93.0 
 
MEDIEVAL TALES 
 
 WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY HENRY MORLE* 
 
 LL.D,, LATK PROFESSOR OF ENGLISH LITERATURE AT 
 UNIVERSITY COLLEGE, LONDON 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 GEORGE ROUTLEDGE & SONS, LTD. 
 
 NEW YORK: E. P. DUTTON & CO. 
 

 JA 
 
 
 
 
Ci 
 M AT 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 THIS volume of " Mediaeval Tales " is in four parts, containing 
 severally, (i) Turpin's "History of Charles the Great and 
 Orlando," which is an old source of Charlemagne romance ; 
 (2) Spanish Ballads, relating chiefly to the romance of 
 Charlemagne, these being taken from the spirited translations 
 of Spanish ballads published in 1823 by John Gibson Lock- 
 hart ; (3) a selection of stories from the " Gesta Romanorum ; ;: 
 and (4) the old translation of the original story of Faustus, on 
 which Marlowe founded his play, and which is the first source 
 of the Faust legend in literature. 
 
 Turpin's " History of Charles the Great and Orlando " is 
 given from a translation made by Thomas Rodd, and published 
 by himself in 1812, of "Joannes Turpini Historia de Vita Caroii 
 Magni et Rolandi." This chronicle, composed by some monlc 
 at an unknown date before the year 1122, professed to be the 
 work of a friend and secretary of Charles the Great, Turpin, 
 Archbishop of Rheims, who was himself present in the scenes 
 that he describes. It was like Geoffrey of Monmouth's nearly 
 contemporary "History of British Kings," from which were 
 drawn tales of Gorboduc, Lear and King Arthur romance 
 itself, and the source of romance in others. It is at the root o; 
 many tales of Charlemagne and Roland that reached afterwards 
 their highest artistic expression in Ariosto's "Orlando Furioso. ' 
 The tale ascribed to Turpin is of earlier date than the year 
 1 1 22, because in that year Pope Calixtus II. officially declan ci 
 its authenticity. But it was then probably a new invention, 
 designed for edification, for encouragement of faith in tin 
 Church, war against infidels, and reverence to the shrine oi 
 St. James of Compostella. 
 
 The Church vouched for the authorship of Turpin, Archbishop 
 of Rheims, " excellently skilled in sacred and profane literature, 
 of a genius equally adapted to prose and verse ; the advocate oi 
 
6 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 the poor, beloved of God in his life and conversation, who ofte 
 hand to hand fought the Saracens by the Emperor's side ; and 
 who flourished under Charles and his son Lewis to the year oi 
 our Lord eight hundred and thirty." But while this work gave 
 impulse to the shaping of Charlemagne romances with Orlando 
 (Roland) for their hero, there came to be a very general opinior 
 that, whether the author of the book were Turpin or another, lit 
 too was a romancer. His book came, therefore, to be known as 
 the " Magnanime Mensonge," a lie heroic and religious. 
 
 No doubt Turpin's " Vita Caroli Magni et Rolandi " was based 
 partly on traditions current in its time. It was turned of old 
 into French verse and prose ; and even into Latin hexameters. 
 The original work was first printed at Frankfort in 1566, in a 
 collection of Four Chronographers " Germanicarum Rerum.'' 
 Mr. Rodd's translation, here given, was made from the copy of the 
 original given in Spanheim's " Lives of Ecclesiastical Writers." 
 
 Publication of the.songs and ballads of Spain began at Valencia 
 in the year 1511 with a collection by Fernando del Castillo, who 
 on his title-page professed to collect pieces " as well ancient as 
 modern." From 1511 to 1573 there were nine editions of this 
 " Cancionero." A later collection made between 1546 and 1550 
 The " Cancionero de Romances" was made to consist wholly 
 of ballads. A third edition of it, in 1555, is the fullest and best 
 known. The greatest collection followed in nine parts, published 
 separately between 1593 and 1597, at Valencia, Burgos, Toledo, 
 Alcala, and Madrid. This formed the great collection known as 
 the '"' Romancero General." 
 
 The chief hero of the Spanish Ballads is the Cid Campeador ; 
 and Robert Southey used these ballads as material for enriching 
 the " Chronicle of the Cid," which has already been given in this 
 Library. Songs of the Cid were sung as early as the year 1 147 
 are of like date with the " Magnanime Mensonge " and Geoffrey 
 of Monmouth's " History of British Kings." In 1248 St 
 Ferdinand gave allotments to two poets who had been with him 
 during the Siege of Seville, and who were named Nicolas and 
 Domingo Abod "of the Romances." There is also evidence from 
 references to what " the juglares sing in their chants and teli if? 
 heir tales," that in the middle of the thirteenth century tales of 
 Charlemagne and of Bernardo del Carpio were familiar in tltf 
 mouths of ballad-singers. 
 
INTRODUCTION. $ 
 
 The whole number of the old ballads of Spain exceeds a 
 thousand, and of these John Gibson Lockhart has translated some 
 of the best into English verse. Lockhart was born in 1793, was 
 the son of a Scottish minister, was educated at the Universities of 
 Glasgow and Oxford, and was called to the bar at Edinburgh 
 in 1816. Next year he was one of the keenest of the com- 
 pany of young writers whose genius and lively audacity estab- 
 lished the success of " Blackwood's Magazine." Three years 
 later, in 1820, he married the eldest daughter of Sir Walter 
 Scott. Lockhart's vigorous rendering of the spirit of the 
 Spanish Romances was first published in 1823, two years before 
 he went to London to become editor of the " Quarterly Review." 
 He edited the "Quarterly" for about thirty years, and died in 
 1854. 
 
 The "Gesta Romanorum" is a mediaeval compilation of 
 tales that might be used to enforce and enliven lessons from the 
 pulpits Each was provided with its " Application." The French 
 Dominican, Vincent of Beauvais, tells in his " Mirror of History " 
 that in his time the thirteenth century it was the practice of 
 preachers to rouse languid hearers by quoting fables out of 
 ./Esop, and he recommends a sparing and discreet use of profane 
 fancies in discussing sacred subjects. Among the Harleian 
 MSS. is an ancient collection of 215 stories, romantic, allegorical 
 and legendary, compiled by a preacher for the use of monastic 
 societies. /There were other such collections, but the most 
 famous of all, widely used not only by the preachers but also by 
 the poets, was the Latin story-book known as the "Gesta 
 Romanorum." Its name, " Deeds of the Romans," was due to its 
 fancy for assigning every story to some emperor who had or had 
 not reigned in Rome ; the emperor being a convenient person 
 in the Application, which might sometimes begin with, "My 
 beloved, the emperor is God." Perhaps the germ of the collec- 
 tion may have been a series of applied tales from Roman 
 history. But if so, it was soon enriched with tales from the 
 East, from the " Clericalis Disciplina," a work by Petrus Alfonsus, 
 a baptized Jew who lived in 1106, and borrowed professedly 
 from the Arabian fabulists. Mediaeval tales of all kinds suitable 
 for the purpose of the "Gesta Romanorum" were freely in- 
 corporated, and the book so formed became a well-known store- 
 house of material for poetic treatment. Gower, Shakespeare, 
 
8 SNTRODOCTIOtf. 
 
 Schiller are some of the poets who have used tales which are 
 among the thirty given in this volume. 
 
 The "Gesta Romanorum" was first printed in 1473, and 
 after that date often reprinted. It was translated into Dutch 
 as early as the year 1484. There was a translation of forty-three 
 of its tales into English, by Richard Robinson, published in 
 !577> f which there were six or seven editions during the next 
 twenty-four years. A version of forty-five of its tales was pub- 
 lished in 1648 as "A Record of Ancient Histories." The 
 fullest English translation was that by the Rev. C. Swan, 
 published in 1824. In this volume two or three tales are given 
 in the earlier English form, the rest from Mr. Swan's translation, 
 with a little revision of his English. Mr. Swan used Book 
 English, and was apt to write " an instrument of agriculture " 
 where be would have said " a spade." I give here thirty of the 
 Tales, but of the " Applications " have left only enough to show 
 how they were managed. 
 
 In the volume of this Library, which contains Marlowe's 
 "Faustus" and Goethe's " Faust," reference has been made to 
 the old German History of Faustus, first published at Frankfort 
 in September 1587, and reprinted with slight change in 1588. 
 There was again a reprint of it with some additions in 1589. 
 This book was written by a Protestant in early days of the 
 Reformation, but shaped by him from mediaeval tales of magic, 
 with such notions of demons and their home as had entered 
 deeply in the Middle Ages into popular belief. From it was 
 produced within two years of its first publication Marlowe's play 
 of " Faustus," which has already been given, and that English 
 translation of the original book which will be found in the 
 present volume. It was reprinted by Mr. William J. Thorns 
 in his excellent collection of " Early English Prose Romances," 
 first published in 1828, of which there was an enlarged second 
 edition, in three volumes, in 1858. That is a book of which all 
 students of English literature would like to see a third and cheap 
 edition. 
 
 H. M. 
 
 October 1884. 
 
TURPIN'S HISTORY 
 
 OF 
 
 CHARLES THE GREAT AND ORLANDO, 
 

 THE HISTORY 
 
 OF 
 
 CHARLES THE GREAT AND ORLANDO. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 Archbishop Turpin's Epistle to Leopander, 
 
 TURPIN, by the grace of God, Archbishop of Rheims, the 
 faithful companion of the Emperor Charles the Great in 
 Spain, to Leopander, Dean of Aix-la-Chapelle, greeting. 
 
 Forasmuch as you requested me to write to you from 
 Vienne (my wounds being now cicatrized) in what manner 
 the Emperor Charles delivered Spain and Gallicia from the 
 yoke of the Saracens, you shall attain the knowledge of many 
 memorable events, and likewise of his praiseworthy trophies 
 over the Spanish Saracens, whereof I myself was eyewitness, 
 traversing France and Spain in his company for the space of 
 forty years ; and I hesitate the less to trust these matters to 
 your friendship, as I write a true history of his warfare. For 
 indeed all your researches could never have enabled you fully 
 to discover those great events in the Chronicles of St. Denis, as 
 you sent me word : neither could you for certain know whether 
 the author had given a true relation of those matters, either 
 
12 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 by reason of his prolixity, or that he was not himself 
 present when they happened. Nevertheless this book will 
 agree with his history. Health and happiness. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 How Charles the Great delivered Spain and Gallicia from the 
 Saracens. 
 
 THE most glorious Christian Apostle St. James, when the 
 other Apostles and Disciples of our Lord were dispersed 
 abroad throughout the whole world, is believed to have 
 first preached the gospel in Gallicia. After his martyr- 
 dom, his servants, rescuing his body from King Herod, 
 brought it by sea to Gallicia, where they likewise preached 
 the gospel. But soon after, the Gallicians, relapsing into 
 great sins, returned to their former idolatry, and persisted 
 in it till the time of Charles the Great, Emperor of the 
 Romans. French, Germans, and other nations. Charles 
 therefore, after prodigious toils in Saxony, France, Ger- 
 many, Lorraine, Burgundy, Italy, Brittany, and other 
 countries ; after taking innumerable cities from sea to sea, 
 which he won by his invincible arm from the Saracens, 
 through divine favour ; and after subjugating them with 
 great fatigue of mind and body to the Christian yoke, 
 resolved to rest from his wars in peace. 
 
 But observing the starry way in the heavens, beginning 
 at the Friezeland sea, and passing over the German ter- 
 ritory and Italy, between Gaul and Aquitaine, and from 
 thence in a straight line over Gascony, Bearne, and Na- 
 varre, and through Spain to Gallicia, wherein till his time 
 lay undiscovered the body of St. James ; when night after 
 night he was wont to contemplate it, meditating upon what 
 it might signify, a certain beautiful resplendent vision ap- 
 peared to him in his sleep, and, calling him son, inquired 
 
CHARLES THE GREAT AND ORLANDO. -13 
 
 what he was attempting to discover. At which Charles 
 replied, " Who art thou, Lord ? " "I am," answered the 
 vision, " St. James the Apostle, Christ's disciple, the son of 
 Zebedee, and brother of John the Evangelist, whom the 
 Lord was pleased to think worthy, in his ineffable goodness, 
 to elect on the sea of Galilee to preach the gospel to his people, 
 but whom Herod the King slew. My body now lies con- 
 cealed in Gallicia, long so grievously oppressed by the Sara- 
 cens, from whose yoke I am astonished that you, who have 
 conquered so many lands and cities, have not yet delivered it. 
 Wherefore I come to warn you, as God has given you power 
 above every other earthly prince, to prepare my way, and 
 rescue my dominions from the Moabites, that so you may 
 receive a brighter crown of glory for your reward. The 
 starry way in the heavens signifies that you, with a great 
 army, will enter Gallicia to fight the Pagans, and, re- 
 covering it from them, will visit my church and shrine ; and 
 that all the people from the borders of the sea, treading in 
 your steps, will ask pardon of God for their sins, and return 
 in safety, celebrating his praise ; that you likewise will 
 acknowledge the wonders he hath done for you in prolonging 
 your life to its present span. Proceed then as soon as you 
 are ready ; I am your friend and helper ; your name shall 
 become famous to all eternity, and a crown of glory shall be 
 your reward in heaven." 
 
 Thus did the blessed Apostle appear thrice to the 
 Emperor, who, confiding in his word, assembled a great 
 army, and entered Spain to fight the infidels. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 Of the Walls of Pamptluna, that fell of themselves. 
 
 THE first city Charles besieged was Pampeluna ; he invested 
 it three months, but was not able to take it, through the 
 
14 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 invincible strength of the walls. He then made this prayer 
 to God : " O Lord Jesus Christ, for whose faith I am come 
 hither to fight the Pagans ; for thy glory's sake deliver this 
 city into my hands ; and O blessed St. James, if thou didst 
 indeed appear to me, help me to take it." And now God 
 and St. James, hearkening to his petition, the walls utterly 
 fell to the ground of themselves ; but Charles spared the 
 lives of the Saracens that consented to be baptized ; the 
 rest he put to the edge of the sword. The report of this 
 miracle induced all their countrymen to surrender their 
 cities, and consent to pay tribute to the Emperor. Thus 
 was the whole land soon subdued. 
 
 The Saracens were amazed to see the French well clothed, 
 accomplished in their manners and persons, and strictly 
 faithful to their treaties ; they gave them therefore a peaceful 
 and honourable reception, dismissing all thoughts of war. 
 The Emperor, after frequently visiting the shrine of St. James, 
 came to Ferrol, and, fixing his lance in the sea, returned 
 thanks to God and the Apostle for having brought him to 
 this place, though he could then proceed no further. 
 
 The Pagan nations, after the first preaching of St. James 
 and his disciples, were converted by Archbishop Turpin, 
 and by the grace of God baptized ; but those who refused 
 to embrace the faith were either slain or made slaves by 
 the Christians. Turpin then traversed all Spain from sea 
 to sea. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Of the idol Mahomet. 
 
 THE Emperor utterly destroyed the idols and images in 
 Spain, except the idol in Andalusia, called Salamcadis. Cadis 
 properly signifies the place of an island, but in Arabic it 
 means God. The Saracens had a tradition that the idol 
 
CHARLES THE GREAT AND ORLANDO. 15 
 
 Mahomet, which they worshipped, was made by himself in 
 his lifetime ; and that by the help of a legion of devils it 
 was by magic art endued with such irresistible strength, that 
 it could not be broken. If any Christian approached it he 
 was exposed to great danger ; but when the Saracens came to 
 appease Mahomet, and make their supplications to him, 
 they returned in safety. The birds that chanced to light 
 upon it were immediately struck dead. 
 
 There is, moreover, on the margin of the sea an ancient 
 stone excellently sculptured after the Saracenic fashion ; 
 broad and square at the bottom, but tapering upward to the 
 height that a crow generally flies, having on the top an 
 image of gold, admirably cast in the shape of a man, standing 
 erect, with a certain great key in his hand, which the 
 Saracens say was to fall to the ground immediately after the 
 birth of a King of Gaul, who would overrun all Spain with 
 a Christian army, and totally subdue it. Wherefore it was 
 enjoined them, whenever that happened, to fly the country, 
 and bury their jewels in the earth, 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 Of the Churches the King built. 
 
 CHARLES remained three years in these parts, and with the 
 gold given him by the kings and princes greatly enlarged 
 the church of the blessed St. James, appointing an Abbot 
 and Canons of the order of St. Isidore, martyr and con- 
 fessor, to attend it : he enriched it likewise with bells, 
 books, robes, and other gifts. With the residue of the 
 immense quantity of gold and silver, he built many churches 
 on his return from Spain ; namely, of the blessed Virgin in 
 Aix-la-Chapelle, of St. James in Thoulouse, and another in 
 Gascony, between the city commonly called Aix, after the 
 
model of St. John's at Cordova, in the Jacobine road ; the 
 church likewise of St. James at Paris, between the river 
 Seine and Montmartre, besides founding innumerable abbeys 
 in all parts of the world. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Of the King's Return to France, and of ' Argolander, King of the 
 Africans. 
 
 AFTER the King's return from Spain, a certain Pagan King, 
 called Argolander, recovered the whole country with his 
 army, driving the Emperor's soldiers from the towns and 
 garrisons, which led him to march back his troops, under 
 their General, Milo de Angleris. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 Of the false Executor. 
 
 BUT the judgment inflicted on a false executor deserves to 
 be recorded, as a warning to those who unjustly pervert the 
 alms of the deceased. When the King's army lay at Bayonne, 
 a certain soldier, called Romaricus, was taken grievously 
 ill, and, being at the point of death, received the eucharist 
 and absolution from a priest, bequeathing his horse to a 
 certain kinsman, in trust, to dispose of for the benefit of the 
 priest and the poor. But when he was dead his kinsman 
 sold it for a hundred pence, and spent the money in de- 
 bauchery. But how soon does punishment follow guilt ! 
 Thirty days had scarcely elapsed when the apparition of the 
 deceased appeared to him in his sleep, uttering these words : 
 " How is it you have so unjustly misapplied the alms en- 
 trusted to you for the redemption of my soul ? Do you not 
 
CHARLES THE GREAT AND ORLANDO. 17 
 
 know they would have procured the pardon of my sins from 
 God ? I have been punished for your neglect thirty days 
 in fire ; to-morrow you shall be plunged in the same place 
 of torment, but I shall be received into Paradise." The 
 apparition then vanished, and his kinsman awoke in ex- 
 treme terror. 
 
 On the morrow, as he was relating the story to his com- 
 panions, and the whole army was conversing about it, on a 
 sudden a strange uncommonclamour, like the roaring of lions, 
 wolves, and calves, was heard in the air, and immediately a 
 troop of demons seized him in their talons, and bore him 
 2, way alive. What further? Horse and foot sought him 
 Jour days together in the adjacent mountains and valleys to 
 no purpose ; but the twelfth day after, as the army was 
 marching through a desert part of Navarre, his body was 
 found lifeless, and dashed to pieces, on the summit of some 
 rocks, a league above the sea, about four days' journey from 
 the city. There the demons left the body, bearing the soul 
 away to hell. Let this be a warning, then, to all that follow 
 his example to their eternal perdition. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 Of the War of the Holy Faeundus, where the Spears grew. 
 
 CHARLES and Milo, his General, now marched after Argo- 
 lander into Spain, and found him in the fields of the river, 
 where a castle stands in the meadows, in the best part of 
 the whole plain, where afterwards a church was built in 
 honour of the blessed martyrs Facundus and Primitivus ; 
 where likewise their bodies rest, an abbey was founded, and 
 a city built. When the King's army advanced, Argolander 
 wished to decide the contest by set combat between twenties, 
 forties, hundreds, thousands, or even by two champions 
 
*8 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 only. Charles willingly consented, and marched a hundred 
 of his soldiers against a hundred Saracens, when all of them 
 were slain. Argolander then sent two hundred, who shared 
 the same fate. Two thousand were then led against two 
 thousand, part of whom were slain, and the rest fled. But 
 on the third day Argolander cast lots, and, knowing that 
 evil fortune threatened the Emperor, sent him word he 
 would draw out his whole army on the open plain, on the 
 morrow, which challenge was accepted. 
 
 Then did this miracle happen. Certain of the Christians, 
 who carefully had been furbishing their arms against the day 
 of battle, fixed their spears in the evening erect in the ground 
 before the castle in the meadow, near the river, and found 
 them early in the morning covered with bark and branches. 
 Those, therefore, that were about to receive the palm of 
 martyrdom were greatly astonished at this event, ascribing 
 it to divine power. Then cutting off their spears close 
 to the ground, the roots that remained shot out afresh, and 
 became lofty trees, which may be still seen flourishing there, 
 chiefly ash. All this denoted joy to the soul, but loss to 
 the body ; for now the battle commenced, and forty thousand 
 Christians were slain, together with Milo, their General, the 
 father of Orlando. The King's horse was likewise slain under 
 him ; but Charles resolutely continued the fight on foot, 
 and with two thousand Christians gallantly hewed his way 
 through the Saracens, cleaving many of them asunder from 
 the shoulders to the waist. 
 
 The following day both Christians and Saracens remained 
 quietly in their camps, but the day after four Marquisses 
 brought four thousand fresh troops from Italy to the King's 
 assistance ; whereupon Argolander retreated with his army 
 to Leon, and Charles led back his forces to France. 
 
 And here it is proper to observe we should strive for 
 Christ's blessing; for as the soldiers prepared their arms 
 against the day of battle, so we in like manner should pre- 
 
CHARLES THE GREAT AND ORLANDO. 19 
 
 pare ours, namely, our virtues to resist our passions. For 
 he that would oppose faith to infidelity, brotherly love to 
 hatred, charity to avarice, humility to pride, chastity to lust, 
 prayer to temptation, perseverance to instability, peace to 
 strife, obedience to a carnal disposition, must fortify his 
 soul with grace, and prepare his spear to flourish against 
 the day of judgment. Triumphant indeed will he be in 
 heaven who conquers on earth ! As the King's soldiers 
 died for their faith, so should we die to sin, and live in 
 holiness in this world, that we may receive the palm of glory 
 in the next, which shall be the reward of those who fight 
 manful'iy against their three grand adversaries, the World, 
 tne Flesh, and the Devil 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 Of King Argolander's Army. 
 
 ARGOLANDER now assembled together innumerable nations 
 of Saracens, Moors, Moabites, Parthians, Africans, and 
 Persians : Texephin, King of Arabia ; Urabell, King of 
 Alexandria ; Avitus, King of Bugia ; Ospin, King of Algarve ; 
 Facin, King of Barbary ; Ailis, King of Malclos ; Manuo, 
 King of Mecca ; Ibrahim, King of Seville ; and Almanzor, 
 King of Cordova. Then, marching to the city of Agen, he 
 took it, and sent word to Charles he would give him sixty 
 horse-load of gold, silver, and jewels, if he would acknow- 
 ledge his right to the sceptre. But Charles returned this 
 answer, " that he would acknowledge him no otherwise than 
 by slaying him whenever it should be his chance to meet 
 him in battle." 
 
 The Emperor had by this time approached within four 
 miles of Agen, when, secretly dismissing his army, he pro- 
 ceeded with only sixty soldiers to the mountain near the 
 
20 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 city. There he left them, and changing his dress, came 
 with his shield reversed, after the custom of messengers in 
 time of war, accompanied by one soldier only to the. 
 city ; and when the people inquired his business, he informed 
 them he had brought a message from King Charles to 
 Argolander, whereupon he was admitted into his presence, 
 and addressed him in these words : " My King bids me 
 say, you may expect to see him, provided you will come out 
 with only sixty of your people to meet him.' 1 Now Argolander 
 little thought it was Charles himself to whom he was speaking, 
 who all the while took especial note of his person, and of 
 the weakest parts of the walls of the city, as well as ~f fc^e 
 auxiliary kings that were then within it. Argolander then 
 armed himself, and Charles rejoined his sixty soldiers, and 
 soon after the two thousand that at first accompanied him. 
 But Argolander came out with seven thousand men, thinking 
 to slay the Emperor, but was himself compelled to fly. 
 
 The King then recruited his army, and besieged the city 
 for six months. On the seventh his battering rams, wooden 
 castles, and other engines, were ready to storm it; but 
 Argolander and the rest of the Kings made their escape in 
 the night through the common sewers, and, passing up the 
 Garonne, got clear off. Charles entered the city in triumph 
 the next day, and slew ten thousand of the remaining 
 Saracens. 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 Of the City of Xaintonge, where the Spears grew. 
 
 ARGOLANDER now came to Xaintonge, at that time under 
 the dominion of the Saracens ; but Charles pursuing him, 
 summoned him to restore the city, which Argolander re- 
 fused, resolving first to fight, and that it should be the con- 
 queror's reward. But on the eve of battle, when the 
 battering rams were ready to attack the castle in the 
 
CHARLES THE GREAT AND ORLANDO. 21 
 
 meadows, called Taleburg, and that part of the city near the 
 river Carenton, certain of the Christians fixed their spears 
 in the ground before the castle, and on the morrow found 
 them covered with bark and branches. Those therefore 
 that were to receive the crown of martyrdom perished in 
 the fight, after slaying a multitude of the Saracens, namely, 
 about four thousand men. The King's horse was likewise 
 slain under him, but valiantly placing himself at the head of 
 his infantry, he slew so many of his enemies that they were 
 forced back into the city, which Charles invested on every 
 side but the river, through which Argolander made his escape, 
 with the loss of the Kings of Algarve and Bugia, and about 
 four thousand of his army. 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 Of Argolander 1 s Flight, and of the King's Warriors. 
 
 ARGOLANDER fled beyond the passes of the Pyrenees, and 
 came to Pampeluna, where he sent Charles word he would 
 stay for him. Charles then returned to France, and with 
 the utmost diligence summoned his troops from all parts to 
 his assistance, proclaiming free pardon to all banished per- 
 sons, on condition they would join him against the Pagans. 
 What further? He liberated all the prisoners ; made the 
 poor rich ; clothed the naked ; reconciled the disaffected ; 
 bestowed honours on the disinherited ; preferred the most 
 experienced to the best commands ; making friends of 
 enemies, and associating both the civilized and the barbarian 
 in the war of Spain, uniting them through the favour of God 
 in the bond of love. Then did I, Turpin, absolve them 
 from their sins, and give them my benediction. 
 
 These are the names of the warriors that attended the 
 King : Turpin, Archbishop of Rheims, who by the precepts 
 
22 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 of Christ, and for his faith's sake, brought the people to 
 fight valiantly, fighting likewise himself hand to hand with 
 the Saracens. Orlando, General of the whole army, Count 
 of Mans and Lord of Guienne, the King's nephew, son of 
 Milo de Angleris and Bertha the King's sister. His sol- 
 diers were four thousand. Another Orlando likewise, of 
 whom we are silent. Oliver, a General also, and a valiant 
 soldier, renowned for strength and skill in war, led three 
 thousand troops. Aristagnus, King of Brittany, seven thou- 
 sand. Another King of Brittany, of whom little mention is 
 made. Angelerus, Duke of Aquitaine, brought four thousand 
 valiant bowmen. At this time likewise there was in the 
 city of Poictiers another Duke of Aquitaine, but Angelerus 
 was the son of Gascon, Duke of the city of Aquitaine, 
 lying between Limorge, Bourges, and Poictiers, which city 
 Augustus Csesar founded ; and the rest of the cities, as well 
 as Xaintonge and Angouleme, with their provinces, were 
 subject to it ; the whole country was also called Aquitaine. 
 But after the death of its lord, who perished with all his 
 people in the fatal battle of E.onceval, it was never fresh 
 colonized, and fell utterly to ruin. 
 
 Gayfere, King of Bordeaux, led three thousand warriors. 
 Galerus, Galinus Solomon, Estolfo's friend and companion ; 
 Baldwin, Orlando's brother, Galdebode, King of Friezeland, 
 led seven thousand heroes ; Ocellus, Count of Nantes, two 
 thousand, who achieved many memorable actions, celebrated 
 in songs to this day. Lambert, Count of Berry, led two 
 thousand men. Rinaldo of the White Thorn, Vulterinus 
 Garinus, Duke of Lorraine, four thousand. Hago, Albert 
 of Burgundy, Berard de Miblis, Gurnard Esturinite, Theo- 
 doric, Juonius, Beringaire, Hato, and Ganalon, who after- 
 wards proved the traitor, attended the King into Spain. 
 The army of the King's own territory was forty thousand 
 horse and foot innumerable. 
 
 These were all famous heroes and warriors, mighty in 
 
CHARLES THE GREA T AND ORLANDO. 23 
 
 battle, illustrious in worldly honour, zealous soldiers of 
 Christ, that spread his name far and near, wherever they 
 came. For even as our Lord and his twelve Apostles sub- 
 dued the world by their doctrine, so did Charles, King of 
 the French and Emperor of the Romans, recover Spain to 
 the glory of God. And now the troops, assembling in 
 Bordeaux, overspread the country for the space of two days' 
 journey, and the noise they made was heard at twelve miles 
 distance. Arnold of Berlanda first traversed the pass of the 
 Pyrenees, and came to Pampeluna. Then came Astolfo, 
 followed by Aristagnus ; Angelerus, Galdebode, Ogier the 
 King, and Constantine, with their several divisions. Charles 
 and his troops brought up the rear, covering the whole land 
 from the river of Rume to the mountains, that lie three 
 leagues beyond them on the Compostella road. They now 
 halted for eight days. In the interval Charles sent Argo- 
 lander word, if he would restore the city he had built, he 
 would return home, or otherwise wage cruel war against him : 
 but Argolander, finding he could not keep possession of the 
 city, resolved to march out, rather than tamely perish in it. 
 Charles then granted him a truce to draw out his army and 
 prepare for battle ; expressing moreover his willingness to 
 see him face to face, as Argolander wished. 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 Of the Truce, and of the Discourse between the King and Argolander. 
 
 A TRUCE thus being granted, Argolander drew out his people 
 from the city, and attended by sixty guards came into the 
 King's presence, who was at this time encamped about a 
 mile from Pampeluna. The two armies occupied a spacious 
 plain six miles square, separated by the main road to Com- 
 postella. When Charles perceived Argolander, he addressed 
 him in these words : 
 
24 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 11 You are, then, he that, have fraudulently taken posses- 
 sion of my territories in Spain and Gascony, which I con- 
 quered by the favour of God, and reduced to the faith of 
 Christ. You have perverted the princes from my allegiance, 
 and slain the Christians with the edge of the sword. Avail- 
 ing yourself of my return to Gaul, you have destroyed my 
 towns and castles, and laid waste the territory with fire ' 
 and sword. At present, therefore, you have the advantage 
 of me." 
 
 Now when Argolander heard the King speak in the 
 Arabic tongue, he was greatly pleased and astonished, for 
 Charles had learnt it in his youth in the city of Thoulouse, 
 where he had spent some time. Argolander then answered 
 in these terms : " I wonder you should reason thus, for the 
 territory did not belong to you ; neither was it your father's, 
 grandfather's, or great-grandfather's. Why then did you 
 take possession of it ? " " Because," replied Charles, " our 
 Lord Jesus Christ, the creator of heaven and earth, elected . 
 us in preference to others, and gave us dominion over all 
 the earth : therefore I endeavoured to convert the Saracens 
 to the Christian faith." " It would be unworthy of us to 
 submit to you," rejoined Argolander, " when our own faith 
 is best. We have Mahomet, a prophet of God, whose pre- 
 cepts we obey. Therefore we have a powerful God, who 
 through his prophet has declared his will, and by him we live 
 and reign." " O Argolander," said the King, " how widely 
 do you err ! You follow the vain precepts of a man ; we 
 believe and worship Father, Sou, and Holy Ghost : you 
 worship mortal man. After death our souls are received 
 into Paradise, and enjoy everlasting life, but yours descend 
 to the abyss of hell. Wherefore our faith is evidently best. 
 Accept then baptism, or fight and perish." 
 
 " Far be it from me," said Argolander, " to accept bap- 
 tism, and deny Mahomet and my God ! But I will fight 
 you on these terms : if your faith is best, you shall gain the 
 
CHARLES THE GREAT AND ORLANDO. 25 
 
 victory, otherwise heaven shall give it to me ; aud let shame 
 be the portion of the conquered, but eternal glory reward 
 the conqueror. Furthermore, if my people are subdued, 
 and I survive the contest, I will receive baptism." 
 
 These terms being mutually agreed, twenty Christians 
 were sent against twenty Saracens, and the battle com- 
 menced. What further? Nearly all the Saracens fell. 
 Forty were then sent against forty, and they were defeated 
 also. A hundred then fought together ; but the Saracens 
 turned their backs from the face of the Christians, and were 
 all slain. Are not these Christians then types for us ? Does 
 it not argue that we likewise should fight manfully against 
 our sins ; should face our spiritual enemies, and never 
 ignobly yield to them, since they will infallibly lead us into 
 perdition ? He only, says the Apostle, shall receive the 
 crown that fights the good fight, and overcomes. 
 
 Two hundred Saracens were then sent out, and were all 
 slain ; lastly a thousand, who shared the same fate. A truce 
 being then granted, Argolander promised to be baptized 
 on the morrow with all his people, and, calling his Kings 
 and Captains together, told them his intention, to which 
 they likewise assented, few only refusing to follow his 
 example. 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 Of the Kings Banquet, and of the Poor, at whom Argotandcr took so 
 great Offence that he refused to be Baptized. 
 
 ON the third day Argolander attended the King, as he 
 promised, and found him at dinner. Many tables were 
 spread at which the guests were sitting ; some in military 
 uniform ; some in black ; some in Priests' habits ; which 
 Argolander perceiving, inquired what they were? "Those 
 you see in robes of one colour," replied the King, " are 
 
26 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 priests and bishops of our holy religion, who expound the 
 gospel to us, absolve us from our offences, and bestow 
 heavenly benediction. Those in black are monks and 
 abbots ; all of them holy men, who implore incessantly the 
 divine favour in our behalf." But in the meantime Argo- 
 lander espying thirty poor men in mean habiliments, with- 
 out either table or table-cloth, sitting and eating their scanty 
 meals upon the ground, he inquired what they were ? 
 " These," replied the King, " are people of God, the 
 messengers of our Lord Jesus, whom in his and his Apostles 
 names we feed daily." Argolander then made this reply : 
 " The guests at your table are happy ; they have plenty of 
 the best food set before them; but those you call the 
 messengers of God, whom you feed in his name, are ill fed, 
 and worse clothed, as if they were of no estimation. Cer- 
 tainly he must serve God but indifferently who treats his 
 messengers in this manner, and thus do you prove your 
 religion false." Argolander then refused to be baptized, 
 and, returning to his army, prepared for battle on the 
 morrow. 
 
 Charles, seeing the mischief his neglect of these poor 
 men had occasioned, ordered them to be decently clothed 
 and better fed. Here then we may note the Christian 
 incurs great blame who neglects the poor. If Charles, 
 from inattention to their comfort, thereby lost the opportu- 
 nity of converting the Saracens, what will be the lot of those 
 who treat them still worse ? They will hear this sentence 
 pronounced " Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting 
 fire ; for I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat; naked, 
 and ye clothed me not." 
 
 We must consider likewise that our faith in Christ is of 
 little value without good works. As the body, says the 
 Apostle, without the soul is dead, so is faith dead if it 
 produce not good fruit. And as the Pagan King refused 
 baptism because he found something wrong after it, so our 
 
CHARLES THE GREAT AND ORLANDO. 27 
 
 Lord, I fear, will refuse our baptism at the day of judgment 
 if superfluity of faults be found in us. 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 Of the Battle of Pampeluna, and ArgolandcSs Death. 
 
 BOTH armies now prepared for battle in the morning, con- 
 tending for their different faiths. The King mustered one 
 hundred and thirty thousand men, but Argolander only one 
 hundred thousand. The Christians formed themselves into 
 four squadrons ; the Saracens into five ; whose first corps 
 being speedily discomfited, they all joined in one phalanx, 
 with Argolander in the midst. The Christians then sur- 
 rounded them on all sides. First Arnaldo de Berlanda 
 and his troops \ then Astolfo ; next Aristagnus, Galdebode, 
 Ogier, and Constantine ; lastly the King himself, and his 
 innumerable warriors. Arnaldo was the first that broke in 
 upon the enemy, overthrowing them right and left till he 
 reached Argolander himself in the centre, and slew him 
 with his own hand. Then ensued a great shout, and the 
 Christians, rushing in upon the Saracens, slew them on all 
 sides, making so great a slaughter that none escaped but 
 the Kings of Seville and Cordova, and a few of their troops. 
 So great, indeed, was the effusion of blood, that the Chris- 
 tians waded in it to their very knees. They slew likewise 
 all the Saracens left in the city. Charles fought for the 
 faith, and therefore triumphed over Argolander. Note then, 
 O Christian, that whatsoever thou undertakest thou like- 
 wise shall accomplish if thou hast faith, for all things are 
 possible to them that believe. Greatly rejoiced at this 
 victory, the King marched forward, and came to the bridge 
 of Arge in the Compostella road. 
 
2 8 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 Of the Christians that returned [unlawfully to Spoil the Dead. 
 
 CERTAIN of the Christians however, coveting the spoils of 
 the dead, returned that same night to the field of battle, and 
 loaded themselves with heaps of gold and silver. But as 
 they were returning to the camp, Almanzor, King of Cordova, 
 who had fled for refuge to the mountains with the Saracens 
 that made their escape, came pouring down, and slew them 
 all to the number of a thousand men. These, then, are 
 types of such as strive against sin, but afterwards relapse ; 
 who, when they have overcome, continue not stedfast, but 
 seek unlawful pleasures, suffering themselves to be mastered 
 in turn by their grand adversary. So likewise the religious, 
 that forsake their vocations to re-engage in worldly concerns 
 and profits, lose the reward of eternal life, and entail upon 
 themselves everlasting perdition. 
 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 Of the War of Furra. 
 
 THE day after the King was informed that a certain King 
 of Navarre, called Furra, designed to fight him at Mount 
 Garzim. Charles therefore prepared for battle ; but desir- 
 ing to know who should perish in it, he entreated the Lord 
 to show him ; whereupon in the morning a red cross ap- 
 peared on their shoulders behind. In order therefore to 
 preserve them, he confined them in his Oratory. Then 
 joining battle, Furra and three thousand of his troops were 
 slain. These were all Saracens of Navarre. The King 
 now returned to his Oratory, but found them all dead that 
 
CHARLES THE GREAT AND ORLANDO. 29 
 
 he had left in it, to the number of one hundred and fifty 
 men. 
 
 " O holy band of Christian warriors, though the sword 
 slew you not, yet did you not lose the palm of victory, or 
 the prize of martyrdom !" Charles then made himself 
 master of the mountain and castle of Garzim, and subdued 
 the whole country of Navarre. 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 Of the War with Ferracute, and of Orlando's admirable Dispute 
 with him. 
 
 CHARLES now received news that a certain Giant, of the 
 name of Ferracute, of the race of Goliath, was come to 
 Nager, sent thither by Admiraldus, with twenty thousand 
 Turks of Babylon, to fight him. This Giant neither feared 
 spear nor dart, and was stronger than forty men. Charles 
 therefore marched to Nager, and Ferracute, hearing of his 
 arrival, sallied out from the city to challenge any warrior to 
 single combat. 
 
 Charles then sent Ogier the Dacian, whom the Giant no 
 sooner perceived, than, leisurely approaching, he caught him 
 up under his right arm, as easily as he would a lamb, and 
 bore him off in sight of all his friends to the city ; for the 
 Giant's stature was twelve cubits ; his face a cubit long ; 
 his nose a palm ; his arms and thighs four cubits ; and his 
 fingers three palms in length. 
 
 Rinaldo of the White Thorn was next sent against him, 
 but he seized him in like manner, and imprisoned him with 
 Ogier. The King then sent Constantine and Ocellus, but, 
 seizing one under each arm, he bore them off likewise. He 
 then sent twenty warriors by pairs against him, but they 
 shared the same fate. Charles dared not then venture to 
 send more warriors : but Orlando with the King's permis- 
 
30 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 sion approached the Giant, who seized him instantly by the 
 right arm, and seated him upon his steed before him. 
 
 But as he was bearing him to the city, Orlando, recover- 
 ing his strength, and trusting in the Almighty, seized the 
 Giant by the beard, and tumbled him from his horse, so 
 that both came to the ground together. Orlando, then, 
 thinking to slay the Giant, drew his sword, and struck at ' 
 him, but the blow fell upon his steed, and pierced him 
 through. The Giant being thus on foot, drew his enormous 
 sword, which Orlando perceiving, who had remounted his 
 his own charger, struck him on the sword arm, and, though 
 he did not wound him, struck the sword out of his hand ; 
 which greatly enraging Ferracute, he aimed a blow at 
 Orlando with his fist, but, missing him, hit his horse on the 
 forehead, and laid him dead on the spot. And now the 
 fight lasted till noon with fists and stones. The Giant then 
 demanded a truce till next day, agreeing to meet Orlando 
 without horse or spear. Each warrior then retired to his 
 post. 
 
 Next morning they accordingly met once more. The 
 Giant brought a sword, but Orlando a long staff to ward off 
 the Giant's blows, who wearied himself to no purpose. 
 They now began to batter each other with stones, that lay 
 scattered about the field, till at last the Giant begged a 
 second truce, which being granted, he presently fell fast 
 asleep upon the ground. Orlando, taking a stone for a 
 pillow, quietly laid himself down also. For such was the 
 law of honour between the Christians and Saracens at that 
 time, that no one on any pretence dared to take advantage 
 of his adversary before the truce was expired, as in that 
 case his own party would have slain him. 
 
 When Ferracute awoke, he found Orlando awake also, 
 who thereupon rose, and seated himself by the Giant's side, 
 inquiring how it came to pass he was so very strong? 
 "Because," replied the Giant, "I am only vulnerable in the 
 
CHARLES THE GREAT AND ORLANDO. 31 
 
 navel." Ferracute spoke in the Spanish language, which 
 Orlando understanding tolerably well, a conversation now 
 followed between them, which Ferracute recommenced by 
 inquiring his name, which Orlando told him. " And what 
 race are you of? " said the Giant. " Of the race of the 
 Franks." " What law do you follow?" "The law of 
 Christ, so far as his grace permits me." " Who is this 
 ChrisHn whom you profess to believe ? " " The Son of God, 
 born of a Virgin, who took upon him our nature, was 
 crucified for us, rose again from the dead, and ascended into 
 heaven, where he sitteth on the right hand of his Father." 
 
 "We believe," said Ferracute, "that the Creator of 
 heaven and earth is one God, and that, as he was not made 
 himself, so cannot another God spring from him. There is 
 therefore only one God, not three, as I understand you 
 Christians profess." " You say well," said Orlando ; " there 
 is but one God, but your faith is imperfect; for as the 
 Father is God, so likewise is the Son, and so is the Holy 
 Ghost. Three persons, but one God." " Nay," said Ferra- 
 cute : " if each of these three persons be God, there must be 
 three Gods." 
 
 i( By no means," replied Orlando ; " he is both three and 
 one. The three persons are co-eternal and co-equal. 
 There is indeed distinction of person, but unity of essence, 
 and equality of majesty. Abraham saw three, but worshipped 
 one. Let us recur to natural things. When the harp 
 sounds, there is the art, the strings, and the hand, yet but 
 one harp. In the almond there is the shell, the coat, 
 and the kernel. In the sun, the body, the beams, and the 
 heat. In the wheel, the centre, the spokes, and the nave. 
 In you, likewise, there is the body, the members, and the 
 soul. In like manner may Trinity in Unity be ascribed to 
 God." 
 
 " I now comprehend," replied Ferracute, " how God may 
 be three in one, but I know not how he begot the Son." 
 
3 2 
 
 " Do you," answered Orlando, " believe that God made 
 Adam ?" " I do." " Adam himself was not, then, born of 
 any, and yet he begot sons. So God the Father is born of 
 none, yet of his own ineffable grace begot the Son from all 
 eternity." " Your arguments," said the Giant, " please me 
 exceedingly, but still I am at a loss to know how he that 
 was God became man." " The Creator of heaven and 
 earth, who made all things out of nothing, could certainly," 
 said Orlando, " engender his Son of a pure Virgin, by divine 
 afflation." " There lies the difficulty," returned Ferracute, 
 " how without human aid, as you affirm, he could spring 
 from the womb." "Surely," said Orlando, "God, who 
 formed Adam from no seed, could form his Son in like 
 manner; and as from God the Father he was without 
 Mother, so from his Mother did he spring without an earthly 
 Father."" It makes me blush," said the Giant, " to thick 
 that a virgin should conceive without a man." " He," 
 answered Orlando, " that causes the worm in the bean, and 
 many species of birds, beasts, and serpents, to engender with- 
 out the help of the male, could procure God and Man of a 
 pure Virgin without the help of Man. For as his power 
 enabled him to produce the first man from the ground, so 
 could he produce the second from a virgin." " I grant it," 
 replied the Giant ; "he might be born of a virgin ; but if 
 he was the Son of God, how could he die, for God never 
 dies ? " " That indeed is true," said Orlando ; " as God, he 
 could not die ; but when he took our nature upon him, and 
 was made man, he became subject to death, for every man 
 dies. As we believe his nativity, so may we likewise believe 
 his passion and resurrection." 
 
 " And what is it we are to believe of his resurrection ? " 
 inquired Ferracute. " That he died, and rose again the 
 third day." The Giant, hearing this, was greatly astonished, 
 and exclaimed to Orlando, " Why do you talk so idly? It 
 is impossible that a man, after he is once dead,, can return 
 
CHARLES THE GREAT AND ORLANDO. 33 
 
 to life again." " Not only did the Son of God rise from 
 the dead," replied Orlando, " but all the men that have died 
 since the creation of the world shall rise again, and appear 
 before his tribunal, where they shall be rewarded everyone 
 according to his deeds, whether they be good or evil. That 
 God, who makes the tree spring from the soil, and the 
 grain of wheat to rot in the ground, that it may revive with 
 fresh increase, can at the last day clothe the souls of men 
 with their own bodies, and restore them to life. Take the 
 mystic example of the lion, which on the third day revives 
 his dead cubs with his breath by licking them. What won- 
 der, then, that God should after three days revive his Son ? 
 Nor ought it to seem strange that, as the Son of God rose 
 from the dead, many others of the dead should rise even 
 before his own resurrection. If Elijah and Elisha by the 
 power of God could perform this miracle, how much more 
 easily could the Father restore the Son, whom it was indeed 
 impossible that Death could retain in his fetters. Death 
 fled at his sight, as he shall fly likewise at the sound of his 
 voice, when the whole phalanx of the dead shall rise again." 
 " Enough," said Ferracute, " I clearly perceive all this; but 
 how could he ascend into heaven ? " " He that descended," 
 answered Orlando, " could easily ascend. He that rose of 
 himself could enter the skies in triumph. Does not the 
 wheel of the mill descend low, and return to its height 
 again ? Does not the bird in the air ascend and descend ? 
 Can you not yourself come down from a mountain, and re- 
 turn thither ? Did not the sun yesterday rise in the east 
 and set in the west, and yet rise again in the east to-day ? 
 To that place from whence the Son of God descended, did 
 he likewise ascend." 
 
 " Well, 1 ' said Ferracute, " to end our arguments, I will 
 fight you on these terms : If the faith you profess be the 
 true faith, you shall conquer ; otherwise the victory shall be 
 mine ; and let the issue be eternal honour to the conqueror, 
 
34 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 but disnonour to the vanquished." " Be it so ! " said 
 Orlando : whereupon they immediately fell to blows. But 
 the very first which the Giant aimed at him would have 
 certainly been fatal, if Orlando had not nimbly leaped 
 aside, and caught it on his staff, which was however cut in 
 twain. The Giant, seeing his advantage, then rushed in 
 upon him, and both came to the ground together. Orlando 
 then, finding it impossible to escape, instantly implored the 
 divine assistance, and, feeling himself re-invigorated, sprung 
 upon his feet, when, seizing the Giant's sword, he thrust 
 it into his navel, and made his escape. Ferracute, finding 
 himself mortally wounded, called aloud upon Mahomet ; 
 which the Saracens hearing, sallied from the city, and bore 
 him off in their arms. Orlando returned safe to the camp ; 
 the Christians then boldly attacked the city, and carried it 
 by storm. The Giant and his people were slain, his castle 
 taken, and all the Christian warriors liberated. 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 The War of the Masks. 
 
 SOON after the Emperor heard that Ibrahim, King of Seville, 
 and Almanzor, who escaped from the battle of Pampeluna, 
 had gathered together at Cordova a body of troops from 
 seven* of the neighbouring cities of Seville. Thither then 
 did the King pursue his march with six thousand men, and 
 found the Saracens, ten thousand strong, about three miles 
 from the city. The King formed his army into three divi- 
 sions. The first composed of his best troops, all cavalry ; 
 the two last, foot. The Saracens formed theirs in a similar 
 manner. But when the King in person advanced against 
 the first squadrons of Pagans, he found them all disguised 
 
 * The names of four of these cities were Ubeda, Abela, Baeza, and 
 
CHARLES THE GREAT AND ORLANDO. 35 
 
 in bearded masks, with horns upon their heads, like demons, 
 making so strange a din with their hands upon their drums 
 and other instruments, that the horses were terrified, and 
 galloped back in spite of all their riders could do to prevent 
 them. Whereupon the foot retreated likewise to an adjacent 
 mountain, where, uniting in one squadron, they stopped for 
 the Saracens, who would then advance no further, but 
 gave our people time to pitch their tents, and encamp that 
 night. 
 
 Charles then called a council of his captains, and agreed 
 to tie bandages over their horses' eyes, and to stuff their 
 ears, in order to disconcert this stratagem on the morrow. 
 Admirable experiment ! For now we fought the enemy 
 from morning till night, and slew a great number, though it 
 was by no means a general slaughter ; for the Saracens, 
 again joining in martial array, brought forward a castle, 
 drawn by eight oxen, with a certain red banner waving upon 
 it, which so long as they saw present, it was their rule never 
 to fly. The King, knowing this, armed himself with a 
 strong breast-plate, a mighty spear, and invincible sword, 
 and, aided by divine assistance, hewed his way through his 
 enemies, overturning them to right and left, till he reached 
 the car, when, cutting the flag-pole with his sword, the 
 Saracens instantly fled in all directions. Prodigious shouts 
 were made by both armies. We then slew eight thousand 
 Moors, together with Ibrahim, King of Seville. Almanzor 
 made good his retreat into the city, but submitted to 
 Charles the day after, consenting to be baptized, and to do 
 homage for his dominions. 
 
 The King now divided the conquered countries of Spain 
 amongst his soldiers. Navarre and Beam he gave to the 
 inhabitants of Brittany ; Castile to the Franks ; Nadres and 
 Saragossa to the Apulians ; Arragon to the Ponthieuse ; 
 Andalusia, on the sea-coast, to the Germans ; and Portugal 
 to the Dacians and Flemings. But the French would not 
 
 B 2 
 
36 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 settle in the mountain parts of Gallicia. Thus there seemed 
 to be no more foes in Spain to hurt the Emperor. 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 Of the Conn* il the Emperor summoned; and of his Jourtmy to 
 Conipostella. 
 
 CHARLES then sent away the greatest part of his troops, and 
 came to Gallicia, where he behaved very liberally to the 
 Christians he found there, but either put to death or banished 
 those that had revolted to the Moorish faith. He then 
 appointed bishops and prelates in every city, and, assembling 
 a council of the chief dignitaries in Compostella, decreed 
 that the church of St. James should be henceforth consi- 
 dered as the Metropolitan, instead of Iria, as it was no 
 city, subjecting Iria likewise to Compostella. In the same 
 council I, Turpin, Archbishop of Rheims, together with 
 forty other Bishops and Prelates, dedicated, by the King's 
 command, the church and altar of St. James, with extra- 
 ordinary splendour and magnificence. All Spain and Gal- 
 licia were made subject to this holy place : it was moreover 
 endowed with four pieces of money from every house 
 throughout the kingdom, and at the same time totally freed , 
 from the royal jurisdiction ; being from that hour styled 
 the Apostolic See, as the body of the holy Apostle laid 
 entombed within it. Here likewise the general councils of 
 Spain are held ; the Bishops ordained, and the Kings 
 crowned by the hand of the Metropolitan Bishop, to the 
 Apostle's honour. Here too, when any crying sin is com- 
 mitted, or innovations made in the faith and precepts of 
 our Lord, through the meritoriousness of this vener- 
 able edifice the grievance is discovered, and atonement 
 made. As the Eastern Apostolic See was established 
 
CHARLES THE GRhA T AND ORLANDO. 37 
 
 by St. John, the brother of St. James, at Ephesus, so was 
 the Western established by St. James. 
 
 And those Sees are undoubtedly the true Sees. Ephesus 
 on the right hand of Christ's earthly kingdom, and Com- 
 postella on the left, both which fell to the share of the sons 
 of Zebedee, according to their request. There are, then, 
 three Sees which are deservedly held pre-eminent, even as 
 our Lord gave the pre-eminence to the three Apostles, 
 Peter, James, and John, who first established them. And 
 certainly these three places should be deemed more sacred 
 than others, where they preached, and their bodies lie en- 
 shrined. Rome claims the superiority from Peter, Prince 
 of the Apostles. Compostella holds the second place from 
 St. James, the elder brother of St. John, and first inheritor 
 of the crown of martyrdom. He dignified it with his 
 preaching, consecrated it with his sepulchre, and ceases not 
 to e*alt it by miracles and dispensations of mercy. The 
 third See justly is Ephesus; for there St. John wrote his 
 gospel, " In the beginning was the Word," assembling there 
 likewise the bishops of the neighbouring cities, whom he 
 calls Angels in the Apocalypse. He established that 
 church by his doctrines and miracles, and there his body 
 was entombed. If, therefore, any difficulty should occur 
 that cannot elsewhere be resolved, let it brought before 
 these Sees, and it shall, by divine grace, be decided. As 
 Gallicia was freed in these early ages from the Saracen 
 yoke, by the favour of God and St. James, and by the 
 King's valour, so may it continue firm in the orthodox 
 faith till the consummation of ages ! 
 
38 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 Of the Emperor's Person and Courage. 
 
 THE Emperor was of a ruddy complexion, with brown 
 hair ; of a well-made handsome form, but a stern visage. 
 His height was about eight of his own feet, which were 
 very long. He was of a strong robust make : his legs and 
 thighs very stout, and his sinews firm. His face was thir- 
 teen inches long ; his beard a palm ; his nose half a palm ; 
 his forehead a foot over. His lion-like eyes flashed fire 
 like carbuncles ; his eyebrows were half a palm over. When 
 he was angry, it was a terror to look upon him. He re- 
 quired eight spans for his girdle, besides what hung loose. 
 He ate sparingly of bread ; but a whole quarter of lamb, 
 two fowls, a goose, or a large portion of pork ; a peacock, 
 crane, or a whole hare. He drank moderately of wine 
 and water. He was so strong, that he could at a single 
 blow cleave asunder an armed soldier on horseback from 
 the head to the waist, and the horse likewise. He easily 
 vaulted over four horses harnessed together ; and could raise 
 an armed man from the ground to his head, as he stood erect 
 upon his hand. 
 
 He was liberal, just in his decrees, and fluent of speech. 
 Four days in the year, especially during his residence in 
 Spain, he held a solemn assembly at court, adorning himself 
 with his royal crown and sceptre ; namely, on Christmas- 
 day, at Easter, Whitsuntide, and on the festival of St. James. 
 A naked sword, after the imperial fashion, was then borne 
 before him. A hundred and twenty orthodox soldiers 
 Batched nightly round his couch, in three courses of forty 
 each. A drawn sword was laid at his right hand, and a 
 lighted candle at his left. Although many would delight to 
 read his great actions, they would be too tedious to relate. 
 
CHARLES THE GREAT AND ORLANDO. 39 
 
 How he invested Galifer, Admiral of Coleto, where he was 
 banished, with the military order, and, in return for his 
 kindness, slew Bramantes, his enemy, the proud Saracen 
 King ; how many kingdoms and countries he conquered ; 
 Abbeys he founded ; bodies of the saints and relics he en- 
 shrined in gold ; how he was made Emperor of Rome, and 
 visited the holy supulchre, bringing back with him the wood 
 of the Holy Cross, wherewith he endowed the shrine of St. 
 James ; of all this I shall say no more : the hand and the 
 pen would sooner fail than the history. But what befel 
 his army at his return to France, we now briefly proceed 
 to tell. 
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 Of the Treachery of Ganalon ; the B<iltle of Ronceval, and the 
 Sufferings of the Christian Warriors. 
 
 WHEN this famous Emperor had thus recovered Spain to 
 the glory of our Lord and St. James, after a season he re- 
 turned to Pampeluna, and encamped there, with his army. 
 At that time there were in Saragossa two Saracen Kings, 
 Marsir, and Beligard, his brother, sent by the Soldan of 
 Babylon from Persia to Spain. Charles had bowed them 
 to his dominion, and they served him always, but only with 
 feigned fidelity. For the King having sent Ganalon to 
 require them to be baptized, and to pay tribute, they sent 
 him thirty horse-load of gold, silver, and jewels; forty load 
 of wine likewise for his soldiers, and a thousand beautiful 
 Saracen women. But at the same time they covenanted 
 with Ganalon to betray the King's army into their hands 
 for twenty horse-load of gold and silver ; which wicked 
 compact being accordingly made, Ganalon returned to the 
 King with intelligence that Marsir would embrace the 
 Christian faith, and was preparing to follow him into France 
 to receive baptism there, ap^ w ould then hold all Spain 
 
42 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 spot. By this time every one of the Christians was slain, 
 and Orlando himself sorely wounded in five places by 
 lances, and grievously battered likewise with stones. Beli- 
 gard, seeing Marsh had fallen, retired from the field with 
 the rest of the Saracens ; whilst Theodoric and Baldwin, 
 and some few other Christians, made their way through the 
 pass, towards which Orlando, wandering, came likewise to 
 the foot of it, and, alighting from his steed, stretched him- 
 self on the ground, beneath a tree, near a block of marble, 
 that stood upright in the meadows of Ronceval. 
 
 Here drawing his sword, Durenda, which signifies a hard 
 blow, a sword of exquisite workmanship, fine temper, and 
 resplendent brightness, which he would sooner have lost 
 his arm than parted with, as he held it in his hand, regarding 
 it earnestly, addressed it in these words : " O sword of 
 unparalleled brightness, excellent dimensions, admirable 
 temper, and hilt of the whitest ivory, decorated with a 
 splendid cross of gold, topped by a berylline apple, en- 
 graved with the sacred name of God, endued with keenness 
 and every other virtue, who now shall wield thee in battle? 
 who shall call thee master? He that possessed thee was 
 never conquered, never daunted at the foe ; phantoms 
 never appalled him. Aided by Omnipotence, with thee did 
 he destroy the Saracen, exalt the faith of Christ, and 
 acquire consummate glory. Oft hast thou vindicated the 
 blood of Jesus, against Pagans, Jews, and heretics; oft 
 hewed oft the hand and foot of the robber, fulfilling divine 
 justice. O happy sword, keenest of the keen ; never was 
 one like thee ! He that made thee, made not thy fellow ! 
 Not one escaped with life from thy stroke ! If the slothful 
 timid soldier should now possess thee, or the base Saracen, 
 my grief would be unspeakable ! Thus, then, do I prevent 
 thy falling into their hands." He then struck the block of 
 marble thrice, which cleft it in the midst, and broke the 
 sword in twain. 
 
CHARLES THE GREAT AND ORLANDO. 43 
 
 CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 Of the Sound of Orlando's Horn ; of his Confession, and Death. 
 
 HE now blew a loud blast with his horn, to summon any 
 Christian concealed in the adjacent woods to his assistance, 
 or to recal his friends beyond the pass. This horn was en- 
 dued with such power, that all other horns were split by its 
 sound ; and it is said that Orlando at that time blew it with 
 such vehemence, that he burst the veins and nerves of his 
 neck. The sound reached the King's ears, who lay en- 
 camped in the valley still called by his name, about eight 
 miles from Ronceval, towards Gascony, being carried so 
 far by supernatural power. Charles would have flown to 
 his succour, but was prevented by Ganalon, who, conscious 
 of Orlando's sufferings, insinuated it was usual with him to 
 sound his horn on light occasions. " He is, perhaps," said 
 he, " pursuing some wild beast, and the sound echoes 
 through the woods ; it will be fruitless, therefore, to seek 
 him." O wicked traitor, deceitful as Judas ! What dost 
 thou merit? 
 
 Orlando now grew very thirsty, and cried for water to 
 Baldwin, who just then approached him ; but unable to find 
 any, and seeing him so near his end, he blessed him, and, 
 again mounting his steed, galloped off for assistance to the 
 army. Immediately after Theodoric came up, and, bitterly 
 grieving to see him in this condition, bade him strengthen 
 his soul by confessing his faith. Orlando had that morning 
 received the blessed Eucharist, and confessed his sins before 
 he went to battle, this being the custom with all the warriors 
 at that time, for which purpose bishops and monks attended 
 the army to give them absolution. The martyr of Christ 
 then cast up his eyes to heaven, and cried, " O Lord Jesus, 
 for whose sake I came into these barbarous regions ; through 
 
44 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 thy aid only have I conquered innumerable Pagans, endur- 
 ing blows and wounds, reproach, derision, and fatigue, heat 
 and cold, hunger and thirst. To thee do I commit my soul 
 in this trying hour. Thou, who didst suffer on the cross for 
 those who deserved not thy favour, deliver my soul, I beseech 
 thee, from eternal death ! I confess myself a most grievous 
 sinner, but thou mercifully dost forgive our sins ; thou pitiest 
 every one, and hatest nothing which thou hast made, cover- 
 ing the sins of the penitent in whatsoever day they turn unto 
 thee with true contrition. O thou, who didst spare thy 
 enemies, and the woman taken in adultery ; who didst par- 
 don Mary Magdalen, and look with compassion on the 
 weeping Peter ; who didst likewise open the gate of Para- 
 dise to the thief that confessed thee upon the cross ; have 
 mercy upon me, and receive my soul into thy everlasting 
 rest! 
 
 " Thou art he who preventest our bodies from perishing 
 in the grave, changing them to greater glory ; thou, O Lord, 
 art he, who hast said, ' thou rather wouldst the sinner should 
 live than die.' I believe in thee with my whole heart, and 
 confess thee with my lips ; therefore I beseech thee to re- 
 ceive me into the enjoyment of a better life when this is 
 ended. Let my sense and intellects be in the same measure 
 improved as the shadow differs from the substance." And 
 now, grasping the flesh and skin near his heart (as Thto- 
 doric afterwards related), he continued his speech with 
 bitter groanings. " O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, and 
 of the blessed Virgin, with my inmost soul do I confess that 
 thou, my Redeemer, dost live, and that at the day of judg- 
 ment I shall rise, and in my flesh behold thee, my God and 
 my Saviour ! " And thrice, thus grasping his breast, did he 
 repeat those words ; and , laying his hand upon his eyes in 
 like manner, he said, " And these eyes shall behold thee ! " 
 Uncovering them, he again looked up to heaven, and, sign- 
 ing himself with the sign of the cross, he uttered, "All 
 
CHARLES THE GREAT AND ORLANDO. 45 
 
 earthly things are vain and unprofitable ; I am now taught 
 of Christ, that eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither 
 hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive, the good 
 things that God hath prepared for them that love him." 
 Then, stretching his hands to heaven, he uttered this 
 prayer for them that perished in the battle : 
 
 " Let thy bowels of compassion, O Lord, be open to thy 
 faithful servants, who have this day perished by the hand of 
 the barbarians. Hither did they come to vindicate thy 
 faith; for thy sake are they fallen. Do thou, O Lord, 
 mercifully blot out their offences, accounting them worthy 
 to be delivered from the pains of hell. Send thy archangels 
 to rescue their souls from darkness, and bear them to the 
 regions of light, where thy blessed martyrs eternally live 
 and reign with thee, who dost live and reign with God the 
 Father and the Holy Spirit, to all ages. Amen ! " Imme- 
 diately after this confession and prayer, his soul winged its 
 flight from his body, and was borne by angels to Paradise, 
 where he reigns in transcendent glory, united by his merito- 
 rious deeds to the blessed choir of martyrs. 
 
 CHAPTER XXIV. 
 
 Oj Orlando's Rank and Virtue. 
 
 No longer it becomes the heart to mourn 
 A hero of immortal joys possessed ; 
 
 Of noble rank, and noble parents born, 
 
 For nobler deeds in heaven with glory blest. 
 
 To none inferior, thine was native worth ; 
 
 Thy feet still tending to the temple's bounds ; 
 A glorious model to the wondering earth, 
 
 A faithful balsam to thy country's wounds. 
 
46 THE HISTORY Of 
 
 The Clergy's refuge, and the Widow's friend, 
 Bounteous to guests, and liberal to the poor ; 
 
 To heaven thy parting steps may safely bend, 
 Whose works have opened wide salvation's door. 
 
 Thy tongue the fount of heavenly eloquence, 
 That still would slake the thirst, and never pall, 
 
 Endowed with graceful wit, and manly sense, 
 Proclaimed thee common father, friend of all. 
 
 Blest Chief, farewell ! but not the marbled urn 
 That holds thy ashes can thy soul contain : 
 
 Our wondering eyes to heaven above we turn, 
 Where thou for ever dost triumphant reign. 
 
 CHAPTER XXV. 
 
 Archbishop Ttirpiits Vision, and the King's Lamentation for 
 Orlando. 
 
 WHAT more shall we say ? Whilst the soul of the blessed 
 Orlando was leaving his body, I, Turpin, standing near the 
 King in the valley of Charles, at the moment I was cele- 
 brating the mass of the dead, namely, on the i6th day of 
 June, fell into a trance, and, hearing the angelic choir sing 
 aloud, I wondered what it might be. Now, when they 
 had ascended on high, behold, there came after them a 
 phalanx of terrible ones, like warriors returning from the 
 spoil, bearing their prey. Presently I inquired of one of 
 them what it meant, and was answered, u We are bearing 
 the soul of Marsir to hell, but yonder is Michael bearing 
 the Morn-winder to heaven." When mass was over, I toid 
 the King what I had seen; and whilst I was yet speaking, 
 behold Baldwin rode up on Orlando's horse, and related 
 what had befallen him, and where he had left the hero in the 
 
CHARLES THE GREA T AND ORLANDO. 47 
 
 agonies of death, beside a stone in the meadows at the foot 
 of the mountain ; whereupon the whole army immediately 
 marched back to Ronceval. 
 
 The King himself first discovered the hero, lying in the 
 form of a cross, and began to lament over him with bitter 
 sighs and sobs, wringing his hands, and tearing his hair and 
 beard. " O right arm." cried he, " of thy Sovereign's body ; 
 honour of the French ; sword of justice, inflexible spear, 
 inviolable breast plate, shield of safety ; a Judas Maccabeus 
 in probity, a Samson in strength ; in death like Saul and 
 Jonathan ; brave, experienced soldier, great and noble 
 defender of the Christians, scourge of the Saracens ; a wall 
 to the clergy, the widow's and orphan's friend, just and 
 faithful in judgment ! Renowned Count of the French, 
 valiant captain of our armies, why did I leave thee here to 
 perish? How can I behold thee dead, and not die myself? 
 Why hast thou left me sorrowful and alone ? A poor 
 miserable King ! But thou art exalted to the kingdom of 
 heaven, and dost enjoy the company of angels and martyrs. 
 Without cease I shall lament over thee, as David did over 
 Saul and Jonathan, and his son Absalom. 
 
 Thy soul is fled to happier scenes above, 
 
 And left us mourning to lament thee here ; 
 Blest in thy God and Saviour's fav'ring love, 
 
 Who wipes from every eye the trickling tear. 
 
 Six lustres and eight years thou dwelledst below, 
 
 But snatched from earth to heaven, thou reign'st on high, 
 
 "Where feasts divine immortal spirits know, 
 And joys transcendent fill the starry sky. 
 
 Thus did Charles mourn for Orlando to the very last day 
 of his life. On the spot where he died he encamped ; 
 and caused the body to be embalmed with balsam, myrrh, 
 and aloes. The whole camp watched it that night, honour- 
 ing his corse with hymns and songs, and innumerable 
 torches and fires kindled on the adjacent mountains. 
 
48 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 CHAPTER XXVI. 
 
 HO-M the Sun stood still for three Days ; the Slaughter of four 
 thousand Saracens ; and the Death of Ganalon. 
 
 EARLY on the next day they came to the field of battle in 
 Ronceval, and found the bodies of their friends, many of 
 them still alive, but mortally wounded. Oliver was lying 
 on his face, pinioned to the ground in the form of a cross, 
 and flayed from the neck to his finger-ends ; pierced also 
 with darts and javelins, and bruised with clubs. The 
 mourning was now dismal ; every one wept for his friend, 
 till the groves and valleys resounded with wailing. Charles 
 solemnly vowed to pursue the Pagans till he found them ; 
 and, marching in pursuit with his whole army, the sun 
 stood still for three days, till he overtook them on the 
 banks of the Ebro, near Saragossa, feasting and rejoicing 
 for their success. Attacking them valiantly, he then slew 
 four thousand, and dispersed the rest. What further ? We 
 now returned to Ronceval, bearing with us the sick and 
 wounded to the spot where Orlando fell. The Emperor 
 then made strict inquiries after the treachery of Ganalon, 
 which began to be universally rumoured about. Trial was 
 ordained by single combat, Pinabel for Ganalon, and Theo- 
 doric for the Accuser ; when, the latter gaining the victory, 
 the treason was proved. Ganalon was now sentenced to be 
 torn to pieces by four wild horses, which was accordingly 
 his end. 
 
CHARLES THE GREAT AND ORLANDO. 49 
 CHAPTER XXVII. 
 
 The Embalming of the Dead. 
 
 THEY now embalmed the dead bodies of their friends ; 
 some with myrrh and balsam, some with salt, taking out 
 the bowels, and filling the bodies with aromatic drugs, or 
 with salt only. Some were buried on the spot ; others 
 conveyed to France; but many that became putrid and 
 offensive were buried on the road. Wooden carriages were 
 made for the dead, but the sick and wounded were borne 
 away on litters upon their shoulders. 
 
 CHAPTER XXVIIL 
 
 Of the consecrated Cemeteries of Aries anJ Bordeaux. 
 
 Two chief burying grounds were now consecrated at Aries 
 and Bordeaux by seven Bishops : Maximin of Aix, Trophi- 
 mus of Aries, Paul of Narbonne, Saturnine of Thoulouse, 
 Frontorne of Perigord, Martial of Limoges, and Eutropius 
 of Xaintonge ; where the major part of the warriors were 
 interred that fell in the battles of Ronceval and Mount 
 Garzim. 
 
 CHAPTER XXIX. 
 
 Of the Burial of Orlando and his Companions at Blaye and 
 other Places. 
 
 CHARLES deferred the burial of Orlando till he came to 
 Blaye. His body was laid upon gold tapestry on two mules, 
 covered with a pall, and at length honourably interred in 
 the Church of St Roman, which he had formerly built, and 
 
50 THE HISTORY OF 
 
 endowed with regular canons. His helmet was placed upon 
 his head, and his ivory horn at his feet. But the body was 
 afterwards translated to St. Severin in Bordeaux, the chief 
 city of these provinces, where it was joyfully welcomed, as 
 it had liberally tasted his munificence. 
 
 At Blaye likewise was buried Oliver, and Galdebode, 
 King of Friezeland ; Ogier, King of Dacia ; Aristagnus, 
 King of Brittany ; Garin, Duke of Lorraine ; and many 
 other warriors. Happy town, graced with the sepulchres 
 of so many heroes ! At Bordeaux, in the cemetery of 
 St. Severin, were buried Gayfere, King of Bordeaux ; 
 Angelerus, Duke of Aquitaine ; Lambert, Prince of Bourges ; 
 Galerius Galin ; Rinaldo of the White Thorn ; Walter of 
 the Olive Trees ; Vulterinus, and five thousand of their 
 soldiers. Ocellus, Count of Nantes, and most of the inha- 
 bitants of Brittany, were buried in that city. Charles gave 
 twelve thousand pieces of silver and talents of gold for 
 the repose of their souls, and fed the poor for many miles 
 round the city of Blaye ; endowing the church likewise with 
 rich vestments and silver ornaments, for the love he bore 
 Orlando ; freeing the Canons from all service but prayers 
 for him and his companions. He moreover clothed and 
 entertained thirty poor men on the anniversary of their 
 martyrdom, establishing Minstrels, Masses, and other 
 solemnities, which the Canons were not to neglect on that 
 day, as they hoped to merit a crown of glory, which they 
 promised to perform. 
 
 CHAPTER XXX. 
 
 Of those Buritd at Aries. 
 
 AFTER this the King and his army proceeded by the way 
 of Gascony and Thoulouse, and came to Aries, where we 
 
CHARLES THE GREAT AND ORLANDO. 51 
 
 found the army of Burgundy, which had left us in the hos- 
 tile valley, bringing their dead by the way of Morbihan and 
 Thoulouse, to bury them in the plain of Aries. Here we 
 performed the rites of Estolfo, Count of Champagne ; o! 
 Solomon ; Sampson, Duke of Burgundy ; Arnold of Ber- 
 landa ; Alberic of Burgundy ; Gurnard, Esturinite, Hato, 
 J nonius, Berard, Berengaire, and Naaman, Duke of Bour- 
 bon, and of ten thousand of their soldiers. Constantine, 
 Governor of Rome, and other Romans, were conveyed 
 thither by sea, and buried in Apulia. The King gave 
 twelve thousand pieces of silver, and as many talents of 
 gold, for the repose of their souls, and to the poor of 
 Aries. 
 
 CHAPTER XXXI. 
 
 Of the Council heU at St. Denis. 
 
 WE then came to Vienne, where I remained to be healed 
 of the scars and wounds I received in Spain. The King, 
 much fatigued, at length arrived at Paris ; and, assembling 
 a council of his chief princes and bishops at St. Denis, re- 
 turned thanks to God for his victory over the Pagans, and 
 gave all France as a manor to that church, in the same way 
 as St. Paul and St. Clement had formerly endowed the 
 bishopric of Rome. The French Bishops were likewise to 
 be ordained there, and not made subject to the See of 
 Rome. Then, standing by the tomb of St. Denis, he en- 
 treated the Lord for all who had died in his cause. 
 
 The very next night St. Denis appeared to the King in 
 his sleep, assuring him that full pardon of sin was granted 
 to all that followed him, and had fought and perished in 
 the wars with the Saracens ; that they likewise should re- 
 cover of their wounds who had bestowed money on the 
 church ; which being made known by the King, very 
 
52 THE HISTORY OP 
 
 liberal offerings were made by the people, who thus acquired 
 the name of Franks ; and the whole land, formerly called 
 Gaul, was now changed to France, as being freed from all 
 servitude, and having dominion over other nations. The 
 King then went to Aix-la-Chapelle, in the county of Liege, 
 to bathe and drink the waters, where he liberally endowed 
 St. Mary's Church with gold and silver, ordering it to be 
 painted with ancient and modern histories, and his palace 
 to be decorated with the representation of his wars in 
 Spain ; with emblems of the seven liberal arts and other 
 excellent embellishments. 
 
 CHAPTER XXXII. 
 
 Of the King's Death. 
 
 SOON after, the King's approaching death was revealed to 
 me ; for, behold, as I was praying in the church of Vienne, 
 I fell into a trance, as I was singing psalms, and saw innu- 
 merable companies of soldiers pass before me by the Lorraine 
 road. A certain one, black as an Ethiop, followed them, 
 of whom I inquired whither he was going, and received for 
 answer that he was awaiting the death of Charles to take 
 possession of his soul. " I conjure you, then," said I, " by 
 the name of the Lord Jesus, to return when you have com- 
 pleted your errand." When I had rested some time, and 
 begun to explain the psalms, behold they returned back, and, 
 speaking to the same person I before addressed, I inquired 
 whom he had been seeking, and was answered, " the Galli- 
 cian ;" but the stones and timber of the churches he founded 
 balanced so greatly in his favour, that his good works out- 
 weighed his bad, and his soul was snatched from us, and at 
 this the demon vanished. Thus I understood Charles died 
 that day, and was carried into the bosom of God and 
 
CHARLES THE GREAT AND ORLANDO. 53 
 
 St. James. But as I had requested him, before we parted 
 at Vienne, to send me notice of his decease in case it pre- 
 ceded mine, being then grievously sick, and remembering 
 his promise, he encharged a certain learned soldier to bring 
 me word the moment he died. What more need I add ? 
 The messenger arrived on the fifteenth day after it happened. 
 He had, indeed, been grievously afflicted with illness from 
 the hour he left Spain, and suffered still more in mind than 
 in body for the friends he lost on the unfortunate i6th 
 of June. On the same day that I saw the vision, namely, 
 on the $th of February, in the year of our Lord 814, he 
 departed this life, and was sumptuously buried in the round 
 church of St. Mary, which he had himself built ; and this 
 sign 1 was credibly informed happened yearly for three 
 years together before his death, " The Sun and Moon 
 became dark, and his name, Charles the Prince, inscribed 
 on the church, was totally obliterated of itself; and the 
 portico likewise, between the church and the palace, fell 
 to the very foundation." The wooden bridge also which 
 he built six years before over the Rhine at Mentz was 
 destroyed by fire, self-kindled. And the same day, as a 
 traveller was on his journey, he saw a great flame, like the 
 flame of a funeral pile, pass from right to left before him ; 
 which terrifying him greatly, he fell from his horse, but was 
 presently relieved by his friends. 
 
 We therefore believe that he now enjoys the crown of 
 the blessed martyrs, whose labours he imitated, whose 
 pattern and example he followed. Whereby we may 
 understand, that whoever builds a church to God's glory, 
 provides for himself a residence in his kingdom. For this 
 cause was Charles snatched from the hands of demons, and 
 borne by good angels to heavenly habitations. 
 
BALLAD ROMANCE 
 TOUCHING 
 
 THE DAYS OF CHARLEMAGNE 
 
 AND OF 
 
 THE CID CAMPEADOR 
 
 WITH THE BALLAD OF COUNT ALARCOS 
 
 FROM THE SPANISH BALLADS TRANSLATED BY 
 JOHN GIBSON LOCKHART. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 PART I. 
 
 PAC.E 
 
 THE MOOR CALAYNOS 57 
 
 THE ESCAPE OF GAYFEROS 61 
 
 MELISENDRA 63 
 
 THE MARCH OF BERNARDO DEL CARFIO 67 
 
 LADY ALDA'S DREAM 69 
 
 THE ADMIRAL GUARINOS 7 T 
 
 THE COMPLAINT OF THE COUNT OF SALUI.MIA . . -75 
 THE FUNERAL OF THE COUNT OF SALUKNUA . . . .76 
 BERNARDO AND ALPHONSO 78 
 
 PART II. 
 
 THE YOUNG Cm Si 
 
 XIMENA DEMANDS VKNGEANCK ^3 
 
 THE ClD AND THE FlVE MOORISH KINGS 84 
 
 THE CID'S COURTSHIP 85 
 
 THE CID'S WEDDING . . . 87 
 
 THE CID AND THE LEPER ......... 88 
 
 BAVIECA ... 90 
 
 THE EXCOMMUNICATION OF THE Cm 92 
 
 PART III. 
 COUNT ALARCOS AND THE INFANTA SOLISA . ... 94 
 
( 57 ) 
 
 PART I. 
 
 THE MOOR CALAYNOS. 
 
 IN the following version I have taken liberty to omit a 
 good many of the introductory stanzas of the famous Coplas 
 de Calainos. The reader will remember that this ballad is 
 alluded to in Don Quixote, where the Knight's nocturnal 
 visit to Toboso is described. 
 
 It is generally believed to be among the most ancient, 
 and certainly was among uie most popular, of all the ballads 
 in the Cancionero. 
 
 i. 
 
 " I HAD six Moorish nurses, but the seventh was not a Moor, 
 The Moors they gave me milk enow, but the Christian gave me lore ; 
 And she told me ne'er to listen, though sweet the words might be, 
 Till he that spake had proved his troth, and pledged a gallant fee."- 
 
 n. 
 
 " Fair damsel," quoth Calaynos, " if thou wilt go with me, 
 Say what may win thy favour, and thiue that gift shall be. 
 Fair stands the castle on the rock, the cityin the vale, 
 And bonny is the red red gold, and rich the silver pale." 
 
 " Fair sir," quoth she, " virginity I never will lay down 
 For gold, nor yet for silver, for castle, nor for town ; 
 But I will be your leman for the heads of certain peers 
 And I a--k but three Rinaldo's Roland's and Olivier's." 
 
 IV. 
 
 He kissed her hand where she did stand, he kissed her lips also, 
 And " Bring forth," he crie?, " my pennon, for to Paris I must go." 
 I wot ye saw them rearing his banner broad right soon, 
 Whereon revealed his bloody field its pale and crescent moon. 
 
58 BALLAD ROMANCE OF THE 
 
 That broad bannere the Moore did rear, ere many days were gone, 
 In foul disdain of Charlemagne, by the church of good Saint John ; 
 In the midst of merry Paris, on the bonny banks of Seine, 
 Shall never scornful Paynim that pennon rear again. 
 
 His banner he hath planted high, and loud his trumpet blown, 
 That all the twelve might hear it well around King Charles's throne ; 
 The note he blew right well they knew ; both Paladin and Peer 
 Had the trumpet heard of that stem lord in many a fierce career. 
 
 It chanced the King, that fair morning, to the chace had made him bowne, 
 With many a knight of warlike might, and prince of high renown ; 
 Sir Reynold of Montalban, and Clares' Lord, Gaston, 
 Behind him rode, and Bertram good, that reverend old Baron. 
 
 VIII. 
 
 Black D'Ardennes' eye of mastery in that proud troop was seen, 
 And there was Urgel's giant foice, and Guarinos' princely mien ; 
 Gallant and gay upon that day was Baldwin's youthful cheer, 
 But first did ride, by Charles's side, Roland and Olivier. 
 
 IX. 
 
 Now in a ring around the King, not far in the greenwood, 
 
 Awaiting all the huntsman's call, it chanced the nobles stood ; 
 
 " Now list, mine earls, now list ! " quoth Charles, " yon breeze wiil come 
 
 again, 
 Some trumpet-note methinksdoth float from the bonny banks of Seine. "- 
 
 x. 
 
 He scarce had heard the trumpet, the word he scarce had said, 
 When among the trees he near him sees a dark and turbaned head ; 
 " Nowstand, now stand at my command, bold Moor, "quoth Charlemagne, 
 " That turban green, how dare it be seen among the woods of Seine." 
 
 XI. 
 
 " My turban green must needs be seen among the woods of Seine," 
 The Moor replied, " since here I ride in quest of Charlemagne 
 For I serve the Moor Calaynos, and I his defiance bring 
 To every lord that sits at the board of Charlemagne your King. 
 
DAYS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 59 
 
 XII. 
 
 " Now lordlings fair, if anywhere in the wood ye've seen him riding, 
 O tell me plain the path he has ta'en there is no cause for chiding ; 
 For my lord hath blown his trumpet by every gate of Paris 
 Long hours in vain, by the bank of Seine, upon his steed he tarries. " 
 
 XIII. 
 
 When the Emperor had heard the Moor, full red was his old cheek, 
 "Go back, base cur, upon the spur, for I am he you seek 
 Go back, and tell your master to commend him to Mahoun, 
 For his soul shall dwell with him in hell, or ere yon sun go down. 
 
 XIV. 
 
 " ; Mine arm is weak, my hairs are grey," (thus spake King Charlemagne,) 
 " Would for one hour I had the power of my young days again, 
 As when I plucked the Saxon from out his mountain den 
 O soon should cease the vaunting of this proud Saracen ! 
 
 xv. 
 
 ' ' Though now mine arm be weakened, though now my hairs be grey, 
 The hard-won praise of other days cannot be swept away 
 If shame there be, my liegemen, that shame on you must lie 
 Go forth, go forth, good Roland ; to-night this Moor must die."- 
 
 XVI. 
 
 Then out and spake rough Roland " Ofitimes I've thinned the ranks 
 Of the hot Moor, and when all was o'er have won me little thanks ; 
 Some carpet knight will take delight to do this doughty feat, 
 Whom damsels gay shall well repay with their smiles and whispers 
 sweet !" 
 
 xvn. 
 
 Then out and spake Sir Baldwin the youngest peer was he, 
 The youngest and the comeliest "Let none go forth but me ; 
 Sir Roland is mine uncle, and he may in safety jeer, 
 But I will show the youngest may be Sir Roland's peer." 
 
 XVIII. 
 
 " Nay, go not thou," quoth Charlemagne, " thou art my gnllant youth, 
 And braver none I look upon ; but thy cheek it is too smooth ; 
 And the curls upon thy forehead they are too glossy bright ; 
 Some elder peer must couch his spear against this crafty knight." 
 
60 BALLAD ROMANCE OF THE 
 
 XIX. 
 
 But away, away goes Baldwin, no words can stop him now, 
 Behind him lies the greenwood, he hath gained the mountain's brow, 
 He reineth first his charger, within the churchyard green. 
 Where, striding slow the elms below, the haughty Moor is seen. 
 
 xx. 
 
 Then out and spake Calaynos " Fair youth, I greet thee well ; 
 Thou art a comely stripling, and if thou with me wilt dwell, 
 All for the grace of thy sweet face, thou shalt not lack thy fee, 
 Within my lady's chamber a pretty page thou'lt be." 
 
 An angry man was Baldwin, when thus he heard him speak, 
 
 "Proud knight," quoth he, "I come with thee a bloody spear to 
 
 break." 
 
 O, sternly smiled Calaynos, when thus he heard him say, 
 O loudly as he mounted hi mailed barb did neigh. 
 
 One shout, one thrust, and in the dust young Baldwin lies full low- 
 No youthful knight could bear the might of that fierce warrior's blow ; 
 alaynos draws his falchion, and waves it to and fro, 
 " Thy name now say, and for mercy pray, or to hell thy soul must go." 
 
 XXIII. 
 
 The helpless youth revealed the truth. Then said the conqueror 
 " I spare thee for thy tender years, and for thy great valour ; 
 But thou must rest thee captive here, and serve me on thy knee, 
 For fain I'd tempt some doughtier peer to come and rescue thee." 
 
 XXIV. 
 
 Sir Roland heard that haughty word, (he stood behind the wall,) 
 His heart, I trow, was heavy enow, when he saw his kinsman fall ; 
 But now his heart was burning, and never a word he said, 
 But clasped his buckler on his arm, his helmet on his head. 
 
 XXV. 
 
 Another sight saw the Moorish knight, when Roland blew his horn, 
 To call him to the combat in anger and in scorn ; 
 All cased in steel from head to heel, in the stirrup high he stood, 
 The long spear quivered in his hand, as if athirst for blood. 
 
DAYS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 61 
 
 XXVI. 
 
 Then out and spake Calaynos " Thy name I fain would hear : 
 A coronet on thy helm is set ; I guess thou art a Peer." 
 Sir Roland lifted up his horn, and blew another blast, 
 
 " No words, base Moor," quoth Roland, " this hour shall be thy last." 
 
 
 
 XXVII. 
 
 I wot they met full swiftly, I wot the shock was rude ; 
 
 Down fell the misbeliever, and o'er him Roland stood ; 
 
 Close to his throat the steel he brought, and plucked his beard full sore 
 
 " What devil brought thee hither ? speak out or die, false Moor ! *' - 
 
 XXVIII. 
 
 " O ! I serve a noble damsel, a haughty maid of Spain, 
 And in evil day I took my way, that I her grace might gain ; 
 For every gift I offered, my lady did disdain, 
 And craved the ears of certain Peers that ride with Charlemagne." 
 
 XXIX. 
 
 Then loudly laughed rough Roland " Full few will be her tears, 
 
 It was not love her soul did move, when she bade thee beatd THE 
 
 PEERS." 
 
 With that he smote upon his throat, and spurned his crest in twain, 
 " No more," he cries, " this moon will rise above the woods o f Seine." 
 
 THE ESCAPE OF GAYFEROS. 
 
 THE story of Gayfer de Bourdeaux is to be found at great 
 length in the Romantic Chronicle of Charlemagne ; and it 
 has supplied the Spanish minstrels with subjects for a long 
 series of ballads. 
 
 In that which follows, Gayferos, yet a boy, is represented 
 as hearing from his mother the circumstances of his father's 
 death ; and as narrowly escaping with his own life, in con- 
 sequence of his stepfather's cruelty. 
 
 i. 
 
 BEFORE her knee the boy did stand, within the dais so fair, 
 The golden shears were in her hand, to clip his curled hair ; 
 And ever as she clipped the curls, such doleful words she spake, 
 That tears ran from Gayferos' eyes, for his sad mother's sake. 
 
62 BALLAD ROMANCE OF THE 
 
 "God grant a beard were on thy face, and strength thine arm within, 
 
 To fling a spear, or swing a mace, like Roland Paladin ! 
 
 For then, I think, thou wouldst avenge thy father that is dead, 
 
 Whom envious traitors slaughtered within thy mother's bed. 
 
 * 
 
 III. 
 
 " Their bridal-gifts were rich and rare, that hate might not be seen ; 
 They cut me garments broad and fair none fairer hath the Queen. "- 
 Then out and spake the little boy " Each night to God I call, 
 And to his blessed Mother, to make me strong and tall ! '' 
 
 IV. 
 
 The Count he heard Gayferos, in the palace where he lay ; 
 "Now silence, silence, Countess ! it is falsehood that you say ; 
 I neither slew the man, nor hired another's sword to alay ; 
 But, for that the mother hath desired, be sure the son shall pay ! " 
 
 V. 
 
 The Count called to his esquires, (old followers were they, 
 Whom the dead Lord had nurtured for many a merry day) 
 He bade them take their old Lord's heir, and stop his tender breath 
 Alas ! 'twas piteous but to hear the manner of that death. 
 
 VI. 
 
 " List, esquires, list, for my command is offspring of mine oath 
 The stirrup-foot and the hilt -hand see that ye sunder both ; 
 That ye cut out his eyes 'twere best the safer he will go 
 And bring a finger and the heart, that I his end may know." 
 
 The esquires took the little boy aside with them to go ; 
 Yet, as they went, they did repent " O God ! must this be so? 
 How shall we think to look for grace, if this poor child we slay, 
 When ranged before Christ Jesu's face at the great judgment day ?" 
 
 VIII. 
 
 While they, not knowing what to do, were standing in such talk, 
 The Countess' little lap-dog bitch by chance did cross their walk ; 
 Then out and spake one of the 'squires, (you may hear the words he said, ) 
 " I think the coming of this bitch may serve us in good stead 
 
DAYS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 63 
 
 IX. 
 
 "Let us take out the bitch's heart, and give it to Galvan ; 
 The boy may with a finger part, and be no worser man." 
 With that they cut the joint away, and whispered in his ear, 
 That he must wander many a day, nor once those parts come near 
 
 x. 
 
 " Your uncle grace and love v/ill show ; he is a bounteous man ; " 
 And so they let Gayferos go, and turned them to Galvan. 
 The heart and the small finger upon the board they laid, 
 And of Gayferos' slaughter a cunning story made. 
 
 XI. 
 
 The Countess, when she hears them, in great grief loudly cries : 
 Meantime the stripling safely unto his uncle hies : 
 " Now welcome, my fair boy," he said, " what good news may they be 
 Come with thee to thine uncle's hall ?" " Sad tidings come with me 
 
 XII. 
 
 " The false Galvan had laid his plan to have me in my grave ; 
 But I've escaped him, and am here, my boon from thee to crave : 
 Rise up, rise up, mine uncle, thy brother's blood they've shed ; 
 Rise up they've slain my father within my mother's bed."* 
 
 MELISENDRA. 
 
 THE following is a version of another of the ballads con- 
 cerning Gayferos. It is the same that is quoted in the 
 chapter of the Puppet-show in Don Quixote. 
 
 " ' Child, child,' said Don Quixote, ' go on directly with 
 your story, and don't keep us here with your excursions and 
 ramblings out of the road. I tell you there must be a 
 formal process, and legal trial, to prove matters of fact.' 
 
 * There is another ballad which represents Gayferos, now grown to be a 
 man. as coming in the disguise of a pilgrim to his mother's house, and 
 slaying his stepfather with his own hand. The Countess is only satisfied 
 as to his identity by the circumstance of the finger 
 
 El dedo bien es aqueste, aqui lo veieys faltar 
 La condesa que esto oyera empezole de abracar. 
 
64 BALLAD ROMANCE OF THE 
 
 1 Boy,' said the master from behind the show, ' do as the 
 gentleman bids you. Don't run so much upon flourishes, 
 but follow your plain song, without venturing on counter- 
 points, for fear of spoiling all ' 'I will, sir,' quoth the boy, 
 and so proceeding : ' Now, sirs, he that you see tht/e 
 a-horseback, wrapt up in the Gascoign-cloak, is Don Gay- 
 feros himself, whom his wife, now revenged on the Moor , 
 for his impudence, seeing from the battlements of the tower, 
 takes him for a stranger, and talks with him as such, accord- 
 ing to the ballad, 
 
 ' Quoth Melisendra, if perchance, 
 Sir Traveller, you go for France, 
 For pity's sake, ask when you're there, 
 For Gayferos, my husband dear.' 
 
 " ' I omit the rest, not to tire you with a long story. It 
 is sufficient that he makes himself known to her, as you may 
 guess by the joy she shows ; and, accordingly, now see how 
 she lets herself down from the balcony, to come at her 
 loving husband, and get behind him ; but, unhappily, alas ! 
 one of the skirts of her gown is caught upon one of the spikes 
 of the balcony, and there she hangs and hovers in the air 
 miserably, without being able to get down. But see how 
 Heaven is merciful, and sends relief in the greatest distress! 
 Now Don Gayferos rides up to her, and, not fearing to tear 
 her rich gown, lays hold on it, and at one pull brings her 
 down ; and then at one lift sets her astride upon his horse's 
 crupper, bidding her to sit fast, and clap her arms about 
 him, that she might not fall ; for the lady Melisendra was 
 not used to that kind of riding. 
 
 " ' Observe now, gallants, how the horse neighs, and 
 shows how proud he is of the burden of his brave master 
 and fair mistress. Look, now, how they turn their backs, 
 and leave the city, and gallop it merrily away towards Paris. 
 Peace be with you, for a peerless couple of true lovers ! may 
 ye get safe and sound into your own country, without any 
 
DAYS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 65 
 
 lett or ill chance in your journey, and live as long as Nestor, 
 in peace and quietness among your friends and relations.' 
 ' Plainness, boy ! ' cried Master Peter, ' none of your flights, I 
 beseech you, for affectation is the devil.' The boy answered 
 nothing, but going on : ' Now, sirs,' quoth he, ' some of 
 those idle people, that love to pry into everything, happened 
 to spy Melisendra as she was making her escape, and ran 
 presently and gave Marsilius notice of it; whereupon he 
 straight commanded to sound an alarm ; and now mind 
 what a din and hurly-burly there is, and how the city shakes 
 with the ring of the bells backwards in all the mosques! ' 
 ' There you are out, boy/ said Don Quixote ; ' the Moors 
 have no bells, they only use kettle-drums, and a kind of 
 shaulms like our waits or hautboys ; so that your ringing of 
 bells in Sansuena is a mere absurdity, good Master Peter.' 
 ' Nay, sir,' said Master Peter, giving over ringing, ' if you 
 stand upon these trifles with us, we shall never please you. 
 Don't be so severe a critic. Are there not a thousand plays 
 that pass with great success and applause, though they have 
 many greater absurdities, and nonsense in abundance ? On, 
 boy, on, let there be as many impertinences as motes in the 
 sun ; no matter, so I get the money.' ' Well said,' answered 
 Don Quixote. ' And now, sirs,' quoth the boy, ' observe 
 what a vast company of glittering horse comes pouring out 
 of the city, in pursuit of the Christian lovers ; what a dread- 
 ful sound of trumpets, and clarions, and drums, and kettle- 
 drums there is in the air. I fear they will overtake them, 
 and then will the poor wretches be dragged along most 
 barbarously at the tails of their horses, which would be sad 
 indeed.' 
 
 " Don Quixote, seeing such a number of Moors, and 
 hearing such an alarm, thought it high time to assist the 
 flying lovers ; and starting up, ' It shall never be said while 
 I live,' cried he aloud, ' that I suffered such a wrong to be 
 done to so famous a knight and so daring a lover as Don 
 
 c 
 
66 BALLAD ROMANCE OF THE 
 
 Gayferos. Forbear, then, your unjust pursuit, ye base-born 
 rascals ! Stop, or prepare to meet my furious resentment ! ' 
 Then drawing out his sword, to make good his threats, at 
 one spring he gets to the show, and with a violent fury lays 
 at the Moorish puppets, cutting and slashing in a most 
 terrible manner : some he overthrows, and beheads others ; 
 maims this, and cleaves that in pieces. Among the rest of 
 his merciless strokes, he thundered one down with such a 
 mighty force, that had not Master Peter luckily ducked and 
 squatted down, it had certainly chopped off his head as 
 easily as one might cut an apple." 
 
 i. 
 
 AT Sansuefia,* in the tower, fair Melisendra lies, 
 Her heart is far away in France, and tears are in her eyes ; 
 The twilight shade is thickening laid on Sansu fia's plain, 
 Yet wistfully the lady her weary eyes doth strain. 
 
 She gazes from the dungeon strong, forth on the road to Paris, 
 Weeping, and wondering why so long her Lord Gayferos tarries, 
 When lo ! a knight appears in view a knight of Christian mien, 
 Upon a milk-white charger he rides the elms between. 
 
 in. 
 
 She from her window reaches forth her hand a sign to make, 
 " O, if you be a knight of worth, draw near for mercy's sake ; 
 For mercy and sweet charity, draw near, Sir Knight to me, 
 And tell me if ye ride to France, or whither bowne ye be. 
 
 " O, if ye be a Christian knight, and if to France you go, 
 I pr'ythee tell Gayferos that you have seen my woe ; 
 That you have seen me weeping, here in the Moorish tower, 
 While he is gay by night and day, in hall and lady's bower. 
 
 v. 
 
 " Seven summers have I waited, seven winters long are spent, 
 Yet word of comfort none he speaks, nor token hath he sent ; 
 And if he is weary of my love, and would have me wed a stranger, 
 Still say his love Is true to him nor time nor wrong can change her. ' 
 
 * Sansuefia is the ancient name of Zaragoza. 
 
DA YS OF CHA RLE MA GNE. 6 7 
 
 The knight on stirrup rising, bids her wipe her tears away, 
 
 " My love, no time for weeping, no peril save delay 
 
 Come, boldly spring, and lightly leap no listening Moor is near us, 
 
 And by dawn of day we'll be far away " so spake the Knight Gayfe; o^ 
 
 She has made the sign of the Cross divine, and an Ave she hath saiil, 
 And she dares the leap both wide and deep that damsel without drea. i ; 
 And he hath kissed her pale pale cheek, and lifted her behind, 
 Saint Denis speed the milk-white steed no Moor their path shall find. 
 
 THE 
 MARCH OF BERNARDO DEL CARPIO. 
 
 OF Bernardo del Carpio, we find little or nothing in tVe 
 French romances of Charlemagne. He belongs exclusively 
 to Spanish History, or rather perhaps to Spanish Romance ; 
 in which the honour is claimed for him of slaying the famous 
 Orlando, or Roland, the nephew of Charlemagne, in the 
 fatal field of Roncesvalles. 
 
 The continence which procured for Alonzo, who succeeded 
 to the precarious throne of the Christians, in the Asturias, 
 about 795, the epithet of the Chaste, was not universal in 
 his family. By an intrigue with Sancho Diaz, Count of 
 Saldana, or Saldenha, Donna Ximena, sister of this virtuous 
 prince, bore a son. Some historians attempt to gloss over 
 this incident, by alleging that a private marriage had taken 
 pla.ce between the lovers : but King Alphonso, who was well- 
 nigh sainted for living only in platonic union with his wife 
 Bertha, took the scandal greatly to heart. He shut up the 
 peccant princess in a cloister, and imprisoned her gallant in 
 the castle of Luna, where he caused him to be deprived of 
 sight. Fortunately, his wrath did not extend to the offspring 
 of their stolen affections, the famous Bernardo del Carpio. 
 When the\ youth had grown up to manhood, Alphonso, 
 
 c 2 
 
68 BALLAD ROMANCE OF THE 
 
 according to the Spanish chroniclers, invited the Emperor 
 Charlemagne into Spain, and having neglected to raise up 
 heirs for the kingdom of the Goths in the ordinary manner, 
 he proposed the inheritance of his throne as the price of the 
 alliance of Charles. But the nobility, headed by Bernardo 
 del Carpio, remonstrated against the king's choice of a sue 
 cessor, and would on no account consent to receive a French- 
 man as heir of their crown. Alphonso himself repented or' 
 the invitation he had given Charlemagne, and when Unit 
 champion of Christendom came to expel the Moors from 
 Spain, he found the conscientious and chaste Alphonso hail 
 united with the infidels against him. An engagement took 
 place in the renowned pass of Roncesvalles, in which tlu: 
 French were defeated, and the celebrated Roland, or 
 Orlando, was slain. The victory was ascribed chiefly to 
 the prowess of Bernardo del Carpio. 
 
 The following ballad describes the enthusiasm excited 
 among the Leonese, when Bernard first raised his standard 
 to oppose the progress of Charlemagne's army. 
 
 three thousand men of Leon, from the city Bernard gees, 
 To protect the soil Hispanian from the spear of Prankish foes 
 From the city which is planted in the midst between the seas, 
 To preserve the name and glory of old Pelayo's victories. 
 
 The peasant bears upon his field the trumpet of the knight, 
 He quits his team for spear and shield, and garniture of might , 
 The shepherd hears it 'mid the mist he flingeth down his crook, 
 And rushes from the mountain like a tempest-troubled brook. 
 
 III. 
 The youth who shows a maiden's chin, whose brows have ne'er been 
 
 bound 
 
 The helmet's heavy ring within, gains manhood from the sound ; 
 The hoary sire beside the fire forgets his feebleness, 
 Once more to feel the cap of steel a warrior's ringlets press. 
 
DAYS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 69 
 
 IV. 
 
 As through the glen his spears did gleam, these soldiers from the hills, 
 They swelled his ho^t, as mountain-stream receives the roaring rills ; 
 They round his banner (locked, in scorn of hauhty Charlemagne, 
 And thus upon their swords are sworn the faithful sons of Spain. 
 
 V. 
 
 " Free were we born," 'tis thus they cry, " though to our King we owe 
 The homage and the fealty behind his crest to go ; 
 By God's behest our aid he shares, but God did ne'er command, 
 That we should leave our children heirs of an en -laved land. 
 
 VI. 
 
 " Our breasts are not so timorous, nor are our arms so weak, 
 Nor are our veins so bloodless, that we our vow should break, 
 To sell our freedom for the fear of Prince or Paladin, 
 At least we'll sell our birthright dear, no bloodless prize they'll win. 
 
 VII. 
 
 " At least King Charles, if God decrees he must be lord of Spain, 
 -Shall witness that the Leonese were not aroused in vain ; 
 He shall bear witness that we died, as lived our sires of old, 
 Nor only of Numantium's pride shall minstrel tales be told. 
 
 VIII. 
 
 ' The LION* that hath bathed his paws in seas of Libyan gore, 
 Shall he not battle for the laws and liberties of yore ? 
 Anointed cravens may give gold to whom it likes them well, 
 But steadfast heart and spirit bold Alphonso ne'er shall sell." 
 
 LADY ALDA'S DREAM. 
 
 THE following is an attempt to render one of the most 
 admired of all the Spanish ballads. 
 
 En Paris esta Dofia Alda, la esposa de Don Roldan, 
 Trecientas damas con ella, para la accompafiar, 
 Todas visten un vestido, todas cal$an un caljar, &c. 
 
 In its whole structure and strain it bears a very remarkable 
 resemblance to several of our own old ballads both English 
 and Scottish. 
 
 The arms of Leon. 
 
70 
 
 i. 
 
 IN Paris sits the lady that shall be Sir Roland's bnde, 
 
 Three hundred damsels with her, her bidding to abide ; 
 
 All clothed in the same fashion, both the mantle and the shoon, 
 
 All eating at one table, within her hall at noon : 
 
 All, save the Lady Alda, she is lady of them all, 
 
 She keeps her place upon the dais, and they serve her in her hall ; 
 
 The thread of gold a hundred spin, the lawn a hundred weave, 
 
 And a hundred play sweet melody within Alda's bower at eve. 
 
 II. 
 
 With the sound of their sweet playing, the lady falls asleep, 
 And she dreams a doleful dream, and her damsels hear her weep ; 
 There is sorrow in her slumber, and she waketh with a cry, 
 And she calleth for her damsels, _nd swiftly they come nigh. 
 " Now, what is it, Lady Alda," (you may hear the words they say,) 
 " Bringeth sorrow to thy pillow, and chaseth sleep away ?" 
 ' ' O, my maidens ! " quoth the lady, ' ' my heart it is full sore ! 
 I have dreamt a dream of evil, and can slumber never more. 
 
 " For I was upon a mountain, in a bare and desert place, 
 And I saw a mighty eagle, and a falcon he did chase ; 
 And to me the falcon came, and I hid it in my breast, 
 But the mighty bird, pursuing, came and rent away my vest ; 
 And he scattered all the feathers, and blood was on his beak, 
 And ever, as he tore and tore, I heard the falcon shriek : 
 Now read my vision, damsels, now read my dream to me, 
 For my heart may well be heavy that doleful sight to see." 
 
 Out spake the foremost damsel was in her chamber there 
 (You may hear the words she says), " O ! my lady's dream is fair- 
 The mountain is St. Denis' choir ; and thou the falcon art, 
 And the eagle strong that teareth the garment from thy heart, 
 And scattereth the feathers, he is the Paladin 
 
 That, when again he comes from Spain, must sleep thy bower within ; 
 Then be blithe of cheer, my lady, for the dream thou must not grieve, 
 It means but that thy bridegroom shall come to thee at eve." 
 
 " If thou hast read my vision, and read it cunningly "- 
 Thus said the Lady Alda, " thou shalt not lack thy fee." 
 
DAYS OF CHARLEMAGNE.. 
 
 But woe is me for Alda ! there was heard, at morning hour, 
 
 A voice of lamentation within that lady's bower, 
 
 For there had come to Paris a messenger by night, 
 
 And his horse it was a-weary, and his visage it was white ; 
 
 And there's weeping in the chamber and there's silence in the hall, 
 
 For Sir Roland had been slaughtered in the chase of Roncesval. 
 
 THE ADMIRAL GUARINOS. 
 
 THIS is a translation of the ballad which Don Quixote 
 and Sancho Panza, when at Toboso, overheard a peasant 
 singing, as he was going to his work at daybreak. "Iba 
 cantando," says Cervantes, " aquel romance que dice, 
 
 Mala la vistes Franceses la caja de Roncesvalles." 
 
 I. 
 
 THE day of Roncesvalles was a dismal clay for you, 
 
 Ye men of France, for there the lance of King Charles was broke in two. 
 
 Ye well may curse that rueful field, for many a noble peer, 
 
 In fray or fight, the dust did bite, beneath Bernardo's spear. 
 
 n. 
 
 There captured was Guarinos, King Charles's admiral ; 
 Seven Moorish kings surrounded him, and seized him for their thrall ; 
 Seven times, when all the chase was o'er, for Guarinos lots they cast ; 
 Seven times Marlotes won the throw, and the knight was his at last. 
 
 in. 
 
 Much joy had then Marlotes, and his captive much did prize, 
 Above all the wealth of Araby, he was precious in his eyes. 
 Within his tent at evening he made the best of cheer, 
 And thus, the banquet done, he spake unto his prisoner. 
 
 IV. 
 
 "Now, for the sake of Alia, Lord Admiral Guarinos 
 Be thou a Moslem, and much love shall ever rest between us. 
 Two daughters have I all the day thy handmaid one shall be, 
 The other (and the fairer far) by night shall cherish thee. 
 
72 BALLAD ROMANCE OF THE 
 
 " The one shall be thy waiting-maid, thy weary feet to lave, 
 To scatter perfumes on thy head, and fetch thee garments brave ; 
 The other she the pretty shall deck her bridal-bower, 
 And my field and my city they both shall be her dower. 
 
 VI. 
 "If more thou wishest, more I'll give speak boldly what thy thought 
 
 is." 
 
 Thus earnestly and kindly to Guarinos said Marlotes ; 
 But not a moment did he take to ponder or to pause, 
 Thus clear and quick the answer of the Christian Captain was : 
 
 VII. 
 
 " Now, God forbid ! Marlotes, and Mary, his dear mother, 
 That I should leave the faith of Christ, and bind me to another. 
 For women I've one wife in France, and I'll wed no more in Spain ; 
 I change not faith, I break not vow, for courtesy or gain." 
 
 VIII. 
 
 Wroth waxed King Marlotes, when thus he heard him say, 
 And all for ire commanded, he should be led away ; 
 Away unto the dungeon-keep, beneath its vault to lie, 
 With fetters bound in darkness deep, far off from sun and sky. 
 
 IX. 
 
 With iron bands they bound his hands. That sore unworthy plight 
 Might well express his helplessness, doomed never more to fight 
 Again, from cincture down to knee, long bolts of iron he bore, 
 Which signified the knight should ride on charger never more. 
 
 Three times alone, in all the year, it is the captive's doom, 
 To see God's daylight bright and clear, instead of dungeon-gloom ; 
 Three times alone they bring him out, like Samson long ago, 
 Before the Moorish rabble-rout to be a sport and show. 
 
 On three high feasts they bring him forth, a spectacle to be, 
 
 The feast of Pasque, and the great day of the Nativity, 
 
 And on that morn, more solemn yet, when the maidens strip the bovvers. 
 
 And gladden mosque and minaret with the first fruits of the flowers. 
 
DA YS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 73 
 
 XII. 
 
 Days come and go of gloian and show. Seven years are come and gone, 
 And now doth fall the festival of the holy Baptist John ; 
 Christian and Moslem tilts an'i jousts, to give it homage due ; 
 And rushes on the paths to spread they force the sulky Jew. 
 
 XIII. 
 
 Marlotes, in his joy and pride, a target high doth rear, 
 
 Below the Moorish knights must ride and pierce it with the spear; 
 
 But 'tis so high up in the sky, albeit much they strain, 
 
 No Moorish lance so far may fly, Marlotes' prize to gain. 
 
 Wroth waxed King Marlotes, when he beheld them fail, 
 The whisker trembled on his lip, and his cheek for ire was pale ; 
 And heralds proclamation made, with trumpets, through the town, 
 "Nor child shall suck, nor man shall eat, till the mark be tumbled down. " 
 
 The cry of proclamation, and the trumpet's haughty sound, 
 
 Did send an echo to the vault where the admiral was bound. 
 
 " Now, help me God ! " the captive cries, " what means this din so loud ? 
 
 Oh, Queen of Heaven ! be vengeance given on these thy haters proud ! 
 
 XVI. 
 
 " O ! is it that some Pagan gay doth Marlotes' daughter wed, 
 And that they bear my scorned fair in triumph to his bed ? 
 Or is it that the day is come one of the hateful three, 
 When they, with trumpet, fife, and drum, make heathen game of me ? " 
 
 These words the jailer chanced to hear, and thus to him he said, 
 "These tabors, Lord, and trumpets clear, conduct no bride to bed ; 
 Nor has the feast come round again, when he that has the right, 
 Commands thee forth, thou foe of Spain, to glad the people's sight. 
 
 XVIII. 
 
 " This is the joyful morning of John the Baptist's day, 
 When Moor and Christian feasts at home, each in liis nation's way; 
 But now our King commands that none his banquet shall begin, 
 Until some knight, by strength or sleight, the spearman's prize do win." 
 
74 
 
 XIX. 
 
 Then out and spake Guarinos, " O ! soon each man should feed, 
 Were I but mounted once again on my own gallant steed. 
 O ! were I mounted as of old, and harnessed cap-a-pee, 
 Full soon Marlotes' prize I'd hold, whate'er its price may be. 
 
 xx. 
 
 " Give me my horse, mine old grey horse, so be he is not dead, 
 All gallantly caparisoned, with plate on breast and head, 
 And give the lance I brought from France, and if I win it not, 
 My life shall be the forfeiture I'll yield it on the spot." 
 
 XXI. 
 
 The jailer wondered at his words. Thus to the knight said he, 
 " Seven weary years of chains and gloom have little humbled thee ; 
 There's never a man in Spain, I trow, the like so well might bear ; 
 An' if thou wilt, I with thy vow will to the King repair." 
 
 XXII. 
 
 The jailer put his mantle on, and came unto the King, 
 He found him sitting on the throne, within his listed ring ; 
 Close to his ear he planted him, and the story did begin, 
 How bold Guarinos vaunted him the spearman's prize to win. 
 
 XXIII. 
 
 That, were he mounted but once more on his own gallant grey, 
 And armed with the lance he bore on the Roncesvalles' day, 
 What never Moorish knight could pierce, he would pierce it at a blow, 
 Or give with joy his life-blood fierce, at Marlotes' feet to flow. 
 
 Much marvelling, then said the King, " Bring Sir Guarinos forth, 
 And in the Grange go seek ye for his grey steed of worth ; 
 His arms are rusty on the wall seven years have gone, I judge, 
 Since that strong horse has bent his force to be a carrion drudge. 
 
 XXV. 
 
 " Now this will be a sight indeed, to see the enfeebled lord 
 Essay to mount that ragged steed, and draw that rusty sword ; 
 And for the vaunting of his phrase he well deserves to die, 
 So, jailer, gird his harness on, and bring your champion nigh." 
 
DAYS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 
 
 75 
 
 XXVI. 
 
 They have girded on his shirt of mail, his cuisses well they've clasped, 
 And they've barred the helm on bis visage pale, and his hand the lance 
 
 hath clasped, 
 
 And they have caught the old grey horse, the horse he loved of yore, 
 And he stands pawing at the gate caparisoned once more. 
 
 XXVII. 
 When the knight came out the Moors did shout, and loudly laughed the 
 
 King, 
 
 For the horse he pranced and capered, and furiously did fling ; 
 But Guarinos whispered in his ear, and looked into his face, 
 Then stood the old charger like a lamb, with a calm and gentle grace. 
 
 XXVIII. 
 
 O ! lightly did Guarinos vault into the saddle-tree, 
 And slowly riding down made halt before Marlotes' knee ; 
 Again the heathen laughed aloud " All hail, Sir Knight," quoth he, 
 " Now do thy best, thou champion proud. Thy blood I look to see." 
 
 XXIX. 
 
 With that Guarinos, lance in rest, against the scoffer rode, 
 Pierced at one thrust his envious breast, and down his turban trode. 
 Now ride, now ride, Guarinos nor lance nor rowel spare 
 Slay, slay, and gallop for thy life. The land of France lies there! 
 
 THE 
 COMPLAINT OF THE COUNT OF SALDENHA. 
 
 THIS ballad is intended to represent the feelings of Don 
 Sancho, Count of Saldenha or Saldana, while imprisoned 
 by King Alphonso, and, as he supposed, neglected and for- 
 gotten, both by his wife, or rather mistress, Donna Ximena, 
 and by his son, the famous Bernardo del Carpio. 
 
 THE Count Don Sancho Diaz, the Signior of Saldane, 
 Lies weeping in his prison, for he cannot refrain : 
 King Alphonso and his sister, of both doth he complain, 
 But most of bold Bernardo, the champion of Spain. 
 
76 BALLAD ROMANCE OF THE 
 
 n. 
 
 " The weary years I durance brook, how many they have been, 
 When on these hoary hairs I look, may easily be seen ; 
 When they brought me to this castle, my curls were black, I ween, 
 Woe worth the day ! they have grown grey these rueful walls between. 
 
 III. 
 
 11 They tell me my Bernardo is the doughtiest lance in Spain, 
 But if he were my loyal heir, there's blood in every vein 
 Whereof the voice his heart would hear his hand would not gainsay ; 
 Though the blood of kings be mixed with mine, it would not have all 
 the sway. 
 
 IV. 
 
 " Now all the three have scorn of me unhappy man am I ! 
 They leave me without pity they leave me here to die. 
 A stranger's feud, albeit rude, were little dole or care, 
 But he's my own, both flesh and bone ; his scorn is ill to bear. 
 
 v. 
 
 " From Jailer and from Castellain I hear of hardiment 
 And chivalry in listed plain on joust and tourney spent ; 
 I hear of many a battle, in which thy spear is red, 
 But help from thee comes none to me where I am ill bested. 
 
 " Some villain spot is in thy blood to mar its gentle strain, 
 Else would it show forth hardihood for him from whom 'twas ta'en ; 
 Thy hope is young, thy heart is strong, but yet a day may be, 
 When thou shall weep in dungeon deep, and none thy weeping see." 
 
 ' 
 
 THE 
 FUNERAL OF THE COUNT OF SALDENHA. 
 
 THE ballads concerning Bernardo del Carpio are, upon the 
 whole, in accordance with his history as given in the Coronica 
 General. According to the Chronicle, Bernardo being at 
 last wearied out of all patience by the cruelty of which his 
 father was the victim, determined to quit the Court of his 
 King, and seek an alliance among the Moors. Having 
 
DAYS OF CHARLEMAGNE. >tf 
 
 fortified himself in the Castle of Carpio, ha made continual 
 incursions into the territory of Leon, pillaging and plunder- 
 ing wherever he came. The King at length besieged him 
 in his stronghold, but the defence was so gallant, that there 
 appeared no prospect of success ; whereupon many of the 
 gentlemen in Alphonso's camp entreated the King to offer 
 Bernardo immediate possession of his father's person, if he 
 would surrender his castle. 
 
 Bernardo at once consented ; but the King gave orders 
 to have Count Sancho Diaz taken off instantly in his prison. 
 " When he was dead they clothed him in splendid attire, 
 mounted him on horseback, and so led him towards Sala- 
 manca, where his son was expecting his arrival. As they 
 drew nigh the city, the King and Bernardo rode out to meet 
 them ; and when Bernardo saw his father approaching, he 
 exclaimed, ' O God ! is the Count of Salduna indeed com 
 ing?' 'Look where he is,' replied the cruel King; 'and 
 now go and greet him whom you have so long desired tc 
 see.' Bernardo went forward and took his father's hand to 
 kiss it; but when he felt the dead weight of the hand, and 
 saw the livid face of the corpse, he cried aloud, and said, 
 ' Ah, Don Sandiaz, in an evil hour didst thou beget me ! 
 Thou art dead, and I have given my stronghold for thee, 
 and now I have lost all.'" 
 
 
 i. 
 
 ALL in the centre of the choir Bernardo's knees are bent, 
 Before him for his murdered sire yawns the old monument. 
 
 n. 
 
 His kinsmen of the Carpio blood are kneeling at his back, 
 With knightly friends and vassals good, all garbed in weeds of black. 
 
 u 
 
 He corres to make the obsequies of a basely slaughtered man, 
 And tears are running down from eves whence ne'er before they ran. 
 
78 BALLAD ROMANCE OF THE 
 
 IV. 
 
 His head i> bowed upon the stone ; his heart, albeit full sore, 
 Is strong as when in days bygone he rode o'er Frank and Moor ; 
 
 v. 
 
 And now between his teeth he mutters, that none his words can hear ; 
 And now the voice of wrath he utters, in curses loud and clear. 
 
 vr. 
 
 He stoops him o'er his father's .^hroud, his lips salute the bier ; 
 He communes with the corse aloud, as if none else were near. 
 
 VII. 
 
 His right hand doth his sword unsheath, his left doth pluck his beard ; 
 And while his liegemen held their breath, these were the words they 
 heard : 
 
 VIII. 
 
 " Go up, go p, thou blessed ghost, into the arms of God ; 
 Go, fear not lest revenge be lost, when Carpio's blood hath flowed ; 
 
 IX. 
 
 " The steel that drank the blood of France, the arm thy foe that shielded, 
 Still, Father, thirsts that burning lance, and still thy son can wield it." 
 
 BERNARDO AND ALPHONSO. 
 
 THE incident recorded in this ballad may be supposed to 
 have occurred immediately after the funeral of the Count of 
 Saldenha. As to what was the end of the knight's history, 
 we are left almost entirely in the dark, both by the Chronicle 
 and by the Romancero. It appears to be intimated, that 
 after his father's death, he once more " took service " among 
 the Moors, who are represented in several of the ballads as 
 accustomed to exchange offices of courtesy with Bernardo. 
 
 i. 
 
 WITH some good ten of his chosen men, Bernardo hath appeared 
 Before them all in the palace hall, the lying King to beard ; 
 With cap in hand and eye on ground, he came in reverend guist, 
 But ever and anon he frowned, and flame broke from his eyes. 
 
DAYS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 79 
 
 n. 
 
 " A curse upon thee," cries the King, " who comest unhid to mt ; 
 But what from traitor's blood should spring, save traitors like to thee ? 
 His sire, Lords, had a traitor's heart ; perchance our Champion brave 
 Made think it were a pious part to share Don Sancho's grare." 
 
 ill. 
 
 " Whoever told this tale the King hath rashness to repeat," 
 Cries Bernard, " here my gage I fling before THE LIAR'S feet ! 
 No treason was in Sancho's blood, no stain in mine doth lie 
 Below the throne what knight will own the coward calumny ? 
 
 IV. 
 
 "The blood that I like water shed, when Roland did advance, 
 By secret traitors hired and led, to make us slaves of France ; 
 The life of King Alphonso I saved at Roncesval, 
 Your words, Lord King, are recompense abundant for it alL 
 
 V. 
 
 " Your horse was down your hope was flown I saw the falchion shine, 
 That soon had drunk your royal blood, had not I ventured mine ; 
 But memory soon of service done deserteth the ingrate, 
 And ye've thanked the son for life and crown by the father's bloody fate. 
 
 VI. 
 
 " Ye swore upon your kingly faith, to set Don Sancho free, 
 But curse upon your paltering breath, the light he ne'er did see ; 
 He died in dungeon cold and dim, by Alphonso's base decree, 
 And visage blind, and stiffened limb, were all they gave to me. 
 
 VII. 
 
 " The King that swerveth from his word hath stained his purple black, 
 No Spanish Lord will draw the sword behind a Liar's back ; 
 But noble vengeance shall be mine, an open hate I'll show 
 The King hath injured Carpio's line, and Bernard is his foe." 
 
 VIIL 
 
 " Seize seize him !" loud the King doth scream " There are a thou- 
 sand here 
 
 Let his foul blood this instant stream What ! Caitiffs, do ye fear ? 
 Seize seize the traitor ! " But not one to move a finger dareth, 
 Bernardo standeth by the throne, and calm his sword he bareth. 
 
8o BALLAD ROMANCE OF THE 
 
 IX. 
 
 tie drew the falchion from the sheath, and held it up on high, 
 And all the hall was still as death : cries Bernard, " Here am I, 
 And here is the sword that owns no lord, excepting heaven and me ; 
 Fain would I know who dares his point King, Conde, or Grandee. " 
 
 x. 
 
 Then to his mouth the horn he drew (it hung below his cloak) 
 His ten true men the signal knew, and through the ring they broke ; 
 With helm on head, and blade in hand, the knights the circle brake, 
 And back the lordlings 'gan to stand, and the false king to quake. 
 
 XI. 
 
 ' Ha ! Bernard," quoth Alphonso, " what means this warlike guise? 
 Ye know full well I jested ye know your worth I prize." 
 But Bernard turned upon his heel, and smiling passed away 
 Long rued Alphonso and his realm the jesting of that day. 
 
DAYS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 81 
 
 PART II. 
 
 THE YOUNG CID. 
 
 THE Ballads in the Collection of Escobar, entitled "Ro- 
 mancero e Historia del muy valeroso Cavallero El Cid Ruy 
 Diaz de Bivar," are said by Mr. Southey to be in general 
 possessed of but little merit. Notwithstanding the opinion 
 of that great scholar and poet, I have had much pleasure in 
 reading them ; and have translated a very few, which may 
 serve, perhaps, as a sufficient specimen. 
 
 The following is a version of that which stands fifth ir 
 Escobar : 
 
 Cavalga Diego Laynez al buen Rey besar la mano, &c. 
 
 I. 
 
 Now rides Diego Laynez, to kiss the good King's hand, 
 Three hundred men of gentry go with him from his land, 
 Among them, young Rodrigo, the proud Knight of Bivar ; 
 The rest on mules are mounted, he on his korse of war. 
 
 II. 
 
 They ride in glittering gowns of soye, He harnessed like a lord ; 
 There is no gold about the boy, but the crosslet of his sword ; 
 The rest have gloves of sweet perfume, He gauntlets strong of mail ; 
 They broidered caps and flaunting plume, He crest untaught to quail 
 
 III. 
 
 All talking with each other thus along their way they passed, 
 But now they've come to Burgos, and met the King at last ; 
 When they came near his nobles, a whisper through them ran, 
 " He rides amidst the gentry that slew the Count Lozan." 
 
82 BALLAD ROMANCE OF THE 
 
 IV. 
 
 With very haughty gesture Rodrigo reined his horse, 
 
 Right scornfully he shouted, when he heard them so discourse, 
 
 " If any of his kinsmen or vassals dare appear, 
 
 The man to give them answer, on horse or foot, is here." 
 
 v. 
 
 " The devil ask the question V thus muttered all the band ; 
 With that they all alighted, to kiss the good King's hand, 
 All but the proud Rodrigo, he in his saddle stayed, 
 Then turned to him his father (you may hear the words he said). 
 
 VI. 
 
 " Now, light, my son, I pray thee, and kiss the good King's hand, 
 He is our lord, Rodrigo ; we hold of him our land." 
 But when Rodrigo heard him, he looked in sulky sort, 
 I wot the words he answered they were both cold and short. 
 
 VII. 
 
 " Had any other said it, his pains had well been paid, 
 But thou, sir, art my father, thy word must be obeyed." 
 With that he sprung down lightly, before the King to kneel, 
 But as the knee was bending, out leapt his blade of steel. 
 
 VIII. 
 
 The King drew back in terror, when he saw the sword was bare ; 
 "Stand back, stand hack, Rodrigo, in the devil's name beware, 
 Your looks bespeak a creature of father Adam's mould, 
 But in your wild behaviour you're like some lion bold. " 
 
 When Rodrigo heard him say so, he leapt into his seat, 
 And thence he made his answer, with visage nothing sweet, 
 " I'd think it little honour to kiss a kingly palm, 
 And if my fathers kissed it, thereof ashamed I am." 
 
 X 
 
 When he these words had uttered, he turned him from the gate, 
 His true three hundred gentles behind him followed straight ; 
 If with good gowns they came that day, with better arms they went J 
 And if their mules behind did stay, with horses they're content. 
 
DAYS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 83 
 
 XIMENA DEMANDS VENGEANCE. 
 
 THIS ballad, the sixth in Escobar, represents Ximena 
 Gomez as, in person, demanding of the King vengeance for 
 the death of her father, whom the young Rodrigo de Bivar 
 had fought and slain. 
 
 WITHIN the court at Burgos a clamour doth arise, 
 
 Of arms on armour clashing, and screams, and shouts, and cries ; 
 
 The good men of the King, that sit his hall around, 
 
 All suddenly upspring, astonished at the sound. 
 
 n. 
 
 The King leans from his chamber, from the balcony on high 
 " What means this furious clamour my palace-porch so nigh? 
 But when he looked below him, there were horsemen at the gate, 
 And the fair Ximena Gome/., kneeling in woeful state. 
 
 in. 
 
 Upon her neck, disordered, hung down the lady's hair, 
 And floods of tears were streaming upon her bosom fair. 
 Sore wept she for her father, the Count that had been slain ; 
 Loud cursed she Rodrigo, whose sword his blood did stain. 
 
 IV. 
 
 They turned to bold Rodrigo, I wot his cheek was red ; 
 With haughty wrath he listened to the words Ximena said 
 " Good King, I cry for justice. Now, as my voice thou hearest, 
 So God befriend the children, that in thy land thou rearest. 
 
 V. 
 
 ' ' The King that doth not justice hath forfeited his claim, 
 Both to his kingly station, and to his kingly name ; 
 He should not sit at banquet, clad in the royal pall, 
 Nor should the nobles serve him on knee within the hall. 
 
BALLAD ROMANCE OF THE 
 
 " Good King, I am descended from barons bright of old, 
 That with Castilian pennons, Pelayo did uphold ; 
 But if my strain were lowly, as it is high and clear, 
 Thou till shouldst prop the feeble, and the afflicted hear. 
 
 VII. 
 
 ' For thee, fierce homicide, draw, draw thy sword once more, 
 And pierce the breast which wide I spread thy stroke before ; 
 Because I am a woman, my life thou needst not spare, 
 I am Ximena Gomez, rr.y slaughtered father's heir. 
 
 VIII. 
 
 "Since thou hast slain the Knight that did our faith defend, 
 
 And still to shameful flight all the Almanzors send, 
 
 'Tis but a little matter that I confront thee so, 
 
 Come, champion, slay his daughter, she needs must be thy foe." 
 
 IX. 
 
 Ximena gazed upon him, but no reply could meet ; 
 His fingers held the bridle, he vaulted to his seat. 
 She turned her to the nobles, I wot her cry was loud, 
 But not a man durst follow ; slow rode he through the crowd. 
 
 THE 
 CID AND THE FIVE MOORISH KINGS. 
 
 THE reader will find the story of this ballad in Mr. 
 Southey's "Chronicle of the Cid." "And the Moors 
 entered Castile in great power, for there came with them 
 five kings," &c. Book I. Sect. 4. 
 
 i. 
 
 WITH fire and desolation the Moors are in Castile, 
 
 Five Moorish kings together, and all their vassals leal ; 
 
 They've passed in front of Burgos, through the Oca-Hills they've run, 
 
 They've plundered Belforado, San Domingo's harm is done. 
 
DAYS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 85 
 
 In Najara and Lograno there's waste and disarray : 
 And now with Christian captives, a very heavy prey, 
 With many men and women, and boys and girls beside, 
 In joy and exultation to their own realms they ride. 
 
 in. 
 
 For neither king nor noble would dare their path to cross, 
 Until the good Rodrigo heard of this skaith and loss ; 
 In old Bivar the castle he heard the tidings told, 
 (He was as yet a stripling, not twenty summers old.) 
 
 IV. 
 
 He mounted Bavieca, his friends he with him took , 
 
 He raised the country round him, no more such scorn to brook ; 
 
 He rode to the hills of Oca, where then the Moormen lay, 
 
 He conquered all the Moormen, and took from them their prey. 
 
 v. 
 
 To every man had mounted he gave his part of gain, 
 Dispersing the much treasure the Saracens had ta'en ; 
 The Kiugs were all the booty himself had from the war, 
 Them led he to the castle, his stronghold of Bivar. 
 
 VI. 
 
 He brought them to his mother, proud dame that day was she : 
 They owned him for their Signior, and then he set them free : 
 Home went they, much commending Rodrigo of Bivar, 
 And sent him lordly tribute, from their Moorish realms afar. 
 
 THE CID'S COURTSHIP. 
 
 SEE Mr. Southey's " Chronicle of the Cid" (Book I. Sect. 
 for this part of the Cid's story, as given in the Gen, 
 Chronicle of Spain. 
 
 i. 
 
 Now, of Rodrigo de Bivar great was the fame that run, 
 How he five Kings had vanquished, proud Moormen every one ; 
 And how, when they consented to hold of him their ground, 
 He freed them from the prison wherein they had been bound. 
 
86 BALLAD ROMANCE OF THE 
 
 ii. 
 
 To the good King Fernando, in Burgos where he lay, 
 Came then Ximena Gomez, and thus to him did say : 
 " I am Don Gomez' daughter, in Gormaz Count was he ; 
 Him slew Rodrigo of Bivar in battle valiantly. 
 
 III. 
 
 " Now am I come before you, this day a boon to crave, 
 And it is that I to husband may this Rodrigo have ; 
 Grant this, and I shall hold me a happy damosell, 
 Much honoured shall I hold me, I shall be married well. 
 
 IV. 
 
 " I know he's bom for thriving, none like him in the land ; 
 I know that none in battle against his spear may stand ; 
 Forgiveness is well pleasing in God our Saviour's view. 
 And I forgive him freely, for that my sire he slew." 
 
 v. 
 
 Right pleasing to Fernando was the thing she did propose ; 
 He writes his letter swiftly, and forth his foot-page goes ; 
 I wot, when young Rodrigo saw how the King did write, 
 He leapt on Bavieca I wot his leap was light. 
 
 VI. 
 
 With his own troop of true men forthwith he took the way, 
 Three hundred friends and kinsmen, all gently born were they ; 
 All in one colour mantled, in armour gleaming gay, 
 New were both scarf and scabbard, when they went forth that day. 
 
 The King came out to meet him, with words of hearty cheer ; 
 Quoth he, " My good Rodrigo, you are right welcome here ; 
 This girl Ximena Gomez would have ye for her lord, 
 Already for the slaughter her grace she doth accord. 
 
 " I pray you be consenting, my gladness will be great ; 
 You shall have lands in plenty, to strengthen your estate. 
 " Lord King," Rodrigo answers, "in this and all beside 
 Command, and I'll obey you. The girl shall be my bride. "~ 
 
DAYS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 87 
 
 IX. 
 
 But when the fair Ximena came forth to plight her hand, 
 Rodrigo, gazing on her, his face could not command : 
 He stood and blushed before her ; thus at the last said he 
 " I slew thy sire, Ximena, but not in villany : 
 
 x. 
 
 " In no disguise I slew him, man against man I stood ; 
 
 There was some wrong between us, and I did shed his blood. 
 
 I slew a man, I owe a man ; fair lady, by God's grace, 
 
 An honoured husband thou shall have in thy dead father's place." 
 
 THE CID'S WEDDING. 
 
 THE following ballad, which contains some curious traits of 
 rough and antique manners, is not included in Escobar's 
 Collection. There is one there descriptive of the same 
 event, but apparently executed by a much more modern 
 hand. 
 
 i. 
 
 WITHIN his hall of Burgos the King prepares the feast ? 
 He makes his preparation for many a noble guest. 
 It is a joyful city, it is a gallant day, 
 Tis the Campeador's wedding, and who will bide away ? 
 
 IT. 
 
 Layn Calvo, the Lord Bishop, he first comes forth the gate, 
 Behind him comes Ruy Diaz, in all his bridal state ; 
 The crowd makes way before them as up the street they go ;- 
 For the multitude of people their steps must needs be slow. 
 
 in. 
 
 The King had taken order that they should rear an arch, 
 From house to house all over, in the way where they must march ; 
 They have hung it all with lances, and shields, and glittering helms, 
 Brought by the Campeador from out the Moorish realms. 
 
 IV. 
 
 They have scattered olive branches and rushes on the street, 
 And the ladies fling down garlands at the Campeador's feet ; 
 With tapestry and broidery their balconies between, 
 To do his bridal honour, their walls the burghers screen. 
 
88 
 
 v. 
 
 They lead the bulls before them all covered o'er with trappings ; 
 The little boys pursue them with hootings and with clappings ; 
 The fool, with cap and bladder, upon his ass goes prancing, 
 Amidst troops of captive maidens with bells and cymbals dancing. 
 
 VI. 
 
 With antics and with fooleries, with shouting and with laughter, 
 They fill the streets of Burgos and The Devil he comes after, 
 For the King has hired the horned fiend for sixteen maravedis, 
 And there he goes, with hoofs for toes, to terrify the ladies. 
 
 VII. 
 
 Then comes the bride Ximena the King he holds her hand ; 
 And the Queen, and, all in fur and pall, the nobles of the land ; 
 All down the street the ears of wheat are round Ximena flying, 
 But the King lifts off her bosom sweet whatever there is lying. 
 
 vin. 
 
 Quoth Suero, when he saw it, (his thought you understand,) 
 " 'Tis a fine thing to be a King ; but Heaven make me a Hand ! "' 
 The King was very merry, when he was told of this, 
 And swore the bride ere eventide, must give the boy a kiss. 
 
 IX. 
 
 The King went always talking, but she held down her head, 
 Aud seldom gave an answer to anything he said ; 
 It was better to be silent, among such a crowd of folk, 
 Than utter words so meaningless as she did when she spoke. 
 
 THE CID AND THE LEPER. 
 
 LIKE our own Robert the Bruce, the great Spanish hero 
 is represented as exhibiting, on many occasions, great 
 gentleness of disposition and compassion. But while old 
 Barbour is contented with such simple anecdotes as that 
 of a poor laundress being suddenly taken ill with the 
 pains of childbirth, and the king stopping the march of his 
 army rather than leave her unprotected, the minstrels of 
 
DAYS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 89 
 
 Spain, never losing an opportunity of gratifying the super- 
 stitious propensities of their audience, are sure to let no 
 similar incident in their champion's history pass without a 
 miracle. 
 
 i. 
 
 HE has ta'en some twenty gentlemen, along with him to go, 
 For he will pay that ancient vow he to Saint James doth owe ; 
 To Compostella, where the shrine doth by the altar stand, 
 
 The good Rodrigo de Bivar is riding through the land. 
 
 . 
 
 n. 
 
 Where'er he goes, much alms he throws, to feeble folk and poor ; 
 Beside the way for him they pray, him blessings to procure ; 
 For, God and Mary Mother, their heavenly grace to win, 
 His hand was ever bountiful : great was his joy therein. 
 
 III. 
 
 And there, in middle of the path, a leper did appear ; 
 In a deep slough the leper lay, none would to help come near. 
 With a loud voice he thence did cry, " For God our Saviour's sake, 
 From out this fearful jeopardy a Christian brother take." 
 
 IV. 
 
 When Roderick heard that piteous word, he from his horse came down ; 
 For all they said ; no stay he made, that noble champion ; 
 He reached his hand to pluck him forth, of fear was no account, 
 Then mounted on his steed of worth, and made the leper mount. 
 
 v. 
 
 Behind him rode the leprous man ; when to their hostelrie 
 They came, he made him eat with him at table cheerfully ; 
 While all the rest from that poor guest with loathing shrunk away, 
 To his own bed the wretch he led, beside him there he lay. 
 
 VI. 
 
 All at the mid-hour of the night, while good Rodrigo slept, 
 A breath came from the leprous man, it through his shoulder? crept ; 
 Right through the body, at the breast, passed forth that breathing cold ; 
 I wot he leaped up with a start, in terrors manifold. 
 
 VII. 
 
 He groped for him in the bed, but him he could not find, 
 Through the dark chamber groped he, with very anxious mind ; 
 Loudly he lifted up his voice, with speed a lamp was brought, 
 Yet nowhere was the leper seen, though far and near they sought. 
 
90 BALLAD ROMANCE OF THE 
 
 VIII. 
 
 He turned him to his chamber, God wot, perplexed sore 
 With that which had befallen when lo ! his face before, 
 There stood a man, all clothed in vesture shining white : 
 Thus said the vision, " Sleepest thou, or wakest thou, Sir Knight ? " 
 
 IX. 
 
 " I sleep not," quoth Rodrigo ; " but tell me who art thou, 
 For, in the midst of darkness, much light is on thy brow ? " 
 " I am the holy Lazarus, I come to speak with thee ; 
 I am the same poor leper thou savedst for charity. 
 
 : ' X. 
 
 " Not vain the trial, nor in vain thy victory hath been ; 
 God favours thee, for that my pain thou didst relieve yestreen. 
 There shall be honour with thee, in battle and in peace, 
 Success in all thy doings, and plentiful increase. 
 
 XI. 
 
 " Strong enemies shall not prevail, thy greatness to undo ; 
 Thy name shall make men's cheeks full pale Christians and Moslem 
 
 too ; 
 
 A death of honour shah thou die, such grace to thee is given, 
 Thy soul shall part victoriously, and be received in heaven. " 
 
 XII. 
 
 When he these gracious words had said, the spirit vanished quite, 
 Rodrigo rose and knelt him down he knelt till morning light ; 
 Unto the Heavenly Father, and Mary Mother dear, 
 He made his prayer right humbly, till dawned the morning clear. 
 
 BAVIECA. 
 
 MONTAIGNE, in his curious Essay, entitled " Des Destriers," 
 says that all the world knows everything about Bucephalus. 
 The name of the favourite charger of the Cid Ruy Diaz, is 
 scarcely less celebrated. Notice is taken of him in almost 
 every one of the hundred ballads concerning the history of 
 his master, and there are two or three of these, of which 
 the horse is more truly the hero than his rider. In one of 
 
DAYS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 91 
 
 these ballads, the Cid is giving directions about his funeral ; 
 he desires that they shall place his body " in full armour 
 upon Bavieca," and so conduct him to the church of San 
 Pedro de Cardena. This was done accordingly ; and, says 
 another ballad 
 
 Truxeron pues a Babieca ; 
 
 Y en mirandole se puso 
 
 Tan triste como si fuera 
 
 Mas rasonable que bruto. 
 
 In the Cid's last will, mention is also made of this noble 
 charger. " When ye bury Bavieca, dig deep," says Ruy 
 Diaz ; " for shameful thing were it, that he should be eat 
 by curs, who hath trampled down so much currish flesh 
 of Moors." 
 
 i. 
 
 THE King looked on him kindly, as on a vassal true ; 
 Then to the King Ruy Diaz spake after reverence due, 
 " O King, the thing is shameful, that any man beside 
 The liege lord of Castile himself should Bavieca ride : 
 
 II. 
 
 " For neither Spain nor Araby could another charger bring 
 So good as he, and certes, the best befits my King. 
 But that you may behold him, and know him to the core, 
 I'll make him go as he was wont when his nostrils smelt the Moor." 
 
 III. 
 
 With that, the Cid, clad as he was in mantle furred and wide, 
 On Bavieca vaulting, put the rowel in his side ; 
 And up and down, and round and round, so fierce was his career, 
 Streamed like a pennon on the wind Ruy Diaz' minivere. 
 
 IV. 
 
 And all that saw them praised them they lauded man and horse, 
 As matched well, and rivalless for gallantry and force ; 
 Ne'er hnd they l"oked on horseman might to this knight come near, 
 Nor on other charger worthy of such a cavalier. 
 
 V. 
 
 Thus, to and fro a-rushing. the fierce and furious steed, 
 He snapt in twain his hither rein : " God pity now the Cid." 
 
92 BALLAD ROMANCE OF THE 
 
 " God pity Diaz," cried the Lords, but when they looked again, 
 They saw Ruy Diaz ruling him, with the fragment of his rein ; 
 They saw him proudly ruling with gesture firm and calm, 
 Like a true lord commanding and obeyed as by a lamb. 
 
 VI. 
 
 And so he led him foaming and panting to the King, 
 
 But " No," said Don Alphonso, " it were a shameful thing 
 
 That peerless Bavieca should ever be bestrid 
 
 By any mortal but Bivar Mount, mount again, my Cid. :> 
 
 THE 
 EXCOMMUNICATION OF THE CID. 
 
 THE last specimen I shall give of the Cid -ballad, is one the 
 subject of which is evidently of the most apocryphal cast. 
 It is, however, so far as I recollect, the only one of all that 
 immense collection that is quoted or alluded to in Don 
 Quixote. " Sancho," cried Don Quixote, " I am afraid of 
 being excommunicated for having laid violent hands upon a 
 man in holy orders, Juxta illud ; si guts suadente diabolo, 
 &c. But yet, now I think on it, I never touched him with 
 my hands, but only with my lance ; besides, I did not in 
 the least suspect I had to do with priests, whom I honour 
 and revere as every good Catholic and faithful Christian 
 ou ht to do, but rather took them to be evil spirits. Well, 
 let the worst come to the worst, I remember what befel the 
 Cid Ruy Diaz, when he broke to pieces the chair of a king's 
 ambassador in the Pope's presence, for which he was ex- 
 communicated ; which did not hinder the worthy Rodrigo 
 de Bivar from behaving himself that day like a valorous 
 knight, and a man of honour." 
 
 i. 
 
 IT was when from Spain across the main the Cid had come to Rome, 
 He chanced to see chairs four and three beneath Saint Peter's dome. 
 " Now tell, I pray, what chairs be ;hey ; '- -" Seven kings do sit thereou. 
 As- well doth suit, all at the foot of the holy Father's throne. 
 
DAYS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 9$ 
 
 ii. 
 
 " The Pope he sitteth above them all, that they may kiss his toe, 
 Below the keys the Flower-de-lys doth make a gallant show : 
 For his great puissance, the King of France next to the Pope may sit, 
 The rest more low, all in a row, as doth their station fit." 
 .111 I ^1 / 
 in. 
 
 " Ha! " quoth the Cid, " now God forbid ! it is a shame, I wiss, 
 To see the Castle* planted beneath the Flower-de-lys. t 
 No harm, I hope, good Father Pope although I move thy chair." 
 In pieces small he kicked it all, ('twas of the ivory fair). 
 
 IV. 
 
 The Pope's own seat he from his feet did kick it far away, 
 And the Spanish chair he planted upon its place that day ; 
 Above them all he planted it, and laughed right bitterly ; 
 Looks sour and bad I trow he had, as grim as grim might be. 
 
 y 
 
 Now when the Pope was aware of this, he was an angry man, 
 His lips that night, with solemn rite, pronounced the awful ban ; 
 The curse of God, who died on rood, was on that sinner's head- 
 To hell and woe man's soul must go if once that curse be said. 
 
 VI. 
 
 I wot, when the Cid was aware of this, a woful man was he, 
 At dawn of day he came to pray at the blessed Father's knee : 
 " Absolve me, blessed Father, have pity upon me, 
 Absolve my soul, and penance I for my sin will dree." 
 
 VII. 
 
 " Who is this sinner," quoth the Pope, " that at my foot doth kneel ? ' 
 " I am Rodrigo Diaz a poor Baron of Castile." 
 Much marvelled all were in the hall, when that name they heard him say, 
 "Rise up, rise up," the Pope he said, " I do thy guilt away ; 
 
 VIII. 
 
 " I do thy guilt away," he said " and my curse I blot it out 
 God save Rodrigo Diaz, my Christian champion stout ; 
 I trow, if I had known thee, my yrief it had been sore, 
 To curse Ruy Diaz de Bivar, God's scourge upon the Moor.' 
 
 * The arms of Castile. t The arms of France- 
 
94 BALLAD ROMANCE OF THE 
 
 PART III. 
 
 COUNT ALARCOS AND THE INFANTA SOLISA. 
 
 MR. BOUTERWECK has analyzed this ballad, and commented 
 upon it at some length, in his History of Spanish Literature. 
 See Book I. Section i. 
 
 He bestows particular praise upon a passage, which the 
 reader will find attempted in the fourth line of stanza xxxi. 
 of the following version 
 
 Dedes me a<;a este hijo amamare por despedida. 
 
 " What modern poet," says he, " would have dared to 
 imagine that trait, at once so natural and touching ? " 
 
 Mr. Bouterweck seems to be of opinion that the story of 
 the ballad had been taken from some prose romance of 
 chivalry ; but I have not been able to find any trace of it. 
 
 ALONE, as was her wont, she sate, within her bower alone ; 
 Alone, and very desolate, Solisa made her moan, 
 Lamenting for her flower of life, that it should pass away, 
 And she be never wooed to wife, nor see a bridal day. 
 
 Thus said the sad Infanta " I will not hide my grief, 
 I'll tell my father of my wrong, and he will yield relief." 
 The King, when he beheld her near, " Alas ! my child," said he, 
 "What means this melancholy cheer? reveal thy grief to me." 
 
 III. 
 
 " Good King," she said, " my mother was buried long ago, 
 She left me to thy keeping, none else my griefs shall know ; 
 I fain would have a husband, 'tis time that I should wed, 
 Forgive the words I utter, with mickle shame they're said." 
 
DAYS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 95 
 
 IV. 
 
 'Twas thus the King made answer, " This fault is none of mine, 
 You to the Prince of Hungary your ear would not incline ; 
 Yet round us here where lives your peer ? nay, name him if you can, 
 Except the Count Alarcos, and he's a married man." 
 
 v. 
 
 " Ask Count Alarcos, if of yore his word he did uot plight 
 To be my husband evermore, and love me day and night? 
 If he has bound him in new vows, old oaths he cannot break 
 Alas ! I've lost a loyal spouse, for a false lover's sake." 
 
 VI. 
 
 The good King sat confounded in silence for some space, 
 
 At length he made this answer, with very troubled face, 
 
 " It was not thus your mother gave counsel you should do ; 
 
 You've done much wrong, my daughter ; we're shamed, both I and you. 
 
 VII. 
 
 " If it be true that you have said, our honour's lost and gone ; 
 And while the Countess is in life, remeed for us is none. 
 Though justice were upon our side, ill-talkers would not spare 
 Speak, daughter, for your mother's dead, whose counsel eased my care." 
 
 VIII. 
 
 " How can I give you counsel ? but little wit have I ; 
 But certes, Count Alarcos may make this Countess die : 
 Let it be noised that sickness cut short her tender life, 
 And then let Count Alarcos come and ask me for his wife. 
 What passed between us long ago, of that be nothing said ; 
 Thus none shall our dishonour know, in honour I shall wed." 
 
 The Count was standing with his friends, thus in the midst he spake 
 " What fools we be ! what pains men dree for a fair woman's sake ! 
 I loved a fair one long ago ; though I'm a married man, 
 Sad memory I can ne'er forego, how life and love began, " 
 
 While yet the Count was speaking, the good King came full near ; 
 He made his salutation with very courteous cheer. 
 " Come hither, Count Alarcos, and dine with me this day, 
 For I have something secret I in your ear must say." 
 
9 b BALLAD ROMANCE OF THE 
 
 XI. 
 
 The King came from the chapel, when he had heard the mass , 
 With him the Count Alarcos did to his chamber pass ; 
 Full nobly were they served there, by pages many a one ; 
 When all were gone, and they alone, 'twas thus the King begun. 
 
 " What news be these, Alarcos, that you your word did plight, 
 To be a husband to my child, and love her day and night ? 
 If more between you there did pass, yourself may know the truth, 
 But shamed is my grey-head alas ! -and scorned Solisa's youth. 
 
 XIII. 
 
 " I have a heavy word to speak a lady fair doth lie 
 Within my daughter's rightful place, and certes ! she must die 
 Let it be noised that sickness cut short her tender life, 
 Then come and woo my daughter, and she shall be your wife : 
 What passed between you long ago, of that be nothing said, 
 Thus, none shall my dishonour know in honour you shall wed." 
 
 XIV. 
 
 Thus spake the Count Alarcos" The truth I'll not deny, 
 I to the Infanta gave my troth, and broke it shamefully ; 
 I feared my King would ne'er consent to give me his fair daughter ; 
 But, oh ! spare her that's innocent avoid that sinful slaughter." 
 
 XV. 
 
 " She dies, she dies," the King replies ; " from thine own sin it springs, 
 If guiltless blood must wash the blot which stains the blood of kings : 
 Ere morning dawn her life must end, and thine must be the deed, 
 Else thou on shameful block must bend : thereof is no remeed." 
 
 XVI. 
 
 "Good King, my hand thou mayst command, else treason blots my name! 
 I'll take the life of my dear wife (God ! mine be not the blame !) 
 Alas ! that young and sinless heart for others' sin should bleed ! 
 Good King, in sorrow I depart." " May God your errand speed ! " 
 
 XVII. 
 
 In sorrow he departed, dejectedly he rode 
 The weary journey from that place, unto his own abode ; 
 He grieved for his fair Countess, dear as his life was she ; 
 Sore grieved he for that lady, and for his children three. 
 
DAYS OF CHAKLEMAGNE. 97 
 
 XVIII. 
 
 The one was yet an infant upon its mother's breast, 
 For though it had three nurses, it liked her. milk the best ; 
 The others were young children, that had but little wit. 
 Hanging about their mother's knee while nursing she did sit 
 
 XIX. 
 
 " Alas ! " he said, when he had come within a little space, 
 " How shall I brook the cheerful look of my kind lady's face? 
 To see her coming forth in glee to meet me in my hall, 
 When she so soon a corpse must be, and I the cause of all ! " 
 
 XX. 
 
 Just then he saw her at the door with all her babes appear 
 
 (The little page had run before to tell his lord was near) 
 
 " Now welcome home, my lord, my life ! Alas ! you droop your head 
 
 Tell, Count Alarcos, tell your wife, what makes your eyes so red ? " 
 
 XXI. 
 
 " I'll tell you all I'll tell you all : It is not yet the hour ; 
 We'll sup together in the hall I'll tell you in your bower." 
 The lady brought forth what she had, and down beside him sate ; 
 He sat beside her pale and sad, but neither drank nor ate. 
 
 XXII. 
 
 The children to his side were led (he loved to have them so), 
 Then on the board he laid his head, and out his tears did flow : 
 " I fain would sleep I fain would sleep," the Count Alarcos said : 
 Alas ! be sure, that sleep was none that night within their bed. 
 
 XXIII. 
 
 They came together to the bower where they were used to rest, 
 
 None with them but the little babe that was upon the breast : 
 
 The Count had barred the chamber doors, they ne'er were barred xill 
 
 then ; 
 " Unhappy lady," he began, " and I most lost of men ! " 
 
 XXIV. 
 
 " Now, speak not so, my noble lord, my husband and my life, 
 
 Unhappy never can she be, that is Alarcos' wife." 
 
 " Alas ! unhappy lady, 'tis but little that you know, 
 
 For in that very word you've said is gathered all youv woe. 
 
 D 
 
oS BALLAD ROMANCE OF THE 
 
 XXV. 
 
 " Long since I loved a lady, long since I oaths did plight, 
 
 To be that lady's husband, to love her day and night ; 
 
 Her father is our lord the King, to him the thing is known, 
 
 And now, that I the news should bring ! she claims me for her own. 
 
 XXVI. 
 
 " Alas ! my love, alas ! my life, the right is on their side ; 
 Ere I had seen your face, sweet wife, she was betrothed my bride ; 
 But, oh ! that I should speak the word since in her place you lie, 
 It is the bidding of our Lord, that you this night must die." 
 
 " Are these the wages of my love, so lov/ly and so leal ? 
 O, kill me not, thou noble Count, when t thy foot I kneel ! 
 But send me to my father's house, where once I dwelt in glee, 
 There will I live a lone chaste life, and rear my children three." 
 
 XXVIII. 
 
 " It may not be mine oath is strong ere dawn of day you die ! " 
 " O ! well 'tis seen how all alone upon the earth am I 
 My father is an old frail man, my mother's in her grave, 
 And dead is stout Don Garcia Alas ! my brother brave ! 
 
 XXIX. 
 
 " 'Twas at this coward King's command they slew my brother dear, 
 And now I'm helpless in the land : It is not death I fear, 
 But loth, loth am I to depart, and leave my children so 
 Now let me lay them to my heart, and kiss them ere I go." 
 
 XXX. 
 
 " Kiss him that lies upon thy breast the rest thou mayst not see." 
 " I fain would say an Ave." "Then say it speedily. "- 
 She knelt her down upon her knee : " O Lord ! behold my case 
 Judge not my deeds, but look on me in pity and great grace." 
 
 XXXI. 
 
 When she had made her orison, up from her knees she rose 
 " Be kind, Alarcos, to our babes, and pray for my repose 
 And now give me my boy once more upon my breast to hold, 
 That he may drink one farewell drink, L-_ fore my breast be cold. * 
 
DA YS OF CHARLEMAGNE. 99 
 
 XXXII. 
 
 " Why would you waken the poor child ? you see he is asleep 
 Prepare, dear wife, there is no time, the dawn begins to peep. " 
 " Now hear me, Count Alarcos ! I give thee pardon free 
 .pardon thee for the love's sake wherewith I've loved thee. 
 
 xxxnr. 
 
 " But they have not my pardon, the King and his proud daughter-- 
 The curse of God I r. on them, for this unchristian slaughter ! 
 I charge them with my dying breath, ere thirty days be gone, 
 To meet me in the realm of death, and at God's awful throne ! :> 
 
 He drt-w a kerchief round her neck, he drew it tight and strong, 
 Until she lay quite stift' and cold her chamber floor along ; 
 He laiu her then within the sheets, and, kneeling by her side, 
 To God anH Mary Mother in misery he cried. 
 
 XXXV. 
 
 Then called ue for his esquires : oh ! deep was their dismay, 
 \Vhen they into the chamber came, and saw her how she lay ; 
 Thus died she in her innocence, a lady vuid of wiong, 
 But God took hetd of their offence his vengeance stayed not long. 
 
 Within twelve days, in pain and dole, the Infanta passed away, 
 The cruel King gave up his soul upon the twentieth day ; 
 Alarcos followed ere the Moon had made her round complete. 
 T*jee guilty spirits stood right soon before God's judgment-seat. 
 
 D f 
 

CONTENTS. 
 
 MM 
 
 I. THE EIGHT PENNIES 103 
 
 II. THE THREE TRUTHS .105 
 
 III. THE HUSBAND OF AGLAES ...... 106 
 
 IV. THE THREE CASKETS m 
 
 V. THE THREE CAKES 116 
 
 VI. THE HERMIT 118 
 
 VII. THE LOST FOOT 121 
 
 VIII. PLACIDUS 122 
 
 IX. DEAD ALEXANDER . 131 
 
 X. THE TREE OF PALETINUS 132 
 
 XI. HUNGRY FLIES . ] VI. v> /i 132 
 
 XII. THE HUMBLING OF JOVINIAN 133 
 
 XIII. THE Two PHYSICIANS 139 
 
 XIV. THE FALCON 141 
 
 XV. LET THE LAZIEST BE KING 142 
 
 XVI. THE THREE MAXIMS 143 
 
 XVII. A LOAF FOR A DREAM 146 
 
 XVIII. LOWER THAN THE BEASTS 148 
 
 XIX. OF REAL FRIENDSHIP 151 
 
 XX. ROYAL BOUNTY .152 
 
 XXI. WILY BEGUILED 153 
 
 XXII. THE BASILISK 155 
 
 XXIIL THE TRUMP OF DEATH 155 
 
 XXIV. ALEXANDER AND THE PIRATE 157 
 
 XXV. A TALE OF A PENNY 158 
 
 XXVI. OF AVOIDING IMPRECATIONS 159 
 
 XXVII. A VERSE EXERCISE 161 
 
 XXVIII. BRED IN THE BONE 164 
 
 XXIX. FULGENTIUS . 167 
 
 XXX. VENGEANCE DKFERRED 173 
 

 TALES FROM THE 
 
 GESTA ROMANORUM. 
 
 I. THE EIGHT PENNIES. 
 
 WHEN Titus was Emperor of Rome, he made a decree that 
 the natal day of his first-born son should be held sacred, 
 and that whosoever violated it by any kind of labour should 
 be put to death. Then he called Virgil to him, and said, 
 " Good friend, I have made a certain law ; we desire you to 
 frame some curious piece of art which may reveal to us 
 every transgressor of the law." Virgil constructed a magic 
 statue, and caused it to be set up in the midst of the city. 
 By virtue of the secret powers with which it was invested, it 
 told the emperor whatever was done amiss. And thus by 
 the accusation of the statue, an infinite number of persons 
 were convicted and punished. 
 
 Now there was a certain carpenter, called Focus, who 
 pursued his occupation every day alike. Once, as he lay in 
 bed, his thoughts turned upon the accusations of the statue, 
 and the multitudes which it had caused to perish. In the 
 morning he clothed himself, and proceeded to the statue, 
 which he addressed in the following manner: "O statue/ 
 statue ! because of thy informations, many of our citizens 
 
104 TALES FROM THE 
 
 have been taken and slain. I vow to my God, that if thou 
 accusest me, I will break thy head." Having so said, he 
 returned home. 
 
 About the first hour, the emperor, as he was wont, 
 despatched sundry messengers to the statue, to inquire if 
 the edict had been strictly complied with. After they had 
 arrived, and delivered the emperors pleasure, the statue 
 exclaimed : " Friends, look up ; what see ye written upon 
 my forehead ? " They looked, and beheld three sentences 
 which ran thus : " TIMES ARE ALTERED. MEN GROW WORSE. 
 
 HE WHO SPEAKS TRUTH HAS HIS HEAD BROKEN." " Go," 
 
 said the statue, " declare to his majesty what you have seen 
 and read." The messengers obeyed, and detailed the cir- 
 cumstances as they had happened. 
 
 The emperor therefore commanded his guard to arm, and 
 march to the place on which the statue was erected ; and he 
 further ordered, that if any one presumed to molest it, they 
 should bind him hand and foot, and drag him into his 
 presence. 
 
 The soldiers approached the statue and said, " Our 
 emperor wills you to declare the name of the scoundrel who 
 threatens you." 
 
 The statue made answer, "It is Focus the carpenter. 
 Every day he violates the law, and, moreover, menaces me 
 with a broken head, if I expose him." 
 
 Immediately Focus was apprehended, and conducted to 
 the emperor, who said, " Friend, what do I hear of thee ? 
 Why hast thou broken my law ? " 
 
 " My lord," answered Focus, " I cannot keep it ; for I am 
 obliged to obtain every day eight pennies, which, without 
 incessant work, I have not the means of getting." 
 
 " And why eight pennies ? " said the emperor. 
 
 " Every day through the year," returned the carpenter, " I 
 am bound to repay two pennies which I borrowed in my 
 youth ; two I lend ; two I lose j and two I spend." 
 
GESTA ROMANGRUM. 105 
 
 " For what reason do you this ? " asked the emperor. 
 
 " My lord," he replied, " listen to me. I am bound each 
 day to repay two pennies to my father ; for, when I was a 
 boy, my father expended upon me daily the like sum. Now 
 he is poor, and needs my assistance, and therefore I return 
 what I borrowed formerly. Two other pennies I lend to 
 my son, who is pursuing his studies ; in order, that if by 
 any chance I should fall into poverty, he may restore the 
 loan, just as I have done to his grandfather. Again, I lose 
 two pennies every day on my wife ; for she is contradictious, 
 wilful, and passionate. Now, because of this disposition, I 
 account whatsoever is given to her entirely lost. Lastly, 
 two other pennies I expend upon myself in meat and drink. 
 I cannot do with less, nor can I earn them without unre- 
 mitting labour. You now know the truth ; and, I pray you, 
 judge dispassionately and truly." 
 
 " Friend," said the emperor, " thou hast answered well. 
 Go, and labour earnestly in thy calling." 
 
 Soon after this the emperor died, and Focus the carpen- 
 ter, on account of his singular wisdom, was elected in his 
 stead by the unanimous choice of the whole nation. He 
 governed as wisely as he had lived ; and at his death, his 
 picture, bearing on the head eight pennies, was reposited 
 among the effigies of the deceased emperors. 
 
 II. THE THREE TRUTHS. 
 
 A CERTAIN king, named Asmodeus, established an ordi- 
 nance, by which every malefactor taken and brought before 
 the judge, should distinctly declare three truths, against 
 which no exception could be taken, or else be hanged. If, 
 however, he did this, his life and property should be safe. 
 It chanced that a certain soldier transgressed the law and 
 3ed. He hid himself in a forest, and there committed many 
 
106 TALES FROM THE 
 
 atrocities, despoiling and slaying whomsoever he could lay 
 his hands upon. When the judge of the district ascertained 
 his haunt, he ordered the forest to be surrounded, and the 
 soldier to be seized, and brought bound to the seat of 
 judgment. 
 
 " You know the law," said the judge. 
 
 " I do," returned the other. " If I declare three unques- 
 tionable truths I shall be free ; but if not, I must die." 
 
 " True," replied the judge ; " take then advantage of the 
 law's clemency, or undergo the punishment it awards with- 
 out delay." 
 
 " Cause silence to be kept," said the soldier undauntedly. 
 
 His wish being complied with, he proceeded in the fol- 
 lowing manner : " The first truth is this. I protest before 
 ye all, that from my youth up, I have been a bad man/'' 
 
 The judge, hearing this, said to the bystanders, " He 
 says true ? " They answered : " Else he had not now been 
 in this situation." " Go on, then," said the judge. " What 
 is the second truth ? " 
 
 " I like not," exclaimed he, " the dangerous situation in 
 which I stand." 
 
 " Certainly," said the judge, " we may credit thee. Now 
 then for the third truth, and thou hast saved thy life." 
 
 " Why," he replied, " if I once get out of this confounded 
 place, I will never willingly re-enter it." 
 
 " Amen," said the judge, " thy wit hath preserved thee ; 
 go in peace." And thus he was saved. 
 
 III. THE HUSBAND OF AGLAES. 
 
 IN Rome some time dwelt a mighty emperor named Philo- 
 minus, who had one only daughter, who was fair and 
 gracious in the sight of every man, who had to name Aglaes. 
 There was also in the emperor's palace a gentle knight that 
 
GESTA ROMANORUM. 107 
 
 loved dearly this lady. It befell after on a day, that this 
 knight talked with this lady, and secretly uttered his desire 
 to her. Then she said courteously, "Seeing you have 
 uttered to me the secrets of your heart, I will likewise for 
 your love utter to you the secrets of my heart : and truly I 
 say, that above all other I love you best." Then said the 
 knight, " I purpose to visit the Holy Land, and therefore give 
 me your troth, that this seven years you shall take no other 
 man, but only for my love to tarry for me so long, and if I 
 come not again by this day seven years, then take what man 
 you like best. And likewise I promise you that within this 
 seven years I will take no wife." Then said she, " This 
 covenant pleaseth me well." When this was said, each of 
 them was betrothed to other, and then this knight took his 
 leave of the lady, and went to the Holy Land. 
 
 Shortly after the emperor treated with the king of Hungary 
 for the marriage of his daughter. Then came the king of 
 Hungary to the emperor's palace, and when he had seen 
 his daughter, he liked marvellous well her beauty and hei 
 behaviour, so that the emperor and the king were accorded 
 in all things as touching the marriage, upon the condition 
 that the damsel would consent. Then called the emperor 
 the young lady to him. and said, " O, my fair daughter, I 
 have provided for thee, that a king shall be thy husband, if 
 thou list consent ; therefore tell me what answer thou wilt 
 give to this." Then said she to her father, " It pleaseth 
 me well ; but one thing, dear father, I entreat of you, if it 
 might please you to grant me : I have vowed to keep my 
 virginity, and not to marry these seven years ; therefore, 
 dear father, I beseech you for all the love that is between 
 your gracious fatherhood and me, that you name no man to 
 be my husband till these seven years be ended, and then I 
 shall be ready in all things to fulfil your will." Then said 
 the emperor, " Sith it is so that thou hast thus vowed, I 
 will not break thy vow; but when these seven years be 
 
io8 TALES FKUM 
 
 expired, thou shall have the king of Hungufy to thy 
 husband." 
 
 Then the emperor sent forth his letters to the king of 
 Hungary, praying him if it might please him to stay seven 
 years for the love of his daughter, and then he should speed 
 without fail. Herewith the king was pleased and content 
 to stay the prefixed day. 
 
 And when the seven years were ended, save a day, the young 
 lady stood in her chamber window, and wept sore, saying, 
 " Woe and alas, as to-morrow my love promised to be with me 
 again from the Holy Land ; and also the king of Hungary to- 
 morrow will be here to marry me, according to my father's 
 promise ; and if my love comes not at a certain hour, then 
 am I utterly deceived of the inward love I bear to him." 
 
 When the day came, the king hasted toward the emperor, 
 to marry his daughter, and was royally arrayed in purple. 
 And while the king was riding on his way, there came a 
 knight riding on his way, who said, " I am of the empire 
 of Rome, and now am lately come from the Holy Land, 
 and I am ready to do you the best service I can." And as 
 they rode talking by the way, it began to rain so fast that 
 all the king's apparel was sore wet. Then said the knight, 
 " My lord, ye have done foolishly, for as much as ye brought 
 not with you your house." Then said the king : " Why 
 speakest thou so ? My house is large and broad, and made 
 of stones and mortar, how should I bring then with me my 
 house ? Thou speakest like a fool." When this was said, 
 they rode on till they came to a great deep water, and the 
 king smote his horse with his spurs, and leapt into the 
 water, so that he was almost drowned. When the knight saw 
 this, and was over on the otlur side of the water without peril, 
 he said to the king, ' Ye were in peril, and therefore ye did 
 foolishly, because ye brought not with you your bridge." 
 Then said the king, " Thou speakest strangely : my bridge 
 is -made of lime and stone, and ccctaincth in quality more 
 
GESTA ROMANO RUM. 109 
 
 than half a mile; how should I then bear with me my 
 bridge? therefore thou speakest foolishly." "Well," said 
 the knight, " my foolishness may turn you to wisdom." 
 When the king had ridden a little further, he asked the 
 knight what time of day it was. Then said the knight, " If 
 any man hath list to eat, it is time of the day to eat. 
 Wherefore, my lord, pray take a modicum with me, for that 
 is no dishonour to you, but great honour to me before the 
 states of this empire." Then said the king, " I will gladly 
 eat with thee." They sat both down in a fair vine garden, 
 and there dined together, both the king and the knight. 
 And when dinner was done, and that the king had washed, 
 the knight said unto the king, " My lord, ye have done 
 foolishly, for that ye brought not with you your father and 
 mother." Then said the king, " What sayest thou ? My 
 father is dead, and my mother is old, and may not travel ; 
 how should I then bring them with me ? Therefore, to say 
 the truth, a foolisher man than thou art did I never hear." 
 Then said the knight, " Every work is praised at the end." 
 
 When the knight had ridden a little further, and nigh to 
 the emperor's palace, he asked leave to go from him ; for he 
 knew a nearer way to the palace, to the young lady, that he 
 might come first, and carry her away with him. Then said 
 the king, " I pray thee tell me by what place thou pur- 
 posest to ride ? " Then said the knight, " I shall tell you 
 the truth. This day seven years I left a net in a place, and 
 now I purpose to visit it, and draw it to me, and if it be 
 whole, then will I take it to me, and keep it as a precious 
 jewel ; if it be broken, then will I leave it." And when he 
 had thus said, he took his leave of the king, and rode forth ; 
 but the king kept the broad highway. 
 
 When the emperor heard of the king's coming, he went 
 towards him with a great company, and royally received 
 him, causing him to shift his wet clothes, and to put on 
 fresh apparel. And when the emperor and the king were 
 
no TALES FROM THE 
 
 set at meat, the emperor welcomed him with all the cheer 
 and solace that he could. And when he had eaten, the 
 emperor asked tidings of the king. " My lord," said he, 
 " I shall tell you what I have heard this day by the way : 
 there came a knight to me, and reverently saluted me ; and 
 anon after there fell a great rain, and greatly spoiled my 
 apparel. And anon the knight said, ' Sir, ye have done 
 foolishly, for that ye brought not with you your house. ' " 
 Then said the emperor, " What clothing had the knight 
 on?" "A cloak," quoth the king. Then said the emperor. 
 " Sure that was a wise man, for the house whereof he spake 
 was a cloak, and therefore he said to you that you did 
 foolishly, because had you come with your cloak, then your 
 clothes had not been spoiled with rain." Then said the 
 king, " When he had ridden a little further, we came to a 
 deep water, and I smote my horse with my spurs, and I 
 was almost drowned, but he rid through the water without 
 any peril. Then said he to me, c You did foolishly, for 
 that you brought not with you your bridge. ' " " Verily," 
 said the emperor, " he said truth, for he called the squires 
 the bridge, that should have ridden before you, and assayed 
 the deepness of the water." Then said the king, "We 
 rode further, and at the last he prayed me to dine with him. 
 And when he had dined, he said, I did unwisely, because I 
 brought not with me my father and mother." " Truly," 
 said the emperor, " he was a wise man, and saith wisely : 
 for he called your father and mother, bread and wine, and 
 other victual." Then said the king, " We rode further, 
 and anon after he asked me leave to go from me, and I 
 asked earnestly whither he went ; and he answered again, 
 and said, ' This day seven years I left a net in a private 
 place, and now I will ride to see it ; and if it be broken and 
 torn, then will I leave it, but if it be as I left it, then shall 
 it be unto me right precious.' " 
 
 When the emperor heard this, he cried with a loud voice, 
 
GESTA ROMANORUM. m 
 
 and said, " O ye my knights and servants, come ye with 
 me speedily unto my daughter's chamber, for surely that is 
 he net of which he spake." And 'forthwith his knights 
 ind servants went unto his daughter's chamber, and found 
 her not, for the aforesaid knight had taken her with him. 
 And thus the king was deceived of the damsel, and he went 
 home again to his own country ashamed. 
 
 IV. THE THREE CASKETS. 
 
 SOME time dwelt in Rome a mighty emperor, named Anselm, 
 who had married the king's daughter of Jerusalem, a fair 
 lady, and gracious in the sight of every man, but she was 
 long time with ihe emperor ere she bare him any child ; 
 wherefore the nobles of the empire were very sorrowful, 
 because their lord had no heir of his own body begotten : 
 till at last it befell, that this Anselm walked after supper, in 
 an evening, into his garden, and bethought himself that he 
 had no heir, and how the king of Ampluy warred on him 
 continually, for so much as he had no son to make defence 
 in his absence ; therefore he was sorrowful, and went to his 
 chamber and slept. Then he thought he saw a vision in 
 his sleep, that the morning was more clear than it was wont 
 to be, and that the moon was much paler on the one side 
 han on the other. And after he saw a bird of two colours, 
 ind by that bird stood two beasts, which fed that little bird 
 with their heat. And after that came more beasts, and 
 bowing their breasts toward the bird, went their way. Then 
 came there divers birds that sung sweetly and pleasantly : 
 with that the emperor awaked. 
 
 In the morning early this Anselm remembered his vision, 
 and wondered much what it might signify; wherefore he 
 called to him his philosophers, and all the states of the 
 empire, and told them his dream, charging them to tell him 
 
us TALES FROM THE 
 
 the signification thereof on pain of death, and if they told 
 him the true interpretation thereof, he promised them good 
 reward. Then said they, " Dear lord, tell us your dream, 
 and we shall declare to you what it betokens." Then the 
 emperor told them from the beginning to the ending, as is 
 aforesaid. When the philosophers heard this, with glad 
 cheer they answered, and said, " Sir, the vision that you 
 saw betokeneth good, for the empire shall be clearer than 
 it is. 
 
 " The moon that is more pale on the one side than on the 
 other, betokeneth the empress, that hath lost part of her 
 colour, through the conception of a son that she hath con- 
 ceived. The little bird betokeneth the son that she shall 
 bare. The two beasts that fed this bird betoken the 
 wise and rich men of the empire which shall obey the son. 
 These other beasts that bowed their breasts to the bird 
 betoken many other nations that shall do him homage. 
 The bird that sang so sweetly to this little bird betokeneth 
 the Romans, who shall rejoice and sing because of his birth. 
 This is the very interpretation of your dream." 
 
 When the emperor heard this, he was right joyful. Soon 
 after that, the empress travailed in childbirth, and was deli- 
 vered of a fair son, at whose birth there was great and 
 wonderful joy made. 
 
 When the king of Ampluy heard this, he thought in him- 
 self thus : " Lo, I have warred against the emperor all the 
 days of my life, and now he hath a son who, when he cometh 
 to full age, will revenge the wrong I have done against his 
 father ; therefore it is better that I send to the emperor and 
 beseech him of truce and peace, that the son may have 
 nothing against me when he cometh to manhood." When 
 he had thus said to himself, he wrote to the emperor, 
 beseeching him to have peace. When the emperor saw 
 that the king of Ampluy wrote to him more for fear than 
 for love, he wrote again to hi n. tlmt if he would find good 
 
GESTA ROMANORUM, 113 
 
 and sufficient sureties to keep the peace, and bind himself 
 ail the days of his life to do him service and homage, he 
 would receive him to peace. 
 
 When the king had read the tenor of the emperor's 
 letter, he called his council, praying them to give him 
 counsel how he best might do, as touching this matter. 
 Then said they, " It is good that ye obey the emperor's will 
 and commandment in all things. For first, in that he 
 desired of you surety for the peace ; to this we answer 
 thus : Ye have but one daughter, and the emperor one 
 son, wherefore let a marriage be made between them, and 
 that may be a perpetual covenant of peace. Also he asketh 
 homage and tribute, which it is good to fulfil," Then the 
 king sent his messengers to the emperor, saying, that he 
 would fulfil his desire in all things, if it might please his 
 highness that his son and the king's daughter might be 
 married together. All this well pleased the emperor, yet 
 he sent again, saying, " If his daughter were a pure maid 
 from her birth unto that day, he would consent to that 
 marriage." Then was the king right glad, for his daughter 
 was a pure maid. 
 
 Therefore, when the letters of covenant and compact were 
 sealed, the king furnished a fair ship, wherein he might send 
 his daughter, with many noble knights, ladies, and great 
 riches, unto the emperor, for to have his son in marriage. 
 
 And when they were sailing in the sea, towards Rome, a 
 storm arose so extremely and so horribly that the ship brake 
 against a rock, and they were all drowned save only the 
 young lady, which fixed her hope and heart so greatly on 
 God, that she was saved, and about three of the clock the 
 tempest ceased, and the lady drove forth over the waves in 
 that broken ship which was cast up again. But a huge whale 
 followed after, ready to devour both the ship and her. 
 Wherefore this young lady, when night came, smote fire 
 with a stone, wherewith the ship was greatly lightened, and 
 
I1 4 TALES FROM THE 
 
 then the whale durst not adventure toward the ship for fear 
 of that light. At the cock-crowing, this young lady was so 
 weary of the great tempest and trouble of sea, that she 
 slept, and within a little while after the fire ceased, and the 
 whale came and devoured the virgin. And when she 
 awaked and found herself swallowed up in the whale's 
 belly, she smote fire, and with a knife wounded the whale 
 in many places, and when the whale felt himself wounded, 
 according to his nature he began to swim to land. 
 
 There was dwelling at that time in a country near by a 
 noble earl named Pirris, who for his recreation walking on 
 the sea-shore, saw the whale coming towards the land ; 
 wherefore he turned home again, and gathered a great many 
 of men and women, and came thither again, and fought with 
 the whale, and wounded him very sore, and as they smote, 
 the maiden that was in his belly cried with a high voice, and 
 said : " O gentle friends, have mercy and compassion on me, 
 for I am a king's daughter, and a true maid from the hour ! 
 of my birth unto this day." When the earl heard this he 
 wondered greatly, and opened the side of the whale, and 
 found the young lady, and took her out. And when she 
 was thus delivered, she told him forthwith whose daughter 
 she was, and how she had lost all her goods in the sea, and 
 how she should have been married unto the emperor's son. 
 And when the earl heard this, he was very glad, and com- 
 forted her the more, and kept her with him till she was well 
 refreshed. And in the meantime he sent messengers to 
 the emperor, letting him to know how the king's daughter 
 was saved. 
 
 Then was the emperor right glad of her safety, and 
 coming, had great compassion on her, saying, " Ah, good 
 maiden, for the love of my son thou hast suffered much 
 woe ; nevertheless, if thou be worthy to be his wife, soon 
 shall I prove." And when he had thus said, he caused three 
 vessels to be brought forth. The first was made of pure 
 
GESTA ROMANORUM. 115 
 
 *old, well beset with precious stones without, and within 
 lull of dead men's bones, and thereupon was engraven this 
 posie : " WHOSO CHOOSETH ME, SHALL FIND THAT HE 
 DESERVETH." The second vessel was made of fine silver, 
 foiled with earth and worms, the superscription was thus : 
 
 '* WHOSO CHOOSETH ME, SHALL FIND THAT HIS NATURE 
 
 DESIRETH." The third vessel was made of lead, full within 
 of precious stones, and thereupon was insculpt this posie : 
 
 " WHOSO CHOOSETH ME, SHALL FIND THAT GOD HATH DIS- 
 POSED FOR HIM." These three vessels the emperor showed 
 the maiden, and said : " Lo, here daughter, these be rich 
 vessels. If thou choose one of these, wherein is profit to 
 thee and to others, then shalt thou have my son. And if 
 thou choose that wherein is no profit to thee, nor to any 
 other, soothly thou shalt not marry him." 
 
 When the maiden heard this, she lift up her hands to 
 jod, and said, " Thou Lord, that knowest all things, grant 
 ne grace this hour so to choose, that I may receive the 
 emperor's son." And with that she beheld the first vessel of 
 gold, which was engraven royally, and read the super- 
 scription, " Whoso choose th me, shall find that he desen>eth ; " 
 saying thus, " Though this vessel be full precious, and made 
 of pure gold, nevertheless I know not what is within, there- 
 fore, my dear lord, this vessel will I not choose." 
 
 And then she beheld the second vessel, that was of pure 
 silver, and read the superscription, " Whoso chooseth me, shall 
 find that his nature desireth." Thinking thus within herself, 
 " If I choose this vessel, what is within I know not, but well I 
 know, there shall I find that nature desireth, and my nature 
 desireth the lust of the flesh, and therefore this vessel will I 
 not choose." 
 
 When she had seen these two vessels, and had given an 
 answer as touching them, she beheld the third vessel of 
 lead, and read the superscription, " W/ioso chooseth me, shall 
 find that God hath disposed" Thinking within herself, " This 
 
n6 TALES FROM THE 
 
 vessel is not very rich, nor outwardly precious, yet the 
 superscription saith, ' Whoso chooseth me, shall find that God 
 hath disposed;' and without doubt God never disposeth 
 any harm, therefore, by the leave of God, this vessel will I 
 choose." 
 
 When the emperor heard this, he said, " O fair maiden, 
 open thy vessel, for it is full of precious stones, and see if 
 thou hast well chosen or no." And when this young lady 
 had opened it, she found it full of fine gold and precious 
 stones, as the emperor had told her before. Then said the 
 emperor, " Daughter, because thou hast well chosen, thou 
 shalt marry my son." And then he appointed the wedding- 
 day ; and they were married with great solemnity, and with 
 much honour continued to their lives' end. 
 
 V. THE THREE CAKES. 
 
 A CERTAIN carpenter, in a city near the sea, very covetous, 
 and very wicked, collected a large sum of money, and placed 
 it in the trunk of a tree, which he set by his fire-side, and 
 never lost sight of. A place like this, he thought, no one 
 could suspect : but it happened, that while all his household 
 slept, the sea overflowed its boundaries, broke down that 
 side of the building where the log was placed, and carried 
 it away. It floated many miles, and reached, at length, a 
 city in which there lived a person who kept open house. 
 Arising early in the morning, he perceived the trunk of a 
 tree in the water, and thinking it would be of use to him, he 
 brought it home. He was a liberal, kind-hearted man; 
 and a great benefactor to the poor. It one day chanced 
 that he entertained some pilgrims in his house ; and the 
 weather being extremely cold, he cut up the log for fire- 
 wood. When he had struck two or three blows with the 
 axe, he heard a rattling sound ; and cleaving it in twain, the 
 
GESTA ROMANO RUM. 117 
 
 gold pieces rolled out and about. Greatly rejoiced at the 
 discovery, he put them by in a safe place, until he should 
 ascertain who was the owner. 
 
 Now the carpenter, bitterly lamenting the loss of his 
 money, travelled from place to place in pursuit of it. He 
 came, by accident, to the house of the hospitable man who 
 had found the trunk. He failed not to mention the object 
 of his search ; and the host, understanding that the money 
 was his, reflected whether his title to it were good. " I 
 will prove," said he to himself, " if God will that the money 
 should be returned to him." 
 
 Accordingly, he made three cakes, the first of which he 
 filled with earth ; the second with the bones of dead men ; 
 and in the third he put a quantity of the gold which he 
 had discovered in the trunk. 
 
 "Friend," said he, addressing the carpenter, "we will 
 eat three cakes made of the best meat in my house. Choose 
 which you will have." 
 
 The carpenter did as he was directed ; he took the 
 cakes and weighed them in his hand, one after another, and 
 finding that with the earth weigh heaviest, he chose it. " And 
 if I want more, my worthy host," added he, " I will have 
 that " laying his hand upon the cake containing the bones. 
 " You may keep the third cake yourself." 
 
 " I see clearly," murmured the host, u I see very clearly 
 that God does not will the money to be restored to this 
 wretched man." Calling therefore the poor and the infirm, 
 the blind and the lame, he opened the cake of gold in the 
 presence of the carpenter, to whom he spoke, " Thou 
 miserable varlet ; this is thine own gold. But thou pre- 
 ferredst the cake of earth, and dead men's bones. I am 
 persuaded, therefore, that God wills not that I return thee 
 thy money." Without delay, he distributed it all amongst 
 the poor, and drove the carpenter away. 
 
ti8 TALES FROM THE 
 
 VI. THE HERMIT. 
 
 THERE once lived a hermit, who in a remote cave passed 
 day and night in God's service. Not far from his cell there 
 was a flock kept by a shepherd, who one day fell into a 
 deep sleep, when a robber, seeing him careless, carried off 
 his sheep. When the keeper awoke, he began to swear in 
 good set terms that he had lost his sheep \ and where they 
 were gone to he knew not. But the lord of the flock bade 
 him be put to death. This gave to the hermit great offence. 
 ' O heaven," said he to himself, " seest thou this deed? 
 The innocent suffers for the guilty: why permittest thou 
 such things ? If thus injustice triumph, why do I remain 
 here ? I will again enter the world, and do as other men 
 do." 
 
 And so he left his hermitage, and went again into the world ; 
 but God willed not that he should be lost : an angel in the 
 form of a man was sent to join him. And so, crossing the 
 hermit's path, he said to him, " Whither bound, my friend ?" 
 " I go," said he, " to yonder city." " I will go with you," 
 replied the angel ; " I am a messenger from heaven, come 
 to be your companion on the way." 
 
 So they walked on together to the city. When they had 
 entered, they begged for the love of God harbourage 
 during the night, at the house of a certain soldier, who re- 
 ceived them cheerfully and entertained them nobly. The 
 soldier had an only and most dear son lying in the cradle. 
 After supper, their bed-chamber was sumptuously adorned 
 for them ; and the angel and the hermit went to rest. But 
 about the middle of the night the angel rose, and strangled 
 the sleeping infant. The hermit, horror-struck at what he 
 witnessed, said within himself, " Never can this be an angel 
 
GESTA ROMANORUM. 119 
 
 of God. The good soldier gave us everything that was 
 necessary ; he had but this poor innocent, and he is 
 strangled." Yet he was afraid to reprove him. 
 
 In the morning both arose and went forward to another 
 city, in which they were honourably entertained at the 
 house of one of the inhabitants. This person had a rich 
 gold cup, which he highly valued ; and of which, during 
 the night, the angel robbed him. But still the hermit held 
 his peace, for great was his fear. 
 
 On the morrow they went forward ; and as they walked 
 they came to a certain river, over which was a bridge. They 
 went on the bridge, and about midway a poor pilgrim met 
 them. " My friend," said the angel to him, " show us the 
 way to yonder city." The pilgrim turned, and pointed with 
 his finger to the road they were to take ; but as he turned 
 the angel seized him by the shoulders, and hurled him into 
 the stream below. At this the terror of the hermit became 
 greater. " It is the devil," he said to himself ; " it is the 
 devil, and no good angel ! What evil had the poor man 
 done that he should be drowned ? " 
 
 He would now have gladly gone alone : but was afraid to 
 speak his mind. About the hour of vespers they came to a 
 city, in which they again sought shelter for the night ; but 
 the master of the house where they applied sharply refused 
 it. " For the love of heaven," said the angel, " give us 
 shelter, lest we fall prey to the wolves." The man pointed 
 to a sty. " That," said he, " has pigs in it ; if it please you 
 to lie there you may, but to no other place will I admit 
 you." " If we can do no better," said the angel, " we must 
 accept your ungracious offer." They did so ; and next 
 morning the angel calling their host, said, " My friend, I 
 give you this cup ; " and he gave him the gold cup he had 
 stolen. The hermit, more and more amazed at what he 
 saw, said to himself, " Now I am sure this is the devil. The 
 good man who received us with all kindness he despoiled, 
 
120 TALES FROM THE 
 
 and now he gives the plunder to this fellow who refused us 
 a lodging." 
 
 Turning therefore to the angel, he cried, " I wilt travel 
 with you no more. I commend you to God." " Dear 
 friend," the angel said, " first hear me, and then go thy 
 way." 
 
 THE EXPLANATION. 
 
 "When thou wert in thy hermitage, the owner of the flock 
 unjustly put to death his servant. True it is he died inno- 
 cently, and therefore was in a fit state to enter another 
 world. God permitted him to be slain, foreseeing, that if 
 he lived he would commit a sin, and die before repentance 
 followed. But the guilty man who stole the sheep will suffer 
 eternally ; while the owner of the flock will repair, by alms 
 and good works, that which he ignorantly committed. As 
 for the son of the hospitable soldier whom I strangled in 
 the cradle, know, that before the boy was born he performed 
 numerous works of charity and mercy ; but afterwards grew 
 parsimonious and covetous in order to enrich the child, of 
 which he was inordinately fond. This was the cause of 
 its death ; and now its distressed parent is again become 
 a devout Christian. Then for the cup which I purloined 
 from him who received us so kindly, know, that before the 
 cup was made, there was not a more abstemious person in 
 the world ; but afterwards he took such pleasure in it, and 
 drank from it so often, that he was intoxicated twice or 
 thrice during the day. I took away the cup, and he has 
 returned to his former sobriety. Again I cast the pilgrim 
 into the river; and know that he whom I drowned was a 
 good Christian, but had he proceeded much further, he 
 would have fallen into a mortal sin. Now he is saved, and 
 reigns in celestial glory. Then, that I bestowed the cup 
 upon the inhospitable citizen, know nothing is done with- 
 out reason. He suffered us to occupy the swine-house and 
 
GESTA ROMANORUM. 121 
 
 I gave him a valuable consideration. But he will hereafter 
 reign in hell. Put a guard, therefore, on thy lips, and de- 
 tract not from the Almighty. For He knoweth all things." 
 The hermit, hearing this, fell at the feet of the angel and 
 entreated pardon. He returned to his hermitage, and 
 became a good and pious Christian. 
 
 VII. THE LOST FOOT. 
 
 A CERTAIN tyrannical and cruel knight retained in his 
 service a very faithful servant. One day, when he had 
 been to the market, he returned with this servant through a 
 grove ; and by the way lost thirty silver marks. As soon 
 as he discovered the loss, he questioned his servant about 
 it. The man solemnly denied all knowledge of the matter, 
 and he spoke truth. But when the money was not to be 
 found, he cut off the servant's foot, and leaving him in that 
 place, rode home. A hermit, hearing the groans and cries 
 of the man, went speedily to his help. He confessed him ; 
 and being satisfied of his innocence, conveyed him upon his 
 shoulders to his hermitage. 
 
 Then entering the oratory, he dared to reproach the 
 All -just with want of justice, inasmuch as he had permitted 
 an innocent man to lose his foot. 
 
 For a length of time he continued in tears, and prayers, 
 and reproaches ; until at last an angel of the Lord appeared 
 to him, and said, " Hast thou not read in the Psalms, ' God 
 is a just judge, strong and patient ? ' " 
 
 " Often," answered the hermit meekly, " have I read and 
 believed it from my heart ; but to-day I have erred. That 
 wretched man, whose foot has been cut off, perhaps under 
 the veil of confession deceived me." 
 
 " Tax not the Lord with injustice," said the anael ; " His 
 way is truth, and His judgments equitable. Recollect how 
 
122 TALES FROM THE 
 
 often thou hast read, ' The decrees of God are unfathom- 
 able,' Know that he who lost his foot, lost it for a former 
 crime. With the same foot he maliciously spurned his 
 mother, and cast her from a chariot for which eternal con- 
 demnation overtook him. The knight, his master, was 
 desirous of purchasing a war-horse, to collect more wealth, 
 to the destruction of his soul ; and therefore, by the just 
 sentence of God, the money which he had provided for the 
 purchase was lost. Now hear there is a very poor man 
 with his wife and little ones, who daily supplicate heaven, 
 and perform every religious exercise. He found the money, 
 when otherwise he would have starved, and therewith pro- 
 cured for himself and family the necessaries of life, entrust- 
 ing a portion to his confessor to distribute to the poor. But 
 first he diligently endeavoured to find out the right owner. 
 Not accomplishing this, the poor man applied it to its 
 proper use. Place then a bridle upon thy thoughts ; and 
 no more upbraid the righteous Disposer of all things, as 
 thou but lately didst. For he is just, and strong, and 
 patient." 
 
 VIII. PLACIDUS. 
 
 IN the reign of Trajan there lived a knight named Placidus, 
 who was commander-in-chief of the emperor's armies. He 
 was very merciful, but a worshipper of idols. His wife too 
 was an idolater. They had two sons, brought up in all 
 magnificence, and from the kindness and goodness of their 
 hearts, they deserved a revelation of the way of truth. 
 
 As he was one day following the chase, Placidus dis- 
 covered a herd of deer, amongst which was one remarkable 
 for size and beauty. Separating itself from the rest, it 
 plunged into the thickest part of the brake. While the 
 hunters, therefore, occupied themselves with the remainder 
 of the herd, Placidus swiftly followed this deer's track. The 
 
GESTA ROMANORUM. 123 
 
 stag scaled a lofty precipice, and Placidus, approaching as 
 near as he could, considered how it might be followed yet. 
 But as h-i regarded it with fixed attention, there appeared 
 upon the centre of the brow, the form of the cross, which 
 glittered with more splendour than the noonday sun. Upon 
 this cross an image of Jesus Christ was suspended ; 
 and the stag thus addressed the hunter : " Why dost thou 
 persecute me, Placidus? For thy sake have I assumed the 
 shape of this animal. I am Christ, whom thou ignorantly 
 worshippest. Thine alms have gone up before me, and 
 therefore I come ; but as thou hast hunted this stag, so 
 will I hunt thee." 
 
 Some indeed assert that the image, hanging between the 
 deer's antlers, said these things. However that may be, 
 Placidus, filled with terror, fell from his horse ; and in about 
 an hour, returning to himself, arose from the earth and 
 said, " Declare what thou wouldst have, that I may believe 
 in thee." 
 
 . " I am Christ, O Placidus ! I created heaven and earth ; 
 I caused the light to arise, and divided it from the darkness. 
 I appointed days, and seasons, and years. I formed man 
 out of the dust of the earth ; and I became incarnate for 
 the salvation of mankind. I was crucified, and buried ; and 
 on the third day I rose again." 
 
 When Placidus understood these sublime truths, he fell 
 again upon the earth, and exclaimed : " I believe, O Lord, 
 that thou hast done all this ; and that thou art He who 
 bringest back the wanderer." 
 
 The Lord answered : " If thou believest this, go into the 
 city and be baptized." 
 
 " Wouldst thou, O Lord, that I tell what has befallen me 
 to my wife and children, that they also may believe ? " 
 
 " Do so ; tell them, that they also may be cleansed from 
 their iniquities. And on the morrow return hither, where 1 
 w ill appear again, and show you of the future." 
 
124 TALES FROM THE 
 
 Placidus, therefore, went to his own home, and told all 
 that had passed to his wife. But she too had had a 
 revelation ; and in like manner had been enjoined to 
 believe in Christ, together with her children. So they 
 hastened to the city of Rome, where they were entertained 
 and baptized with great joy. Placidus was called Eustacius, 
 and his wife, Theosbyta; the two sons, Theosbytus and 
 Agapetus. 
 
 In the morning, Eustacius, according to custom, went 
 out to hunt, and coming with his attendants near the place, 
 be dispersed them, as if for the purpose of discovering the 
 prey. Immediately the vision of yesterday reappeared, 
 and prostrating himself, he said, " I implore thee, O Lord, 
 to manifest thyself according to thy word." 
 
 " Blessed art thou, Eustacius, because thou hast received 
 the laver of my grace, and thereby overcome the devil. 
 Now hast thou trod him to dust, who beguiled thee. Now 
 will thy fidelity appear ; for the devil, whom thou hast de- 
 serted, will rage against thee in many ways. Much must 
 thou undergo ere thou possesses! the crown of victory. 
 Much must thou suffer from the dignified vanity of the 
 world ; and much from spiritual intolerance. Fail not, 
 therefore ; nor look back upon thy former condition. Thou 
 must be as another Job; but from the very depth of thy 
 humiliation, I will restore thee to the height of earthly splen- 
 dour. Choose, then, whether thou wouldst prefer thy trials 
 at the end of life." 
 
 Eustacius replied : " If it become me, O Lord, to be 
 exposed to trials, let them presently approach ; but do thou 
 uphold me, and supply me with patient strength." 
 
 " Be bold, Eustacius : my grace shall support your souls." 
 Saying thus, the Lord ascended into heaven. After which 
 Eustacius returned home to his wife, and explained to her 
 what had been decreed. 
 
 In a few days a pestilence carried off the whole of their 
 
GESTA ROMANORUM. 125 
 
 men-servants and maid-servants ; and before long the sheep, 
 horses, and cattle also perished. Robbers plundered their 
 habitation, and despoiled them of every ornament ; while he 
 himself, together with his wife and sons, fled naked and in 
 the deepest distress. But devoutly they worshipped God ; 
 and apprehensive of an Egyptian redness, went secretly 
 away. Thus were they reduced to utter poverty. The king 
 and the senate, greatly afflicted with their general's calami- 
 ties, sought for, but found not the slightest trace of him. 
 
 In the meantime this unhappy family approached the 
 sea ; and finding a ship ready to sail, they embarked in it. 
 The master of the vessel observing that the wife of Eusta- 
 cius was very beautiful, determined to secure her; and 
 when they had crossed the sea, demanded a large sum of 
 money for their passage, which, as he anticipated, they did 
 not possess. Notwithstanding the vehement and indignant 
 protestations of Eustacius, he seized upon his wife ; and 
 beckoning to the mariners, commanded them to cast the 
 unfortunate husband headlong into the sea. Perceiving, 
 therefore, that all opposition was useless, he took up hi: 
 two children, and departed with much and heavy sorrow. 
 " Merciful heaven," he exclaimed, as he wept over his be- 
 reaved offspring, " your poor mother is lost ; and, in a 
 strange land, in the arms of a strange lord, must lament her 
 fate." 
 
 Travelling along, he came to a river, the water of which 
 ran so high, that it appeared hazardous in an eminent degree 
 to cross with both the children at the same time. One, 
 therefore, he placed carefully upon the bank, and then 
 passed over with the other in his arms. This effected, he 
 laid it upon the ground, and returned immediately for the 
 remaining child. But in the midst of the river, accidentally 
 glancing his eye back, he beheld a wolf hastily snatch up 
 the child, and run with it into an adjoining wood. Half 
 maddened at a sight so truly afflicting, he turned to rescue 
 
126 TALES FROM THE 
 
 it from the destruction with which it was threatened ; but at 
 that instant a huge lion approached the child he had left ; 
 and seizing it, presently disappeared. To follow was useless, 
 for he was in the middle of the water. Giving himself up, 
 therefore, to his desperate situation, he began to lament and 
 to pluck away his hair, and would have cast himself into the 
 stream, had not Divine Providence preserved him. 
 
 Certain shepherds, however, observing the lion carrying 
 off the child in his teeth, pursued him with dogs, and by the 
 peculiar dispensation of heaven it was dropped unhurt. As 
 for the other, some ploughmen witnessing the adventure, 
 shouted lustily after the wolf, and succeeded in liberating 
 the poor victim from its jaws. Now it happened that both 
 the shepherds and ploughmen resided in the same village, 
 and brought up the children amongst them. But Eustacius 
 knew nothing of this, and his affliction was so poignant 
 that he was unable to control his complaints. " Alas ! " he 
 would say, " once I flourished like a luxuriant tree, but now 
 I am altogether blighted. Once I was encompassed with 
 military ensigns and bands of armed men; now I am a single 
 being in the universe. I have lost all my children and 
 everything that I possessed. I remember, O Lord, that thou 
 saidst my trials should resemble Job's ; behold they ex- 
 ceed them. For although he was destitute, he had a couch, 
 however vile, to repose upon ; I, alas ! have nothing. He 
 had compassionating friends ; while I, besides the loss of 
 my children, am left a prey to the savage beasts. His wife 
 remained, but mine is forcibly carried off. Assuage my 
 anguish, O Lord, and place a bridle upon my lips, lest I utter 
 foolishness, and stand up against thee." With such words 
 he gave free course to the fulness of his heart ; and after 
 much travel, entered a village, where he abode. In this 
 place he continued for fifteen years, as the hired servant of 
 one of the villagers. 
 
 To return to the two boys. They were educated in the 
 
GESTA ROMANORUM. 
 
 same neighbourhood, but had no knowledge of their con- 
 sanguinity. And as for the wife of Eustacius, she preserved 
 her purity, and suffered not the infamous usage which she 
 had to fear. After some time her persecutor died. 
 
 In the meanwhile the Roman emperor was beset by his 
 enemies, and recollecting how valiantly Placidus had 
 behaved himself in similar straits, his grief at the deplorable 
 change of fortune was renewed. He despatched soldiers 
 through various parts of the world in pursuit of them ; and 
 promised to the discoverer infinite rewards and honours. 
 It happened that some of the emissaries, being of those 
 who had attended upon the person of Placidus, came into 
 the country in which he laboured, and one of them he 
 recognized by his gait. The sight of these men brought 
 back to the exile's mind the situation of wealth and honour 
 which he had once possessed ; and being filled with fresh 
 trouble at the recollection " O Lord ! " he exclaimed, 
 " even as beyond expectation I have seen these people again, 
 so let me be restored to my beloved wife. Of my children 
 I speak not ; for I know too well that they are devoured by 
 wild beasts." 
 
 At that moment a voice whispered, " Be faithful, Eusta- 
 cius, and thou wilt shortly recover thy lost honours, and 
 again look upon thy wife and offspring." 
 
 Now when the soldiers met Placidus they knew not who 
 he was ; and accosting him, they asked if he were acquainted 
 with any foreigner named Placidus, with his wife and two 
 sons. He replied that he did not, but requested that they 
 would rest in his house. And so he took them home, and 
 waited on them. And here, as before, at the recollection 
 of his former splendour, his tears flowed. Unable to con- 
 tain himself, he went out of doors, and when he had washed 
 his face he re-entered, and continued his service. By-and- 
 by one said to the other, " Surely this man bears great 
 resemblance to him we inquire after." " Of a truth," 
 
128 TALES FROM THE 
 
 answered his companion, " you say well. Let us examine 
 if he possess a sabre-mark on his head, which he received 
 in action." They did so, and finding a scar which indicated 
 a similar wound, they leaped up and embraced him, and 
 inquired after his wife and sons. 
 
 He told his adventures ; and the neighbours coming in, 
 listened with wonder to the account delivered by the 
 soldiers of his military achievements and former magnifi- 
 cence. Then, obeying the command of the emperor, they 
 clothed him in sumptuous apparel. On the fifteenth day 
 they reached the imperial court, and the emperor, apprised 
 of his coming, went out to meet him, and saluted him with 
 great gladness. Eustacius told all that had befallen him. 
 He was then invested with the command of the army, 
 and restored to every office that he had held before his 
 departure. 
 
 He now therefore prepared with energy to encounter their 
 enemies. He drew together from all parts the young men 
 of the country ; and it fell to the lot of the village where 
 his own children were educated, to send two to the army ; 
 and these very youths were selected by the inhabitants as 
 the best and bravest of their number. They appeared before 
 the general, and their elegant manners, so much above their 
 station, united to a singular propriety of conduct, won his 
 esteem. He placed them in the van of his troops, and 
 began his march against the enemy. Now the spot on 
 which he pitched his tent was near his wife's abode ; and, 
 strange to say, the sons themselves, in the general distribu- 
 tion of the soldiers, were quartered with their own mother, 
 but all the while ignorant with whom they were stationed. 
 
 About mid-day, the lads sitting together, related the 
 various chances to which their infancy had been subject ; 
 and the mother, who was at no great distance, became an 
 attentive listener. " Of what I was while a child," said the 
 elder of the brothers, " I remember nothing, except that 
 
GESTA ROMANORUM. 129 
 
 my beloved father was a leader of a company of soldiers ; 
 and that my mother, who was very beautiful, had two sons, 
 of whom I was the elder. We left home with our parents 
 during the night, and embarking on board a vessel that 
 immediately put to sea, sailed I know not whither. Our 
 mother remained in the ship, but wherefore I am also 
 ignorant. In the meantime, our father carried my brother 
 and myself in his arms, and me he left upon the nearer 
 bank of a river, until he had borne the younger of us 
 across. But when he was returning to me, a wolf darted 
 from a thicket and bore him off in his mouth. Before he 
 could hasten back to him, a prodigious lion seized upon 
 me, and carried me into a neighbouring wood. But shep- 
 herds delivered me, and brought me up amongst them." 
 
 The younger brother here burst into a flood of tears, and 
 exclaimed, " Surely I have found my brother ; for they who 
 brought me up frequently declared that I was saved from 
 the jaws of a wolf." They exchanged embraces, and the 
 mother, who listened, felt a strong conviction that they 
 were her own children. She was silent, however, and the 
 next day went to the commander of the forces, and begged 
 leave to go into her own country. " I am a Roman 
 woman," said she, " and a stranger in these parts." 
 
 As she uttered these words, her eye fixed with an 
 earnest and anxious gaze upon the countenance of him she 
 addressed. It was her husband, whom she now for the first 
 time recollected ; and she threw herself at his feet, unable 
 to contain her joy. " My lord," cried the glad woman, " I 
 entreat you to tell something of your past life ; for unless I 
 greatly mistake, you are Placidus, the master of the soldiery, 
 since known by the name of Eustacius, whom our blessed 
 Saviour converted and tried by temptations. I am his 
 wife, taken from him at sea by a wretch, who yet spared 
 me from the worst. I had two sons, Agapetus and 
 Theosbvtus." 
 
 a 
 
130 
 
 TALES FROM THE 
 
 These words recalled Eustacius to himself. Time and 
 sorrow had made much change in both, but the recognition 
 was full of happiness. They embraced and wept, giving 
 glory to God as the God of all consolation. The wife then 
 said, " My lord, what has become of our children ? " 
 " Alas ! " replied he, " they were carried off by wild beasts ; " 
 and he told the manner of their loss. " Give thanks," said 
 his wife, " give manifold thanks to the Lord ; for as His 
 Providence hath revealed our existence to each other, so 
 will He give us back our beloved offspring." " Did I not 
 tell you," returned he, " that wild beasts had devoured 
 them ? " 
 
 " True ; but yesternight as I sat in the garden I overheard 
 two young men tell of their childhood, and whom I believe 
 to be our sons. Ask them, an(l they will tell you." 
 
 Messengers were immediately despatched for this purpose, 
 and a few^questions convinced Eustacius of the full comple- 
 tion of his happiness. They fell upon each other's neck and 
 wept aloud. It was a joyful occasion ; the whole army 
 shared the joy of their general. A splendid victory ensued. 
 Before their return the Emperor Trajan died, and was suc- 
 ceeded by Adrian, more wicked even than his predecessor. 
 However, he received the conqueror and his family with 
 great magnificence, and sumptuously entertained them at 
 his own table. But the day following the emperor would 
 have proceeded to the temple of his idols to sacrifice, in 
 consequence of the late victory, and desired his guests to 
 accompany him. " My lord," said Eustacius, " I worship 
 the God of the Christians ; and Him only do I serve and 
 propitiate with sacrifice." 
 
 Enraged at an opposition he had not contemplated, he 
 placed the man who had freed Rome from a foreign yoke, 
 with his whole family, in the arena, and let loose a ferocious 
 lion upon them. But the lion, to the astonishment of all, 
 held down his head before them, as if in reverence. On 
 
GESTA ROMANORUM. 131 
 
 which the ungrateful emperor ordered a brazen ox to be 
 fabricated, and heated to the highest degree. In this his 
 victims were cast alive ; but with prayer and supplication 
 they commended themselves to the mercy of God, and three 
 days after, being taken out of the furnace in the presence of 
 the emperor, it appeared as if they had died tranquilly in 
 bed. Not a hair of their heads was scorched, nor was there 
 the smallest perceptible change, more than the easiest transi- 
 tion from life occasions. The Christians buried their corpses 
 in the most honourable manner, and over them constructed 
 an oratory. They perished in the first year of Adrian, A.D. 
 120, in the kalends of November; or, as some write, the 
 V2th of the kalends of October. 
 
 IX. DEAD ALEXANDER. 
 
 WE read, that at the death of Alexander a golden sepulchre 
 was constructed, and that a number of philosophers as- 
 sembled round it. One said : " Yesterday, Alexander made 
 a treasure of gold, and now gold makes a treasure of him." 
 Another observed : " Yesterday, the whole world was not 
 enough to satiate his ambition ; to-day, three or four ells of 
 cloth are more than sufficient." A third said : " Yesterday, 
 Alexander commanded the people ; to-day, the people com- 
 mand him." Another said : " Yesterday, Alexander could 
 enfranchise thousands ; to-day, he cannot free himself from 
 the bonds of death." Another remarked : " Yesterday, he 
 pressed the earth ; to-day, it oppresses him." " Yesterday," 
 continued another, " all men feared Alexander ; to-day, 
 men repute him nothing." Another said : " Yesterday, 
 Alexander had a multitude of friends ; to-day, not one." 
 Another said : " Yesterday, Alexander led on an army ; to- 
 day that army bears him to the grave." 
 
 2 
 
172 TALES FROM THE 
 
 X. THE TREE OF PALETINUS. 
 
 VALERIUS tells us, that a man named Paletinus one day 
 burst into tears ; and calling his son and his neighbours 
 around him, said, " Alas ! alas ! I have now growing in my 
 garden a fatal tree, on which my first poor wife hung herself, 
 then my second, and after that my third. Have I not 
 therefore cause for wretchedness ? " " Truly," said one who 
 was called Arrius, " I marvel that you should weep at such 
 unusual good fortune ! Give me, I pray you, two or three 
 sprigs of that gentle tree, which I will divide with my 
 neighbours, and thereby enable every man to indulge his 
 spouse." Paletinus complied with his friend's request ; and 
 ever after found this tree the most productive part of his 
 estate. 
 
 XI. HUNGRY FLIES. 
 
 JOSEPHUS mentions that Tiberius Caesar, inquiring why the 
 governors of provinces remain so long in office, was an- 
 swered by an example. " I have seen," said the respondent, 
 "an infirm man covered with ulcers, grievously tormented 
 by a swarm of flies. When asked why he did not use a 
 flap and drive off his tormentors, he answered, ' The very 
 circumstance which you think would relieve me would, in 
 effect, cause tenfold suffering. For by driving away the 
 flies now saturated with my blood, I should afford an oppor- 
 tunity to those that were empty and hungry to supply their 
 place. And who doubts that the biting of a hungry insect 
 is ten thousand times more painful than that of one 
 completely gorged, unless the person attacked be stone, 
 and not flesh.' " 
 
GESTA ROMANORUM. 133 
 
 XIL THE HUMBLING OF JOVINIAN. 
 
 WHEN Jovinian was emperor, he had very great power, and 
 as he lay in bed reflecting upon the extent of his dominions, 
 his heart was elated. 
 
 " Is there/' he impiously asked, " is there any other god 
 than me ? " Amid such thoughts he fell asleep. 
 
 In the morning, he reviewed his troops, and said, " My 
 friends, after breakfast we will hunt." 
 
 Preparations being made accordingly, he set out with a 
 large retinue. During the chase, the emperor felt such ex- 
 treme oppression from the heat, that he believed his very 
 existence depended upon a cold bath. As he anxiously 
 looked around, he discovered a sheet of water at no great 
 distance. " Remain here," said he to his guard, " until I 
 have refreshed myself in yonder stream." Then spurring 
 his steed, he rode hastily to the edge of the water. Alight- 
 ing, he stripped off his clothes, and experienced the 
 greatest pleasure from its invigorating freshness and cool- 
 ness. But whilst he was thus employed, a person similar 
 to him in every respect in countenance and gesture 
 arrayed himself unperceived in the emperor's dress, and 
 then mounting his horse, rode off to the attendants. The 
 resemblance to the sovereign was such, that no doubt was 
 entertained of the reality ; and straightway command was 
 issued for their return to the palace. 
 
 Jovinian, however, having quitted the water, sought in 
 every possible direction for his horse and clothes, and 
 to his utter astonishment, could find neither. Vexed 
 beyond measure at the circumstance (for he was completely 
 naked, and saw no one near to assist him) he began to 
 reflect upon what course he should pursue. " Miserable 
 man that I am," said he, " to what a strait am I reduced ! 
 
i 3 4 TALES FROM THE 
 
 There is, I remember, a knight who lives close by ; I will go 
 to him, and command his attendance and service. I will 
 then ride on to the palace and strictly investigate the cause 
 of this extraordinary conduct. Some shall smart for it." 
 
 Jovinian proceeded, naked and ashamed, to the castle of 
 the aforesaid knight, and beat loudly at the gate. The 
 porter, without unclosing the wicket, inquired the cause 
 of the knocking. " Open the gate," said the enraged 
 emperor, "and you will see who I am." The gate was 
 opened ; and the porter, struck with the strange appearance 
 he exhibited, replied, " In the name of all that is 
 marvellous, what are you ? " "1 am," said he, " Jovinian, 
 your emperor ; go to your lord, and command him from me 
 to supply the wants of his sovereign. I have lost both 
 horse and clothes." " Infamous ribald ! " shouted the 
 porter, " just before thy approach, the Emperor Jovinian, 
 accompanied by the officers of his household, entered the 
 palace. My lord both went and returned with him ; and 
 but even now sat with him at meat. But because thou hast 
 called thyself the emperor, however madly, my lord shall 
 know of thy presumption." The porter entered, and related 
 what had passed. Jovinian was introduced, but the knight 
 retained not the slightest recollection of his master, although 
 the emperor remembered him. " Who are you ? " said the 
 knight, " and what is your name?" "I am the Emperor 
 Jovinian," rejoined he ; " canst thou have forgotten me ? 
 At such a time I promoted thee to a military command." 
 "Why, thou most audacious scoundrel," said the knight, 
 " darest thou call thyself the emperor ? I rode with him 
 myself to the palace, from whence I am this moment re- 
 turned. But thy impudence shall not go without its reward. 
 Flog him," said he, turning to his servants. " Flog him 
 soundly, and drive him away." 
 
 This sentence was immediately executed, and the poor 
 emperor, bursting into a convulsion of tears, exclaimed, 
 
GESTA ROMANORUM. 135 
 
 " Oh, my God, is it possible that one whom I have so much 
 honoured and exalted should do this? Not content with 
 pretending ignorance of my person, he orders these merci- 
 less villains to abuse me ! However, it will not be long 
 unavenged. There is a certain duke, one of my privy coun- 
 cillors, to whom I will make known my calamity. At least, 
 he will enable me to return decently to the palace." To 
 him, therefore, Jovinian proceeded, and the gate was opened 
 at his knock. But the porter, beholding a naked man, 
 exclaimed in the greatest amaze, " Friend, who are you, 
 and why come you here in such a guise?" He replied, " I 
 am your emperor ; I have accidentally lost my clothes and 
 my horse, and I have come for succour to your lord. Inform 
 the duke, therefore, that I have business with him." The 
 porter, more and more astonished, entered the hall, and 
 told of the man outside. " Bring him in," said the 
 duke. He was brought in, but neither did he recognize 
 the person of the emperor. " What art thou ? " was again 
 asked, and answered as before. " Poor mad wretch," said 
 the duke, " a short time since, I returned from the palace, 
 where I left the very emperor thou assumest to be. But 
 ignorant whether thou art more fool or knave, we will 
 administer such remedy as may suit both. Carry him to 
 prison, and feed him with bread and water." The command 
 was no sooner delivered, than obeyed ; and the following 
 day his naked body was submitted to the lash, and again cast 
 into the dungeon. 
 
 Thus afflicted, he gave himself up to the wretchedness of 
 his untoward condition. In the agony of his heart, he said : 
 " What shall I do? Oh ! what will be my destiny? I am 
 loaded with the coarsest contumely, and exposed to the 
 malicious observation of my people. It were better to hasten 
 immediately to my palace, and there discover myself my. 
 wife will know me ; surely, my wife will know me ! " Escap- 
 ing, therefore, from his confinement, he approached the 
 
136 TALES FROM THE 
 
 palace and beat upon the gate. The same questions were 
 repeated, and the same answers returned. " Who art thou ? " 
 said the porter. " It is strange," replied the aggrieved em- 
 peror, " it is strange that thou shouldst not know me ; 
 thou, who hast served me so long!" "Served thee!" re- 
 turned the porter indignantly ; " thou liest abominably. I 
 have served none but the emperor." "Why," said the 
 other, " thou knowest that I am he. Yet, though you dis- 
 regard my words, go, I implore you, to the empress ; com- 
 municate what I will tell thee, and by these signs, bid her 
 send the imperial robes, of which some rogue has deprived 
 me. The signs I tell thee of are known to none but to our- 
 selves." "In verity," said the porter, " thou art specially 
 mad ; at this very moment my lord sits at table with the 
 empress herself. Nevertheless, out of regard for thy singular 
 merits, I will intimate thy declaration within ; and rest assured 
 thou wilt presently find thyself most royally beaten." The 
 porter went accordingly, and related what he had heard. 
 But the empress became very sorrowful, and said : " Oh, my 
 lord, what am I to think ? The most hidden passages of 
 our lives are revealed by an obscene fellow at the gate, and 
 repeated to me by the porter, on the strength of which he 
 declares himself the emperor, and my espoused lord ! " 
 When the fictitious monarch was apprised of this, he com- 
 manded him to be brought in. He had no sooner entered, 
 than a large dog, which couched upon the hearth, and had 
 been much cherished by him, flew at his throat, and, but for 
 timely prevention, would have killed him. A falcon also, 
 seated upon her perch, no sooner beheld him than she broke 
 her jesses and flew out of the hall. Then the pretended 
 emperor, addressing those who stood about him, said : " My 
 friends, hear what I will ask of yon ribald. Who are you ? 
 and what do you want?" "These questions," said the 
 suffering man, " are very strange. You know I am the 
 emperor and master of this place." The other, turning to 
 
GESTA ROMANORUM. 137 
 
 the nobles who sat or stood at the table, continued : " Tell 
 me, on your allegiance, which of us two is your lord and 
 master?" "Your majesty asks us an easy thing," replied 
 they, " and need not to remind us of our allegiance. That 
 obscene wretch cannot be our sovereign. You alone are he, 
 whom we have known from childhood ; and we intreat that 
 this fellow may be severely punished as a warning to others 
 how they give scope to their mad presumption." Then 
 turning to the empress, the usurper said : " Tell me, my 
 lady, on the faith you have sworn, do you know this man 
 who calls himself thy lord and emperor?" She answered : 
 " My lord, how can you ask such a question? Have I not 
 known thee more than thirty years, and borne thee many 
 children ? Yet, at one thing I do admire. How can this 
 fellow have acquired so intimate a knowledge of what has 
 passed between us ? " 
 
 The pretended emperor made no reply, but addressing 
 the real one, said : " Friend, how darest thou to call thyself 
 emperor? We sentence thee, for this unexampled impu- 
 dence, to be drawn, without loss of time, at the tail of a 
 horse. And if thou utterest the same words again, thou 
 shalt be doomed to an ignominious death." He then 
 commanded his guards to see the sentence put in force, but 
 to preserve his life. The unfortunate emperor was now 
 almost distracted ; and urged by his despair, wished 
 vehemently for death. "Why was I born?" he exclaimed. 
 " My friends shun me, and my wife and children will not 
 acknowledge me. But there is my confessor, still. To him 
 will I go ; perhaps he will recollect me, because he has 
 often received my confessions." He went accordingly, and 
 knocked at the window of his cell. " Who is there ? " said 
 the confessor. " The Emperor Jovinian," was the reply ; 
 " open the window and I will speak to thee." The window 
 was opened ; but no sooner had he looked out than he 
 closed it again in great haste. " Depart from me," said he, 
 
138 TALES FROM THE 
 
 " accursed thing : thou art not the emperor, but the devil 
 incarnate." This completed the miseries of the persecuted 
 man ; and he tore his hair, and plucked up his beard by the 
 roots. " Woe is me," he cried, " for what strange doom am 
 I reserved ? " At this crisis, the impious words which, in 
 the arrogance of his heart, he had uttered, crossed his 
 recollection. Immediately he beat again at the window of 
 the confessor's cell, and exclaimed : " For the love of Him 
 who was suspended from the cross, hear my confession." 
 The recluse opened the window, and said, " I will do this 
 with pleasure;" and then Jovinian acquainted him with 
 every particular of his past life ; and principally how he had 
 lifted himself up against his Maker. 
 
 The confession made, and absolution given, the recluse 
 looked out of his window, and directly knew him. " Blessed 
 be the most high God," said he, " now I do know thee. I 
 have here a few garments : clothe thyself, and go to the 
 palace. I trust that they also will recognize thee." The 
 emperor did as the confessor directed. The porter opened 
 the gate, and made a low obeisance to him. " Dost thou 
 know me ? " said he. " Very well, my lord ! " replied 
 the menial; "but I marvel that I did not observe you 
 go out." Entering the hall of his mansion, Jovinian 
 was received by all with a profound reverence. The 
 strange emperor was at that time in another apartment 
 with the queen ; and a certain knight going to him, 
 said, " My lord, there is one in the hall to whom everybody 
 bends ; he so much resembles you, that we know not which 
 is the emperor." Hearing this, the usurper said to the 
 empress, " Go and see if you know him." She went, and 
 returned greatly surprised at what she saw. " Oh, my lord," 
 said she, " I declare to you that I know not whom to trust." 
 " Then," returned he, " I will go and determine you." And 
 taking her hand he led her into the hall and placed her on 
 the throne beside him. Addressing the assembly, he said, 
 
GESTA ROMANORUM. 139 
 
 " By the oaths you have taken, declare which of us is your 
 emperor." The empress answered : " It is incumbent on 
 me to speak first ; but heaven is my witness, that I am 
 unable to determine which is he." And so said all. Then 
 the feigned emperor spoke thus : " My friends, hearken ! 
 That man is your king and your lord. He exalted himself 
 to the disparagement of his Maker ; and God, therefore, 
 scourged and hid him from your knowledge. But his re- 
 pentance removes the rod ; he has now made ample satis- 
 faction, and again let your obedience wait upon him. 
 Commend yourselves to the protection of heaven." So 
 saying, he disappeared. The emperor gave thanks to God, 
 and surrendering to Him all his soul, lived happily and 
 finished his days in peace. 
 
 XIII. THE TWO PHYSICIANS. 
 
 Two physicians once lived in a city, who were admirably 
 skilled in medicine, insomuch that all the sick who took 
 their prescriptions were healed ; and it thence became a 
 question with the inhabitants, which of them was the best. 
 After a while, a dispute arose between them upon this 
 point. 
 
 Said one, " My friend, why should discord or envy or 
 anger separate us ; let us make the trial, and whosoever is 
 inferior in skill shall serve the other." 
 
 " But how," replied his friend, " is this to be brought 
 about?" 
 
 The first physician answered : " Hear me. I will pluck 
 out your eyes without doing you the smallest injury, and lay 
 them before you on the table ; and when you desire it I 
 will replace them as perfect and serviceable as they were 
 before. If, in like manner, you can perform this, we will 
 then be esteemed equal, and walk as brethren through the 
 
I 4 o TALES FROM THE 
 
 world. But, remember, he who fails in the attempt shall 
 become the servant of the other." 
 
 " I am well pleased," returned his fellow, " to do as you 
 say." Whereupon he who made the proposition took out 
 his instruments and extracted the eyes, besmearing the 
 sockets and the outer part of the lids with a certain rich 
 ointment. 
 
 " My dear friend," said he, " what do you perceive ? " 
 
 " Of a surety," cried the other, " I see nothing. 1 want 
 the use of my eyes, but I feel no pain from their loss. I 
 pray you, however, restore them to their places as you 
 promised." 
 
 " Willingly," said his friend. He again touched the inner 
 and outer part of the lids with the ointment, and then, with 
 much precision, inserted the balls into their sockets. " How 
 do you see now ? " asked he. 
 
 " Excellently," returned the other, " nor do I feel the 
 least pain." " Well, then," continued the first, " it now 
 remains for you to treat me in a similar manner." " I am 
 ready," he said. And accordingly taking the instruments, 
 as the first had done, he smeared the upper and under parts 
 of the eye with a peculiar ointment, drew out the eyes and 
 placed them upon the table. The patient felt no pain, but 
 added, " I wish you would hasten to restore them." The 
 operator cheerfully complied ; but as he prepared his imple- 
 ments, a crow entered by an open window, and seeing the 
 eyes upon the table, snatched one of them up, and flew 
 away with it. The physician, vexed at what had happened, 
 said to himself, " If I do not restore the eye to my com- 
 panion, I must become his slave." At that moment a goat, 
 browsing at no great distance, attracted his observation. 
 Instantly he ran to it, drew out one of his eyes, and put it 
 into the place of the lost one. 
 
 " My dear friend," exclaimed the operator, " how do things 
 appear to you ? " 
 
GESTA ROMANORUM. 141 
 
 " Neither in extracting nor in replacing," he answered, 
 " did I suffer the least pain ; but bless me ! one eye locks 
 up to the trees ! " 
 
 " Ah ! " replied the first, " this is the very perfection of 
 medicine. Neither of us is superior ; henceforward we will 
 be friends, as we are equals ; and banish far off that spirit 
 of contention which has destroyed our peace." The goat- 
 eyed man of physic acquiesced ; they lived from this time 
 in the greatest amity. 
 
 XIV. THE FALCON. 
 
 IN the reign of Pompey there lived a fair and amiable lady, 
 and near to her dwelt a handsome, noble soldier. He often 
 visited her, and professed much honourable love. The 
 soldier coming once to see her, observed a falcon upon her 
 wrist, which he greatly admired. " Dear lady," said he, " if 
 you love me, give me that beautiful bird." " I consent," 
 returned she, "but on one condition, that you do not 
 attach yourself so much to it as to rob me of your society." 
 " Far be such ingratitude from your servant," cried the 
 soldier, " I would not forsake you on any account ; and 
 believe me, this generosity binds me more than ever to love 
 you." 
 
 The lady presented the falcon to him ; and bidding her 
 farewell, he returned to his own castle. But ho liked the 
 bird so much, that he forgot his promise to the lady, and 
 never thought of her except when he sported with the 
 falcon. She sent messengers to him, but it was of no use ; 
 he came not : and at last she wrote a very urgent letter, 
 entreating him, without the least delay, to hasten to her 
 and bring the falcon along with him. 
 
 He acquiesced ; and the lady, after salutation, asked him 
 to let her touch the bird. But when she had it in her 
 
I 4 2 TALES FROM THE 
 
 hands, she wrenched its head from the body. " Madam," 
 said the vexed soldier, " what have you done ? " To which 
 the lady answered, " Be not offended, but rather rejoice at 
 what I have done. That falcon was the cause of your 
 absence, and I killed him that I might enjoy your company 
 as I was wont." The soldier, satisfied with the reason, 
 became once more faithful in his love. 
 
 APPLICATION. 
 
 My beloved, the king is our heavenly Father ; the lady, 
 our human nature joined to the divinity in Christ. The 
 soldier is any Christian, and the falcon, temporal prosperity. 
 
 XV. LET THE LAZIEST BE KING. 
 
 THE Emperor Pliny had three sons, to whom he was 
 very indulgent. He wished to dispose of his kingdom, and 
 calling the three into his presence, spoke thus : " The 
 laziest of you shall reign after my death." 
 
 " Then," answered the elder, " the kingdom must be 
 mine; for I am so lazy, that sitting once by the fire, I 
 burnt my legs, because I was too slothful to withdraw 
 them." 
 
 The second son said, " The kingdom should properly be 
 mine, for if I had a rope round my neck, and held a sword 
 in my hand, my idleness is such, that I should not put forth 
 my hand to cut the rope." 
 
 " But I," said the third son, " ought to be preferred to 
 you both ; for I outdo both in sloth. While I lay upon my 
 bed, water dropped from above upon my eyes ; and though, 
 from the nature of the water, I was in danger of becoming 
 blind, I neither could nor would turn my head ever so little 
 to the right hand or to the left." The emperor, hearing 
 this, bequeathed the kingdom to him, thinking him the 
 laziest of the three. 
 
GESTA ROMANORUM. 143 
 
 XVI. THE THREE MAXIMS. 
 
 DOMITIAN was a very wise and just prince, and suffered no 
 offender to escape. It happened that as he once sat at 
 table, a certain merchant knocked at the gate. The porter 
 opened it, and asked what he pleased to want. 
 
 " I have brought some useful things for sale," answered 
 the merchant. The porter introduced him, and he very 
 humbly made obeisance to the emperor. 
 
 " My friend," said the emperor, " what merchandise have 
 you to dispose of ? " 
 
 " Three maxims of especial wisdom and excellence, my 
 lord." 
 
 " And how much will you take for your maxims ? " 
 
 " A thousand florins." 
 
 " And so," said the king, " if they are of no use to me I 
 lose my money ? " 
 
 " My lord," answered the merchant, " if the maxims do not 
 stand you in stead, I will return the money." 
 
 " Very well," said the emperor. " Let us hear your 
 maxims." 
 
 " The first, my lord, is this : ' Whatever you do, do 
 wisely ; and think of the consequences.' The second is : 
 ' Never leave the highway for a byway' And, thirdly : 
 ' Never stay all night as a guest in that house where you 
 find the master an old man and his wife a young woman.' 
 These three maxims, if you attend to them, will be extremely 
 serviceable." 
 
 The emperor, being of the same opinion, ordered him to 
 be paid a thousand florins ; and so pleased was he with the 
 first, that he commanded it to be insribed in his court, in 
 his bed-chamber, and in every place where he was accus- 
 
144 TALES FROM THE 
 
 tomed to walk, and even upon the table-cloths from which 
 he ate. 
 
 Now the rigid justice of the emperor occasioned a con- 
 spiracy among the vicious and refractory of his subjects; 
 and finding the means of accomplishing their purposes 
 somewhat difficult, they engaged a barber, by large promises, 
 to cut his throat as he shaved him. 
 
 When the emperor, therefore, was to be shaved, the 
 barber lathered his beard, and began to operate upon it ; 
 but casting his eyes over the towel which he had fastened 
 round the royal neck, he perceived woven thereon, 
 " Whatever you do, do wisely, and think of the conse- 
 quences." The inscription startled the tonsor, and he said 
 to himself, " I am to-day hired to destroy this man. If .1 
 do it, my end will be ignominious ; I shall be condemned 
 to the most shameful death. Therefore, whatsoever I do, 
 it is good to consider the end, as the writing testifies." 
 These cogitations disturbed the barber so much that his 
 hand trembled, and the razor fell to the ground. The 
 emperor, seeing this, inquired the cause. 
 
 " Oh, my lord," said the barber, " have mercy upon me : 
 I was hired this day to destroy you ; but accidentally, or 
 rather by the will of God, I read the inscription on the 
 towel, ' Whatever you do, do wisely, and think of the con- 
 sequences.' Whereby, considering that, of a surety, the 
 consequence would be my own destruction, my hand 
 trembled so much, that I lost all command over it." 
 
 "Well," thought the emperor, ''this first maxim hath 
 assuredly saved my life : in a good hour was it purchased. 
 My friend," said he to the barber, " on condition that you 
 be faithful hereafter, I pardon you." 
 
 The noblemen who had conspired against the emperor, 
 finding that their project had failed, consulted with one 
 another what they were to do next. 
 
 " On such a day," said one, " he journeys to a particular 
 
GESTA ROMANORUM. 145 
 
 city ; we will hide ourselves in a bypath, through which, 
 in all probability, he will pass, and so kill him." 
 
 The counsel was approved. 
 
 The king, as had been expected, prepared to set out; 
 and riding on till he came to a cross-way, much less cir- 
 cuitous than the high road, his knights said, " My lord, it 
 will be better for you to go this way, than to pass along 
 the broad road ; it is considerably nearer." 
 
 The king pondered the matter within himself. " The 
 second maxim," thought he, " admonishes me never to for- 
 sake the highway for a byway. I will adhere to that 
 maxim." 
 
 Then turning to his soldiers, " I shall not quit the 
 public road ; but you, if it please you, may proceed by 
 that path, and prepare for my approach." Accordingly a 
 number of them went ; and the ambush, imagining that the 
 king rode in their company, fell upon them and put the 
 greater part to the sword. When the news reached the 
 king, he secretly exclaimed, " My second maxim hath also 
 saved my life." 
 
 Seeing, therefore, that by cunning they were unable to 
 slay their lord, the conspirators again took counsel, and it 
 was observed, that on a certain day he would lodge in a 
 particular house, " because," said they, " there is no other 
 fit for his reception. Let us then agree with the master of 
 that house, and his wife, for a sum of money to kill the 
 emperor as he lies in bed." 
 
 This was agreed to. 
 
 But when the emperor had come into the city, and had 
 been lodged in the house to which the conspirators referred, 
 he commanded his host to be called into his presence. 
 Observing that he was an old man, the emperor said, " Have 
 you not a wife ? " 
 
 " Yes, my lord." 
 
 " I wish to see her." 
 
146 TALES FROM THE 
 
 The lady came ; and when it appeared that she was 
 very young not eighteen years of age the king said 
 hastily to his chamberlain, " Away, prepare me a bed in 
 another house. I will remain here no longer." 
 
 " My lord," replied he, " be it as you please. But they 
 have made everything ready for you : were it not better ta 
 lie where you are, for in the whole city there is not so 
 commodious a place." 
 
 " I tell you," answered the emperor, " I will sleep else- 
 where." 
 
 The chamberlain, therefore, removed ; and the king went 
 privately to another residence, saying to the soldiers about 
 him, " Remain here, if you like ; but join me early in the 
 morning." 
 
 Now while they slept, the old man and his wife arose, 
 and not finding the king, put to death all the soldiers who 
 had remained. In the morning, when the murder was 
 discovered, the emperor gave thanks to God for his escape. 
 " Oh," cried he, " if I had continued here, I should have 
 been destroyed. So the third maxim hath also preserved 
 me." 
 
 But the old man and his wife, with the whole of their 
 family, were crucified. The emperor retained the three 
 maxims in memory during life, and ended his days in 
 peace. 
 
 XVII. A LOAF FOR A DREAM. 
 
 THERE were once three friends who agreed to make a pil- 
 grimage together. It happened that their provisions fell 
 short, and having but one loaf between them, they were 
 nearly famished. 
 
 " Should this loaf," they said to each other, " be divided 
 amongst us, there will not be enough for any one. Let us 
 
CESTA ROMANORUM. 147 
 
 then take counsel together, and consider how the bread is 
 to be disposed of." 
 
 " Suppose we sleep upon the way," replied one of them ; 
 "and whosoever hath the most wonderful dream shall 
 possess the loaf." 
 
 The other two acquiesced, and settled themselves to 
 sleep. 
 
 But he who gave the advice, arose while they were sleep- 
 ing, and ate up the bread, not leaving a single crumb for 
 his companions. When he had finished he awoke them. 
 
 " Get up quickly," said he, " and tell us your dreams." 
 
 " My friends," answered the first, " I have had a very 
 marvellous vision. A golden ladder reached up to heaven, 
 by which angels ascended and descended. They took my 
 soul from my body, and conveyed it to that blessed place 
 where I beheld the Holy Trinity ; and where I felt such an 
 overflow of joy, as eye hath not seen, nor ear heard. This 
 is my dream." 
 
 " And I," said the second, " beheld the devils with iron 
 instruments, by which they dragged my soul from the body, 
 and plunging it into hell flames, most grievously tormented 
 me, saying, ' As long as God reigns in heaven this will be 
 your portion.' " 
 
 " Now then," said the third, who had eaten the bread, 
 " hear my dream. It appeared as if an angel came and 
 addressed me in the following manner : ' My friend, would 
 you see what is become of your companions ? ' I an- 
 swered, ' Yes, Lord. We have but one loaf among us, 
 and I fear that they have run off with it.' ' You are mis- 
 taken,' he rejoined, ' it lies beside us ; follow me.' He 
 immediately led me to the gate of heaven, and by his com- 
 mand I put in my head and saw you ; and I thought that 
 you were snatched up into heaven and sat upon a throne of 
 gold, while rich wines and delicate meats stood around you. 
 Then said the angel, : Your companion, you see, has an 
 
T 4 8 TALES FROM THE 
 
 abundance of good things, and dwells in all pleasures. 
 There he will remain for ever ; for he has entered a celestial 
 kingdom, and cannot return. Come now where your other 
 associate is placed.' I followed, and he led me to hell- 
 gates, where I beheld you in torment, as you just now said. 
 Yet they furnished you, even there, with bread and wine in 
 abundance. I expressed my sorrow at seeing you in misery, 
 and you replied, ' As long as God reigns in heaven here I 
 must remain, for I have merited It. Do you then rise up 
 quickly, and eat all the bread, since you will see neither me 
 nor my companion again.' I complied with your wishes ; 
 arose, and ate the bread." 
 
 XVIII. LOWER THAN THE BEASTS. 
 
 IN the reign of a certain king there lived a proud and 
 oppressive seneschal. Now near the royal palace was a 
 forest well stocked with game ; and by the direction of this 
 person various pits were dug there, and covered with leaves, 
 for the purpose of entrapping the beasts. It happened that 
 the seneschal himself went into this forest, and with much 
 exaltation of heart exclaimed internally, " Lives there a 
 being in the empire more powerful than I am ? " This 
 braggart thought was scarcely formed, ere he rode upon one 
 of his own pitfalls, and immediately disappeared. 
 
 The same day had been taken a lion, a monkey, and a 
 serpent. Terrified at the situation into which fate had 
 thrown him, he cried out lustily ; and his noise awoke a 
 poor man called Guido, who had come with his ass into 
 that forest for firewood, by the sale of which he got his 
 bread. Hastening to the mouth of the pit, and finding the 
 cause of the noise, he was promised great wealth if he 
 would lift the seneschal out. 
 ' " My friend," answered Guido, " I have no means of ob- 
 
GESTA ROMANORUM. 149 
 
 taining a livelihood except by the faggots which I collect ; 
 if I neglect this for one day, I shall starve." 
 
 The seneschal renewed his promises of enriching him. 
 Guido went back to the city, and returned with a long cord, 
 which he let down into the pit, and bade the seneschal bind 
 it round his waist. But before he could do so, the lion 
 leaped forward, and seizing upon the cord, was drawn up in 
 his stead. Immediately, in high glee, the beast ran off into 
 the wood. The rope again descended, and the monkey 
 having noticed the success of the lion, vaulted above the 
 man's head, and shaking the cord, was in like manner set at 
 liberty. Without staying to return thanks, he hurried off to 
 his haunts. A third time the cord was let down, and the 
 serpent twining around it, was drawn up, and escaped. 
 
 " O my good friend," said the seneschal, " the beasts are 
 gone, now draw me up quickly, I pray you." 
 
 Guido complied, and afterwards succeeded in drawing up 
 his horse, which the seneschal instantly mounted and rode 
 back to the palace. 
 
 Guido returned home ; and his wife observing that he had 
 come without wood, was very dejected, and inquired the 
 cause. He related what had occurred, and the riches he 
 was to receive for his service. The wife's countenance 
 brightened, and early in the morning she posted off her 
 husband to the palace. But the seneschal denied all know- 
 ledge of him, and ordered him to be whipped for his pre- 
 sumption. The porter executed the directions, and beat 
 him so severely that he left him half dead. As soon as 
 Guide's wife understood this, she saddled their ass, and 
 brought him home. The sickness which ensued, consumed 
 the whole of their little property ; but as soon as he 
 had recovered, he went back to his usual occupation in the 
 wood. 
 
 Whilst he was thus employed, he saw afar off ten asses 
 laden with packs, and a lion by the last of them, coming 
 
:5o TALES FROM THE 
 
 ,:iong the path. On looking narrowly at this beast, he re- 
 membered that it was the same which he had freed from its 
 ..nprisonment in the pit. The lion signified with his foot 
 liiat he should take the loaded asses, and go home. This 
 Guido did, and the lion followed. When he had come to 
 his own door, the noble beast fawned upon him, and 
 wagging his tail as if in triumph, ran back to the woods. 
 Guido caused proclamation to be made in different churches,* 
 that if any asses had been lost, the owners should come to 
 him; but no one appearing to demand them, he opened the 
 packages, and to his great joy discovered them full of 
 money. 
 
 On the second day Guido returned to the forest, but 
 forgot an iron instrument to cleave the wood. He looked 
 up, and saw the monkey whom he had set free ; and the 
 animal, by help of teeth and nails, worked for him. Guido 
 then loaded his asses and went home. 
 
 The next day he renewed his visit to the forest ; and 
 sitting down to prepare his axe, discerned the serpent, 
 whose escape he had aided, carrying a stone in its mouth of 
 three colours ; the one white, another black, and the third 
 red. It opened its mouth and let the stone fall into Guide's 
 lap. Having done this, it departed. Guido took the stone 
 to a skilful lapidary, who had no sooner inspected it than he 
 knew its virtues, and would willingly have paid him a hun- 
 dred florins for it. But Guido refused ; and by means of 
 that singular stone, obtained great wealth, and was promoted 
 to a military command. 
 
 The emperor having heard of the extraordinary qualities 
 which it possessed^ desired to see it. Guido went accord- 
 ingly ; and the emperor was so struck with its uncommon 
 beauty, that he wished to purchase it at any rate ; and 
 
 * " Per ecclesias proclamare fecit." This may either mean that a 
 notice was fastened to the church door, or given out from the pulpit. 
 
 The last is most probable. 
 
GESTA ROMANORUM. 151 
 
 threatened, if Guido refused compliance, to banish him the 
 kingdom. 
 
 " My lord," answered he, " I will sell the stone ; but let 
 me say one thing if the price be not given, it shall be pre- 
 sently restored to me." 
 
 He demanded three hundred florins, and then taking it 
 from a small coffer, put it into the emperor's hands. Full of 
 admiration, he exclaimed, "Tell me where you procured this 
 beautiful stone?" 
 
 This he did ; and related from the beginning the senes- 
 chal's accident and subsequent ingratitude. He told how 
 severely he had been whipped by his command ; and the 
 benefits he had received from the lion, the monkey, and 
 serpent. 
 
 Much moved at the recital, the emperor sent for the 
 seneschal, and said, "What is this I hear of thee?" He 
 was unable to reply. " O wretch ! " continued the emperor 
 monster of ingratitude ! Guido liberated thee from the 
 most imminent danger, and for this thou hast nearly de- 
 stroyed him. Dost thou see how even irrational things have 
 rendered him good for the service he performed ? but thou 
 hast returned evil for good. Therefore I deprive thee of 
 thy dignity, which I will bestow upon Guido ; and I further 
 adjudge you to be hung on a cross." This decree infinitely 
 rejoiced the noblemen of the empire ; and Guido, full of 
 honours and years, ended his days in peace. 
 
 XIX. OF REAL FRIENDSHIP. 
 
 A CERTAIN king had an only son whom he much loved. 
 The young man was desirous of travelling, and obtained his 
 father's leave to travel. After an absence of seven years 
 he returned, and his father, overjoyed at his arrival, asked 
 what friends he had made. " Three," said the son " the 
 
I 5 2 
 
 TALES FROM THE 
 
 first of whom I love more than myself; the second, as 
 much as myself; and the third, little or nothing." 
 
 " You say well," returned the father ; " but it is a good 
 thing to prove them before you need their help. Therefore 
 kill a pig, put it into a sack, and go at night to the house of 
 him whom you love best, and say that you have accidentally 
 killed a man, and if the body should be found I shall con- 
 demn you to an ignominious death. Intreat him if he ever 
 loved you, to give his help in this extremity." The son did 
 so ; and the friend answered, " Since you have rashly de- 
 stroyed a man, you must needs be crucified. Now because 
 you were my friend, I will bestow upon you three or four 
 ells of cloth to wrap your body in." 
 
 The youth hearing this, went in much indignation to the 
 second of his friends, and told the same story. He received 
 him like the first, and said, " Do you believe me mad, that 
 I should expose myself to such peril? But since I have 
 called you my friend, I will accompany you to the cross, 
 and console you as much as possible upon the way." 
 
 This liberal proposal not meeting the prince's approba- 
 tion, he went to the third, and said, " I am ashamed to 
 speak what I have done ; but alas ! I have accidentally 
 slain a man." " My friend," answered the other, " I will 
 readily lay down my life in your defence ; and should you 
 be condemed to expiate your misfortune on the cross, I 
 will be crucified either for you or with you." This man, 
 therefore, proved that he was his friend. 
 
 XX. ROYAL BOUNTY. 
 
 A KING issued a proclamation, that whosoever would come 
 to him should obtain all they asked. The noble and the 
 rich desired dukedoms, or counties, or knighthood ; and 
 some treasures of silver and gold. But whatsoever they 
 
GESTA ROMANORUM. 153 
 
 desired they had. Then came the poor and the simple, and 
 solicited a like boon. 
 
 " Ye come late," said the king, " the noble and the nch 
 have already been, and have carried away all I possess." 
 This reply troubled them exceedingly ; and the king, moved 
 by their concern, said, " My friends, though I have given 
 away all my wealth, I have still the sovereign power ; no 
 one asked for that. I appoint you, therefore, to be their 
 judges and masters." 
 
 When this came to the ears of the rich, they were ex- 
 tremely disturbed, and said to the king, " My lord, we are 
 greatly troubled at your appointing these poor wretches 
 our rulers ; it were better for us to die than admit such 
 servitude." 
 
 " Sirs," answered the king, " I do you no wrong : what- 
 ever you asked I gave ; insomuch that nothing remains to 
 me but the supreme power. Nevertheless, I will give you 
 counsel. Whosoever of you has enough to support life, 
 let him bestow the superfluity upon these poor people. 
 They will then live honestly and comfortably, and upon 
 these conditions I will resume the sovereignty and keep it, 
 while you avoid the servitude you fear." And thus it was 
 done. 
 
 XXI.-WILY BEGUILED. 
 
 . 
 A THIEF went one night to the house of a rich man, and 
 
 scaling the roof, peeped through a hole to see whether any 
 part of the family were yet stirring. The master of the 
 house, suspecting something, said secretly to his wife, 
 " Ask me in a loud voice how I got my property, and do 
 not stop until I bid you." 
 
 The woman complied, and began to shout, " My dear 
 husband, pray tell me, since you never were a merchant, 
 how you came by all the wealth you have." 
 
154 TALES FROM THE 
 
 " My love," answered her husband, " do not ask such 
 foolish questions." 
 
 But she persisted in her inquiries ; and at length, as if 
 overcome by her urgency, he said, " Keep what I am going 
 to tell you a secret, and you shall know." 
 
 " Oh ! trust me." 
 
 " Well, then, you must know that I was a thief, and got 
 what I now enjoy by nightly depredations." 
 
 " It is strange," said the wife, " that you were never 
 tarken." 
 
 " Why," he replied, " my master, who was a skilful clerk, 
 taught me a particular word, which, when I went on the 
 tops of people's houses, I pronounced, and thus escaped 
 detection." 
 
 " Tell me, I conjure you," returned the lady, " what that 
 powerful word was." 
 
 " Hear, then ; but never mention it again, or we shall 
 lose all our property." 
 
 "Be sure of that," said the lady; "it shall never be 
 repeated." 
 
 " It was is there no one within hearing ? the mighty 
 word was ' FALSE.' " 
 
 The lady, apparently quite satisfied, fell asleep ; and her 
 husband feigned it. He snored lustily, and the thief abore, 
 who had heard their conversation with much pleasure, aided 
 by the light of the moon, descended, repeating seven times 
 the cabalistic sound. But being too much occupied with 
 the charm to mind his footing, he stepped through the 
 window into the house ; and in the fall dislocated his leg and 
 arm, and lay half dead upon the floor. The owner of the 
 mansion, hearing the noise, and well knowing the reason, 
 though he pretended ignorance, asked " What was the 
 matter ? " " Oh ! " groaned the suffering thief, " False falls." 
 In the morning he was taken before the judge, and after- 
 wards suspended on a cross. 
 
GESTA ROMANORUM. 155 
 
 XXII. THE BASILISK. 
 
 ALEXANDER the Great was lord of the whole world. He 
 once collected a large army, and besieged a certain city, 
 around which many knights and others were killed without 
 any visible wound. Much surprised at this, he called 
 together his philosophers, and said, " My masters, how is 
 this ? My soldiers die, and there is no apparent wound ! " 
 " No wonder," replied they ; " under the walls of the city is 
 a basilisk, whose look infects your soldiers, and they die of 
 the pestilence it creates." " And what remedy is there for 
 this ? " said the king. 
 
 " Place a glass in a high place between the army and the 
 wall under which the basilisk cowers ; and no sooner shall 
 he behold it, than his own figure, reflected in the mirror, ' 
 shall return the poison upon himseif, and kill him." 
 Alexander took their advice, and thus saved his followers. 
 
 APPLICATION. 
 
 My beloved, look into the glass of reflection, and by 
 remembrance of human frailty destroy the vices which time 
 breeds. 
 
 XXIII. THE TRUMP OF DEATH. 
 
 A KING made a law, by which whosoever was suddenly 
 to be put to death, in the morning, before sunrise should 
 be saluted with songs and trumpets ; and, arrayed in black 
 garments, should receive judgment. This king made a 
 great feast ; and convoked all the nobles of his kingdom, 
 who appeared accordingly. The most skilful musicians were 
 assembled, and there was much sweet melody. 
 
156 TALES FROM THE 
 
 But the king was discontented and out of humour ; his 
 countenance expressed intense sorrow, and sighs and groans 
 rose from his heart. The courtiers were all amazed ; but 
 none dared ask the cause of his sadness. At last, the king's 
 brother whispered to him the surprise of his guests, and 
 intreated that he mi^ht understand the cause of his grief. 
 " Go home now/' answered the king j ' to-morrow you shall 
 know." This was done. 
 
 Early in the morning the king caused the trumpets to 
 sound before his brother's house, and the guards to bring 
 him to the court. The brother, greatly alarmed at the 
 sounding of the trumpets, arose, and put on black. When 
 he came before the king, the king commanded a deep pit 
 to be dug, and a rotten chair, with four decayed feet, to be 
 slightly suspended over it. In this chair he made his 
 brother sit ; above his head he caused a sword to hang, 
 attached to one silk thread ; and four men, each armed with 
 a very sharp sword, to stand near him, one before and one 
 behind ; a third on the right hand, and the fourth on the left. 
 When they were thus placed, the king said, " The moment 
 I give the word, strike him to the heart." 
 
 Trumpets, and all other kind of musical instruments, 
 were brought; and a table, covered with various dishes, 
 was set before him. " My dear brother," said the king, 
 " what is the cause of your sorrow ? Here are the greatest 
 delicacies, the most enrapturing harmony ; why do you not 
 rejoice ? " 
 
 " How can I rejoice? " answered he. " In the morning, 
 trumpets sounded for my death ; and I am now placed upon 
 a frail chair, in which, if I move ever so little, I shall pro- 
 bably be thrown upon the pointed sword beneath. If I raise 
 my head, the weapon above will pierce to my brain. Besides 
 this, the four torturers around stand ready to kill me at your 
 bidding. These things considered, were I lord of the universe 
 I could not rejoice." 
 
GESTA ROMANORUM. 157. 
 
 " Now, then," answered the king, " I will reply to your 
 question of yesterday. I am, on my throne, as you on that 
 frail chair. For my body is its emblem, supported by four 
 decayed feet, that is, by the four elements. The pit below 
 me is hell. Above my head is the sword of divine justice, 
 ready to take life from my body. Before me is the sword 
 of death ; behind, the sword of sin, ready to accuse me at 
 the tribunal of God. The weapon on the right hand is the 
 devil ; and that on the left, is the worms which after death 
 shall gnaw my body. And. considering all these circum- 
 stances, how can /rejoice? If you to-day feared me, who 
 am mortal, how much more ought I to dread my Creator 
 and my Redeemer, our Lord Jesus Christ ? Go, dearest 
 brother, and be careful that you do not again ask such 
 questions." 
 
 The brother rose from his unpleasant seat, and rendering 
 thanks to the king for the lesson he had given him, firmly 
 resolved to amend his life. All who were present com- 
 mended the ingenuity of the royal reproof. 
 
 . 
 XXIV. ALEXANDER AND THE PIRATE. 
 
 AUGUSTINE tells us in his book, " De Civitate Dei," that 
 Diomedes, in a piratical galley, for a long time infested the 
 sea, plundering and sinking many ships. Being captured by 
 command of Alexander, before whom he was brought, the 
 king inquired how he dared to molest the seas. " How 
 darest thou" replied he, <: molest the earth? Because I am 
 master only v c a single galley, I am termed a robber ; but 
 you, who oppress the world with huge squadrons, are called 
 a king and a conqueror. Would my fortune change I might 
 become better ; but as you are the more fortunate, so much 
 are you the worse." " I will change thy fortune," said 
 
158 TALES FROM' THE 
 
 Alexander, " lest fortune should be blamed by thy malig- 
 nity." Thus he became rich ; and from a robber was made 
 a prince and a dispenser of justice. 
 
 XXV. A TALE OF A PENNY. 
 
 THERE was an emperor whose porter was very shrewd. He 
 earnestly besought his master that he might have the custody 
 of a city for a single month, and receive, by way of tax, one 
 penny from every crook-backed, one-eyed, scabby, leprous, 
 or ruptured person. The emperor admitted his request, and 
 confirmed the gift under his own seal. 
 
 Accordingly, the porter was installed in his office ; and 
 as the people entered the city he took note of their defects, 
 and charged them in accordance with the grant. It hap- 
 pened that a hunch-backed fellow one day entered, and the 
 porter made his demand. Hunch-back protested that he 
 would pay nothing. 
 
 The porter immediately laid hands upon him, and acci- 
 dentally raising his cap, discovered that he was one-eyed 
 also. He demanded two pennies forthwith. 
 
 The other still more vehemently opposed, and would have 
 fled ; but the porter catching hold of his head, the cap came 
 off, and disclosed a bald scab ; whereupon he required three 
 pennies. 
 
 Hunch-back, very much enraged, persisted in his refusal, 
 and began to struggle with the porter. This caused an 
 exposure of his arms, by which it became manifest that he 
 was leprous. The fourth penny was therefore laid claim to ; 
 and the scuffle continuing, revealed a rupture, which made 
 a fifth. 
 
 Thus, a fellow unjustly refusing to pay a rightful demand 
 of one penny, was necessitated, much against his inclination, 
 to 
 
GESTA ROMANORUM. 159 
 
 XXVI. OF AVOIDING IMPRECATIONS. 
 
 GERVASE of Tilbury relates a very remarkable occurrence, 
 but at the same time full of excellent caution and prudent 
 exhortation. 
 
 During the reign of the Roman emperor Otto, there was, 
 in the bishopric of Girona, in Catalonia, a very high moun- 
 tain, whose ascent was extremely arduous, and, except in 
 one place, inaccessible. On the summit was an unfathom- 
 able lake of black water. Here also stood, as it is reported, 
 a palace of demons, with a large gate, continually closed ; 
 but the palace itself, as well as its inhabitants, existed in in- 
 visibility. If any one cast a stone or other hard substance 
 into this lake, the demons exhibited their anger by furious 
 storms. In one part of the mountain was perpetual snow 
 and ice, with abundance of crystal. At its foot flowed a 
 river, whose sands were of gold ; and the precious metal 
 thus obtained, was denominated, by the vulgar, its cloak. 
 The mountain itself and the parts adjacent, furnished 
 silver; and its inexhaustible fertility was not the least 
 surprising. 
 
 Not far from hence lived a certain farmer, who was much 
 occupied with domestic matters, and troubled exceedingly 
 by the incessant squalling of his little girl ; insomuch, that 
 at length wearied out by the torment, in a moment of fret- 
 fulness he wished his infant at the devil. This incautious 
 desire was scarcely uttered, ere the girl was seized by an in- 
 visible hand, and carried off. Seven years afterwards, a 
 person journeying at the foot of the mountain near the 
 farmer's dwelling, distinguished a man hurrying along at a 
 prodigious rate, and uttering the most doleful complaints. 
 He stopped to inquire the occasion ; and was told, that for 
 the space of seven years last passed, he had been committed 
 
T 6o TALES FROM THE 
 
 to the custody of the demons upon that mountain, who 
 daily made use of him as of a chariot, in consequence of an 
 unwary exclamation to that effect. The traveller startled at 
 an assertion so extraordinary, and a little incredulous, was 
 informed that his neighbour had suffered in a similar de- 
 gree; for that having hastily committed his daughter to 
 their power, they had instantly borne her off. He added, 
 that the demons, weary of instructing the girl, would 
 willingly restore her, provided the father presented himself 
 on the mountain and there received her. 
 
 The auditor, thunder-struck at this communication, 
 doubted whether he should conceal things so incredible, 
 or relate them as he had heard. He determined, at last, 
 to declare the girl's situation to her father ; and hasten- 
 ing, accordingly, found him still bewailing the lengthened 
 absence of his daughter. Ascertaining the cause, he went on 
 to state what he had heard from the man whom the devils 
 used as a chariot. " Therefore," said he, " I recommend 
 you, attesting the divine name, to demand of these devils 
 the restitution of your daughter." Amazed at what was 
 imparted to him, the father deliberated upon the best 
 method of proceeding ; and finally, pursued the counsel of 
 the traveller. Ascending the mountain, he passed forward 
 to the lake, and adjured the demons to restore the girl whom 
 his folly had committed to them. Suddenly a violent blast 
 swept by him, and a girl of lofty stature stood in his pre- 
 sence. Her eyes were wild and wandering, and her bones 
 and sinews were scarcely covered with skin. Her horrible 
 countenance discovered no sign of sensibility ; and, ignorant 
 of all language, she scarcely could be acknowledged for a 
 human being. The father, wondering at her strange appear- 
 ance, and doubtful whether she should be taken to his own 
 home or not, posted to the bishop of Girona, and with a 
 sorrowful aspect detailed what had befallen him ; at the 
 same time requesting his advice. The bishop, as a religious 
 
GESTA ROMANORUM. 161 
 
 man, and one entrusted with a charge of so much import- 
 ance, narrated every circumstance respecting the girl to his 
 diocese. He warned them against rashly committing theit 
 fortunes to the power of concealed demons ; and showed 
 that our adversary the devil, as a raging lion, goeth about 
 seeking whom he may devour ; that he will slay those who 
 are given to him, and hold them in eternal bonds. 
 
 The man who was used by the devils as a chariot, a lon# 
 time remained in this miserable situation. But his subse- 
 quent faith and discretion emancipated him. He stated 
 that near the above-mentioned place there was an extensive 
 subterranean palace, whose entrance was by a single gate, 
 enveloped in the thickest darkness. Through this portal 
 the devils, who had been on embassies to various parts of 
 the world, returned, and communicated to their fellows what 
 they had done. No one could tell of what the palace was 
 constructed, save themselves, aud those who passed under 
 their yoke to eternal damnation. From all which, my 
 beloved, we may gather the dangers we are exposed to, and 
 how cautious we should be of invoking the devil to our 
 assistance, as well as of committing our family to his power. 
 Let us guard our hearts, and beware that he catch not up 
 the sinful soul, and plunge it into the lake of everlasting 
 misery - } where there is snow and ice unthawed ; crystal, that 
 reflects the awakened and agonized conscience perpetually 
 burning with immortal fire. 
 
 XXVIL A VERSE EXERCISE. 
 
 ALEXANDER had an only son called Celestinus, whom he 
 loved with the utmost tenderness. He desired to have him 
 well instructed ; and sending for a certain philosopher, 
 said, " Sir, instruct my son, and I will pay you bountifully." 
 The philosopher agreed, and took the boy home with him. 
 
162 TALES FROM THE 
 
 He diligently performed his duty ; and it happened, that 
 one day entering a meadow with his pupil, they saw a horse 
 lying on the ground, grievously affected with the mange. 
 Near the animal two sheep were tied together, which busily 
 cropped the grass that grew around them. It so chanced 
 that the sheep were on each side of the horse, and the cord 
 with which they were bound passed over his back, and 
 chafing the sores, galled him exceedingly. Disturbed by 
 this, he got up ; but the cord, then loaded with the weight 
 of the sheep, afflicted him more and more ; and filled with 
 fury, he began to run off at a great speed, dragging along 
 the unfortunate sheep. And in equal proportion to their 
 resistance was the increase of the horse's suffering, for 
 the cord, having worn itself into a hollow, sunk, at every 
 struggle, deeper into the wound. 
 
 Adjoining the meadow was the house of a miller, toward 
 which the horse, impelled by the anguish of his wound, 
 galloped, and entered, with the sheep hanging as we have 
 said. The house was then unoccupied ; but there was a 
 fire burning upon the hearth ; and the horse plunging and 
 striking his hoofs, so scattered the fire, that the flame 
 caught hold of the building, and burnt all to ashes, together 
 with the horse and the sheep. "Young man," said the 
 preceptor to his pupil, " you have witnessed the beginning, 
 the middle, and the end of this incident : make me some 
 correct verses upon it; and show me why the house was burnt. 
 Unless you do this, I promise I will punish you severely." 
 
 Celestinus, during the absence of his master, applied 
 himself diligently to study, but he was unable to do his 
 task This much troubled him ; and the devil, ever on the 
 alert, met him in the likeness of a man, and said, " My son, 
 what has made you so sorrowful ? " 
 
 Celest. " Never mind ; it is no use telling you." 
 
 Devil. " You know not that ; tell me, and I will help you." 
 
 Celest. " I am charged, under a heavy punishment, to 
 
GESTA ROMANORUM. 163 
 
 make some verses about a scabby horse and two sheep, 
 and I don't know how." 
 
 Devil. " Young man, I am the devil in a human form, 
 and the best poet going ; care nothing about your master, 
 but promise to serve me faithfully, and I will compose such 
 delectable verses for you that they shall excel those of your 
 pedagogue himself." 
 
 Celestinus, tempted by this insidious proposal, gave his 
 word to serve him faithfully if he fulfilled his engagement. 
 The devil then produced the following verses : 
 
 Bound by a thong, that passed along 
 
 A horse's mangy hide ; 
 Two sheep there lay, as I you say, 
 
 One upon either side. 
 
 The steed uprose, and upward goes 
 
 Each sheep with dangling breech ; 
 Borne by the horse's rapid course, 
 
 The miller's hut they reach. 
 
 Scattering the fire, with reckless ire, 
 
 The rafters caught the flame ; 
 And bleating breed and scabby steed 
 
 Were roasted in the same. 
 
 Now had that wight, that miller hight, 
 
 Vouchsafed his house to keep ; 
 Ere he returned, it had not burned, 
 
 Nor burned his horse and sheep.* 
 
 The boy, made happy by the present, returned home. 
 
 * As these are probably the only verses on record of the devil's 
 composition (at least, so well authenticated), I transcribe them for the 
 information of the curious. 
 
 " Nexus ovem binam, per spinam traxit equinam ; 
 Lsesus surgit equus, pendet utrumque pecus. 
 Ad molendinum, pondus porlabat equinum, 
 Dispergendo focum, se cremat atque locum. 
 Custodes aberant ; singula damna ferant." 
 
 F 2 
 
1 64 TALES FROM THE 
 
 Master. " My child, have you stolen your verses, or made 
 them?" 
 
 Celest. " I made them, sir." 
 
 He then read what we have given above ; and the master, 
 struck with the greatest astonishment at their uncommon 
 beauty, exclaimed, " My dear boy, tell me if any one made 
 these verses for you ? " 
 
 Celest. " No, sir ; no one did." 
 
 Master, " Unless you tell me the truth, I will flog you 
 till the blood run." 
 
 The lad, fearful of what might follow, declared all that 
 occurred, and how he had bound himself to the devil. The 
 preceptor, grieved at the communication, induced the youth 
 to confess himself, and renounce this fearful confederacy. 
 When this was done he became a holy man ; and after a 
 well-spent life, gave up his soul to God. 
 
 XXVIIL BRED IN THE BONE. 
 
 THERE reigned some time in Rome a wise and mighty 
 emperor, named Anselm, who did bear in his arms a shield 
 of silver with five red roses. This emperor had three sons, 
 whom he loved much. He had also continual war with the 
 king of Egypt, in which war he lost all his temporal goods 
 except a precious tree. It fortuned after on a day that he 
 gave battle to the same king of Egypt, wherein he was 
 grievously wounded ; nevertheless, he obtained the victory, 
 notwithstanding he had his deadly wound. Wherefore, 
 while he lay at point of death, he called unto his eldest 
 son, and said : " My dear and well-beloved son, all my 
 temporal riches are spent, and almost nothing is left me 
 but a precious tree, the which stands in the midst of my 
 empire. I give to thee all that is under the earth and above 
 
GESTA ROMANORL'Af. 165 
 
 the earth of the same tree." <; O my reverend fat'r.er," quoth 
 he, " I thank you much." 
 
 Then said the emperor, " Call to me my secoiul son." 
 Anon the eldest son, greatly joying of his father's gift, called 
 in his brother. And when he came, the emperor said, 
 " My dear son, I may not make my testament, forasmuch 
 as I have spent all my goods, except a tree which stands in 
 the midst of mine empire, of the which tree, I bequeath to 
 thee all that is great and small." Then answered he and 
 said, " My reverend father, I thank you much." 
 
 Then said the emperor, " Call to me my third son." 
 And so it was done. And when he was come the emperor 
 said, " My dear son, I must die of these wounds, and I 
 have only a precious tree, of which I have given thy 
 brethren their portion, and to thee I bequeath thy portion ; 
 for I will that thou have of the said tree all that is wet and 
 dry." Then said his son, " Father, I thank you." 
 
 Soon after the emperor had made his bequest, he died. 
 And the eldest son took possession of the tree. Now 
 when the second son heard this, he came to him, saying, 
 " My brother, by what law or title occupy you this tree ? " 
 " Dear brother," quoth he, " I occupy it by this title : my 
 father gave me all that is under the earth, and above of the 
 said tree, by reason thereof the tree is mine." " Unknowing 
 to thee," quoth the second brother, " he gave unto me all 
 that is great and small of the said tree, and therefore I have 
 as great right in the tree as you." This hearing, the third 
 son he came to them and said, " My well-beloved brethren, 
 it behoveth you not to strive for this tree, for I have as 
 much right in the tree as ye, for by the law ye wot that the 
 last will and testament ought to stand, for of truth he gave 
 me of the said tree all that is wet and dry, and therefore the 
 tree by right is mine ; but forasmuch as your words are of 
 great force and mine also, my counsel is that we be judged 
 by reason, for it is not good nor commendable that strife or 
 
1 66 TALES ffROAl THE 
 
 dissension should be among us. Here beside dwelleth a 
 king full of reason ; therefore, to avoid strife, let us go to 
 him, and each of us lay his right before him, and as he shall 
 judge, let us stand to his judgment." Then said his brethren, 
 " Thy counsel is good." Wherefore they went all three unto 
 the king of reason, and each of them severally showeth forth 
 his right unto him, as it is said before. 
 
 When the king had heard the titles, he rehearsed them all 
 again severally, first saying to the eldest son thus : " You 
 say," quoth the king, " that your father gave you all that is 
 under the earth and above the earth of the said tree. And 
 to the second brother he bequeathed all that is great and 
 small of that tree. And to the third brother he gave all 
 that is wet and dry." 
 
 And with that he laid the law to them, and said that this 
 will ought to stand. 
 
 " Now, my dear friends, briefly I shall satisfy all your re- 
 quests ; " and when he had thus said, he turned him unto 
 the eldest brother, saying, " My dear friend, if you list to 
 abide the judgment of right, it behoveth you to be letten 
 blood of the right arm." " My lord," quoth he, " your will 
 shall be done." Then the king called for a discreet physi- 
 sian, commanding him to let him blood. 
 
 When the eldest son was letten blood, the king said unto 
 them all three, " My dear friends, where is your father 
 buried ? " Then answered they, and said, " Forsooth, my 
 lord, in such a place." Anon the king commanded to dig in 
 the ground for the body, and to take a bone out of his 
 breast, and to bury the body again : and so it was done. 
 And when the bone was taken out, the king commanded 
 that it should be laid in the blood of the elder brother, and 
 it should lie till it had received kindly the blood, and then 
 to be laid in the sun and dried, and after that it should be 
 washed with clear water. His servants fulfilled all that he 
 had commanded : and when they began to wash, the blood 
 
GESTA ROMANORUM. 167 
 
 vani bed clean away ; when the king saw this, he said to the 
 second son, " It behoveth that thou be letten blood, as thy 
 brother was." Then said he, " My lord's will shall be ful- 
 filled," and anon he was done unto like as his brother was 
 in all things, and when they began to wash the bone, the 
 blood vanished away. Then said the king to the third son, 
 " It behoveth thee to be letten blood likewise." He answered 
 and said, " My lord, it pleaseth me well so to be." When 
 the youngest brother was letten blood, and done unto in all 
 things as the two brethren were before, then the king's 
 servants began to wash the bone, but neither for washing nor 
 rubbing might they do away the blood of the bone, but it 
 ever appeared bloody : when the king saw this, he said, " 1$ 
 appeareth openly now that this blood is of the nature of the 
 bone, thou art his true son, and the other two are bastards. 
 I judge thee the tree for evermore." 
 
 XXIX. FULGENTIUS. 
 
 IN Rome some time dwelt a mighty emperor named 
 Martin, which for entire affection kept with him his brother's 
 son, whom men called Fulgentius. With this Martin dwelt 
 also a knight that was steward of the empire, and uncle 
 unto the emperor, which envied this Fulgentius, studying 
 day and night how he might bring the emperor and this 
 youth at debate. Wherefore the steward on a day went to 
 the emperor, and said, " My lord," quoth he, " I that am your 
 true servant, am bound in duty to warn your highness, if 
 I hear anything that toucheth your honour, wherefore I have 
 such things that I must needs utter it in secret to your 
 majesty between us two." Then said the emperor, " Good 
 friend, say on what thee list." 
 
 " My most dear lord," quoth the steward, " Fulgentius, 
 your cousin and your nigh kinsman, hath defamed you 
 
 
 
1 68 TALES FROM THE 
 
 wonderfully and shamefully throughout all your whole em- 
 pire, saying that your breath stinketh, and that it is death 
 to him to serve your cup." Then the emperor was grievously 
 dipleased, and almost beside himself for anger, and said 
 unto him thus : " I pray thee, good friend, tell me the very 
 truth, if that my breath stinketh as he saith ? " " My lord," 
 quoth the steward, " ye may believe me, I never perceived 
 a sweeter breath in my days than yours is." " Then," said 
 the emperor, " I pray thee, good friend, tell me how I may 
 bring this thing to good proof." 
 
 The steward answered and said : " My lord," quoth he, 
 " ye shall right well understand the truth ; for to-morrow 
 next when he serveth you of your cup, ye shall see that he 
 will turn away his face from you, because of your breath, 
 and this is the most certain proof that may be had of this 
 thing." " Verily," quoth the emperor, " a truer proof cannot 
 be had of this thing.'' Therefore anon, when the stewardheard 
 this, he went straight to Fulgentius, and took him aside, 
 saying thus : " Dear friend, thou art near kinsman and also 
 nephew unto my lord the emperor, therefore if thou wilt be 
 thankful unto me, I will tell thee of a fault whereof my lord 
 the emperor complaineth oft, and thinks to put thee from 
 him, except it be the sooner amended, and that will be a 
 great reproof to thee." Then said this Fulgentius : " Ah, 
 good sir, for his love that died upon the cross, tell me why 
 my lord is so sore moved with me, for I am ready to amend 
 my fault in all that I can or may, and for to be ruled by 
 your discreet counsel." 
 
 " Thy breath," quoth the steward, " stinketh so sore, that 
 his drink doth him no good, so grievous unto him is the 
 stinking breath of thy mouth." Then said Fulgentius unto 
 the steward : " Truly that perceived I never till now. But 
 tvhat think ye of my breath ? I pray you tell me the very 
 truth." " Truly," quoth the steward, " it stinketh greatly 
 and foul." And this Fulgentius believed all that he had 
 
GESTA ROM A NO RUM. 169 
 
 said, and was right sorrowful in his mind, and prayed the 
 steward of his counsel and help in this woeful case. 
 Then said the steward unto him, " If that thou wilt do my 
 counsel, I shall bring this matter to a good conclusion ; 
 wherefore do as I shall tell thee. 
 
 " I counsel thee for the best, and also warn thee that 
 when thou servest my lord the emperor of his cup, that thou 
 turn thy face away from him, so that he may not smell thy 
 stinking breath, until the time that thou hast provided thee 
 of some remedy therefore." 
 
 Then was Fulgentius right glad, and sware to him that 
 he would do by his counsel. 
 
 Not long after it befell that this young man Fulgentius 
 served his lord as he was wont to do, and therewith 
 suddenly he turned his face from the lord the emperor, as 
 the steward had taught him. 
 
 And when the emperor perceived the avoiding of his 
 head, he smote this young Fulgentius on the breast with 
 his foot, and said to him thus : " O thou lewd varlet ; now 
 I see well it is true that I have heard of thee, and therefore 
 go thou anon out of my sight, that I may see thee no more 
 in this place." And with that this young Fulgentius wept 
 full sore, and avoided the place, and went out of his sight. 
 
 And when this was done, the emperor called unto him 
 his steward, and said, " How may I rid this varlet from the 
 world, that thus hath defamed me ? " " My most dear 
 lord," quoth the steward, " right well you shall have your 
 intent. 
 
 " For here beside, within these three miles, ye have brick- 
 makers, which daily make great fire, for to burn brick, and 
 also they make lime ; therefore, my lord, send to them this 
 night, charge them upon pain of death, that whosoever 
 cometh to them first in the morning, saying to them thus, 
 ' My lord commandeth them to fulfil his will,' that they take 
 him and cast him into the furnace and burn him : and 
 
170 TALES FROM THE 
 
 this night command you this Fulgentius, that he go early 
 in the morning to your workmen, and that he ask them 
 whether they have fulfilled your will which they were com- 
 manded, or not ; and then shall they, according to your 
 commandment, cast him into the fire, and thus shall he die 
 an evil death." 
 
 " Surely," quoth the emperor, " thy counsel is good ; 
 therefore call to me that varlet Fulgentius." And when the 
 young man was come to the emperor's presence, he said 
 to him thus : " I charge thee upon pain of death, that thou 
 rise early in the morning, and go to the burners of lime and 
 brick, and that thou be with them early before the sun 
 rise, three miles from this house, and charge them in my 
 behalf, that they fulfil my commandment, or else they shall 
 die a most shameful death." 
 
 Then spake this Fulgentius : " My lord, if God send me 
 my life, I shall fulfil your will, were it that I go to the 
 world's end." 
 
 When Fulgentius had this charge, he could not sleep for 
 thought, that he must rise early to fulfil his lord's command- 
 ment. The emperor about midnight sent a messenger on 
 horseback unto his brickmakers, commanding, that upon 
 pain of death, that whosoever came to them first in the 
 morning, saying unto them (as is before rehearsed) they 
 should take him and bind him, and cast him into the fire, 
 and burn him to the bare bones. 
 
 The brickmakers answered and said, it should be done. 
 Then the messenger returns home again, and told the 
 emperor that his commandment should be diligently 
 fulfilled. 
 
 Early in the morning following, Fulgentius arose and pre- 
 pared him towards his way, and as he went, he heard a bell 
 ring to service, wherefore he went to hear service, and after 
 the end of service he fell asleep, and there slept a long while 
 so snundlv, that the priest, nor none other, might awake him. 
 
1 
 GESTA ROMANORUM. 171 
 
 The steward desiring inwardly to hear of his death, about 
 two of the clock he went to the workmen, and said unto 
 them thus : " Sirs," quoth he, " have ye done the emperor's 
 commandment or not ? " 
 
 The brickmakers answered him and said : " No, truly, we 
 have not yet done his commandment, but it shall be done," 
 and with that they laid hands on him. Then cried the 
 steward, and said, " Good sirs, save my life, for the emperor 
 commanded that Fulgentius should be put to|death." Then 
 said they, " The messenger told us not so, but he bade us, 
 that whosoever came first in the morning, saying, as you 
 have said, that we should take him, and cast him into the 
 furnace, and burn him to ashes. " And with that they threw 
 him into the fire. 
 
 And when he was burnt, Fulgentius came to them and 
 said, " Good sirs, have you done my lord's commandment ?" 
 " Yea, soothly," said they, " and therefore go ye again to the 
 emperor, and tell him so." Then said Fulgentius, " For 
 Christ's love, tell me that commandment ? " 
 
 " We had in commandment," said they, " upon pain of 
 death, that whosoever came to us first in the morning, and 
 said like as thou hast said, that we should take him and 
 cast him into the furnace. But before thee came the steward 
 and therefore on him have we fulfilled the emperor's com- 
 mandment j now he is burnt to the bare bones." 
 
 When Fulgentius heard this, he thanked God that he had 
 so preserved him from death ; therefore he took his leave 
 of the workmen, and went again to the palace. 
 
 When the emperor saw him, he was almost distract of his 
 wits for anger, and thus he said, " Hast thou been with the 
 brickmakers, and fulfilled my commandment ? " " Soothly, 
 my gracious lord, I have been there, but ere I am there, 
 your commandment was fulfilled." " How may that be 
 true," quoth the emperor. 
 
 " Forsooth," said Fulgentius, " the steward came to them 
 
172 TALES FROM THE 
 
 afore me, and said that I should have said, so they took 
 him and threw him into the furnace ; and if I had come 
 any earlier, so would they have done to me, and therefore 
 I thank God that he hath preserved me from death." 
 
 Then said the emperor, "Tell me the truth of such 
 questions as I shall demand of thee." Then said Ful- 
 gentius to the emperor, " You never found me in any 
 falsehood, and therefore I greatly wonder why ye have 
 ordained such a death for me ; for well ye know that I am 
 your own brother's son." Then said the emperor to 
 Fulgentius : "It is no wonder, for that death I ordained 
 for thee, through counsel of the steward, because thou didst 
 defame me throughout all my empire, saying, that my breath 
 did stink so grievously, that it was death to thee, and in 
 token thereof thou turnedst away thy face when thou 
 servedst me of my cup, and that I saw with mine eyes ; and 
 for this cause I ordained for thee such a death ; and yet 
 thou shalt die, except I hear a better excuse." 
 
 Then answered Fulgentius, and said, " Ah, dear lord, if 
 it might please your highness for to hear me, I shall show 
 you a subtle and deceitful imagination." " Say en," quoth 
 the emperor. 
 
 " The steward," quoth Fulgentius, " that is now dead, 
 came to me and said, that ye told unto him that my breath 
 did stink, and thereupon he counselled me, that when I 
 served you of your cup, I should turn my face away ; I take 
 God to witness, I lie not." 
 
 When the emperor heard this, he believed him, and said, 
 " O my nephew, now I see, through the right wise judgment 
 of God, the steward is burnt, and his own wickedness and 
 envy is fallen on himself, for he ordained this malice 
 against thee, and therefore thou art much bound to 
 Almighty God that hath preserved thee from death." 
 
GESTA ROMANORUM. 173 
 
 XXX VENGEANCE DEFERRED. 
 
 A LAW was made at Rome, that no man should marry 
 for beauty, but for riches only ; and that no woman should 
 be united to a poor man, unless he should by some means 
 acquire wealth equal to her own. A certain poor knight 
 solicited the hand of a rich lady, but she reminded him of 
 the law, and desired him to use the best means of comply- 
 ing with it, in order to effect their union. He departed in 
 great sorrow; and after much inquiry, was informed of a 
 rich duke, who had been blind from the day of his birth. 
 Him he resolved to murder, and obtain his wealth ; but 
 found that he was protected in the daytime by several 
 armed domestics, and at night by the vigilance of a faithful 
 dog. He contrived, however, to kill the dog with an arrow, 
 and immediately afterwards the master ; with whose money 
 he returned to the lady. He informed her that he had 
 accomplished his purpose ; and being asked how this had 
 been done in so short a space of time, he told all that had 
 happened. 
 
 The lady desired, before the marriage should take 
 place, that he would go to the spot where the duke was 
 buried, lay himself on his tomb, listen to what he might 
 hear, and then report it to her. The knight armed 
 himself, and went accordingly. In the middle of the night 
 he heard a voice saying, "O duke, that liest here, what 
 askest thou that I can do for thee ? " The answer was, 
 " O Jesus, thou upright judge, all that I require is ven- 
 geance for my blood unjustly spilt." The voice rejoined, 
 " Thirty years from this time thy wish shall be fulfilled." The 
 knight, extremely terrified, returned with the news to the 
 lady. She reflected that thirty years were a long time, and 
 resolved on the marriage. During the whole thirty years the 
 parties remained in perfect happiness. 
 
174 TALES FROM THE GESTA ROMANORUAf. 
 
 When the thirty years were nearly passed, the knight 
 built a strong castle, and over one of the gates, in a 
 conspicuous place, caused the following verses to be 
 written 
 
 " In my distress, religious aid I sought : 
 But my distress relieved, I held it nought. 
 The wolf was sick, a lamb he seemed to be ; 
 But health restored, a wolf again was he." 
 
 Interrogated as to the meaning of these enigmatical lines, 
 the knight at once explained them, by relating his own 
 story, and added, that in eight days time the thirty years 
 would expire. 
 
 He invited all his friends to a feast at that date, and 
 when the day was arrived, the guests placed at table, 
 and the minstrels attuning their instruments of music, a 
 beautiful bird flew in at the window, and began to sing 
 with uncommon sweetness. The knight listened attentively 
 and said, "I fear this bird prognosticates misfortune." He 
 then took his bow, and shot an arrow into it, in presence of 
 all the company. Instantly the castle divided into two 
 parts, and, with the knight, his wife, and all who were in it, 
 was precipitated to the lowest depth of the infernal regions. 
 The story adds, that on the spot where the castle 
 stood, there is now a spacious lake, on which no sub- 
 stance whatever floats, but is immediately plunged to the 
 bottom. 
 
A DISCOURSE OF THE 
 MOST FAMOUS DR. JOHN FAUSTUS, 
 
 OF WITTENBURG. IN GERMANY. CONJURER AND 
 NECROMANCER ; 
 
 WHEREIN IS DECLARED MANY STRANGE THINGS 
 THAT HIMSELF HAD SEEN AND DONE IN 
 
 THE EARTH AND AIR, WTTH HIS 
 BRINGING UP, HIS TRAVELS, STUDIES, AND LAST END. 
 

 

 THE FAMOUS HISTORY 
 
 . 
 
 ' 
 
 OF 
 
 D 
 OCTOR FAUSTUS. 
 
 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 Of his Parentage and Birth. 
 
 
 JOHN FAUSTUS, born in the town of Rhodes, being in the 
 province of Weimar, in Germany, his father a poor husband- 
 man, and not able well to bring him up, yet having an uncle 
 at Wittenburg, a rich man, and without issue, took this 
 Faustus from his father, and made him his heir, insomuch 
 that his father was no more troubled with him, for he re- 
 mained with his uncle at Wittenburg, where he was kept at 
 the university in the same city, to study Divinity; but 
 Faustus being cf a naughty mind, and otherwise addicted, 
 plyed not his studies, but betook himself to other exercises, 
 which his uncle oftentimes hearing, rebuked him for it; as 
 Eh oftentimes rebuked his children for sinning against the 
 Lord, even so this good old man laboured to have Faustus 
 apply his study to Divinity, that he might come to the 
 knowledge of God and his law. But it is manifest that 
 many virtuous parents have wicked children, as Cain, 
 
1 78 THE FAMOUS HISTORY OF 
 
 Reuben, Absolom, and such like, have been to their parents. 
 So Faustus having godly parents, who seeing him to be of a 
 toward wit, were desirous to bring him up in those virtuous 
 studies, namely, of Divinity ; but he gave himself secretly to 
 necromancy, and conjuration, insomuch that few or none 
 could perceive his profession. 
 
 But to the purpose, Faustus continued at study in the 
 university, and was by the rectors, and sixteen masters after- 
 wards, examined how he had profited in L:3 studies, and 
 being found by them, that none of his time were able to 
 argue with him in divinity, or for the excellency of his 
 wisdom to compare with him, with one consent they made 
 him Doctor of Divinity. But Doctor Faustus, within short 
 time after he had obtained his degree, fell into such fantasies, 
 and deep cogitations, that he was mocked of many, and of 
 the most part of the students was called the Speculator, and 
 <?or-Ptimes he would throw the Scriptures from him, as though 
 he had no care of his former profession, so that he began a 
 Jiost ungodly life, as hereafter more at large may appear, 
 for the old proverb saith, " Who can hold what will away ? " 
 So, who can hold Faustus from the devil, that seeks after 
 him with all his endeavours ; for he accompanied himself 
 with divers that were seen in those devilish arts, and that 
 had the Chaldean, Persian, Hebrew, Arabian, and Greek 
 tongues, using figures, characters, conjurations, incantations, 
 with many other ceremonies belonging to those infernal arts, 
 as necromancy, charms, soothsaying, witchcraft, enchant- 
 ment, being delighted with their books, words, and names 
 so well, that he studied day and night therein, insomuch 
 that he could not abide to be called Doctor of Divinity, but 
 waxed a worldly man, and named himself an astrologian, and 
 a mathematician, and for a shadow sometimes a physician, 
 and did great cures, namely with herbs, roots, waters, drinks, 
 receipts and glysters ; and without doubt he was passing wise 
 and excellent perfect in Holy Scriptn-. But he that 
 
DOCTOR FAUSTUS. 179 
 
 knoweth his master's will, and doth it not, is worthy to be 
 beaten with many stripes. It is written, " No man can serve 
 two masters, and thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God." 
 But Faustus threw all this in the wind, and made his soul of 
 no estimation, regarding more his worldly pleasures than the 
 joys to come ; therefore at the day of judgment, there is no 
 hope of his redemption. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 How Doctor Faustus began to practise his devilish Art, and how he 
 conjured the Devil, making him to appear, and meet him on the 
 morrow-morning at his own House. 
 
 You have heard before that all Faustus's mind was to study 
 the arts of necromancy and conjuration, the which exercise 
 he followed day and night, and taking to him the wings of 
 an eagle thought to fly over the whole world, and to know 
 the secrets of heaven and earth, for his speculation was so 
 wonderful, being expert in using his vocabula, figures, 
 characters, conjuration, and other ceremonial actions, that 
 in all haste he put in practice to bring the devil before him, 
 and taking his way to a thick wood near to Wittenburg, 
 called in the German tongue, Spisser Holt, that is in English, 
 the Spisser's Wood, as Faustus would oftentimes boast of it 
 among the crew, being in jollity, he came into the wood one 
 evening into the cross-way, where he made with a wand a 
 circle in the dust, and within that many more circles and 
 characters ; and thus he past away the time until it was nine 
 or ten of the clock in the night, then began Dr. Faustus to 
 call on Mephistophiles the Spirit, and to charge him in the 
 name of Belzebub, to appear there presently, without any 
 long stay. 
 
 Then presently the devil began so great a rumour in the 
 wood, as if heaven and earth would have come together, 
 
i8o THE FAMOUS HISTORY OF 
 
 with wind, and the trees bowed their tops to the ground, 
 then fell the devil to roar, as if the whole wood had been 
 full of lions, and suddenly about the circle run the devil, 
 as if a thousand waggons had been running together on 
 paved-stones. After this, at the four corners of the wood 
 it thundered horribly, with such lightning, as the whole 
 world to his seeming had been on fire. Faustus all this 
 while, half amazed at the devil's so long tarrying, and 
 doubting whether he were best to abide any more such 
 horrible conjurings, thought to leave his circle, and depart, 
 whereupon the devil made him such music of all sorts, as 
 if the nymphs themselves had been in place : whereat 
 Faustus revived, and stood stoutly in his circle, expecting 
 his purpose, and began again to conjure the spirit Mephis- 
 tophiles in the name of the Prince of Devils, to appear in 
 his likeness : whereat suddenly, over his head hung hovering 
 in the air a mighty dragon ; then calls Faustus again after 
 his devilish manner, at which there was a monstrous cry in 
 the wood, as if hell had been open, and all the tormented 
 souls cursing their condition. 
 
 Presently, not three fathoms above his head, fell a flame 
 in manner of lightning, and changed itself into a globe ; 
 yet Faustus feared it not, but did persuade himself that the 
 devil should give him his request before he would leave. 
 Oftentimes after to his companions he would boast that 
 he had the stoutest head under the cope of heaven at 
 command. Whereat they answered, They knew no stouter 
 than the Pope or Emperor. But Dr. Faustus said, " The 
 head that is my servant, is above all upon earth;" and 
 repeated certain words out of St. Paul to the Ephesians, to 
 make his argument good, " The Prince of the World is 
 upon earth and under heaven." Well, let us come again to 
 his conjuration, where we left him at the fiery globe ; 
 Faustus, vexed at his spirit's so long tarrying, used his 
 charms, with full purpose not to depart before he had h>"s 
 
DOCTOR FAUSTUS. 181 
 
 intent; and crying on Mephistophiles the spirit, suddenly 
 the globe opened, and sprung up in the height of a man, so 
 burning a time, in the end it converted to the shape of a 
 fiery man. This pleasant beast ran about the circle a great 
 while, and lastly appeared in the manner of a Gray Friar, 
 asking Faustus what was his request. 
 
 Fausius commanded, that the next morning at twelve of 
 the clock, he should appear to him at his house ; but the 
 devil would in no wise grant it. Faustus began to conjure 
 him again, in the name of Belzebub, that he should fulfil his 
 request j whereupon the spirit agreed, and so they departed 
 each on his way. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 The Conference of Doctor Faustus, with his Spirit Mephistophiles, the 
 Morning following at his own House. 
 
 DR. FAUSTUS, having commanded the spirit to be with him, 
 at his hour appointed, he came and appeared in his chamber, 
 demanding of Faustus what his desire was. Then began 
 Dr. Faustus anew with him, to conjure him, That he would 
 be obedient unto him, and to answer him certain articles, 
 to fulfil them in all points : 
 
 1 . That the spirit would serve him, and be obedient unto 
 him in all things that he asked of him, from that hour until 
 the hour of his death. 
 
 2. Further, anything that he desired of him, he should 
 bring him. 
 
 3. Also that in all Faustus's demands and interrogations, 
 the spirit should tell him nothing but that which was true. 
 
 Hereupon the spirit answered, and laid his case forth, 
 that he had no such power of himself until he had first given 
 his prince (that was ruler over him) to understand thereof, 
 and to know if he could obtain so much of his lord : 
 
1 82 THE FAMOUS ti IS TORY OF 
 
 " Therefore speak farther, that I may do thy whole desire 
 to my prince ; for it is not in my power to fulfil without 
 his leave." 
 
 " Show me the cause why ? " said Faustus. 
 
 The spirit answered Faustus : " Thou shalt understand, 
 that with us it is even as well a kingdom as with you on 
 earth ; yea, we have our rulers and servants, as I myself am 
 one ; and we have our whole number the legion, for 
 although that Lucifer is thrust and fallen out of heaven, 
 through his pride and high mind, yet he hath notwith- 
 standing a legion of devils at his command, that we call 
 the Oriental Princes, for his power is infinite ; also there is 
 a power in meridie, in septentrio, in occidente, and for that 
 Lucifer hath his kingdom under heaven ; we must change 
 and give ourselves to men, to serve them at their pleasure. 
 It is also certain, we have not as yet opened to any man 
 the truth of our dwelling, neither of our ruling, neither 
 what our power is ; neither have we given any man any 
 gift, or learned him anything, except he promise to 
 be ours." 
 
 Dr. Faustus upon this arose where he sat, and said, 
 " I will have my request, and yet I will not be damned." 
 
 The spirit answered : " Then shalt thou want thy desire, 
 and yet art thou mine notwithstanding; if any man would 
 detain thee, it is but in vain, for thy infidelity ha^h con- 
 founded thee." 
 
 Hereupon spake Faustus : " Get thee hence from me, 
 and take St. Valentine's farewell, and Crisman with thee ; 
 yet I conjure thee, that thou be here at evening, and 
 bethink thyself of what I have asked thee ; ask thy prince's 
 counsel therein." 
 
 Mephistophiles the spirit, thus answered, vanished away, 
 leaving Faustus in his study, where he sat pondering with 
 himself how he might obtain his request of the devil, 
 without the loss of his soul ; yet he was fully resolved in 
 
DOCTOR FAUSTUS. 
 
 himself, rather than to want his pleasure, to do what the 
 spirit and his lord should condition upon. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 The second Time of the Spirifs appearing to Faustus at his fleuse, 
 and their Parley. 
 
 FAUSTUS continued in his devilish cogitations, never moving 
 out of the place where the spirit left him, such was his 
 fervent love to the devil ; the night approaching, this swift- 
 flying spirit appeared to Faustus, offering himself with all 
 submission to his service, with full authority from his prince, 
 to do whatsoever he would request ; if so be Faustus would 
 promise to be his. " This answer I bring thee, an answer 
 must thou make by me again : yet I will hear what is thy 
 desire, because thou hast sworn to me to be here at this 
 time." 
 
 Dr Faustus gave him this answer, though faintly for his 
 soul's sake, that his request was none other, but to become 
 a devil, or at least a limb of him, and that the spirit should 
 agree to these articles following : 
 
 1. That he might be a spirit in shape and quality. 
 
 2. That Mephistophiles should be his servant at his 
 command. 
 
 3. That Mephistophiles should bring him anything, and 
 do for him whatsoever he desired. 
 
 4. That all times he would be in the house invisible to 
 all men, except only to himself, and at his command to 
 show himself. 
 
 5. That Mephistophiles should at all times appear at his 
 command, in what form or shape soever he would. 
 
 Upon these points the spirit answered Dr. Faustus. That 
 all this should be granted him, and fulfilled, and more if he 
 would agree unto him upon certain articles as followeth : 
 
184 THE FAMOUS HISTORY OF 
 
 1. That Dr. Faustus should give himself to the lord 
 Lucifer, body and soul. 
 
 2. For confirmation of the same, he should make him a 
 writing written in his own blood. 
 
 3. That he would be an enemy to all Christian people. 
 
 4. That he would deny the Christian belief. 
 
 5. That he let not any man change his opinion, if so be 
 any man should go about to dissuade or withdraw him 
 from it. 
 
 Farther the spirit promised Faustus to give him certain 
 years to live in health and pleasure, and when such years 
 were expired, that then Faustus would be fetched away; 
 and if he would hold these articles and conditions, that 
 then he should have whatsoever his heart would wish or 
 desire; and that Faustus should quickly perceive himself 
 to be a spirit in all manner of actions whatsoever. Here- 
 upon Dr. Faustus's mind was inflamed, that he forgot his 
 soul, and promises Mephistophiles to hold all things as he 
 mentioned them : he thought the devil was not so black as 
 they used to paint him, nor hell so hot as the people say. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 The third Parley between Dr. Faustus and Mephistophiles about 
 a Conclusion. 
 
 AFTER Dr. Faustus had made his promise to the devil, in 
 the morning betimes he called the spirit before him, and 
 commanded him, that he should always come to him like a 
 friar, after the order of St. Francis, with a bell in his hand 
 like St. Anthony, and to ring it once or twice before he 
 appeared, that he might know of his certain coming : then 
 Faustus demanded of his spirit what was his name ? 
 
 The spirit answered, " My name is as thou sayest, Mephis- 
 tophiles, and I am a prince, but a servant to Lucifer, and 
 
DOCTOR FAUSTUS. 185 
 
 all the circuit from septentrio to the meridian, I rule under 
 him." 
 
 Even at these words was this wicked wretch Faustus 
 inflamed, to hear himself to have gotten so great a potentate 
 to serve him, forgetting the Lord his Maker, and Christ his 
 Redeemer, he became an enemy to all mankind ; yea, worse 
 than the giants, whom the poets said to climb the hills to 
 make war with the gods, not unlike the enemy of God and 
 Christ, that for his pride was cast into hell ; so likewise 
 Faustus forgot, that high climbers catch the greatest falls, 
 and sweet meats have oft sourest sauce. 
 
 After a while Faustus promised Mephistophiles to write 
 and make his obligation with all assurance of the articles in 
 the chapter before rehearsed : a pitiful case, Christian reader, 
 for certainly this letter or obligation was found in his house, 
 after his most lamentable end, with all the rest of his 
 damnable practices used in his whole life. 
 
 Wherefore I wish all Christians to take example by this 
 wicked doctor, and to be comforted in Christ, concerning 
 themselves with that vocation whereunto it has pleased 
 God to call them, and not so esteem the vain delights of 
 this life as did this unhappy Faustus in giving his soul to 
 the devil : and to confirm it the more assuredly, he took a 
 small penknife, and pricked a vein in his left hand, and for 
 certainty thereupon were seen on his hand these words 
 written, as if they had been written in his own blood, 
 O HOMO FUGE ; whereat the spirit vanished, but Faustus 
 continued in his damnable mind. 
 
1 86 THE FAMOUS HISTORY OF 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 How Dr. Faustus set his Blood in a Saucer on warm Ashes, and 
 writ as f allow eth : 
 
 I, Jofjn jJFaugtns, doctor, do openly acknowledge with mine 
 own hand, to the great force and strengthening of this letter, 
 that since I began to study, and speculate the course and nature 
 of the elements, I have not found, through the gift that is given 
 me from above, any such learning and wisdom that can bring 
 me to my desire, and for that I find that men are unable to 
 instruct me any farther in the matter ; now have I, Dr. 
 Faustus, to the hellish prince of Orient, and his messenger 
 Mtphistophiles, given both body and soul, upon such conditions, 
 that they shall learn me, and fulfil my desires in all things, as 
 they have promised and vowed unto me, with due obedience 
 unto me, according to the articles mentioned between us. 
 
 Jmtljer, I tio cobenant arto grant with them by these presents, 
 that at the end of twenty -four years next ensuing, the date oj 
 this present letter, they being expired, and I in the mean time, 
 during the said years, be served of them at my will, they 
 accomplishing my desires to the full in all points as we are 
 agreed : that then I give to them all power to do with me at 
 their pleasure, to rule, to send, fetch or carry me or mine, be 
 il either body, soul, flesh, blood or goods, into their habitation, 
 be it wheresoever : and hereupon I defy God and his Christ, 
 all the Host of Heaven, and all living creatures that bear the 
 shape of God ; yea, all that live : And again 2 say it, and it 
 shall be so, and to the more strengthening of this writing, I 
 have written it with my own hand and blood, being in perfect 
 mtmory ; and hereupon I subscribe to it with my name and 
 title, calling all the infernal, middle, and supreme pmvers to 
 witness of this my letter and subscription. 
 
 giofw jpaustus, 
 
 Approved in the elements, and the spiritual doctor. 
 
DOCTOR FAUSTUS. 187 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 How Mephistophiles came for his Writing, and in what manner he 
 appeared, and his Sights he showed him ; and how he caused him to 
 keep a Copy of his own Writing, 
 
 DR. FAUSTUS sitting pensive, having but one only boy with 
 him, suddenly there appeared his spirit Mephistophiles in 
 likeness of a very man, from whom issued most horrible 
 fiery flames, insomuch that the boy was afraid, but being 
 hardened by his master, he bid him stand still, and he 
 should have no harm : this spirit began to bleat as in a sing- 
 ing manner. This pretty sport pleased Dr. Faustus well ; 
 but he would not call his spirit into his counting-house until 
 he had seen more. Anon was heard a rushing of armed 
 men, and trampling of horses ; this ceasing, came a kennel 
 of hounds, and they chased a great hart in the hall, and 
 there the hart was slain. Faustus took heart, came forth 
 and looked upon the hart, but presently before him there 
 was a lion and a dragon together, fighting so fiercely, that 
 Faustus thought they would have thrown down the house \ 
 but the dragon overcame the lion, and so they vanished. 
 After this came in a peacock and peahen ; the cock, bruis- 
 ing of his 'uui, turning to the female, beat her, and so 
 vanished. Afterward followed a furious bull, that with a 
 full fierceness ran upon Faustus, but coming near him 
 vanished away. Afterward followed a great old ape ; this 
 ape offered Faustus the hand, but he refused ; so the ape 
 ran out of the hall again. Hereupon fell a mist in the hall, 
 that Faustus saw no light, but it lasted not ; and so soon as 
 it was gone, there lay before Faustus two great sacks, one 
 full of gold, another of silver. 
 
 Lastly, was heard by Faustus all manner of instruments 
 of music, as organs, clarigolds, lutes, viols, citterns, waits, 
 
i88 
 
 lornpipes, flutes, anomes, harps, and all manner of other 
 instruments, which so ravished his mind, that he thought he 
 had been in another world, forgot both body and soul, inso- 
 much that he was minded never to change his opinion con- 
 cerning that which he had done. 
 
 Hereat came Mephistophiles into the hall to Faustus, in 
 apparel like unto a friar, to whom Faustus spake : " Thou 
 hast done me a wonderful pleasure in showing me this 
 pastime ; if thou continue as thou hast begun, thou shalt 
 win my heart and soul, yea, and have it." 
 
 Mephistophiles answered : " This is nothing ; I will please 
 thee better ; yea, that thou mayst know my power on all, 
 ask what request thou wilt of me, that shalt thou have, con- 
 ditionally hold thy promise, and give me thy handwriting." 
 At which words the wretch thrust forth his hand, saying, 
 " Hold thee, there hast thou my promise." 
 
 Mephistophiles took the writing and willed Faustus to 
 take a copy of it. With that the perverse Faustus being 
 resolute in his damnation, wrote a copy thereof, and gave 
 the devil the one, and kept in store the other. Thus the 
 spirit and Faustus were agreed, and dwelt together; no 
 doubt there was a virtuous house-keeping. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 The manner how Faustus proceeded in this damnable Life, and of 
 the diligent Service that Mephistophiles used t<noards him. 
 
 DR. FAUSTUS having given his soul to the devil, renouncing 
 all the powers of heaven, confirming all his lamentable 
 action with his own blood, and having already delivered his 
 writing now into the devil's hand, the which so puffed up 
 his heart, that he forgot the mind of a man, and thought 
 himself to be a spirit. 
 ' Thus Faustus dwelt at his uncle's house at Wittenburg, 
 
DOCTOR FAUSTUS. 180 
 
 H 
 
 who died, and bequeathed it in his testament to his cousin 
 Faustus. 
 
 Faustus kept a boy with him, that was his scholar, an 
 unhappy wag, called Christopher Wagner, to whom this 
 sport and life that he saw his master followed, seemed 
 pleasant Faustus loved the boy well, hoping to make him 
 as good or better seen in his hellish exercises than himself, 
 and he was fellow with Mephistophiles. Otherwise Faustus 
 had no company in his house but himself and boy, and 
 spirit that ever was diligent at Faustus's command, going 
 about the house, clothed like a friar, with a little bell in his 
 hand, seen of none but Faustus. 
 
 For victuals and other necessaries, Mephistophiles brought 
 him at his pleasure, from the Duke of Saxony, the Duke of 
 Bavaria, and the Bishop of Salisburg ; and they had many 
 times their best wine stolen out of their cellars by Mephisto- 
 philes, likewise their provisions for their own table. Such 
 meat as Faustus wished for, his spirit brought him in. Besides 
 that. Faustus himself was become so cunning, that when he 
 opened his window, what fowl soever he wished for, it came 
 presently flying into the house, were it never so dainty. 
 Moreover, Faustus and his boy went in sumptuous apparel, 
 the which Mephistophiles stole from the mercers at Noren- 
 burg, Aspurg, Franckford, and Tipzig ; for it was hard for 
 them to find a lock to keep out such a thief. All their 
 maintenance was but stolen and borrowed ware ; and thus 
 they lived an odious life in the sight of God, though as yet 
 the world were unacquainted with their wickedness. It 
 must be so, for their fruits be none other, as Christ saith in 
 John, where he calls the devil a thief and murderer ; and 
 that found Faustus, for he stole him away both body and 
 soul. 
 
190 THE FAMOUS HISTORY OF 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 Hew Dr. Faustus would have married, and how the Devil had 
 almost killed him for it. 
 
 DR. FAUSTUS continued thus in this epicurish life day and 
 night, believed not that there was a God, hell, or devil : he 
 thought that soul and body died together, and had quite 
 forgot divinity, or the immortality of the soul, but stood in 
 that damnable heresy day and night, and bethinking himself 
 of a wife, called Mephistophiles to council : which would 
 in no case agree, demanding of him if he would break the 
 covenant made with him, or if he had forgot it. " Hast 
 thou," quoth Mephistophiles, " sworn thyself an enemy to 
 God and to all creatures ? To this I answer thee, Thou 
 canst not marry, thou canst not serve two masters, God and 
 my prince ; for wedlock is a chief institution ordained of 
 God, and that thou hast promised to defy as we do all, and 
 that hast thou not only done, but moreover thou hast con- 
 firmed it with thy blood, persuade thyself that what thou dost 
 in contempt of wedlock, it is all to thy own delight. Therefore, 
 Faustus, look well about thee, and bethink thyself better, 
 and I wish thee to change thy mind, for if thou keep not 
 what thou hast promised in thy writing, we will tear thee in 
 pieces like the dust under thy feet. Therefore, sweet 
 Faustus, think with what unquiet life, anger, strife, and 
 debate thou shall live in when thou takest a wife. Therefore 
 change thy mind." 
 
 Dr. Faustus was with these speeches in despair ; and as all 
 that have forsaken the Lord can build upon no good foun- 
 dation, so this wretched doctor having forsook the rock, 
 fell into despair with himself, fearing, if he should motion 
 matrimony any more, that the devil should tear him in 
 pieces. " For this time," quoth he to Mephistophiles, " I 
 
DOCTOR FAUSTUS. 191 
 
 am not minded to marry." " Then dost thou well," answered 
 his spirit. 
 
 But within two hours after Faustus called again to his 
 spirit, who came in his old manner like a friar. Then 
 Faustus said unto him, " I am not able to resist or bridle 
 my fancy ; I must and will have a wife, and I pray thee give 
 thy consent to it." Suddenly upon these words came such 
 a whirlwind about the place that Faustus thought the whole 
 house would have come down ; all the doors of the house flew 
 off the hooks. After all this his house was full of smoke, and 
 the floor covered with ashes; which, when Dr. Faustus 
 perceived, he would have gone upstairs, and flying up he 
 was taken and thrown down into the hall, that he was not 
 able to stir hand nor foot ; then round about him ran a 
 monstrous circle of fire, never standing still, that Faustus 
 cried as he lay, and thought there to have been burned. 
 Then cried he out to his spirit Mephistophiles for help, 
 promising him he would live, for all this, as he had vowed 
 by his handwriting. Hereupon appeared unto him an ugly 
 devil, so dreadful and monstrous to behold, that Faustus 
 durst not look on him. The devil said, "What wouldst 
 thou have, Faustus ? How likest thou thy wedding ? What 
 mind art thou in now ? " Faustus answered, he had forgot 
 his promise, desiring of him pardon, and he would talk no 
 more of such things. " Thou art best so to do ;" and so 
 vanished from him. 
 
 After appeared unto him his friar Mephistophiles, with a 
 bell in his hand, and spake to Faustus : " It is no jesting 
 with us ; hold thou that which thou hast vowed, and we 
 will perform that which we have promised ; and more than 
 that, thou shalt have thy heart's desire of what woman 
 soever thou wilt, be she alive or dead, and so long as thou 
 wilt thou shalt keep her by thee." These words pleased 
 Faustus wonderful well, and repented himself that he was so 
 foolish to wish himself married, that might have any woman 
 
1 92 THE FAMOUS HISTORY OF 
 
 in the whole city brought him at his command, the which he 
 practised and persevered in a long time. 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 Questions put forth by Dr. Fauslus unto his Spirit Mephistophilu . 
 
 DR. FAUSTUS living in all manner of pleasure that his heart 
 could desire, continuing of his amorous drifts, his delicate 
 fare, and costly apparel, called on a time his Mephistophiles 
 to him, who being come, brought him a book in his hand 
 of all manner of devilish and enchanting arts, the which he 
 gave Faustus, saying, " Hold, my Faustus ; work now thy 
 heart's desire." The copy of this enchanting book was 
 afterwards found by his servant Christopher Wagner. 
 " Well," quoth Faustus to his spirit, " I have called thee to 
 know what thou canst do if I have need of thy help." 
 
 Then answered Mephistophiles, and said, " My lord 
 Faustus, I am a flying spirit, yea, so swift as thought can 
 think, to do whatsoever." 
 
 Here Faustus said, " But how came lord and master 
 Lucifer to have so great a fall from heaven ? " 
 
 Mephistophiles answered : " My lord Lucifer was a fair 
 angel, created of God as immortal, and being placed in the 
 Seraphims, which are above the Cherubims, he would have 
 presumed upon the Throne of God, with intent to thrust 
 God out of his seat ; upon this presumption the Lord cast 
 him down headlong, and where before he was an angel of 
 light, now dwells in darkness, not able to come near his first 
 place, without God send for him to appear before him ; as 
 Raphael, unto the lower degree of angels, that have their 
 conversation with men, he may come, but not unto the 
 second degree of the heavens, that is kept by the archangels, 
 namely, Michael and Gabriel- for these are called Angels of 
 
DOCTOR FAUSTUS. 193 
 
 God's wonders ; these are far inferior places to that from 
 whence my lord and master Lucifer fell ; and thus far, 
 Faustus, because thou art one of the beloved children of the 
 lord Lucifer, following thy mind in manner as he did his, I 
 have shortly resolved thy request, and more I will do for 
 thee at thy pleasure." 
 
 "I thank thee, Mephistophiles," quoth Faustus, "come, let 
 us now go to rest, for it is night ; " upon this they left their 
 communication. 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 Hffw Dr. Faustus dreamed that he had seen Hell in his Sleep, and how 
 he questioned with the Spirit of matters concerning Hell, with the 
 Spirit's answer. 
 
 THE night following after Faustus's communication with 
 Mephistophiles, as concerning the fall of Lucifer, Dr. Faustus 
 dreamed that he had seen a part of hell, but in what manner 
 it was, or in what place, he knew not, whereby he was 
 much troubled in mind, and called unto him Mephistophiles 
 his spirit, saying unto him, " I pray thee resolve me in this 
 doubt : What is hell ? What substance is it of? In what 
 place stands it ? And when was it made ? " 
 
 Mephistophiles answered: " Faustus. thou shalt know, 
 that before the fall of my lord Lucifer there was no hell, 
 but even then was hell ordained. It is no substance, but a 
 confused thing ; for I tell thee, that before all elements 
 were made, or the earth seen, the spirit of God moved upon 
 the waters, and darkness was over all ; but when God said, 
 ' Let there be light,' it was at his word, and the light was on 
 God's right hand, and he praised the light Judge thou 
 farther, God stood in the middle, the darkness was on his 
 left hand, in the which my Lord was bound in chains until 
 the day of judgment. In this confused hell is nought to 
 find but a sulphurish fire, and stinking mist or fog. Farther, 
 
I 9 4 THE FAMOUS HISTORY OF 
 
 we devils know not what substance it is of, but a confused 
 thing ; for as the bubble of water flieth before the wind, so 
 doth hell before the breath of God. Moreover, the devils 
 know not how God hath laid the foundation of our hell, 
 nor where it is ; but to be short, Faustus, we know that 
 hell hath neither bottom nor end." 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 The second Question put forth by Dr. Faustus to his Spirit, -what 
 Kingdoms -were in Hell, how many, and -what "were the Riders' 
 names. 
 
 FAUSTUS spake again to his spirit, saying, " Thou speakest 
 of wonderful things : I pray thee now tell me what kingdoms 
 are there in your hell ? How many are there ? What they 
 are called ? And who rules them ? " 
 
 The spirit answered him : " My Faustus, know that hell 
 is, as thou wouldst think with thyself, another world, in the 
 which we have our being under the earth, even to th-j 
 heavens ; within the circumference whereof are contained 
 ten kingdoms, namely, i. Lacus Mortis. 2. Stagnum Ignis. 
 3. Terra Tenebrosa. 4. Tartarus. 5. Terra Oblivionis. 6. 
 Gehenna. 7. Erebus. 8. Barathrum. 9. Styx. 10. Acheron. 
 The which kingdoms are governed by five kings, that is, 
 Lucifer in the Orient, Belzebub in Septentrio, Belial in Mere- 
 die, Ascheroth in the Occident, and Phlegeton in the midst of 
 them all ; whose rules and dominions have no end until the 
 day of doom ; and thus far, Faustus, hast thou heard of our 
 rule and kingdom. 
 
DOCTOR FAUSTUS. 195 
 
 i 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 Another Question put forth by Dr. Faustus to his Spirit, concerning his 
 Lord Lucifer, with the sorrow that Faustus fell afterwards into. 
 
 DR. FAUSTUS began again to reason with Mephistophiles, 
 requiring him to tell in what form and shape, and in what 
 estimation his lord Lucifer was, when he was in favour 
 with God. 
 
 Whereupon his spirit required of him three days' respite, 
 which Faustus granted. 
 
 The three days being expired, Mephistophiles gave him 
 this answer : " Faustus, my lord Lucifer (so called now for 
 that he was banished out of the clear light of heaven) was 
 at the first an angel of God, yea, he was so of God ordained 
 for shape, pomp, authority, worthiness, and dwelling, that 
 he far exceeded all the other creatures of God, yea, or gold 
 and precious stones ; and so illuminated that he far sur- 
 passed the brightness of the sun, and all other stars where 
 God placed him on the cherubims ; he had a kingly office, 
 and was always before God's seat, to the end he might be 
 the more perfect in all his being ; but when he began to be 
 high-minded, proud, and so presumptuous, that he would 
 usurp the seat of God's Majesty, then was he banished out 
 from amongst the heavenly powers, separated from their 
 abiding, into the manner of a fiery stone, that no water is 
 able to quench, but continually burneth until the end of 
 the world." 
 
 Dr. Faustus, when he had heard the words of his spirit, 
 began to ponder with himself, having divers and sundry 
 opinions in his head, and very pensively, saying nothing to 
 his spirit, he went into his chamber and laid him on his bed, 
 recording the words of Mephistophiles, which so pierced 
 his heart that he fell into sighing and great lamentation, 
 
 r, 7. 
 
196 THE FAMOUS HISTORY OF 
 
 crying out, " Alas ! Ah, woe is me ! What have I done ? 
 Even so shall it come to pass with me : am I not also a 
 creature of God's making, bearing his own image a^i 
 similitude, into whom he hath breathed the spirit of life 
 and immortality, unto whom he hath made all things living 
 subject ; but woe is me ! My haughty mind, proud aspiring 
 stomach, and filthy flesh, hath brought my soul into 
 perpetual damnation, yea, pride hath abused my under- 
 standing, insomuch that I have forgot my Maker, the Spirit 
 of God is departed from me ; I have promised the devil my 
 soul, and therefore it is out a folly for me to hope for grace, 
 but it must be even with me as with Lucifer, thrown into 
 perpetual burning fire : ah ! woe is me that ever I was born." 
 In this perplexity lay this miserable Dr. Faustus, having 
 quite forgot his faith in Christ, never falling to repentance 
 truly, thereby to attain the grace and holy Spirit of God 
 again, the which would have been able to have resisted the 
 strong assaults of Satan ; for although he had made him a 
 promise, yet he might have remembered, through true 
 repentance sinners may once come again into the favour 
 of God, which faith the faithful firmly hold, knowing they 
 that kill the body are not able to hurt the soul ; but he 
 was in all his opinions doubtful, without faith or hope, and 
 so he continued. 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 Another disputation betwixt Dr. Faustus and his Spirit, of the Power 
 of the Devil, and his Envy to Mankind. 
 
 AFTER Faustus had a while pondered and sorrowed with 
 himself on his wretched estate, he called again Mephisto- 
 philes unto him, commanding him to tell him the judgment, 
 rule, power, attempts, tyranny, and temptation of the devil ; 
 and why he was moved to such kind of living ? 
 
DOCTOR FAUSTUS. 197 
 
 Whereupon the spirit answered to this question : " That 
 thou demandest of me will turn thee to no small discontent- 
 ment ; therefore thou shouldst not have desired of me such 
 matters, for it toucheth the secrets of our kingdom, although 
 I cannot deny to resolve thy request : therefore know, 
 Faustus, that so soon as my lord Lucifer fell from Heaven, 
 he became mortal enemy both to God and man, and hath 
 used, as now he doth, all manner of tyranny to the destruc- 
 tion of man, as is manifested by divers examples : one 
 falling suddenly dead, another hangs himself, another drowns 
 himself, others stab themselves, others unlawfully despair, 
 and so come to utter confusion. The first Adam, that was 
 made perfect to the similitude of God, was by my lord's 
 policy the whole decay of man ; yea, Faustus, in him was 
 the beginning and first tyranny of my lord Lucifer to man. 
 The like did he with Cain ; the same with the children of 
 Israel when they worshipped strange gods, and fell to 
 whoredom with strange women ; the like with Saul ; so did 
 he by the seven husbands of her that after was the wife of 
 Tobias ; likewise Dagon, our fellow, brought to destruction 
 fifty thousand men, whereupon the ark of God was stolen, 
 and Belial made David to number his men, whereupon were 
 slain sixty thousand. Also he deceived King Solomon, that 
 worshipped the gods of the heathen : and there are such 
 spirits innumerable, that can come by men, and tempt them, 
 and drive them to sin, and weaken their belief; for we rule 
 the hearts of kings and princes, stirring them up to war and 
 bloodshed, and to this intent do we spread ourselves 
 through all the world, as the utter enemies of God and 
 his Son Christ yea, and all that worship them, and that 
 thou knowest by thyself, Faustus. How have we dealt by 
 thee?-" 
 
 To this said Faustus : " Then thou didst also beguile 
 me?" 
 
 " I did what I could to help thee forward, for as soon 
 
r 9 8 THE FAMOUS HISTORY OF 
 
 as I saw how thy heart did despise thy degree taken in 
 divinity, and didst study to search and know the secrets of 
 our kingdom, then did I enter into thee, giving thee divers 
 foul and filthy cogitations, pricking thee forward in thy 
 intent, persuading thee thou couldst never attain to thy 
 desire till thou hadst the help of some devil ; and when thou 
 wast delighted in this, then took I root in thee, and so 
 firmly, that thou gavest thyself to us both body and soul, 
 which thou canst not deny." 
 
 Hereat answered Faustus : " Thou sayest true ; I cannot 
 deny it. Ah, woe is me, most miserable Faustus ! How 
 have I been deceived ! Had I not had a desire to know 
 too much, I had not been in this case ; for having studied 
 the lives of the holy saints and prophets, and thereby thought 
 to understand sufficient heavenly matters, I thought myself 
 not worthy to be called Dr. Faustus if I should not also 
 know the secrets of hell, and be associated with the furious 
 fiends thereof; now, therefore, must I be rewarded accord- 
 ingly." 
 
 Which speeches being uttered, Faustus went very sorrow- 
 ful away from his spirit. 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 How Dr. Faustus desired again of his Spirit, to know the Secrets and 
 Pains of Hell \ and whether those damned Devils, and their Com- 
 pany, might ever come to the Favour and Love of God again. 
 
 DR. FAUSTUS was pondering with himself how he might get 
 loose from so damnable an end as he had given himself 
 unto, both soul and body ; but his repenting was like that of 
 Cain and Judas he thought his sin greater than God could 
 forgive ; hereupon resting his mind, he looked up to heaven, 
 Uut saw nothing therein, for his heart was so possessed of 
 
DOCTOR FAUSTUS. to$ 
 
 the devil that he could think of nought else but of hell and 
 the pains thereof. 
 
 Wherefore in all haste he called unto him his spirit Mephis- 
 tophiles, desiring him to tell him some more of the secrets 
 of hell ; what pain the damned are in, and how they were 
 tormented ; and whether the damned souls might get again 
 the favour of God, and so be released out of their torments 
 or not. 
 
 Whereupon the spirit answered : " My Faustus, thou 
 mayst well leave to question any more of such matters, for 
 they will but disquiet thy mind ; I pray thee, what meanest 
 thou, thinkest thou through these thy fantasies to escape us ? 
 No, for if thou shouldst climb up to heaven, there to hide 
 thyself, yet would I thrust thee down again ; for thou art 
 mine, and thou belongest to our society. Therefore, sweet 
 Faustus, thou wilt repent this thy foolish demand, except 
 ihou be content that I shall tell thee nothing." 
 
 Quoth Faustus, ragingly : " I will know, or I will not live, 
 /, Here fore dispatch and tell me." 
 
 To whom Mephistophiles answered : " Faustus, it is no 
 trouble unto me at all to tell thee ; and therefore since thou 
 torcest me thereto, I will tell thee things to the terror of thy 
 soul, if thou wilt abide the hearing : thou wilt have me to 
 'ell thee of the secrets of hell, and of the pains thereof. 
 Know, Faustus, that hell hath many figures, semblances, 
 and names ; but it cannot be named or figured in such sort 
 to the living that are damned, as it is to those that are dead, 
 and do both see and feel the torments thereof: for hell is 
 said to be deadly, out of which came never any to life again 
 but one, but he is nothing for thee to reckon upon ; hell is 
 bloodthirsty, and is never satisfied : hell is a valley into 
 which the damned souls fall ; for so soon as the soul is out 
 of man's body, it would gladly go to the place from whence 
 it came, and climbeth up above the highest hills, even to 
 the heavens, where being by the angels of the first model 
 
ico THE FAMOUS HISTORY OF 
 
 denied entertainment (in consideration of their evil life spent 
 on earth), they fall into the deepest pit or valley, that hath 
 no bottom, into a perpetual fire which shall never be 
 quenched ; for like as the flint thrown in the water loseth 
 not virtue, neither is the fire extinguished, even so the 
 hellish fire is unquenchable : and even as the flint-stone in 
 the fire burns red hot, and consumeth not, so likewise the 
 damned souls in our hellish fire are ever burning, but their 
 pain never diminishing. Therefore is hell called the ever 
 lasting pain, in which is never hope for mercy; so it is 
 called utter darkness, in which we see neither the light, the 
 sun, moon, nor stars ; and were our darkness like the dark- 
 ness of night, yet were there hope of mercy : but ours is 
 perpetual darkness, clean exempt from the face of God. 
 Hell hath also a place within it, called Chasma, out of which 
 issueth all manner of thunders and lightnings, with such 
 shriekings and wailings, that oftentimes the very devils 
 themselves stand in fear thereof; for one while it sendeth 
 forth wind, with exceeding snow, hail, and rain, congealing 
 the water into ice, with the which the damned are frozen, 
 gnash their teeth, howl, and cry, yet cannot die. Other whiles, 
 it sendeth forth most horrible hot mists, or fogs, with flash- 
 ing of flames of fire and brimstone, wherein the sorrowful 
 souls of the damned lie broiling in their reiterated torments. 
 Yea, Faustus, hell is called a prison, wherein the damned 
 lie continually bound ; it is called Permcies and Exitium, 
 death, destruction, hurtfulness, mischief, a mischance, a 
 pitiful and evil thing, world without end. We have also 
 with us in hell a ladder, reaching of exceeding height, as 
 though the top of the same would touch the heaven, to 
 which the damned ascend to seek the blessing of God, but 
 through their infidelity, when .they are at very highest 
 degree, they fall down again into their former miseries, 
 complaining of the heat of that unquenchable fire; yea, 
 sweet Faustus, so much understand thou of hell, the while 
 
DOCTOR FAUSTUS. 201 
 
 thou art desirous to know the secrets of our kingdom. 
 And mark, Faustus, hell is the nurse of death, the heat of 
 fire, the shadow of heaven and earth, the oblivion of all 
 goodness ; the pains unspeakable, the griefs unremovable, 
 the dwelling of the devils. Dragons, serpents, adders, 
 toads, crocodiles, and all manner of venomous and noisome 
 creatures ; the puddle of sin, the stinking far ascending from 
 the Stygian lake, brimstone, pitch, and all manner of unclean 
 metals, the perpetual and unquenchable fire, the end of 
 whose miseries was never purposed by God. Yea, yea, 
 Faustus, thou sayest I shall, I must, nay. I will tell thee 
 the secrets of our kingdom, for thou buyest it dearly, and 
 thou must and shalt be partaker of our torments, that, as 
 the Lord said, shall never cease, for hell, the woman's belly, 
 and the earth, are never satisfied; there shalt thou abide 
 horrible torments, howling, crying, burning, freezing, melting, 
 swimming in a labyrinth of miseries, scolding, smoking in 
 thine eyes, stinking in thy nose, hoarseness in thy speech, 
 deafness in thy ears, trembling in thy hands, biting thine own 
 tongue with pain, thy heart crushed as with a press, thy bones 
 broken, the devils tossing firebrands unto thee : yea, thy 
 whole carcass tossed upon muck-forks from one devil to 
 another ; yea, Faustus, then wilt thou wish for death, and he 
 will fly from thee, thine unspeakable torments shall be every 
 day augmented more and more, for the greater the sin the 
 greater is the punishment. How likest thou this, my Faustus ? 
 A resolution answerable to thy request. 
 
 " Lastly, Thou wilt have me tell thee that which only 
 belongeth to God, which is, if it be possible for the damned 
 to come again into the favour of God, or not. Why, Faustus, 
 thou knowest that this is against thy promise; for why 
 shouldst thou desire to know that having already given thy 
 soul to the devil, to have the pleasure of the world, and to 
 know the secrets of hell ; therefore thou art damned, and 
 how canst thou then come again to the favour of God? 
 
202 THE FAMOUS HISTORY OF 
 
 Wherefore I discreetly answer, no ; for whomsoever God 
 hath forsaken and thrown into hell must there abide his 
 wrath and indignation in that unquenchable fire, where is 
 no hope of mercy to be looked for, but abiding his perpetual 
 pains, world without end : for even as much it availeth 
 thee, Faustus, to hope for the favour of God again as Lucifer 
 himself; who indeed, although he and we have a hope, yet it 
 is to small avail and taketh none effect, for out of that place 
 God will neither hear crying nor singing ; if he do, thou shalt 
 have a little remorse, as Dives, Cain, and Judas had. What 
 helpeth the emperor, king, prince, duke, earl, baron, lord, 
 knight, esquire, or gentleman, to cry for mercy being there? 
 Nothing ; for if on earth they would not be tyrants and 
 self-willed, rich with covetousness, proud with pomp, 
 gluttons, drunkards, whoremongers, backbiters, robbers, 
 murderers, blasphemers, and such like, then were there 
 some hope to be looked for ; therefore, my Faustus, as thou 
 comest to hell with these qualities thou mayst say with Cain, 
 ' My sins are greater than can be forgiven ;' go hang thyself 
 with Judas; and lastly, be contented to suffer torments 
 with Dives. Therefore know, Faustus, that the damned 
 have neither end nor time appointed in the which they may 
 hope to be released ; for if there were any such hope that 
 they, by throwing one drop of water out of the sea in a 
 day until it were dry, or there were one heap of sand as 
 high as from the earth to the heavens, that a bird carrying 
 < way but one corn in a day, at the end of this so long 
 labour, that yet they might hope at the last God would 
 li.we mercy on them, they would be comforted; but now 
 there is no hope that God once thinks upon them, or that 
 their howling shall ever be heard ; yea, so impossible it is 
 for thee to hide thyself from God, as it is impossible for thee 
 to remove the mountains, or to empty the sea, or to tell the 
 drops of rain that have fallen from heaven until this day, or 
 to tell what there is most of in the world ; yea, and as for 
 
DOCTOR FAUSTUS. 203 
 
 a camel to go through the eye of a needle, even so impos- 
 sible it is for thee, Faustus, and the rest of the damned, to 
 come again into the favour of God. And thus, Faustus, hast 
 thou heard my last sentence, and I pray thee, how dost 
 thou like it ? But know this, that I counsel thee to let me 
 be unmolested hereafter with such disputations, or else will 
 I vex thee every limb to thy small contentment." 
 
 Dr. Faustus parted from his spirit very pensive and 
 sorrowful, laying him on his bed, altogether doubtful of the 
 grace and favour of God, wherefore he fell into fantastical 
 cogitations. Fain he would have had his soul at liberty 
 again, but the devil had so blinded him, and had taken 
 such deep root in his heart, that he could never think to 
 crave God's mercy ; or, if by chance he had any good 
 motion, straightways the devil would thrust in a fair lady 
 into his chamber, which fell to kissing and dalliance with 
 him, through which means he threw the godly motions in 
 the wind, going forward still in his wicked practice, to the 
 utter ruin both of body and soul. 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 Another Question put forth by Dr. Faustus to his Spirit Mephistophiles 
 of his oum Estate. 
 
 I 
 
 DR. FAUSTUS being yet desirous to hear more strange 
 
 things, called his spirit unto him, saying, " My Mephisto- 
 philes, I have yet another suit unto thee, which I pray thee 
 deny me not to resolve me of." 
 
 " Faustus," quoth the spiiit, " I am loth to reason with 
 thee any further, for thou art never satisfied in thy mind, 
 but always bringest me a new." 
 
 " Yet, I pray thee, this once," quoth Faustus, " do me so 
 much favour as to tell me the truth in this matter, and 
 hereafter I will be no more so earnest with thee." 
 
204 THE FAMOUS HISTORY OF 
 
 The spirit was altogether against it ; but yet once more 
 he would abide him. " Well," said the spirit to Faustus, 
 " what demandest thou of me." 
 
 Faustus said, " I would gladly know of thee if thou v;ert 
 a man in manner and form as I am, what wouldst thou do 
 to please both God and man ? " 
 
 Whereat the spirit smiled, saying, " My Faustus, if I 
 was a man as thou art, and that God had adorned me with 
 those gifts of nature which thou once hadst, even so long 
 as the breath of God were by and within me, would I 
 humble myself unto his majesty, endeavouring all that I 
 could to keep his commandments, praise him and glorify 
 him, that I might continue in his favour, so were I sure 
 to enjoy the eternal joy and felicity of his kingdom." 
 
 Faustus said, " But that I have not done." 
 
 " No, thou sayest truth," quoth Mephistophiles, " thou 
 hast not done it ; but thou hast denied the Lord thy Maker 
 which gave thee the breath of life, speech, hearing, sight, 
 and all other thy reasonable senses, that thou mightest 
 understand his will and pleasure, to live to the glory and 
 honour of his name, and to the advancement of thy body 
 and soul. Him, I say, being thy Maker, hast thou denied 
 and defied ; yea, wickedly hast thou applied that excellent 
 gift of understanding, and given thy soul to the devil ; there- 
 fore give none the blame but thine own self-will, thy proud 
 and aspiring mind, which hath brought thee unto the wrath 
 of God and utter damnation." 
 
 " This is most true," quoth Faustus ; " but tell me, 
 Mephistophiles, would thou be in my case as I am now ? " 
 
 "Yea," saith the spirit (and with that fetched a great 
 sigh), " for yet I would so humble myself that I would win 
 the favour of God." 
 
 " Then," said Dr. Faustus, " it were time enough for me 
 if I amended." 
 
 " True," said Mephistophiles, " if it were not for thy 
 
DOCTOR FAUSTUS. 205 
 
 great sins, which are so odious and detestable in the sight 
 of God, that it is too late for thee, for the wrath of God 
 resteth upon thee." 
 
 " Leave off," quoth Faustus, " and tell me my question 
 to my greater comfort." 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 HERE FOLLOWETH THE SECOND PART OF DR. FAUSTUS HIS 
 LIFE AND PRACTICES, UNTIL HIS END. 
 
 DR. FAUSTUS having received denial of his spirit to be 
 resolved any more in such questions propounded, forgot all 
 good works, and fell to be a calendar-maker by the help of 
 his spirit, and also in short time to be a good astronomer or 
 astrologian. He had learned so perfectly of his spirit the 
 course of the sun, moon, and stars, that he had the most 
 famous name of all the mathematicians that lived in his 
 time, as may well appear by his works dedicated unto 
 sundry dukes and lords, for he did nothing without the 
 advice of his spirit, which learned him to presage of matters 
 to come, which have come to pass since his death. The 
 like praise won he with his calendars and almanack- 
 making ; for when he presaged of anything, operations, and 
 alterations of the weather or elements, as wind, rain, fogs, 
 snow, hail, moist, dry, warm, cold, thunder, lightning, it fell 
 so duly out, as if an angel of heaven had forewarned it. 
 He did not, like the unskilful astronomers in our time, that 
 set in winter, cold moist air, frosty, and in the dog days, 
 hot, dry, thunder, fire, and such like ; but he set in all his 
 works the day and hour, when, where, and how it should 
 happen. If any wonderful things were at hand, as mortality, 
 famine, plague, wars, he would set the time and place, in 
 true and just order, when it would come to pass. 
 
zoG THE FAMOUS HISTORY OF 
 
 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 A Question put forth by Dr. Faustus to his Spirit, concerning 
 Astronomy. 
 
 Now Faustus falling to practice, and making his prognosti- 
 cations, he was doubtful in many points, wherefore he 
 called unto him Mephistophiles his spirit, saying, " I find 
 the ground of the science very difficult to attain unto ; for 
 when that I confer Astronomia and Astrologia, as the 
 mathematicians and ancient writers have left in memory, I 
 find them vary, and very much to disagree ; wherefore I 
 pray thee to teach me the truth of this matter." 
 
 To whom his spirit answered : " Faustus, thou shall know 
 that the practitioners or speculators, or at least the first 
 inventors of these arts, have done nothing of themselves 
 certain, whereupon thou mayst attain to the true prognos- 
 ticating or presaging of things concerning the heavens, 
 or of the influence of the planets ; for if by chance some 
 one mathematician or astronomer have left behind him 
 anything worthy of memory, they have so blinded it with 
 enigmatical words, blind characters, and such obscure 
 figures, that it is impossible for any earthly man to attain 
 the knowledge thereof without the aid of some spirits, or 
 else the special gift of God, for such as are the hidden 
 works of God from men, yet do we spirits, that fly and 
 fleet all elements, know such ; and there is nothing to be 
 done, or by the heavens portended, but we know it, except 
 only the day of doom. Wherefore, Faustus, learn of me : 
 I will teach thee the course and re-course of the planets, 
 the cause of winter and summer, the exaltation and de- 
 clination of the sun, and eclipse of the moon, the distance 
 and height of the poles and every fixed star, the nature and 
 opposition of the elements fire, air, water, and earth and 
 
DOCTOR FAUSTUS. 207 
 
 all that is contained in them ; yea, herein there is nothing 
 hidden from me, but only the filthy essence which once 
 thou hadst, Faustus, at liberty, but now thou hast lost it 
 past recovery] therefore, leaving that which will not be 
 again had, learn now of me to make thunder, lightning, 
 hail, snow, and rain ; the clouds to rend the earth ; and 
 craggy rocks to shake and split in sunder ; the seas to swell 
 and roar, and overrun their marks. Knowest thou not 
 that the deeper the sun shines the hotter it pierces ; so the 
 more thy art is famous whilst thou art here, the greater 
 shall be thy name when thou art gone. Knowest thou not 
 that the earth is frozen, cold, and dry ; the water running, 
 cold and moist ; the air flying, hot and moist ; the fire 
 consuming, hot and dry: yea, Faustus, so must thy heart 
 be inflamed like the fire to mount on high. Learn, Faustus, 
 to fly like myself, as swift as thought from one kingdom to 
 another : to sit at princes' tables, to eat their dainty fare, 
 to have thy pleasure of their ladies, wives, and concubines ; 
 to use all their jewels and costly robes as tuings belonging 
 unto thee, and not unto them. Learn of me, Faustus, to 
 run through walls, doors, and gates of stone and iron ; to 
 creep into the earth like a worm, or swim in the water like 
 a fish; to fly in the air like a bird, and to live and nourish 
 thyself in the fire like a salamander : so shalt thou be 
 famous, renowned, far spoken of, and extolled for thy 
 skill ; going on knives not hurting thy feet, carrying fire in 
 thy bosom and not burning thy shirt ; seeing through the 
 heavens as through a crystal, wherein is placed the planets, 
 with all the rest of the presaging comets the whole circuit 
 of the world from east to west, north and south. There 
 shalt thou know, Faustus, whereof the fiery sphere above, 
 and the signs of the Zodiac doth not burn and consume 
 the whole face of the earth, being hindered by placing the 
 two moist elements between them the airy clouds and 
 wavering waves of water. Yea, Faustus, I will learn thee 
 
2&3 THE FAMOUS HISTORY OF 
 
 the secrets of Nature ; what the cause is, that the sun in 
 summer, being at the highest, giveth all his heat downwards 
 on the earth ; and being winter at the lowest, giveth all his 
 heat upwards into the heavens ; that the snow should be of 
 so great virtue as the honey, and the Lady Saturnia in 
 occulto more hot than the sun in manifesto. Come on, 
 my Faustus ; I will make thee as perfect in these ways as 
 myself; I will learn thee to go invisible, to find out 
 the mines both of gold and silver, the fodines of pre- 
 cious stones as the carbuncle, the diamond, sapphire, 
 emerald, ruby, topaz, jacinth, granat, jaspies, amethyst : use 
 all these at thy pleasure take thy heart's desire. Thy 
 time, Faustus, weareth away ; then why wilt thou not take 
 thy pleasure of the world? Come up, we will go unto 
 kings at their own courts, and at their most sumptuous 
 banquets be their guests. If willingly they invite us not, 
 then by force we will serve our own turn with their best 
 meat and daintest wine." 
 
 " Agreed," quoth Faustus ; " but let me pause a while 
 upon this thou hast even now declared unto me." 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 How Dr. Faustus fell into Despair with himself, for having put a question 
 unto his Spirit; they fell at Variance, whereupon the Rout of Devils 
 appeared unto him, threatening him sharply. 
 
 DR. FAUSTUS resolved with himself the speeches of his 
 spirit, and became so woeful and sorrowful in his cogita- 
 tions that he thought himself already frying in the hottest 
 flame of hell ; and lying in this muse, suddenly there 
 appeared unto him his spirit, demanding what thing so 
 grieved and troubled his conscience ? 
 
 Whereat Dr. Faustus gave no anawer. Yet the spirit lay 
 v^ry earnestly upon him to know the cause, and if it were 
 
DOCTOR FAUSTUS. 209 
 
 possible he would find a remedy for his grief and ease him 
 of his sorrows. 
 
 To whom Faustus answered, " I have taken thee unto 
 me as a servant to do my service, and thy service will be 
 very dear unto me ; yet I cannot have any diligence of 
 thee farther than thou list thyself, neither dost thou in 
 anything as it becometh thee." 
 
 The spirit replied : " My Faustus, thou knowest that 
 I was never against thy commandment as yet, but ready to 
 serve and resolve thy questions, although I am not bound 
 unto thee in such respects as concern the hurt of our 
 kingdom ; yet was I always willing to answer thee, and so 
 am I still : therefore, my Faustus, say on boldly, what is 
 thy will and pleasure ? " 
 
 At which words the spirit stole away the heart of Faustus, 
 who spake in this sort : " Mephistophiles, tell me how 
 and after what sort God made the world and all the 
 creatures in it ? And why man was made after the image 
 of God?" 
 
 The spirit hearing this, answered Faustus : " Thou knowest 
 that all this is in vain for thee to ask. I know that thou 
 art sorry for what thou hast done, but it availeth thee not ; 
 for I will tear thee in a thousand pieces if thou change not 
 thy opinions." And hereat he vanished away. 
 
 Whereat Faustus, all sorrowful that he had put forth such 
 a question, fell to weeping and to howling bitterly, not for 
 his sins towards God, but that the devil was departed from 
 him so suddenly in such a rage. And being in this per- 
 plexity, he was suddenly taken with such extreme cold, as 
 if he would have frozen in the place where he sat, in which 
 the greatest devil in hell appeared unto him, with certain of 
 his hideous and infernal company, in most ugly shapes, 
 that it was impossible to think upon ; and traversing the 
 chamber round about where Faustus sat, Faustus thought 
 to himself, " Now are they come for me, though my time be 
 
2io THE FAMOUS HISTORY OF 
 
 not come, and that because I have asked such questions of 
 my servant Mephistophiles." At whose cogitations the 
 chiefest devil, which was the lord unto whom he gave his soul, 
 that was Lucifer, spake in this sort : " Faustus, I have seen 
 thy thoughts, which are not as thou hast vowed unto me, 
 by the virtue of this letter [and showed him the obligation 
 which he had written with his own blood] ; wherefore I am 
 come to visit thee, and to show thee some of our hellish 
 pastimes, in hope that will draw and confirm thy mind a 
 little more steadfast unto us." 
 
 " Content," quoth Faustus : " go to, let me see what 
 pastime you can make." 
 
 At which words the great devil in his likeness sate him 
 down by Faustus, commanding the rest of his devils to 
 appear in the form as if they were in hell. First entered 
 Belial, in form of a bear, with curled black hair to the 
 ground, his ears standing upright ; within his ears were as 
 red as blood, out of which issued flames of fire ; his teeth 
 were at least a foot long, and as white as snow, with a tail 
 three ells long at the least, having two wings, one behind 
 each arm; and thus one after another they appeared to 
 Faustus in form as they were in hell. Lucifer himself sate 
 in a manner of a man all hairy, but of brown colour like a 
 squirrel, curled, and his tail curling upwards on his back as 
 the squirrels use. I think he could crack nuts too like a 
 squirrel. After him came Belzebub in curled hair of a 
 horse-flesh colour, his head like the head of a bull, with a 
 mighty pair of horns, and two long ears down to the 
 ground, and two wings on his back, with two pricking 
 things like horns ; out of his wings issued flames of fire ; 
 his tail was like a cow's. Then came Astaroth in the form 
 of a worm, going upright on his tail, and had no feet, but 
 a tail like a glow-worm ; under his chops grew two short 
 hands, and his back was coal black ; his belly thick in the 
 middle, yellow, like gold, having many bristles on his back 
 
DOCTOR FAUSTUS. 21 1 
 
 like a hedgehog. After him came Cannagosta, being 
 white and grey mixed, exceeding curled and hairy ; he 
 had a head like the head of an ass, and a tail like a cat. 
 and claws like an ox, lacking nothing of an ell broad 
 Then came Anobis : this devil had a head like a dog, 
 white and black hair ; in shape like a hog, saving that he 
 had but two feet one under his throat, the other at his 
 tail ; he was four ells long, with hanging ears like a blood- 
 hound. After him came Dithican : he was a short thief, 
 in form of a large bird, with shining feathers, and four feet ; 
 his neck was green, and body red, and his feet black. The 
 last was called Brachus, with very short feet, like a 
 hedgehog, yellow and green ; the upper side of his body 
 was brown, and the belly like blue flames of fire, the tail 
 red like the tail of a monkey. The rest of the devils were 
 in form of unreasonable beasts, as swine, harts, bears, 
 wolves, apes, buffes, goats, antelopes, elephants, dragons, 
 horses, asses, lions, cats, snakes, toads, and all manner of 
 ugly odious serpents and worms ; yet came in such sort 
 that every one at his entry into the hall made their 
 reverence unto Lucifer, and so took their places, standing 
 in order as they came until they had filled the whole hall, 
 wherewith suddenly fell a most horrible thunder-clap, that 
 the house shook as if it would have fallen unto the ground ; 
 upon which every monster had a muck-fork in his hand, 
 holding them towards Faustus as though they would have 
 run a tilt at him ; which, when Faustus perceived, he 
 thought upon the words of Mephistophiles, when he told 
 him how the souls in hell were tormented, being cast from 
 devil to devil upon muck-forks, he thought verily to have 
 been tormented there by them in like sort. 
 
 But Lucifer perceiving his thought, spake to him ; " My 
 Faustus, how likest thou this crew of mine ? " 
 
 Quoth Faustus, " Why came you not in another manner 
 of shape ? " 
 
212 
 
 Lucifer replied: "We cannot change our hellish form, 
 we have showed ourselves here as we are there ; yet can we 
 blind men's eyes in such sort, that when we will, we appear 
 unto them as if we were men or angels of light, although our 
 dwelling be in darkness." 
 
 Then said Faustus, " I like not so many of you together." 
 
 Whereupon Lucifer commanded them to depart, except 
 seven of the principal ; forthwith they presently vanished, 
 which Faustus perceiving, he was somewhat better comforted, 
 and spake to Lucifer, "Where is my servant Mephisto- 
 philes ? let me see if he can do the like." 
 
 Whereupon came a fierce dragon flying, and spitting fire 
 round about the house, and coming towards Lucifer, made 
 reverence, and then changed himself to the form of a friar, 
 saying, " Faustus, what wilt thou ? " 
 
 Faustus said, " I will that thou teach me to transform 
 myself in like sort, as thou and the rest have done." 
 
 Then Lucifer put forth his paw and gave Faustus a book, 
 saying, " Hold, do what thou wilt." 
 
 Which he looking upon, straightways changed himself into 
 a hog, then into a worm, then into a dragon, and finding 
 thus for his purpose it liked him well. 
 
 Quoth he to Lucifer, " And how cometh it that so many 
 filthy forms are in the world ? " 
 
 Lucifer answered, " They are ordained of God, as plagues 
 unto men, and so shall thou be plagued," quoth he ; where- 
 upon came scorpions, wasps, emets, bees, and gnats, which 
 fell to stinging and biting him, and all the whole house was 
 filled with a most horrible stinking fog, insomuch that 
 Faustus saw nothing, but still was tormented ; wherefore he 
 cried for help, saying, " Mephistophiles, my faithful servant, 
 where art thou ? Help, help, I pray thee." 
 
 Hereat the spirit answered nothing, but Lucifer himself 
 said, " Ho, ho, ho, Faustus, how likest thou the creation of 
 the world?" 
 
DOCTOR FALSTUS. 213 
 
 And incontinent it was clear again, and the devils and all 
 the nhhy cattle were vanished, only Faustus was left alone, 
 seeing nothing, but hearing the sweetest music that ever he 
 heard before ; at which he was so ravished with delight, that 
 he forgot his fears he was in before, and it repented him that 
 he had seen no more of their pastime. 
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 How Dr. Faustus desired to see Hell, and of the manner how 
 he was used therein. 
 
 DR. FAUSTUS bethinking how his time went away, and how 
 he had spent eight years thereof, he meant to spend the rest 
 to his better contentment, intending quite to forget any 
 such motions as might offend the devil any more : where- 
 fore on a time he called his spirit Mephistophiles, and 
 said unto him, "Bring thou hither unto me thy lord 
 Lucifer or Belial." He brought him (notwithstanding) one 
 that was called Belzebub, the which asked Faustus his 
 pleasure. 
 
 Quoth Faustus, " I will know of thee if I might see hell, 
 and take a view thereof?" 
 
 " That thou shalt," said the devil, " and at midnight I 
 will fetch thee." 
 
 Well, night being come, Dr. Faustus waited very diligently 
 for the coming of the devil to fetch him, and thinking that 
 he tarried too long, he went to the window, where he pulled 
 open a casement, and looking into the element, he saw a 
 cloud in the north more black, and darker, and obscurer than 
 all the rest of the sky, from whence the wind blew most 
 horribly right into Faustus's chamber, and filled the whole 
 house with smoke, that Faustus was almost smothered ; 
 hereat fell an exceeding thunder-clap, and withal came a 
 great rugged black bear all curled, and upon his back a 
 
214 THE FAMOUS HISTORY OF 
 
 chair of beaten gold, and spake to Faustus, saying, " Sir, up 
 and away with me : " and Dr. Faustus that had so long abode 
 the smoke, wished rather to be in hell than there, got on the 
 devil, and so they went on together. 
 
 Mark how the devil blinded him, and made him believe 
 he carried him into hell, for he carried him into the lake, 
 where Faustus fell into a sound sleep, as if he had sate into a 
 warm water or bath : at last they came to a place which 
 burneth continually with flashing flames of fire and brim- 
 stone, whereout issued an exceeding mighty clap of thunder, 
 with so horrible a noise that Faustus awaked. But the devil 
 went forth on his way, and carried Faustus therein, yea, 
 notwithstanding however it burnt, Dr. Faustus felt no more 
 heat than as it were the glimpse of the sun in May ; there 
 heard he all manner of music to overcome him, but saw 
 none playing on them ; it pleased him well, but he durst 
 not ask, for he was forbidden it before. To meet the devil 
 and the guest that came with him came three other ugly 
 devils, the which ran back again before the bear, to make 
 the way ; against whom there came running an exceeding 
 great hart, which would have thrust Faustus out of the 
 chair; but being defended by the other three devils, the 
 hart was put to the repulse : thence going on the way, 
 Faustus looked, and behold there was nothing but snakes, 
 and all manner of venomous beasts about him, which were 
 exceeding great : unto the which snakes came many storks, 
 and swallowed up the whole multitude of snakes, that they 
 left not one : which when Faustus saw, he marvelled greatly. 
 But proceeding farther on their hellish voyage, there came 
 forth out of a hollow clift an exceeding great flying bull, 
 the which with such a force hit Faustus's chair with his head 
 and horns, that he turned Faustus and his bear over and 
 over, so that the bear vanished away : whereat Faustus 
 began to cry, " Oh ! woe to me that ever I came here ! " For 
 he thought there to have been beguiled of the devil ; and to 
 
DOCTOR FA USTUS. 2 1 5 
 
 make an end before his time appointed or conditioned of 
 the devil : but shortly after came to him a monstrous ape, 
 bidding Faustus to be of good cheer, and said, " Get upon 
 me." 
 
 All the fire in hell seemed to Faustus to have been put 
 out, whereupon followed a monstrous thick fog, that he saw 
 nothing, but shortly after it seemed to him to wax clear, 
 where he saw two great dragons fastened unto a waggon, in 
 the which the ape ascended and set Faustus therein ; forth 
 flew the dragons into an exceeding dark cloud, where 
 Faustus saw neither dragons nor chariot wherein he sate, 
 and such were the cries of tormented souls, with mighty 
 thunder-claps and flashing lightnings about his ears, that 
 poor Faustus shook for fear ; upon this they came to a 
 water, stinking and filthy, thick like mud, into the which ran 
 the dragons, sinking under with waggon and all ; but Faust as 
 felt no water, but as it were a small mist, saving that the 
 waves beat so sore upon him, that he saw nothing under or 
 over him but only water, in the which he lost his dragons, 
 ape, and waggon ; and sinking deeper and deeper, he came 
 at last as it were upon a high rock, where the waters partc< 1 
 and left him thereon : but when the water was gone, it 
 seemed to him he should there have ended his life, for he 
 saw no way but death. The rock was so high from the 
 bottom as heaven is from the earth. There sate he, seeing 
 nor hearing any man, and looked ever upon the rock. At 
 length he saw a little hole out of which issued fire. Thought 
 he, " How shall I now do ? I must either fall to the bottom 
 or burn in the fire, or sit in despair." With that, in his 
 madness he gave a skip into the fire-hole, saying, " Hold, 
 you infernal hags ! take here this sacrifice as my last end, 
 that which I have justly deserved." 
 
 Upon this he was entered, and finding himself as yet un- 
 burned or touched of that fire, he was the better appayed. 
 But there was so great a noise that he never heard the like 
 
216 THE. FAMOUS HISTORY OF 
 
 before ; it passed all the thunder that ever he had heard. 
 And coming down farther to the bottom of the rock, he saw 
 a fire, wherein were many worthy and noble personages, as 
 emperors, kings, dukes, and lords, and many thousand more 
 tormented souls, at the edge of which fire ran a most plea- 
 sant, clear, and cold water to behold ; into the which many 
 tormented souls sprang out of the fire to cool themselves, 
 but being so freezing cold, they were constrained to return 
 again into the fire, and thus wearied themselves and spent 
 their endless torments out of one labyrinth into another, one 
 while in heat, another while in cold. But Faustus, standing 
 here all this while gazing on them that were thus tormented, 
 he saw one leaping out of the fire, shrieking horribly, whom 
 he thought to have known, wherefore he would fain have 
 spoken unto him, but remembering he was forbidden, he 
 refrained speaking. Then this devil that brought him in, 
 came to him again in likeness of a bear, with the chair 
 on his back, and bid him sit up, for it was time to depart. 
 So Faustus got up, and the devil carried him out into the 
 air, where he had so sweet music that he fell asleep by the 
 way. 
 
 His boy Christopher, being all this while at home, and 
 missing his master so long, thought his master would 
 have tarried and dwelt with the devil for ever ; but whilst 
 the boy was in these cogitations, his master came home ; 
 for the devil brought him home fast asleep as he sate in his 
 chair, and threw him on his bed, where (being thus left of 
 the devil) he lay until day. When he awaked, he was 
 amazed, like a man who had been in a dark dungeon ; 
 musing with himself, if it were true or false that he had 
 seen hell, or whether he was blinded or not ; but he rather 
 persuaded himself he had been there than otherwise, 
 because he had seen such wonderful things ; wherefore he 
 most carefully took pen and ink, and wrote those things in 
 order as he had seen ; which writing was afterwards found 
 
 s 
 
DOCTOR FAUSTUS. 217 
 
 by his boy in his study, which afterwards was published to 
 the whole city of Wittenburg in print, for example to all 
 Christians. 
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 How Dr. Faustus -was carried through the Air, up to the Heavens to see 
 the whole W orld, and how the Sky and Planets ruled ; afttr the which 
 he wrote a Letter to his Friend of the same to Liptzig, and how he 
 went about the World in eight days. 
 
 THIS letter was found by a freeman and citizen of Witten- 
 burg, written with his own hand, and sent to his friend at 
 Liptzig, a physician, named Love Victori, the contents of 
 which were as followeth : 
 
 " Amongst other things, my beloved friend and brother, 
 I remember yet the former friendship we had together when 
 we were schoolfellows and students in the university at 
 Wittenburg; whereas you first studied physic, astronomy, 
 astrology, geometry, and cosmography, I, to the contrary, 
 you know, studied divinity, notwithstanding now in any of 
 your own studies I am sure I have proceeded farther than 
 yourself; for since I began I have never erred, for, might I 
 speak it without affecting mine own praise, my calendars 
 and other practices have not only the commendations of the 
 common sort, but also the chiefest lords and nobles of this 
 our Dutch nation, because (which is chiefly to be noted) I 
 write and presage of matters to come, which all accord and 
 fall out so right, as if they had already been before. And 
 for thee, my beloved Victori, you write to know my voyage 
 which I made unto the heavens, the which (as you certify 
 me) you have had some suspicion of, although you partly 
 persuade yourself that it is a thing impossible ; no matter 
 for that, it is as it is, and let it be as it will, once it is done 
 in such a manner as now according unto your request, I will 
 give you here to understand. I being once laid in my bed, 
 
2i8 THE FAMOUS HISTORY OF 
 
 and I could not sleep for thinking on my calendar and 
 practice, I marvelled with myself how it were possible that 
 the firmament should be known, and so largely written of 
 by men, or whether they write true or false, by their own 
 opinions and suppositions, or by due observation and true 
 course of the heavens; behold, I thought my house would 
 have been blown down, so that all my doors and chest.s 
 flew open, whereat I was not a little astonished, for withal 
 I heard a groaning voice, which said, ' Get up ; the desire 
 of thy heart, mind, and thought thou shalt see.' At the 
 which I answered, ' What my heart desireth that would I fain 
 see ; and to make proof if I shall see, I will away with 
 thee.' ' Why, then,' quoth he, ' look out the window, there 
 cometh a messenger for thee.' That did I ; and behold, 
 there stood a waggon with two dragons before it to draw 
 the same, and all the waggon was of a light burning fire, 
 and for that the moon shone I was the willinger at that 
 time to depart. But the voice spoke again : ' Sit up, and 
 let us away.' ' I will/ said I, ' go with thee, but upon con- 
 dition that I may ask after all things that I see, hear, or 
 think on.' The voice answered : ' I am content for this 
 time.' Hereupon I got me into the waggon, so that the 
 dragons carried me up right into the air. 
 
 " The waggon had four wheels, the which rattled so, and 
 made such a noise, as if it had been all this while running 
 on the stones, and round about us flew flames of fire ; and 
 the higher that I came, the more the earth seemed to be 
 darkened, so that methought I came out of a dungeon ; anil 
 looking down from heaven, behold Mephistophiles my spirit 
 and servant was behind me ; and when he perceived that I 
 saw him, he came and sate by me ; to whom I said, ' I pray 
 thee, Mephistophiles, whither shall I go now ? ' ' Let not 
 that trouble thy mind/ said he; and yet they carried us 
 higher up. And now I will tell thee, good friend and 
 schoolfellow, what things I have seen and proved ; for on 
 
DOCTOR FAUSTUS. 219 
 
 the Tuesday I went out, and on Tuesday seven nights fol- 
 lowing I came home again, that's eight days, in which time I 
 slept not, no not one wink came within my eyes ; and we 
 went invisible of any man ; and as the day began to appear, 
 after the first night's journey, I said to my spirit Mephis- 
 tophiles, ' I pray thee how far have we now ridden ? I am 
 sure thou knowest, for methinks we have ridden exceeding 
 far, the world seemeth so little.' Mephistophiles answered 
 me, ' My Faustus, believe me, that from the place from 
 whence thou earnest unto this place where we now are is 
 already forty-seven leagues right in height/ And as the day 
 increased, I looked down into the world. Asia, Europe, 
 and Africa, I had a sight of ; and being so high, quoth I to 
 my spirit, ' Tell me how these kingdoms lie, and what they 
 are called ? ' The which he denied not, saying, ' See this on 
 our left hand is Hungaria, this is also Prussia on our left 
 hand, and Poland, Muscovia, Tartary, Silesia, Bohemia, 
 Saxony ; and here on our right hand, Spain, Portugal, 
 France, England, and Scotland ; then right on before us lie 
 the kingdoms of Persia, India, Arabia, the king of Althar, 
 and the great Cham. Now we are come to Wittenburg, and 
 are right over the town of Weim, in Austria, and ere long 
 we will be at Constantinople, Tripoli, and Jerusalem, and 
 after will we pierce the frozen zone, and shortly touch the 
 horizon and the zenith of Wittenburg.' There looked I on 
 the ocean sea, and beheld a great many ships and galleys 
 ready to battle one against another ; and thus I spent my 
 journey, and I cast my eyes here, now there, towards south, 
 north, east, and west. I have been in one place where it rained 
 and hailed, and in another where the sun shone excellent fair; 
 and so I think that I saw most things in and about the 
 world, with great admiration ; that in one place it rained, 
 and in another hail and snow ; on this side the sun shone 
 bright, some hills covered with snow never consuming, 
 others were so hot that grass and trees were burned and 
 
220 THE FAMOUS HISTORY OF 
 
 consumed therewith. Then looked I up to the heavens, 
 and behold they went so swift, that I thought they would 
 have sprung into thousands ; likewise it was so clear and so 
 hot, that I could not gaze upon it, it so dimmed my sight ; 
 and had not my spirit Mephistophiles covered me, as it were 
 with a shadowing cloud, I had been burnt with the extreme 
 heat thereof; for the sky which we behold here, when we 
 look up from the earth, is so fast and thick as a wall, clear 
 and shining bright as crystal, in which is placed the sun, 
 which casteth forth his rays and beams over the whole world, 
 to the uttermost confines of the earth. But we think that 
 the sun is very little ; no, it is altogether as big as the world ; 
 indeed the body substantial is but little in compass, but the 
 rays or streams that it casteth forth by reason of the thing 
 wherein it is placed, maketh him to extend and show him- 
 self all over the whole world ; and we think that the sun 
 runneth his course, and that the heavens stand still ; no, it 
 is the heavens that moves his course, and the sun abideth 
 perpetually in his place, he is permanent and fixed in his 
 place ; and although we see him beginning to ascend in the 
 orient or east, at the highest in the meridian or south, set- 
 ting in Occident or west, yet is he in the lowest in septentrio 
 or north, and yet he moveth not, it is the axle of the heavens 
 that moveth, the whole firmament being a chaos or confused 
 thing, and for that proof I will show this example : like as 
 thou seest a bubble made of water and soap blown out of a 
 quill, it is in form of a confused mass or chaos, and being in 
 this form is moved at pleasure of the wind, which runneth 
 round about that chaos, and moveth him also round ; even 
 so the whole firmament or chaos, wherein are placed the 
 sun and the rest of the planets, is turned and carried at the 
 pleasure of the spirit of God, which is wind. Yea, Christian 
 reader, to the glory of God, and to the profit of my soul, I 
 will open unto thee a divine opinion touching the rule of 
 this confounded chaos, far more than my rude German 
 
DOCTOR FAUSTUS. 221 
 
 author, being possessed with the devil, was able to utter, 
 and prove some of my sentences before to be true ; look into 
 Genesis, into the works of God, at the creation of the world, 
 there shalt thou find that the spirit of God moved upon the 
 water, before heaven and earth were made. Mark how he 
 made it, and how by his word every element took his 
 place; these were not his works, but his words, for all 
 the words he used before, concluded afterwards in one 
 work, which was in making man Mark, reader, with 
 patience, for thy soul's health, see into all that was done by 
 the word and work of God. Light and darkness was, the 
 firmament stood, and the great and little light in it; the 
 moist waters were in one place, the earth was dry, and every 
 element brought forth according to the word of God. Now 
 follow his works : he made man after his own image. 
 How ? Out of the earth. The earth will shape no image 
 without water ; there was one of the elements ; but all this 
 while there was wind. All elements were at the word of 
 God. Man was made, and in a form by the work of God, 
 yet moved not that work before God had breathed the spirit 
 of life into his nostrils, and made him a living soul. Here 
 was the first wind and spirit of God, out of his own mouth ; 
 which we have likewise from the same seed which was only 
 planted by God in Adam ; which wind, breath, or spirit, 
 when he had received, he was living and moved on earth ; 
 for it was ordained of God for his habitation, but the heavens 
 are the habitation of the Lord. And like as I showed 
 before of the bubble or confused chaos made of water and 
 soap, through the wind and breath of man is turned round 
 and carried with the wind, even so the firmaments wherein 
 the sun and the rest of the planets are fixed, be moved, 
 turned, and carried with the wind, breath, and spirit of God ; 
 for the heavens and firmaments are moveable as the chaos, 
 but the sun is fixed in the firmament. And farther, my 
 good schoolfellow, I was thus nigh the heavens, where me- 
 
222 THE FAMOUS HISTORY OF 
 
 thought every planet was but as half the earth, and under 
 the firmament ruled the spirits in the air. As I came down, 
 I looked upon the world and heavens, and methought that 
 the earth was inclosed (in comparison) within the firmament 
 as the yolk of an egg within the white ; methought that the 
 whole length of the earth was not a span long, and the water 
 was as it had been twice as broad and as long as the earth. 
 Even thus, at eight days' end, I came home again, and fell 
 asleep, and so I continued sleeping three days and three 
 nights together, and the first hour I waked, fell fresh again 
 to my calendars, and have made them in right ample manner 
 as you know. And to satisfy your request for that you 
 write unto me, I have (in consideration of our old friendship 
 had at the university of Wittenburg) declared unto you my 
 heavenly voyage, wishing no worse unto you than unto my- 
 self, that is, that your mind were as mine in all respects. 
 Dixi, Dr. Faustus the astrologian." 
 
 CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 How Dr. Faustus made his Journey through tht principal and 
 most famous Lands in the World. 
 
 DR. FAUSTUS having overrun fifteen years of his appointed 
 time, he took upon him a journey, with full intent to see the 
 whole world, and calling his spirit Mephistophiles unto him, 
 he said, " Thou knowest that thou art bound unto me upon 
 conditions, to form and fulfil my desire in all things, where- 
 fore my intent is to visit the whole face of the earth, visible 
 and invisible, when it pleaseth me ; therefore I command 
 and enjoin thee to the same." Whereupon Mephistophiles 
 answered, " I am ready, my lord, at thy command ; " and 
 forthwith the spirit changed himself into the likeness of a 
 flying horse, saying, " Faustus, sit up, I am ready." 
 
 Dr. Faustus softly sate upon him, and forwards they went. 
 
DOCTOR FAUSTUS. 223 
 
 Faustus came through many a land and province, as Pan- 
 nonia, Austria, Germany, Bohemia, Silesia, Saxony, Messene, 
 During, Frankland, Swaalband, Byerland, Sayrir, Corinthia, 
 Poland, Litaw, Lesland, Prussia, Denmark, Muscovia, Tar- 
 taria, Turkey, Persia, Cathai, Alexandria, Barbaria, Ginny, 
 Porut, the Straights Maghellane, India, all about the frozen 
 zone, and Terra-incognita, Nova Hispaniola, the Isles of 
 Tereza, Madera, St. Michaels, the Canaries, and the Tre- 
 norirolcio into Spain, and Mainland, Portugal, Italy, Cam- 
 pania, the Kingdom of Naples, the Isles of Sicilia, Malta, 
 Majorca, Minorca, to the Knights of the Rhodes, Candy or 
 Crete, Cypress, Corinth, Switzerland, France, Freezeland, 
 Westphalia, Zealand, Holland, Brabant, and all the seven- 
 teen provinces in Netherland, England, Scotland, Ireland, 
 and America, and Island, the Gut-Isles of Scotland, the 
 Orcades, Norway, the Bishopric of Bream ; and so home 
 again. 
 
 All these kingdoms, and provinces, and countries he 
 passed in twenty-five days, in which time he saw nothing 
 that delighted his mind; wherefore he took little rest at 
 home, and burning in desire to see more at large, and to 
 behold the secrets of each kingdom, he set forward again on 
 his journey on his swift horse Mephistophiles, and came to 
 Trent, for that he chiefly desired to see this town, and the 
 monuments thereof, but there he saw not any wonders, 
 except two fair palaces that belonged unto the bishop, and 
 also a mighty large castle that was built with brick, with 
 three walls, and three great trenches, so strong that it was 
 impossible for any prince's power to win it ; then he saw a 
 church wherein was buried Simon and the bishop of Popo. 
 Their tombs are of most sumptuous stone-marble, closed 
 and joined together with great bars of iron. From thence 
 he departed to Paris, where he liked well the academy ; 
 and what place or kingdom soever fell in his mind, the 
 same he visited. 
 
2i 4 THE FAMOUS HISTORY OF 
 
 He came from Paris to Mentz, where the river of Maine 
 falls into the Rhine, notwithstanding he tarried not long 
 there, but went into Campania, in the kingdom of Neapoly, 
 in which he saw an innumerable sort of cloisters, nunneries, 
 and churches, and great houses of stone, the streets fair and 
 large, -and straight forth irom one end of the town to the 
 other all alike, and all the pavement of the city was of 
 brick, and the more it rained in the town the fairer the 
 streets were. There saw he the tomb of Virgil, and the 
 highway that he cut through the mighty hill of stone in one 
 night, the whole length of an English mile, where he saw 
 the number of galleys and argosies that lay there at the city 
 head, the windmill that stood in the water, the castle in the 
 water, and the houses above the water, where many galleys 
 might ride most safely from rain or wind ; then he saw the 
 castle on the hill over the town, and many monuments 
 therein, also the hill called Vesuvius, whereon groweth all 
 the Greekish wine and most pleasant sweet olives. 
 
 From thence he came to Venice, whereat he wondered 
 not a little to see a city so famously built standing in the sea, 
 where through every street the water came in such largeness 
 that great ships and barques might pass from one street to 
 another, having yet a way on both sides the water whereon 
 men and horses might pass. He marvelled also how it was 
 possible so much victuals to be found in the town, and so good 
 and cheap, considering that for a whole league nothing grew 
 near the same. He wondered not a little at the fairness of 
 St. Mark's Place, and the sumptuous church standing 
 thereon, called St. Mark ; how all the pavement was set 
 with coloured stones, and all the rood or loft of the church 
 double gilded over. 
 
 Leaving this, he came to Padua, beholding the manner of 
 their academy, which is called the mother or nurse of Chris- 
 tendom ; there heard he the doctors, and saw most of the 
 monuments of the town, entered his name in the university 
 
DOCTOR FAUSTUS. 225 
 
 of the German nation, and wrote himself Dr. Faustus, the 
 insatiable speculator. Then saw he the worthiest monu- 
 ment in the world for a church, named St. Anthony's 
 Cloister, which for the pinnacles thereof and the contrive- 
 ment of the church, hath not the like in Christendom. The 
 town is fenced about with three mighty walls of stone and 
 earth, betwixt the which runneth goodly ditches of water. 
 Betwixt every four-and-twenty hours passeth boats betwixt 
 Padua and Venice with passengers, as they do here betwixt 
 London and Gravesend, and even so far they differ in 
 distance. Faustus beheld likewise the council-house and 
 castle, with no small wonder. 
 
 vvYn, forward he went to Rome, which lay, and doth yet 
 lie, on the river Tibris, the which divideth the city into two 
 parts. Over the river are four great stone bridges, and upon 
 the one bridge, called Ponte St. Angelo, is the Castle of St. 
 Angelo, wherein are so many great cast pieces as there are 
 days in the year, and such pieces as will shoot seven bullets 
 off with one fire. To this castle cometh a privy vault from the 
 church and the palace of St. Peter, through the which the 
 pope (if any danger be) passeth from his palace to the castle 
 for safeguard. The city hath eleven gates, and a hill called 
 Vaticinium, whereupon St. Peter's church is built. In that 
 church the holy fathers will hear no confessions without the 
 penitent bring money in his hand. Adjoining to the church 
 is the Campo Santo, the which Carolus Magnus built, where 
 every day thirteen pilgrims have their dinners served of the 
 best ; that is to say. Christ and his twelve apostles. Hard by 
 this he visited the churchyard of St. Peter, where he saw that 
 pyramid that Julius Caesar brought forth of Africa ; it stood 
 in Faustus's time leaning against the church-wall of St. 
 Peter's ; but Pope Sixtus hath erected it in the middle of 
 St, Peter's churchyard. It is fourteen fathom long, and at 
 the lower end five fathom four square, and so forth smaller 
 upwards. On the top is a crucifix of beaten gold, the stone 
 
 H 
 
226 THE FAMOUS HISTORY OF 
 
 standing on four lions of brass. Then he visited the seven 
 churches of Rome, that were St. Peter, St. Paul, St. Sebas- 
 tian, St. John Lateran, St. Laurence, St. Mary Magdalen, 
 and St. Mary Majora. Then went he without the town, 
 where he saw the conduits of water that run level through 
 hill and dale, bringing water into the town fifteen Italian 
 miles off. Other mountains he saw, too many to recite. 
 
 But amongst the rest he was desirous to see the pope's 
 court, and his manner of service at his table, wherefore he 
 and his spirit made themselves invisible, and came to the 
 pope's court and privy-chamber, where he was ; there saw 
 he many servants attending on his holiness, with many a 
 flattering sycophant carrying his meat ; and there he marked 
 the pope, and the manner of his service, which he seeing to 
 be so unmeasurable and sumptuous : " Fie," quoth Faustus, 
 "why had not the devil made a pope of me? " Faustus saw 
 there notwithstanding such as were like to himself, proud, 
 stout, wilful gluttons, drunkards, whoremongers, breakers of 
 wedlock, and followers of all manner of ungodly excess ; 
 wherefore he said to his spirit, " I thought that I had been 
 alone a hog or pork of the devil's, but he must bear with me 
 a little longer ; for these hogs of Rome are ready fatted, and 
 fitted to make him roast meat ; the devil might do well to 
 spit them all, and have them to the fire, and let him summon 
 the nuns to turn the spits ; for as none must confess the 
 nun but the friar, so none should turn the roasting friar but 
 the nun." Thus continued Faustus three days in the pope's 
 palace, and yet had no lust to his meat, but stood still in 
 the pope's chamber, and saw everything whatsoever it was. 
 
 On a time the pope would have a feast prepared for the 
 Cardinal of Pavia, and for his first welcome the cardinal 
 was bidden to dinner, and as he sate at meat the pope would 
 ever be blessing and crossing over his mouth. Faustus 
 would suffer it no longer, but up with his fist and smote the 
 pope on his face, and withal he laughed that the whole 
 
 H 
 
DOCTOR FAUSTUS. 227 
 
 house might hear him, yet none of them saw him, or knew 
 where he was. The pope persuaded his company that it 
 was a damned soul, commanding mass presently to be said 
 for his delivery out of purgatory, which was done ; the pope 
 sat still at meat, but when the latter mess came to the pope's 
 board, Dr. Faustus laid hands thereon, saying, " This is 
 mine," and so he took both dish and meat, and flew into 
 the Capitol or Campadolia, calling his spirit unto him, and 
 said, '' Come, let us be merry, for thou must fetch me some 
 wine, and the cup that the pope drinks out of; and here- 
 upon morte caval, we will make good cheer in spite of the 
 pope and all his fat abbey lubbers." 
 
 His spirit hearing this, departed towards the pope's 
 chamber, where he found them yet sitting, quaking ; where- 
 fore he took from before the pope the fairest piece of plate, 
 or drinking goblet, and a flagon of wine, and brought it to 
 Faustus. 
 
 But when the pope and the rest of his crew perceived they 
 were robbed, and knew not after what sort, they persuaded 
 themselves that it was a damned soul that before had vexed 
 the pope so, and that smote him on the face ; wherefore lit; 
 sent commandment through the whole city of Rome, that 
 they should say a mass in every church, and ring all the 
 bell?, for to lay the walking spirit, and to curse him with 
 bell, book, and candle, that so invisibly had misused the 
 pope's holiness, with the Cardinal of Pavia, and the rest of 
 their company. 
 
 But Faustus notwithstanding made good cheer with th.it 
 which he had beguiled the pope of, and in the midst of the 
 order of St. Bernard's, bare- footed friars, as they were goi, ; 
 on procession through the market-place, called Campo t'e 
 Fiore, he let fall his plate, dish, and cup, and withal for :i 
 farewell he made such a thunder-clap and storm of rain, 
 as though heaven and earth would have met together, ar.a 
 left Rome, and came to Millain in Italy, near the Alps nr 
 
 H 2 
 
228 THE FAMOUS HISTORY OF 
 
 borders of Switzerland, where he praised much to his spirit 
 the pleasures of the place, the city being founded in so 
 brave a plain, by the which ran most pleasant rivers on 
 every side of the same, having besides within the compass of 
 a circuit of seven miles, seven small seas : he saw also 
 therein many fair places, and goodly buildings, the duke's 
 palace, and the mighty strong castle, which is in a manner 
 half the bigness of the town. Moreover, it liked him well 
 to see the hospital of St. Mary, with divers other things : 
 lie did there nothing worthy of memory, but he departed 
 back again towards Bologna, and from thence to Florence, 
 where he was well pleased to see the pleasant walk of 
 merchants, the goodly vaults of the city, for that almost 
 the whole city is vaulted, and the houses themselves are 
 built outwardly in such sort, that the people go under them 
 as under a vault : then he perused the sumptuous church 
 in the duke's castle, called Nostra Dama, our Lady's church, 
 in which he saw many monuments, as a marble door most 
 huge to look upon ; the gates of the castle are bell-metal, 
 wherein are graven the holy patriarchs, with Christ and his 
 twelve apostles, and divers other histories out of the Old and 
 New Testament. 
 
 Then went he to Siena, where he highly praised the 
 church and hospital of Sancta Maria Formosa, with the 
 goodly buildings, and especially the fairness and greatness 
 of the city, and beautiful women : then came he to Lyons 
 in France, where he marked the situation of the city, which 
 lay between two hills, environed with two waters ; one worthy 
 monument pleased him well, that was the great church, with 
 the image therein ; he commended the city highly for the 
 great resort that it had unto it of strangers. 
 
 From thence he went to Cullen, which lieth upon the 
 river of Rhine, wherein he saw one of the ancientest monu- 
 ments in the world, the which was the tomb of the three 
 kings that came by th* angel of God, and their knowledge 
 
DOCTOR FAUSTUS. 229 
 
 they had in the stirs, to worship Christ, which when Faustus 
 saw, he spake in this manner : " Ah ! alas, good men ! How 
 have you erred, and lost your way ! You should have gone 
 to Palestina, and Bethlehem in Judea; how came you 
 hither? Or belike after your death you were thrown into 
 Mare Mediterraneum, about Tripolis in Syria, and so you 
 steered out of the Straights of Gibralterra, in the ocean seas, 
 and so into the Bay of Portugal. And not finding any rest, 
 you are driven along the coast of Gallicia, Biscay and France, 
 and into the narrow seas : then from thence into Mare 
 Germanicum, and taken up I think about the town of Dort 
 in Holland : you were brought to Cullen to be buried, or 
 else (I think) you came most easily with a whirlwind over 
 the Alps, and being thrown into the river of Rhine, it con- 
 veyed you to this place where you are kept a monument." 
 Then saw he the church of St. Ursula, where remains a 
 monument of the thousand virgins ; it pleased him also to 
 see the beauty of the women. 
 
 Not far from Cullen lieth the town of Ach, where he saw 
 the gorgeous temple that the Emperor Carolus Quartus built 
 of marble-stone for a remembrance of him, to the end that 
 all his successors should there be crowned. 
 
 From Cullen and Ach he went to Geneva, a city in 
 Savoy, lying near Switzerland ; it is a town of great traffic, 
 the lord thereof is a bishop, whose wine-cellar Faustus and 
 his spirit visited for the love of his good wine. 
 
 From thence he went to Strasburg, where he beheld the 
 fairest temple that ever he had seen in his life before, for on 
 every side thereof he might see through, even from the 
 covering of the minster to the top of the pinnacle, and it 
 is named one of the wonders of the world ; wherefore, he 
 demanded why it is called Strasburg ? His spirit answered, 
 " Because it hath so many highways common to it on 
 every side, for Stros in Dutch is a Highway, and hereof 
 came the name : yea," said Mephistophiles, " the church 
 
230 
 
 that thou so wonderest at, hath more revenues belonging 
 to it than the twelve dukes of Silesia are worth, for 
 there pertain unto this church fifty-five towns, and four 
 hundred and sixty-three villages, besides many houses in the 
 town." 
 
 From thence went Faustus to Basil, in Switzerland, where 
 the river of Rhine runneth through the town, parting the 
 same as the river of Thames doth London : in the town of 
 Basil he saw many rich monuments, the town walled with 
 brick round about, without it goeth a great trench : no 
 church pleased him but the Jesuits' church, which was 
 sumptuously builded, and set full of alabaster pillars, where 
 the spirit told Faustus that before the city was founded, 
 there used a Basiliscus, a kind of serpent : this serpent 
 killed as many men, women and children as he took a sight 
 of, but there was a knight that made himself a cover of 
 crystal, to come over his head and down to the ground, 
 and being first covered with a black cloth, over that he put 
 the crystal, and so boldly went to see the Basiliscus, and 
 lading the place where she haunted, he expected her coming 
 even before the mouth of the cave, where standing a while, 
 the Basiliscus came forth, where when she saw her own 
 venomous shadow in the crystal, she split in a thousand 
 pieces, wherefore the knight was richly rewarded of the 
 emperor, after the which the knight founded this town upon 
 the place where he had slain the serpent, and gave it the name 
 Basil, in remembrance of his deed. 
 
 From Basil, Faustus went to Costnitz in Sweitz, at the 
 head of the Rhine, where is a most sumptuous bridge that 
 goeth over the Rhine, even from the gates of the town to 
 the other side of the stream ; at the head of the river of 
 Rhine, is a small sea, called of the Switzers the Black Sea, 
 twenty thousand paces long, and fifty hundred paces broad. 
 The town Costnitz took the name of this ; the emperor gave 
 it a clown for expounding of his riddle : wherefore the clown 
 
DOCTOR FAUSTUS. 231 
 
 UiL iG'vn Cosinitz, that is in English, "Cost me 
 nothing." 
 
 From Costnitz he came to Ulm, where he saw the sump- 
 tuous town house built by two-and-fifty of the ancient 
 senators of the city ; it took the name Ulm, because the 
 whole land thereabouts is full of Elms : but Faustus minding 
 to depart from thence, his spirit said unto him, " Faustus, 
 think of the town as you will; it hath three dukedoms 
 belonging to it, the which they have bought with ready 
 money." 
 
 From Ulm he came unto Watzberg, the chiefest town in 
 Frankland, wherein the bishop altogether keepeth his court, 
 through the which town passeth the river Mayne, that runs 
 into the Rhine ; thereabouts groweth strong and pleasant 
 wine, the which Faustus well proved : the castle standeth 
 on a hill on the north side of the town, at the foot thereof 
 runneth the river. This town is full of beggarly friars, nuns, 
 priests, and Jesuits; for there are five sorts of begging 
 friars, besides three cloisters of nuns ; at the foot of the 
 castle stands a church, in the which there is an altar, where 
 are engraven all the four elements, and all the orders and 
 degrees in heaven, that any man of understanding whosoever, 
 that hath a light thereof, may say that it is the artificialist 
 thing that ever he beheld. 
 
 From thence he went to Norenberg, whither as he went 
 by the way his spirit informed him that the town was named 
 of Claudius Tiberius, the son of Nero the Tyrant. In the 
 town are two famous cathedral churches, one called St. 
 Sabelt, the other St. Laurence ; in which church stands all 
 the relics of Carolus Magnus, that is to say, his cloak, his 
 hose, his doublet, his sword and crown, the sceptre and 
 apple. It hath a very glorious gilded conduit in the market- 
 place of St. Laurence ; in which conduit is the spear that 
 thrust our Saviour into the side, and a piece of the holy 
 cross j the wall is called the fair wall of Norenberg, and 
 
23* THE FAMOUS HISTORY OF 
 
 five hundred and twenty-eight streets, a hundred and sixty 
 wells, four great and two small clocks, six great gates, two 
 small doors, eight stone bridges, twelve small hills, ten 
 fair market-places, thirteen common hot-houses, ten 
 churches ; within the town are twenty wheels of water-mills, 
 it hath a hundred and thirty-eight tall ships, two mighty 
 town walls of hewed stone and earth, with very deep 
 trenches : the walls have a. hundred and eighty towers about 
 them, and four fair platforms, ten apothecaries, ten doctors 
 of the common law, fourteen doctors of physic. 
 
 From Norenberg he went to Auspurg, where at the break 
 of the day he demanded of his spirit whereupon the town took 
 his name. " This town," quoth he, " hath had many names ; 
 when it was first built, it was called Vindelica ; secondly, it 
 was called Zizaria, the iron-bridge ; lastly, by the Emperor 
 Octavus Augustus, it was called Augusta, and by the corrup- 
 tion of language, the Germans had named it Auspurg." 
 
 Now, for because that Faustus had been there before, he 
 departed (without seeing their monuments) to Ravensberg, 
 where his spirit certified him that the city had seven names : 
 the first Diperia, the second Quadratis, the third Heaspolis, 
 the fourth Reginipolis, the fifth Imbripolis, the sixth Ratis- 
 bona, the last is Ravensberg. The situation of this city pleased 
 Faustus well, also the strong and sumptuous building ; by 
 the walls thereof runneth the river Danubius, in Dutch 
 called Danow, into which not far from the compass of the 
 city falleth near hand threescore other small rivers and fresh 
 waters. Faustus also liked the sumptuous stone bridge over 
 the same water, with the church standing thereon, the which 
 was founded Anno 1115, the name whereof is called St. 
 Remedian ; in the town Faustus went into the cellar of an 
 inn-holder, and let out all the beer and wine that was in 
 the cellar. 
 
 After which feat, he returned into Mentz in Bavaria, a 
 right princely town : the town appeared as if it were new, 
 -v 
 
DOCTOR FAUSTUS. 233 
 
 with great streets therein, both of breadth and length from 
 Mentz to Salisburg, where the bishop is always resident : 
 here saw he all the commodities that were possible to be 
 seen, for at the hill he saw the form of a bell made in 
 crystal, a huge thing to look upon, that every year groweth 
 bigger and bigger, by reason of the freezing cold. 
 
 From thence he went to Vienna in Austria ; the town is 
 of great antiquity, that it is not possible to find the like. " In 
 this town," said the spirit, " is more wine than water, for all 
 under the town are wells, which are filled every year with 
 wine, and all the water that they have runneth by this 
 town ; this is the river Danubius." 
 
 From thence he went into Prage, the chief city of 
 Bohemia ; this is divided into three parts, that is old Prage, 
 little Prage, and new Prage. Little Prage is the place where 
 the emperor's court is placed; upon an exceeding high 
 mountain there is a castle, where are two fair churches ; in 
 the one he found a monument which might well have been 
 a mirror for himself, and that was the sepulchre of a notable 
 conjurer, which by his magic had so enchanted his sepulchre 
 that whosoever set foot thereon, should be sure never to 
 die in their beds. From this castle he came and went down 
 over the bridge ; this bridge has twenty-four arches, and in 
 the middle of the bridge stands a very fair monument, being 
 a cross builded of stone, and most artificially carved. From 
 thence he went into the old Prage, the which is separated 
 from the new Prage, with an exceeding deep ditch, and 
 round about enclosed with a wall of brick ; unto this is 
 adjoining the Jews' town, wherein are thirteen thousand 
 men, women, and children, all Jews ; there he viewed the 
 college and the gardens, where all manner of savage beasts 
 are kept ; and from thence he fetched a compass round 
 about the three towns, whereat he wondered greatly to see 
 so mighty a city stand all within the walls. 
 
 From Prage he flew into the air, and bethought himself 
 
234 THE FAMOUS HISTORY OF 
 
 what he might do, or which way to take ; so looked round 
 about, and behold he espied a passing fair city, which lay 
 not far from Prage, about some four-and-twenty miles, and 
 that was Bressaw in Silesia, in which when he was entered, 
 it seemed to him that he had been in Paradise, so neat and 
 clean were the streets, and so sumptuous were their build- 
 ings. In the city he saw not many wonders, except the 
 brazen Virgin that standeth on a bridge over the water, and 
 under which standeth a mill like a paper-mill, which Virgin 
 is made to do execution upon those disobedient town-born 
 children that be so wild that their parents cannot bridle 
 them ; which, when any such are found with some heinous 
 offence, turning to the shame of their parents and kindred, 
 they are brought to kiss the Virgin, which openeth her arms. 
 The person then to be executed kisseth her, then doth she 
 close her arms together with such violence, that she 
 crusheth out the breath of the party, breaketh his bulk, and 
 so he dieth ; but being dead she openeth her arms again, 
 and letteth the party fall into the mill, where he is stamped 
 into small morsels, which the water carrieth away, so that 
 no part is found again. 
 
 From Bressaw he went toward Cracovia, in the kingdom 
 of Polionia, where he beheld the academy, the which pleased 
 him wonderful well. In the city the king most com- 
 monly holdeth his court at a castle, in which castle are 
 many famous monuments; there is a most sumptuous 
 church in the same, in which standeth a silver altar gilded 
 and set with rich stones, and over it is a covenance full 
 of all manner of silver ornaments belonging to mass. In 
 the church hangeth the jaw-bones of a huge dragon, that 
 kept the rock before the castle was edified thereon : it is 
 full of all manner of munition, and hath always victuals 
 for three years to serve three thousand men ; through the 
 town runneth a river, called the Vessnal or Wessel, where 
 over is a fair wooden bridge ; this water divideth the town 
 
 N 
 
DOCTOR FAUSTUS. 235 
 
 and Gasmere ; in this Gasmere dwell the Jews, being a small 
 walled town by themselves, to the number of twenty-five 
 thousand men, women and children; within one mile of 
 the town there is a salt mine, where they found stones of 
 pure salt, one thousand pound, two thousand pound, or 
 more in weight, and that in great quantity : this salt is as 
 black as the Newcastle coal when it comes out of the 
 mines, but being beaten to powder, it is as white as snow. 
 The like they have four miles from thence at a town called 
 Buckma. 
 
 From thence Faustus went to Sandentz, the Captain 
 thereof was called Don Spicket Jordan. In this town are 
 many monuments, as the tomb and sepulchre of Christ, in 
 as ample a manner as that is at Jerusalem, at the proper 
 costs of a gentleman that went thrice a year to Jerusalem 
 from that place and returned again. Not far from that 
 town is a new town wherein is a nunnery of the order of 
 St. Dioclesian, into which order may none come except 
 they be gentlewomen, and well formed, and fair to look 
 upon, which pleased Faustus well ; but having a will to 
 travel further, and to see more wonders, mounting up 
 towards the east, over many lands and provinces, as in 
 Hungaria, Transilvania, Shede, Ingatz, Sardinia, and so 
 into Constantinople, where the Turkish emperor kept his 
 court. 
 
 This city was surnamed by Constantine, the founder 
 thereof, being builded of very fair stone. In the same the 
 Great Turk hath three fair palaces : the walls are strong, 
 the pinnacles are very huge, and the streets very large. But 
 this liked not Faustus that one man should have as many 
 wives as he would. The sea runneth hard by the city ; the 
 wall hath eleven gates. Faustus abode there a certain time 
 to see the manner of the Turkish emperor's service at his 
 table, where he saw his royal service to be such that he 
 thought if all the Christian princes should banquet together, 
 
236 THE FAMOUS HISTORY OF 
 
 and every one adorn the feast to the utmost, that they were 
 not able to compare with the Turk and his table, and the 
 rest of his country service. Wherefore it so affrighted 
 Faustus that he vowed to be revenged on him, for his pomp, 
 he thought, was more fit for himself; wherefore as the Turk 
 sate at meat Faustus showed them a little apish play, for 
 round about the privy-chamber he sent forth flashing flames 
 .of fire, insomuch that the whole company forsook their 
 meat and fled, except only the Great Turk himself; him 
 Faustus charmed in such sort that he could neither rise nor 
 fall, neither could any man pull him up. With this was the 
 hall so light as if the sun had shined in the house. Then 
 came Faustus in form of a pope to the Great Turk, 
 saying, " All hail, emperor, now art thou honoured, that I 
 so worthily appear unto thee as thy Mahomet was wont to 
 do." Hereupon he vanished, and forthwith it thundered 
 that the whole palace shook. The Turk greatly marvelled 
 what this should be that so vexed him, and was persuaded 
 by the chiefest counsellors that it was Mahomet, his prophet, 
 which had so appeared unto them ; whereupon the Turk 
 commanded them to fall down on their knees and to give 
 him thanks for doing them so great honour as to show 
 himself unto them. But the next day Faustus went into 
 the castle where he kept his wives and concubines, in which 
 castle might no man, upon the pain of death, come, except 
 those that were appointed by the Great Turk to do him 
 service, and they were all eunuchs, which when Faustus 
 perceived, he said to his spirit Mephistophiles, " How likest 
 thou this sport ? Are not these fair ladies greatly to be 
 pitied that thus consume their youth at the pleasure of one 
 only man ? " 
 
 " Why," quoth the spirit, " mayst not thou instead of 
 the emperor embrace these fair ladies ? Do what thy heart 
 desireth herein, and I will aid thee, and what thou wishest 
 thou shalt have it performed." 
 
DOCTOR FAUSTUS. 237 
 
 Wherefore Faustus (being before this counsel apt enough 
 to put such matters in practice) caused a great fog to be 
 round about the castle, both within and without, and he 
 himself appeared amongst the ladies in all points as they 
 used to paint Mahomet ; at which sight the ladies fell on 
 their knees and worshipped him. Then Faustus took the 
 fairest by the hand, and when he had delighted himself 
 sufficiently with her, he put her away, and made his spirit 
 bring him another ; and so he passed away six days, all 
 which time the fog was so thick and so stinking that they 
 within the hov.se thought that they had been in hell for the 
 time, and they without wondered thereat, in such sort that 
 they went to their prayers, calling on their God Mahomet, 
 and worshipping of the image ; where the sixth day Faustus 
 exalted himself into the air like a pope, in the sight of the 
 Great Turk and all his people, and he had no sooner 
 departed the castle but the fog vanished away. Whence 
 presently the Turk went to his wives and concubines, 
 demanding of them if they knew the cause why the castle 
 was beset with a mist so long. They said it was the God 
 Mahomet himself that had caused it, and how he was in the 
 castle personally six days. The Turk, hearing this, fell 
 down upon his knees and gave Mahomet thanks, desiring 
 him to forgive him for being offended with his visiting his 
 castle and wives these six days. 
 
 From thence Faustus went to Alker, the which before 
 times was called Chairam, or Memphis. In this city the 
 Egyptian Soldan holdeth his court ; from thence the river 
 Nilus hath his head and spring. It is the greatest fresh 
 water river that is in the whole world, and always when the 
 sun is in Cancer it overfloweth the whole land of Egypt. 
 
 Then he returned again towards the north-east, and to 
 the town of Osen and Sebasa in Hungaria. This Osen is 
 the closest city in Hungaria, and standing in a fertile soil, 
 wherein groweth most excellent wine ; and not far from the 
 
238 THE FAMOUS HISTORY OF 
 
 tower there is a well called Zipzan, the water whereof 
 changeth iron into copper. There are mines of gold and 
 silver and all manner of metal. We Germans call this town 
 Osen, but in the Hungarian speech it is Start. In the town 
 standeth a very fair castle, and very well fortified. 
 
 From thence he went to Austria, and so through Silesia 
 into Saxony, unto the towns of Magdeburg, and Lipzig, and 
 Lubeck. Magdeburg is a bishopric. In this city is one of 
 the pitchers wherein Christ changed the water into wine in 
 Cana in Galilee. At Lipzig nothing pleased Faustus so 
 well as the great vessel in the castle made of wood, the 
 which is bound about with twenty-four iron hoops, and every 
 hoop weighed two hundred pound weight. You must go 
 upon a ladder thirty steps high before you can look into it. 
 He saw also the new churchyard where it was walled, and 
 standeth upon a fair plain. The yard is two hundred paces 
 long, and round about the side of the wall are good places, 
 separated one from each other to see sepulchres in, which 
 in the middle of the yard standeth very sumptuous ; therein 
 standeth a pulpit of white work and gold. 
 
 From thence he went to Lubeck and Jamberg, where he 
 made no abode, but away again to Erford in Duriten, where 
 he visited the Frescold ; and from Erford he went home to 
 Wittenburg, when he had seen and visited many a strange 
 place, being from home one year and a half, in which time 
 he wrought more wonders than are here declared. 
 
 CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 How Dr. Faustus had sight of Paradise. 
 
 AFTER this Dr. Faustus set forth again to visit the countries 
 of Spain, Portugal, France, England, Scotland, Denmark, 
 Swedea, Poland, Muscovy, India, Cataia, Africa, Persia, 
 
DOCTOR FAUSTUS. 239 
 
 and lastly, into Barbaria, amongst the Black Moors; and in 
 all his wandering he was desirous to visit the ancient monu- 
 ments and mighty hills, amongst the rest, beholding the 
 high hill called Theno Reise, was desirous to rest upon it. 
 From thence he went into the Isle of Britain, wherein he 
 was greatly delighted to see the fair water and warm baths, 
 the divers sorts of metal, with many precious stones and 
 divers other commodities, the which Faustus brought thence 
 with him. He was also at the Orcades behind Scotland, 
 where he saw the tree that bringeth forth fruit, that when it 
 is ripe, openeth and falleth in the water, wherein engendereth 
 a certain kind of fowl and birds. These islands are in 
 number twenty-three, but ten of them are not habitable, 
 the other thirteen were inhabited. 
 
 From thence he went to the hill Caucasus, which is the 
 highest in all that tropic : it lieth near the borders of 
 Scythia. Hereon Faustus stood and beheld many lands 
 and kingdoms. Faustus, being on such a high hill, 
 thought to look over all the world, and beyond, for he 
 went to Paradise, but he durst not commune with his spirit 
 thereof; and being on the hill Caucasus, he saw the whole 
 land of India and Scythia, and as he looked towards the 
 east, he saw a mighty clear streak of fire coming from 
 heaven upon earth, even as if it had been one of the beams 
 of the sun. He saw in the water four mighty waters 
 springing, one had his course towards India, the second 
 towards Egypt, the third and fourth towards Armenia. 
 When he saw these he would needs know of his spirit what 
 waters they were, and from whence they came ? 
 
 His spirit gave him gently an answer, saying, "It is 
 Paradise that lieth so far in the east, the garden that God 
 himself hath planted with all manner of pleasure ; and the 
 fiery streams which thou seest is the wall or fence of the 
 garden ; but the clear light which thou seest afar of, that is 
 the angel that hath the custody thereof with a fiery sword ; 
 
240 THE FAMOUS HISTORY OF 
 
 and although them thinkest thyself to be hard by, thou 
 are yet further thither from hence than thou hast ever been. 
 The water that thou seest divided in four parts, is the water 
 that issueth out of the well in the middle of Paradise. The 
 first is called Ganges or Pison, the second Gihon, the third 
 Tygris, and the fourth Euphrates ; also thou seest that he 
 standeth under Libra and Aries, right towards the Zenith ; 
 and upon this fiery wall standeth the angel Michael with 
 his flaming sword, to keep the tree of life, which he hath in 
 charge. But," the spirit said to Faustus, " neither thou, 
 nor I, nor any after us, yea, all men whatsoever, are denied 
 to visit, or come any nearer than we be." 
 
 CHAPTER XXIV. 
 
 Of a certain Comet that appeared in Germany, and how Dr. Faustut 
 was desired by certain Friends of his to know the meaning thereof. 
 
 IN Germany, over the town of St. Elzeben, was seen a 
 mighty great comet, whereat the people wondered, but Dr. 
 Faustus being there, was asked of certain of his friends his 
 judgment or opinion in the matter ; whereupon he answered : 
 " It falleth out often by the course and change of the sun 
 and moon, that the sun is under the earth, and the moon 
 above ; but when the moon draweth near the change, then 
 is the sun so strong that it taketh away the light of the 
 moon in such sort as she is red as blood ; and, on the con- 
 trary side, after they have been together, she soon taketh her 
 light from him, and so increasing in light to the full, she 
 will be as red as the sun was before, and change herself into 
 divers and sundry colours, of which springeth the prodigal 
 monster, or, as you call it, a comet, which is a figure or 
 token appointed of God as a forewarning of his displeasure : 
 as at one time he sendeth hunger, plague, sword, or such 
 like, being all tokens of his judgments, which comet cometh 
 
DOCTOR FAUSTUS. 241 
 
 through the conjunction of the sun and moon, and begetteth 
 a monster, whose father is the sun, and whose mother is the 
 moon : moon and sun." 
 
 
 
 CHAPTER XXV. 
 
 Another Question put forth to Dr. Faustus concerning the Stars, 
 
 THERE was a learned man of the town of Halberstat, named 
 N. W., who invited Dr. Faustus to his table, but falling into 
 communication before supper was ready, they looked out of 
 the window, and seeing many stars in the firmament, this 
 man being a doctor of physic, and a good astrologian, said : 
 " Dr. Faustus, I have invited you as my guest, hoping you 
 will take in good part with me, and withal, I request you to 
 impart some of your experience in the stars and planets ; " 
 and seeing a star fall, he said : " I pray you, Faustus, what 
 is the condition, quality, or greatness of the stars in the 
 firmament ? " 
 
 Faustus answered him : " My friend and brother, you see 
 that the stars that fall from heaven, when they come to the 
 earth, they be very small to our thinking as candles, but 
 being fixed in the firmament, they are many as great as a 
 city, some as great as a province or dukedom, others as 
 great as the whole earth, other some far greater than the 
 earth twelve times, and from the height of the heavens there 
 is scarce any earth to be seen yea, the planets in the heavens 
 are some so great as this land, some so great as the whole 
 empire of Rome, some as Turkey, yea, some as great as the 
 whole world." 
 
242 THE FAMOUS HISTORY OF 
 
 CHAPTER XXVI. 
 
 How Faustus was asked a Question concerning the Spirits that 
 vexed Men. 
 
 " THAT is most true," said he to Faustus, " concerning the 
 stars and planets ; but, I pray you, in what kind or manner 
 do the spirits use to vex men so little by day and so greatly 
 by night ? " 
 
 Dr. Faustus answered ; " Because the spirits are of God 
 forbidden the light ; their dwelling is in darkness, and the 
 clearer the sun shineth, the farther the spirits have their 
 abiding from it, but in the night when it is dark, they have 
 their familiarity and abiding near unto us men. For although 
 in the night we see not the sun, yet the brightness thereof so 
 lighted the first moving of the firmament, as it doth here on 
 earth in the day, by which reason we are able to see the 
 stars and planets in the night, even so the rays of the sun 
 piercing upwards into the firmament, the spirits abandon the 
 place, and so come near us on earth, the darkness filling our 
 heads with heavy dreams and fond fancies, with shrieking 
 and crying in many deformed shapes : and sometimes when 
 men go forth without light, there falleth to them a fear, that 
 their hairs standeth up on end, so many start in their sleep, 
 thinking there is a spirit by them, groping or feeling for 
 him, going round about the house in their sleep, and many 
 such like fancies, and all this is, because in the night the 
 spirits are more familiarly by us than we are desirous of 
 their company, and so they carry us, blinding us, and 
 plaguing us more than we are able to perceive." 
 
DOCTOR FAUSTUS. 243 
 
 CHAPTER XXVII. 
 
 Hffia Dr. Fauslus was asked a Question concerning the Stars 
 that fell from Heaven. 
 
 DR. FAUSTUS being demanded the cause why the stars fall 
 from heaven, he answered : " That it is but our opinion ; 
 for if one star fall, it is the great judgment of God upon us, 
 as a forewarning of some great thing to come : for when \vc 
 think that a star falleth, it is but as a spark that issueth from 
 a candle or flame of fire ; for if it were a substantial thing, 
 we should not so soon lose the sight of them as we do. 
 But likewise if so be that we see as it were a stream oi" 
 fire fall from the firmament, as it oft happeneth, yet are they 
 not stars, but as it were a flame of fire vanishing, but the 
 stars are substantial ; therefore are they firm and not falling ; 
 if there fall any, it is a sign of some great matter to come, 
 as a scourge to a people or country ; and then such stars 
 falling, and the gates of heaven are opened, and the clouds 
 send forth floods and other plagues, to the damage of the 
 whole land and people." 
 
 CHAPTER XXVIII. 
 
 Hmv Faustus was asked a Question concerning Thunder. 
 
 IN the month of August there was over Wittenburg a mighty 
 great lightning and thunder ; and as Dr. Faustus was jesting 
 merrily in the market-place with certain of his friends and 
 companions, being physicians, they desired him to tell them 
 the cause of that weather. Faustus answered : " It hath 
 been commonly seen heretofore that, before a thunder-clap, 
 fell a shower of rain or a gale of wind ; for commonly after 
 a wind falleth rain, and after rain a thunder-clap, such thick- 
 ness come to pass when the four winds meet together in the 
 
-44 THE FAMOUS HISTORY OF 
 
 heavens, the airy clouds are by force beaten against the 
 fixed crystal firmament, but when the airy clouds meet 
 with the firmament, they are congealed, and so strike, and 
 rush against the firmament, as great pieces of ice when they 
 meet on the water ; then each other sounded in our ears, 
 and that we call thunder, which indeed was none other than 
 you have heard." 
 
 THE THIRD AND LAST OF DR. FAUSTUS HIS MERRY CON- 
 CEITS, SHOWING AFTER WHAT SORT HE PRACTISED 
 NECROMANCY IN THE COURTS OF GREAT PRINCES: 
 AND, LASTLY, OF HIS FEARFUL AND PITIFUL END. 
 
 CHAPTER XXIX. 
 
 How the Emperor Cdrolus Quintus requested of Fausttts to see some 
 of his Cunning, -whereunto he agreed. 
 
 THE Emperor Charles the Fifth of that name, was personally, 
 with the rest of the nobles and gentlemen, at the town of 
 Intzbrack, where he kept his court, unto the which also Dr. 
 Faustus resorted, and being there well known of divers 
 nobles and gentlemen, he was invited in the court to meat, 
 even in the presence of the emperor, whom when the em- 
 peror saw, he looked earnestly upon him, thinking by his 
 looks he was some wonderful fellow; wherefore he asked 
 one of his nobles whom he should be ? He answered, that 
 he was called Dr. Faustus. Whereupon the emperor held 
 his peace until he had taken his repast ; after which he 
 called unto him Faustus into his privy-chamber; where 
 being come, he said unto him : " Faustus, I have heard 
 much of thee, that thou art excellent in the black art, and 
 none like thee in my empire ; for men say that thou hast a 
 familiar spirit with thee, and that thou canst do what thou 
 list. It is, therefore," said the emperor, " my request of 
 
DOCTOR FAUSTUS. 245 
 
 thee that thou let me see proof of thy experience, and I vow 
 unto thee, by the honour of my imperial crown, none evil 
 shall happen unto thee for so doing." 
 
 Hereupon Dr. Faustus answered his Majesty, that upon 
 those conditions he was ready in anything that he could to 
 do his highuess's command in what service he could appoint 
 him. 
 
 " Well, hear then what I say," quoth the emperor. 
 "Being once solitary in my house, I called to mind my 
 elders and ancestors, how it was possible for them to attain 
 to so great a degree and authority, yea, so high, that we, the 
 successors of that line, are not able to come near. As for 
 example, the great and mighty monarch of the world, Alex- 
 ander Magnus, was such a pattern and spectacle to all his 
 successors, as the chronicles make mention of, having so 
 great riches, conquering and subduing so many kingdoms, 
 the which I and those that follow me (I fear) shall never be 
 ible to attain unto ; wherefore, Faustus, my hearty desire is 
 that thou wouldst vouchsafe to let me see that Alexander 
 and his paramour, the which was praised to be so fair ; and 
 I pray thee show me them in such sort that I may see their 
 personages, shapes, gesture and apparel, as they used in their 
 lifetime, and that here before my face, to that end that I may 
 say, I have my long desire fulfilled, and to praise thee to be 
 a famous man in thy art and experience." 
 
 Dr. Faustus answered : " My most excellent lord, I am 
 ready to accomplish your request in all things, so far forth 
 as I and my spirit are able to perform ; yet your Majesty 
 shall know that their dead bodies are not able substantially 
 to be brought before you ; but such spirits as have seen 
 Alexander and his paramour alive shall appear unto you in 
 manner and form as they both lived in their most flourishing 
 time, and herewith I hope to please your imperial Majesty." 
 Then Faustus went a little aside and spoke to his spirit, but 
 he returned again presently, saying, " Now, if it please your 
 
246 THE FAMOUS HISTORY OF 
 
 Majesty, you shall see them, yet upon this condition, that 
 you demand no question of them, nor speak unto them ; " 
 which the emperor agreed unto. 
 
 Whereupon Dr. Faustus opened the privy-chamber door, 
 where presently entered the great and mighty emperor, 
 Alexander Magnus, in all things to look upon as if he had 
 been alive ; in proportion, a strong set thick man, of a 
 middle stature, black hair, and that both thick and curled, 
 head and beard, red cheeks, and a broad face, with eyes like 
 a basilisk ; he had a complete harness furnished and engraven, 
 exceeding rich to look upon ; and so passing towards the 
 Emperor Carolus he made a low and reverend courtesy ; 
 whereat the Emperor Carolus would have stood up to receive 
 and greet him with the like reverence. Faustus took hold on 
 him, and would not permit him to do it. Shortly after Alexan- 
 der made humble reverence, and went out again, and coming 
 lo the door, his paramour met him. She coming in, made 
 the emperor likewise reverence. She was clothed in blue 
 velvet, wrought and embroidered with pearls and gold ; she 
 was also excellent fair, like blood and milk mixed, tall and 
 slender, with a face as round as an apple, and thus passed 
 they certain times up and down the house, which the 
 emperor marking, said to himself, " Now I have seen two 
 persons which my heart hath long wished to behold ; and 
 sure it cannot otherwise be," said he to himself, " but that 
 the spirits have changed themselves into these forms, and 
 have but deceived me," calling to mind the woman that 
 raised the prophet Samuel. And for that the emperor should 
 be more satisfied in the matter, he said, "I have often 
 heard that behind in her neck she had a great wart or wen ;" 
 wherefore he took Faustus by the hand without any words, 
 and went to see if it were able to be seen on her or not ; 
 but she perceiving that he came to her, bowed down her 
 neck, where he saw a great wart, and hereupon she vanished, 
 leaving the emperor and the rest well contented. 
 
DOCTOR FAUSTUS. 247 
 
 CHAPTER XXX. 
 
 How Dr. Faustus, in the sight of the Emperor, conjured a Pair of 
 Harfs Horns upon a Knighfs Head, that slept out at a casement. 
 
 WHEN Dr. Faustus had accomplished the emperor's desire 
 in all things as he was requested, he went forth into the 
 gallery, and leaning over a rail to look into the privy garden, 
 he saw many of the emperor's courtiers walking and talking 
 together, and casting his eyes now this way, now that way, 
 he espied a knight leaning out of the window of the great 
 hall, who was fast asleep (for in those days it was hot) ; but 
 the person shall be nameless that slept, for that he was a 
 knight, though it was all done to no little disgrace of the 
 gentleman. It pleased Dr. Faustus, through the help of his 
 spirit Mephistophiles, to fix on his head as he slept a huge 
 pair of hart's horns ; and as the knight awaked, thinking to 
 pull in his head, he hit his horns against the glass, that the 
 panes thereof flew about his ears. Think here how this 
 good gentleman was vexed, for he could neither get back- 
 ward nor forward ; which, when the emperor heard, all the 
 courtiers laughed, and came for to see what had happened. 
 The emperor also, when he beheld the knight with so fair 
 a head, laughed heartily thereat, and was therewith well 
 pleased. At last Faustus made him quit of his horns again, 
 but the knight perceived not how they came. 
 
 CHAPTER XXXI. 
 
 Hoiv the above-mentioned Knight went about to be revenged of 
 Dr. Faustus. 
 
 DR. FAUSTUS took his leave of the emperor and the rest 
 of the courtiers, at whose departure they were sorry, giving 
 
248 THE FAMO US HIS TOR Y OF 
 
 him many rewards and gifts ; but being a league and a half 
 oat of the city, he came iuto a wood, where he beheld the 
 knight that he had jested with at the court with others in 
 harness, mounted upon fair palfreys, and running with full 
 charge towards Faustus ; but he seeing their intent ran to- 
 wards the bushes, and before he came among the bushes he 
 returned again, running as it were to meet them that chased 
 him : whereupon suddenly all the bushes were turned into 
 horsemen, which also ran to encounter with the knight and 
 his company, and coming to them, they enclosed the knight 
 and the rest, and told them they must pay their ransom 
 before they departed ; whereupon the knight seeing himself 
 in such distress, besought Faustus to be good to them, 
 which he denied not but let them loose ; yet he so charmed 
 them, that every one, knight and other, for the space of a 
 whole month did wear a pair of goat's horns on their brows, 
 and every palfrey a pair of ox's horns on his head ; and this 
 was their penance appointed by Faustus. 
 
 CHAPTER XXXII. 
 
 How three young Dukes being together at Wittenburg, to behold the 
 University, requested Faustus to help them at a Wish to the Town 
 of Munckeon, in Bavaria, there to see the Duke of Bavaria's Son's 
 Wedding. 
 
 THREE worthy young dukes, the which are not here to be 
 named, but being students all together, at the university of 
 Wittenburg, met on a time all together, where they fell in 
 reasoning concerning the pomp and bravery that should be 
 in the city of Muncheon in Bavaria, at the wedding of the 
 duke's son, wishing themselves there but one half hour to 
 see the manner of their jollity ; to whom one replied, saying 
 to the two other gentlemen, " If it please you to give me the 
 hearing, I will give you good counsel, that you may see the 
 
DOCTOR FAUSTUS. 249 
 
 wedding, and be here again to-night, and this is my mean- 
 ing : let us send to Dr. Faustus, make him a present of 
 some rare thing, and open our minds unto him, desiring him 
 to assist us in our enterprise, and assure ye he will not deny 
 to fulfil our request." Hereupon they all concluded : sent for 
 Faustus, told him their minds, and gave him a gift, and in- 
 vited him to a sumptuous banquet, wherewith Faustus was 
 well contented, and promised to further their journey to the 
 uttermost : and when the time was come that the three 
 young gentlemen came into his house, commanding them 
 that they would put on their best apparel, and adorn them- 
 selves as rich as they could. He took off his great large 
 cloak, went into the garden that was adjoining unto his 
 house, and set the three young dukes upon his cloak, and 
 he himself in the midst : but he gave them in charge, that 
 in anywise they should not at once open their mouths to 
 speak, or make answer to any man so soon as they went out > 
 not so much as if the Duke of Bavaria or his son should 
 speak to them, or offer them courtesy, they should give no 
 word or answer again ; to which they all agreed. 
 
 These conditions being made, Dr. Faustus began to con- 
 jure, and on a sudden arose a mighty wind, heaving up the 
 cloak, and so carried them away in the air, and in due time 
 they came unto Muncheon to the duke's court ; where being 
 entered into the utmost court, the marshal had espied them, 
 who presently went to the duke, showing his grace that all 
 the lords and gentlemen were ready set at the table, not- 
 withstanding there were newly come three goodly gentlemen 
 with one servant, the which stood without in the court, 
 wherefore the good old duke came out unto them, welcoming 
 them, requiring what they were, and whence? But they 
 made no answer at all ; whereat the duke wondered, think- 
 ing they had been all dumb : notwithstanding for his 
 honour's sake he took them into the court, and feasted 
 them. Faustus notwithstanding spake to them, " If anything 
 
250 THE FAMOUS HISTORY OF 
 
 happen otherwise than well, when I say, Sit up, then fall you 
 all on the cloak, and good enough." 
 
 Well, the water being brought, and that they must wash, 
 one of the three had some manners as to desire his friend to 
 wash first, which when Faustus heard, he said, " Sit up ; " and 
 all at once they got on the cloak, but he that spoke fell off 
 again, the other two with Dr. Faustus were again presently 
 at Wittenburg : but he that remained was taken and laid in 
 prison : wherefore the other two gentlemen were very sorrow- 
 ful for their friend, but Faustus comforted them, promising 
 that on the morrow he should also be at Wittenburg. 
 
 Now all this while was the duke taken in great fear, and 
 strucken into an exceeding dumps, wondering with himself 
 that his hap was so hard to be left behind, and not the rest : 
 and now being locked and watched with so many keepers : 
 there was also certain of the guests that fell to reasoning 
 with him to know what he was, and also what the other 
 were that were vanished away? But the poor prisoner 
 thought with himself, " If I open what they are, then it will 
 be evil also with me." Wherefore all this while he gave 
 no man any answer, so that he was there a whole day and 
 gave no man a word : wherefore the old duke gave charge that 
 the next morning they should rack him until he had con- 
 fessed ; which when the young duke heard, he began to 
 sorrow, and to say with himself, " It may be, that to-morro'.v 
 (if Dr. Faustus come not to aid me) I shall be racked and 
 grievously tormented, insomuch that I shall be constrained 
 by force to say more than willingly I would do." 
 
 But he comforted himself with hope that his friends 
 would entreat Dr. Faustus about his deliverance, as also it 
 came to pass : for that before it was day, Dr. Faustus was 
 by him, and he conjured them that watched him into such 
 a heavy sleep, that he with his charms made open all the 
 locks in the prison, and therewithal brought the young 
 duke again in safety to the rest of his fellows and friends, 
 
DOCTOR FAUSTUS 
 
 2 5 * 
 
 where they presented Faustus with a sumptuous gift, and so 
 departed one from another. 
 
 CHAPTER XXXIII. 
 
 How Dr. Fausdis borrowed Money of a Jeiv, and laid his own 
 Leg in Pawn for it. 
 
 IT is a common proverb in Germany that, although a 
 conjurer have all things at command, the day will come 
 that he shall not be worth a penny : so it is like to fall out 
 with Dr. Faustus in promising the devil so largely ; but as 
 the devil is the author of all lies, even so he led Faustus his 
 mind in practising things to deceive the people, and 
 blinding them, wherein he took his whole delight, thereby 
 to bring himself to riches. Notwithstanding, in the end he 
 was never the richer; and although during twenty-four 
 years of his time that the devil set him he wanted nothing, 
 yet was he best pleased when he might deceive anybody : 
 for out of the mightiest potentates' courts in all these 
 countries he would send his spirit to fetch away their 
 best cheer. 
 
 And on a time, being in his merriment, where he was 
 banqueting with other students in an inn, thereunto 
 resorted many Jews ; which when Dr. Faustus perceived, 
 he was minded to play a merry jest to deceive a Jew, 
 desiring one of them to lend him some money for a time. 
 The Jew was content, and lent Faustus threescore dollars 
 for a month, which time being expired, the Jew came for 
 his money and interest ; but Dr. Faustus was never 
 minded to pay the Jew again. At length the Jew coming 
 home to his house, and calling importunately for his money, 
 Dr. Faustus made him this answer : "Jew, I have no money, 
 nor know I how to pay thee ; but notwithstanding to the 
 end thou mayst be contcr.ttd, I v/ill cut off a limb of my 
 
252 THE FA MOUS HIS TOR Y OF 
 
 body, be it arm or leg, and the same them shall have in 
 pawn for thy money ', yet with this condition, that when 
 I shall pay thee thy money again, then thou shall give me 
 my limb." 
 
 The Jew, that was never a friend to a Christian, 
 ihought with himself, " This fellow is right for my purpose, 
 that will lay his limbs in pawn for money, ' and was 
 therewith very well contenl. Wherefore Dr. Faustus took 
 a saw and therewith seemed to cut off his leg, being 
 notwithstanding nothing so. Well, he gave il to the Jew, 
 yet upon this condition, when he got money to pay the 
 Jew should deliver him his leg, to the end he might set it 
 on again. 
 
 The Jew was with this matter very well pleased, took his 
 leg and departed ; and having to go far home he was 
 somewhat weary, and by the way he thus bethought him : 
 "What helpeth me a knave's leg? If I should carry it 
 home it would stink and infect my house ; besides, it is 
 too hard a piece of work to set it on again : wherefore, 
 what an ass was Faustus to lay so great a pawn for so small 
 a sum of money ! And for my part," quoth the Jew to 
 himself, "this will never profit me anything;" and with 
 these words he cast the leg away from him into a ditch. 
 
 All this Dr. Faustus knew right well, therefore within 
 three days after sent for the Jew to make him payment of 
 his sixty dollars. The Jew came, and Dr. Faustus de- 
 manded his pawn there was his money ready for him. 
 The Jew answered, " The pawn was not profitable nor 
 necessary for anything, so I casl il a\vay." But Fauslus, 
 threatening, replied, " I will have my leg again, or else one of 
 thine for it." The Jew fell to intreat, promising him to give 
 him what money he would ask if he would not deal strictly 
 with him. Wherefore the Jew was constrained to give him 
 sixty dollars more to be rid of him ; and yet Faustus had 
 his leg on, for he had but blinded ihe Jew. 
 
DOCTOR FAUSTUS. 353 
 
 .UK 
 
 CHAPTER XXXIV. 
 
 How Dr. Faustus deceived the Horse- courser. 
 
 AFTER this manner he deceived a horse-courser at a fair, 
 called Pheifering : for Faustus, through his conjuring, had 
 gotten an excellent fair horse, whereupon he rid to the 
 fair, where he had many chapmen that offered him money ; 
 lastly, he sold him for forty dollars, and willing him that 
 bought him, that in anywise he should not ride him over 
 the water. But the horse-courser marvelled with himself 
 that Faustus bade him ride over no water. " But," quoth 
 he, " I will prove ; " and forthwith he rid him into the 
 river. Presently the horse vanished from under him, and 
 he was left on a bottle of straw, insomuch that the man was 
 almost drowned. 
 
 The horse-courser knew well where he lay that had sold 
 him his horse ; whereupon he went angerly to his inn, 
 where he found Dr. Faustus fast asleep and snorting on a 
 bed. But the horse-courser could no longer forbear him, 
 but took him by the leg and began to pull him off the bed ; 
 but he pulled him so that he pulled his leg from his body, 
 insomuch that the horse-courser fell backwards in the 
 place. Then began Dr. Faustus to cry with open throat, 
 " He hath murdered me." Hereat the horse-courser was 
 afraid, and gave the flight, thinking no other with himself 
 but that he had pulled his leg from his body. By this 
 means Dr. Faustus kept his money. 
 
 CHAPTER XXXV. , 
 How Dr. Faustus ate a Load of Hay. 
 
 DR. FAUSTUS being at a town in Germany called Zwickow, 
 where he was accompanied with many doctors and masters, 
 
254 
 
 THE FAMOUS HISTORY OF 
 
 and going forth to walk after supper, they met with a clown 
 that drew a load of hay. 
 
 " Good even, good fellow," said Faustus to the clown, 
 " what shall I give thee to let me eat my bellyful of hay ? " 
 The clown thought with himself, " What a madman 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 Dr. Faustus began to eat, and so ravenously, 
 that all the rest of the company fell a-laughing ; blinding 
 so the poor clown that he was sorry at his heart, for he 
 seemed to have eaten more than half of the 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 pity on the clown, and went away. When the clown 
 came in the place where he would be, he had his hay again 
 as he had before, a full load. 
 
 CHAPTER XXXVI. 
 
 How Dr. Faustus served the Twelve Students. 
 
 AT Wittenburg, before Faustus's house, there was a quarrel 
 between seven students, and five that came to part the rest, 
 one part stronger than the other. Wherefore Dr. Faustus, 
 seeing them to be over-matched, conjured them all blind, 
 insomuch that the one could not see the other, and he dealt 
 so 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 an other until the people parted 
 them and led each one to his own house, where being 
 entered into their houses, they received their sight presently 
 again. 
 
DOCTOR FAUSTUS. 355 
 
 . 
 
 CHAPTER XXXVII. 
 
 ff<nv Dr. Faustus served the Drunken Clowns. 
 
 DR. FAUSTUS went into an inn wherein were many tables 
 full of clowns, the which were tippling can after can of 
 excellent wine ; and to be short, they were all drunken ; and 
 as they sate, they so sang and holloaed, that one could not 
 hear a man speak for them. This angered Dr. Faustus ; 
 wherefore he said to them that called him in, " Mark, my 
 masters, I will show a merry jest." 
 
 The clowns continued still holloaing and singing; he 
 conjured them that their mouths stood as wide open as it 
 was possible for them to hold them, and never a one of 
 them was able to close his mouth again ; by-and-by the noise 
 was gone ; the clowns notwithstanding looked earnest one 
 upon another, and knew not what was happened. One by 
 one they went out, and so soon as they came without, they 
 were all as well as ever they were, but none of them desired 
 to go in any more. 
 
 . 
 
 ,t 
 
 CHAPTER XXXVIII. 
 
 HMO Dr. Faustus sold five Swine for six Dollars apiece. 
 
 : 
 
 DK. FAUSTUS began another jest. He made ready five fat 
 swine the which he sold to one for six dollars apiece, upon 
 this condition, that the swine-driver should not drive them 
 into the water. Dr. Faustus went home again, and as the 
 swine had fouled themselves in the mud, the swine-driver 
 drove them into the water, where presently they were 
 changed into so many bundles of straw, swimming upright 
 in the water. The buyer looked wistfully upon them, and 
 
- 5 o THE FAMOUS HISTORY OF 
 
 was sorry in his heart; but he knew not where to find 
 Faustus ; so he was content to let all go, and lose both 
 money and hogs. 
 
 
 CHAPTER XXXIX. 
 
 How Dr. Faustus played a merry Jest with the Duke of 
 Anhalt in his Court. 
 
 DR. FAUSTUS on a time went to the Duke of Anhalt, who 
 welcomed him very courteously. This was in the month of 
 January ; where sitting at table, he perceived the duchess 
 to be with child ; and forbearing himself until the meat was 
 taken from the table, and that they brought in the banquet- 
 ing dishes, Dr. Faustus said to the duchess, " Gracious 
 lady, I have always heard that women with child do always 
 long for some dainties ; I beseech therefore your grace, 
 hide not your mind from me, but tell me what you desire 
 to eat." 
 
 She answered him : " Dr. Faustus, now truly I will not 
 hide from you what my heart doth much desire ; namely, 
 that if it were now harvest, I would eat my fill of grapes and 
 other dainty fruit." 
 
 Dr. Faustus answered hereupon : " Gracious lady, this is 
 a small thing for me to do, for I can do more than this." 
 Wherefore he took a plate and set it upon one of the case- 
 ments of the window, holding it forth, where incontinent 
 he had his dish full of all manner of fruit, as red and white 
 grapes, pears, and apples, the which came from out of strange 
 countries. All these he presented to the duchess, saying : 
 " Madam, I pray you vouchsafe to taste of this dainty fruit, 
 the which came from a far country, for there the summer is 
 not yet ended." The duchess thanked Faustus highly, and 
 she fell to her fruit with full appetite. 
 
 The Duke of Anhalt notwithstanding could not withhold 
 
DOCTOR FAUSTUS. 257 
 
 to ask Faustus with what reason there were such young 
 fruits to be had at that time of the year ? 
 
 Dr. Faustus told him : " May it please your grace to 
 understand, that the year is divided into two circles of the 
 whole world, that when with us it is winter, in the contrary 
 circle it is notwithstanding summer ; for in India and Saba 
 there falleth or setteth a sun, so that it is so warm, that they 
 have twice a year fruit ; and, gracious lord, I have a swift 
 spirit, the which can in a twinkling of an eye fulfil my desire 
 in anything ; wherefore I sent him into those countries, who 
 hath brought this fruit as you see ; " whereat the duke 
 greatly admired. 
 
 CHAPTER XL. 
 
 How Dr. Faustus, through his Charms, made a great Castle 
 in the presence of the Duke of Anhalt. 
 
 DR. FAUSTUS desired the Duke of Anhalt to walk a little 
 forth of the court with him ; wherefore they went together 
 in the field, where Dr. Faustus (through his skill) had placed 
 a mighty castle, which when the duke saw he wondered 
 thereat, so did the duchess and all the beholders, that on 
 that hill which is called Rohumbuel, should on the sudden 
 be so fair a castle. At length Dr. Faustus desired the duke 
 and duchess to walk with him into the castle, which they 
 denied not. This castle was so wonderful strong, having 
 about it a great deep trench of water, the which was full of 
 fish, and all manner of water-fowl, as swans, ducks, geese, 
 bitterns, and such like ; about the wall was five stone doors, 
 and two other doors also ; within was a great open court, 
 wherein was enchanted all manner of wild beasts, especially 
 such as was not to be found in Germany, as apes, bears, 
 buffes, antelopes, and many more strange beasts ; also there 
 were harts, hinds, roebucks, and does, and wild swine ; all 
 
 i 
 
258 THE FAMOUS HISTORY OF 
 
 manner of land-fowl that any man could think on, which 
 flew from one tree to another. 
 
 After all this he set his guests to the table, being the duke 
 and duchess, with all their train, for he had provided them 
 a most sumptuous feast both of meat, and also of drink ; for 
 he set nine messes of meat upon the board at once. And all 
 this must his Wagner do, to place all things on the board, the 
 which was brought unto him by the spirit invisibly, of all things 
 their hearts could desire, as wild fowl, venison, and all manner 
 of dainty fish that could be thought on. Of wine also 
 great plenty, and of divers sorts, French wine, Cullen wine, 
 Crabashir wine, Renish wine, Spanish wine, Hungarian wine, 
 Waszburg wine, Malmsey, and Sack ; in the whole there was 
 one hundred cans standing round about the house. 
 
 This sumptuous banquet the duke took thankfully, and 
 afterwards he departed homeward ; but to their thinking they 
 had neither eat nor drank, so were they blinded while they 
 were in the castle. But as they were in their palace, they 
 looked towards the castle, and beheld it all on a flame of fire, 
 and all those that saw it wondered to hear so strange a noise, 
 t \ f a prat ordnance had been shot off. And thus the castle 
 lv r jed an j consumed clean away ; which done, Dr. Faustus 
 return *d to the duke, who gave him great thanks for showing 
 of him so great a courtesy, and gave him a hundred dollars, 
 and liberty to depart or stay there at his own discretion. 
 
 CHAPTER XLI. 
 
 How Dr. Faustus, with his Company, -visited the Bishop of 
 SaUsburg's Wine-cellar. 
 
 DR. FAUSTUS having taken leave of the duke, he went to 
 Wittenburg, near about Shrovetide, and being in company 
 with certain students, Dr. Faustus was himself the God of 
 'Bacchus, who having well feasted the students before with 
 
DOCTOR FAUSTUS. 2-- 
 
 dainty fare, after the manner of Germany, where it is counted 
 no feast unless all the bidden guests be drunk, which Dr. 
 Faustus intending, said, " Gentlemen, and my guests, will it 
 please you to take a cup of wine with me in a place or cellar 
 whereunto I will bring you ? " They all said willingly, " We 
 will;" which, when Dr. Faustus heard, he took them forth, 
 set each of them upon a holly-wand, and so was conjured into 
 the Bishop of Salisburg's cellar, for thereabouts grew ex- 
 cellent pleasant wine. There fell Faustus and his company 
 a-drinking and swilling, not of the worst, but of the best. 
 
 And as they were merry in the cellar, came to draw drink 
 the bishop's butler ; which when he perceived so many per- 
 sons there, he cried with a loud voice, " Thieves, thieves ! " 
 This spited Dr. Faustus wonderfully, wherefore he made 
 every one of his company to sit on their holly-wand, and so 
 vanished away. And in parting, Dr. Faustus took the butler 
 by the hair of the head, and carried him away with them, 
 until they came to a mighty high-lopped tree ; and on the 
 top of that huge tiee he set the butler, where he remained 
 in a most fearful perplexity. 
 
 Dr. Faustus departed to his house, where they took their 
 valete one after another, drinking the wine that they had 
 stolen in their bottles out of the bishop's cellar. The butler, 
 that had held himself by the hands upon the lopped tree all 
 the night, was almost frozen with the cold, espying the day, 
 and seeing the tree of huge great highness, thought with 
 himself. " Tt is impossible to come off this tree without 
 peril of death." At length, espying certain clowns passing 
 by, he cried, " For the love of God help me down ! " The 
 clowns, seeing him so high, wondered what madman would 
 climb up so huge a tree ; wherefore, as a thing most mira- 
 culous, they carried tidings to the Bishop of Salisburg. Then 
 was there great running on every side to see him on the tree, 
 and many devices they practised to get him down with ropes, 
 and being demanded of tl>e bishop how he came there, he 
 
 i ? 
 
said that he was brought thither, by the hair of the head, by 
 certain thieves that were robbing of the wine-cellar, but what 
 they were he knew not ; " for," said he, " they had faces like 
 men, but they wrought like devils." 
 
 CHAPTER XLII. 
 
 ffow Dr. Faustus kept his Shrovetide. 
 
 THERE were seven students and masters that studied 
 div'jrity, jurisprudent, and medicinse. All these having 
 consented, were agreed to visit Dr. Faustus, and to celebrate 
 Shrovetide with him ; who being come to his house, he gave 
 them their welcome, for they were his dear friends, desiring 
 them to sit down, where he served them with a very good 
 supper of hens, fish, and other roast, yet were they but 
 slightly cheered ; wherefore Dr. Faustus comforted his 
 guests, excusing himself that they had stolen upon him so 
 suddenly, that he had not leisure to provide for them so well 
 as they were worthy. " But, my good friends," quoth he, 
 ' according to the use of our country, we must drink all 
 this night ; and so a draught of the best wine bedwards is 
 commendable. For you know that in great potentates' 
 courts they use at this night great feasting, the like will I 
 do for you ; for I have three great flagons of wine : the first is 
 full of Hungarian wine, containing eight gallons ; the second 
 of Italian wine, containing seven gallons ; the third contain- 
 ing six gallons of Spanish wine ; all the which we will tipple 
 up before it be day. Besides, we have fifteen dishes of 
 meat, the which my spirit Mephistophiles hath fetched so 
 far, that it was cold before he brought it, and they are all 
 full of the daintiest things that one's heart can devise. But," 
 saith Faustus, " I must make them hot again ; and you may 
 believe me, gentlemen, that this is no blinding of you; 
 
DOCTOR FAUSTUS. 261 
 
 whereas you think that this is no natural food, verily it is as 
 good and as pleasant as ever you eat." 
 
 And having ended his tale, he commanded his boy to lay 
 his cloth, which done, he served them with fifteen messes 
 of meat, having three dishes in a mess ; in the which were all 
 manner of venison, and dainty wild-fowl ; and for wine there 
 was no lack, as Italian wine, Hungarian wine, and Spanish 
 wine ; and when they were all made drunk, and that they had 
 eaten their good cheer, they began to sing and dance until 
 it was day. And so they departed every one to his own 
 habitation ; at whose departing. Dr. Faustus desired theia 
 to be his guests again the next day following. 
 
 CHAPTER XLIII. 
 
 How Dr. Faustus feasted his Guests on Ash Wednesday. 
 
 UPON Ash Wednesday came unto Dr. Faustus his bidden 
 guests, the students, whom he feasted very royally, inso- 
 much that they were all full and lusty, dancing and singing 
 as the night before ; and when the high glasses and goblets 
 were caroused one to another, Dr. Faustus began to play 
 them some pretty feats, insomuch that round about the hall 
 was heard most pleasant music, and that in sundry places : 
 in this corner a lute, in another a cornet, in another a 
 cittern, clarigols, harp, hornpipe, in fine, all manner of 
 music was heard there in that instant; whereat all the 
 glasses and goblets, cups, and pots, dishes, and all that 
 stood upon the board began to dance. Then Dr. Faustus 
 took ten stone pots and set them down on the floor, 
 where presently they began to dance, and to smite one 
 against another, that the shivers flew round about the whole 
 house, whereat the whole company fell a-laughing. Then 
 began he another jest : he set an instrument upon the table, 
 
262 THE FAMOUS HISTORY OF 
 
 and caused a mighty great ape to come among them, which 
 ape began to dance and skip, showing them merry conceits. 
 
 In this and such pastime they passed away the whole day. 
 When night being come Dr. Faustus bid them all to supper, 
 which they lightly agreed unto, for students in these cases 
 are easily intreated ; wherefore he promised to feast them 
 with a banquet of fowl, and afterwards they would go all 
 about with a mask. Then Dr. Faustus put forth a long 
 pole out of the window, whereupon presently there came 
 innumerable numbers of birds and wild-fowl, and so many 
 as came had not the power to fly away again ; but he took 
 them and flung them to the students, who lightly pulled off 
 the necks of them, and being roasted, they made their 
 supper, which being ended, they made themselves ready for 
 the mask. 
 
 Dr. Faustus commanded every one to put on a clean 
 shirt over the other clothes, which being done, they looked 
 one upon another. It seemed to each one of them that they 
 had no heads ; and so they went forth unto certain of their 
 neighbours, at which sight the people were most wonder- 
 fully afraid ; and as the use of Germany is, that wheresoever 
 a mask entereth the good man of the house must feast him, 
 S"> as these maskers were set to their banquet, they seemed 
 again in their former shape with heads, insomuch that they 
 were all known whom they were ; and having sat and well 
 eat and drank, Dr. Faustus made that every one had an 
 ass's head on, with great long ears, so they fell to dancing 
 and to drive away the time until it was midnight, and then 
 every one departed home ; and as soon as they were out of 
 the house, each one was in his natural shape, and so they 
 ended and went to sleep. 
 
DOCTOR FAUST US. 263 
 
 CHAPTER XLIV. 
 
 Haw Dr. Fans/us the Day folltnving was feasted by the Students, and of 
 his merry Jests with them -while he was in their Company. 
 
 THE last bacchanalia was held on Thursday, where ensued 
 a great snow, and Dr. Faustus was invited unto the students 
 that were with him the day before, where they prepared an 
 excellent banquet for him, which banquet being ended, Dr. 
 Faustus began to play his old projects. And forthwith was in 
 the place thirteen apes, that took hands and danced round 
 in a ring together ; then they fell to tumbling and vaulting 
 one after another, that it was most pleasant to behold ; then 
 they leaped out of the window and vanished away. Then 
 they set before Dr. Faustus a roasted calfs head, which 
 one of the students cut a piece off, and laid it on Dr. 
 Faustus his trencher, which piece was no sooner laid down 
 but the calf's head began to cry mainly out like a man, 
 " Murder, murder ! Out, alas ! what dost thou to me ? " 
 Whereat they were all amazed, but after a while, considering 
 of Faustus's jesting tricks, they began to laugh, and they 
 pulled asunder the calfs head and eat it up. 
 
 Whereupon Dr. Faustus asked leave to depart, but they 
 would in nowise agree to let him go, except that he would 
 promise to come again presently. Then Faustus, through 
 his cunning, made a sledge, the which was drawn about 
 the house with four fiery dragons. This was fearful for the 
 students to behold, for they saw Faustus ride up and down, 
 as though he would have fired and slain all them that were 
 in the house. This sport continued until midnight, with 
 such a noise that they could not hear one another ; the 
 heads of the students were so light that they thought them- 
 selves to be in the air all that time. 
 
264 THE FAMOUS HISTORY OF 
 
 CHAPTER XLV. 
 
 Haw Dr. Faustus showed the fair Helena unto the Students 
 upon the Sunday following. 
 
 THE Sunday following came the students home to Dr. 
 Faustus his own house, and brought their meat and drink 
 with them. Those men were right welcome guests unto 
 Faustus, wherefore they all fell to drinking of wine smoothly ; 
 and being merry, they began some of them to talk, of beauty 
 of women, and ei/ery one gave forth his verdict what he 
 had seen, and what he had heard. So one amongst the 
 rest said, " I was never so desirous of anything in this 
 world as to have a sight (if it were possible) of fair Helena 
 of Greece, for whom the worthy town of Troy was destroyed 
 and razed down- to the ground ; therefore," saith he, " that 
 in all men's judgments she was more than commonly fair, 
 because that when she was stolen away from her husband 
 there was for her recovery so great bloodshed." 
 
 Dr. Faustus answered : " For that you are all my friends, 
 and are so desirous to see that stately pearl of Greece, fair 
 Helena, the wife to King Menelaus, and daughter of 
 Tyndarus and Leda, sister to Castor and Pollux, who was 
 the fairest lady of all Greece, I will therefore bring her 
 into your presence personally, and in the same form and 
 attire as she used to go when she was in her chiefest flower 
 and choicest prime of youth. The like have I done for 
 the Emperor Carolus Magnus ; at his desire I showed him 
 Alexander the Great, and his paramour. But," sajd Dr. 
 Faustus, " I charge you all that upon your perils you speak 
 not a word, nor rise up from the table so long as she is in 
 your presence." 
 
 And so he went out of the hall, returning presently 
 again, after whom immediately followed the fair and 
 
DOCTOR FAUSTU*. 265 
 
 beautiful Helena, whose beauty was such that the students 
 were all amazed to see her, esteeming her rather to be an 
 heavenly than an earthly creature. This lady appeared before 
 them in a most rich gown of purple velvet, costly embroi- 
 dered ; her hair hanging down loose, as fair as the beaten 
 gold, and of such length that it reached down to her hams ; 
 having most amorous coal-black eyes ; a sweet and pleasant 
 round face, with lips as red as any cherry ; her cheeks of a 
 rose colour, her mouth small ; her neck white like a swan, 
 tall and slender of personage ; in sum, there was no 
 imperfect place in her. She looked round about her with a 
 rolling hawk's eye, a smiling and wanton countenance, which 
 near hand inflamed the hearts of all the students, but that 
 they persuaded themselves she was a spirit, which made 
 them lightly pass away such fancies ; and thus fair Helena 
 and Faustus went out again one with another. 
 
 But the students, at Faustus entering in the hall again, 
 requested him to let them see her again the next day, for 
 that they will bring with them a painter to take a 
 counterfeit, which he denied, affirming that he could not 
 always raise up his spirit, but only at certain times. " Yet," 
 said he, " I will give unto you her counterfeit, which shall 
 be as good to you as if yourself should see the drawing 
 thereof ;" which they received according to his promise, but 
 soon after lost it again. The students departed from 
 Faustus to their several lodgings, but none of them could 
 sleep that night for thinking of the beauty of fair Helena ; 
 therefore a man may see how the devil blindeth and 
 inflameth the heart oftentimes, that men fall in love with 
 harlots, from which their minds can afterwards be hardly 
 removed 
 
2 66 1HE FAMOUS HISTORY OF 
 
 CHAPTER XLVI. 
 
 How Dr. Fattstus conjured the four Wheels from the Clown's 
 
 , 
 Waggon. 
 
 DR. FAUSTUS was sent for to come to the Marshal of 
 Brunswick, who was marvellous!}' troubled with the falling 
 sickness. Now Faustus had this quality, he seldom rid, 
 but commonly walked afoot to ease himself when he list ; 
 and as he came near unto the town of Brunswick there 
 overtook him a clown with four horses and an empty 
 waggon, to whom Dr. Faustus (jestingly, to try him) said : 
 " I pray thee, good fellow, let me ride a little to ease 
 my weary legs;" which the buzzardly ass denied, saying 
 that his horse was weary; and he would not let him 
 get up. 
 
 Dr. Faustus did this but to prove this clown if there were 
 any courtesy to be found in him if need were ; but such 
 churlishness is usually found among clowns. But he was 
 well requited by Faustus, even with the like payment : for 
 he said to him, " Thou dotish clown, void of all humanity, 
 seeing thou art of so churlish a disposition, I will pay thee 
 as thou hast deserved, for the four wheels of thy waggon 
 thou shalt have taken from thee ; let me see then how thou 
 canst shift." Whereupon his wheels were gone, his horses 
 fell also down to the ground as though they had been 
 dead ; whereat the clown was sore affrighted, measuring it 
 as a just scourge of God for his sins and churlishness. 
 Wherefore with a trembling and -wailing he humbly 
 besought Dr. Faustus to be good unto him, confessing he 
 was worthy of it ; notwithstanding if it pleased him to 
 forgive him he would hereafter do better. Which sub- 
 mission made Faustus his heart to relent, answering him on 
 this manner : " Well, do so no more ; but when a poor 
 
DOCTOR FAUST US. 267 
 
 man desireth thee, see that thou let him ride. But yet thou 
 shall not go altogether clear, for although thou have again 
 thy four wheels, yet thou shall fetch them at the four gates 
 of the city." So he threw dust on the horses and revived 
 them again. And ihe clown for his churlishness was fain to 
 fetch his wheels, spending his time with weariness ; whereas 
 if before he had showed a litlle kindness he mighl quietly 
 have gone about his business. 
 
 CHAPTER XLVII. 
 
 Hvwfour Jugglers cut one another 's Heads off, and set them on 
 again, aud Faustus deceived them, 
 
 DR. FAUSTUS came in Lent unto Frankland fair, where his 
 spirit Mephistophiles gave him to understand that in an 
 inn were four jugglers that cut one another's heads off : and 
 after their cutting off sent them to the barber to be 
 trimmed, which many people saw. 
 
 This angered Faustus, for he meant lo have himself the 
 only cook in the devil's banquet, and went lo Ihe place 
 where Ihey were, lo beguile them, and as the jugglers were 
 together, ready one lo cul off another's head, there stood 
 also the barber ready to trim them, and by them upon the 
 table stood likewise a glass full of stilled waters, and he lhal 
 was Ihe chiefest among them stood by it. Thus they began ; 
 they smole off ihe head of the first, and presently there was 
 a lily in the glass of distilled water, where Faustus perceived 
 this lily as it was springing, and ihe chief juggler named it 
 the tree of life. Thus dealt he wilh the first, making ihe 
 barber wash and comb his head, and then he sel it on 
 again. Presently ihe lily vanished away oul of ihe water ; 
 hereal the man had his head whole and sound again. The 
 like did he with the other two ; and as the turn and lol came 
 lo Ihe chief juggler, that he also should be beheaded, and 
 
268 THE FAMOUS HISTORY OF 
 
 that this lily was most pleasant, fair, and flourishing green, 
 they smote his head off, and when it came to be barbed, it 
 troubled Faustus his conscience, insomuch that he could not 
 abide to see another do anything, for he thought himself to 
 be the principal conjurer in the world ; wherefore Dr. 
 Faustus went to the table whereat the other jugglers kept 
 that lily, and so he took a small knife and cut off the stalk 
 of the lily, saying to himself, " None of them shall blind 
 Faustus." Yet no man saw Faustus to cut the lily ; but 
 when the rest of the jugglers thought to have set on their 
 master's head, they could not ; wherefore they looked on the 
 lily, and found it bleeding. By this means the juggler was 
 beguiled, and so died in his wickedness; yet no one 
 thought that Dr. Faustus had done it. 
 
 CHAPTER XLVIII. 
 
 How an old Man, the Neighbour of Faustus, sought to persuade him 
 to mend his Life, and to fall unto Repentance. 
 
 A GOOD Christian, an honest and virtuous old man, a 
 lover of the Holy Scriptures, who was neighbour to Dr. 
 Faustus, when he perceived that many students had their 
 recourse in and out unto Dr. Faustus, he suspected his 
 evil life, wherefore like a friend he invited Dr. Faustus 
 to supper unto his house, to which he agreed, and having 
 entered their banquet, the old man began with these words : 
 
 " My loving friend and neighbour, Dr. Faustus, I am to 
 desire of you a friendly and Christian request, beseeching 
 you would vouchsafe not to be angry with me, but friendly 
 resolve me in my doubt, and take my poor inviting in good 
 part." 
 
 To whom Dr. Faustus answered, " My good neighbour, 
 J pray you say your mind." 
 
 Then began the old patron to say, " My good neighbour, 
 
DOCTOR FAUSTUS. 269 
 
 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 the Almighty God. 
 But yet it is time enough, O Faustus ! if you repent, and call 
 upon the Lord for mercy, as we have example in the Acts 
 of the Apostles, the eighth chapter, of Simon in Samaria, 
 who was led out of the way, affirming that he was Simon 
 homo sanctus. This man notwithstanding in the end, was 
 converted, after he had heard the sermon of Philip, for he 
 was baptized and saw his sin and repented. Likewise I 
 beseech you, good brother, Dr. Faustus, let my rude sermon 
 be unto you a conversion, and forget thy filthy life that thou 
 hast 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 Ezekiel, ' I desire not the death of 
 a sinner, but rather that he will 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 lived so long in your devilish 
 practices, knowing that in the Old and New Testament you 
 are forbidden, and 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 Dr. Faustus heard him very attentively, and 
 replied : " Father, your persuasions like me wondrous well, 
 and I hank you with all my heart for your good will and 
 counsel, promising you, as far as I may, to allow your 
 discipline." Whereupon he took his leave, and being come 
 home, he laid him very pensive on his bed, bethinking him- 
 
27 
 
 THE FAMOUS HISTORY OF 
 
 self of the words of this 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 to 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 his head from his 
 shoulders, saying unto him, " Thou knowest, Faustus, that 
 thou hast given thyself, body and soul, to my lord Lucifer, 
 and thou hast vowed thyself an enemy to God and to all 
 men ; and now thou beginnest to hearken to an old doting 
 fool, which persuadeth thee as it were to good, when indeed it 
 is too late, for thou art the devil's, and he hath great power 
 presently to fetch thee. Wherefore he hath sent me unto 
 thee to tell thee, that seeing thou hast sorrowed for that 
 which thou hast done, begin again, and write another writing 
 with thine own blood ; if not, then will I tear thee in 
 pieces." 
 
 Hereat Dr. Faustus was sore afraid, and said, " My 
 Mephistophiles, I will write again what thou wilt." Then 
 presently he sat him down, and wifrh his own blood wrote 
 as followeth : which writing was afterwards sent to a dear 
 friend of Faustus, being his kinsman. 
 
 CHAPTER XLIX. 
 
 How Dr. Faustus wrote the second time with his own Blood, 
 and gave it to the Devil. 
 
 I, H9r. 3flfjn JFauetug, do acknowledge by this my deed and 
 handwriting, that since my first writing, which is seventeen 
 years past, I have right willingly held, and have been an utter 
 enemy to 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 great Lucifer, and that at the end of seven 
 years ensuing after the date hereof, he shall have to do with me 
 
DOCTOR FAUSTUS. 271 
 
 according as it pleaseth him, either to lengthen or shorten my 
 life as it pleaseth him ; and hereupon I renounce all per- 
 suaders, that seek to withdraw me from my purpose by the 
 word of God, either ghostly or bodily ; and farther I will 
 never give ear to 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 blood, 
 which with my own hands I have begun and ended. Dated 
 at Wittenburg, the z^th of July. 
 
 And presently upon the making of this writing, he became 
 so great an enemy to the poor old man, that he sought his 
 life by all means possible ; but this good old 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 old man lay in his bed, suddenly there was a 
 mighty rumbling in the chamber, 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 ? A 
 fair angel, that could not tarry two days in this place ? 
 Beginnest thou now to turn 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 so, 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 to his tuition. 
 
272 
 
 CHAPTER L. 
 
 How Dr. Faustus made a Marriage between two Lovers. 
 
 IN the city of Wittenburg was a student, a gallant gentle- 
 man, named N. N. This gentleman was far in love with 
 a gentlewoman, fair and proper of personage : this gentle- 
 woman had a knight that was a suitor unto her, and many 
 other gentlemen, which desired her in marriage, but none 
 could obtain her. So it was that in despair with himself, 
 that he pined away to skin and bones. 
 
 But when he opened the matter to Dr. Faustus, he asked 
 counsel of his spirit Mephistophiles, the which told him 
 what to do. Hereupon Dr. Faustus went home to the 
 gentleman, who bade him be of good cheer, for he should 
 have his desire, for he would help him to that he wished 
 for, and that this gentlewoman should love none other but 
 him only : wherefore Dr. Faustus so changed the mind of 
 the damsel by the practice he wrought, that she could 
 do no other thing but think on him whom before she had 
 hated, neither cared she for any man but him alone. The 
 device was thus : Faustus commanded the gentleman that 
 he should clothe himself in all the best apparel that he had, 
 and that he should go unto the gentlewoman and show 
 himself, giving him a ring, commanding him in anywise 
 that he should dance with her before he departed ; who 
 following his counsel, went to her, and when they began to 
 dance, they that were suitors began to take every one his 
 lady by the hand ; this gentleman took her who before had 
 so disdained him, and in the dance he put the ring into her 
 hand that Faustus had given him, which she no sooner 
 touched, but she fell presently in love with him, smiling at 
 him in the dance, and many times winking at him, rolling 
 her eyes, and in the end she asked him if he could love her, 
 
DOCTOR FAUSTUS. 273 
 
 and make her his wife. He gladly answered that he way 
 content ; whereupon they concluded, and were married bj 
 the means and help of Faustus, for which the gentleman 
 well rewarded him. 
 
 CHAPTER LI. 
 
 How Dr. Faustus led his Friends into his Garden at Christmas^ and 
 shmwd them many strange Sights, in the nineteenth Year. 
 
 IN December, about Christmas, in the city of Wittenburg, 
 were many young gentlemen, which were come out of the 
 country to be merry with their friends, amongst whom there 
 were certain well acquainted with Dr. Faustus, who often 
 invited them home unto his house. They being there on a 
 certain time, after dinner he had them into his garden, 
 where they beheld all manner of flowers and fresh herbs, 
 and trees bearing fruit, and blossoms of all sorts ; who won- 
 dered to see that his garden should so flourish at that time, 
 as in the midst of the summer, when abroad in the streets 
 and all the country lay full of snow and ice ; wherefore this 
 was noted of them as a thing miraculous, every one gather- 
 ing and carrying away all such things as they best liked, 
 and so departed, delighted with their sweet-smelling 
 flowers. 
 
 CHAPTER LII. 
 
 Hmv Dr. Faustus gathered together a great Army of Men in his 
 extremity, against a Knight that would have Conjured him on his 
 
 own Journey. 
 
 J 7 
 
 DR. FAUSTUS travelled towards Evzeleben, and when he 
 was nigh half the way, he espied seven horsemen, and the 
 chief of them he knew to be the knight with whom he had 
 
274 TH E FAMOUS HISTORY OF 
 
 jested in the emperor's court, for he had left a great pair of 
 hart's horns upon his head ; and when the knight now saw 
 that he had a fit opportunity to be revenged of Faustus, he 
 ran upon him, and those that were with him, to mischief 
 himself, intending privily to slay him ; which when Faustus 
 espied, he vanished away into a wood that was hard by 
 them, but when the knight perceived that he was vanished 
 away, he caused his men to stand still ; but where they re- 
 mained, they heard all manner of warlike instruments of 
 music, as drums, flutes, trumpets, and such like, and a cer- 
 tain troop of horsemen running towards them ; then they 
 turned another way, and were also met on that side ; then 
 another way, and yet were freshly assaulted, so that which 
 way soever they turned themselves, they were encountered, 
 insomuch that when the knight perceived that he could 
 escape no way, but that his enemies lay on him which way 
 joever he offered to fly, he took good heart, and ran 
 amongst the thickest, and thought with himself better to 
 die than to live with so great infamy ; therefore being at 
 handy blows with them, he demanded the cause why they 
 should so use them ? But none of them would give him 
 answer, until Dr. Faustus showed himself unto the knight ; 
 whereupon they enclosed him round, and Dr. Faustus said 
 unto him, " Sir, yield your weapon and yourself, otherwise 
 it will go hard with you." 
 
 The knight knew no other but that he was conjured with 
 a host of men, whereas indeed they were none other but 
 devils, yielded ; then Faustus took away his sword, his 
 piece, and horse, with all the rest of his companions. And 
 farther he said unto him : " Sir, the chiefest general of our 
 army hath commanded me to deal with you, according to 
 the law of arms ; you shall depart in peace, whither you 
 please." And then he gave the knight a horse, after the 
 manner, and set him thereon, so he rode, the rest went on 
 foot, until they came to their inn. where he being alighted, 
 
DOCTOR FAUSTUS. 275 
 
 his page rode on his horse to the water, and presently the 
 horse vanished away, the page being almost sunk and 
 drowned, but he escaped ; and coming home, the knight 
 perceiving the page to be bemired, and on foot, asked where 
 his horse was ; who answered, that he was vanished away. 
 Which when the knight heard, he said, " Of a truth this is 
 Faustus his doing, for he serveth rne now, as he did before 
 at the court, .only to make me a scorn and laughing-stock." 
 
 CHAPTER LIII. 
 
 How Dr. Faustus used Mephistophiles, to bring him seven of the fairest 
 Women he could find in all the Countries he had travelled the twenty 
 Years. 
 
 WHEN Dr. Faustus called to mind that his time from day to 
 day drew nigh, he began to live a swinish and epicurish 
 life. 'Wherefore he commanded his spirit Mephistophiles to 
 bring him seven of the fairest women that he had seen in all 
 the times of his travel ; which being brought, he liked them 
 so well that he continued with them in all manner of love, 
 and made them to travel with him all his journeys. These 
 women were two Netherland, one Hungarian, one Scottish, 
 two Walloon, one Franklander. And with these sweet per- 
 sonages he continued long, yea, even to his last end. 
 
 CHAPTER LIV. 
 
 How Dr. Faustus found a Mass of Money, when he had consumed 
 twenty-two of his Years. 
 
 To the end that the devil would make Faustus his only heir, 
 he showed unto him where he should go and find a mighty 
 huge mass of money, and that he should find it in an old 
 chapel that was fallen down, half a mile distance from Wit- 
 
276 THE FAMOUS HISTORY OF 
 
 ten burg. There he bade him to dig, and he should find it, 
 which he did ; and having digged reasonable deep, he saw 
 a mighty huge serpent, which lay on the treasure itself; the 
 treasure itself lay like a huge light burning ; but Dr. Faustus 
 charmed the serpent, that he crept,into a hole, and when he 
 digged deeper to get up the treasure, he found nothing but 
 coals of fire. There he also saw and heard many that were 
 tormented ; yet notwithstanding he brought away the coals, 
 and when he was come home, it was turned into silver and 
 gold ; and after his death it was found by his servant, which 
 \vas almost, by estimation, one thousand guilders. 
 
 CHAPTER LV. 
 
 ffow Dr. Faustus made the Spirit of fair Helena of Greece his own 
 Paramour in his twenty-third Year. 
 
 To the end that this miserable Faustus might fill the lust of 
 his flesh and live in all manner of voluptuous pleasure, it 
 came in his mind, after he had slept his first sleep, and in 
 the twenty-third year past of his time, that he had a great 
 desire to lie with fair Helena of Greece, especially her whom 
 he had seen and shown unto the students at Witten- 
 burg; wherefore he called his spirit Mephistophiles, com- 
 manding him to bring to him the fair Helena, which he 
 also did. 
 
 Whereupon he fell in love with her, and made her his 
 common companion, for she was so beautiful and delightful 
 that he could not be an hour from her ; if he should there- 
 fore have suffered death, she had stolen away his heart, and 
 to his seeming in time she had child, whom Faustus named 
 Justus Faustus. The child told Dr. Faustus many things 
 which were done in foreign countries, but in the end, 
 when Faustus lost his life, the mother and the child vanished 
 away both together. 
 
DOCTOR FAUSTUS. 277 
 
 CHAPTER LVI. 
 
 How Dr. Fauslus made his Will, in which he named his Servant 
 Wagner to be his ffeir. 
 
 DR. FAUSTUS was now in his twenty- fourth and last year, 
 and he had a pretty stripling to his servant, which had studied 
 also at the university of Wittenburg. This youth was very 
 well acquainted with his knaveries and sorceries, so that he 
 was hated as well for his own knavery as also for his 
 master's, for no man would give him entertainment into his 
 service because of his unhappiness but Faustus. This 
 Wagner was so well beloved of Faustus that he used him as 
 his son, for do what he would, his master was always there- 
 with contented. 
 
 And then when the time drew nigh that Faustus should 
 end, he called unto him a notary and certain masters, the 
 which were his friends and often conversant with him, in 
 whose presence he gave this Wagner his house and garden. 
 Item, he gave him in ready money sixteen thousand guilders. 
 tetn, one farm. Item, a gold chain, much plate, and other 
 household stuff, that gave he to his servant, and the rest of 
 his time he meant to spend in inns and students' company, 
 drinking and eating, with other jollity. And thus he finished 
 his will at that time. 
 
 CHAPTER LVI1. 
 
 How Dr. Faustus fell in talk ivirh his Servant, touching his 
 Testament, and the Covenants thereof. 
 
 Now when this will was made, Dr. Faustus called unto his 
 servant, saying, " I have thought upon thee in my testament, 
 for that thou hast been a trusty servant unto me, and 
 
278 THE FAMOUS HISTORY OF 
 
 faithful, and hast not opened my secrets. And yet farther," 
 said he, " ask of me before I die what thou wilt, and I will 
 give it unto thee." 
 
 His servant rashly answered, " I pray you, let me have 
 your cunning." 
 
 To which Dr. Faustus answered, " I have given thee all 
 my books, upon this condition, that thou wouldst not let 
 them be common, but use them for thy own pleasure, and 
 study carefully in them ; and dost thou also desire my 
 cunning? That thou mayst peradventure have, if thou 
 love and peruse my books well." 
 
 " Farther," said Dr. Faustus, " seeing that thou desirest 
 of me this request, I will resolve thee. My spirit Mephis- 
 tophiles his time is out with me, and I have nought to 
 command him, as touching thee. Yet I will help thee to 
 another if thou like well thereof." 
 
 And within three days after he called his servant unto 
 him, saying, " Art thou resolved ? wouldst thou verily have 
 a spirit ? Then tell me in what manner or form thou wouldst 
 have him." To whom his servant answered that he would 
 have him in the form of an ape. Whereupon appeared 
 presently a spirit unto him in manner and form of an ape, 
 the which leaped about the house. 
 
 Then said Faustus, " See, there thou hast thy request ; 
 but yet he will not obey thee until I be dead, for when my 
 spirit Mephistophiles shall fetch me away, then shall thy 
 spirit be bound unto thee, if thou agree, and thy spirit shalt 
 thou name Aberecock, for so he is called. But all this upon 
 a condition, that you publish my cunning and my merry 
 conceits, with all that I have done (when I am dead) in an 
 history, and if thou canst not remember all, the spirit Abere- 
 cock will help thee ; so shall the acts that I have done be 
 made manifest unto the world." 
 
DOCTOR FAUST US. 279 
 
 CHAPTER LVIII. 
 
 How Dr. Fausius having but one Month of his appointed Time to 
 come, fell to Mourning and Sorrowing with himself for' his devilish 
 
 TIME ran away with Faustus, as the hour-glass ; for he had 
 but one month to come of his twenty-four years, at the end 
 whereof he had given himself to the devil, body and soul, as 
 is before specified. Here was the first token, for he was like 
 a taken murderer, or a thief, the which finding himself 
 guilty in conscience before the judge has given sentence, 
 fears every hour to die ; for he was grieved, and in wailing 
 spent the time, went talking to himself, wringing of his hands, 
 sobbing and sighing. His flesh fell away, and he was very 
 lean, and kept himself close ; neither could he abide, see, or 
 hear of his Mephistophiles any more. 
 
 CHAPTER LIX. 
 
 How Dr. Faustus complained that he should in his lusty Time, 
 and youthful Years, die so miserably. 
 
 THE sorrowful time drawing near, so troubled Dr. Faustus, 
 that he began to write his mind, to the end he might peruse 
 it often and not forget it, which was in manner as followeth : 
 " Ah ! Faustus, thou sorrowful and woeful man, now must thou 
 go to the damnable company in unquenchable fire, whereas 
 thou naightest have had the joyful immortality of thy soul, 
 the which now thou hast lost I Ah ! gross understanding 
 and wilful will ! What seizeth upon thy limbs, other than 
 robbing of my life? Bewail with me, my sound and 
 healthful body, will, and soul ; bewail with me, my senses, 
 for you have had your part and pleasure as well as I. Oh! 
 
280 THE FAMOUS HISTORY OF 
 
 envy and disdain ! How have you crept both at once upon 
 me, and now for your sakes I must suffer all these tor- 
 ments ! Ah ! whither is pity and mercy fled ? Upon what 
 occasion hath heaven repaid me with this reward, by suffer- 
 ance, to suffer me to perish ? Wherefore was I created a 
 man? The punishment I see prepared for me of myself, 
 now must I suffer. Ah ! miserable wretch ! There is 
 nothing in this world to show me comfort ! Then woe is 
 me ! What helpeth my wailing ? " 
 
 CHAPTER LX. 
 
 Haw Dr. Faustus bewailed to think on Hell, and the miserable 
 Pains therein provided for hint. 
 
 Now thou Faustus, damned 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 damned wretch, must 
 suffer all manner of filthy stench, pains, cold, hunger, thirst, 
 heat, freezing, burning, hissing, gnashing, and all the wrath 
 and curse of God ; yea, all the creatures God 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 damned, 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 
 damned 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 
 S 
 
DOCTOR FAUSTUS. 281 
 
 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 damnation. 
 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 ? Know- 
 ledge dare I not trust; and for a soul to Godwards, 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 God 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 Warniug. 
 
 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 
 
282 THE FAMOUS HISTORY OF 
 
 many thousand years. The Turks, the Jews, and many an 
 unchristian emperor are in the same condemnation ; there- 
 fore, my Faustus, be of good courage, and be not discom- 
 forted, for the devil hath promised that thou shalt not be in 
 pains, as the rest of the damned 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 in- 
 treated 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 vou have 
 
DOCTOR FAUSTUS. 283 
 
 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, pricking 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 pass, to have the devil's aid and furtherance, 
 which I never have wanted in my actions, I have pro- 
 mised 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-glass 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 con- 
 firmed 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 trespassed against your minds in any- 
 thing, 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 God. 
 always before your eyes, praying unto him, that he will 
 
284 THE FAMOUS HISTORY OF 
 
 defend you from the temptation of the devil, and all his 
 false deceits, not falling altogether from God, as I wretched 
 and ungodly damned creature have done ; having denied 
 and defied baptism, the sacrament of Christ's body, God 
 himself, and heavenly powers, and earthly men : yea, I 
 have denied such a God, that desireth not to have one lost. 
 Neither let the evil fellowship of wicked companions mis- 
 lead 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 God 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 carcass, 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 discom- 
 fort 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 God, 
 have brought you out of this net, and have torn you out of 
 
DOCTOR FAUSTUS. 285 
 
 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 godly 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 God, 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 pietj 
 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 God, 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 
 God ! 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 God 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. 
 
 4 O J. / 
 
 It happened that between twelve and one o'clock of 
 midnight, there blew a mighty storm of wind against the 
 
286 
 
 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 
 .ay, 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, foi his 
 head and all his joints were dashed to pieces. The fore- 
 named 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 
 
DOCTOR FAUSTUS, 287 
 
 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 passed by the house. 
 
 And thus ended the whole histoiy 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 God, and 
 to be careful of their vocation, and to be at defiance with all 
 devilish works, as God 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 God 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 God's 
 name be glorified. Amen. 
 
 THE END. 
 
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