The Chapters of the English Faust Book

Note: The chapters may appear with slightly different numbers and headings in various editions.

1

Of his Parentage and Birth
Commentator's introduction; Faustus' early life and university career; Faustus will have no hope of redemption.

2

How Doctor Faustus began to practice in his divilish Arte, and how he conjured the Divel, making him appeare and meete him on the morrow at his owne house.
Faustus conjures up Mephostophiles in a forest; brags to friends; requires Mephostophiles to come to his home.

3

The conference of Doctor Faustus with the Spirit Mephostophiles the morning following at his owne house.
Faustus states his requirements of obedience; Mephostophiles bargains that Faustus must "promise to be ours"; Faustus has already made up his mind but insists the bargaining must continue.

4

The second time of the Spirits appearing to Faustus in his house, and of their parley
The bargain is struck; Faustus must sign in blood and agree to act against his Christian faith; "certain years" [unnumbered but they will be 24] are given to Faustus to "live in health and pleasure" after which Faustus will "be fetched away."

5

The third parley between Doctor Faustus and Mephistophiles about a conclusion.
Faustus demands Mephostophiles always come attired as a Franciscan friar, ringing a bell; the Commentator lectures his readers on Faustus; folly;Faustus uses a small knife to prick his hand; thereupon is seen O homo fuge; Faustus continues to write.

6

How Doctor Faustus set his blood in a saucer on warme ashes, and what asfolloweth.
The covenant is written by Faustus; it shall be for 24 years.

7

How Mephostophiles came for his writing, and in what maner hee appeared, and his sights he shewed him and how he caused him to keep a copie of his owne writing.
Mephostophiles puts on quite a show and Faustus is suitably impressed; Mephostophiles asks Fasutus to make a copy of the covenant; "Thus the Spirit and Faustus were agreed, & dwelt together; no doubt there was a vertuous housekeeping."

8

The manner how Faustus proceeded with his damnable life, and of the diligent service the Mephostophiles used towards him.

9

How Doctor Faustus would have married, and how the Divell had almost killed him for it.

10

Questions put foorth by Doctor Faustus unto his Spirite Mephostophiles.

11

How Doctor Faustus dreamed that hee had seene hell in his sleepe, and how he questioned with his Spirit of matters as concerning hell, with the Spirits answer.

12

The second question put foorth by Doctor Faustus to his Spirite, what Kingdomes there were in hell, how many, and what were the rulers names.

13

Another question put foorth by Doctor Faustus to his Spirite concerning his Lorde Lucifer, with the sorrow that Faustus fell afterwards into.

14

Another disputation betwixt Doctor Faustus and his Spirite, of the power of the Divelll, and of his envie to mankinde.

15

How Doctor Faustus desired againe of his Spirit to know the secrets and paines of hell; and whether those damed Divels and their company might ever come into the favour of God againe or not?

16

Another question put foorth by Doctor Faustus to his Spirite Mephostophiles of his own estate.

17

Here followeth the second part of Doctor Faustus his life, and practices, untill his end.

18

A question put foorth by Doctor Faustus to his Spirit concerning Astronomie.

19

How Doctor Faustus fell into despair with himself: for having put foorth a question unto his Spirit, they fell at variance, whereupon the whole rout of Divels appeared unto him, threatening him sharply.

20

How Doctor Faustus desired to see hell, and the maner how hee was [?] therein.

21

How Doctor Faustus was carried through the ayre up to the heavens to see the world, and how the Skie and Planets rules after the which he wrote one letter to his friend of the same to Leiptzig, how he went about the world in eight daies.

22

How Doctor Faustus made his journey thorough the principal and most famous lands of the world. [This being a very lengthy chapter.]

23

How Faustus had a sight of Paradise.

24

Of a certaine Comet that appeared in Germanie, and how Doctor Faustus was desired by certaine friends of his to knowe the meaning thereof.

25

A question put foorth to Doctor Faustus, concerning the Starres.

26

Howe Fausuts was asked a question concerning the Spirites that were men.

27

How Doctor Faustus was asked a question concerning the Starres that fall from Heaven.

28

How Fausuts was asked a question as concerning thunder.

The third and last part, of Doctor Faustus his mery conceits, ahewing after what fore he practised Nicromancie in the Courts of great Princes, and lastly of his fearful and pitifull ends.

29

How the Emperor Carolus quintus requested of Faustus to see some of his cunning, whereunto he agreed.

30

How Doctor Faustus in the sight of the Emperour conjured a payre of Harts hornes upon a Knights head that slept out of a cazement.

31

How the above mentioed Knight went about to be revenged of Doctor Faustus.

32

How three young Dukes being together at Wittenberg to behold the Universitie, requested Faustus to help them at a wish to the town of Menchen in Bavaria, there to see the Duke of Bavaria his sonnes wedding.

33

How Doctor Faustus borrowed monie of a Jew, and layd his own legge to pawn for it.

34

How Doctor Faustus deceived as a Horse-courser.

35

How Doctor Faustus eate a lode of Hay.

36

How Doctor Faustus served the twelve Students.

37

How Faustus served the dronken Clownes.

38

How Doctor Faustus solde five Swine for sixe Dollers a peece.

39

How Doctor Faustus played a merrir jest eith the Duke of Anholt in his Court.

40

How Doctor Faustus through his Charmes made a great Castle in presence of the Duke of Anholt.

41

How Doctor Faustus with his companie visited the Bishop of Salzburg his Wine-seller.

42

How Doctor Faustus kept his Shrovetide. [immediately preceding Lent]

43

How Doctor Faustus feasted his guests on the Ashwednesday.
Faustus feasts his friends and performs magic.

44

How Doctor Faustus the fay following was feasted of the Students, and of his merrie jestes with them while hee was in their companie.

45

How Doctor Faustus shewed the fayre Helena unto the Students upon the Sunday following.
Faustus causes Helen of Troy to briefly appear; the students are left sleepless that night.

46

How Doctor Faustus conjured away the foure wheeles from a clownes waggon.

47

How foure Juglers cut one anothers head off, and set them on agayne, and how Doctor Faustus deceived them.

48

How an old man the neighbour of Faustus, sought to perswade him to amend his evill life, and to fall unto repentence.

49

How Doctor Faustus wrote the second time with his owne blood and gave it to the Divell.
Faustus hates the old man but even one of the devils cannot make the old man give up his faith.

50

How Doctor Faustus made a marriage betweene two lovers.

51

How Doctor Faustus led his friends into his Garden at Christmas, and shewed them many strange sights in his 19. yeare.

52

How Doctor Faustus gathered together a great armie of men in his extemitie agaynst a Knight that would have injured him on his journey.

53

How Doctor Faustus caused Mephostophiles to bring him seven of the fayrest women that he could find in all those countries he had traveiled in, in the 30. years.

54

How Doctor Faustus found a masse of money when hee had consumed 22. of his yeares.

55

How Doctor Faustus made the Spirit of faayre Helena of Greece his own Paramour and bedfellow in his 23. yeare.

56

How Doctor Faustus made his Will, in the which he named his servant Wagner to be his heire.

57

How Doctor Faustus fell in talke with his servant touching his Testament; and the covenants thereof.

58

How Doctor Faustus having but one moneth of his appoynted time to come, fell to mourning and sorrowe with himselfe for his divelish exercise.

59

How Doctor Faustus complayned that hee should in his lusty time and youthful yeares die so miserably.

60

Another complaint of Doctor Faustus.

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Updated 2014-03-20