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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
And here behold him come.
GOVERNOR [To MESSENGER]      Return back to ’em;
Say we desire ’em to be friends of peace 55
Till they hear farther from us.
[Exit MESSENGER]
DUCHESS      Oh my lord,
I fly unto the pity of your nobleness,
The grieved’st lady that was e’er beset
With storms of sorrows or wild rage of people.
Never was woman’s grief for loss of lord 60
Dearer than mine to me.
GOVERNOR      There’s no right done
To him now, madam, by wrong done to yourself;
Your own good wisdom may instruct you so far –
And for the people’s tumult, which oft grows
From liberty or rankness of long peace, 65
I’ll labour to restrain as I’ve begun, madam.
DUCHESS
My thanks and prayers shall ne’er forget you sir –
And, in time to come, my love.
GOVERNOR      Your love, sweet madam?
You make my joys too happy! I did covet
To be the fortunate man that blessing visits, 70
Which I’ll esteem the crown and full reward
Of service present and deserts to come.
It is a happiness I’ll be bold to sue for
When I have set a calm upon these spirits
That now are up for ruin.
DUCHESS      Sir my wishes 75
Are so well met in yours, so fairly answered
And nobly recompensed, it makes me suffer
In those extremes that few have ever felt –
To hold two passions in one heart at once,
Of gladness and of sorrow.
GOVERNOR      Then as the olive 80
Is the meek ensign of fair, fruitful peace,
So is this kiss of yours.      [Kisses her]
DUCHESS      Love’s power be with you sir.
GOVERNOR
[Aside] How she’s betrayed her! May I breathe no longer
Than to do virtue service and bring forth
The fruits of noble thoughts, honest and loyal. 85
This will be worth th’observing and I’ll do’t.      Exit
DUCHESS
What a sure happiness confirms joy to me,
Now in the times of my most imminent dangers!
I looked for ruin, and increase of honour
Meets me auspiciously. But my hopes are clogged now 90
With an unworthy weight; there’s the misfortune.
What course shall I take now with this young man?
For he must be no hindrance. I have thought on’t;
I’ll take some witch’s counsel for his end.
That will be sur’st. Mischief is mischief’s friend.      Exit 95

[Act IV,] Scene ii

Enter SEBASTIAN and FERNANDO