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Shakespeare on Stage
American Shakespeare Center, Love's Labour's Lost. To Jun. 15, 2013.
American Shakespeare Center, The Duchess of Malfi. To Jun. 15, 2013.
American Shakespeare Center, Return to the Forbidden Planet. To Dec. 1, 2013.
Folger Shakespeare Library, Twelfth Night. To Jun. 9, 2013.
American Shakespeare Center, Twelfth Night. To Jun. 16, 2013.
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The Puritan Widow (Folio 3, 1664)

Author: Anonymous
Not Peer Reviewed
The Puritan Widow.
71
a'th'chamber, go toward him, do what you will with him,
2005he shall nere find you.
Edm. Say you so, I'le try that ifaith,---
Justles him.
Pye. Hoe now, Captain? whose that justled me?
Cap. Justled you? I saw no body.
Edm. Ha, ha, ha,--------say 'twas a spirit.
2010Cap. Shall I?---may be some spirit that haunt the circle.
Pye. O my nose, agen, pray conjure then Captain.
Pulls him by the Nose.
Edm. Troth this is exlent, I may do any knavery now
and never be seen,--and now I remember me, Sir God-
2015frey my Uncle abus'd me tother day, and told tales of me
to my Mother---Troth now I'me invisible, I'le hit
him a sound wherrit a'th'ear, when he comes out a'th'gar-
den,---I may be reveng'd on him now finely.

Enter Sir Godfrey, Widow, Frank, Nicho-
2020
las with the Chain.

Sir Godf. I have my Chain again, my Chain's found
again,
Edmond strikes him.
O sweet Captain, O admirable Conjurer.
Oh, what mean you by that, Nephew?
2025Edm. Nephew? I hope you do not know me, Uncle?
Wid. Why did you strike your Uncle, Son?
Edm. Why Captain, am I not invisible?
Cap. A good jest, George,---not now you are not sir,
Why did you not see me, when I did uncharme you?
2030Edm. Not I, by my troth, Captain:
Then pray you pardon me, Uncle,
I thought I'de been invisible when I struck you.
Sir Godf. So, you would do't? go,---y'are a foolish boy,
And were I not ore-come with greater joy,
2035I'de make you taste correction.
Edm. Correction, push---no, neither you nor my
Mother, shall think to whip me as you have done.
Sir Godf. Captain, my joy is such, I know not how
to thank you, let me embrace you, O my sweet Chain,
2040gladnesse e'en makes me giddy, rare man: 'twas just i'th'
Rosemary bank, as if one should ha laid it there,----oh
cunning, cunning!
Wid. Well, seeing my fortune tells me I must marry;
let me marry a man of wit, a man of parts, here's a wor[-}
2045thy Captain, and 'tis a fine Title truly la to be a Cap-
tain's Wife, a Captain's Wife, it goes very finely, beside
all the world knows that a worthy Captain, is a fit Com-
panion to any Lord, then why not a sweet bed-fellow
for any Lady,---I'le have it so--------

2050
Enter Frailty.
Frail. O Mistris, Gentlemen, there's the bravest sight
coming along this way.
Wid. What brave sight?
Frail. Oh, one going to burying, and another going
2055to hanging.
Wid. A ruefull sight.
Pye. 'Sfoot Captain, I'le pawn my life the Corporal's
coffin'd, and old Skirmish the souldier going to execution,
and 'tis now about the time of his waking; hold out a
2060little longer sleepy potion, and we shall have exlent ad-
miration; for I'le take upon me the cure of him.

Enter the Coffin of the Corporal, the souldier bound,
and led by Officers, the Sheriff there,

Frail. Oh here they come, here they come!
2065Pye. Now must I close secretly with the Souldier,
prevent his impatience, or else all's discovered.
Wid. O lamentable seeing, these were those Brothers,
that fought and bled before our door.
Sir Godf. What they were not, Sister?
2070Skirm. George, look to't, I'le peach at Tiburn else.
Pye. Mum,---Gentles all, vouchsafe me audience, and
you especially Master Sheriff:
Yon man is bound to execution,
Because he wounded this that now lies coffin'd?
2075Sher. True, true, he shall have the law,---and I know
the law.
Pye. But under favour, Master Sheriff, if this man had
been cured and safe agen, he should have been releas'd
then?
2080Sher. Why, make you question of that, Sir?
Pye. Then I release him freely, and will take upon me
the death that he should die, if within a little season, I do
not cure him to his proper health again.
Sher. How sir? recover a dead man?
2085That were most strange of all.
Frank comes to him.
Frank. Sweet sir, I love you dearly, and could wish
my best part yours,--oh do not undertake such an impos-
sible venture.
Pye. Love you me; then for your sweet sake I'le do't:
2090Let me entreat the corps to be set down.
Sher. Bearers set down the Coffin,---this is wonderfull,
and worthy Stoes Chronicle.
Pye. I pray bestow the freedome of the aire upon our
wholsome Art,---Masse his cheeks begin to receive natu-
2095ral warmth: nay good Corporal wake betime, or I shall
have a longer sleep then you,--'Sfoot if he should prove
dead indeed now, he were fully reveng'd upon me for
making a property on him, yet I had rather run upon
the Ropes, then have the Rope like a Tetter run upon me,
2100oh---he stirs---he stirs agen---look Gentlemen, he reco-
vers, he starts, he rises.
Sher. Oh, oh, defend us---out alas.
Pye. Nay pray be still; you'll make him more giddy
else,--he knows no body yet.
2105Cor. Zowns: where am I? cover'd with snow? I marvail?
Pye. Nay, I knew he would swear the first thing he
did, as soon as he came to life again.
Corp. 'Sfoot Hostesse---some hot porridge,---oh, oh,
lay on a dozen of Fagots in the Moon Parler, there.
2110Pye. Lady, you must needs take a little pitty of him
ifaith, and send him into your Kitchin fire.
Wid. Oh, with all my heart sir, Nicholas and Frail-
ty
, help to bear him in.
Nic. Bear him in, quatha, pray call out the Maids, I
2115shall nere have the heart to do't indeed la.
Frail. Nor I neither, I cannot abide to handle a Ghost
of all men.
Cor. 'Sloud, let me see, where was I drunk last night, hah
Wid. Oh, shall I bid you once agen take him away.
2120Frai. Why, we're as fearfull as you I warrant you--oh--
Wid. Away villains, bid the maids make him a Caw-
dle presently to settle his brain--or a posset of Sack,
quickly, quickly.
Exeunt, pushing in the corps.
Sher. Sir, what so ere you are, I do more then admire
2125you.
Wid. O I, if you knew all, Master Sheriff, as you shall
do, you would say then, that here were two of the rarest
men within the walls of Christendome.
Sher. Two of 'em, O wonderfull: Officers I discharge
2130you, set him free, all's in tune.
[D4r]
Sir Godf.