longer piping, no longer dancing; this news of murder has slain the morrice. You that go the foot-way, fare ye well; I am for a gallop. Come, ningle. [Canters off with the hobby, and DOG. Saw. [strikes his fiddle, which sounds as before.] Ay? nay, an my fiddle be come to himself again, I care not. I think the devil has been abroad amongst us to-day; I'll keep thee out of thy fit now, if I can. [Exit with the morrice-dancers. Sir Ar. These things are full of horror, full of

pity.

But if this time be constant to the proof,
The guilt of both these gentlemen I dare take
On mine own danger; yet, howsoever, sir,
Your power must be obey'd.

War. Oh, most willingly, sir.

'Tis a most sweet affliction; I could not meet
A joy in the best shape with better will:
Come, fear not, sir; nor judge, nor evidence
Can bind him o'er, who's freed by conscience.
Som. Mine stands so upright to the middle zone,
It takes no shadow to't, it goes alone. [Exeunt.

ACT IV.

SCENE I.-Edmonton.-The Street.

Enter Old BANKS, and several Countrymen.

Banks. My horse this morning runs most piteously of the glanders, whose nose yesternight was

as clean as any man's here now coming from the barber's; and this, I'll take my death upon't, is long of this jadish witch, mother Sawyer.

1 Coun. I took my wife and a serving-man in our town of Edmonton, thrashing in my barn together, such corn as country-wenches carry to market; and examining my pole-cat why she did so, she swore in her conscience she was bewitch'd: and what witch have we about us, but mother Sawyer?

2 Coun. Rid the town of her, else all our wives will do nothing but dance about other country may-poles.

3 Coun. Our cattle fall, our wives fall, our daughters fall, and maid-servants fall; and we ourselves shall not be able to stand; if this beast be suffered to graze amongst us.

Enter W. HAMLUC, with thatch and a lighted link.

Ham. Burn the witch, the witch, the witch, the witch!

All. What has't got there?

Ham. A handful of thatch, pluck'd off a hovel of her's; and they say, when 'tis burning, if she be a witch, she'll come running in.

Banks. Fire it, fire it; I'll stand between thee and home, for any danger.

[HAM. sets fire to the thatch.

Enter Mother SAWYER, running.

Saw. Diseases, plagues, the curse of an old woman

Follow and fall upon you!

All. Are you come, you old trot?

Banks. You hot whore, must we fetch

fire in your tail?

you with

1 Coun. This thatch is as good as a jury to prove she is a witch.

All. Out, witch! beat her, kick her, set fire on her.

Saw. Shall I be murdered by a bed of serpents? Help, help!

Enter Sir ARTHUR CLARINGTON, and a JUSTICE. All. Hang her, beat her, kill her!

Just. How now? forbear this violence.

Saw. A crew of villains, a knot of bloody hang

men,

Set to torment me, I know not why.

Just. Alas, neighbour Banks, are you a ringleader in mischief? fie! to abuse an aged woman. Banks. Woman? a she-hell-cat, a witch! To prove her one, we no sooner set fire on the thatch of her house, but in she came running, as if the devil had sent her in a barrel of gunpowder; which trick as surely proves her a witch, as the pox in a snuffling nose is a sign a man is a whore

master.

Just. Come, come; firing her thatch? ridiculous! Take heed, sirs, what you do; unless your proofs Come better arm'd, instead of turning her

Into a witch, you'll prove yourselves stark fools. All. Fools?

Just. Arrant fools.

Banks. Pray, master Justice what-do-you-call'em, hear me but in one thing. This grumbling devil owes me, I know, no good-will ever since I fell out with her.

Saw. And brak'st my back with beating me. Banks. I'll break it worse.

Saw. Wilt thou?

Just. You must not threaten her, 'tis against law;

Go on.

Banks. So, sir, ever since, having a dun cow tied up in my back-side, let me go thither, or but cast mine eye at her, and if I should be hang'd, I cannot choose, though it be ten times in an hour, but run to the cow, and taking up her tail, kiss (saving your worship's reverence) my cow behind, that the whole town of Edmonton has been ready to bepiss themselves with laughing me to scorn. Just. And this is long of her?

Banks. Who the devil else? for is any man such an ass to be such a baby, if he were not bewitch'd?

Sir Ar. Nay, if she be a witch, and the harms she does end in such sports, she may scape burning.

Just. Go, go; pray vex her not; she is a subject,

And

you must not be judges of the law,

To strike her as you please.

All. No, no, we'll find cudgel enough to strike her.

Banks. Ay; no lips to kiss but my cow's![Exeunt BANKS and Countrymen. Saw. Rots and foul maladies eat up thee and

thine!

Just. Here's none now, mother Sawyer, but this gentleman,

Myself, and you; let us, to some mild questions,
Have your mild answers: tell us honestly,

And with a free confession, (we'll do our best
To wean you from it,) are you a witch, or no?
Saw. I am none.

Just. Be not so furious.

Saw. I am none.

None but base curs so bark at me; I am none.
Or would I were! if every poor old woman,
Be trod on thus by slaves, reviled, kick'd, beaten,
As I am daily, she to be revenged

Had need turn witch.

Sir Ar. And you to be revenged Have sold your soul to th' devil.

Saw. Keep thine own from him.

Just. You are too saucy and too bitter.
Saw. Saucy?

By what commission can he send my soul
On the devil's errand more than I can his?

Is he a landlord of my soul, to thrust it
When he list out of door?

Just. Know whom you speak to.
Saw. A man; perhaps no man.

clothes,

Men in gay

Whose backs are laden with titles and honours,