_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, Mephistophiles, and I
am a prince, but a servant to Lucifer, and 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.