Mediaeval Tales

Chapter 81

Chapter 81311 wordsPublic domain

_How Dr. Faustus the Day following was feasted by the Students, and of his merry Jests with them while he was in their Company._

The last bacchanalia was held on Thursday, where ensued a great snow, and Dr. Faustus was invited unto the students that were with him the day before, where they prepared an excellent banquet for him, which banquet being ended, Dr. Faustus began to play his old projects. And forthwith was in the place thirteen apes, that took hands and danced round in a ring together; then they fell to tumbling and vaulting one after another, that it was most pleasant to behold; then they leaped out of the window and vanished away. Then they set before Dr. Faustus a roasted calf's head, which one of the students cut a piece off, and laid it on Dr. Faustus his trencher, which piece was no sooner laid down but the calf's head began to cry mainly out like a man, "Murder, murder! Out, alas! what dost thou to me?" Whereat they were all amazed, but after a while, considering of Faustus's jesting tricks, they began to laugh, and they pulled asunder the calf's head and eat it up.

Whereupon Dr. Faustus asked leave to depart, but they would in nowise agree to let him go, except that he would promise to come again presently. Then Faustus, through his cunning, made a sledge, the which was drawn about the house with four fiery dragons. This was fearful for the students to behold, for they saw Faustus ride up and down, as though he would have fired and slain all them that were in the house. This sport continued until midnight, with such a noise that they could not hear one another; the heads of the students were so light that they thought themselves to be in the air all that time.