CHAPTER III
Wagner’s conference with Doctor Faustus, and how miserably they broke up their disputations
Wagner one morning arose betimes and departed to Wittenberg, but a small mile from the house, and having purveyed himself of all necessaries, was admitted for a scholar (immediately after his Master was departed out of this World) into the University. Where, for that he was Faustus’ true and familiar servant, he was both well and manifoldly acquainted, wherein he remained in all solace amongst a great number of his companions, who then rather frequented his company, not only for that he was Faustus his servant, whose memory was very freshly continued among them, but that they were verily assured that he had a great part of his Master’s skill and science, which they honoured with more than lawful reverence.
Upon a day Christopher Wagner (as many times he did) separated himself from his other companions and friends, to ruminate upon his melancholic conceits, erring far in a place full of Trees and the fulness of Trees gave it the name of a Grove, suddenly like as all such chances hap, Faustus or Faustus’ Spirit clapped him upon the shoulder, saying: Wagner, good morrow. Wagner availed[46] his Scholar’s Bonnet, thinking verily that he was some other Student, but beholding his Master Faustus, he was most terribly affrighted, and stepping aside he began to mumble to himself a Benedicite, and crossing himself, rehearsing and saying CONIVRO TE IN NOMINE PATRIS ET FILII ET SPIRITUS SANCTI, etc. making Circle, etc.
Faustus rolling his eyes and for mere fury and anger stamping, bound (for so he seemed) with the vehemency of the Exorcism ran about most terribly the brims thereof, that therewith the neighbour ground did seem to tremble, casting out a blackish slomy[47] sulphury smoke out of his mouth, wherewith the bright air was much darkened, at length appeased, either forced with necessity or knavery, he spake and that very distinctly. Wagner (qd. he) art thou afeared of me as of a Spirit, or infernal Ghost, am not I (ungrateful rascal) Faustus, am not I thy Master Faustus? quoth Wagner very confidently, what thou wert I know, what also thou art who knows not? Though once my Master, now thou shalt be my servant, though once my friend and familiar, now I may justly term thee neither, the Laws of Devils hath not made me secure from thy tyranny, and how may thy friendship avail me? For how can that help which is not? affections are not amongst Fiends, nor passions amongst Spirits.
Wherefore Faustus if thou wilt that I be thy Master, as whether thou wilt or no, I will Conjure thee, etc. to answer directly and truly to all my questions. Ah Wagner (quoth Faustus) is this the duty of a servant? dost thou mistrust that in me, which neither I mean nor thou of honest thought and duty oughtest imagine? And as for affections in Spirits, certainly there is none, but I am none, feel me my good Wagner, behold flesh, blood, and bones, and Spirits have neither flesh, blood, nor bones. Believe me I shall teach thee the nature and essence of Devils, I will teach thee that which neither thou canst desire of me or think Extra captum humanum. Then my good Boy Wagner come to me, and use me not as a Spirit whose body is nothing but a Spirit, and as Logicians say Substantia incorporea, and I will open unto thee the secrets of the World, and Hell, and else whatsoever in the works of Nature. Come my Wagner my son, my darling, my sweet delight, and rejoicing, the only hope of my labours, boldly, lovingly, courteously above all, which am the very same matter and substance I once was, and if thou doubtest as well thou mayest reach thy hand to me, for I cannot mine to thee, and feel whether I am not as I say I am, flesh, blood, and bones: Wagner half astonished at this his fervent speech, yet rather hearing it than believing it: Why Faustus, let me speak to you somewhat more considerately, thou sayest thou art substance, and all substance is heavy, and no heavy thing can ascend upwards, and as thy conference with Mephostophiles doth plainly declare, the place of Spirits is in the Air, in which nothing that is heavy can remain, and therefore thou art not substance or not Faustus. Quoth Faustus, that no heavy things is in the Air is plainly false, for thou seest that material bodies are in the Air, as hail, snow, and other meteors: Whereto Wagner answered: Faustus, they truly are in the Air, not of the Air, and you know the causes of them are terrestrial vapours drawn from the earth by the attractive virtue of the Sun, and therefore they fall down because they are heavy, for were they of the Air as are Spirits, then should they still remain in it, but briefly no violent motion may be called natural, as that heavy material Dew is carried from the earth by a violent and contrary motion: the Sun therefore leaving the Zenith of any Horizon, and coming to the Nadir oppositely, the material bodies of Dew (as the causes always fail with the effects), and nextly the concretion of Snow and Hail, because they are substance, cannot remain in the light and unheavy Air: Wherefore I have answered thee that thou art either a Spirit or not substance. I wondered when I read this discourse, with what patience the Doctor could endure so long an argument, but it proved otherwise, for the Doctor brake forth into these speeches, unable to contain himself any longer. Wagner, thou seemest to gather natural arguments of Metaphysical effects, I say unto thee Wagner sith thou art thus far entered into a Philosophical discourse, that I being as I am Faustus, may be, for so I am, a dweller in the profound Abyss of the Air, whose compass is measurable in this, that it is not measurable: For let us speak according to men naturally, the rather to fit thy capacity, we see that in the regiment of man’s body, the man is of quality like to the predominant complexion and Element, as if Choler abound, the man is light, nimble, and for a while furious, seldom strong, ready to meddle, and carried away with phanatick illusions: If Blood abound, he is ruddy, fair, gentle, etc. Et sic de reliquis. If therefore the predominant Element is able so much to change the nature of man, as to make it above the rest capable or incapable, the same reason maketh that this body of mine which thou seest, being governed and predomineered by that quick and ready spirit and soul which makes a man immortal, is no hindrance why this corporal reality of me should accompany my Spirit, not as a body, but as a part of the same Spirit; and otherwise Wagner, the whole world is in the Air, and as it were the centre of the Heavens, and what substances soever is made, Fishes which dwell in the deep Seas except (and yet not always) are moved in the Air, Kit, believe me I am as thou seest Faustus and the same very same.
Wagner almost at the last cast, said, we dispute not what you are Faustus, but what by reason you may be. Well, answered Faustus, seeing thou wilt not believe, nor give any credit to my sayings, and which I prove by arguments, I hope thou wilt believe thine own eyes, and if thou seest what I say unto thee, thou wilt neither be obstinate nor incredulous, and rather than Wagner (whom I do love as myself) should be carried away with so palpable an Heresy, behold Wagner and believe, and straightways he drew his knife, the Prologue of his knavery, and looking first upon Wagner, and next on the weapon which he had in his hand, as if with his eyes he would have moved him to some pity, and moved them to be witnesses of the truth, he struck himself into his thigh twice or thrice, and after his strokes followed blood so hastily, as if it would have overtaken the injurious worker of his effusion: which blood Faustus received in a silver Bowl, and staunching his wound, but not until the blood might be seen over the Cup-brims, then Faustus lifted the blood on high saying: See here the witness of the truth, Wagner take it, look how fresh it is, it is not that which comes from a Spirit, it is blood both in nature and colour, and if this be not enough to make thee believe that which I do tell thee, it boots not, there is not any truth at all.
I thought it enough for an extemporal Dis[48] and controversy, I thought the scholar had heard as well and as long as the Doctor had taught, but yet he had not ended. Wagner receiving the Cup and looking on the blood, beheld him without saying anything, shewing by his silence his meaning. Faustus minding to revenge and recompense Wagner his unbelief, nay further (quoth he) feel my hand, tell me whether it hath not the natural heat and essential solidity: then immediately he stretched forth his arm. Wagner with sudden ecstasy of joy carried away, ran to embrace his old Master, as his new friend, whom when Faustus had encircled he fell to beating the poor Scholar most miserably, that Wagner’s pitiful roaring seemed to be an Echo to the Doctor’s blows, now (quoth Faustus) hereafter be learned either to be more wary or less mistrustful, and therewith laughing effusedly vanished away, leaving Wagner to be a witness (yet almost half dead with his buffeting) of their conference, and that he was a good substantial Burgess of Hell: Wagner, poor Boy, for the space of seven hours not able scarce of himself to stir or to take breath, and without much stirring either of hand or foot, whereby any able life might be conjectured: At length lifting up his head and sighing a little (for a little was as much as he could do at that time), he reared himself up, and laying his head upon his hand and his hand upon the ground, he after sighs sent out most sorrowful groans, and after groans some feeble words, as he after reported it to his companions and familiar acquaintance: to accuse either his Master’s rigour or his own folly, he thought as merely vain as little prevailing: Wherefore comforting himself with his misery, because he was comfortless, rose up, and looking for the cup of blood (for the gain of the silver moved him): In place whereof he found his Cap full of piss, and all beraied,[49] sore ashamed and sore withal, so well as he might, which was sorely enough, he rose up, and what by creeping and going he got home to his Chamber, where he abode till he had recovered his health again.
Thus was his Philosophical incredulity recompensed with rustical cruelty, such was the good love of the Spirit that for a long space after he was not able to walk out his Chamber. This did he affirm for most certain truth, and to his saying added his beaten skin, a testimonial and witness to his familiarly beloved acquaintance, one of the which recounted it all summarily in a Letter from Wittenberg to me, where I was at Lyptzig, knowing that I intended to certify my friends in England of a matter so notable and strange, and worthy of memory, and augmented by Fame more than of very deed, for the idle-headed fellows having gotten such a notable fellow as Faustus to Father their lies upon, ceased not daily and hourly to beget new children, but they cost very little nursing and bringing up, they had the wide World, a very good Grandam where they might feed their fill: As for the disputations betwixt those two in this place, and those which you shall find in other places likewise abundantly, consider from whose brains they proceed, for you must give the German leave to shew his Art, for wit for the most part they have very little, but that which they toil for like Cart Horses. But in all their doings you shall easily perceive if anything be in them excellent, either with how much liking and urging they bring it forth or how it is wetted over with dropping of the Tap exceedingly.
Footnotes
[46] Doffed.
[47] Sluggish, or gloomy.
[48] Possibly discourse or disputation.
[49] Dirtied.