Of His Parentage and Youth

HISTORIA & TALE OF

DOCTOR JOHANNES FAUSTUS

The sorcerer, wherein is described specifically and veraciously:

His entire life and death,

How he did oblige himself for a certain time unto the Devil,

And what happened to him,

And how he at last got his well-deserved reward

Rare revelations are also included, for these examples are most useful and efficacious as a highly essential Christian warning and admonition, that the laity, in order to protect themselves from similar maculations of the most shameful sort, have especial cause to heed and to avoid such a desperate fate.

Here Beginneth Doctor Faustus

His Vita & Historia

Of His Parentage and Youth

I

Doctor Faustus, the son of a husbandman, was born in Roda in the Province of Weimar. His parents were godfearing and Christian people with many connections in Wittemberg. A kinsman who dwelt there was a citizen and possessed of considerable wealth. He reared Faustus for the parents and kept him as his own child, for, being himself without issue, he adopted this Faustus, made him his heir, and sent him to school to study theology. Faustus, however, strayed from this godly purpose and used God's Word vainly.

Therefore we shall blame neither his parents nor his patrons, who desired only the best (as do all pious parents), nor shall we mix them into this Historia. For they neither witnessed nor experienced the abominations of their godless child. One thing is certain: that these parents, as was generally known in Wittemberg, were quite heartily delighted that their kinsman adopted him. When they later perceived in Faustus his excellent ingenium and memoria, it did most assuredly trouble them, just as Job in the first chapter of that Book was concerned for his children, lest they sin against the Lord. Therefore pious parents do sometimes have godless, naughty children, and I point this out because there have been many who imputed great guilt and calumny to these parents whom I would herewith pardon. Such distortions are not merely abusive. If they imply that Faustus had been taught such things by his parents, they are also slanderous. Indeed, certain charges are alleged--to wit: that his parents had permitted wantonness in his youth, and that they had not diligently held him to his studies. It is charged that, so soon as his cleverness--together with his lack of inclination to theology--was perceived, it being further public hue and cry that he was practicing magic, his family should have prevented it betimes. All such rumors are somnia, for the parents, being without guilt, should not be slandered. But now ad propositum.

Faustus was a most percipient and adroit fellow, qualified and inclined toward study, and he performed so well at his examination that the rectors also examined him for the Magister Degree. There were sixteen other candidates, to whom he proved in address, composition, and competence so superior that it was immediately concluded he had studied sufficiently, and he became Doctor Theologiæ . For the rest, he was also a stupid, unreasonable and vain fellow, whom, after all, his companions always called the speculator. He came into the worst company, for a time laid the Holy Scriptures behindst the door and under the bench, did not revere God's Word but lived crassly and godlessly in gluttony and lust (as the progress of this Historia will sufficiently manifest). Surely the proverb is true: what is inclined to the Devil will go to the Devil.

Furthermore, Doctor Faustus found his ilk, who dealt in Chaldean, Persian, Arabian and Greek words, figuræ, characteres, coniurationes, incantationes; and these things recounted were pure Dardaniæ artes, Nigromantiæ, carmina, veneficii, vaticini, incantationes, and whatever you care to call such books, words and names for conjuring and sorcery. They well pleased Doctor Faustus, he speculated and studied night and day in them. Soon he refused to be called a Theologus, but waxed a worldly man, called himself a Doctor Medicinæ , became an Astrologus and Mathematicus--and, for respectability, a physician. At first he helped many people with medicaments, herbs, roots, waters, receipts, and clisters. He became learned besides, well versed in the Holy Scriptures, and he knew quite accurately the Laws of Christ: he who knoweth the will of the Lord and doeth it not, he is doubly smitten. Likewise, thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. All this he threw in the wind and put his soul away for a time above the door sill, wherefore there shall for him be no pardon.