Chapter 77
_How Dr. Faustus, through his Charms, made a great Castle in the presence of the Duke of Anhalt._
Dr. Faustus desired the Duke of Anhalt to walk a little forth of the court with him; wherefore they went together in the field, where Dr. Faustus (through his skill) had placed a mighty castle, which when the duke saw he wondered thereat, so did the duchess and all the beholders, that on that hill which is called Rohumbuel, should on the sudden be so fair a castle. At length Dr. Faustus desired the duke and duchess to walk with him into the castle, which they denied not. This castle was so wonderful strong, having about it a great deep trench of water, the which was full of fish, and all manner of water-fowl, as swans, ducks, geese, bitterns, and such like; about the wall was five stone doors, and two other doors also; within was a great open court, wherein was enchanted all manner of wild beasts, especially such as was not to be found in Germany, as apes, bears, buffes, antelopes, and many more strange beasts; also there were harts, hinds, roebucks, and does, and wild swine; all manner of land-fowl that any man could think on, which flew from one tree to another.
After all this he set his guests to the table, being the duke and duchess, with all their train, for he had provided them a most sumptuous feast both of meat, and also of drink; for he set nine messes of meat upon the board at once. And all this must his Wagner do, to place all things on the board, the which was brought unto him by the spirit invisibly, of all things their hearts could desire, as wild-fowl, venison, and all manner of dainty fish that could be thought on. Of wine also great plenty, and of divers sorts, French wine, Cullen wine, Crabashir wine, Renish wine, Spanish wine, Hungarian wine, Waszburg wine, Malmsey, and Sack; in the whole there was one hundred cans standing round about the house.
This sumptuous banquet the duke took thankfully, and afterwards he departed homeward; but to their thinking they had neither eat nor drank, so were they blinded while they were in the castle. But as they were in their palace, they looked towards the castle, and beheld it all on a flame of fire, and all those that saw it wondered to hear so strange a noise, as if a great ordnance had been shot off. And thus the castle burned and consumed clean away; which done, Dr. Faustus returned to the duke, who gave him great thanks for showing of him so great a courtesy, and gave him a hundred dollars, and liberty to depart or stay there at his own discretion.