CHAPTER XXXI

How the above-mentioned Knight went about to be revenged of Doctor Faustus

Doctor Faustus took his leave of the Emperor and the rest of the Courtiers, at whose departure they were sorry, giving him many rewards and gifts: but being a league and a half from the City he came into a Wood, where he beheld the Knight that he had jested with at the Court with others in harness, mounted on fair palfreys, and running with full charge towards Faustus, but he seeing their intent, ran towards the bushes, and before he came amongst the bushes he returned again, running as it were to meet them that chased him, whereupon suddenly all the bushes were turned into horsemen, which also ran to encounter with the Knight and his company, and coming to them, they closed the Knight and the rest, and told them that they must pay their ransom before they departed. Whereupon the Knight seeing himself in such distress, besought Faustus to be good to them, which he denied not, but let them loose, yet he so charmed them, that every one, Knight and others for the space of a whole month did wear a pair of Goat’s horns on their brows, and every Palfrey a pair of Ox horns on their head: and this was their penance appointed by Faustus, etc.