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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
ISABELLA      Alone sister?
FRANCISCA
[Aside] No, there’s another with me, though you see’t not.
[To ISABELLA] Morrow, sweet sister. How have you slept tonight?
ISABELLA
More than I thought I should; I’ve had good rest. 65
FRANCISCA
I’m glad to hear’t.
ISABELLA      Sister methinks you are too long alone,
And lose much good time, sociable and honest.
I’m for the married life; I must praise that now.
FRANCISCA
I cannot blame you, sister, to commend it.
You have happened well, no doubt, on a kind husband, 70
And that’s not every woman’s fortune, sister.
You know if he were any but my brother,
My praises should not leave him yet so soon.
ISABELLA
I must acknowledge, sister, that my life
Is happily blessed with him. He is no gamester, 75
That ever I could find or hear of yet,
Nor midnight surfeiter. He does intend
To leave tobacco too.
FRANCISCA      Why here’s a husband!
ISABELLA
He saw it did offend me and swore freely
He’d ne’er take pleasure in a toy again 80
That should displease me. Some knights’ wives in town
Will have great hope, upon his reformation,
To bring their husbands’ breaths into th’old fashion,
And make ’em kiss like Christians, not like pagans.
FRANCISCA
I promise you, sister, ’twill be a worthy work 85
To put down all these pipers; ’tis great pity
There should not be a statute against them,
As against fiddlers.
ISABELLA      These good offices,
If you’d a husband, you might exercise
To th’ good o’th’ commonwealth, and do much profit. 90
Beside, it is a comfort to a woman
T’have children, sister, a great blessing certainly.
FRANCISCA
They will come fast enough.
ISABELLA      Not so fast neither
As they’re still welcome to an honest woman.
FRANCISCA
[Aside] How near she comes to me! I protest she grates 95
My very skin.
ISABELLA      Were I conceived with child,
Beshrew my heart, I should be so proud on’t.
FRANCISCA
That’s natural; pride is a kind of swelling.
[Aside] And yet I’ve small cause to be proud of mine.
ISABELLA
You are no good companion for a wife; 100
Get you a husband, prithee, sister, do,
That I may ask your counsel now and then.
’Twill mend your discourse much; you maids know nothing.
FRANCISCA
No, we are fools – [Aside] but commonly we prove
Quicker mothers than you that have husbands. 105
I’m sure I shall else. I may speak for one.

Enter ANTONIO