The History of Doctor John Faustus

Of his Parentage and Birth

JOHN FAUSTUS, born in the town of Rhode, lying in the province of Weimer in Germanie, his father a poor husbandman, and not able well to bring him up: but having an uncle at Wittenberg, a rich man, and without issue, took this J. Faustus from his father, and made him his heir, in so much that his father was no more troubled with him, for he remained with his uncle at Wittenberg, where he was kept at the University in the same city to study Divinity. But Faustus being of a naughty mind and otherwise addicted, applied not his studies, but took himself to other exercises: the which his uncle often-times hearing, rebuked him for it, as Eli oft-times rebuked his children for sinning against the Lord: even so this good man laboured to have Faustus apply his study of Divinity, that he might come to the knowledge of God and his laws. But it is manifest that many virtuous parents have wicked children, as Cain, Ruben, Absolom, and such-like have been to their parents: so this Faustus having godly parents, and seeing him to be of a toward wit, were very desirous to bring him up in those virtuous studies, namely, of Divinity: but he gave himself secretly to study Necromancy and Conjuration, in so much that few or none could perceive his profession.