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Is by these Heretics despised and outraged。
ENDICOTT。
To…night they sleep in prison。 If they die；
They cannot say that we have caused their death。
We do but guard the passage； with the sword
Pointed towards them； if they dash upon it；
Their blood will be on their own heads； not ours。
NORTON。
Enough。 I ask no more。 My predecessor
Coped only with the milder heresies
Of Antinomians and of Anabaptists。
He was not born to wrestle with these fiends。
Chrysostom in his pulpit； Augustine
In disputation； Timothy in his house！
The lantern of St。 Botolph's ceased to burn
When from the portals of that church he came
To be a burning and a shining light
Here in the wilderness。 And； as he lay
On his death…bed； he saw me in a vision
Ride on a snow…white horse into this town。
His vision was prophetic； thus I came；
A terror to the impenitent； and Death
On the pale horse of the Apocalypse
To all the accursed race of Heretics！
＇Exeunt。
SCENE II。 A street。 On one side； NICHOLAS UPSALL's house； on
the other； WALTER MERRY's； with a flock of pigeons on the roof。
UPSALL seated in the porch of his house。
UPSALL。
O day of rest！ How beautiful； how fair；
How welcome to the weary and the old！
Day of the Lord！ and truce to earthly cares！
Day of the Lord； as all our days should be！
Ah； why will man by his austerities
Shut out the blessed sunshine and the light；
And make of thee a dungeon of despair！
WALTER MERRY （entering and looking round him）。
All silent as a graveyard！ No one stirring；
No footfall in the street； no sound of voices！
By righteous punishment and perseverance；
And perseverance in that punishment；
At last I have brought this contumacious town
To strict observance of the Sabbath day。
Those wanton gospellers； the pigeons yonder；
Are now the only Sabbath…breakers left。
I cannot put them down。 As if to taunt me；
They gather every Sabbath afternoon
In noisy congregation on my roof；
Billing and cooing。 Whir！ take that； ye Quakers。
Throws a stone at the pigeons。 Sees UPSALL。
Ah！ Master Nicholas！
UPSALL。
Good afternoon；
Dear neighbor Walter。
MERRY。
Master Nicholas；
You have to…day withdrawn yourself from meeting。
UPSALL。
Yea； I have chosen rather to worship God
Sitting in silence here at my own door。
MERRY。
Worship the Devil！ You this day have broken
Three of our strictest laws。 First； by abstaining
From public worship。 Secondly； by walking
Profanely on the Sabbath。
UPSALL。
Not one step。
I have been sitting still here； seeing the pigeons
Feed in the street and fly about the roofs。
MERRY。
You have been in the street with other intent
Than going to and from the Meeting…house。
And； thirdly； you are harboring Quakers here。
I am amazed！
UPSALL。
Men sometimes； it is said；
Entertain angels unawares。
MERRY。
Nice angels！
Angels in broad…brimmed hats and russet cloaks；
The color of the Devil's nutting…bag。 They came
Into the Meeting…house this afternoon
More in the shape of devils than of angels。
The women screamed and fainted； and the boys
Made such an uproar in the gallery
I could not keep them quiet。
UPSALL。
Neighbor Walter；
Your persecution is of no avail。
MERRY。
'T is prosecution； as the Governor says；
Not persecution。
UPSALL。
Well； your prosecution；
Your hangings do no good。
MERRY。
The reason is；
We do not hang enough。 But； mark my words；
We'll scour them； yea； I warrant ye； we'll scour them！
And now go in and entertain your angels；
And don't be seen here in the street again
Till after sundown！ There they are again！
Exit UPSALL。 MERRY throws another stone at the pigeons； and then
goes into his house。
SCENE III。 A room in UPSALL'S house。 Night。 EDITH； WHARTON；
and other Quakers seated at a table。 UPSALL seated near them；
Several books on the table。
WHARTON。
William and Marmaduke； our martyred brothers；
Sleep in untimely graves； if aught untimely
Can find place in the providence of God；
Where nothing comes too early or too late。
I saw their noble death。 They to the scaffold
Walked hand in hand。 Two hundred armed men
And many horsemen guarded them； for fear
Of rescue by the crowd； whose hearts were stirred。
EDITH。
O holy martyrs！
WHARTON。
When they tried to speak；
Their voices by the roll of drums were drowned。
When they were dead they still looked fresh and fair；
The terror of death was not upon their faces。
Our sister Mary； likewise； the meek woman；
Has passed through martyrdom to her reward；
Exclaiming； as they led her to her death；
〃These many days I've been in Paradise。〃
And； when she died； Priest Wilson threw the hangman
His handkerchief； to cover the pale face
He dared not look upon。
EDITH。
As persecuted；
Yet not forsaken； as unknown； yet known；
As dying； and behold we are alive；
As sorrowful； and yet rejoicing always；
As having nothing； yet possessing all！
WHARTON。
And Leddra； too； is dead。 But from his prison；
The day before his death； he sent these words
Unto the little flock of Christ： 〃What ever
May come upon the followers of the Light；
Distress； affliction； famine； nakedness；
Or perils in the city or the sea；
Or persecution； or even death itself；
I am persuaded that God's armor of Light；
As it is loved and lived in； will preserve you。
Yea； death itself； through which you will find entrance
Into the pleasant pastures of the fold；
Where you shall feed forever as the herds
That roam at large in the low valleys of Achor。
And as the flowing of the ocean fills
Each creek and branch thereof； and then retires；
Leaving behind a sweet and wholesome savor；
So doth the virtue and the life of God
Flow evermore into the hearts of those
Whom He hath made partakers of His nature；
And； when it but withdraws itself a little；
Leaves a sweet savor after it； that many
Can say they are made clean by every word
That He hath spoken to them in their silence。〃
EDITH （rising and breaking into a kind of chant）。
Truly we do but grope here in the dark；
Near the partition…wall of Life and Death；
At every moment dreading or desiring
To lay our hands upon the unseen door！
Let us； then； labor for an inward stillness；
An inward stillness and an inward healing；
That perfect silence where the lips and heart
Are still； and we no longer entertain
Our own imperfect thoughts and vain opinions；
But God alone speaks in us； and we wait
In singleness of heart； that we may know
His will； and in the silence of our spirits；
That we may do His will； and do that only！
A long pause； interrupted by the sound of a drum