It is a common proverb in Germanie, that although a Conjurer have all things at commandment, the day will come that he shall not be worth a penny: so is it like to fall out with Doctor Faustus, in promising the Devil so largely: and as the Devil is the author of lies, even so he led Faustus his mind, in practising of things to deceive the people and blinding them, wherein he took his whole delight, thereby to bring himself to riches, yet notwithstanding in the end he was never the richer. And although that during four and twenty years of his time that the Devil set him, he wanted nothing; yet was he best pleased when he might deceive anybody: for out of the mightiest Potentates’ Courts in all those Countries, he would send his Spirit to steal away their best cheer. And on a time being in his merriment where he was banqueting with other Students in an Inn, whereunto resorted many Jews, which when Doctor Faustus perceived, he was minded to play some merry jest to deceive a Jew, desiring one of them to lend him some money for a time, the Jew was content, and lent Faustus threescore dollars for a month, which time being expired, the Jew came for his money and interest, but Doctor Faustus was never minded to pay the Jew again: at length the Jew coming home to his house, and calling importunately for his money, Doctor Faustus made him this answer: Jew, I have no money, nor know I how to pay thee, but notwithstanding, to the end that thou mayest be contented, I will cut off a limb of my body, be it arm or leg, and the same shalt thou have in pawn for thy money, yet with this condition, that when I shall pay thee thy money again, then thou also give me my limb. The Jew that was never friend to a Christian, thought with himself, this is a fellow right for my purpose, that will lay his limbs to pawn for money, he was therewith very well content; wherefore Doctor Faustus took a saw, and therewith seemed to cut off his foot (being notwithstanding nothing so) well, he gave it to the Jew, yet upon this condition, that when he got money to pay, the Jew should deliver him his leg, to the end he might set it on again. The Jew was with this matter very well pleased, took his leg and departed: and having far home, he was somewhat weary, and by the way he thus bethought him, what helpeth me a knave’s leg, if I should carry it home, it would stink, and so infect my house, besides it is too hard a piece of work to set it on again, wherefore what an ass was Faustus to lay so dear a pawn for so small a sum of money; and for my part, quoth the Jew to himself, this will never profit me anything, and with these words he cast the leg away from him into a ditch. All this Doctor Faustus knew right well, therefore within three days after he sent for the Jew to make him payment of his sixty Dollars, the Jew came, and Doctor Faustus demanded his pawn, there was his money ready for him: the Jew answered, the pawn was not profitable or necessary for anything and he had cast it away: but Faustus threateningly replied, I will have my leg again, or else one of thine for it. The Jew fell to entreating, promising him to give him what money he would ask, if he would not deal straightly with him, wherefore the Jew was constrained to give him sixty Dollars more to be rid of him, and yet Faustus had his leg on, for he had but blinded the Jew.
CHAPTER XXXIV
How Doctor Faustus deceived an Horse-courser
In like manner he served an Horse-courser at a fair called Pheiffring, for Doctor Faustus through his cunning had gotten an excellent fair Horse, whereupon he rid to the Fair, where he had many Chap-men that offered him money: lastly, he sold him for forty Dollars, willing him that bought him, that in any wise he should not ride him over any water, but the Horse-courser marvelled with himself that Faustus bade him ride him over no water (but quoth he), I will prove, and forthwith he rid him into the river, presently the horse vanished from under him, and he sat on a bundle of straw, in so much that the man was almost drowned. The Horse-courser knew well where he lay that had sold him his horse, wherefore he went angrily to his Inn, where he found Doctor Faustus fast asleep, and snorting on a bed, but the Horse-courser could no longer forbear him, took him by the leg and began to pull him off the bed, but he pulled him so, that he pulled his leg from his body, in so much that the Horse-courser fell down backwards in the place, then began Doctor Faustus to cry with an open throat, he hath murdered me. Hereat the Horse-courser was afraid, and gave the flight,[37] thinking none other with himself, but that he had pulled his leg from his body; by this means Doctor Faustus kept his money.
Footnotes
[37] i.e. took to flight.