So long they drank, that at last they came to be within a little of drunk, fetching over the Green nine Muses[45] so often at sundry draughts, till they began to be exceeding merry and pleasant, till it being time to depart, so they set out for Wittenberg, and being within a mile or such a matter of the City, they came to a thick Grove called of them the Phogelwald which is Bird’s Wood in English, a place somewhat delightsome above any thereabouts, situated upon a top of a very high Hill, but the arms of it spread themselves somewhat lower into the neighbour valleys and meadows, full of very fine Crystalline brooks and springs, which running through the large ranks of trees empty themselves into the Elve, a River which keeps his current by Wittenberg; in this place in a fair Summer sunshine day, gather together a great number of country maids, servants, and other of the female sex, which they call Phogels (Birds); unto them there resort in such-like days, a great number of scholars to meet with these Birds, which exercise Venery either for pleasure, but indeed seldom but for gain, with whom when they have danced a great while (after some odd tune, as after that which they call Robinson’s delight, but more truly a jest, though somewhat tolerable) some twenty or thirty or forty couples together, then here steps out one couple, and here another, and get them to such odd corners, as their continual practice doth make known; on the same day wherein this merry company were wandering, who if I should not much err, I durst say they were most deeply drunk, being a Sun-shining day and having no other way to pass to Wittenberg, but only by this Phogelwald, where they determined to be lusty with some of the Phogels, they came at length to these fore-named places, where as to them it seemed sundry Women dancing, and amongst them divers Scholars, and verily they deemed Magister Doctor Faustus likewise, and seeing diverse maids standing idle, so many as would fit their many, they went to take them by the hands, and as their order is saluting them, to hop a bout or two (for all the high Dutchmens’ dances stand upon hopping, turning, winding, and such odd gesture) and as they seemed, they danced at great leisure till this said Faustus came to them, requesting them not to be amazed, for that it was reported he was dead, assuring them in very deed he was not in this World, but had changed it for a better, which if it did please them he would shew unto them, where betwixt their delights and his were no comparison, at his request they were all contented, and he leading the foremost, brought them down into a fair pleasant green, whereon instead of certain flowers grew Pots full of ye best beer, which they tasted on, finding them as good as any that ever they drunk in their whole lives, and farther into a most rich and sumptuous palace, wherein as they seemed they dwelt many days with great mirth and pleasure, till at length one more full of courtesy than the rest thanked Master Faustus for his good entertainment, at which words suddenly was heard so great a noise and howling especially of the poor Doctor, who was immediately reared up into the Air, accompanied with such a sort of black clouds and mists, as therewith not only the sky, but also their eyes were mightily darkened, and they brought into a deep Cavern, wherein besides most soft beds they had nothing to comfort themselves, in which they wallowed and slept till they snorted, some of the Scholars that were present at their departure being in a soberer conceit than the rest, desirous to see whither they would go, followed them fast after, till they espied them on this dirty ease, for instead of beds they were all bewrapped, and some more than half sunk in deep and yielding mire by the river’s banks. Whom when they saw in this more than miserable case, moved with pity, conveyed them in Waggons home: and being demanded in the morning (for then they were a little wiser) the occasion of their so great and seldom seen disorder, they declared it from the beginning to the ending, which they were so far from believing, that they counted it as canonical, which when some Students reported unto me, I could not abstain from hearty laughter, not only to see how they had abused themselves, but also others by so fond belief. For I said that in drunkenness, so thick a vapour as riseth from so thick a matter as their Beer, clambering up and spreading itself so universally in the fantasy, maketh it conceive no other impression, but that which the mind, afore it came to be overpressed, was conversant about, and it was evident that in all the talk they had, there was nothing mentioned but only Faustus, and Faustus’ merriments, and where a thing is amongst so many so agreeingly talked of, it is likely it should take effect as well in all as in one. Well, I was content to subscribe to their folly rather to satisfy their self-willed conceits, than mine own thought. Many odd pranks Faustus is made the father of, which are either so frivolous as nobody can credit but like frivolous people, or so merely smelling of the Cask, that a man may easily know the child by the Father.
Footnotes
[45] Perhaps a toast.
CHAPTER III
Wagner’s conference with Doctor Faustus, and how miserably they broke up their disputations
Wagner one morning arose betimes and departed to Wittenberg, but a small mile from the house, and having purveyed himself of all necessaries, was admitted for a scholar (immediately after his Master was departed out of this World) into the University. Where, for that he was Faustus’ true and familiar servant, he was both well and manifoldly acquainted, wherein he remained in all solace amongst a great number of his companions, who then rather frequented his company, not only for that he was Faustus his servant, whose memory was very freshly continued among them, but that they were verily assured that he had a great part of his Master’s skill and science, which they honoured with more than lawful reverence.
Upon a day Christopher Wagner (as many times he did) separated himself from his other companions and friends, to ruminate upon his melancholic conceits, erring far in a place full of Trees and the fulness of Trees gave it the name of a Grove, suddenly like as all such chances hap, Faustus or Faustus’ Spirit clapped him upon the shoulder, saying: Wagner, good morrow. Wagner availed[46] his Scholar’s Bonnet, thinking verily that he was some other Student, but beholding his Master Faustus, he was most terribly affrighted, and stepping aside he began to mumble to himself a Benedicite, and crossing himself, rehearsing and saying CONIVRO TE IN NOMINE PATRIS ET FILII ET SPIRITUS SANCTI, etc. making Circle, etc.
Faustus rolling his eyes and for mere fury and anger stamping, bound (for so he seemed) with the vehemency of the Exorcism ran about most terribly the brims thereof, that therewith the neighbour ground did seem to tremble, casting out a blackish slomy[47] sulphury smoke out of his mouth, wherewith the bright air was much darkened, at length appeased, either forced with necessity or knavery, he spake and that very distinctly. Wagner (qd. he) art thou afeared of me as of a Spirit, or infernal Ghost, am not I (ungrateful rascal) Faustus, am not I thy Master Faustus? quoth Wagner very confidently, what thou wert I know, what also thou art who knows not? Though once my Master, now thou shalt be my servant, though once my friend and familiar, now I may justly term thee neither, the Laws of Devils hath not made me secure from thy tyranny, and how may thy friendship avail me? For how can that help which is not? affections are not amongst Fiends, nor passions amongst Spirits.
Wherefore Faustus if thou wilt that I be thy Master, as whether thou wilt or no, I will Conjure thee, etc. to answer directly and truly to all my questions. Ah Wagner (quoth Faustus) is this the duty of a servant? dost thou mistrust that in me, which neither I mean nor thou of honest thought and duty oughtest imagine? And as for affections in Spirits, certainly there is none, but I am none, feel me my good Wagner, behold flesh, blood, and bones, and Spirits have neither flesh, blood, nor bones. Believe me I shall teach thee the nature and essence of Devils, I will teach thee that which neither thou canst desire of me or think Extra captum humanum. Then my good Boy Wagner come to me, and use me not as a Spirit whose body is nothing but a Spirit, and as Logicians say Substantia incorporea, and I will open unto thee the secrets of the World, and Hell, and else whatsoever in the works of Nature. Come my Wagner my son, my darling, my sweet delight, and rejoicing, the only hope of my labours, boldly, lovingly, courteously above all, which am the very same matter and substance I once was, and if thou doubtest as well thou mayest reach thy hand to me, for I cannot mine to thee, and feel whether I am not as I say I am, flesh, blood, and bones: Wagner half astonished at this his fervent speech, yet rather hearing it than believing it: Why Faustus, let me speak to you somewhat more considerately, thou sayest thou art substance, and all substance is heavy, and no heavy thing can ascend upwards, and as thy conference with Mephostophiles doth plainly declare, the place of Spirits is in the Air, in which nothing that is heavy can remain, and therefore thou art not substance or not Faustus. Quoth Faustus, that no heavy things is in the Air is plainly false, for thou seest that material bodies are in the Air, as hail, snow, and other meteors: Whereto Wagner answered: Faustus, they truly are in the Air, not of the Air, and you know the causes of them are terrestrial vapours drawn from the earth by the attractive virtue of the Sun, and therefore they fall down because they are heavy, for were they of the Air as are Spirits, then should they still remain in it, but briefly no violent motion may be called natural, as that heavy material Dew is carried from the earth by a violent and contrary motion: the Sun therefore leaving the Zenith of any Horizon, and coming to the Nadir oppositely, the material bodies of Dew (as the causes always fail with the effects), and nextly the concretion of Snow and Hail, because they are substance, cannot remain in the light and unheavy Air: Wherefore I have answered thee that thou art either a Spirit or not substance. I wondered when I read this discourse, with what patience the Doctor could endure so long an argument, but it proved otherwise, for the Doctor brake forth into these speeches, unable to contain himself any longer. Wagner, thou seemest to gather natural arguments of Metaphysical effects, I say unto thee Wagner sith thou art thus far entered into a Philosophical discourse, that I being as I am Faustus, may be, for so I am, a dweller in the profound Abyss of the Air, whose compass is measurable in this, that it is not measurable: For let us speak according to men naturally, the rather to fit thy capacity, we see that in the regiment of man’s body, the man is of quality like to the predominant complexion and Element, as if Choler abound, the man is light, nimble, and for a while furious, seldom strong, ready to meddle, and carried away with phanatick illusions: If Blood abound, he is ruddy, fair, gentle, etc. Et sic de reliquis. If therefore the predominant Element is able so much to change the nature of man, as to make it above the rest capable or incapable, the same reason maketh that this body of mine which thou seest, being governed and predomineered by that quick and ready spirit and soul which makes a man immortal, is no hindrance why this corporal reality of me should accompany my Spirit, not as a body, but as a part of the same Spirit; and otherwise Wagner, the whole world is in the Air, and as it were the centre of the Heavens, and what substances soever is made, Fishes which dwell in the deep Seas except (and yet not always) are moved in the Air, Kit, believe me I am as thou seest Faustus and the same very same.
Wagner almost at the last cast, said, we dispute not what you are Faustus, but what by reason you may be. Well, answered Faustus, seeing thou wilt not believe, nor give any credit to my sayings, and which I prove by arguments, I hope thou wilt believe thine own eyes, and if thou seest what I say unto thee, thou wilt neither be obstinate nor incredulous, and rather than Wagner (whom I do love as myself) should be carried away with so palpable an Heresy, behold Wagner and believe, and straightways he drew his knife, the Prologue of his knavery, and looking first upon Wagner, and next on the weapon which he had in his hand, as if with his eyes he would have moved him to some pity, and moved them to be witnesses of the truth, he struck himself into his thigh twice or thrice, and after his strokes followed blood so hastily, as if it would have overtaken the injurious worker of his effusion: which blood Faustus received in a silver Bowl, and staunching his wound, but not until the blood might be seen over the Cup-brims, then Faustus lifted the blood on high saying: See here the witness of the truth, Wagner take it, look how fresh it is, it is not that which comes from a Spirit, it is blood both in nature and colour, and if this be not enough to make thee believe that which I do tell thee, it boots not, there is not any truth at all.