Act II, Scene iii

Enter ROBIN,<88> with a book.

ROBIN. What, Dick! look to the horses there, till I come again.

I have gotten one of Doctor Faustus' conjuring-books; and now

we'll have such knavery as't passes.

Enter DICK.:

DICK. What, Robin! you must come away and walk the horses.

ROBIN. I walk the horses! I scorn't, faith:<89> I have other

matters in hand: let the horses walk themselves, an they will.—

[Reads.]

A per se, a; t, h, e, the; o per se, o; Demy orgon gorgon.—

Keep further from me, O thou illiterate and unlearned hostler!

DICK. 'Snails, what hast thou got there? a book! why, thou canst

not tell<90> ne'er a word on't.

ROBIN. That thou shalt see presently: keep out of the circle,

I say, lest I send you into the ostry with a vengeance.

DICK. That's like, faith! you had best leave your foolery; for,

an my master come, he'll conjure you, faith.

ROBIN. My master conjure me! I'll tell thee what; an my master

come here, I'll clap as fair a<91> pair of horns on's head as

e'er thou sawest in thy life.

DICK. Thou need'st<92> not do that, for my mistress hath done it.

ROBIN. Ay, there be of us here that have waded as deep into

matters as other men, if they were disposed to talk.

DICK. A plague take you! I thought you did not sneak up and down

after her for nothing. But, I prithee, tell me in good sadness,

Robin, is that a conjuring-book?

ROBIN. Do but speak what thou'lt have me to do, and I'll do't:

if thou'lt dance naked, put off thy clothes, and I'll conjure

thee about presently; or, if thou'lt go but to the tavern with

me, I'll give thee white wine, red wine, claret-wine, sack,

muscadine, malmsey, and whippincrust, hold, belly, hold;<93> and

we'll not pay one penny for it.

DICK. 0, brave! Prithee,<94> let's to it presently, for I am as

dry as a dog.

ROBIN. Come, then, let's away.

[Exeunt.]

Enter CHORUS.:

CHORUS. Learned Faustus,

To find the secrets of astronomy

Graven in the book of Jove's high firmament,

Did mount him<95> up to scale Olympus' top;

Where, sitting in a chariot burning bright,

Drawn by the strength of yoked dragons' necks,

He views<96> the clouds, the planets, and the stars,

The tropic zones, and quarters of the sky,

>From the bright circle of the horned moon

Even to the height of Primum Mobile;

And, whirling round with this<97> circumference,

Within the concave compass of the pole,

>From east to west his dragons swiftly glide,

And in eight days did bring him home again.

Not long he stay'd within his quiet house,

To rest his bones after his weary toil;

But new exploits do hale him out again:

And, mounted then upon a dragon's back,

That with his wings did part the subtle air,

He now is gone to prove cosmography,

That measures coasts and kingdoms of the earth;

And, as I guess, will first arrive at Rome,

To see the Pope and manner of his court,

And take some part of holy Peter's feast,

The which this day is highly solemniz'd.

[Exit.]