How Doctor Faustus made a marriage betweene two louers. Chap. 50
IN the Citie of
Wittenberg was a student, a gallant Gentleman, named
N. N. This Gentleman was farre in loue with a Gentlewoman, fayre and
proper of personage. This Gentlewoman had a Knight that was a suiter vnto her,
and many other Gentlemen, the which desired her in manage, but none could
obtaine her: So it was that this
N. N was very well acquainted with
Faustus, and by that meanes became a suiter vnto him to assist him in
the matter, for he fell so farre in despayre with himselfe, that he pined away
to the skinne and bones. But when he had opened the matter vnto Doctor
Faustus, he asked counsell of his Spirit
Mephostophiles, the
which tolde him what to doe. Hereupon Doctor
Faustus went home to the
Gentleman, and bade him be of good cheare, for he should haue his desire, for
he would helpe him to that hee wished for, and that this Gentlewoman should
loue none other but him onely: wherefore Doctor
Faustus so changed the
minde of the Damsel by a practise he wrought, that she would doe no other thing
but thinke on him, whome before she had hated, neither cared she for any man
but him alone. The deuice was thus,
Faustus commaunded this Gentleman
that he should cloth himselfe in all his best apparel that he had and that he
should goe vnto this gentlewoman, and there to shew himselfe, giuing him also a
Ring, commanding him in any wise that he should daunce with her before he
departed. Wherefore he followed
Faustus his counsaile, went to her, and
when they began to daunce
they that were suiters began to take euery one his Lady in his hand, and this
good Gentleman tooke her, whom before had so disdained him, and in the daunce
hee thrust the Ring into her hand that Doctor
Faustus had giuen him, the
which shee no sooner toucht, but she fell immediatly in loue with him,
beginning in the daunce to smile, and many times to giue him wincks,
rouling her eyes, and in the end she asked him if he could loue her and make
her his wife; hee gladly answered, hee was content: and hereupon they
concluded, and were married, by the meanes and helpe of Doctor
Faustus,
for which hee receiued a good reward of the Gentleman.
