_How Doctor Faustus gathered together a great army of men in his
extremity against a Knight that would have injured him on his journey_
Doctor Faustus travelled towards Eyszleben, and when he was nigh half
the way, he espied seven horsemen, and the chief of them he knew to be
the Knight to whom he had played a jest in the Emperor’s Court, for
he had set a huge pair of Hart’s horns upon his head: and when the
Knight now saw that he had fit opportunity to be revenged of Faustus he
ran upon him himself, and those that were with him, to mischief him,
intending privily to shoot at him: which when Doctor Faustus espied, he
vanished away into the wood which was hard by them. But when the Knight
perceived that he was vanished away, he caused his men to stand still,
where as they remained they heard all manner of war-like instruments
of music, as Drums, Flutes, Trumpets, and such-like, and a certain
troop of horsemen running towards them. Then they turned another way,
and there also were assaulted on the same side: then another way,
and yet they were freshly assaulted, so that which way soever they
turned themselves, he was encountered: in so much that when the Knight
perceived that he could escape no way, but that they his enemies laid
on him which way soever he offered to fly, he took a good heart and
ran amongst the thickest, and thought with himself better to die than
to live with so great an infamy. Therefore being at handy-blows with
them, he demanded the cause why they should so use them: but none of
them would give him answer, until Doctor Faustus shewed himself unto
the Knight, where withal they enclosed him around, and Doctor Faustus
said unto him, Sir, yield your weapon, and yourself, otherwise it
will go hardly with you. The Knight that knew none other but that he
was environed with an host of men (where indeed they were none other
than Devils) yielded: then Faustus took away his sword, his piece, and
horse, with all the rest of his companions. And further he said unto
him; Sir, the chief General of our army hath commanded to deal with you
according to the law of Arms, you shall depart in peace whither you
please: and then he gave the Knight an horse after the manner, and set
him thereon, so he rode, the rest went on foot until they came to their
Inn, where being alighted, his Page rode on his horse to the water,
and presently the horse vanished away, the Page being almost sunk and
drowned, but he escaped: and coming home, the Knight perceived his Page
so bemired and on foot, asked where his horse was become? Who answered
that he was vanished away: which when the Knight heard, he said, of a
truth this is Faustus his doing, for he serveth me now as he did before
at the Court, only to make me a scorn and a laughing-stock.