The vestry room of the Salem meeting house, now serving as the anteroom of the General Court.
As the curtain rises, the room is empty, but for sunlight pouring through two high windows in the back wall. The room is solemn, even forbidding. Heavy beams jut out, boards of random widths make up the walls. At the right are two doors leading into the meeting house proper, where the court is being held. At the left another door leads outside.
There is a plain bench at the left, and another at the right. In the center a rather long meeting table, with stools and a con-siderable armchair snugged up to it.
Through the partitioning wall at the right we hear a prosecutor’s voice, Judge Hathorne’s, asking a question; then a woman’s voice, Martha Corey’s, replying.
Hathorne's Voice: Now, Martha Corey, there is abundant evidence in our hands to show that you have given yourself to the reading of fortunes, Do you deny it?
Martha Corey’s Voice: I am innocent to a witch. I know not what a witch is.
Hathorne’s Voice: How do you know, then, that you are not a witch?
Martha Corey’s Voice: If I were, I would know it.
Hathorne’s Voice: Why do you hurt these children?
Martha Corey’s Voice: I do not hurt them. I scorn it!
Giles’ Voice, roaring: I have evidence for the court!
Voices of townspeople rise in excitement.
Danforth’s Voice: You will keep your seat!
Giles' Voice: Thomas Putnam is reaching out for land!
Danforth’s Voice: Remove that man, Marshal!
Giles’ Voice: You’re hearing lies, lies!
A roaring goes up from the people.
Hathorne’s Voice: Arrest him, excellency!
Giles’ Voice: I have evidence. Why will you not hear my evidence?
The door opens and Giles is half carried into the vestry room by Herrick.
Giles: Hands off, damn you, let me go!
Herrick: Giles, Giles!
Giles: Out of my way, Herrick! I bring evidence –
Herrick: You cannot go in there, Giles; it’s a court!
Enter Hale from the court.
Hale: Pray be calm a moment.
Giles: You, Mr. Hale, go in there and demand I speak.
Hale: A moment, sir, a moment.
Giles: They’ll be hangin’ my wife!
Judge Hathorne enters. He is in his sixties, a bitter, remorseless Salem judge.
Hathorne: How do you dare come roarin’ into this court! Are you gone daft, Corey?
Giles: You’re not a Boston judge yet, Hathorne. You’ll not call me daft!
Enter Deputy Governor Danforth and, behind him, Ezekiel Cheever and Parris. On his appearance, silence falls. Danforth is a grave man in his sixties, of some humor and sophistication that does not, however, interfere with an exact loyalty to his position and his cause. He comes down to Giles, who awaits his wrath.
Danforth, looking directly at Giles: Who is this man?
Parris: Giles Corey, sir, and a more contentious –
Giles, to Parris: I am asked the question, and I am old enough to answer it! To Danforth, who impresses him and to whom he smiles through his strain: My name is Corey, sir, Giles Corey. I have six hundred acres, and timber in addition. It is my wife you be condemning now. He indicates the courtroom.
Danforth: And how do you imagine to help her cause with such contemptuous riot? Now be gone. Your old age alone keeps you out of jail for this.
Giles, beginning to plead: They be tellin’ lies about my wife, sir, I –
Danforth: Do you take it upon yourself to determine what this court shall believe and what it shall set aside?
Giles: Your Excellency, we mean no disrespect for –
Danforth: Disrespect indeed! It is disruption, Mister. This is the highest court of the supreme government of this province, do you know it?
GiLES, beginning to weep: Your Excellency, I only said she were readin’ books, sir, and they come and take her out of my house for –
Danforth, mystified: Books! What books?
Giles, through helpless sobs: It is my third wife, sir; I never had no wife that be so taken with books, and I thought to find the cause of it, d’y’see, but it were no witch I blamed her for. He is openly weeping. I have broke charity with the woman, I have broke charity with her. He covers his face, ashamed. Danforth is respectfully silent.
Hale: Excellency, he claims hard evidence for his wife’s de-fense. I think that in all justice you must -
Danforth: Then let him submit his evidence in proper affidavit. You are certainly aware of our procedure here, Mr. Hale. To Herrick: Clear this room.
Herrick: Come now, Giles, He gently pushes Corey out.
Francis: We are desperate, sir; we come here three days now and cannot be heard.
Danforth: Who is this man?
Francis: Francis Nurse, Your Excellency.
Hale: His wife’s Rebecca that were condemned this morning.
Danforth: Indeed! I am amazed to find you in such uproar; I have only good report of your character, Mr. Nurse.
Hathorne: I think they must both be arrested in contempt, sir.
Danforth, to Francis: Let you write your plea, and in due time I will –
Francis: Excellency, we have proof for your eyes; God forbid you shut them to it. The girls, sir, the girls are frauds.
Danforth: What’s that?
Francis: We have proof of it, sir. They are all deceiving you.
Danforth is shocked, but studying Francis.
Hathorne: This is contempt, sir, contempt!
Danforth: Peace, Judge Hathorne. Do you know who I am, Mr. Nurse?
Francis: I surely do, sir, and I think you must be a wise judge to be what you are.
Danforth: And do you know that near to four hundred are in the jails from Marblehead to Lynn, and upon my signature?
Francis: I –
Danforth: And seventy-two condemned to hang by that signature?
Francis: Excellency, I never thought to say it to such a weighty judge, but you are deceived.