Dr. Faustus being demanded the cause why the stars fall from heaven, he answered: "That it is but our opinion; for if one star fall, it is the great judgment of God upon us, as a forewarning of some great thing to come: for when we think that a star falleth, it is but as a spark that issueth from a candle or flame of fire; for if it were a substantial thing, we should not so soon lose the sight of them as we do. But likewise if so be that we see as it were a stream of fire fall from the firmament, as it oft happeneth, yet are they not stars, but as it were a flame of fire vanishing, but the stars are substantial; therefore are they firm and not falling; if there fall any, it is a sign of some great matter to come, as a scourge to a people or country; and then such stars falling, and the gates of heaven are opened, and the clouds send forth floods and other plagues, to the damage of the whole land and people."
CHAPTER XXVIII.
How Faustus was asked a Question concerning Thunder.
In the month of August there was over Wittenburg a mighty great lightning and thunder; and as Dr. Faustus was jesting merrily in the market-place with certain of his friends and companions, being physicians, they desired him to tell them the cause of that weather. Faustus answered: "It hath been commonly seen heretofore that, before a thunder-clap, fell a shower of rain or a gale of wind; for commonly after a wind falleth rain, and after rain a thunder-clap, such thickness come to pass when the four winds meet together in the heavens, the airy clouds are by force beaten against the fixed crystal firmament, but when the airy clouds meet with the firmament, they are congealed, and so strike, and rush against the firmament, as great pieces of ice when they meet on the water; then each other sounded in our ears, and that we call thunder, which indeed was none other than you have heard."
THE THIRD AND LAST OF DR. FAUSTUS HIS MERRY CONCEITS,
SHOWING AFTER WHAT SORT HE PRACTISED
NECROMANCY IN THE COURTS OF GREAT PRINCES:
AND, LASTLY, OF HIS FEARFUL AND PITIFUL END.
CHAPTER XXIX.
How the Emperor Carolus Quintus requested of Faustus
to see some of his Cunning,
whereunto he agreed.
The Emperor Charles the Fifth of that name, was personally, with the rest of the nobles and gentlemen, at the town of Intzbrack, where he kept his court, unto the which also Dr. Faustus resorted, and being there well known of divers nobles and gentlemen, he was invited in the court to meat, even in the presence of the emperor, whom when the emperor saw, he looked earnestly upon him, thinking by his looks he was some wonderful fellow; wherefore he asked one of his nobles whom he should be? He answered, that he was called Dr. Faustus. Whereupon the emperor held his peace until he had taken his repast; after which he called unto him Faustus into his privy-chamber; where being come, he said unto him: "Faustus, I have heard much of thee, that thou art excellent in the black art, and none like thee in my empire; for men say that thou hast a familiar spirit with thee, and that thou canst do what thou list. It is, therefore," said the emperor, "my request of thee that thou let me see proof of thy experience, and I vow unto thee, by the honour of my imperial crown, none evil shall happen unto thee for so doing."
Hereupon Dr. Faustus answered his Majesty, that upon those conditions he was ready in anything that he could to do his highness's command in what service he could appoint him.