_How Doctor Faustus began to practise in his Devilish Art, and how he
conjured the Devil, making him to appear and meet him on the morrow at
his own house_
You have heard before, that all Faustus’ mind was set 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, Conjurations, and other Ceremonial actions, that
in all the haste he put in practice to bring the Devil before him. And
taking his way to a thick Wood near to Wittenberg, called in the German
tongue Spisser Waldt: that is in English the Spissers Wood (as Faustus
would often-times boast of it among his crew being in his jollity),
he came into the same wood towards evening into a cross way, where
he made with a wand a Circle in the dust, and within that many more
Circles and Characters: and thus he passed away the time, until it
was nine or ten of the clock in the night, then began Doctor Faustus
to call for Mephostophiles the Spirit, and to charge him in the name
of Beelzebub to appear there personally 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 with wind, the trees bowing their
tops to the ground, then fell the Devil to blare as if the whole Wood
had been full of Lions, and suddenly about the Circle ran the Devil as
if a thousand Wagons had been running together on paved stones. After
this at the four corners of the Wood it thundered horribly, with such
lightnings as if 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 was revived and stood stoutly in his
circle aspecting his purpose, and began again to conjure the Spirit
Mephostophiles in the name of the Prince of Devils to appear in his
likeness: whereat suddenly over his head hanged 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 crying to God for mercy; presently not
three fathoms above his head fell a flame in manner of a 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: Often-times after to his companions he would boast, that
he had the stoutest head (under the cope of heaven) at commandment:
whereat they answered, they knew none stouter than the Pope or Emperor:
but Doctor Faustus said, the head that is my servant is above all on
earth, and repeated certain words out of Saint Paul to the Ephesians
to make his argument good: The Prince of this world is upon earth and
under heaven. Well, let us come again to his Conjuration where we
left him at his fiery Globe: Faustus vexed at the Spirit’s so long
tarrying, used his Charms with full purpose not to depart before he
had his intent, and crying on Mephostophiles the Spirit; suddenly the
Globe opened and sprang up in 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 manner of
a gray Friar, asking Faustus what was his request. Faustus 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. Faustus began again
to conjure him in the name of Beelzebub, that he should fulfil his
request: whereupon the Spirit agreed, and so they departed each one his
way.