ACTVS, V. SCENA, I.
Enter Doughty, Miller, Boy in a Cap.
Doughty.THou art a brave Boy, the honour of thy Coun
try; thy Statue ſhall be ſet up in braſſe upon the
Market Croſſe in
Lancaſter, I bleſſe the time
that I anſwered at the Font for thee: ’Zookes
did I ever thinke that a Godſon of mine ſhould
have fought hand to fiſt with the Divell!
Mil.He was ever an unhappy Boy Sir, and like enough to
grow acquainted with him; and friends may fall out ſometimes.
Dought.Thou art a dogged Sire, and doeſt not know the
vertue of my Godſonne, my ſonne now; he ſhall be thy ſonne
no longer: he and I will worry all the Witches in
Lanca-
Mil.You were beſt take heed though.
Dough.I care not, though we leave not above three untain-
ted women in the Pariſh, we’ll doe it.
Mil.Doe what you pleaſe Sir, there’s the Boy ſtout enough
to juſtifie anything he has ſayd. Now ’tis out, he ſhould be my
Sonne ſtill by that: Though he was at Death’s dore before he
would reveale any thing, the damnable jades had ſo threatned
him, and as ſoone as ever he had told he mended.
Dought.’Tis well he did ſo, we will ſo ſwing them in two-
Mil.For my part I have no reaſon to hinder any thing that
may root them all out; I have taſted enough of their miſchiefe,
witneſſe my uſage i’ the Mill, which could be nothing but their
Roguerie. One night in my ſleepe they ſet me a ſtride ſtark na-
ked a top of my Mill, a bitter cold night too; ’twas daylight be-
fore I w aked, and I durſt never ſpeake of it to this houre, becauſe
I thought it impoſſible to be beleeved.
[I3v]Dough. Vil-
The Witches of Lancaſhire.
Mil.And all laſt Summer, my Wife could not make a bit of
Dough.It would not come, would it?
(butter.
Mill.No Sir, we could not make it come, though ſhe and I
both together, churn’d almoſt our harts out, and nothing would
come, but all ran into thin wateriſh geere: the Pigges would
Mil.None but one, and he ran out of his wits upon’t, till
we bound his head, and layd him a ſleepe, but he has had a wry
Dought.That the Divell ſhould put in their hearts to delight
in ſuch Villanies! I have ſought about theſe two dayes, and
heard of a hundred ſuch miſchievous tricks, though none mor-
tall, but could not finde whom to miſtruſt for a Witch till now
this boy, this happy boy informes me.
[Mil.]And they ſhould neere have been ſought for me if their af-
frightments and divelliſh devices, had not brought my Boy in-
to ſuch a ſickneſſe; Whereupon indeed I thought good to ac-
quaint your worſhip, and bring the Boy unto you being his
Godfather, and as you now ſtick not to ſay his Father.
Dought.After you I thanke you Goſſip. But my Boy thou
haſt ſatisfied me in their names, and thy knowledge of the wo-
men, their turning into ſhapes, their dog-trickes, and their horſe
trickes, and their great Feaſt in the Barne (a pox take them
with my Surloyne, I ſay ſtill.) But a little more of thy combat
with the Divell, I prithee; he came to thee like a Boy thou ſay-
eſt, about thine owne bigneſſe?
Boy.Yes Sir, and he aſked me where I dwelt, and what my
Boy.But it was in a quarrelſome way; VVhereupon I was
as ſtout, and aſk’d him who made him an examiner?
Mil.In that he was my Sonne.
Boy.He told me he would know or beat it out of me,
And I told him he ſhould not, and bid him doe his worſt;
[I4]Dought. In
The Witches of Lancaſhire.
Dough.In that he was my ſonne againe, ha boy; I ſee him
Boy.VVe fought a quarter of an houre, till hisſharpe nailes
Dough.O the grand Divell pare ’em.
Boy.I wondred to finde him ſo ſtrong in my hands, ſee
-ming but of mine owne age and bigneſſe, till I looking downe,
perceived he had clubb’d cloven feet like Oxe feet: but his face
Dough.A pox, but by his feet, he may be the Club-footed
Horſe-courſers father, for all his young lookes.
Boy.But I was afraid of his feet, and ran from him towards a
light that
I ſaw, and when I came to it, it was one of the VVit
-ches in white upon a Bridge, that ſcar’d me backe againe, and
then met me the Boy againe, and he ſtrucke me and layd mee
Mil.Till
I wondring at his ſtay, went out and found him in
the Trance; ſince which time, he has beene haunted and frigh
-ted with Goblins, 40. times; and never durſt tell any thing (as
I ſayd) becauſe the Hags had ſo threatned him till in his ſicknes
he revealed it to his mother.
Dough.And ſhe told no body but folkes on’t. VVell Goſſip
Gretty, as thou art a Miller, and a cloſe thiefe, now let us keepe
it as cloſe as we may till we take ’hem, and ſee them handſom-
ly hanged o’ the way: Ha my little Cuffe-divell, thou art a made
man. Come, away with me.
Exeunt.
Enter Souldier.
Sould.Theſe two nights I have ſlept well and heard no noiſe
Of Cats, or Rats; moſt ſure the fellow dream’t,
And ſcratcht himſelfe in’s ſleep. I have traveld’ Deſarts,
Beheld Wolves, Beares, and Lyons: Indeed what not?
Of horrid ſhape; And ſhall
I be afrayd
Of Cats in mine owne Country?
I can never
Grow ſo Mouſe-hearted. It is now a Calme
And no winde ſtirring,
I can beare no ſayle;
[I4v]Then
The Witches of Lancaſhire.
Then beſt lye downe to ſleepe. Nay reſt by me
Good
Morglay, my Comrague and Bedfellow
That never fayl’d me yet;
I know thou did’ſt not.
If
I be wak’d, ſee thou be ſtirring too;
Then come a
Gib as big as
Aſcapart
VVe’l make him play at Leap-frog. A brave Souldiers lodging,
The floore my Bed, a Milſtone for my Pillow,
The Sayles for Curtaines. So good night.
Lyes downe.
Enter Mrs. Generous, Mall, all the Witches and their
Spirits(at ſeverall dores.)
Now lighting from her Broome-ſtaffe.
Mal.Entred the Mill already.
Mal.As ſenceleſſe as a Dormouſe.
Mrs.Then to work, to work my pretty Laplands
Doe that within, without we’l keep the watch.
The Witches retire: the Spirits come about him with a
dreadfull noiſe; he ſtarts.
Sold.Am I in Hell, then have among’ſt you divels;
This ſide, and that ſide, what behinde, before?
Ile keep my face unſcratch’d diſpight you all:
What, doe you pinch in private, clawes I feele
But can ſee nothing, nothing pinch me thus?
Have at you then, I and have at you ſtill;
And ſtil have at you.
Beates them off, followes them in,
One of them I have pay’d,
and Enters againe.
In leaping out oth’ hole a foot or eare
Or ſomething I have light on. What all gone?
All quiet? not a Cat that’s heard to mew?
Nay then Ile try to take another nap,
K[1]Though
The Witches of Lancaſhire.
Though I ſleepe with mine eyes open.
Exit.
Enter Mr. Generous, and Robin.
Gen.Robin, the laſt night that I lodg’d at home
My Wife (if thou remembreſt) lay abroad,
Rob.You have taught me ſilence.
Gen.I roſe thus early much before my houre,
To take her in her bed; ’Tis yet not five:
The Sunne ſcarce up. Thoſe horſes take and lead ’em
Into the Stable, ſee them rubb’d and dreſt,
We have rid hard. Now in the interim I
Will ſtep and ſee how my new Miller fares,
Or whether he ſlept better in his charge,
Than thoſe which did precede him.
Gen.But one thing more——
Whiſpers.
Enter Arthur.
Arth.Now from the laſt nights witchcraft we are freed,
And I that had not power to cleare my ſelfe
From baſe aſperſion, am at liberty
For vow’d revenge: I cannot be at peace
(The night-ſpell being took of) till I have met
With noble Mr.
Generous: in whoſe ſearch
The beſt part of this morning I have ſpent,
Arth.O y’are well met, pray tell me how long is’t
Since you were firſt my Father?
Rob.Be patient
I beſeech you, what doe you meane Sir?
Thy Maſter, to whoſe goodneſſe
I am bound,
And ſtill muſt remaine thankfull,
I ſhould prove
VVorſe then a Murderer, a meere Paricide
[K1v]By
The Witches of Lancaſhire.
By killing thee my Father.
Rob.I your Father? he was a man
I alwayes lov’d
And honour’d. He bred me.
Arth.And you begot me? oh you us’d me finely laſt night?
Gen.Pray what’s the matter Sir?
Arth.My worthy friend, but that
I honour you
As one to whom
I am ſo much oblig’d,
This Villaine could not ſtirre a foot from hence
Till periſht by my ſword.
Gener.How hath he wrong’d you?
Be of a milder temper I intreat,
Relate what and when done?
If aſke me what wrongs, know this Groome pretends
He hath ſtrumpeted my mother, if when, blaz’d
Laſt night at midnight. If you aſke me further
Where, in your owne houſe; when he pointed to me
As had I been his Baſtard.
Rob.I doe this?
I am a horſe agen if
I got you, Maſter, why
Gen.I know you Mr.
Arthur, for a Gentleman
Of faire endowments, a moſt ſolid braine,
And ſetled underſtanding. Why this fellow
Theſe two dayes was ſcarce ſundred from my ſide,
And for the laſt night I am moſt aſſur’d
He ſlept within my Chamber, 12. miles off,
We have nere parted ſince.
Arth.You tell me wonders.
Since all your words to me are Oracles,
And ſuch as
I moſt conſtantly beleeve.
But Sir, ſhall
I be bold and plaine withall,
I am ſuſpitious all’s not well at home;
I dare proceed no farther without leave,
Yet there is ſomething lodged within my breaſt
Which
I am loath to utter.
I pray doe a ſeaſon (O my feares)
K 2No
The Witches of Lancaſhire.
No doubt ere long my tongue may be the Key
To open that your ſecret: Get you gone ſir
Rob.I ſhall Sir. Father quoth he
I ſhould be proud indeed of ſuch a ſonne.
Exit.
Gen.Pleaſe you now walk with me to my Mill, I faine would
How my bold Soldier ſpeeds. It is a place
ſee
Hath beene much troubled.
Enter Soldier.
Arth.I ſhall waite on you.—— See he appeares.
Sold.A bad night I have had
A murrin take your Mill-ſprights.
Gen.Prithee tell me, haſt thou bin frighted then?
A Doungcart full of Divels coo’d not do’t.
But I have bin ſo nipt, and pull’d, and pinch’d,
By a company of Hel-cats.
Sold.Rather foule fiends, Fairies have no ſuch clawes;
Yet
I have kept my face whole thanks my Semiter,
My truſty Bilbo, but for which
I vow,
I had been torne to pieces. But
I thinke
I met with ſome of them. One
I am ſure
I have ſent limping hence.
Gen.Didſt thou faſten upon any?
Sold.Faſt or looſe, moſt ſure I made them flye,
And ſkip out of the Port-holes. But the laſt
I made her ſqueake, ſhe had forgot to mew,
I ſpoyl’d her Catter-wawling.
Arth.Let’s ſee thy ſword.
Sold.To look on, not to part with from my hand,
’Tis not the Soldiers cuſtome.
Arth.Sir,
I obſerve ’tis bloody towards the point.
Sold.If all the reſt ſcape ſcot-free, yet
I am ſure
[K2v]There’s
The Witches of Lancaſhire.
Thees one hath payd the reckoning.
Gen.Looke well about,
Lookes about and findes
Perhaps there may be ſeene ſome tract of bloud.
the hand.
Sold.What’s here? is’t poſſible Cats ſhould have hands
And rings upon their fingers.
Sold.There’s that of the three I can beſt ſpare.
Gen.Amazement upon wonder, can thls be;
I needs muſt know’t by moſt infallible markes.
Is this the hand once plighted holy vowes,
And this the ring that bound them? doth this laſt age
Afford what former never durſt beleeve?
O how have I offended thoſe high powers?
That my great incredulity ſhould merit
A puniſhment ſo grievous, and to happen
Vnder mine owne roofe, mine own bed, my boſome.
Arth.Know you the hand Sir?
Gen.Yes and too well can reade it.
Good Maſter
Arthur beare me company
Vnto my houſe, in the ſociety
Of good men there’s great ſolace.
Arth.Sir Ile waite on you.
Gen.And Soldier do not leave me, lock thy Mill,
I have imployment for thee.
Sold.I ſhall ſir,
I think
I have tickled ſome of your Tenants
at will, that thought to revell here rent-free; the beſt is if one of
the parties ſhall deny the deed, we have their hand to ſhew.
Exeunt.
A Bed thruſt out, Mrs. Gener. in’t; Whetſtone,
Mall Spencer by her.
Whet.Why Aunt, deere Aunt, honey Aunt, how doe you,
how fare you, cheere you, how is’t with you!you have bin a luſty
woman in your time, but now you look as if you could not doe
Mrs.Good
Mal let him not trouble me.
Mal.Fie Mr.
Whetſtone you keep ſuch a noiſe in the chamber
that your Aunt is deſirous to take a little reſt and cannot.
K 3Whet.
The Witches of Lancaſhire.
VVhet.In my Vncles abſence who but
I ſhould comfort my
Am not
I of the Bloud, am not
I next of Kin?
(Aunt,
Mrs. Gen.Good Nephew leave me.
Whet.The Divell ſhall leave you ere ile forſake you, Aunt,
you know,
Sic is
So, and being ſo ſicke doe you thinke ile leave
you, what know
I but this Bed may prove your death-bed, and
then
I hope you will remember me, that is, remember me
in your Will.—
(Knocke within.) Who’s that knocks with
ſuch authority. Ten to one my Vncles come to towne.
Mrs. GenIt it be ſo, excuſe my weaknes to him, ſay
I can
Mal.I will, and ſcape him if
I can; by this accident all muſt
come out, and here’s no ſtay for me——
(Knock again) Againe,
ſtay you here with your Aunt, and ile goe let in your Vncle.
Whet.Doe good
Mal, and how, and how ſweet Aunt?
Enter Mr. Gener., Mal, Arthur, Soldier, and Robin.
Gen.Y’are well met here,
I am told you oft frequent
This houſe as my Wives choyſe companion,
Yet have
I ſeldome ſeene you.
Mal.Pray, by your leave Sir,
Your wife is taken with a ſuddaine qualme
She hath ſent me for a Doctor.
Gen.But that labour ile ſave you, Soldier take her to your
And now where’s this ſicke woman.
(charge.
Whet.O Vncle you come in good time, my Aunt is ſo ſud-
dainly taken as if ſhe were ready to give up the ſpirit.
Gen.’Tis almoſt time ſhe did, ſpeake how is’t wife
My Nephew tels me you were tooke laſt night
With a ſhrewd ſickneſſe, which this Mayde confirmes.
Mrs.Yes ſir, but now deſire no company.
Noyſe troubles me, and
I would gladly ſleepe.
Gener.In company there’s comfort, prithee wife
Lend me thy hand, and let me feele thy pulſe,
Perhaps ſome Feaver, by their beating
I
[K3v]M
The Witches of Lancaſhire.
May gueſſe at thy diſeaſe.
Mrs. Gen.My hand, ’tis there.
Gen.A dangerous ſicknes, and
I feare t death,
’Tis oddes you will not ſcape it. Take that backe
And let me prove the t’ other, if perhaps
I there can finde more comfort.
Mrs. Gen.I pray excuſe me.
Gener.I muſt not be deny’d,
Sick folkes are peeviſh, and muſt be ore-rul’d, and ſo ſhall you.
Mrs. Gen.Alas
I have not ſtrength to lift it up.
Gener.If not thy hand Wife, ſhew me but thy wriſt,
And ſee how this will match it, here’s a Teſtate
That cannot be out-fac’d.
Whet.Hath my Aunt bin playing at handee dandee, nay then
if the game goe this way
I feare ſhe’l have the worſt hand on’t.
How all the laſt nights buſineſſe came about,
In this my late ſuſpicion, is confirm’d.
Gen.My heart hath bled more for thy curſt relapſe
Than drops hath iſſu’d from thy wounded arme.
But wherefore ſhould I preach to one paſt hope?
Or where the divell himſelfe claimes right in all,
Seeke the leaſt part or intereſt? Leave your Bed,
Vp, make you ready; I muſt deliver you
Into the hand of Iuſtice. O deare friend
It is in vaine to gueſſe at this my griefe
’Tis ſo inundant. Soldier take away that young
And being of theſe
Apoſtat’s rid ſo well,
Ile ſee my houſe no more be made a Hell
Enter Bantam, and Shakſton.
Ban.Ile out o’ the Country, and as ſoone live in
Lapland as
[K4]Shak.
The Witches of Lancaſhire.
Shak.What for a falſe illuſive apparition?
I hope the divell is
not able to perſwade thee thou art a Baſtard.
Bant.No, but
I am afflicted to thinke that the divell ſhould
have power to put ſuch a trick upon us, to countenance a Raſcal,
Shak.Ɨ hope
Arthur has taken a courſe with his Vncle about
him by this time, who would have thought ſuch a foole as hee
could have beene a Witch?
Bant.Why doe you thinke there’s any wiſe folks of the qua-
lity; Can any but fooles be drawne into a Covenant with the
greateſt enemy of mankind? yet
J cannot thinke that
Whet-
ſtone is the Witch? The young Queane that was at the Wed-
ding was i’ th houſe yee know.
Enter Lawrence and Parnell, in their firſt Habits.
Shak.See
Lawrence and
Parnell civilly accorded againe it
ſeems, and accoutred as they were wont to be when they had
Law.Bleſt be the houre I ſay may hunny, may ſweet
Pall,
that Ay’s becom’d thaine agone, and thou’s becom’d maine a-
gone, and may this ea kiſſe ma us tway become both eane for e-
Parn.Yie marry
Lall, and thus ſhadden it be, there is nought
getten by fawing out, we mun faw in or we get nought.
Bant.The world’s well mended here; we cannot but re-
joyce to ſee this,
Lawrence.
Lawr.And you been welcome to it Gentlemen.
Parn.And we been glad we han it for you.
Shak.And I proteſt
I am glad to ſee it.
Parn.And thus ſhan yeou ſee’t till our deeing houre.
Ween eon leove now for a laife time, the Dewle ſhonot ha the
poore to put us to peeces agone.
Bant.Why now all’s right and ſtraight and as it ſhould be.
Lawr.Yie marry that is it, the good houre be bleſſed for it,
that put the wit into may head, to have a miſtruſt of that peſti-
lent Codpeece-point, that the witched worch
Mal Spencer go
[K4v]me,
The Witches of Lancaſhire.
me, ah woe worth her, that were it that made aw ſo nought.
Bant. & Shak.Is ’t poſſible?
Parn.Yie marry it were an Inchauntment, and about an
houre ſince it come intill our hearts to doe, what yeou thinke,
Parn.Marry we take the point, and we caſten the point in-
to the fire, and the point ſpitter’d and ſpatter’d in the fire, like
an it were (love bleſſe us) a laive thing in the faire; and it hopet
and ſkippet, and riggled, and friſket in the faire, and crept about
laike a worme in the faire, that it were warke enough for us
both with all the Chimney tooles to keepe it into the faire, and
it ſtinket in the faire, worſen than ony brimſtone in the faire.
Bant.This is wonderfull as all the reſt.
Lawr.It wolld ha ſcar’d ony that hadden their wits till a
ſeen’t, and we werne mad eont it were deone.
Parn.And this were not above an houre fine, and you con-
not devaiſe how we han lov’d t’ on t’ other by now, yeou woud
een bliſſe your ſeln to ſee’t.
Lawr.Yie an han pit on our working geere, to ſwinke and
ſerve our Maſter and Maiſtreſſe like intill painfull ſervants a-
Shak.And are they well agen?
Parn.Yie and weel’s laike heane bliſſe them, they are awas
weel becom’d as none ill had ever beene aneaſt ’hem; Lo ye, lo
Enter Seely, Ioane, Gregory, and Win.
Greg.Sir, if a contrite heart ſtrucke through with ſence
Of it’s ſharpe errors, bleeding with remorſe
The blacke polluted ſtaine it had conceived
Of foule unnaturall diſobedience
May yet by your faire mercy finde Remiſſion;
You ſhall upraiſe a Sonne out o’ the gulph
Of horrour and deſpaire, unto a bliſſe
That ſhall for ever crowne your goodneſſe, and
LIn-
The Witches of Lancaſhire.
Inſtructive in my after life to ſerve you,
In all the duties that befit a ſonne.
Seel.Enough, enough, good boy, ’tis moſt apparant
We all have had our errors, and as plainly
It now appearſe, our judgments, yea our reaſon
Was poyſon’d by ſome violent infection,
Quite contrary to Nature.
See.I feare it was by Witchcraft: for
I now
(Bleſt be the power that wrought the happy means
Of my delivery) remember that
Some 3. months ſince
I croſt a wayward woman
(One that
I now ſuſpect) for bearing with
A moſt unſeemly diſobedience,
In an untoward ill-bred ſonne of hers,
When with an ill looke and an hollow voyce
She mutter’d out theſe words. Perhaps ere long
Thy ſelfe ſhalt be obedient to thy ſonne.
She has play’d her pranke it ſeemes.
Greg.Sir
I have heard, that Witches apprehended under
hands of lawfull authority, doe looſe their power;
And all their ſpells are inſtantly diſſolv’d.
Seel.If it be ſo, then at this happy houre,
The Witch is tane that over us had power.
Joane.Enough Childe, thou art mine and all is well.
Win.Long may you live the well-ſpring of my bliſſe,
And may my duty and my fruitfull Prayers,
Draw a perpetuall ſtreame of bleſſings from you.
See.Gentlemen welcome to my beſt friends houſe,
You know the unhappy cauſe that drew me hether.
Bant.And cannot but rejoyce to ſee the remedy ſo neere at
Enter Doughty, Miller, and boy.
Dought.Come Goſſip, come Boy——Gentlemen you are
come to the braveſt diſcovery——Mr.
Seely and the reſt, how
is’t with you? you look reaſonable well me thinkes.
[L1v]Seely.
The Witches of Lancaſhire.
See.Sir, we doe find that we have reaſon enough to thank
you for your Neighbourly and pious care of us.
Doughty.Is all ſo well with you already? goe to, will you
know a reaſon for’t Gentlemen: I have catcht a whole Kennel
of Witches. It ſeemes their Witch is one of ’hem, and ſo they
are diſcharm’d, they are all in Officers hands, and they will touch
here with two or three of them for a little private parley, be-
fore they goe to the Iuſtices. Maſter
Generous is comming hi-
ther too, with a ſupply that you dreame not of, and your Ne-
Bant.You are beholden Sir to Maſter
Generous in behalfe of
your Nephew for ſaving his land from forfeiture in time of
See.I will acknowledge it moſt thankfully.
Enter Mr. Generous, Mrs. Generous, Arthur, Whet-
ſtone, Mal, Soldier, and Robin.
Seel.O Mr.
Generous, the noble favour you have ſhew’d
My Nephew for ever bindes me to you.
Gener.I pittyed then your miſery, and now
Have nothing left but to bewayle mine owne
Seel.Good Miſtreſſe
Genenous——
Arth.Make a full ſtop there Sir, ſides, ſides, make ſides,
You know her not as I doe, ſtand aloofe there Miſtreſſe with
your darling Witch, your Nephew too if you pleaſe, becauſe
though he be no witch, he is a wel-willer to the infernal ſcience.
Gener.I utterly diſcard him in her blood
And all the good that I intended him
I will conferre upon this vertuous Gentleman.
Whet.Well Sir, though you be no Vnckle, yet mine Aunt’s
mine Aunt, and ſhall be to her dying day.
Doug.And that will be about a day after next Sizes I take it.
Enter Witches, Conſtable, and Officers.
O here comes more o’ your Naunts, Naunt
Dickenſon & Naunt
L 2Har-
The Witches of Lancaſhire.
Hargrave, ods fiſh and your Granny
Johnſon too; we want but
a good fire to entertaine ’em.
Arth.See how they lay their heads together?
Witches
Maud.No reliefe.
charme to-
All.Mawſy, my
Mawſy, gentle
Mawſy come.
Maud.Come my ſweet
Puckling.
Bant.They call their Spirits I thinke.
Dough.Now a ſhame take you for a fardell of fooles, have
you knowne ſo many of the Divels tricks, and can be ignorant
of that common feate of the old Iugler; that is, to leave you all
to the Law, when you are once ſeized on by the tallons of Au-
thority? Ile undertake this little
Demigorgon Conſtable with
theſe Common-wealth Characters upon his ſtaffe here, is able
in ſpite of all your bugs-words, to ſtave off the grand Divell for
doing any of you good till you come to his Kingdome to him,
and there take what you can finde.
Arth.But Gentlemen, ſhall we try if we can by examination
get from them ſomething that may abbreviate the cauſe unto
the wiſer in Conmmiſſion for the peace before wee carry them
Gen. & Seel.Let it be ſo.
Dought.Well ſay, ſtand out Boy, ſtand out Miller, ſtand out
Robin, ſtand out Soldier, and lay your accuſation upon ’em.
Bant.Speake Boy doe you know theſe Creatures, women I
Boy.Yes Sir, and ſaw them all in the Barne together, and ma-
ny more at their Feaſt and Witchery.
Rob.And ſo did
I, by a Divelliſh token,
J was rid thither,
though I rid home againe as faſt without ſwitch or ſpur.
Mill.I was ill handled by them in the Mill.
Sold.And
I ſliced off a Cats foot there, that is ſince a hand,
Seel.How
I and all my family have ſuffered you all know.
Lawr.And how
I were betwitcht my
Pall. here knowes.
Parn.Yie
Lall, and the Witch
I knaw, an
I prayen yeou goe
[L2v]me
The Witches of Lancaſhire.
me but leave to ſcrat her well favorely.
Parn.Yeou can blame no honeſt woman,
I trow, to ſcrat
for the thing ſhe leoves.
Dough.Doe you laugh Gentlewoman? what ſay you to all
Mrs. Gen.I will ſay nothing, but what you know you know,
And as the law ſhall finde me let it take me.
Mal.And
J, other confeſſion you get none from us.
Arth.What ſay you Granny?
Peg.Mamilion, ho
Mamilion,
Mamilion.
Arth.Who’s that you call?
Peg.My friend, my Sweet-heart, my
Mamilion.
Dought.Ah ha, that’s her Divell, her
Incubus I warrant; take
her off from the reſt they’l hurt her. Come hether poore old
woman. Ile dandle a Witch a little, thou wilt ſpeake, and tell
the truth, and ſhalt have favour doubt not. Say art not thou a
Peg.’Tis folly to diſſemble yie ſir, I am one.
Dought.And that
Mamilion which thou call’ſt upon
Is thy familiar Divell is’t not? Nay prithee ſpeake.
Dough.That’s a good woman, how long haſt had’s acquain-
Peg.A matter of ſixe yeares Sir.
(tance, ha?
Dough.A pretty matter. What was he like a man?
Dought.And then he lay with thee, did he not ſometimes?
Peg.Tis folly to diſſemble; twice a Weeke he never fail’d me.
Dough.Humh—and how? and how a little? was he a good
Peg.Tis folly to ſpeake worſe of him than he is.
Dough.I truſt me is’t. Give the Divell his due.
Peg.He pleas’d me well Sir, like a proper man.
Dought.There was ſweet coupling.
Peg.Onely his fleſh felt cold.
L 3He
The Witches of Lancaſhire.
Arth.He wanted his great fires about him that he has at
Dough.Peace, and did he weare good clothes?
(home.
Peg.Gentleman like, but blacke blacke points and all.
Dought.I, very like his points were blacke enough. But come
we’l trifle w’ yee no longer. Now ſhall you all to lhe Iuſtices,
and let them take order with you till the Sizes, and then let Law
take his courſe, and
Vivat Rex. Mr.
Generous I am ſorry for
your cauſe of ſorrow, we ſhall not have your company?
Gener.No ſir, my Prayers for her ſoules recovery
Shall not be wanting to her, but mine eyes
Rob.Mal, adiew ſweet
Mal, ride your next journey with
the company you have there.
Mal.Well Rogue I may live to ride in a Coach before I
come to the Gallowes yet.
Rob.And Mrs. the horſe that ſtayes for you rides better with
a Halter than your gingling bridle.
Exeunt Gen. & Robin.
Dought.Mr.
Seely I rejoyce for your families attonetent.
Seel.And
I praiſe heaven for you that were the means to it.
Dough.On afore Drovers with your untoward Cattell.
Exeunt ſeverally.
Bant.Why doe not you follow Mr.
By-blow. I thanke your
Aunt for the tricke ſhe would have father’d us withall.
Whet.Well Sir, mine Aunt’s mine Aunt, and for that trick I
wil not leave her til I ſee her doe a worſe.
Bant.Y’are a kinde Kinſman.
Exeunt.
Flouriſh.
FINIS
[L3v]
The Witches of Lancaſhire.
Song II. Act.
Come Mawſy, come Puckling,
And come my ſweet Suckling,
My pretty Mamillion, my Ioy,
As tender as Nurſe over Boy.
Then ſuck our blouds freely, and with it be jolly,
While merrily we ſing, hey Trolly Lolly.
We’l dandle and clip yee,
We’l ſtroke yee, and leape yee,
And all that we have is your due;
The feates you die for us,
And thoſe which youſtore us
Withall, tyes us onely to you.
Then ſuck our blouds freely, and with it be jolly,
While merrily we ſing, hey Trolly Lolly.
[L4]THE
The Witches of Lancaſhire.
THE EPOLOGVE
NOw while the Witches muſt expect their due
By lawfull Iuſtice, we appeale to you
For favourable cenſure; what their crime
May bring upon ’em, ripenes yet of time
Has not reveal’d. Perhaps great Mercy may
After juſt condemnation give them day
Of longer life. We repreſent as much
As they have done, before Lawes hand did touch
Vpon their guilt;But dare not hold it fit,
That we for Iuſtices and Iudges ſit,
And perſonate their grave wiſedomes on the Stage
Whom we are bound to honour; No, the Age
Allowes it not. Therefore unto the Lawes
VVe can but bring the Witches and their cauſe,
And there we leave ’em, as their Divels did,
Should we goe further with ’em? Wit forbid;
What of their ſtorie, further ſhall enſue,
We muſt referre to time, ourſelves to you.
