How Doctor Faustus ate a load of Hay
Doctor Faustus being in a Town of Germanie called Zwickaw, where he was accompanied with many Doctors and Masters, and going forth to walk after supper, they met with a Clown[38] that drove a load of Hay. Good even good fellow said Faustus to the Clown, what shall I give thee to let me eat my belly full of Hay? The Clown thought with himself, what a mad man is this to eat Hay, thought he with himself, thou wilt not eat much, they agreed for three farthings he should eat as much as he could: wherefore Doctor Faustus began to eat, and that so ravenously, that all the rest of his company fell a-laughing, blinding so the poor Clown, that he was sorry at his heart, for he seemed to have eaten more than the half of his Hay, wherefore the Clown began to speak him fair, for fear he should have eaten the other half also. Faustus made as though he had had pity on the Clown, and went his way. When the Clown came in place where he would be, he had his Hay again as he had before, a full load.
Footnotes
[38] i.e. peasant.
CHAPTER XXXVI
How Doctor Faustus served the twelve Students
At Wittenberg before Faustus his house, there was a quarrel between seven Students, and five that came to part the rest, one part being stronger than the other. Wherefore Faustus seeing them to be overmatched, conjured them all blind, in so much that the one could not see the other, and yet he so dealt with them, that they fought and smote at one another still, whereat all the beholders fell a-laughing: and thus they continued blind, beating one another, until the people parted them, and led each one to his own home: where being entered into their houses, they received their sight perfectly again.
CHAPTER XXXVII
How Faustus served the drunken Clowns