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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
Take to thee in wedlock 30
Baseness and cowardice – a fit match for thee!
Come sir, along with me.
ABERZANES      ’Las, what to do?
I am too young to take a wife in troth.
ANTONIO
But old enough to take a strumpet though.
You’d fain get all your children beforehand 35
And marry when you’ve done. That’s a strange course sir.
This woman I bestow on thee; what dost thou say?
ABERZANES
I would I had such another to bestow on you sir.
ANTONIO
Uncharitable slave! Dog! Coward as thou art,
To wish a plague so great as thine to any. 40
ABERZANES
To my friend, sir, where I think I may be bold.
ANTONIO
Down, and do’t solemnly.

[FRANCISCA and ABERZANES kneel]

Contract yourselves
With truth and zeal or ne’er rise up again.
I will not have her die i’th’state of strumpet
Though she took pride to live one. Hermio, the wine! 45
[Enter HERMIO with wine]
HERMIO
’Tis here sir. [Aside] ’Troth, I wonder at some things
But I’11 keep honest.
ANTONIO      So here’s to you both now
[ANTONIO drinks]
And to your joys, if’t be your luck to find ’em.
I tell you, you must weep hard if you do.
Divide it ’twixt you both. [They drink] You shall not need 50
A strong bill of divorcement after that,
If you mislike your bargain. Go, get in now;
Kneel and pray heartily to get forgiveness
Of those two souls whose bodies thou hast murdered.
[Exeunt FRANCISCA and ABERZANES]
Spread, subtle poison! Now my shame in her 55
Will die when I die; there’s some comfort yet.
I do but think how each man’s punishment
Proves still a kind of justice to himself.
I was the man that told this innocent gentlewoman,
Whom I did falsely wed and falsely kill, 60
That he that was her husband first by contract
Was slain i’th’ field – and he’s known yet to live.
So did I cruelly beguile her heart,
For which I’m well rewarded; so is Gasper,
Who, to befriend my love, swore fearful oaths 65
He saw the last breath fly from him. I see now
’Tis a thing dreadful t’abuse holy vows
And falls most weighty.
HERMIO      Take comfort, sir,
You’re guilty of no death; they’re only hurt,
And that not mortally.
ANTONIO      Thou breath’st untruths. 70

Enter GASPERO [wounded]