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Remembering how the Prophets and Apostles
Denounced the covetous hirelings and diviners；
I entered in； and spake the words the Lord
Commanded me to speak。 I could no less。
ENDICOTT。
Are you a Prophetess？
EDITH。
Is it not written；
〃Upon my handmaidens will I pour out
My spirit； and they shall prophesy〃？
ENDICOTT。
Enough；
For out of your own mouth are you condemned！
Need we hear further？
THE JUDGES。
We are satisfied。
ENDICOTT。
It is sufficient。 Edith Christison；
The sentence of the Court is； that you be
Scourged in three towns； with forty stripes save one；
Then banished upon pain of death！
EDITH。
Your sentence
Is truly no more terrible to me
Than had you blown a feather into the the air；
And； as it fell upon me； you had said；
Take heed it hurt thee not！〃 God's will he done！
WENLOCK CHRISTISON （unseen in the crowd）。
Woe to the city of blood！ The stone shall cry
Out of the wall； the beam from out the timber
Shall answer it！ Woe unto him that buildeth
A town with blood； and stablisheth a city
By his iniquity！
ENDICOTT。
Who is it makes
Such outcry here？
CHRISTISON （coming forward）。
I； Wenlock Christison！
ENDICOTT。
Banished on pain of death； why come you here？
CHRISTISON。
I come to warn you that you shed no more
The blood of innocent men！ It cries aloud
For vengeance to the Lord！
ENDICOTT。
Your life is forfeit
Unto the law； and you shall surely die；
And shall not live。
CHRISTISON。
Like unto Eleazer；
Maintaining the excellence of ancient years
And the honor of his gray head； I stand before you；
Like him disdaining all hypocrisy；
Lest； through desire to live a little longer；
I get a stain to my old age and name！
ENDICOTT。
Being in banishment； on pain of death；
You come now in among us in rebellion。
CHRISTISON。
I come not in among you in rebellion；
But in obedience to the Lord of heaven。
Not in contempt to any Magistrate；
But only in the love I bear your souls；
As ye shall know hereafter； when all men
Give an account of deeds done in the body！
God's righteous judgments ye cannot escape。
ONE OF THE JUDGES。
Those who have gone before you said the same；
And yet no judgment of the Lord hath fallen
Upon us。
CHRISTISON。
He but waiteth till the measure
Of your iniquities shall be filled up；
And ye have run your race。 Then will his wrath
Descend upon you to the uttermost！
For thy part； Humphrey Atherton； it hangs
Over thy head already。 It shall come
Suddenly； as a thief doth in the night；
And in the hour when least thou thinkest of it！
ENDICOTT。
We have a law； and by that law you die。
CHRISTISON。
I； a free man of England and freeborn；
Appeal unto the laws of mine own nation！
ENDICOTT。
There's no appeal to England from this Court！
What！ do you think our statutes are but paper？
Are but dead leaves that rustle in the wind？
Or litter to be trampled under foot？
What say ye； Judges of the Court；what say ye？
Shall this man suffer death？ Speak your opinions。
ONE OF THE JUDGES。
I am a mortal man； and die I must；
And that erelong； and I must then appear
Before the awful judgment…seat of Christ；
To give account of deeds done in the body。
My greatest glory on that day will be；
That I have given my vote against this man。
CHRISTISON。
If； Thomas Danforth； thou hast nothing more
To glory in upon that dreadful day
Than blood of innocent people； then thy glory
Will be turned into shame！ The Lord hath said it！
ANOTHER JUDGE。
I cannot give consent； while other men
Who have been banished upon pain of death
Are now in their own houses here among us。
ENDICOTT。
Ye that will not consent； make record of it。
I thank my God that I am not afraid
To give my judgment。 Wenlock Christison；
You must be taken back from hence to prison；
Thence to the place of public execution；
There to he hanged till you be deaddead；dead。
CHRISTISON。
If ye have power to take my life from me；
Which I do question；God hath power to raise
The principle of life in other men；
And send them here among you。 There shall be
No peace unto the wicked； saith my God。
Listen； ye Magistrates； for the Lord hath said it！
The day ye put his servitors to death；
That day the Day of your own Visitation；
The Day of Wrath shall pass above your heads；
And ye shall he accursed forevermore！
To EDITH； embracing her。
Cheer up； dear heart！ they have not power to harm us。
＇Exeunt CHRISTISON and EDITH guarded。 The Scene closes。
SCENE II。 A street。 Enter JOHN ENDICOTT and UPSALL。
JOHN ENDICOTT。
Scourged in three towns！ and yet the busy people
Go up and down the streets on their affairs
Of business or of pleasure； as if nothing
Had happened to disturb them or their thoughts！
When bloody tragedies like this are acted；
The pulses of a nation should stand still
The town should be in mourning； and the people
Speak only in low whispers to each other。
UPSALL。
I know this people； and that underneath
A cold outside there burns a secret fire
That will find vent and will not be put out；
Till every remnant of these barbarous laws
Shall be to ashes burned； and blown away。
JOHN ENDICOTT。
Scourged in three towns！ It is incredible
Such things can be！ I feel the blood within me
Fast mounting in rebellion； since in vain
Have I implored compassion of my father！
UPSALL。
You know your father only as a father；
I know him better as a Magistrate。
He is a man both loving and severe；
A tender heart； a will inflexible。
None ever loved him more than I have loved him。
He is an upright man and a just man
In all things save the treatment of the Quakers。
JOHN ENDICOTT。
Yet I have found him cruel and unjust
Even as a father。 He has driven me forth
Into the street； has shut his door upon me；
With words of bitterness。 I am as homeless
As these poor Quakers are。
UPSALL。
Then come with me。
You shall be welcome for your father's sake；
And the old friendship that has been between us。
He will relent erelong。 A father's anger
Is like a sword without a handle； piercing
Both ways alike； and wounding him that wields it
No less than him that it is pointed at。
＇Exeunt。
SCENE III。 The prison。 Night。 EDITH reading the Bible by a
lamp。
EDITH。
〃Blessed are ye when men shall persecute you；
And shall revile you； and shall say against you
All manner of evil falsely for my sake！
Rejoice； and be exceeding glad； for great
Is your reward in heaven。 For so the prophets；
Which were before you； have been persecuted。〃
Enter JOHN ENDICOTT。
JOHN