Act IV, Scene ii

A Sennet. Enter CHARLES the German Emperor, BRUNO,

DUKE OF SAXONY, FAUSTUS, MEPHISTOPHILIS, FREDERICK,

MARTINO, and Attendants.

EMPEROR. Wonder of men, renowm'd<151> magician,

Thrice-learned Faustus, welcome to our court.

This deed of thine, in setting Bruno free

>From his and our professed enemy,

Shall add more excellence unto thine art

Than if by powerful necromantic spells

Thou couldst command the world's obedience:

For ever be belov'd of Carolus!

And if this Bruno, thou hast late redeem'd,

In peace possess the triple diadem,

And sit in Peter's chair, despite of chance,

Thou shalt be famous through<152> all Italy,

And honour'd of the German Emperor.

FAUSTUS. These<153> gracious words, most royal Carolus,

Shall make poor Faustus, to his utmost power,

Both love and serve the German Emperor,

And lay his life at holy Bruno's feet:

For proof whereof, if so your grace be pleas'd,

The doctor stands prepar'd by power of art

To cast his magic charms, that shall pierce through<154>

The ebon gates of ever-burning hell,

And hale the stubborn Furies from their caves,

To compass whatsoe'er your grace commands.

BENVOLIO. Blood, he speaks terribly! but, for all that, I do not

greatly believe him: he looks as like a<153> conjurer as the Pope

to a costermonger.[Aside.]

EMPEROR. Then, Faustus, as thou late didst promise us,

We would behold that famous conqueror,

Great Alexander, and his paramour,

In their true shapes and state majestical,

That we may wonder at their excellence.

FAUSTUS. Your majesty shall see them presently.—

Mephistophilis, away,

And, with a solemn noise of trumpets' sound,

Present before this<156> royal Emperor

Great Alexander and his beauteous paramour.

MEPHIST. Faustus, I will.

[Exit.]

BENVOLIO. Well, Master Doctor, an your devils come not away

quickly, you shall have me asleep presently: zounds, I could

eat myself for anger, to think I have been such an ass all this

while, to stand gaping after the devil's governor, and can see

nothing!

FAUSTUS.:

I'll make you feel something anon, if my art fail me not.—

My lord, I must forewarn your majesty,

That, when my spirits present the royal shapes

Of Alexander and his paramour,

Your grace demand<157> no questions of the king,

But in dumb silence let them come and go.

EMPEROR. Be it as Faustus please; we are content.

BENVOLIO. Ay, ay, and I am content too: an thou bring Alexander

and his paramour before the Emperor, I'll be Actaeon, and turn

myself to a stag.

FAUSTUS. And I'll play Diana, and send you the horns presently.

Sennet. Enter, at one door,<158> the EMPEROR ALEXANDER, at

the other, DARIUS. They meet. DARIUS is thrown down;

ALEXANDER kills him, takes off his crown, and, offering to

go out, his PARAMOUR meets him. He embraceth her, and sets

DARIUS' crown upon her head; and, coming back, both salute

the EMPEROR, who, leaving his state,<159> offers to embrace

them; which FAUSTUS seeing, suddenly stays him. Then trumpets

cease, and music sounds.

My gracious lord, you do forget yourself;

These<160> are but shadows, not substantial.

EMPEROR. O, pardon me! my thoughts are so ravish'd

With sight of this renowmed<161> emperor,

That in mine arms I would have compass'd him.

But, Faustus, since I may not speak to them,

To satisfy my longing thoughts<162> at full,

Let me this tell thee: I have heard it said

That this fair lady, whilst<163> she liv'd on earth,

Had on her neck a little wart or mole;

How may I prove that saying to be true?

FAUSTUS. Your majesty may boldly go and see.

EMPEROR. Faustus, I see it plain;

And in this sight thou better pleasest me

Than if I gain'd<164> another monarchy.

FAUSTUS. Away! be gone![Exit show.]—See, see, my gracious

lord! what strange beast is yon, that thrusts his head out at

window?<165>

EMPEROR. O, wondrous sight!—See, Duke of Saxony,

Two spreading horns most strangely fastened

Upon the head of young Benvolio!

SAXONY. What, is he asleep or dead?

FAUSTUS. He sleeps, my lord; but dreams not of his horns.

EMPEROR. This sport is excellent: we'll call and wake him.—

What, ho, Benvolio!

BENVOLIO. A plague upon you! let me sleep a while.

EMPEROR. I blame thee not to sleep much, having such a head of

thine own.

SAXONY. Look up, Benvolio; 'tis the Emperor calls.

BENVOLIO. The Emperor! where?—O, zounds, my head!

EMPEROR. Nay, an thy horns hold, 'tis no matter for thy head,

for that's armed sufficiently.

FAUSTUS. Why, how now, Sir Knight! what, hanged by the horns!

this is<166> most horrible: fie, fie, pull in your head, for

shame! let not all the world wonder at you.

BENVOLIO. Zounds, doctor, this is<167> your villany!

FAUSTUS. O, say not so, sir! the doctor has no skill,

No art, no cunning, to present these lords,

Or bring before this royal Emperor

The mighty monarch, warlike Alexander.

If Faustus do it, you are straight resolv'd,

In bold Actaeon's shape, to turn a stag:—

And therefore, my lord, so please your majesty,

I'll raise a kennel of hounds shall hunt him so

As<168> all his footmanship shall scarce prevail

To keep his carcass from their bloody fangs.—

Ho, Belimoth, Argiron, Asteroth!<169>

BENVOLIO. Hold, hold!—Zounds, he'll raise up a kennel of devils,

I think, anon.—Good my lord, entreat for me.—'Sblood, I am never

able to endure these torments.

EMPEROR. Then, good Master Doctor,

Let me entreat you to remove his horns;

He has<170> done penance now sufficiently.

FAUSTUS. My gracious lord, not so much for injury done to me,

as to delight your majesty with some mirth, hath Faustus justly

requited this injurious knight; which being all I desire, I am

content to remove his horns.<171>—Mephistophilis, transform him

[MEPHISTOPHILIS removes the horns] :—and hereafter, sir,<172>

look you speak well of scholars.

BENVOLIO. Speak well of ye! 'sblood, an scholars be such

cuckold-makers, to clap horns of<173> honest men's heads o' this

order, I'll ne'er trust smooth faces and small ruffs more.—But,

an I be not revenged for this, would I might be turned to a

gaping oyster, and drink nothing but salt water!

[Aside, and then exit above.]

EMPEROR. Come, Faustus: while the Emperor lives,

In recompense of this thy high desert,

Thou shalt command the state of Germany,

And live belov'd of mighty Carolus.

[Exeunt.]