_How Doctor Faustus borrowed money of a Jew, and laid his own leg to
pawn for it_
It is a common proverb in Germanie, that although a Conjurer have all
things at commandment, the day will come that he shall not be worth a
penny: so is it like to fall out with Doctor Faustus, in promising the
Devil so largely: and as the Devil is the author of lies, even so he
led Faustus his mind, in practising of things to deceive the people
and blinding them, wherein he took his whole delight, thereby to bring
himself to riches, yet notwithstanding in the end he was never the
richer. And although that during four and twenty 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 those Countries, he would send his Spirit to steal away their best
cheer. And on a time being in his merriment where he was banqueting
with other Students in an Inn, whereunto resorted many Jews, which when
Doctor Faustus perceived, he was minded to play some 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
Doctor Faustus was never minded to pay the Jew again: at length the
Jew coming home to his house, and calling importunately for his money,
Doctor Faustus made him this answer: Jew, I have no money, nor know I
how to pay thee, but notwithstanding, to the end that thou mayest be
contented, I will cut off a limb of my body, be it arm or leg, and the
same shalt thou have in pawn for thy money, yet with this condition,
that when I shall pay thee thy money again, then thou also give me
my limb. The Jew that was never friend to a Christian, thought with
himself, this is a fellow right for my purpose, that will lay his limbs
to pawn for money, he was therewith very well content; wherefore Doctor
Faustus took a saw, and therewith seemed to cut off his foot (being
notwithstanding nothing so) well, he gave it to the Jew, yet upon this
condition, that 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 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 so 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 dear 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 Doctor Faustus knew right
well, therefore within three days after he sent for the Jew to make him
payment of his sixty Dollars, the Jew came, and Doctor Faustus demanded
his pawn, there was his money ready for him: the Jew answered, the pawn
was not profitable or necessary for anything and he had cast it away:
but Faustus threateningly replied, I will have my leg again, or else
one of thine for it. The Jew fell to entreating, promising him to give
him what money he would ask, if he would not deal straightly 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 the
Jew.
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