ACTVS, IIII. SCÆNA, I.
Enter Miſtreſſe Generous and Robin.
KNow you this gingling bridle, if you ſee’ agen? I
wanted but a paire of gingling ſpurs to make you
mend your pace, and put you into a ſweat.
Robin.Yes, I have reaſon to know it after my
Ghard
The Witches of Lancaſhire.
hard journey, they ſay there be light women, but for your owne
part, though you be merry. Yet I may be ſorry for your heavi-
Mrs. Gener.I ſee thou art not quite tyr’d by ſhaking of thy
ſelfe, ’tis a ſigne that as thou haſt brought mee hither, ſo thou art
able to beare mee backe, and ſo you are like good
Robert. You
will not let me have your maſters gelding, you will not. Wel ſir,
as you like this journey, ſo deny him to me hereafter.
Rob.You ſay well miſtreſſe, you have jaded me (a pox take
you for a jade.) Now I bethinke my ſelfe how damnably did I
ride laſt night, and how divelliſhly have I bin rid now.
Mrs.Doe you grumble you groome? Now the bridl’s of, I
turne thee to grazing, gramercy my good horſe’ I have no bet-
ter provender for thee at this time, thou hadſt beſt like
Æſops
Aſſe to feed upon Thiſtles, of which this place will affoord thee
plenty. I am bid to a better banquet, which done, ile take thee
up from graſſe, ſpur cutt, and make a ſhort cutt home. Farewell.
Robin.A pox upon your tayle.
Enter all the Witches and Mal, at ſeve-
rall dores.
All.The Lady of the feaſt is come, welcome, welcome.
Mrs.Is all the cheare that was prepared to grace the wed-
Gooddy Dick.Part of it’s here.
The other we muſt pull for. But whats hee?
Mrs.My horſe, my horſe, ha, ha, ha.
Rob.My horſe, my horſe, I would I were now ſome country
Major, and in authority, to ſee if I would not venter to rowze
your Satanicall ſiſterhood: Horſe, horſe, ſee thou be, & where I
point thee, cary me: is that the trick on’t? the divel himſelfe ſhall
be her carrier next if I can ſhun her: & yet my Mr. will not be-
leeve theres any witches: theres no running away, for I neither
know how nor whether, beſides to my thinking, theres a deepe
ditch, & a hye quick-fet about mee, how ſhall I paſſe the time?
What place is this? it looks like an old barne: ile peep in at ſome
cranny or other, and try if I can ſee what they are doing.
Such a bevy of beldames did I never behold; and cramming
[G1v]like
The Witches of Lancaſhire.
like ſo many Cormorants: Marry choke you with a mis-
Gooddy Dickiſon.Whoope, whurre, heres a ſturre, never a cat,
never a curre, but that we muſt have this demurre.
Mrs. Gen.Pull, and pull hard
For all that hath lately bin prepar’d
For the great wedding feaſt.
Of
Doughtyes Surloine of roſt Beefe.
Meg.’Tis come, ’tis come.
Maw.Where hath it all this while beene?
Delay hath kept it, now ’tis here,
For bottles next of wine and beere,
The Merchants cellers they ſhall pay for’t.
What ſod or roſt meat more, pray tell.
Good. Dick.Pul for the Poultry, Foule, & Fiſh,
For emptie ſhall not be a diſh.
Robin.A pox take them, muſt only they feed upon hot meat,
and I upon nothing but cold ſallads.
Mrs. Gener.This meat is tedious, now ſome Farie,
Fetch what belongs unto the Dairie.
Mal.Thats Butter, Milk, Whey, Curds and Cheeſe,
Wee nothing by the bargaine leeſe.
Goody Dickiſon.Boy, theres meat for you.
Gooddy Dickis.And drinke too.
Meg.What Beaſt was by thee hither rid?
A Porcupine that never prickt.
Mal.The dull ſides of a Beare I kickt.
I know how you rid Lady Nan.
Mrs. Gen.Ha, ha, ha, upon the knave my man.
G 2Robin
The Witches of Lancaſhire.
Rob.A murrein take you, I am ſure my hoofes payd for’t.
Boy.Meat lie there, for thou haſt no taſte, and drinke there,
for thou haſt no reliſh, for in neither of them is there either ſalt
All.Pull for the poſſet, pull.
Robin.The brides poſſet on my life, nay if they come to their
ſpoone meat once, I hope theil breake up their feaſt preſently.
Mrs. Gen.So thoſe that are our waiters nere,
Take hence this Wedding cheere.
We will be lively all, and make this barn our hall.
Gooddy Dick.You our Familiers, come,
In ſpeech let all be dumbe,
And to cloſe up our Feaſt,
A merry round let’s daunce.
Meg.Some Muſicke then ith aire
Whileſt thus by paire and paire,
We nimbly foote it; ſtrike.
Muſick.
Sprite.And we hels miniſters ſhall lend our aid.
Dance and Song together. In the time of
which the Boy ſpeakes
Boy.Now whileſt they are in their jollitie, and do not mind
me, ile ſteale away, and ſhift for my ſelfe, though I loſe my life
Meg.Enough, enough, now part,
To See the brides vext heart,
The bridegroomes too and all,
For lacke o’th wedding chere.
Gooddy Dickiſon.But ſtay, wheres the
Boy, looke out, if he e-
ſcape us, we are all betrayed.
Meg.No following further, yonder horſemen come,
In vaine is our purſuit, let’s breake up court.
Gooddy Dickiſon.Where ſhall we next met?
[G2v]Meg
The Witches of Lancaſhire.
1.And my
Incubus.Robin ſtands amaz’d at this.
The night we have Feaſted, now comes on the day.
Mrs.Come ſirrah, ſtoope your head like a tame jade,
Whil’ſt
I put on your Bridle.
Rob.I pray Miſtreſſe ride me as you would be rid.
Mrs.That’s at full ſpeed.
Rob.Nay then Ile try Concluſions.
A great noyſe
Mare Mare, ſee thou be,
within at their parting.
And where
I point thee carry me.
Exeunt.
Enter Mr. Generous, making him ready.
Gen.I ſee what Man is loath to entertaine,
Offers it ſelfe to him moſt frequently,
And that which we moſt covet to embrace,
Doth ſeldome court us, and proves moſt averſe;
For
I, that never coo’d conceive a thought
Of this my woman worthy a rebuke,
(As one that in her youth bore her ſo fairely
That ſhe was taken for a ſeeming Saint)
To render me ſuch juſt occaſion,
That
I ſhould now diſtruſt her in her age;
Diſtruſt!
I cannot, that would bring me in
The poore aſperſion of fond jealouſie;
VVhich even from our firſt meeting
I abhorr’d.
The Gentile faſhion ſometimes we obſerve
To ſunder beds; but moſt in theſe hot monthes
Iune,
Iuly,
Auguſt, ſo we did laſt night.
Now
J (as ever tender of her health)
And therefore riſing early as I uſe,
Entring her Chamber to beſtow on her
A cuſtom’d Viſite; finde the Pillow ſwell’d,
G 3Vn-
The Witches of Lancaſhire.
Vnbruis’d with any weight, the ſheets unruffled,
The Curtaines neither drawne, nor bed layd down;
Which ſhowes, ſhe ſlept not in my houſe to night.
Should there be any contract betwixt her
And this my Groome, to abuſe my honeſt truſt;
I ſhould not take it well, but for all this
Yet cannot I be jealous.
Robin——
Enter Robin.
Gen.Is my horſe ſafe, luſty, and in good plight?
Rob.Yes ſir, he’s broad buttock’d and full flanck’d, he doth
not bate an ace of his fleſh.
Gen.When was he rid laſt?
Rob.Not ſir ſince you backt him.
Gen.Sirrah, take heed I finde you not a Knave,
Have you not lent him to your Miſtreſſe late?
So late as this laſt Night?
Rob.Who I ſir, may I dye ſir, if you finde me in a lye ſir.
Gen.Then I ſhall finde him where I left him laſt.
Gener.Give me the Key o’th Stable.
Gen.Sirrah, your Miſtreſſe was abroad all night,
Nor is ſhe yet come home, if there I finde him not,
I ſhall finde thee, what to this preſent houre
I never did ſuſpect; and I muſt tell thee
Will not be to thy profit.
Exit.
Rob.Well ſir, finde what you can, him you ſhall finde, and
what you finde elſe; it may be for that, inſtead of Gramercy
horſe, you may ſay Gramercy
Robin; you will beleeve there are
no Witches! had I not been late brideled, I coo’d have ſayd
more, but I hope ſhe is ty’d to the racke that will confeſſe ſome-
thing, and though not ſo much as
I know, yet no more then
I
Enter Generous.
Have you found your Gelding ſir?
[G3v]Rob. I
The Witches of Lancaſhire.
Rob.I hope not ſpurr’d, nor put into a ſweat, you may ſee
by his plump belly and ſleeke legs he hath not bin fore travail’d.
Gener.Y’are a ſawcy Groome to receive horſes
Into my Stable, and not aſke me leave.
Is’t for my profit to buy Hay and Oates
For every ſtrangers jades?
Rob.I hope ſir you finde none feeding there but your owne,
if there be any you ſuſpect, they have nothing to champe on,
Gener.Sirrah, whoſe jade is that ty’d to the Racke?
Rob.The Mare you meane ſir?
Gener.Yes, that old Mare.
Rob.Old doe you call her? You ſhall finde the marke ſtill in
her mouth, when the Bridle is out of it? I can aſſure you ’tis
Gen.A beaſt thou art to tell me ſo, hath the wine
Not yet left working? not the
Myter wine?
That made thee to beleeve VVitchcraft?
To be a drunken Sot like to thy ſelfe;
And not to know mine owne.
Rob.Ile not perſwade you to any thing, you will beleeve
nothing but what you ſee,
J ſay the Beaſt is your owne, and
you have the moſt right to keepe her, ſhee hath coſt you more the
currying, then all the Combs in your Stable are worth. You
have paid for her Provender this twentie yeares and upwards,
and furniſht her with all the Capariſons that ſhe hath worne, of
my Knowledge, and becauſe ſhe hath been ridden hard the laſt
Night, doe you renounce her now?
Gener.Sirrah,
I feare ſome ſtolne jade of your owne
That you would have me keepe.
Rob.I am ſure
I found her no jade the laſt time
I rid her, ſhe
carried me the beſt part of a hundred Miles in leſſe then a quar-
Gener.The divell ſhe did!
Robin.Yes ſo
I ſay, either the divell or ſhe did; an’t pleaſe
you walke in and take off her Bridle, and then tell me who hath
more right to her, you or
I.
[G4]Gen. VVell
The Witches of Lancaſhire.
Gen.VVell
Robert, for this once Ile play the Groome,
And doe your office for you.
Exit.
Rob.I pray doe Sir, but take heed leſt when the Bridle is out
of her mouth, ſhe put it not into yours; if ſhe doe, you are a
gone man: if ſhe but ſay once Horſe, horſe, ſee thou be.
Be you rid (if you pleaſe) for me.
Enter Mr. Generous, and Mrs. Generous, he with a Bridle.
Gener.My blood is turn’d to Ice, and my all vitals
Have ceas’d their working! dull ſtupidity
Surpriſeth me at once, and hath arreſted
That vigorous agitation; VVhich till now
Expreſt a life within me:
I me thinks
Am a meere Marble ſtatue, and no man;
Vnweave my age O time, to my firſt thread;
Let me looſe fiftie yeares in ignorance ſpent:
That being made an infant once againe,
I may begin to know, what? or where am I
To be thus loſt in wonder.
Gen.Amazement ſtill purſues me, how am I chang’d
Or brought ere
I can underſtand my ſelfe,
Rob.You will beleeve no VVitches?
Gen.This makes me beleeve all, I any thing;
And that my ſelfe am nothing: prithee
Robin
Lay me to my ſelfe open, what art thou,
Or this new transform’d Creature?
Rob.I am
Robin, and this your wife, my Mrs.
Shall leave it’s ’eat, and mount to kiſſe the Moone ’
Or that the Moone enamour’d of the Earth,
Shall leave her ſpheare, to ſtoope to us thus low.
VVhat? what’s this in my hand, that at an inſtant
Can from a foure leg’d Creature, make a thing
Rob.A Bridle, a jugling Bridle Sir.
A Bridle, hence inchantment,
[G4v]A
The Witches of Lancaſhire.
A Viper were more ſafe within my hand
Caſts it a-
Then this charm’d Engine.
way. Robin takes it up
Rob.Take heed Sir what you do, if you caſt it hence, and ſhe
catch it up, we that are here now, may be rid as far as the
Indies
within theſe few houres, Miſtreſſe down of your Mares bones,
or your Mary-bones whether you pleaſe, and confeſſe your ſelfe to
to be what you are; and that’s in plaine
Engliſh a Witch, a
Gen.A Witch! my wife a Witch!
Rob.So it appeares by the ſtorie.
Gener.The more I ſtrive to unwinde
My ſelfe from this
Meander, I the more
Therein am intricated; prithee woman
Mrs.It cannot be deny’d, I am ſuch a curſt Creature.
Gen.Keep aloofe, and doe not come too neare me, O my
Have I ſince firſt I underſtood my ſelfe,
(truſt;
Bin of my ſoule ſo charie, ſtill to ſtudie
What beſt was for it’s health, to renounce all
The workes of that black Fiend with my beſt force
And hath that Serpent twin’d me ſo about,
That I muſt lye ſo often and ſo long
With a Divell in my boſome!
Gen.Pardon! Can ſuch a thing as that be hop’d?
Lift up thine eyes (loſt woman) to yon Hils;
It muſt be thence expected: look not down
Vnto that horrid dwelling, which thou haſt ſought
At ſuch deare rate to purchaſe, prithee tell me,
(For now I can beleeve) art thou a Witch?
Gen.VVith that word I am thunderſtrooke,
And know not what to anſwer, yet reſolve me
Haſt thou made any contract with that Fiend
Mrs.I have promis’d him my ſoule.
Gen.Ten thouſand times better thy Body had
HBin
The Witches of Lancaſhire.
Bin promis’d to the Stake, I and mine too,
To have ſuffer’d with thee in a hedge of flames:
Then ſuch a compact ever had bin made. Oh—
Rob.What cheere ſir, ſhow your ſelfe a man, though ſhe ap-
pear’d ſo late a Beaſt; Miſtreſſe confeſſe all, better here than in
a worſe place, out with it.
Gen.Reſolve me, how farre doth that contract ſtretch?
Mrs.What intereſt in this Soule, my ſelfe coo’d claime
I freely gave him, but his part that made it
I ſtill reſerve, not being mine to give.
Gen.O cunning Divell, fooliſh woman know
Where he can clayme but the leaſt little part,
He will uſurpe the whole; th’art a loſt woman.
Gen.Why haſt thou any hope?
Gen.Make it appeare to me.
Mrs.I hope I never bargain’d for that fire,
Further then penitent teares have power to quench.
Gen.I would ſee ſome of them.
(If you looke on me with charitable eyes)
Tinctur’d in blood, blood iſſuing from the heart,
Sir I am ſorry; when I looke towards Heaven
I beg a gracious Pardon; when on you
Me thinkes your Native goodneſſe ſhould not be
Leſſe pittifull than they: ’gainſt both I have err’d,
From both
I beg attonement.
Mrs.I kneele to both your Mercies.
Gener.Know’ſt thou what a VVitch is?
Or after mature recollection can be
Gen.Tell me, are thoſe teares
As full of true hearted penitence,
As mine of ſorrow, to behold what ſtate
[H1v]What
The Witches of Lancaſhire.
What deſperate ſtate th’art falne in.
Gen.Riſe, and as I doe, ſo heaven pardon me;
We all offend, but from ſuch falling off,
Defend us. Well,
I doe remember wife,
When
I firſt tooke thee, ’twas for good and bad;
O change thy bad to good, that I may keep thee,
As then we paſt our faiths, till Death us ſever.
I will not aggravate thy griefe too much,
By Needles iteration:
Robin hereafter
Forget thou haſt a tongue, if the leaſt Syllable
Of what hath paſt be rumour’d, you looſe me;
But if I finde you faithfull, you gaine me ever.
Rob.A match Sir, you ſhall finde me as mute as if I had the
Bridle ſtill in my mouth.
Gen.I woman thou had’ſt need to weepe thy ſelfe
Into a fountaine, ſuch a penitent ſpring
As may have power to quench inviſible flames
In which my eyes ſhall ayde; too little all,
If not too little, all’s forgiven, forgot;
Only thus much remember, thou had’ſt extermin’d
Thy ſelfe out of the bleſt ſociety
Of Saints and Angels, but on thy repentance
I take thee to my Boſome, once againe,
My wife, ſiſter, and daughter: ſaddle my Gelding,
Some buſineſſe that may hold me for two dayes
Rob.I ſhall Sir, well now my Miſtreſſe hath promis’d to give
over her Witchery,
I hope though
I ſtill continue her man, yet
ſhe will make me no more her journey-man; to prevent which
the firſt thing
I doe ſhall be to burne the Bridle, and then a-
Enter Arthur and Doughty.
Arth.Sir you have done a right noble courteſie which de-
ſerves a memory, as long as the name of friendſhip can beare
H 2Dough.
The Witches of Lancaſhire.
Dough.What
I have done,
I ha’ done, if it be well, ’tis well,
I doe not like the bouncing of good Offices, if the little care
I
have taken ſhall doe theſe poore people good,
I have my end
Enter Bantam.
Bant.Now Gentlemen, you ſeeme very ſerious.
Arth.’Tis true we are ſo, but you are welcome to the know-
Bant.How does thine uncle and Aunt,
Gregory and his ſi-
ſter, the Families of
Seelyes agree yet, can you tell?
Arth.That is the buſineſſe, the
Seely houſhold is divided now.
Arth.You know, and cannot but with pitty know
Their miſerable condition, how
The good old couple were abus’d, and how
The young abus’d themſelves; if we may ſay
That any of them are their ſelves at all
Which ſure we cannot, nor approve them fit
To be their owne diſpoſers, that would give
The governance of ſuch a houſe and living
Into their Vaſſailes hands, to thruſt them out on’t
Without or Law or order, this conſider’d
This Gentleman and my ſelfe have taken home
By faire entreaty, the old folkes to his houſe,
The young to mine, untill ſome wholeſome order
By the judicious of the Common-wealth,
Shall for their perſons and eſtate be taken.
Bant.But what becomes of
Lawrence and his
Parnell?
The luſty couple, what doe they now?
Dough.Alas poore folks, they are as farre to ſeeke of how
they doe, or what they doe, or what they ſhould doe, as any of
the reſt, they are all growne
Ideots, and till ſome of theſe dam-
nable jades, with their divelliſh deviſes bee found out, to dis-
charme them, no remedy can be found, I mean to lay the Coun-
try for their Hagſhips, and if I can anticipate the purpoſe, of
their grand Mr. Divell to confound ’em before their leaſe be out,
[H2v]A
The Witches of Lancaſhire.
A ſhout within
Cry.A Skimington, a Skimmington, a Skimington.
Dough.Whats the matter now, is Hell broke looſe?
Enter Mr. Shakſtone.
Arth.Tom Shakſtone, how now, canſt tell the newes?
Sha.The news, ye heare it up i’th aire, do you not?
Within.A Skimington, a Skimington, a Skimington.
Sha.Hearke ye, do you not heare it? theres a Skimington, to-
Bant.At whoſe ſuit I prithee is Don Skimington come to
Sha.Ile tell you gentlemen, ſince you have taken home old
Seely and his wife to your houſe, and you their ſon and daugh-
ter to yours, the houſe-keepers
Lawrence, and his late bride
Parnell are fallen out by themſelves.
Sha.The quarell began they ſay upon the wedding night, and
Bant.For want of bedſtaves?
Sha.No but a better implement it ſeemes the bridegroome
was unprovided of, a homely tale to tell.
Dou.Now out upon her ſhee has a greedy worme in her, I
have heard the fellow complain’d on, for an over mickle man a-
Arth.Is his haſte to goe to bed at afternoone come to this
Dough.Witchery, witchery, more witcherie ſtill flat and
plaine witchery. Now do I thinke upon the codpeece point the
young jade gave him at the wed ding: ſhee is a witch, and that
was a charme, if there be any in the World.
Bant.Alas poore
Lawrence.
Sha.He’s comming to make his mone to you about it, and ſhe
too, ſince you have taken their maſters & miſtreſſes to your care,
you muſt do them right too.
Dough.Marry but ile not undertake her at theſe yeares, if
luſty
Lawrence cannot do’t.
Bant.But has ſhe beaten him?
H 3Sha.
The Witches of Lancaſhire.
Sha.Grievouſly broke his head in I know not how many
places: of which the hoydens have taken notice, and will have
a Skimmington on horſe backe preſently. Looke ye, here comes
both plaintiffe and defendant.
Enter Lawrence and Parnell.
Dough.How now
Lawrence, what has thy wedlock brought
thee already to thy night cap?
Lawr.Yie gadwat ſir I ware wadded but aw to ſeun.
Par.Han yeou reeſon to complayne or at trow yeou gaffer
Downought? Wa warth the day that ever I wadded a Dow-
Ar. Ban. Sha.Nay hold
Parnel hold.
Dough.We have heard enough of your valour already, wee
know you have beaten him, let that ſuffice.
Parn.Ware ever poore mayden betrayed as ay ware unto a
ſwagbellied Carle that cannot aw waw that cannot.
Dou.I know not, ſhe catterwawles I think.
Parnel be patient
good
Parnell, and a little modeſt too, ’tis not amiſſe, wee know
not the reliſh of every eare that heares vs, lets talke within our
ſelves. Whats the defect? Whats the impediment?
Lawrence
has had a luſty name among the Batchellors.
Par.What he ware when he ware a Batchelor, I know bet-
ter than the beſt maid ith tawne. I wad I had not.
Ar. Ban. Sha.Peace
Parnell.
Par.’Tware that, that coſſen’d me, he has not now as he had
Ar. Ban. Sha.Peace good
Parnell.
Parn.For then he could, bnt now he connot, he connot.
Ar. Ban. Sha.Fie
Parnel fie.
Par.I ſay agean and agean, hee
Ar. Ban. Sha.Alas poore
Parnel.
Par.I am not a bit the better for him ſin wye ware wad.
Cries.
Dou.Heres good ſtuffe for a jurie of women to paſſe upon.
Arth.But
Parnel, why have you beaten him ſo grievouſly?
What would you have him doe in this caſe?
Dou.He’s out of a doing caſe it ſeemes.
[H3v]Par.
The Witches of Lancaſhire.
Par.Marry ſir, and beat him will I into his grave, or backe to
the Prieſt, and be unwaddded agone, for I wonot bee baund to
lig with him and live with him, the laife of an honeſt woman
for aw the layves good i’
Loncoſhire.
Dou.An honeſt woman: thats a good mind
Parnel. What
ſay you to this
Lawrence?
Law.Keepe her of o’me, and I ſhan teln yeou, and ſhe be by
I am no body: But keep her off and ſearch me, let me be ſearcht
as never witch was ſearcht, and finde ony thing mor or laſſe upo
me than a ſufficient mon ſhold have, and let me me be honckt by’t.
Art.Do you heare this
Parnell?
Par.Ah leear, leear, deell tacke the leear, troiſt yee and
Dou.Alaſſe it is too plaine, the poore fellow is bewitcht.
Heres a plaine
Maleficium verſus hanc now.
Ar.And ſo is ſhe bewitcht too into this immodeſty.
Ban.She would never talke ſo elſe.
Law.I prayn yeow gi’ me the lere o’ that Latine ſir.
Dough.The meaning is, you muſt get halfe a dozen baſtards
Within this twelvemoneth, and that will mend your next ma-
Law.And I thought it would ma’
Parnel, love me i’d be ſure
on’t, and gang about it now right.
Sha.Y’are ſoone provided it ſeems for ſuch a journey.
Dou.Beſt tarry till thy head be whole
Lawrence.
Pa.Nay, nay, ay’s white caſten away ent I be unwadded agen:
And then ine undertack to find 3 better huſbands in a bean cod.
Sha.Hearke gentlemen, the ſhew is comming.
Ar.What ſhall we ſtay & ſee’t.
Dou.’Tis beſt to have theſe away firſt.
Par.Nay mary ſhan yeou not ſir, I heare yeou well enogh, & I
con the meaning o’ the ſhow well enogh, & I ſtay not the ſhow
& ſee not the ſhow, & ma’ one i’ the ſhow, let me be honckt up
for a ſhow ile ware them to mel or ma with a woman that mels
or mae’s with a teſtril a longie, a dowlittle loſell that connot, &
if I ſkim not their ſkimingtons cockſkeam for’t, ma that warplin
boggle me a week lonker, & thats a curſe eno’ for any wife I tro.
[H4]Dou
The Witches of Lancaſhire.
Dough.Agreed, perhaps ’twill mend the ſport.
Enter drum (beating before) a Skimington, and his wife
on a horſe;
Divers country ruſticks (as they paſſe) Par. (puls Skimington
of the horſe: and Law. Skimingtons wife: they beat em. Drum
beats alar. horſe comes away: The hoydens at firſt oppoſe the
Gentlemen: who draw: the clownes vaile bonnet,(make a ring
Par. and Skim. fight.
Enough, enough, here my maſters: now patch up your ſhew
if you can, and catch your horſe again, and when you have done
Rabble.Thanke your worſhip.
Exeunt ſhout.
Par.Lat’hem as they laik this gang a proceſſion with their ay-
Arth.Parnel, thou didſt bravelv.
Parn.I am ſure I han drawne blood o’ theyr aydoll.
Law.And I thinke I tickled his waife.
Par.Yie to be ſure, yeou bene eane of the owd ticklers.
But with what con yeou tell?
Law.Yieu with her owne ladel.
Par.Yie marry a ladell is ſomething.
Dou.Come you have both done well, goe in to my houſe, ſee
your old maſter and miſtreſſe, while I travell a courſe to make
yee all well againe, I will now a witch hunting.
Par.Na courſe for hus but to be unwadded agone.
Arth. Sha. Bant.Wee are for
Whet. and his Aunt you know.
Dou.Farewell, farewell.
Exeunt.
Enter Mrs. Generous, and Mal. Spencer.
Welcome, welcome, my girle, what hath thy puggy
yet ſuckt upon thy pretty duggy?
Mal.All’s well at home, and abroad too.
What ere I bid my Pug, hee’l doo. You ſent for mee?
Mrs.Wench ile tell thee, thou and I
Will walk a little, how doth
Meg?
[H4v]Mrs
The Witches of Lancaſhire.
Did miſſe us laſt
Goodfriday Feaſt,
She met though ſhe did halt downe right.
Mrs.Dickiſon and
Hargrave prithee tel,
But Puggy whiſperd in mine eare
That you of late were put in feare.
Mrs.Such a tricke ſerv’d me.
Mal.About the bridle, now alacke.
Mrs.The villain brought me to the rack.
Tyed was I both to rack and manger.
Mal.But thence how ſcap’t you?
How pacified was your good man?
Mrs.Some paſſionate words mixt with forc’t tears
Did ſo inchant his eyes and eares
I made my peace, with promiſe never
To doe the like; but once and ever
A Witch thou know’ſt. Now underſtand
New buſineſſe wee tooke in hand.
My Huſband packt out of the towne
Know that the houſe, and all’s our owne.
Enter Whetſtone.
Whet.Naunt, is this your promiſe Naunt? (What
Mal! How doeſt thou
Mal?) You told mee you would put a tricke upon
theſe Gentlemen, whom you made mee invite to ſupper, who
abuſed and called mebaſtard. (And when ſhall I get one upon
thee my ſweet Rogue?) And that you would doe I know not
what; for you would not tell mee what you would doe. (And
ſhall you and I never have any doing together) ſupper is done,
and the table ready to withdraw: And I am riſen the earlieſt
I[1]from
The Witches of Lancaſhire.
from the boord, and yet for ought I can ſee I am never a whit the
neerer. What not one kiſſe at parting
Mal?
Mrs.Well Cozen this is all you have to do:
Retire the Gallants to ſome privat roome,
Where call for wine, and junckets what you pleaſe,
Then thou ſhalt need to do no other thing
Than what this note directs thee, obſerve that
And trouble me no farther.
Whet.Very good, I like this beginning well: for where they
ſleighted me before, they ſhall finde me a man of note.
Exit.
To bring a new conceit to paſſe.
Thy Spirit I muſt borrow more,
To fill the number three or foure;
Whom we will uſe to no great harm,
Only aſſiſt me with thy charme.
This night wee’l celebrate to ſport:
’Tis all for mirth, we mean no hurt.
Mal.My Spirit and my ſelfe command;
Mamillion, & the reſt at hand, ſhall all aſſiſt.
Mrs.Withdraw then, quicke,
Now gallants, ther’s for you a trick.
Exeunt.
Enter Whetſtone, Arthur, Shakſtone, Bantam.
Whet.Heer’s a more privat roome gentlenmen, free from the
noiſe of the Hall. Here we may talke, and throw the chamber
out of the caſements. Some wine and a ſhort banquet.
Enter with a Banquet, Wine, and two Tapers.
Arth.VVee are much bound to you maſter
Whetſtone
For this great entertainment: I ſee you command
The houſe in the abſence of your vnkle.
Whet.Yes, I thanke my Aunt; for though I be but a daily gueſt
yet I can be welcome to her at midnight.
[I1v]Shak.
The Witches of Lancaſhire.
Shak.How ſhall we paſſe the time?
Whet.But no ſuch diſcourſe as we had laſt, I beſeech you.
Bant.Now maſter
Whetſtone you reflect on me.
’Tis true, at our laſt meeting ſome few words
Then paſy my lips, which I could wiſh forgot:
I thinke I call’d you Baſtard.
Whet.I thinke ſo too; but whats that amongſt friends, for I
would faine know which amongſt you all knowes his owne fa-
Bant.You are merrie with your friends, good maſter
By-
Blow, and wee are gueſts here in your Vnckles houſe, and there-
Enter Miſtreſſe Generous, Mal and Spirits.
Whet.I preſume you had no more priviledge in your getting
than I. But tell me gentlemen, is there any man here amongſt
you, that hath a minde to ſee his father?
Bant.Why, who ſhall ſhew him?
VVhet.Thats all one; if any man here deſire it, let him but
ſpeake the word, and ’tis ſufficient.
Bant.Why, I would ſee my father.
Miſtreſſe Gener.Strike.
Muſique.
Enter a Pedant dauncing to the muſique; the ſtrain
don, he points at Bantam, & looks
full in his face.
VVhet.Doe you know him that lookes ſo full in your face?
Bant.Yes well, a pedant in my fathers houſe.
Who beeing young, taught me my A, B, C.
Whet.In his houſe, that goes for your father you would ſay:
For know one morning, when your mothers huſband rid early
to have a
Niſi prius tryed at
Lancaſter Syzes, hee crept into his
warme place, lay cloſe by her ſide, and then were you got. Then
come, your heeles and tayle together, and kneele unto your own
I 2All
The Witches of Lancaſhire.
Whet.Why laugh you Gentlemen? It may be more mens
Arth.Come, take it as a jeſt.
For I preſume ’twas meant no otherwiſe.
Whet.Would either of you two now ſee his father in earneſt.
Shak.Yes, canſt thou ſhew me mine?
Enter a nimble Taylor dauncing, uſing the
ſame poſture to Shakſtone.
Whet.Hee lookes on you, ſpeake, doe yon know him?
Shak.Yes, he was my mothers Taylor, I remember him e-
ver ſince I was a childe.
Whet.Who when hee came to take meaſure of her upper
parts had more minde to the lower, whileſt the good man was
in the fields hunting, he was at home whoring.
Then, ſince no better comfort can be had,
Come downe, come downe, aſke bleſſiing of your dad.
Bant.This cannot be indur’d.
Arth.It is plaine Witchcraft.
Nay ſince we are all bid unto one feaſt,
Lets fare alike, come ſhew me mine too.
Enter Robin with a ſwitch and a Currycombe,
he points at Arthur.
Arth.Yes,
Robin the groome belonging to this houſe.
Whet.And never ſerved your father?
Arth.In’s youth I thinke he did.
Whet.Who when your ſuppoſed father had buſineſſe at
the Lord Preſidents Court in Yorke, ſtood for his Atturney at
home, & ſo it ſeems you were got by deputy: what all a mort? if
[I2v]you
The Witches of Lancaſhire.
you will have but a little patience, ſtay & you ſhall ſee mine too:
And knew I ſhow you him the rather,
To finde who hath the beſt man to his Father.
Muſicke. Enter a Gallant, as before to him.
Whet.Now Gentlemen make me your Preſident, learne
your duties, and doe as I doe—A bleſſing Dad.
Whet.Come, come, let’s home, we’l finde ſome other time,
When to diſpute of theſe things—
Whet.Nay Gent. no parting in ſpleene, ſince we have begun
in mirth, let’s not end in melancholy; you ſee there are more
By-blowes than beare the name; It is growne a great kindred
in the Kingdome. Come, come, all friends; Let’s into the Cellar
and conclude our Revels in a luſty health.
Shak.I faine would ſtrike, but cannot.
Bant.Some ſtrange fate holds me.
Arth.Here then all anger end,
Let none be mad at what they cannot mend.
Exeunt.
Mrs.I’th’ Mill there lyes
A Souldier yet with unſcratcht eyes,
Summon the Siſter-hood together
For we with all our Spirits will thither;
And ſuch a Catterwalling keepe,
That he in vaine ſhall thinke to ſleepe.
Call
Meg and
Doll,
Tib,
Nab, and
Iug,
Let none appeare without her Pug.
We’l try our utmoſt Art and ſkill.
To fright the ſtout Knave in the Mill.
Exeunt.
I 3A C T V S
