It sends a dismal echo through my heart, As if forever it had closed between us, And I should look upon his face no more!
Oh, this will drag me down into my grave,--To that eternal resting-place wherein Man lieth down, and riseth not again!
Till the heavens be no more, he shall not wake, Nor be roused from his sleep; for Thou dost change His countenance and sendest him away!
[Exit.
ACT III.
SCENE I.-- The Court of Assistants, ENDICOTT, BELLINGHAM, ATHERTON, and other magistrates.KEMPTHORN, MERRY, and constables.Afterwards WHARTON, EDITH, and CHRISTISON.
ENDICOTT.
Call Captain Simon Kempthorn.
MERRY.
Simon Kempthorn, Come to the bar!
KEMPTHORN comes forward.
ENDICOTT.
You are accused of bringing Into this Jurisdiction, from Barbadoes, Some persons of that sort and sect of people Known by the name of Quakers, and maintaining Most dangerous and heretical opinions, Purposely coming here to propagate Their heresies and errors; bringing with them And spreading sundry books here, which contain Their doctrines most corrupt and blasphemous, And contrary to the truth professed among us.
What say you to this charge?
KEMPTHORN.
I do acknowledge, Among the passengers on board the Swallow Were certain persons saying Thee and Thou.
They seemed a harmless people, mostways silent, Particularly when they said their prayers.
ENDICOTT.
Harmless and silent as the pestilence!
You'd better have brought the fever or the plague Among us in your ship! Therefore, this Court, For preservation of the Peace and Truth, Hereby commands you speedily to transport, Or cause to he transported speedily, The aforesaid persons hence unto Barbadoes, From whence they came; you paying all the charges Of their imprisonment.
KEMPTHORN.
Worshipful sir, No ship e'er prospered that has carried Quakers Against their will! I knew a vessel once--ENDICOTT.
And for the more effectual performance Hereof you are to give security In bonds amounting to one hundred pounds.
On your refusal, you will be committed To prison till you do it.
KEMPTHORN.
But you see I cannot do it.The law, sir, of Barbadoes Forbids the landing Quakers on the island.
ENDICOTT.
Then you will be committed.Who comes next?
MERRY.
There is another charge against the Captain.
ENDICOTT.
What is it?
MERRY.
Profane swearing, please your Worship.
He cursed and swore from Dock Square to the Court-house,ENDICOTT.
Then let him stand in the pillory for one hour.
[Exit KEMPTHORN with constable.
Who's next?
MERRY.
The Quakers.
ENDICOTT.
Call them.
MERRY.
Edward Wharton, Come to the bar!
WHARTON.
Yea, even to the bench.
ENDICOTT.
Take off your hat.
WHARTON.
My hat offendeth not.
If it offendeth any, let him take it;
For I shall not resist.
ENDICOTT.
Take off his hat.
Let him be fined ten shillings for contempt.
MERRY takes off WHARTON'S hat.
WHARTON.
What evil have I done?
ENDICOTT.
Your hair's too long;
And in not putting off your hat to us You've disobeyed and broken that commandment Which sayeth "Honor thy father and thy mother."WHARTON.
John Endicott, thou art become too proud;And loved him who putteth off the hat, And honoreth thee by bowing of the body, And sayeth "Worshipful sir!" 'T is time for thee To give such follies over, for thou mayest Be drawing very near unto thy grave.
ENDICOTT.
Now, sirrah, leave your canting.Take the oath.
WHARTON.
Nay, sirrah me no sirrahs!
ENDICOTT.
Will you swear?
WHARTON.
Nay, I will not.
ENDICOTT.
You made a great disturbance And uproar yesterday in the Meeting-house, Having your hat on.
WHARTON.
I made no disturbance;
For peacefully I stood, like other people.
I spake no words; moved against none my hand;But by the hair they haled me out, and dashed Their hooks into my face.
ENDICOTT.
You, Edward Wharton, On pain of death, depart this Jurisdiction Within ten days.Such is your sentence.Go.
WHARTON.
John Endicott, it had been well for thee If this day's doings thou hadst left undone But, banish me as far as thou hast power, Beyond the guard and presence of my God Thou canst not banish me.
ENDICOTT.
Depart the Court;
We have no time to listen to your babble.
Who's next?[Exit WHARTON.
MERRY.
This woman, for the same offence.
EDITH comes forward.
ENDICOTT.
What is your name?
EDITH.
'T is to the world unknown, But written in the Book of Life.
ENDICOTT.
Take heed It be not written in the Book of Death!
What is it?
EDITH.
Edith Christison.
ENDICOTT (with eagerness).
The daughter Of Wenlock Christison?
EDITH.
I am his daughter.
ENDICOTT.
Your father hath given us trouble many times.
A bold man and a violent, who sets At naught the authority of our Church and State, And is in banishment on pain of death.
Where are you living?
EDITH.
In the Lord.
ENDICOTT.
Make answer Without evasion.Where?
EDITH.
My outward being Is in Barbadoes.
ENDICOTT.
Then why come you here?
EDITH.
I come upon an errand of the Lord.
ENDICOTT.
'Tis not the business of the Lord you're doing;It is the Devil's.Will you take the oath?
Give her the Book.
MERRY offers the Book.
EDITH.
You offer me this Book To swear on; and it saith," Swear not at all, Neither by heaven, because it is God's Throne, Nor by the earth, because it is his footstool!"I dare not swear.
ENDICOTT.
You dare not? Yet you Quakers Deny this book of Holy Writ, the Bible, To be the Word of God.
EDITH (reverentially).
Christ is the Word, The everlasting oath of God.I dare not.
ENDICOTT.
You own yourself a Quaker,--do you not?
EDITH.
I own that in derision and reproach I am so called.
ENDICOTT.
Then you deny the Scripture To be the rule of life.
EDITH.
Yea, I believe The Inner Light, and not the Written Word, To be the rule of life.
ENDICOTT.
And you deny That the Lord's Day is holy.
EDITH.
Every day Is the Lords Day.It runs through all our lives, As through the pages of the Holy Bible, "Thus saith the Lord."ENDICOTT.
You are accused of ****** An horrible disturbance, and affrighting The people in the Meeting-house on Sunday.
What answer make you?
EDITH.