The Tragical History of the Life and Death of Doctor Faustus, written by Ch. Marloe. London, printed for John Wright, and are to be sold at his shop without Newgate, at the signe of the Bible. Black letter, 4to. 1616.

Mr. Malone is of opinion that this play was exhibited before 1590. It appears to have been acted by the Lord Admiral's Servants in 1594 and 1597. It was first published in 1604, 4to. and was reprinted in 1616, 1624 and 1663, all in quarto. The last edition contains some new scenes, and the one at Rome is left out and another copied from The Rich Jew of Malta substituted. Indeed it is probable that none of the editions contain the entire text of the author, for it appears from Henslowe's MS. that after Marlow's death, and before the first edition, the play had been altered in the representation. The entry is as follows: "Lent unto the company 22nd November, 1602, to pay unto William Bride and Samuel Rowley for their adycions in Doctor Fostes, the sum £4;" and if the additions were estimated at the rate at which plays were then usually paid for, they were not by any means inconsiderable. The character of Faustus was played by Edward Alleyn.

PERSONS REPRESENTED.

FAUSTUS.
MEPHOSTOPHILIS.

The POPE.

RAYMOND, king of Hungary.

BRUNO.

EMPEROR OF GERMANY.

DUKE of SAXONY.

DUKE and DUCHESS of ANOTT

three Gentlemen.

FREDERICK,

MERTINO,
BENVOLIO,

VALDES.
CORNELIUS.
GOOD ANGEL.
BAD ANGEL.

OLD MAN.

Three SCHOLARS.

SEVEN DEADLY SINS.

WAGNER.

ROBIN, the Clown.
DICK, an Hostler.
CARTER.

HORSE-COURSER.

HOSTESS.

VINTNER,

BISHOP of RHEIMS.

LUCIFER.

BELZEBUB.

Cardinals, Bishops, Monks, Friars, Soldiers, Servants, &c. &c.

DOCTOR FAUSTUS.

Enter CHORUS.

Nor marching in the fields of Tharsimen, Where Mars did mate the warlike Carthagen; Nor sporting in the dalliance of love,

In courts of kings, where state is overturn'd;
Nor in the pomp of proud audacious deeds,
Intends our muse to vaunt his heavenly verse;
Only this, gentles, we must now perform,
The form of Faustus' fortunes, good or bad:
And now to patient judgments we appeal,
And speak for Faustus in his infancy.
Now is he born of parents base of stock,
In Germany, within a town call'd Rhodes:
At riper years to Wittenberg he went,
Whereas his kinsman chiefly brought him up.
So much he profits in divinity,

That shortly he was grac'd with Doctor's name,
Excelling all, and sweetly can dispute
In th' heavenly matters of theology:

Till swoln with cunning, and a self-conceit,
His waxen wings did mount above his reach,
And melting heavens conspired his overthrow :
For falling to a devilish exercise,

And glutted now with learning's golden gifts,

He surfeits on the cursed necromancy.
Nothing so sweet as magic is to him,
Which he prefers before his chiefest bliss,
And this the man that in his study sits.

ACT THE FIRST.

SCENE I.

FAUSTUS in his study.

FAUST. Settle thy studies, Faustus, and begin
To sound the depth of that thou wilt profess;
Having commenc'd, be a divine in show,
Yet level at the end of every art,

And live and die in Aristotle's works.
Sweet analytics, 'tis thou hast ravish'd me.
Bene disserere est finis logices.

Is, to dispute well, logic's chiefest end?

Affords this art no greater miracle?

Then read no more; thou hast attain'd that end.
A greater subject fitteth Faustus' wit:
Bid
economy farewell: and Galen come.
Be a physician, Faustus; heap up gold,
And be eterniz'd for some wondrous cure:
Summum bonum medicinæ sanitas;
The end of physic is our bodies' health.
Why, Faustus, hast thou not attain'd that end?
Are not thy bills hung up as monuments,
Whereby whole cities have escap'd the plague,