A good Christian an honest and virtuous old man, a lover of the holy Scriptures, who was neighbour unto Doctor Faustus: when he perceived that many Students had their recourse in and out unto Doctor Faustus, he suspected his evil life, wherefore like a friend he invited Doctor Faustus to supper unto his house, unto the which he agreed; and having ended their banquet, the old man began with these words. My loving friend and neighbour Doctor Faustus, I have to desire of you a friendly and Christian request, beseeching you that you will vouchsafe not to be angry with me, but friendly resolve me in my doubt, and take my poor inviting in good part. To whom Doctor Faustus answered: My loving neighbour, I pray you say your mind. Then began the old Patron to say: My good neighbour, you know in the beginning how that you have defied God, and all the host of heaven, and given your soul to the Devil, wherewith you have incurred God’s high displeasure, and are become from a Christian far worse than a heathen person: oh consider what you have done, it is not only the pleasure of the body, but the safety of the soul that you must have respect unto: of which if you be careless, then are you cast away, and shall remain in the anger of almighty God. But yet is it time enough Doctor Faustus, if you repent and call unto the Lord for mercy, as we have example in the Acts of the Apostles, the eighth Chap. of Simon in Samaria, who was led out of the way, affirming that he was Simon homo sanctus. This man was notwithstanding in the end converted, after that he had heard the Sermon of Philip, for he was baptized, and saw his sins, and repented. Likewise I beseech you good brother Doctor Faustus, let my rude Sermon be unto you a conversion; and forget the filthy life that you have led, repent, ask mercy, and live: for Christ saith, Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I will refresh you. And in Ezechiel: I desire not the death of a sinner, but rather that he convert and live. Let my words good brother Faustus, pierce into your adamant heart, and desire God for his Son Christ his sake, to forgive you. Wherefore have you so long lived in your Devilish practices, knowing that in the Old and New Testament you are forbidden, and that men should not suffer any such to live, neither have any conversation with them, for it is an abomination unto the Lord; and that such persons have no part in the Kingdom of God. All this while Doctor Faustus heard him very attentively, and replied: Father, your persuasions like me wondrous well, and I thank you with all my heart for your good will and counsel, promising you so far as I may to follow your discipline: whereupon he took his leave. And being come home, he laid him very pensive on his bed, bethinking himself of the words of the good old man, and in a manner began to repent that he had given his Soul to the Devil, intending to deny all that he had promised unto Lucifer. Continuing in these cogitations, suddenly his Spirit appeared unto him clapping him upon the head, and wrung it as though he would have pulled the head from the shoulders, saying unto him, Thou knowest Faustus, that thou hast given thyself body and soul unto my Lord Lucifer, and hast vowed thyself an enemy unto God and unto all men; and now thou beginnest to hearken to an old doting fool which persuadeth thee as it were unto God, when indeed it is too late, for that thou art the Devil’s, and he hath good power presently to fetch thee: wherefore he hath sent me unto thee, to tell thee, that seeing thou hast sorrowed for that thou hast done, begin again and write another writing with thine own blood, if not, then will I tear thee all to pieces. Hereat Doctor Faustus was sore afraid, and said: My Mephostophiles, I will write again what thou wilt: wherefore he sat him down, and with his own blood he wrote as followeth: which writing was afterward sent to a dear friend of the said Doctor Faustus being his kinsman.
CHAPTER XLIX
How Doctor Faustus wrote the second time with his own blood and gave it to the Devil
I, Doctor John Faustus, acknowledge by this my deed and handwriting, that sith my first writing, which is seventeen years, that I have right willingly held, and have been an utter enemy unto God and all men, the which I once again confirm, and give fully and wholly myself unto the Devil both body and soul, even unto the great Lucifer: and that at the end of seven years ensuing after the date of this letter, he shall have to do with me according as it pleaseth him, either to lengthen or shorten my life as liketh him: and hereupon I renounce all persuaders that seek to withdraw me from my purpose by the Word of God, either ghostly or bodily. And further, I will never give ear unto any man, be he spiritual or temporal, that moveth any matter for the salvation of my soul. Of all this writing, and that therein contained, be witness, my own blood, the which with mine own hands I have begun, and ended.
Dated at Wittenberg, the 25th of July.
And presently upon the making of this Letter, he became so great an enemy unto the poor old man, that he sought his life by all means possible; but this godly man was strong in the Holy Ghost, that he could not be vanquished by any means: for about two days after that he had exhorted Faustus, as the poor man lay in his bed, suddenly there was a mighty rumbling in the Chamber, the which he was never wont to hear, and he heard as it had been the groaning of a Sow, which lasted long: whereupon the good old man began to jest, and mock, and said: oh what Barbarian cry is this, oh fair Bird, what foul music is this of a fair Angel, that could not tarry two days in his place? beginnest thou now to run into a poor man’s house, where thou hast no power, and wert not able to keep thine own two days? With these and such-like words the Spirit departed. And when he came home Faustus asked him how he had sped with the old man: to whom the Spirit answered, the old man was harnessed, and that he could not once lay hold upon him: but he would not tell how the old man had mocked him, for the Devils can never abide to hear of their fall. Thus doth God defend the hearts of all honest Christians, that betake themselves under his tuition.
CHAPTER L
How Doctor Faustus made a marriage between two lovers