The notorious Jorg Faustus
(d. 1539), who seems to have been more quack
than satanist, was considered a sorceror
by Luther. Rumors and stories proliferated
after his death, and by the 1570s stories
of Faustus the magician were appearing in
German collections of moral histories. The
German Faustbook (1587) was outstandingly
popular, with twenty editions by century's
end. An English translation by P. F. appeared
under the title The History of the Damnable
Life and Deserved Death of Doctor John Faustus.
This translation, which may have appeared
as early as 1588, though the first surviving
copy is 1592, is notable in that it embellishes
the plain prose of the German version and
expands on Faustus's travels, drawing
its topographical information from the most
recent atlases and incorporating a visit
to the New World. The identity of the translator
remains unknown.
This excerpt from the final
chapter of The History of the Damnable
Life and Deserved Death of Doctor John Faustus records
the last night of the magician's life,
as witnessed by his students. The discovery
in the morning of Faustus's mangled remains
corresponds with a scene found only in the B-text of
the play.
This oration or declaration was made by
Doctor Faustus, and that with a hearty and
resolute mind, to the end he might not discomfort
them. But the students wondered greatly thereat,
that he was so blinded, for knavery, conjuration,
and such like foolish things, to give his
body and soul unto the Devil. For they loved
him entirely, and never suspected any such
thing before he had opened his mind to them.
Wherefore one of them said unto him, "Ah
friend Faustus, what have you done to conceal
this matter so long from us? We would by
the help of good divines, and the grace of
God, have brought you out of this net, and
have torn you out of the bondage and chains
of Satan, whereas now we fear it is too late,
to the utter ruin of your body and soul."
Doctor Faustus answered, "I durst never
do it, although I often minded to settle
my self unto godly people, to desire counsel
and help, as once mine old neighbor counselled
me, that I should follow his learning, and
leave all my conjurations. Yet when I was
minded to amend, and to follow that good
man's counsel, then came the Devil and
would have had me away, as this night he
is like to do, and said so soon as I turned
again to God, he would dispatch me altogether.
Thus, even thus (good gentlemen, and my dear
friends) was I enthralled in that Satanical
band, all good desires drowned, all piety
banished, all purpose of amendment utterly
exiled by the tyrannous threatenings of my
deadly enemy."
But when the students heard his words, they
gave him counsel to do naught else but call
upon God, desiring him for the love of his
sweet son Jesus Christ's sake, to have
mercy upon him, teaching him this form of
prayer: "O God, be merciful unto me,
poor and miserable sinner, and enter not
into judgment with me, for no flesh is able
to stand before thee. Although, O Lord, I
must leave my sinful body unto the Devil,
being by him deluded, yet thou in mercy mayest
preserve my soul." This they repeated
unto him, yet it could take no hold, but,
even as Cain, he also said his sins were
greater than God was able to forgive. For
all his thought was on his writing; he meant
he had made it too filthy in writing it with
his own blood.
The students and the other that were there,
when they had prayed for him, they wept,
and so went forth, but Faustus tarried in
the hall. And when the gentlemen were laid
in bed, none of them could sleep, for that
they attended
>> note 1 to
hear if they might be privy of his end.
It happened between twelve and one o'clock
at midnight there blew a mighty storm of
wind against the house, as though it would
have blown the foundation thereof out of
his place. Hereupon the students began
to fear, and got out of their beds, comforting
one another, but they would not stir out
of the chamber; and the host of the house
ran out of doors, thinking the house would
fall. The students lay near unto that hall
wherein Doctor Faustus lay, and they heard
a mighty noise and hissing, as if the hall
had been full of snakes and adders. With
that the hall door flew open wherein Doctor
Faustus was. Then he began to cry for help,
saying, "Murder, murder," but
it came forth with half a voice, hollowly.
Shortly after they heard him no more.
But when it was day, the students that had
taken no rest that night arose and went into
the hall in the which they left Doctor Faustus,
where notwithstanding they found no Faustus,
but all the hall lay besprinckled with blood,
his brains cleaving to the wall; for the
Devil had beaten him from one wall against
another. In one corner lay his eyes, in another
his teeth, a pitiful and fearful sight to
behold. Then began the students to bewail
and weep for him, and sought for his body
in many places. Lastly, they came into the
yard where they found his body lying on the
horse dung, most monstrously torn, and fearful
to behold, for his head and all his joints
were dashed in pieces.