars more.



Enter Wagner.



How now, Wagner, what’s the news with thee?


Wagner
Sir, the Duke of Vanholt 66 doth earnestly entreat your company.


Faustus
The Duke of Vanholt! an honourable gentleman, to whom I must be no niggard of my cunning. Come, Mephistopheles, let’s away to him.



Exeunt.





Scene XII




Enter the Duke of Vanholt, the Duchess, and Faustus and