Questions put foorth by Doctor Faustus vnto his Spirite Mephostophiles. Chap. 10.
DOctor Faustus liuing in all manner of pleasure that his heart could
desire, continuing in his amorous drifts, his delicate fare, and costly
apparel, called on a time his Mephostophilies to him: which being come,
brought with him a booke in his hand of all maner of diuelish and inchanted
artes, the which he gaue Faustus, saying: hold my Faustus, worke
now thy hearts desire:
The copie of this inchanting booke was afterward found
by his seruant Christopher Wagner.
Wel (quoth
Faustus to his
spirit) I haue called thee to know what thou canst doe if I haue neede of thy
help. Then answered
Mephostophiles and said, my Lord
Faustus, I
am a flying spirit: yea, so swift as thought can think, to do whatsoeuer.
Here
Faustus said: but how came thy Lord and master
Lucifer to
haue so great a fal fro heaue':
Mephostophiles answered: My Lord
Lucifer was a faire Angell, created of God as immortal, and being placed
in the Seraphins, which are aboue the
Cherubins1, hee would haue presumed vnto
the Throne of God, with intent to haue thrust God out of his seate.
Vpon this presumption the Lord cast him downe headlong, and where before he was
an Angel of light, now dwels hee in darkenes, not able to come neere his first
place, without God send for him to appeare before him as
Raphael2: but
vnto the lower degree of Angells that haue their conuersation with men hee was
come, but not vnto the second degree of Heauens that is kept by the
Archangells, namely,
Michael and
Gabriel, for these are called
Angels of Gods wonders: yet are these farre inferiour places to that from
whence my Lord and Master
Lucifer fell. And thus farre
Faustus,
because thou art one of the beloued children of my Lord
Lucifer,
following and feeding thy minde in maner as he did his, I haue shortly
resolued thy request, and more I will doe for thee at thy pleasure. I thanke
thee
Mephostophiles (quoth
Faustus）
come let vs now goe rest, for it is night: vpon this they left their
communication.
