_How Doctor Faustus feasted his guests on the Ash-Wednesday_
[Illustration]
Upon Ash-Wednesday came unto Doctor Faustus his bidden guests the
Students, whom he feasted very royally, in so much that they were all
full and lusty, singing and dancing as the night before: and when the
high glasses and goblets were caroused one to another, Doctor Faustus
began to play them some pretty jests, in so much that round about the
hall was heard most pleasant music, and that in sundry places, in this
corner a Lute, in another a Cornet, in another a Cittern, Gittern,
Clarigolds, Harp, Horn pipe: in fine, all manner of music was heard
there at that instant, whereat all the glasses and goblets, cups and
pots, dishes, and all that stood on the board began to dance: then
Doctor Faustus took ten stone pots, and set them down on the floor,
where presently they began to dance and to smite one against the
other that the shivers flew round about the whole house, whereat the
whole company fell a-laughing. Then he began another jest, he set an
Instrument on the table, and caused a monstrous great Ape to come in
amongst them, which Ape began to dance and to skip, shewing them many
merry conceits. In this and such-like pastime they passed away the
whole day, where night being come, Doctor Faustus bade them all to
supper, which they lightly agreed unto, for Students in these cases are
easily entreated: wherefore he promised to feast them with a banquet of
fowl, and afterwards they would all go about with a Mask, then Doctor
Faustus put forth a long pole out of the window, whereupon presently
there came innumerable of birds and wild fowl, and so many as came
had not any power to fly away again, but he took them and flung them
to the Students: who lightly pulled off the necks of them, and being
roasted they made their supper, which being ended they made themselves
ready to the Mask. Doctor Faustus commanded every one to put on a clean
shirt over his other clothes, which being done, they began to look one
upon another, it seemed to each one of them they had no heads, and so
they went forth unto certain of their neighbours, at which sight the
people were wonderfully afraid. And as the use of Germanie is, that
wheresoever a Mask entereth, the good man of the house must feast them:
so when these maskers were set to their banquet, they seemed again in
their former shape with heads in so much that they were all known what
they were: and having sat and well eaten and drunk, Doctor Faustus made
that every one had an Ass’s head on, with great and long ears, so they
fell to dancing and to drive away the time until it was midnight, and
then every man departed home, and as soon as they were out of the house
each one was in his natural shape again, and so they ended and went to
sleep.