A question put forth by Doctor Faustus to his Spirit concerning Astronomy
Doctor Faustus falling to practice, and making his Prognostications, he was doubtful in many points: wherefore he called unto him Mephostophiles his Spirit, saying: I find the ground of this science very difficult to attain unto: for that when I confer Astronomia and Astrologia, as the Mathematicians and ancient writers have left in memory, I find them to vary and very much to disagree: wherefore I pray thee to teach me the truth in this matter. To whom his Spirit answered, Faustus, thou shalt know that the practitioners or speculators, or at least the first inventors of these Arts, have done nothing of themselves certain, whereupon thou mayest attain to the true prognosticating or presaging of things concerning the heavens, or of the influence of the Planets: for if by chance some one Mathematician or Astronomer hath left behind him anything worthy of memory: they have so blinded it with Enigmatical words, blind Characters, and such obscure figures; that it is impossible for an earthly man to attain unto the knowledge thereof, without the aid of some Spirit, or else the special gift of God; for such are the hidden works of God from men: yet do we Spirits that fly and fleet in all Elements, know such, and there is nothing to be done, or by the Heavens pretended, but we know it, except only the day of Doom. Wherefore (Faustus) learn of me, I will teach thee the course and recourse of ♄. ♃. ♂. ☉. ♀. ☿ and ☽.[21] the cause of winter and summer, the exaltation and declination of the Sun, the eclipse of the Moon, the distance and height of the Poles, and every fixed Star, the nature and operation of the elements, fire, air, water, and earth, and all that is contained in them, yea herein there is nothing hidden from me, but only the fifth essence, which once thou hadst Faustus at liberty, but now Faustus thou hast lost it past recovery; wherefore leaving that which will not be again had, learn now of me to make thunder, lightning, hail, snow, and rain: the clouds to rend, the earth and craggy rocks to shake and split in sunder, the Seas to swell, and roar, and over-run their marks. Knowest not thou that the deeper the Sun shines, the hotter he pierces? so, the more thy Art is famous whilst thou art here, the greater shall be thy name when thou art gone. Knowest not thou that the earth is frozen cold and dry; the water running, cold and moist; the air flying, hot and moist; the fire consuming, hot and dry? Yea Faustus, so must thy heart be enflamed like the fire to mount on high: learn, Faustus, to fly like myself, as swift as thought from one kingdom to another, to sit at princes’ tables, to eat their daintiest fare, to have thy pleasure of their fair Ladies, wives and concubines, to use their jewels, and costly robes as things belonging to thee, and not unto them: learn of me, Faustus, to run through walls, doors, and gates of stone and iron, to creep into the earth like a worm, to swim in the water like a fish, to fly in the air like a bird, and to live and nourish thyself in the fire like a Salamander; so shalt thou be famous, renowned, far-spoken of, and extolled for thy skill: going on knives, not hurting thy feet; carrying fire in thy bosom, and not burning thy shirt; seeing through the heavens as through a Crystal, wherein is placed the Planets, with all the rest of the presaging Comets, the whole circuit of the world from the East to the West, North and South: there shalt thou know, Faustus, wherefore the fiery sphere above ♄ and the signs of the Zodiac doth not burn and consume the whole face of the earth, being hindered by placing the two moist elements between them, the airy clouds and the wavering waves of water: yea, Faustus, I will learn thee the secrets of nature, what the causes that the Sun in summer being at the highest, giveth all his heat downwards on the earth; and being in winter at the lowest, giveth all his heat upward into the heavens: that the snow should be of so great virtue, as the honey; and the Lady Saturnia ♓ [22] in Occulto more hotter than the Sun in Manifesto. Come on my Faustus, I will make thee as perfect in these things as myself, I will learn thee to go invisible, to find out the mines of gold and silver, the fodines[23] of precious stones, as the Carbuncle, the Diamond, Sapphire, Emerald, Ruby, Topaz, Jacinth, Garnet, Jasper, Amethyst, use all these at thy pleasure, take thy heart’s desire: thy time Faustus weareth away, then why wilt thou not take thy pleasure of the world? Come up, we will go visit Kings at their own courts, and at their most sumptuous banquets be their guests, if willingly they invite us not, then perforce we will serve our own turn with their best meat and daintiest wine: Agreed, quoth Faustus; but let me pause a while upon this thou hast even now declared unto me.
Footnotes
[21] The symbols of Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, the Sun, Venus, Mercury, and the Moon.
[22] The symbol of Pisces in the Zodiac.
[23] Mines.
CHAPTER XIX
How Doctor Faustus fell into despair with himself: for having put forth a question unto his Spirit, they fell at variance, whereupon the whole route of Devils appeared unto him, threatening him sharply
Doctor Faustus revolving with himself the speeches of his Spirit, he became so woeful and sorrowful in his cogitations, that he thought himself already frying in the hottest flames of hell, and lying in his muse, suddenly there appeared unto him his Spirit, demanding what thing so grieved and troubled his conscience, whereat Doctor Faustus gave no answer: yet the Spirit very earnestly lay upon him to know the cause; and if it were possible, he would find remedy for his grief, and ease him of his sorrows. To whom Faustus answered, I have taken thee unto me as a servant to do me service, and thy service will be very dear unto me; yet I cannot have any diligence of thee farther than thou list thyself, neither dost thou in anything as it becometh thee. The Spirit replied, my Faustus, thou knowest that I was never against thy commandments as yet, but ready to serve and resolve thy questions, although I am not bound unto thee in such respects as concern the hurt of our Kingdom, yet was I always willing to answer thee, and so I am still: therefore my Faustus say on boldly, what is thy will and pleasure? At which words, the Spirit stole away the heart of Faustus, who spake in this sort, Mephostophiles, tell me how and after what sort God made the world, and all the creatures in them, and why man was made after the Image of God?
The Spirit hearing this, answered, Faustus thou knowest that all this is in vain for thee to ask, I know that thou art sorry for that thou hast done, but it availeth thee not, for I will tear thee in thousands of pieces, if thou change not thine opinions, and hereat he vanished away. Whereat Faustus all sorrowful for that he had put forth such a question, fell to weeping and to howling bitterly, not for his sins towards God, but for that the Devil was departed from him so suddenly, and in such a rage. And being in this perplexity, he was suddenly taken in such an extreme cold, as if he should have frozen in the place where he sat, in which, the greatest Devil in hell appeared unto him, with certain of his hideous and infernal company in the most ugliest shapes that it was possible to think upon, and traversing the chamber round about where Faustus sat, Faustus thought to himself, now are they come for me though my time be not come, and that because I have asked such questions of my servant Mephostophiles: at whose cogitations, the chiefest Devil which was his Lord, unto whom he gave his soul, that was Lucifer, spake in this sort: Faustus, I have seen thy thoughts, which are not as thou hast vowed unto me, by virtue of this letter, and shewed him the Obligation that he had written with his own blood, wherefore I am come to visit thee and to shew thee some of our hellish pastimes, in hope that will draw and confirm thy mind a little more stedfast unto us. Content quoth Faustus, go to, let me see what pastime you can make. At which words, the great Devil in his likeness sat him down by Faustus, commanding the rest of the Devils to appear in their form, as if they were in hell: first entered Belial in form of a Bear, with curled black hair to the ground, his ears standing upright: within the ear was as red as blood, out of which issued flames of fire, his teeth were a foot at least long, as white as snow, with a tail three ells long (at the least) having two wings, one behind each arm, and thus one after another they appeared to Faustus in form as they were in hell. Lucifer himself sat in manner of a man, all hairy, but of a brown colour like a Squirrel, curled, and his tail turning upwards on his back as the Squirrels use, I think he could crack nuts too like a Squirrel. After him came Beelzebub in curled hair of horse-flesh colour, his head like the head of a Bull, with a mighty pair of horns, and two long ears down to the ground, and two wings on his back, with pricking stings like thorns: out of his wings issued flames of fire, his tail was like a Cow. Then came Astaroth in form of a worm, going upright on his tail; he had no feet, but a tail like a slow-worm: under his chaps grew two short hands, and his back was coal-black, his belly thick in the middle, and yellow like gold, having many bristles on his back like a Hedgehog. After him came Chamagosta, being white and gray mixed, exceeding curled and hairy: he had a head like the head of an Ass, the tail like a Cat, and Claws like an Ox, lacking nothing of an ell broad. Then came Anobis; this Devil had a head like a Dog, white and black hair in shape of a Hog, saving that he had but two feet, one under his throat, the other at his tail: he was four ells long, with hanging ears like a Bloodhound. After him came Dythycan, he was a short thief in form of a Pheasant, with shining feathers, and four feet: his neck was green, his body red, and his feet black. The last was called Brachus, with four short feet like an Hedgehog, yellow and green: the upper side of his body was brown, and the belly like blue flames of fire; the tail red, like the tail of a Monkey. The rest of the Devils were in form of insensible beasts, as Swine, Harts, Bears, Wolves, Apes, Buffs, Goats, Antelopes, Elephants, Dragons, Horses, Asses, Lions, Cats, Snakes, Toads, and all manner of ugly odious Serpents and Worms: yet came in such sort, that every one at his entry into the Hall, made their reverence unto Lucifer, and so took their places, standing in order as they came, until they had filled the whole Hall: wherewith suddenly fell a most horrible thunder-clap, that the house shook as though it would have fallen to the ground, upon which every monster had a muck-fork in his hand, holding them towards Faustus as though they would have run a tilt at him: which when Faustus perceived, he thought upon the words of Mephostophiles, when he told him how the souls in hell were tormented, being cast from Devil to Devil upon muck-forks, he thought verily to have been tormented there of them in like sort. But Lucifer perceiving his thought, spake to him, my Faustus, how likest thou this crew of mine? Quoth Faustus, why came you not in another manner of shape? Lucifer replied, we cannot change our hellish form, we have shewed ourselves here, as we are there; yet can we blind men’s eyes in such sort, that when we will we repair unto them, as if we were men or Angels of light, although our dwelling be in darkness. Then said Faustus, I like not so many of you together, whereupon Lucifer commanded them to depart, except seven of the principal, forthwith they presently vanished, which Faustus perceiving, he was somewhat better comforted, and spake to Lucifer, where is my servant Mephostophiles, let me see if he can do the like, whereupon came a fierce Dragon, flying and spitting fire round about the house, and coming towards Lucifer, made reverence, and then changed himself to the form of a Friar, saying, Faustus, what wilt thou? Saith Faustus, I will that thou teach me to transform myself in like sort as thou and the rest have done: then Lucifer put forth his Paw, and gave Faustus a book, saying hold, do what thou wilt, which he looking upon, straightways changed himself into a Hog, then into a Worm, then into a Dragon, and finding this for his purpose, it liked him well. Quoth he to Lucifer, and how cometh it that all these filthy forms are in the world? Lucifer answered, they are ordained of God as plagues unto men, and so shalt thou be plagued (quoth he) whereupon, came Scorpions, Wasps, Emmets, Bees, and Gnats, which fell to stinging and biting him, and all the whole house was filled with a most horrible stinking fog, in so much, that Faustus saw nothing, but still was tormented; wherefore he cried for help saying, Mephostophiles my faithful servant, where art thou, help, help, I pray thee: hereat his Spirit answered nothing, but Lucifer himself said, ho ho ho Faustus, how likest thou the creation of the world, and incontinent it was clear again, and the Devils and all the filthy Cattle were vanished, only Faustus was left alone; seeing nothing, but hearing the sweetest music that ever he heard before, at which he was so ravished with delight, that he forgot the fears he was in before: and it repented him that he had seen no more of their pastime.