Now thou Faustus, damned wretch! how happy wert thou if, as an unreasonable beast, thou mightest die with a soul? so shouldest thou not feel any more doubts; but now the devil will take thee away, both body and soul, and set thee in an unspeakable place of darkness; for although other souls have rest and peace, yet I, poor damned wretch, must suffer all manner of filthy stench, pains, cold, hunger, thirst, heat, freezing, burning, hissing, gnashing, and all the wrath and curse of God; yea, all the creatures God hath created are enemies to me. And too late I remember that my spirit Mephistophiles did once tell me there was great difference amongst the damned, for the greater the sin the greater the torment; as the twigs of a tree make greater flames than the trunk thereof, and yet the trunk continueth longer in burning, even so the more that a man is rooted in sin, the greater is his punishment. Ah! thou perpetual damned wretch! how art thou thrown into the everlasting fiery lake that shall never be quenched! there must I dwell in all manner of wailing, sorrow, misery, pain, torment, grief, howling, sighing, sobbing, running at the eyes, stinking at the nose, gnashing of teeth, snare to the ears, horror to the conscience, and shaking both of hand and foot? Ah! that I could carry the heavens upon my shoulders, so that there were time at last to quit me of this everlasting damnation. Oh! what can deliver me out of the fearful tormenting flame, the which I see prepared for me? Oh! there is no help, nor can any man deliver me; nor my wailing of sins can help me; neither is there rest for me to be found day or night! Ah! woe is me! for there is no help for me, no shield, no defence, no comfort; where is my help? Knowledge dare I not trust; and for a soul to Godwards, that have I not, for I ashame to speak unto him; if I do, no answer shall be made me; but he will hide his face from me, to the end that I should not behold the joys of the chosen. What mean I then to complain, where no help is? No, I know no hope resteth in my groanings; I had desired it would be so, and God hath said, Amen, to my misdoings; for now I must have shame to comfort me in my calamities.
CHAPTER LXI.
Here followeth the Miserable and Lamentable End of Doctor Faustus,
by which all Christians may take an Example and Warning.
The full time of Dr. Faustus, his four-and-twenty years being come, his spirit appeared unto him, giving him his writing again, and commanding him to make preparation, for that the devil would fetch him against a certain time appointed.
Dr. Faustus mourned and sighed wonderfully, and never went to bed, nor slept a wink for sorrow.
Wherefore his spirit appeared again, comforting him, and saying: "My Faustus, be not thou so cowardly minded; for although thou lovest thy body, it is long unto the day of judgment, and thou must die at the last, although thou live many thousand years. The Turks, the Jews, and many an unchristian emperor are in the same condemnation; therefore, my Faustus, be of good courage, and be not discomforted, for the devil hath promised that thou shalt not be in pains, as the rest of the damned are." This and such like comfort he gave him, for he told him false, and against the saying of the Holy Scriptures.
Yet Dr. Faustus, that had no other expectation but to pay his debt, with his own skin, went (on the same day that his spirit said the devil would fetch him) unto his trusty and dearly beloved brethren and companions, as masters and bachelors of art, and other students more, the which did often visit him at his house in merriment; these he intreated that they would walk into the village called Rimlich, half a mile from Wittenburg, and that they would there take with him for their repast a small banquet; the which they agreed unto; so they went together, and there held their dinner in a most sumptuous manner.
Dr. Faustus with them, dissemblingly was merry, but not from the heart; wherefore he requested them that they would also take part of his rude supper, the which they agreed unto; "for," quoth he, "I must tell you what is the victualler's due;" and when they slept (for drink was in their heads) then Dr. Faustus paid the shot, and bound the students and masters to go with him into another room, for he had many wonderful matters to tell them; and when they were entered the room, as he requested, Dr. Faustus said unto them as followeth:
CHAPTER LXII.
An Oration of Dr. Faustus to the Students.