The Shepheards Commendation of his And finds no waie, to get the same I sought,

To marcke the choyse they make, and how they Yet for disporte we fawne and flatter bothe,

change,

To pass the tyme when nothinge else can please, How oft from Phoebus they do flee to Pann, And trayne them to our lure with subtylle othe, Unsettled still, like haggardes wild theye range, Till wearye of theyre wiles, our selves we easse: These geztlle byrdes that flye from man to man: And then we saye, when we theyre fancye trye, Who woulde not scorne and shake them from To playe with fooles, oh! what a foole was I.

the fyste, And let them flye, fayre fooles, whiche waye

they lyste.

Gascoigne.

George Gascoigne ward (wahrscheinlich zu Anfang des sechszehnten Jahrhunderts) zu Walthamstow in Essex geboren, studirte zu Cambridge und widmete sich dann der Rechtsgelehrsamkeit. Von seinem Vater wegen Jugendstreiche enterbt, gab er jedoch diese Laufbahn auf, nahm Kriegsdienste in Holland, gerieth spanische Gefangenschaft, kehrte dann in sein Vaterland zurück und wandte sich wieder zur Jurisprudenz. Er starb 1577 zu Stamford. Ausser lyrischen Poesieen hinterliess er zwei grössere erzählende Gedichte “The fruites of Warre” und “The Steele glass” und Bearbeitungen italienischer und altgriechischer Dramen und ausländischer Dichtungen. Seine gesammelten Werke erschienen zuerst zu London 1587 unter dem Titel: The Pleasauntest Works of George Gascoigne, Esquyre , newlye compyled into one volume, that is to saye: His Flowers, Hearbes, Weedes, the Fruites of Warre, the Comedie called Supposes, the Trajedie of Jocasta, the Steele-glasse, the Complaint of Phylomene, the Story of Ferdinando Jeronimi and the Pleasure of Kenelworth Castle.

Das Letztere ist ein Maskenspiel, welches 1575 zu Kenilworth vor der Königin Elisabeth aufgeführt wurde. Währen seines Le erschien bereits eine Sammlung von Bearbeitungen ausländischer Gedichte von ihm, mit dem Titel: A Hundreth Sundrie Flowres, bound up in one small Posie etc.

Anmuth, Eleganz und Gewandtheit in Behandlung der Sprache und Form, Gedankenreichthum und eine gesunde Lebensanschauung verleihen seinen Leistungen nicht geringen Werth, doch leidet er auch an den Geschmacksfehlern seiner Zeit, namentlich an dem Streben nach Künstlichkeit und dem gesuchten Spiel mit Begriffen und Wörtern.

Downe fell I then upon my knee
All flatte before Dame Beauties face,
And cryed, good Ladye pardon mee,
Which here appeale unto your grace,
You knowe if I have beene untrue,
It was in too much praysing you.

(Quod Beautie) well: bicause I guesse,
What thou dost meane hencefoorth to bee,
Although thy faultes deserve no lesse,
Than Justice here hath judged thee,
Wylt thou be bounde to stynte all strife,
And be true prisoner all thy lyfe ?

And though this Judge doe make suche haste, Yea Madame (quod I) that I shall, To shead with shame my guiltlesse blood : Loe Fayth and Trueth my suerties : Yet let your pittie first bee plaste,

Why then (quod shee) come when I call,
To save the man that meant you good,

I aske no better warrantise.'
So shall you shewe your selfe a Queene, Thus am I Beauties bounden thrall,
And I maye bee your servaunt seene.

At hir commaunde when shee doth call.

Christopher Marlowe.

Das Geburtsjahr dieses genialen, aber zügellosen Dichters ist nicht ermittelt und man weiss nur gewiss, dass es in die Zeit der Regierung Eduards VI. fiel. Marlowe studirte 1587 in Cambridge, verliess aber die Universität und ward Schauspieler, führte indessen ein regelloses Leben, machte sich als Freigeist verrufen und starb 1593 an einer Verwundung, die er sich in einem Streit zugezogen hatte.

Unter seinen Trauerspielen, Lust's Dominion, später von Behu unter dem Titel Abdelazer or the Moors Revenge überarbeitet, Edward II., First Part of Tamburlaine, the Jew of Malta, Doctor Faustus etc. zeichnet sich vorzüglich das Letztgenannte (deutsch von Wilhelm Müller, Berlin 1818) durch Gedankenreichthum, Kraft und Phantasie sehr vortheilhaft aus und verdient unter den Bearbeitungen der Sage von Faust, als eine der ersten und bedeutendsten, aufmerksame Beachtung. Ueberhaupt ist Marlowe als der begabteste Vorgänger Shakspeare's zu betrachten, aber eben so roh wie genial, gestattete ihm seine wilde Lebensweise weder die nothwendige Ruhe noch die genügende Entwickelung und Reife seiner seltenen Fähigkeiten.

Scenes

Summum bonum medicina e sanitas: from the tragical history of the Life The end of physic is our bodies' health. and Death of Doctor Faustus: by Why, Faustus; hast thou not attain'd that end? Christopher Marlowe.

Are not thy bills hung up as monuments, (Faustus in his study, runs through the circle of the Whereby whole cities have escap'd the plague, sciences; and being satisfied with none of them , de- And divers desperate maladies been cured?

termines to addict himself to magic.) Yet art thou still but Faustus, and a man. Faust. Settle thy studies, Faustus, and begin Couldst thou make men but live eternally, To sound the depth of that thou wilt profess; Or being dead raise men to life again, Having commenc'd, be a Divine in show, Then this profession were to be esteem'd.. Yet level at the end of every art,

Physic farewell. Where is Justinian? And live and die in Aristotle's works.

Si una eademque res legatur duobus, Sweet Analytics, 'tis thou hast ravish'd me Alter rem, alter valorem rei, etc. Bene disserere est finis Logices. A petty case of paltry legacies. Is, to dispute well, Logic's chiefest end ? Exhereditari filium non potest pater, Affords this art no greater miracle ?

nisi, etc. Then read no more ; thou hast attain'd that end Such is the subject of the Institute, A greater subject fitteth Faustus' wit.

And universal body of the Law.
Bid Oeconomy farewell: and Galen come. This study fits a mercenary drudge,
Be a physician, Faustus, heap up gold,

Who aims at nothing but external trash,
And be eterniz'd for some wond'rous cure. Too servile and illiberal for me.

When all is done, Divinity is best.

'Tis Magic, Magic, that hath ravish'd me. Jerome's bible, Faustus : view it well.

Then gentle friends aid me in this attempt; Stipendium peccati mors est: ha! Sti- And I that have with subtil syllogisms pendium, etc.

Gravell’d the Pastors of the German Church, The reward of sin is death: that's hard.

And made the flowering pride of Wirtemberg Sipeccasse neg a mus, fallimur, et nulla Swarm to my problems, as th' infernal Spirits

est in nobis veritas. On sweet Musaeus when he came to hell, If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, Will be as cunning as Agrippa was,

and there is no truth in us. Whose shadow made all Europe honour him. Why then belike we must sin, and so conse- Vald. Faustus, these books, thy wit, and our quently die.

experience, Aye, we must die an everlasting death.

Shall make all nations canonize us. What doctrine call you this ? Che sera, sera: As Indian Moors obey their Spanish Lords, What will be, shall be. Divinity adieu.

So shall the Spirits of every Element These Metaphysics of Magicians,

Be always serviceable to us three: And necromantic books, are heavenly.

Like Lions shall they guard us when we please; Lines, Circles, Letters, Characters :

Like Almain Rutters with their horsemen's staves, Aye, these are those that Faustus most desires. Or Lapland Giants trotting by our sides: O what a world of profit and delight,

Sometimes like Women, or unwedded Maids, Of power, of honour, and omnipotence, Shadowing more beauty in their airy brows Is promis'd to the studious artizan!

Than have the white breasts of the Queen of Love. All things that move between the quiet poles Corn. The miracles that magic will perform, Shall be at my command. Emperors and Kings Will make thee vow to study nothing else. Are but obey'd in their several provinces; He that is grounded in astrology, But his dominion that exceeds in this,

Inricht with tongues, well seen in minerals, Stretcheth as far as doth the mind of man : Hath all the principles magic doth require. A sound Magician is a Demigod.

Faust. Come shew me some demonstrations Here tire my brains to gain a deity.

magical,

That I may conjure in some bushy grove, How am I glutted with conceit of this !

And have these joys in full possession. Shall I make Spirits fetch me what I please?

Vald. Then haste thee to some solitary grove Resolve me of all ambiguities?

And bear wise Bacon's and Albanus' works, Perform what desperate enterprises I will ?

The Hebrew Psalter, and New Testament; I'll have them fly to India for gold,

And whatsoever else is requisite Ransack the ocean for orient pearl,

We will inform thee, ere our conference cease. And search all corners of the new - found world For pleasant fruits and princely delicates.

Faustus being instructed in the elements of magic by I'll have them read me strange philosophy;

his friends Valdes and Cornelius, sells his soul to And tell the secrets of all foreign kings :

the devil, to have an Evil Spirit at his command for

twenty-four years. When the years are expired, I'll have them fill the public schools with skill,

the devils claim his soul. Wherewith the students shall be bravely clad:

Faustus, the night of his death. Wagner, his servant. I'll levy soldiers with the coin they bring And chase the Prince of Parma from our land,

Faust. Say, Wagner, thou hast perused my And reign sole king of all the provinces :

Will, Yea stranger engines for the brunt of war,

How dost thou like it? Than was the fiery keel at Antwerp bridge,

Wag. Sir, so wondrous well, I'll make my servile Spirits to invent.

As in all humble duty I do yield Come German Valdes, and Cornelius,

My life and lasting service for your love. And make me wise with your sage conference.

(Exit.)

Three Scholars enter.
Enter Valdes and Cornelius.

Faust. Gramercy, Wagner.
Faust. Valdes, sweet Valdes, and Cornelius, Welcome Gentlemen
Know that your words have won me at the last, First Sch. Now worthy Faustus, methinks
To practise Magic and concealed Arts.

your looks are chang'd. Philosophy is odious and obscure :

Faust. On, Gentlemen. Both Law and Physic are for petty wits :

Sec. Sch. What ails Faustus ?

Faust. Ah my sweet chamber-fellow, had I lived with thee, then had I lived still, but now must die eternally. Look, Sirs, comes he not? comes he not?

First Sch. O my dear Faustus, what imports this fear?

Sec. Sch. Is all our pleasure turn'd to melancholy?

Faust. Talk not of me but save yourselves and depart.

Third Sch. God will strengthen me, I will stay with Faustus,

First Sch. Tempt not God, sweet friend, but let us into the next room and pray for him.

Faust. Aye, pray for me, pray for me; and what noise soever you hear, come not unto me,

Third Sch. He is not well with being over for nothing can rescue me.

solitary.

Sec. Sch. Pray thow, and we will pray, that God may have mercy upon thee. Faust. Gentlemen, farewell; if I live till morning, I'll visit you: if not, Faustus is gone to hell.

Scholars. Faustus farewell.

Faustus alone. The Clock strikes Eleven.

Faust. O Faustus,

Sec. Sch. If it be so, we will have physicians, and Faustus shall be cured. Third. Sch. "Tis but a surfeit, Sir; fear nothing. Faust. A surfeit of a deadly sin that hath damn'd both body and soul. Sec. Sch. Yet, Faustus, look up to heaven, and remember mercy is infinite. Faust. But Faustus' offence can ne'er be pardoned. The serpent that tempted Eve may be saved, but not Faustus. O Gentlemen, bear me with patience, and tremble not at my speeches. Though my heart pant and quiver to remember that I have been a student here these thirty years. O would I had ne'er seen Wirtemberg, never read book! and what wonders I have done, all Germany can witness, yea all the world: for which, Faustus hath lost both Germany and the world, yea heaven itself, heaven the seat of God, the throne of the blessed, the kingdom of joy, and must remain in hell for ever.. Hell, O hell, for The devil will come, and Faustus must be damn'd. Sweet friends, what shall become of Fau-O I will leap to heaven: who pulls me down? stus being in hell for ever? See where Christ's blood will save me: Oh, my

ever.

Sec. Sch. Yet Faustus call on God.

Faust. On God whom Faustus hath abjured? on God whom Faustus hath blasphemed? O my God, I would weep but the devil draws in my tears. Gush forth blood instead of tears, yea life and soul. Oh, he stays my tongue: I would lift up my hands, but see, they hold'em, they hold'em.

Scholars. Who, Faustus?

Faust. God forbid it indeed, but Faustus hath done it for the vain pleasure of four and twenty years hath Faustus lost eternal joy and felicity. I writ them a bill with mine own blood, the date is expired: this is the time, and he will fetch me.

First. Sch. Why did not Faustus tell us of this before, that Divines might have prayed for thee?

Faust. Oft have I thought to have done so; but the devil threatened to tear me in pieces if I named God; to fetch me body and soul if I once gave ear to divinity: and now it is too late. Gentlemen, away, lest you perish with me.

Sec. Sch. O what may we do to save Faustus?

Now hast thou but one bare hour to live,
And then thou must be damn'd perpetually.
Stand still you ever moving spheres of heaven,
That time may cease and midnight never come.
Fair nature's Eye, rise, rise again, and make
Perpetual day: or let this hour be but
A year, a month, a week, a natural day,
That Faustus may repent and save his soul.
O lente lente currite noctis equi.
The stars move still, time runs, the clock will
strike,

Christ,

Rend not my heart for naming of my Christ.
Yet will I call on him: O spare me, Lucifer.
Where is it now? 'tis gone;

And see, a threatning arm, and angry brow.
Mountains and hills come, come and fall on me,
And hide me from the heavy wrath of heaven.
No? then will I headlong run into the earth:
Gape earth. O no, it will not harbour me.
You stars that reign'd at my nativity,
Whose influence have allotted death and hell,
Now draw up Faustus like a foggy mist
Into the entrails of yon labouring cloud;
That when you vomit forth into the air,
My limbs may issue from your smoaky mouths,
But let my soul mount and ascend to heaven.

The watch strikes.

O half the hour is past: 'twill all be past anon.
O if my soul must suffer for my sin,
Impose some end to my incessant pain.
Let Faustus live in hell a thousand years.,
A hundred thousand, and at the last be saved: