How Doctor Faustus played a merrie iest with the Duke of Anholt in his Court. Chap. 39.
DOctor
Faustus on a time came to the Duke of
Anholt, the which
welcomed him very courteously, this was in the moneth
of Ianuary, where sitting at the table, he perceiued the Dutchesse to be with
childe, and forbearing himselfe vntill the meate was taken from the table, and
that they brought in the banquetting dishes, said Doctor
Faustus to the
Dutchesse, Gracious Ladie, I haue alway heard, that the great bellied women doe
alwaies long for some dainties, I beseech therefore your Grace hide not your
mind from me, but tell me what you desire to eate, she answered him, Doctor
Faustus now truely I will not hide from you what my heart dooth most
desire, namely, that if it were now Haruest, I would eate my bellie full of
ripe Grapes, and other daintie fruite. Doctor
Faustus answered herevpon,
Gracious Lady, this is a small thing for mee to doe, for I can doo more than
this, wherefore he tooke a plate, and made open one of the casements of the
windowe, holding it forth, where incontinent hee had his dish full of all maner
of fruites, as red and white Grapes, Peares, and Apples, the which came from
out of strange Countries, all these he presented the Dutchesse, saying: Madame,
I pray you vouchsafe to taste of this daintie fruite, the which came
from a farre Countrey, for there the Sommer is not yet ended. The Dutchesse
thanked
Faustus highly, and she fell to her fruite with full appetite.
The Duke of
Anholt notwithstanding could not with-holde to aske
Faustus with what reason there were such young fruite to be had at that
time of the yeare? Doctor
Faustus tolde him, may it please your Grace
to vnderstand, that the yere is deuided into two circles ouer the whole world,
that when with vs it is Winter, in the contrary circle it is notwithstanding
Sommer, for in
India and
Saba1 there falleth or setteth the
Sunne, so that it is so warme, that they haue twise a yeare fruite: and
gracious Lorde, I haue a swift Spirit, the which can in the twinckling of an
eye fulfill my desire in any thing, wherefore I sent him into those Countries,
who hath brought this fruite as you see: whereat the Duke was in great
admiration.
