Scene seven, version B

Enter FAUSTUS and MEPHISTOPHILIS.

FAUSTUS. Having now, my good Mephistophilis,
Pass'd with delight the stately town of Trier,
Environ'd round with airy mountain-tops,
With walls of flint, and deep-entrenched lakes,
Not to be won by any conquering prince;
From Paris next, coasting the realm of France,
We saw the river Maine fall into Rhine,
Whose banks are set with groves of fruitful vines;
Then up to Naples, rich Campania,
Whose buildings fair and gorgeous to the eye,
The streets straight forth, and pav'd with finest brick,
Quarter the town in four equivalents:
There saw we learned Maro's golden tomb;
The way he cut, an English mile in length,
Thorough a rock of stone, in one night's space;
From thence to Venice, Padua, and the rest,
In one of which a sumptuous temple stands,
That threats the stars with her aspiring top,
Whose frame is pav'd with sundry-colour'd stones,
And roof'd aloft with curious work in gold.
Thus hitherto hath Faustus spent his time:
But tell me now, what resting-place is this?
Hast thou, as erst I did command,
Conducted me within the walls of Rome?

MEPHIST. I have, my Faustus; and, for proof thereof,
This is the goodly palace of the Pope;
And, 'cause we are no common guests,
I choose his privy-chamber for our use.

FAUSTUS. I hope his Holiness will bid us welcome.

MEPHIST. All's one, for we'll be bold with his venison.
But now, my Faustus, that thou mayst perceive
What Rome contains for to delight thine eyes,
Know that this city stands upon seven hills
That underprop the groundwork of the same:
Just through the midst runs flowing Tiber's stream,
With winding banks that cut it in two parts;
Over the which two stately bridges lean,
That make safe passage to each part of Rome:
Upon the bridge call'd Ponte Angelo
Erected is a castle passing strong,
Where thou shalt see such store of ordnance,
As that the double cannons, forg'd of brass,
Do match the number of the days contain'd
Within the compass of one complete year;
Beside the gates, and high pyramides,
That Julius Caesar brought from Africa.

FAUSTUS. Now, by the kingdoms of infernal rule,
Of Styx, of Acheron, and the fiery lake
Of ever-burning Phlegethon, I swear
That I do long to see the monuments
And situation of bright-splendent Rome:
Come, therefore, let's away.

MEPHIST. Nay, stay, my Faustus: I know you'd see the Pope,
And take some part of holy Peter's feast,
The which, in state and high solemnity,
This day, is held through Rome and Italy,
In honour of the Pope's triumphant victory.

FAUSTUS. Sweet Mephistophilis, thou pleasest me.
Whilst I am here on earth, let me be cloy'd
With all things that delight the heart of man:
My four-and-twenty years of liberty
I'll spend in pleasure and in dalliance,
That Faustus' name, whilst this bright frame doth stand,
May be admir'd thorough the furthest land.

MEPHIST. 'Tis well said, Faustus. Come, then, stand by me,
And thou shalt see them come immediately.

FAUSTUS. Nay, stay, my gentle Mephistophilis,
And grant me my request, and then I go.
Thou know'st, within the compass of eight days
We view'd the face of heaven, of earth, and hell;
So high our dragons soar'd into the air,
That, looking down, the earth appear'd to me
No bigger than my hand in quantity;
There did we view the kingdoms of the world,
And what might please mine eye I there beheld.
Then in this show let me an actor be,
That this proud Pope may Faustus' cunning see.

MEPHIST. Let it be so, my Faustus. But, first, stay,
And view their triumphs as they pass this way;
And then devise what best contents thy mind,
By cunning in thine art to cross the Pope,
Or dash the pride of this solemnity;
To make his monks and abbots stand like apes,
And point like antics at his triple crown;
To beat the beads about the friars' pates,
Or clap huge horns upon the Cardinals' heads;
Or any villany thou canst devise;
And I'll perform it, Faustus. Hark! they come:
This day shall make thee be admir'd in Rome.

Enter the CARDINALS and BISHOPS, some bearing crosiers, some
the pillars; MONKS and FRIARS, singing their procession;
then the POPE, RAYMOND king of Hungary, the ARCHBISHOP
OF RHEIMS, BRUNO led in chains, and ATTENDANTS.

POPE. Cast down our footstool.

RAYMOND. Saxon Bruno, stoop,
Whilst on thy back his Holiness ascends
Saint Peter's chair and state pontifical.

BRUNO. Proud Lucifer, that state belongs to me;
But thus I fall to Peter, not to thee.

POPE. To me and Peter shalt thou grovelling lie,
And crouch before the Papal dignity.--
Sound trumpets, then; for thus Saint Peter's heir,
>From Bruno's back, ascends Saint Peter's chair.
[A flourish while he ascends.]
Thus, as the gods creep on with feet of wool,
Long ere with iron hands they punish men,
So shall our sleeping vengeance now arise,
And smite with death thy hated enterprise.--
Lord Cardinals of France and Padua,
Go forthwith to our holy consistory,
And read, amongst the statutes decretal,
What, by the holy council held at Trent,
The sacred synod hath decreed for him
That doth assume the Papal government
Without election and a true consent:
Away, and bring us word with speed.

CARDINAL OF FRANCE. We go, my lord.
[Exeunt CARDINALS of France and Padua.]

POPE. Lord Raymond.
[They converse in dumb show.]

FAUSTUS. Go, haste thee, gentle Mephistophilis,
Follow the cardinals to the consistory;
And, as they turn their superstitious books,
Strike them with sloth and drowsy idleness,
And make them sleep so sound, that in their shapes
Thyself and I may parley with this Pope,
This proud confronter of the Emperor;
And, in despite of all his holiness,
Restore this Bruno to his liberty,
And bear him to the states of Germany.

MEPHIST. Faustus, I go.

FAUSTUS. Despatch it soon:
The Pope shall curse, that Faustus came to Rome.
[Exeunt FAUSTUS and MEPHISTOPHILIS.]

BRUNO. Pope Adrian, let me have right of law:
I was elected by the Emperor.

POPE. We will depose the Emperor for that deed,
And curse the people that submit to him:
Both he and thou shall stand excommunicate,
And interdict from church's privilege
And all society of holy men.
He grows too proud in his authority,
Lifting his lofty head above the clouds,
And, like a steeple, overpeers the church:
But we'll pull down his haughty insolence;
And, as Pope Alexander, our progenitor,
Trod on the neck of German Frederick,
Adding this golden sentence to our praise,
"That Peter's heirs should tread on Emperors,
And walk upon the dreadful adder's back,
Treading the lion and the dragon down,
And fearless spurn the killing basilisk,"
So will we quell that haughty schismatic,
And, by authority apostolical,
Depose him from his regal government.

BRUNO. Pope Julius swore to princely Sigismond,
For him and the succeeding Popes of Rome,
To hold the Emperors their lawful lords.

POPE. Pope Julius did abuse the church's rights,
And therefore none of his decrees can stand.
Is not all power on earth bestow'd on us?
And therefore, though we would, we cannot err.
Behold this silver belt, whereto is fix'd
Seven golden seals, fast sealed with seven seals,
In token of our seven-fold power from heaven,
To bind or loose, lock fast, condemn or judge,
Resign or seal, or what so pleaseth us:
Then he and thou, and all the world, shall stoop,
Or be assured of our dreadful curse,
To light as heavy as the pains of hell.

Re-enter FAUSTUS and MEPHISTOPHILIS, in the shapes of the
CARDINALS of France and Padua.

MEPHIST. Now tell me, Faustus, are we not fitted well?

FAUSTUS. Yes, Mephistophilis; and two such cardinals
Ne'er serv'd a holy Pope as we shall do.
But, whilst they sleep within the consistory,
Let us salute his reverend fatherhood.

RAYMOND. Behold, my lord, the Cardinals are return'd.

POPE. Welcome, grave fathers: answer presently
What hath our holy council there decreed
Concerning Bruno and the Emperor,
In quittance of their late conspiracy
Against our state and papal dignity?

FAUSTUS. Most sacred patron of the church of Rome,
By full consent of all the synod
Of priests and prelates, it is thus decreed,--
That Bruno and the German Emperor
Be held as Lollards and bold schismatics,
And proud disturbers of the church's peace;
And if that Bruno, by his own assent,
Without enforcement of the German peers,
Did seek to wear the triple diadem,
And by your death to climb Saint Peter's chair,
The statutes decretal have thus decreed,--
He shall be straight condemn'd of heresy,
And on a pile of faggots burnt to death.

POPE. It is enough. Here, take him to your charge,
And bear him straight to Ponte Angelo,
And in the strongest tower enclose him fast.
To-morrow, sitting in our consistory,
With all our college of grave cardinals,
We will determine of his life or death.
Here, take his triple crown along with you,
And leave it in the church's treasury.
Make haste again, my good Lord Cardinals,
And take our blessing apostolical.

MEPHIST. So, so; was never devil thus bless'd before.

FAUSTUS. Away, sweet Mephistophilis, be gone;
The Cardinals will be plagu'd for this anon.
[Exeunt FAUSTUS and MEPHISTOPHILIS with BRUNO.]

POPE. Go presently and bring a banquet forth,
That we may solemnize Saint Peter's feast,
And with Lord Raymond, King of Hungary,
Drink to our late and happy victory.

A Sennet while the banquet is brought in; and then enter
FAUSTUS and MEPHISTOPHILIS in their own shapes.

MEPHIST. Now, Faustus, come, prepare thyself for mirth:
The sleepy Cardinals are hard at hand,
To censure Bruno, that is posted hence,
And on a proud-pac'd steed, as swift as thought,
Flies o'er the Alps to fruitful Germany,
There to salute the woful Emperor.

FAUSTUS. The Pope will curse them for their sloth to-day,
That slept both Bruno and his crown away.
But now, that Faustus may delight his mind,
And by their folly make some merriment,
Sweet Mephistophilis, so charm me here,
That I may walk invisible to all,
And do whate'er I please, unseen of any.

MEPHIST. Faustus, thou shalt: then kneel down presently,
Whilst on thy head I lay my hand,
And charm thee with this magic wand.
First, wear this girdle; then appear
Invisible to all are here:
The planets seven, the gloomy air,
Hell, and the Furies' forked hair,
Pluto's blue fire, and Hecat's tree,
With magic spells so compass thee,
That no eye may thy body see!
So, Faustus, now, for all their holiness,
Do what thou wilt, thou shalt not be discern'd.

FAUSTUS. Thanks, Mephistophilis.--Now, friars, take heed,
Lest Faustus make your shaven crowns to bleed.

MEPHIST. Faustus, no more: see, where the Cardinals come!

Re-enter the CARDINALS of France and Padua with a book.

POPE. Welcome, Lord Cardinals; come, sit down.--
Lord Raymond, take your seat.--Friars, attend,
And see that all things be in readiness,
As best beseems this solemn festival.

CARDINAL OF FRANCE. First, may it please your sacred Holiness
To view the sentence of the reverend synod
Concerning Bruno and the Emperor?

POPE. What needs this question? did I not tell you,
To-morrow we would sit i' the consistory,
And there determine of his punishment?
You brought us word even now, it was decreed
That Bruno and the cursed Emperor
Were by the holy council both condemn'd
For loathed Lollards and base schismatics:
Then wherefore would you have me view that book?

CARDINAL OF FRANCE. Your grace mistakes; you gave us no such charge.

RAYMOND. Deny it not; we all are witnesses
That Bruno here was late deliver'd you,
With his rich triple crown to be reserv'd
And put into the church's treasury.

BOTH CARDINALS. By holy Paul, we saw them not!

POPE. By Peter, you shall die,
Unless you bring them forth immediately!--
Hale them to prison, lade their limbs with gyves.--
False prelates, for this hateful treachery
Curs'd be your souls to hellish misery!
[Exeunt ATTENDANTS with the two CARDINALS.]

FAUSTUS. So, they are safe. Now, Faustus, to the feast:
The Pope had never such a frolic guest.

POPE. Lord Archbishop of Rheims, sit down with us.

ARCHBISHOP. I thank your Holiness.

FAUSTUS. Fall to; the devil choke you, an you spare!

POPE. Who is that spoke?--Friars, look about.--
Lord Raymond, pray, fall to. I am beholding
To the Bishop of Milan for this so rare a present.

FAUSTUS. I thank you, sir.
[Snatches the dish.]

POPE. How now! who snatch'd the meat from me?
Villains, why speak you not?--
My good Lord Archbishop, here's a most dainty dish
Was sent me from a cardinal in France.

FAUSTUS. I'll have that too.
[Snatches the dish.]

POPE. What Lollards do attend our holiness,
That we receive such great indignity?
Fetch me some wine.

FAUSTUS. Ay, pray, do, for Faustus is a-dry.

POPE. Lord Raymond,
I drink unto your grace.

FAUSTUS. I pledge your grace.
[Snatches the cup.]

POPE. My wine gone too!--Ye lubbers, look about,
And find the man that doth this villany,
Or, by our sanctitude, you all shall die!--
I pray, my lords, have patience at this
Troublesome banquet.

ARCHBISHOP. Please it your Holiness, I think it be some ghost
crept out of Purgatory, and now is come unto your Holiness for his
pardon.

POPE. It may be so.--
Go, then, command our priests to sing a dirge,
To lay the fury of this same troublesome ghost.
[Exit an ATTENDANT.--The POPE crosses himself.]

FAUSTUS. How now! must every bit be spic'd with a cross?--
Nay, then, take that.
[Strikes the POPE.]

POPE. O, I am slain!--Help me, my lords!
O, come and help to bear my body hence!--
Damn'd be his soul for ever for this deed!
[Exeunt all except FAUSTUS and MEPHISTOPHILIS.]

MEPHIST. Now, Faustus, what will you do now? for I can tell you
you'll be cursed with bell, book, and candle.

FAUSTUS. Bell, book, and candle,--candle, book, and bell,--
Forward and backward, to curse Faustus to hell!

Re-enter the FRIARS, with bell, book, and candle, for the
Dirge.

FIRST FRIAR. Come, brethren, lets about our business with good
devotion.
[They sing.]

CURSED BE HE THAT STOLE HIS HOLINESS' MEAT FROM THE TABLE!
maledicat Dominus!
CURSED BE HE THAT STRUCK HIS HOLINESS A BLOW ON THE
FACE! maledicat Dominus!
CURSED BE HE THAT STRUCK FRIAR SANDELO A BLOW ON THE PATE!
maledicat Dominus!
CURSED BE HE THAT DISTURBETH OUR HOLY DIRGE! maledicat
Dominus!
CURSED BE HE THAT TOOK AWAY HIS HOLINESS' WINE! maledicat
Dominus!

[MEPHISTOPHILIS and FAUSTUS beat the FRIARS, and fling
fire-works among them, and exeunt.]

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