CHAPTER V
The description of Vienna
Fame had so far carried the report of Faustus’ death, as it had the memory of his life, and for by continual motion rumours increase, as saith the Heroical fountain of Latin verse Virgil,
Mobilitate viget viresque acquirit eundo.
In Austrich these news were very frequent, being a Province mightily replenished with people, and marching upon the hems of the Hungarian, is a near neighbour to the most cruel Dog and tyrant the Turk. In Vienna, a City of the same, by which, as the Thames by London, the great and often but never enough praised River of great Danuby keeps his current, the City itself (being every way bigger then the fair City of London) within the Walls, the head of the City resteth upon the mountain of Orstkirken, the front displayeth the wide plains upon the descendant of the same Hill, but she washes her feet in the River: her body and her breast covering the large valley lying betwixt Hill and Hill, not far into the City the Danuby is derived into two arms, which by running about a certain Hill, of some half mile and more, meet at length again in the same Channel: in this Island is the Duke’s Court, out of which are two and thirty marvellous goodly stone Bridges, intending to either side of the City: at the very promontories’ ends, stands two no less fair, than high and strong Castles, in this place did the Duke keep his Court, with very great royalty, unto whom when this was reported, hearing of a certain that Wagner had great store of his Master’s skill and whatsoever, he caused one that in such matters is commonly commanded, to ride to Wittenberg, to the intent to hear the truth, for many things more than the truth were certified unto him: the messenger without delay (because the journey was long) departed and left the Court, and we him a while.