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
Give me marmaritin, some bear-breech. When?
FIRESTONE
Here’s bear-breech and lizard’s brain forsooth.
HECATE
Into the vessel –
And fetch three ounces of the red-haired girl 55
I killed last midnight.
FIRESTONE      Whereabouts, sweet mother?
HECATE
Hip; hip or flank. Where is the acopus?
FIRESTONE
You shall have acopus forsooth.
HECATE
Stir, stir about, whilst I begin the charm.
A charm song about a vessel
Black spirits and white, red spirits and grey, 60
Mingle, mingle, mingle, you that mingle may.
Titty, Tiffin, keep it stiff in.
Fire-drake, Puckey, make it lucky.
Liard, Robin, you must bob in.
Round, around, around, about, about – 65
All ill come running in, all good keep out!
[STADLIN]
Here’s the blood of a bat.
HECATE
Put in that, oh put in that.
[HOPPO]
Here’s libbard’s bane.
HECATE
Put in a grain. 70
[STADLIN]
The juice of toad, the oil of adder.
[HOPPO]
Those will make the younker madder.
HECATE
Put in – there’s all – and rid the stench.
FIRESTONE
Nay, here’s three ounces of the red-haired wench.
ALL [THE WITCHES]
Round, around, around, about, about – 75
All ill come running in, all good keep out!
HECATE
So, so, enough. Into the vessel with it.
There’t hath the true perfection. I am so light
At any mischief – there’s no villainy
But is a tune methinks. 80
FIRESTONE
[Aside] A tune! ’Tis to the tune of damnation then, I
warrant you, and that song hath a villainous burden.
HECATE
Come, my sweet sisters; let the air strike our tune,
Whilst we show reverence to yond peeping moon.
Here they dance the witches’ dance and exeunt

[Act V,] Scene iii

Enter L[ORD] GOVERNOR, ISABELLA, FLORIDA, FRANCISCA, ABERZANES, GASPERO, [SEBASTIAN as CELIO, SERVANTS]

ISABELLA
My lord, I have given you nothing but the truth
Of a most plain and innocent intent.
My wrongs being so apparent in this woman –
A creature that robs wedlock of all comfort
Where’er she fastens – I could do no less 5
But seek means privately to shame his folly.
No farther reached my malice – and it glads me
That none but my base injurer is found
To be my false accuser.
GOVERNOR      This is strange,
That he should give the wrongs yet seek revenge. 10
[To SEBASTIAN] But, sirrah, you – you are accused here doubly:
First, by your lady, for a false intelligence
That caused her absence, which much hurts her name,
Though her intents were blameless: next, by this woman,
For an adulterous design and plot, 15
Practised between you to entrap her honour,
Whilst she, for her hire, should enjoy her husband.
Your answer?
SEBASTIAN      Part of this is truth, my lord,
To which I’m guilty in a rash intent,
But clear in act – and she most clear in both, 20
Not sanctity more spotless.

[Enter HERMIO]