POPE. To me and Peter shalt thou grovelling lie, And crouch beforethe Papal dignity.-- Sound trumpets, then; for thus Saint Peter's heir,>From Bruno's back, ascends Saint Peter's chair. [A flourish while he ascends.] Thus, as the gods creep on with feet of wool, Long ere with iron hands they punish men, So shall our sleeping vengeance now arise, And smite with death thy hated enterprise.-- Lord Cardinals of France and Padua, Go forthwith to our holy consistory, And read, amongst the statutes decretal, What, by the holy council held at Trent, The sacred synod hath decreed for him That doth assume the Papal government Without election and a true consent: Away, and bring us word with speed.
CARDINAL OF FRANCE. We go, my lord. [Exeunt CARDINALS of France and Padua.]
POPE. Lord Raymond. [They converse in dumb show.]
FAUSTUS. Go, haste thee, gentle Mephistophilis, Follow the cardinals to the consistory; And, as they turn their superstitious books, Strike them with sloth and drowsy idleness, And make them sleep so sound, that in their shapes Thyself and I may parley with this Pope, This proud confronter of the Emperor; And, in despite of all his holiness, Restore this Bruno to his liberty, And bear him to the states of Germany.
MEPHIST. Faustus, I go.
FAUSTUS. Despatch it soon: The Pope shall curse, that Faustus came to Rome. [Exeunt FAUSTUS and MEPHISTOPHILIS.]
BRUNO. Pope Adrian, let me have right of law: I was elected by the Emperor.
POPE. We will depose the Emperor for that deed, And curse the people that submit to him: Both he and thou shall stand excommunicate, And interdict from church's privilege And all society of holy men. He grows too proud in his authority, Lifting his lofty head above the clouds, And, like a steeple, overpeers the church: But we'll pull down his haughty insolence; And, as Pope Alexander, our progenitor, Trod on the neck of German Frederick, Adding this golden sentence to our praise, "That Peter's heirs should tread on Emperors, And walk upon the dreadful adder's back, Treading the lion and the dragon down, And fearless spurn the killing basilisk," So will we quell that haughty schismatic, And, by authority apostolical, Depose him from his regal government.
BRUNO. Pope Julius swore to princely Sigismond, For him and the succeeding Popes of Rome, To hold the Emperors their lawful lords.
POPE. Pope Julius did abuse the church's rights, And therefore none of his decrees can stand. Is not all power on earth bestow'd on us? And therefore, though we would, we cannot err. Behold this silver belt, whereto is fix'd Seven golden seals, fast sealed with seven seals, In token of our seven-fold power from heaven, To bind or loose, lock fast, condemn or judge, Resign or seal, or what so pleaseth us: Then he and thou, and all the world, shall stoop, Or be assured of our dreadful curse, To light as heavy as the pains of hell.
Re-enter FAUSTUS and MEPHISTOPHILIS, in the shapes of the CARDINALS of France and Padua.
MEPHIST. Now tell me, Faustus, are we not fitted well?
FAUSTUS. Yes, Mephistophilis; and two such cardinals Ne'er serv'd a holy Pope as we shall do. But, whilst they sleep within the consistory, Let us salute his reverend fatherhood.
RAYMOND. Behold, my lord, the Cardinals are return'd.
POPE. Welcome, grave fathers: answer presently What hath our holy council there decreed Concerning Bruno and the Emperor, In quittance of their late conspiracy Against our state and papal dignity?
FAUSTUS. Most sacred patron of the church of Rome, By full consent of all the synod Of priests and prelates, it is thus decreed,-- That Bruno and the German Emperor Be held as Lollards and bold schismatics, And proud disturbers of the church's peace; And if that Bruno, by his own assent, Without enforcement of the German peers, Did seek to wear the triple diadem, And by your death to climb Saint Peter's chair, The statutes decretal have thus decreed,-- He shall be straight condemn'd of heresy, And on a pile of faggots burnt to death.
POPE. It is enough. Here, take him to your charge, And bear him straight to Ponte Angelo, And in the strongest tower enclose him fast. To-morrow, sitting in our consistory, With all our college of grave cardinals, We will determine of his life or death. Here, take his triple crown along with you, And leave it in the church's treasury. Make haste again, my good Lord Cardinals, And take our blessing apostolical.
MEPHIST. So, so; was never devil thus bless'd before.
FAUSTUS. Away, sweet Mephistophilis, be gone; The Cardinals will be plagu'd for this anon. [Exeunt FAUSTUS and MEPHISTOPHILIS with BRUNO.]
POPE. Go presently and bring a banquet forth, That we may solemnize Saint Peter's feast, And with Lord Raymond, King of Hungary, Drink to our late and happy victory.
A Sennet while the banquet is brought in; and then enter FAUSTUS and MEPHISTOPHILIS in their own shapes.
MEPHIST. Now, Faustus, come, prepare thyself for mirth: The sleepy Cardinals are hard at hand, To censure Bruno, that is posted hence, And on a proud-pac'd steed, as swift as thought, Flies o'er the Alps to fruitful Germany, There to salute the woful Emperor.
FAUSTUS. The Pope will curse them for their sloth to-day, That slept both Bruno and his crown away. But now, that Faustus may delight his mind, And by their folly make some merriment, Sweet Mephistophilis, so charm me here, That I may walk invisible to all, And do whate'er I please, unseen of any.
MEPHIST. Faustus, thou shalt: then kneel down presently, Whilst on thy head I lay my hand, And charm thee with this magic wand. First, wear this girdle; then appear Invisible to all are here: The planets seven, the gloomy air, Hell, and the Furies' forked hair, Pluto's blue fire, and Hecat's tree, With magic spells so compass thee, That no eye may thy body see! So, Faustus, now, for all their holiness, Do what thou wilt, thou shalt not be discern'd.
