ACTVS, II. SCÆNA, I.
Enter 4. VVitches: (ſeverally. )
All.HOe! well met, well met.
(ſtraine
Meg.VVat new deviſe, what dainty
More for our myrth now then our gaine,
Shall we in practice put.
Before we play another game,
VVe muſt a little laugh and thanke
Our feat familiars for the pranck
Vs in our next plot, if for this
They find not their reward.
Gil.Therefore ſing
Mawd, and call each ſpright.
Come away, and take thy duggy.
Enter foure Spirits.
Meg.Come my
Mamilion like a Puggy.
Mawd.And come my puckling take thy teat,
Your travels have deſerv’d your meat.
Meg.Now upon the Churles ground
On which we’re met, lets dance a round;
That Cocle, Darnell, Poppia wild,
May choake his graine, and fill the field.
Gil.Now ſpirits fly about the taſke,
That we projected in our Maſke.
Exit Spirits.
Meg.Now let us laugh to thinke upon
The feat which we have ſo lately done,
In the diſtraction we have ſet
In
Seelyes houſe; which ſhall beget
VVonder and ſorrow ’mongſt our foes,
[C4]VVhilſt
The Witches of Lancaſhire.
VVhilſt we make laughter of their woes.
Meg.I can but laugh now to foreſee,
The fruits of their perplexity.
Meg.I, I, I, the Father to the Sonne doth cry,
The Sonne rebukes the Father old;
The Daughter at the mother Scold,
The wife the huſband check and chide,
But that’s no wonder, through the wide
The wedding muſt bring on the ſport
Betwixt the hare-brayn’d man and mayd,
Maſter and dame that over-ſway’d.
Our ſides are charm’d, or elſe this ſtuffe
VVould laughter-cracke them; let’s away
About the Iig: we dance to day,
To ſpoyle the Hunters ſport.
Gil.I that, be now the ſubject of our chat.
Meg.Then liſt yee well, the Hunters are
This day by vow to kill a Hare,
Or elſe the ſport they will forſweare;
Muſt the long threatned hare be found?
Gill.They’l ſearch in yonder Meadow ground.
Meg.There will I be, and like a wily VVat,
Vntill they put me up; ile ſquat.
Gill.I and my puckling will a brace
Of Greyhounds be, fit for the race;
And linger where we may be tane
Vp for the courſe in the by-lane;
Then will we lead their Dogs a courſe,
And every man and every horſe;
Untill they breake their necks, and ſay—
[C4v]All, The
The Witches of Lancaſhire.
All.The Divell on Dun is rid this way. Ha, ha, ha, ha.
Meg.All the doubt can be but this,
That if by chance of me they miſſe,
But finde ſome way how to be gone.
I ſhal know thee
Peg, by thy griſſel’d gut.
Meg.And I you
Gilian by your gaunt thin gut.
But where will
Mawd beſtow her ſelfe to day?
Mawd.O’th’ Steeple top; Ile ſit and ſee you play.
Exeunt.
Enter Mr. Generous, Arthur, Bantam, Shakſtone,
and VVhetſtone.
Gener.At meeting, and at parting Gentlemen,
I onely make uſe of that generall word,
So frequent at all feaſts, and that but once; y’are welcome.
You are ſo, all of you, and I intreat you
Take notice of that ſpeciall buſineſſe,
Betwixt this Gentleman my friend, and I.
About the Morgage, to which writings drawne,
Bant. & Shak.VVe acknowledge it.
Whet.My hand is there too, for a man cannot ſet to his
Marke, but it may be call’d his hand; I am a Gentleman both
wayes, and it hath been held that it is the part of a Gentleman,
Bant.You write Sir like your ſelfe.
Gener.Pray take no notice of his ignorance,
You know what I foretold you.
Arth.’Tis confeſt, but for that word by you ſo ſeldome
By us ſo freely on your part perform’d,
(ſpoke
VVe hold us much ingag’d.
Gener.I pray, no complement,
It is a thing I doe not uſe my ſelfe,
Nor doe I love’t in others.
Arth.For my part, could I at once diſlolve my ſelfe to words
And after turne them into matter; ſuch
DAnd
The Witches of Lancaſhire.
And of that ſtrength, as to attract the attention
Of all the curious, and moſt itching eares
Of this our Crittick age; it cou’d not make
A theame amounting to your noble worth:
You ſeeme to me to ſuper-arrogate,
Supplying the defects of all your kindred
To innoble your own name: I now have done Sir.
VVhet.Hey day, this Gentleman ſpeakes like a Country
Parſon that had tooke his text out of
Ovids Metamorphoſis.
Gener.Sir, you Hyperbolize;
And I coo’d chide you for’t, but whil’ſt you connive
At this my Kinſman, I ſhall winke at you;
’Twil prove an equall match.
Gener.Your name proclaimes
To be ſuch as it ſpeakes, you,
Generous.
Gener.Still in that ſtraine!
Arth.Sir, ſir, whilſt you perſever to be good
I muſt continue gratefull.
Gener.Gentlemen, the greateſt part of this day you ſee is
In reading deeds, conveyances, and bonds,
(ſpent
VVith ſealing and ſubſcribing; will you now
Take part of a bad Supper.
Arth.VVe are like travellers
And where ſuch bayt, they doe not uſe to Inne.
Our love and ſervice to you.
Gener.The firſt I accept,
The Laſt I entertaine not, farewell Gentlemen.
Arth.VVe’l try if we can finde in our way home
VVhen Hares come from their coverts, to reliffe,
VVhet.Say you ſo Gentlemen, nay then I am for your compa-
ny ſtill, ’tis ſayd Hares are like Hermophrodites, one while
Male, and another Female, and that which begets this yeare,
brings young ones the next; which ſome think to be the reaſon
that witches take their ſhapes ſo oft: Nay if I lye
Pliny lyes too,
but come, now I have light upon you, I cannot ſo lightly leave
[D1v]Gen. Co-
The Witches of Lancaſhire.
Gener.Cozen I wiſh you would conſort your ſelfe,
With ſuch men ever, and make them your Preſident
For a more Gentile carriage.
Arth.Good Maſter
Generous——
Exeunt, manet Ge-
nerous.
Enter Robert.
Gen.Goe call your Miſtreſſe hither.
Rob.My Miſtreſſe Sir, I doe call her Miſtreſſe, as I doe call
you Maſter, but if you would have me call my Miſtreſſe to my
Maſter, I may call lowd enough before ſhe can heare me.
Gener.Why ſhe’s not deafe I hope, I am ſure ſince Dinner
She had her hearing perfect.
Rob.And ſo ſhe may have at Supper too for ought I know,
but I can aſſure you ſhe is not now within my call.
Gener.Sirrah you trifle, give me the Key oth’ Stable.
I will goe ſee my Gelding; i’th’ meane time
Goe ſeeke her out, ſay ſhe ſhall finde me there.
Rob.To tell you true ſir, I ſhall neither finde my Miſtreſſe
here, nor you your Gelding there.
Gener.Ha! how comes that to paſſe?
Rob.Whilſt you were buſie about your writings, ſhe came
and commanded me to Saddle your Beaſt, and ſayd ſhe would
ride abroad to take the ayre.
Gener.Which of your fellowes did ſhe take along to wayte
Gener.None! hath ſhe us’d it often?
Rob.Oftner I am ſure then ſhe goes to Church, and leave
out Wedneſdayes and Fridayes
Rob.If you call that alone, when no body rides in her company.
Gen.But what times hath ſhe ſorted for theſe journeyes?
Rob.Commonly when you are abroad, aud ſometimes when
you are full of buſineſſe at home.
Gener.To ride out often and alone, what ſayth ſhe
When ſhe takes horſe, and at her backe returne?
Rob.Onely conjures me that I ſhall keepe it from you, then
clappes me in the fiſt with ſome ſmall piece of ſilver, and then a
D 2Gen. I
The Witches of Lancaſhire.
Fiſh cannot be more ſilent then I.
Gen.I know her a good woman and well bred,
Of an unqueſtion’d carriage, well reputed
Amongſt her neighbors, reckon’d with the beſt
And ore me moſt indulgent; though in many
Such things might breed a doubt and jealouſie,
Yet I hatch no ſuch phrenſie. Yet to prevent
The ſmalleſt jarre that might betwixt us happen;
Give her no notice that I know thus much.
Beſides I charge thee, when ſhe craves him next
He be deny’d: if ſhe be next or mov’d
Doe not thou feare, Ile interpoſe my ſelfe
Betwixt thee and her anger, as you tender
Your duty and my ſervice, ſee this done.
Rob.Now you have expreſt your minde, I know what I have
to doe; firſt, not to tell her what I have told you, & next to keep
her ſide-ſaddle from comming upon your Gueldings backe;
but howſoever it is like to hinder me of many a round teſter.
Gener.As oft as thou deny’ſt her, ſo oft clayme
That teaſter from me, ’t ſhall be roundly payd.
Rob.You ſay well in that ſir, I dare take your word, you are
an honeſt Gentleman, and my Maſter; and now take mine as I
am your true ſervant, before ſhe ſhall backe your Guelding a-
gain in your abſence, while I have the charge of his keeping; ſhe
ſhall ride me, or Ile ride her.
Gen.So much for that. Sirrah my Butler tels me
My Seller is drunke dry, I meane thoſe Bottles
Of Sack and Claret, are all empty growne
And I have gueſts to morrow, my choyſe friends.
Take the gray Nag i’th’ ſtable, and thoſe Bottles
There where you uſe to fetch it.
Rob.Good newes for me, I ſhall ſir.
Gen.O
Robin, it comes ſhort of that pure liquor
We drunke laſt Terme in London at the
Myter
In
Fleet-ſtreet, thou remembreſt it; me thought
It was the very ſpirit of the Grape,
[D2v]Meere
The Witches of Lancaſhire.
Meere quinteſſence of Wine.
Rob.Yes ſir, I ſo remember it, that moſt certaine it is I ne-
ver ſhal forget it, my mouth waters ever ſince when I but think
on’t, whilſt you were at ſupper above, the drawer had me down
into the Cellar below, I know the way in againe if I ſee’t, but
at that time to finde the way out againe, I had the help of more
eies than mine owne: is the taſte of that
Ipſitate ſtil in your pal-
Gener.What then? But vaine are wiſhes, take thoſe bottles
And ſee them fil’d where I command you ſir.
Rob.I ſhall: never c’ud I have met with ſuch a faire oppor-
tunity: for iuſt in the mid way lies my ſweet-heart, as lovely a
laſſe as any is in
Lancaſhire, and kiſſes as ſweetly: i’le ſee her go-
ing or comming, i’le have one ſmouch at thy lips, and bee with
thee to bring
Mal Spencer.Exit.
Gen.Go haſten your return, what he hath told me
Touching my wife is ſomewhat ſtrange, no matter
Bee’t as it will, it ſhall not trouble me.
Shee hath not lyen ſo long ſo neere my ſide,
That now I ſhould be jealous.
Enter a ſouldier.
Sold.You ſeeme ſir a Gentleman of quality, and no doubt but
in your youth have beene acquainted with affaires military, in
your very lookes there appeares bounty, and in your perſon hu-
manity. Pleaſe you to vouchſafe the tender of ſome ſmall cour-
teſie to help to beare a ſouldier into his countrey.
Gen.Though I could tax you friend, & juſtly too
For begging ’gainſt the Statute in that name,
Yet I have ever bin of that compaſſion,
Where I ſee want, rather to pittie it
Than to uſe power. Where haſt thou ſerv’d?
Sold.With the Ruſſian againſt the Polack, a heavy war, and
hath brought me to this hard fate. I was tooke priſoner by the
Pole, & after ſome few weeks of durance, got both my freedom
and paſſe. I have it about me to ſhow, pleaſe you to vouchſafe
D 3Gen.
The Witches of Lancaſhire.
Gener.It ſhall not need. What Countreyman.
Sold.Yorkeſhire ſir. Many a ſharp battell by land, and ma-
ny a ſharpe ſtorme at ſea, many a long mile, and many a ſhort
meale, I have travel’d and ſuffer’d ere I c’ud reach thus far, I
beſeech you ſir take my poore & wretched caſe into your wor-
ſhips noble conſideration.
Gener.Perhaps thou lov’ſt this wandring life
To be an idle loitering begger, than
To eat of thine owne labour.
Sold.I ſir! Loitering I defie ſir, I hate lazineſſe as I do lepro-
ſie: It is the next way to breed the ſcurvie, put mee to hedge,
ditch, plow, threſh, dig, delve, any thing: your worſhip ſhal find
that I love nothing leſſe than loitering.
Gener.Friend thou ſpeakeſt well.
Enter Miller (his hands and face ſcratcht, and bloudy.
Miller.Your Mill quoth he, if ever you take me in your mill
againe, i’le give you leave to caſt my fleſh to the dogges, and
grinde my bones to pouder, betwixt the Milſtones. Cats do you
call them, for their hugeneſſe they might bee cat a mountaines,
and for their clawes, I thinke I have it here in red and white to
ſhew, I pray looke here ſir, a murreine take them, ile be ſworne
they have ſcratcht, where I am ſure it itcht not.
Gener.How cam’ſt thou in this pickle?
Ml.You ſee ſir, and what you ſee, I have felt, & am come to
give you to underſtand i’le not indure ſuch another night if you
would give mee your mill for nothing, they ſay we Millers are
theeves: but I c’ud as ſoone bee hangd as ſteale one piece of a
nap all the night long, good Landlord provide your ſelfe of a
new tenant, the noiſe of ſuch catterwawling, & ſuch ſcratching
and clawing, before I would indure againe, i’le bee tyed to the
ſaile when the winde blowes ſharpeſt, and they flie ſwifteſt, till
I be torne into as many fitters as I have toes and fingers.
Sold.I was a Miller my ſelfe before I was a ſouldier. What
one of my own trade ſhould be ſo poorely ſpirited frighted with
Sir truſt me with the Mill that he forſakes.
(cats?
Here is a blade that hangs upon this belt
That ſpight of all theſe Rats, Cats, Wezells, Witches
[D3v]Or
The Witches of Lancaſhire.
Or Dogges, or Divels, Shall ſo coniure them
I’le quiet my poſſeſſion.
Gener.Well ſpoke Souldier.
I like thy reſolution. Fellow, you then
Have given the Mill quite over.
Mil.Over and over, here I utterly renounce it; nor would
I ſtay in it longer, if you would give me your whole eſtate; nay
if I ſay it, you may take my word Landlord.
Sold.I pray ſir dare you truſt your mill with me.
Gener.I dare, but I am loth, my reaſons theſe.
For many moneths, ſcarce any one hath lien there
But have bin ſtrangely frighted in his ſleepe,
Or from his warme bed drawne into the floore,
Or clawd and ſcratcht, as thou ſeeſt this poore man,
So much, that it ſtood long untenanted,
Till he late undertooke it, now thine eies
Witneſſe how he hath ſped.
Sold.Give me the keies, ile ſtand it all danger.
Gener.’Tis a match: deliver them.
Mil.Mary withall my heart, and I am glad, I am ſo rid of em.
Exeunt.
Enter Boy with a ſwitch.
Boy.Now I have gathered Bullies, and fild my bellie pretty
well, i’le goe ſee ſome ſport. There are gentlemen courſing in
the medow hard by; and ’tis a game that I love better than go-
ing to Schoole ten to one.
Enter an inviſible ſpirit. F. Adſon with a brace of grey-
hounds.
What have we here a brace of Greyhounds broke looſe from
their maſters: it muſt needs be ſo, for they have both their Col-
lers and ſlippes about their neckes. Now I looke better upon
them, methinks I ſhould know them, and ſo I do: theſe are Mr.
Robinſons dogges, that dwels ſome two miles off, i’le take them
up, & lead them home to their maſter; it may be ſomthing in my
way, for he is as liberall a gentleman, as any is in our countrie.
Come
Hector, come. Now if I c’ud but ſtart a Hare by the way,
kill her, and carry her home to my ſupper, I ſhould thinke I had
[D4]made
The Witches of Lancaſhire.
made a better afternoones worke of it than gathering of bul-
lies. Come poore curres along with me.
Exit.
Enter Arthur, Bantam, Shakſtone, and Whetſtone.
Bant.I ſay the pide dog ſhall outſtrip the browne.
Whe.And ile take the brown dogs part againſt the pide.
Bant.Yes when hee’s at his lap youle take his part.
Arth.Bantam forbeare him prethee.
Bant.He talks ſo like an Aſſe I have not patience to
Whet.The browne dogge for two peeces.
Whet.Of what you dare; name them from the laſt
Farthings with the double rings, to the late
Coy’ned peeces which they ſay are all counterfeit.
Bant.Well ſir, I take you: will you cover theſe, give them in-
to the hands of either of theſe two gentlemen.
Whet.What needs that? doe you thinke my word and my
Bant.And weigh alike: both many graines too light.
Shak.Enough of that, I preſume Mr.
Whetſtone, you are not
ignorant what belong to the ſport of hunting.
Whet.I thinke I have reaſon, for I have bin at the death of
Bant.More then you ſhed the laſt fall of the leafe.
Whet.More then any man here I am ſure. I ſhould be loath
at theſe yeares to be ignorant of hairing or whoring. I knew
a hare cloſe hunted, clime a tree.
Bant.To finde out birds neſts.
Whet.Another leap into a river, nothing appearing above
water, ſave onely the tip of her noſe to take breath.
Shak.Nay that’s verie likely, for no man can fiſh with an
angle but his Line muſt be made of hare.
Whet.You ſay right, I knew another, who to eſcape the
Dogges hath taken a houſe, and leapt in at a window.
[D4v]Bant.
The Witches of Lancaſhire.
Bant.It is thought you came into the World that way.
Bant.Becauſe you are a baſtard.
Bant.And thou art baſe all over.
Arth.Needs muſt I now condemne your indiſcretion.
To ſet your wit againſt his.
Whet.Baſtard? that ſhall be tried; well Gentlemen con-
cerning Hare-hunting you might have hard more, if he had had
the grace to have ſaid leſſe, but for the word Baſtard, if I do not
tell my Vncle, I and my Aunt too, either when I would ſpeake
ought or goe of the ſkore for any thing, let me never be truſted,
they are older than I, and what know I, but they might bee by
when I was begot; but if thou
Bantam do’ſt not heare of this
with both thine eares, if thou haſt them ſtill, and not loſt them
by ſcribling, inſtead of
Whet-ſtone call me
Grinde-ſtone, and for
By-blow,
Bulfinch. Gentlemen, for two of you your companie
is faire and honeſt; but for you
Bantam, remember and take no-
tice alſo, that I am a baſtard, and ſo much i’le teſtifie to my Aunt
Arth.What have you done, ’twill grieve the good old Gen-
tleman, to heare him baffled thus.
Bant.I was in a cold ſweat ready to faint
The time he ſtaid amongſt us.
Shak.But come, now the Hare is found and ſtarted.
She ſhall have Law, ſo to our ſport.
Exit.
Enter Boy with the Greyhounds.
A Hare, a Hare, halloe, halloe, the Divell take theſe curres,
will they not ſtir, halloe, halloe, there, there, there, what are they
growne ſo lither and ſo lazie? Are Mr.
Robinſons dogges turn’d
tykes with a wanion? the Hare is yet in ſight, halloe, halloe,
mary hang you for a couple of mungrils (if you were worth hā-
ging), & have you ſerv’d me thus? nay then ile ſerve you with the
like ſauce, you ſhall to the next buſh, there will I tie you, and uſe
you like a couple of curs as you are, & though not laſh you, yet
Elaſh
The Witches of Lancaſhire.
laſh you whileſt my ſwitch will hold, nay ſince you have left
your ſpeed, ile ſee if I can put ſpirit into you, and put you in re-
membrance what halloe, halloe meanes.
As he beats them, there appeares before him, Gooddy Dic-
kiſon, and the Boy upon the dogs, going in.
Now bleſſe me heaven, one of the Greyhounds turn’d into a
woman, the other into a boy! The lad I never ſaw before, but
her I know well; it is my gammer
Dickiſon.
G. Dick.Sirah, you have ſerv’d me well to ſwindge me thus.
You yong rogue, you haue vs’d me like a dog.
Boy.When you had put your ſelf into a dogs ſkin, I pray how
c’ud I help it; but gammer are not you a Witch? if you bee, I
beg upon my knees you will not hurt me.
Dickiſ.Stand up my boie, for thou ſhalt have no harme.
Be ſilent, ſpeake of nothing thou haſt ſeene.
And here’s a ſhilling for thee.
Boy.Ile have none of your money gammer, becauſe you are
a Witch: and now ſhe is out of her foure leg’d ſhape, ile ſee if
with my two legs I can out-run her.
Dickiſ.Nay, ſirra, though you be yong, and I old, you are not
ſo nimble, nor I ſo lame, but I can overtake you.
Boy.But Gammer what do you meane to do with me
Dickiſ.To hugge thee, ſtroke thee, and embrace thee thus,
And teach thee twentie thouſand prety things.
So thou tell no tales; and boy this night
Thou muſt along with me to a brave feaſt.
Boy.Not I gammer indeedla, I dare not ſtay out late,
My father is a fell man, and if I bee out long, will both
Dickiſ.Not ſirra, then perforce thou ſhalt along,
This bridle helps me ſtill at need,
And ſhall provide us of a ſteed.
Now ſirra, take your ſhape and be
Prepar’d to hurrie him and me.
Exit.
Now looke and tell mee wher’s the lad become.
Boy.The boy is vaniſht, and I can ſee nothing in his ſtead
[E1v]But
The Witches of Lancaſhire.
But a white horſe readie ſadled and bridled.
Dickiſ.And thats the horſe we muſt beſtride,
On which both thou and I muſt ride,
Thou boy before and I behinde,
The earth we tread not, but the winde,
For we muſt progreſſe through the aire,
And I will bring thee to ſuch fare
As thou ne’re ſaw’ſt, up and away,
For now no longer we can ſtay.
She catches him
Boy.Help, help.
up, & turning
round. Exit.
Enter Robin and Mall.
Thanks my ſweet Mall for thy courteous entertainment, thy
creame, thy cheeſe-cakes, and every good thing, this, this, & this
Mal.But why in ſuch haſt good
Robin?
Robin.I confeſſe my ſtay with thee is ſweet to mee, but I
muſt ſpur Cutt the faſter for’t, to be at home in the morning, I
have yet to Lancaſter to ride to night, and this my bandileer of
bottles, to fill to night, and then halfe a ſcore mile to ride by cur-
rie-combe time, i’ the morning, or the old man chides
Mal.
Mal.Hee ſhall not chide thee, feare it not.
Robin.Pray
Bacchus I may pleaſe him with his wine, which
will be the hardeſt thing to do; for ſince hee was laſt at London
and taſted the Divinitie of the Miter, ſcarce any liquour in Lan-
caſhire will go downe with him, ſure, ſure he will never be a Pu-
ritane, he holds ſo well with the Miter.
Mal.Well
Robert, I find your love by your haſte from me, ile
undertake you ſhal be at Lancaſter, & twiſe as far, & yet at home
time enough, and be rul’d by me.
Rob.Thou art a witty rogue, and thinkſt to make me believe
any thing, becauſe I ſaw thee make thy broome ſweepe the
houſe without hands t’other day.
Mal.You ſhall ſee more than that preſently, becauſe you
ſhall beleeve me; you know the houſe is all a bed here: and I
dare not be miſt in the morning. Beſides, I muſt be at the wed-
ding of
Lawrence and
Parnell to morrow.
E 2Rob.
The Witches of Lancaſhire.
Rob.I your old ſweet heart
Lawrence? Old love will not be
Mal.I care not for the loſſe of him, but if I fit him not hang
me: but to the point, if I goe with you to night, and help you to
as good wine as your maſter deſires, and you keepe your time
with him, you will give me a pinte for my company.
Rob.Thy belly full wench.
Mal.I’le but take up my milk payle and leave it in the field,
till our comming backe in the morning, and wee’ll away.
Rob.Goe fetch it quickly then.
Mal.No
Robert, rather than leave your company ſo long,
Rob.I would but ſee that.
The Payle goes.
Mal.Looke yonder, what do you thinke on’t.
Rob.Light, it comes
; and I do thinke there is ſo much of the
Divell in’t as will turne all the milke ſhall come in’t theſe ſeven
yeares, and make it burne too, till it ſtinke worſe than than the Pro-
verbe of the Biſhops foot.
Mal.Looke you ſir, heere
I have it, will you get up and a-
Rob.My horſe is gone, nay prithee
Mal. thou haſt ſet him a-
Rob.There ſtands a black long-ſided jade: mine was a
Mal.Yours was too ſhort to carrie double ſuch a journey.
Get up
I ſay, you ſhall have your owne againe i’th morning.
Mal.Nay, and you ſtand butting now, i’le leave you to look
your horſe. Payle on afore to the field, and ſtaie till I come.
Rob.Come away then, hey for
Lancaſter: ſtand up.
Exeunt.
[E2v]A C T V S.