Mediaeval Tales Part 36

CHAPTER LX.

_How Dr. Faustus bewailed to think on h.e.l.l, and the miserable Pains therein provided for him._

Now thou Faustus, d.a.m.ned wretch! how happy wert thou if, as an unreasonable beast, thou mightest die with a soul? so shouldest thou not feel any more doubts; but now the devil will take thee away, both body and soul, and set thee in an unspeakable place of darkness; for although other souls have rest and peace, yet I, poor d.a.m.ned wretch, must suffer all manner of filthy stench, pains, cold, hunger, thirst, heat, freezing, burning, hissing, gnashing, and all the wrath and curse of G.o.d; yea, all the creatures G.o.d hath created are enemies to me. And too late I remember that my spirit Mephistophiles did once tell me there was great difference amongst the d.a.m.ned, for the greater the sin the greater the torment; as the twigs of a tree make greater flames than the trunk thereof, and yet the trunk continueth longer in burning, even so the more that a man is rooted in sin, the greater is his punishment. Ah!

thou perpetual d.a.m.ned wretch! how art thou thrown into the everlasting fiery lake that shall never be quenched! there must I dwell in all manner of wailing, sorrow, misery, pain, torment, grief, howling, sighing, sobbing, running at the eyes, stinking at the nose, gnashing of teeth, snare to the ears, horror to the conscience, and shaking both of hand and foot? Ah! that I could carry the heavens upon my shoulders, so that there were time at last to quit me of this everlasting d.a.m.nation.

Oh! what can deliver me out of the fearful tormenting flame, the which I see prepared for me? Oh! there is no help, nor can any man deliver me; nor my wailing of sins can help me; neither is there rest for me to be found day or night! Ah! woe is me! for there is no help for me, no shield, no defence, no comfort; where is my help? Knowledge dare I not trust; and for a soul to G.o.dwards, that have I not, for I ashame to speak unto him; if I do, no answer shall be made me; but he will hide his face from me, to the end that I should not behold the joys of the chosen. What mean I then to complain, where no help is? No, I know no hope resteth in my groanings; I had desired it would be so, and G.o.d hath said, Amen, to my misdoings; for now I must have shame to comfort me in my calamities.

CHAPTER LXI.

_Here followeth the Miserable and Lamentable End of Doctor Faustus, by which all Christians may take an Example and Warning._

The full time of Dr. Faustus, his four-and-twenty years being come, his spirit appeared unto him, giving him his writing again, and commanding him to make preparation, for that the devil would fetch him against a certain time appointed.

Dr. Faustus mourned and sighed wonderfully, and never went to bed, nor slept a wink for sorrow.

Wherefore his spirit appeared again, comforting him, and saying: "My Faustus, be not thou so cowardly minded; for although thou lovest thy body, it is long unto the day of judgment, and thou must die at the last, although thou live many thousand years. The Turks, the Jews, and many an unchristian emperor are in the same condemnation; therefore, my Faustus, be of good courage, and be not discomforted, for the devil hath promised that thou shalt not be in pains, as the rest of the d.a.m.ned are." This and such like comfort he gave him, for he told him false, and against the saying of the Holy Scriptures.

Yet Dr. Faustus, that had no other expectation but to pay his debt, with his own skin, went (on the same day that his spirit said the devil would fetch him) unto his trusty and dearly beloved brethren and companions, as masters and bachelors of art, and other students more, the which did often visit him at his house in merriment; these he intreated that they would walk into the village called Rimlich, half a mile from Wittenburg, and that they would there take with him for their repast a small banquet; the which they agreed unto; so they went together, and there held their dinner in a most sumptuous manner.

Dr. Faustus with them, dissemblingly was merry, but not from the heart; wherefore he requested them that they would also take part of his rude supper, the which they agreed unto; "for," quoth he, "I must tell you what is the victualler's due;" and when they slept (for drink was in their heads) then Dr. Faustus paid the shot, and bound the students and masters to go with him into another room, for he had many wonderful matters to tell them; and when they were entered the room, as he requested, Dr. Faustus said unto them as followeth:

CHAPTER LXII.

_An Oration of Dr. Faustus to the Students._

"My trusty and well-beloved friends, the cause why I have invited you in this place is this: forasmuch as you have known me these many years, what manner of life I have lived; practising all manner of conjurations and wicked exercises, the which I obtained through the help of the devil, into whose devilish fellowship they have brought me; the which use, the art, and practice, urged by the detestable provocation of my flesh and my stiff-necked and rebellious will, with my filthy infernal thoughts, the which were ever before me, p.r.i.c.king me forward so earnestly that I must perforce have the consent of the devil to aid me in my devices. And to the end I might the better bring my purpose to pa.s.s, to have the devil's aid and furtherance, which I never have wanted in my actions, I have promised unto him at the end, and accomplishment of twenty-four years, both body and soul, to do therewith at his pleasure.

"This dismal day, these twenty-four years are fully expired; for night beginning, my hour-gla.s.s is at an end, the direful finishing whereof I carefully expect; for out of all doubt, this night he will fetch me to whom I have given myself in recompense of his service, body and soul, and twice confirmed writings with my proper blood.

"Now have I called you, my well-beloved lords, friends and brethren, before that fatal hour, to take my friendly farewell, to the end that my departure may not hereafter be hidden from you, beseeching you herewith (courteous loving lords and brethren) not to take in evil part anything done by me, but with friendly commendations to salute all my friends and companions wheresoever, desiring both you and them, if ever I have trespa.s.sed against your minds in anything, that you would heartily forgive me; and as for those lewd practices, the which these full twenty-four years I have followed, you shall hereafter find them in writing: and I beseech you let this my lamentable end, to the residue of your lives, be a sufficient warning, that you have G.o.d always before your eyes, praying unto him, that he will defend you from the temptation of the devil, and all his false deceits, not falling altogether from G.o.d, as I wretched and unG.o.dly d.a.m.ned creature have done; having denied and defied baptism, the sacrament of Christ's body, G.o.d himself, and heavenly powers, and earthly men: yea, I have denied such a G.o.d, that desireth not to have one lost. Neither let the evil fellowship of wicked companions mislead you, as it hath done me: visit earnestly and often the church; war and strive continually against the devil, with a good and steadfast belief in G.o.d and Jesus Christ, and use your vocation and holiness.

"Lastly, to knit my troubled oration, this is my friendly request, that you would go to rest, and let nothing trouble you: also if you chance to hear any noise or rumbling about the house, be not therewith afraid, for there shall no evil happen unto you; also I pray you rise not out of your beds; but above all things, I intreat you, if hereafter you find my dead carca.s.s, convey it unto the earth, for I die both a good and bad Christian, though I know the devil will have my body, and that would I willingly give him, so that he would leave my soul to quiet; wherefore I pray you, that you would depart to bed, and so I wish you a quiet night, which unto me, notwithstanding, shall be horrible and fearful."

This oration was made by Dr. Faustus, and that with a hearty and resolute mind, to the end he might not discomfort them; but the students wondered greatly thereat, that he was so blinded, for knavery, conjuration, and such foolish things, to give his body and soul unto the devil, for they loved him entirely, and never suspected any such thing, before he had opened his mind unto them.

Wherefore one of them said unto him, "Ah! friend Faustus, what have you done to conceal this matter so long from us? We would by the help of good divines, and the grace of G.o.d, have brought you out of this net, and have torn you out of the bondage and chains of Satan, whereas we fear now it is too late, to the utter ruin both of body and soul."

Dr. Faustus answered, "I durst never do it, although often minded to settle myself to G.o.dly people, to desire counsel and help; and once my old neighbour counselled me, that I should follow his learning, and leave all my conjurations: yet when I was minded to amend, and to follow that good counsel, then came the devil, and would have had me away, as this night he is like to do: and said, so soon as I turned again to G.o.d, he would dispatch me altogether. Thus, even thus (good gentlemen and dear friends) was I inthralled in that fanatical bond, all good desires drowned, all piety vanished, all purposes of amendment truly exiled, by the tyrannous oppression of my deadly enemy."

But when the students heard his words, they gave him counsel to do nothing else but call upon G.o.d, desiring him, for the love of his sweet Son Jesus Christ his sake, to have mercy upon him: teaching him this form of prayer: "O G.o.d! be merciful unto me, poor and miserable sinner; and enter not into judgment with me, for no flesh is able to stand before thee; although, O Lord! I must leave my sinful body unto the devil, being by him deluded, yet thou in mercy may preserve my soul."

This they repeated to him, yet he could take no hold; but even as Cain, he also said, that his sins were greater than G.o.d was able to forgive, for all his thought was on the writing: he meant he had made it too filthy in writing with his own blood.

The students and the others that were there, when they had prayed for him, they wept, and so went forth. But Faustus tarried in the hall; and when the gentlemen were laid in bed, none of them could sleep, for that they attended to hear if they might be privy of his end.

It happened that between twelve and one o'clock of midnight, there blew a mighty storm of wind against the house, as though it would have blown the foundation thereof out of its place.

Hereupon the students began to fear, and go out of their beds, but they would not stir out of the chamber, and the host of the house ran out of doors, thinking the house would fall.

The students lay near unto the hall wherein Dr. Faustus lay, and they heard a mighty noise and hissing, as if the hall had been full of snakes and adders. With that the hall door flew open wherein Dr. Faustus was.

Then he began to cry for help, saying, "Murder, murder!" but it was with a half voice, and very hollow. Shortly after they heard him no more.

But when it was day, the students, that had taken no rest that night, arose and went into the hall in which they left Dr. Faustus, where notwithstanding they found not Faustus, but all the hall sprinkled with blood, the brains cleaving to the wall, for the devil had beaten him from one wall against another. In one corner lay his eyes, in another his teeth, a fearful and pitiful sight to behold.

Then began the students to wail and weep for him, and sought for his body in many places. Lastly, they came into the yard, where they found his body lying on the horse dung, most monstrously torn, and fearful to behold, for his head and all his joints were dashed to pieces. The forenamed students and masters that were at his death, obtained so much, that they buried him in the village where he was so grievously tormented.

After the which they turned to Wittenburg, and coming into the house of Faustus they found the servant of Faustus very sad, unto whom they opened all the matter, who took it exceedingly heavy. There they found this history of Dr. Faustus noted, and of him written, as is before declared, all save only his end, the which was after by the students thereunto annexed. Farther, what his servant noted thereof was made in another book. And you have heard he held by him, in his life, the spirit of fair Helena, who had by him one son, the which he named Justus Faustus: even the same day of his death they vanished away, both mother and son. The house before was so dark that scarce anybody could abide therein. The same night Dr. Faustus appeared unto his servant lively, and showed unto him many secret things which he had done and hidden in his lifetime. Likewise there were certain which saw Dr. Faustus look out of the window by night as they pa.s.sed by the house.

And thus ended the whole history of Dr. Faustus, his conjuration, and other acts that he did in his life, out of which example every Christian may learn, but chiefly the stiff-necked and high-minded, may thereby learn to fear G.o.d, and to be careful of their vocation, and to be at defiance with all devilish works, as G.o.d hath most precisely forbidden.

To the end we should not invite the devil as a guest, nor give him place, as that wicked Faustus hath done, for here we have a wicked example of his writing, promise, and end, that we may remember him, that we may not go astray, but take G.o.d always before our eyes, to call alone upon him, and to honour him all the days of our life, with heart and hearty prayer, and with all our strength and soul to glorify his holy name, defying the devil and all his works; to the end we may remain with Christ in all endless joy. Amen, amen. That wish I to every Christian heart, and G.o.d's name be glorified. Amen.

THE END.