NECROMANCER: Princes of most noble worth,
To whom high renown is given,
Who, victorious on earth,
Are beloved of God in Heaven,
I a priest am and my home
Is Portugal,
From the Sibyl's cave I come
Where fumes diabolical
Are distilled and brought to birth.
In magic and necromancy
I'm a skilled practitioner,
A most accomplished sorcerer,
Well versed in astrology.
In so many a devil's art
Would I have part
That o'er the strongest I'll prevail
And just seize him by the tail
And hand him to prince Luis there.
Sorcerers of past time ne'er
Knew the enchantments that I know,
Ways of making love to grow
And of freeing from love's care.
For of hearts I will take one
Harder than stone
And will it soft as syrup make,
And so change others, to changes prone,
That nothing shall their firmness shake.
Truly a great wizard I
And great marvels can I work,
All the powers of Hell that lurk
Favour me exceedingly,
As deeds impossible shall attest
Of awful shape,
Miracles most manifest
Such that all shall see and gape,
Visibly and invisibly.
For I'll make a lady coy,
Through love's guerdon she defer,
If her lover look on her,
The very breath of life enjoy;
And two lovers, love's curse under
Kept asunder,
Will I leave to grieve apart,
And achieve by this my art
Things at which you'll gaze in wonder.
For a lady most ungainly
For a halfpenny at night
Will I cause without a light
To look nor ill nor well too plainly.
To another loveliest,
As star in heaven
Shall this destiny be given
That of noblest men and best
None against her love protest.
And the better to display
The perfection of my spell
I'll cause you all to marry well,
That is, I mean, as best you may;
And I'll turn night into day
All by this good art of mine,
If the sun should chance to shine,
And, too, light as air shall be
Every foolish fantasy.
I will cause you all to sleep
While sleep has you in its keeping,
And I'll cause you to awake
Without therefore the earth quaking;
And a lover by the thorn
Of love forlorn
If most real be his love
I will make his fancy prove
Steadfast till it be forsworn.
I will make you wish to see
Things which scarcely can be parried,
And when each of you is married
Then truly shall his wedding be.
And I'll make this city stand
Stone o'er stone on either hand,
And that those who do not flourish
No prosperity shall nourish.
For my magic art's more proof
I'll bring mighty rains whereat
All the tiles shall lie down flat
Above the houses, on the roof.
And the great Cathedral tower
For all its size will I uproot
And despite its special power
Its battlements on high will put,
Its foundation at its foot.
In my praise no more be said.
In St. Cyprian's name most holy,
Satan, I conjure thee.
(Gentlemen, be not afraid.)