BooksBarbecue
Back The Witch Save as PDF
Chapters (43)
  1. Cover Page
  2. The Witch
  3. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
  4. ABBREVIATIONS
  5. INTRODUCTION
  6. FURTHER READING
  7. The Witch
  8. [DRAMATIS PERSONAE]
  9. THE WITCH
  10. [Act I,] Scene ii
  11. Act II, Scene i
  12. [Act II,] Scene ii
  13. [Act II,] Scene iii
  14. Act III, Scene i
  15. [Act III,] Scene ii
  16. [Act III,] Scene iii
  17. Act IV, Scene i
  18. [Act IV,] Scene ii
  19. [Act IV,] Scene iii
  20. Act V, Scene i
  21. [Act V,] Scene ii
  22. [Act V,] Scene iii
  23. APPENDIX
  24. In a maiden time profess’d
  25. Come Away, Hecate!
  26. Notes
  27. Thomas Holmes, Esquire
  28. Act I, Scene i
  29. [Act I,] Scene ii
  30. Act II, Scene i
  31. [Act II,] Scene ii
  32. [Act II,] Scene iii
  33. Act III, Scene i
  34. [Act III,] Scene ii
  35. [Act III,] Scene iii
  36. Act IV, Scene i
  37. [Act IV,] Scene ii
  38. Act IV Scene iii
  39. Act V, Scene i
  40. [Act V,] Scene ii
  41. [Act V,] Scene iii
  42. Appendix
  43. Footnotes
HECATE
So sure into what house these are conveyed, 155
Knit with these charmed and retentive knots,
Neither the man begets nor woman breeds;
No, nor performs the least desires of wedlock,
Being then a mutual duty. I could give thee
Chiroconita, adincantida 160
Archimadon, marmaritin, calicia,
Which I could sort to villainous barren ends –
But this leads the same way. More I could instance:
As the same needles thrust into their pillows
That sows and socks up dead men in their sheets: 165
A privy gristle of a man that hangs
After sunset – good, excellent! Yet all’s there sir.
SEBASTIAN
You could not do a man that special kindness
To part ’em utterly now? Could you do that?
HECATE
No, time must do’t. We cannot disjoin wedlock; 170
’Tis of heaven’s fastening. Well may we raise jars,
Jealousies, strifes and heart-burning disagreements,
Like a thick scurf o’er life, as did our master
Upon that patient miracle – but the work itself
Our power cannot disjoint.
SEBASTIAN      I depart happy 175
In what I have then, being constrained to this –
[Aside] And grant, you greater powers that dispose men,
That I may never need this hag again!      Exit
HECATE
I know he loves me not, nor there’s no hope on’t;
’Tis for the love of mischief I do this – 180
And that we’re sworn to, the first oath we take.

[Enter FIRESTONE]

FIRESTONE
Oh mother, mother!
HECATE      What’s the news with thee now?
FIRESTONE
There’s the bravest young gentleman within, and the
fineliest drunk; I thought he would have fallen into the
vessel. He stumbled at a pipkin of child’s grease, reeled 185
against Stadlin, overthrew her and, in the tumbling-cast,
struck up old Puckle’s heels with her clothes over her
ears.
HECATE
Hoyday!
FIRESTONE
I was fain to throw the cat upon her to save her honesty, 190
and all little enough. I cried out still ‘I pray be covered!’
See where he comes now mother.

Enter ALMACHILDES