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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
What’s this? Oh ’tis the charm her hagship gave me
For my duchess’ obstinate woman, wound about
A threepenny silk ribbon of three colours: 10
[Reads] Necte tribus nodis ternos, Amoretta, colores.
Amoretta – why there’s her name indeed –
Necte, Amoretta – again, two bouts –
Nodo et ‘Veneris’ die ‘vincula necte’ –
Nay, if Veneris be one, I’m sure there’s no dead flesh in’t. 15
If I should undertake to construe this now,
I should make a fine piece of work of it;
For few young gallants are given to good construction
Of anything – hardly of their best friends’ wives,
Sisters or nieces. Let me see what I can do now. 20
Necte tribus nodis – Nick of the tribe of noddies –
Ternos colores – that makes turned colours –
Nodo et Veneris – goes to his venery like a noddy –
Die Vincula – with Dick the vintner’s boy.
Here were a sweet charm now if this were the meaning 25
on’t, and very likely to overcome an honourable gentlewoman.
The whoreson old hellcat would have given me
the brain of a cat once in my handkercher – I bad her
make sauce with’t, with a vengeance! – and a little bone
in the nethermost part of a wolf’s tail – I bad her pick 30
her teeth with’t, with a pestilence! Nay, this is somewhat
cleanly yet and handsome; a coloured ribbon – a fine,
gentle charm – a man may give’t his sister, his brother’s
wife, ordinarily.
Enter AMORETTA
See, here she comes, luckily. 35
AMORETTA
Blessed powers, what secret sin have I committed
That still you send this punishment upon me?
ALMACHILDES
’Tis but a gentle punishment, so take it.
[ALMACHILDES embraces AMORETTA, using this as a cover for tucking the ribbon ‘in her bosom’]
AMORETTA
Why, sir, what mean you? Will you ravish me?
ALMACHILDES
What in the gallery? And the sun peep in? 40
There’s fitter time and place. [Aside] ’Tis in her bosom now.
AMORETTA
Go, you’re the rudest thing e’er came at court.
ALMACHILDES
Well, well; I hope you’ll tell me another tale
Ere you be two hours older. A rude thing?
I’ll make you eat your word – I’ll make all split else. 45
Exit
AMORETTA
Nay, now I think on’t better, I’m to blame too.
There’s not a sweeter gentleman in court –
Nobly descended too, and dances well.
Beshrew my heart, I’ll take him when there’s time;
He will be catched up quickly. The duchess says 50
She’s some employment for him and has sworn me
To use my best art in’t. Life of my joys,
There were good stuff! I will not trust her with him.
I’ll call him back again. He must not keep
Out of my sight so long; I shall grow mad then. 55
Enter DUCHESS
DUCHESS
[Aside] He lives not now to see tomorrow spent,
If this means take effect, as there’s no hardness in’t.
Last night he played his horrid game again,
Came to my bedside at the full of midnight,
And in his hand that fatal, fearful cup, 60
Waked me and forced me pledge him, to my trembling,
And my dead father’s scorn. That wounds my sight,
That his remembrance should be raised in spite.
But either his confusion or mine ends it.
[To AMORETTA] Oh Amoretta hast thou met him yet? 65
Speak, wench, hast done that for me?
AMORETTA      What, good madam?
DUCHESS
Destruction of my hopes! Dost ask that now?
Didst thou not swear to me, out of thy hate
To Almachildes, thou’dst dissemble him
A loving entertainment and a meeting 70
Where I should work my will?
AMORETTA       Good madam, pardon me.
A loving entertainment I do protest
Myself to give him – with all speed I can too!
But as I’m yet a maid, a perfect one,
As the old time was wont to afford when 75
There was few tricks and little cunning stirring,
I can dissemble none that will serve your turn;
He must have e’en a right one and a plain one.
DUCHESS
Thou mak’st me doubt thy health. Speak, art thou well?
AMORETTA
Oh never better, if he would make haste 80
And come back quickly! He stays now too long.
[The ribbon falls from AMORETTA’S clothes]
DUCHESS
[Aside] I’m quite lost in this woman. What’s that fell
Out of her bosom now? Some love-token?
[DUCHESS picks up ribbon]
AMORETTA
Nay, I’ll say that for him: he’s the uncivilest gentleman
And every way desertless.
DUCHESS [Aside]      Who’s that now 85
She discommends so fast?
AMORETTA      I could not love him, madam,
Of any man in court.
DUCHESS      What’s he now, prithee?
AMORETTA
Who should it be but Almachildes, madam?
I never hated man so deeply yet.
DUCHESS
As Almachildes?
AMORETTA      I am sick, good madam, 90
When I but hear him named.
DUCHESS      How is this possible?
But now thou saidst thou lovedst him and didst raise him
’Bove all the court in praises.
AMORETTA      How great people
May speak their pleasure madam! But surely I
Should think the worse of my tongue while I lived then. 95
DUCHESS
No longer have I patience to forbear thee,
Thou that retain’st an envious soul to goodness!
He is a gentleman deserves as much
As ever fortune yet bestowed on man:
The glory and prime lustre of our court. 100
Nor can there any but ourself be worthy of him –
And take you notice of that now from me,
Say you have warning on’t. If you did love him,
You must not now.
AMORETTA      Let your grace never fear it.
DUCHESS
Thy name is Amoretta, as ours is; 105
’T has made me love and trust thee.
AMORETTA      And my faithfulness
Has appeared well i’th’ proof still, has’t not madam?
DUCHESS
But if’t fail now, ’tis nothing.
AMORETTA       Then it shall not.
I know he will not be long from fluttering
About this place, now he’s had a sight of me, and I’ll perform 110
In all that I vowed, madam, faithfully.
DUCHESS
Then am I blessed both in revenge and love,
And thou shalt taste the sweetness.      Exit
AMORETTA      What your aims be
I list not to inquire. All I desire
Is to preserve a competent honesty 115
Both for mine own and his use that shall have me,
Whose luck soe’er it be.