The Tragical History of Dr. Faustus
 

Then, Valdes and Cornelius, friends of Faustus that are infamous for their involvement in the black arts , enter. They agree to teach Faustus magic and make him better at it than they are.

In the next scene, two scholars visit Faustus and talk with Wagner. They are worried about Faustus's future.

FIRST SCHOLAR: Nay, then, I fear he is fallen into that damned art,
for which they two are infamous through the world.

SECOND SCHOLAR: Were he a stranger, and not allied to me, yet should
I grieve for him. But, come, let us go and inform the Rector,

FIRST SCHOLAR: O, but I fear me nothing can reclaim him!

SECOND SCHOLAR: Yet let us try what we can do.
[Exit.]

Faustus stands in a circle chanting Latin when Lucifer and four demons see him. Faustus renounces God and calls on Mephastophilis to rise.

MEPHASTOPHILIS: Now, Faustus, what would'st thou have me do?

FAUSTUS: I charge thee wait upon me whilst I live,

MEPHASTOPHILIS: I am a servant to great Lucifer,
And may not follow thee without his leave;

FAUSTUS: Did not he charge thee to appear to me?

MEPHASTOPHILIS: No, I came hither of mine own accord.

FAUSTUS. Did not my conjuring speeches raise thee? Speak!

MEPHASTOPHILIS: That was the cause, but yet per accidens,

Mephastophilis proceeds to tell Faustus how Lucifer and his devils were sent out of heaven forever. They are eternally damned to hell.

FAUSTUS: Where are you damned?

MEPHASTOPHILIS: In hell.
 

In the next scene, Wagner provides the comic relief. He convinces a poor clown to be his servant, just as Faustus did with Mephastophilis.

Faustus waivers again with temptation from the good and evil angels. Mephastophilis tells Faustus that Lucifer has accepted his offer for his soul. Faustus questions why Lucifer wants his soul, and Mephastophilis tells him it is to enlarge his kingdom and make men suffer as he does. In order to make the deal certain, Faustus tries to write the deed in blood.

FAUSTUS: [Stabbing his arm] Lo Mephastophilis, for love of thee,
I cut my arm, and with my proper blood
Assure my soul to be great Lucifer's,

MEPHASTOPHILIS: I'll fetch him somewhat to delight his mind.
[Aside, and then exit.]

[Re-enter Mephastophilis with DEVILS, who give crowns
and rich apparel to FAUSTUS, dance, and then depart.]

FAUSTUS: Speak, Mephastophilis, what means this show?

MEPHASTOPHILIS: Nothing, Faustus, but to delight thy mind withal,
And to show thee what magic can perform.
 

MEPHASTOPHILIS: Ay, Faustus, and do greater things than these.

FAUSTUS: Then there's enough for a thousand souls!
Here, Mephastophilis, receive this scroll,
A deed of gift of body and of soul:

MEPHASTOPHILIS: Within the bowels of these elements,
Where we are tortur'd and remain for ever.
Hell hath no limits, nor is circumscribed
In one self place; for where we are is hell,

FAUSTUS: Why, think'st thou, then, that Faustus shall be damned?

MEPHASTOPHILIS: Ay, of necessity, for here's the scroll
Wherein thou hast given thy soul to Lucifer.

FAUSTUS: Ay, and body too; but what of that?

After this, Faustus asks for a wife. Mephastophilis brings him a she-devil, but he refuses her.

Faustus waivers again as the good angel begs him to repent.

[Re-enter GOOD ANGEL and EVIL ANGEL]
 

GOOD ANGEL: Never too late, if Faustus can repent.

EVIL ANGEL: If thou repent, devils shall tear thee in pieces.

GOOD ANGEL: Repent, and they shall never raze thy skin.
[Exeunt ANGELS.]

FAUSTUS: Ah, Christ, my Saviour!

LUCIFER: Christ cannot save thy soul, for he is just.
There's none but I have interest in the same.

FAUSTUS: O who art thou that look'st so terrible?

LUCIFER: I am Lucifer,

FAUSTUS: O Faustus, they are come to fetch away thy soul!

LUCIFER: We come to tell thee thou dost injure us.
Thou talk'st of Christ, contrary to thy promise.
Thou should'st not think of God; think of the devil,

FAUSTUS: Nor will I henceforth: pardon me in this,
And Faustus vows never to look to heaven,
Never to name God, or to pray to him,
To burn his Scriptures, slay his ministers,

LUCIFER: Do so, and we will highly gratify thee. Faustus, we are
come from hell to show thee some pastime; sit down, and thou
shalt see all the Seven Deadly Sins appear in their proper shapes.

FAUSTUS: That sight will be as pleasing unto me

Each deadly sin (Pride, Covetousness, Wrath, Envy, Gluttony, Sloth, and Lechery) makes a brief speech to Faustus. This makes Faustus happy and excited.

FAUSTUS: O, this feeds my soul!
 

FAUSTUS: O might I see hell, and return again,
How happy were I then!

LUCIFER: Thou shalt; I will send for thee at midnight.
In meantime take this book, peruse it throughly,

In the next scene, an innkeeper and a stable-hand provide more comic relief as they use spells at a bar.

Then, Wagner tells the audience that Faustus is traveling all over Europe. He is now headed to Rome. There, Faustus and Mephastophilis use magic to play tricks on the pope.

After this, Faustus returns home to Germany where he has become famous from all that he learned on his travels. Charles V has invited Faustus to come to his palace. There, the king requests that Faustus conjure Alexander the Great and his lover. Although there is some skepticism, Faustus does produce the spirits.

Later, Faustus meets a horse-courser and sells him his horse. But, Faustus warns him not to ride the horse in water. After taking the horse through a stream, the horse-courser returns angry.

[Re-enter HORSE-COURSER, all wet, crying.]

HORSE-COURSER: Alas, alas! Doctor Fustian, quoth'a: 'mass, Doctor
Lopus was never such a doctor! H'as given me a purgation, h'as
purged me of forty dollars! I shall never see them more. But yet,
like an ass as I was, I would not be ruled by him; for he bade me

MEPHASTOPHILIS: Why, he's fast asleep; come some other time.

HORSE-COURSER: I'll speak with him now, or I'll break his
glass-windows about his ears.

MEPHASTOPHILIS: I tell thee, he has not slept this eight nights.
 

MEPHASTOPHILIS: Why, thou seest he hears thee not.

HORSE-COURSER: So-ho, ho! so-ho, ho! [Hollows in his ear.] No,
will you not wake? I'll make you wake ere I go. [Pulls FAUSTUS
by the leg, and pulls it away.] Alas, I am undone! What shall

FAUSTUS: O, my leg, my leg! Help, Mephastophilis! call the
officers. My leg, my leg!

MEPHASTOPHILIS: Come villain, to the constable.

HORSE-COURSER: O Lord, sir! Let me go, and I'll give you forty

MEPHASTOPHILIS: Where be they?

HORSE-COURSER: I have none about me: come to my ostry
and I'll give them you.

MEPHASTOPHILIS: Be gone quickly!
[HORSE-COURSER runs away.]
 

FAUSTUS: The Duke of Vanholt! An honorable gentleman, to whom
I must be no niggard⁴ of my cunning. Come, Mephastophilis,
let's away to him.
[Exeunt.]

At the court, the duke is impressed with Faustus's illusions. In order to win the approval of the duchess, he has Mephastophilis bring her grapes that she requests. The duke and duchess promise to reward Faustus.

Later, Wagner tells the audience that Faustus has given him all his wealth. Wagner thinks these are actions of a dying man, but notes that Faustus does not appear to be dying. Instead, he is out with scholars.

[Enter FAUSTUS with two or three SCHOLARS, and MEPHASTOPHILIS.]

FIRST SCHOLAR: Master Doctor Faustus, since our conference about

FAUSTUS: Gentlemen,
For that I know your friendship is unfeigned,
And Faustus' custom is not to deny
The just requests of those that wish him well,

MEPHASTOPHILIS: Thou traitor, Faustus: I arrest thy soul
For disobedience to my sovereign lord.
Revolt, or I'll in piecemeal tear thy flesh.

FAUSTUS: Sweet Mephastophilis, entreat thy lord

FAUSTUS: One thing, good servant, let me crave of thee,
To glut the longing of my heart's desire:
That I might have unto my paramour
That heavenly Helen which I saw of late,

Faustus's looming death has come. In fear, he tells the scholars of the pact he made. They want to help but Faustus tells them nothing can be done.

[Exeunt SCHOLARS. The clock strikes eleven.]

FAUSTUS: Ah Faustus,

[Enter DEVILS.]

Adders and serpents, let me breathe a while!

In the epilogue, the chorus warns the audience against trading their souls in exchange for unlawful things .