The Witch

Black Phillip:
Wouldst thou like to live deliciously?

Thomasin:
I demand you speak to me Black Phillip

Black Phillip:
...what dost thou want?

Thomasin:
I conjure thee to speak to me!

Caleb:
I've brought a book, will you look at it with me?

Thomasin:
I cannot write my name.

Black Phillip:
I will guide thy hand.

Black Phillip:
Wouldst thou like to see the world?

William:
[before the court] What went we out into this wilderness to find? Leaving our country, kindred, our fathers' houses? We have travailed a vast ocean. For what? For what?

Governor:
We must ask thee to be silent!

William:
Was it not for the pure and faithful dispensation of the Gospels, and the Kingdom of God?

Old Slater:
No more! We are your judges, and not you ours!

William:
I cannot be judged by false Christians, for I have done nothing, save preach Christ's true Gospel.

Governor:
Must you continue to dishonor the laws of the commonwealth and the church with your prideful conceit?

William:
If my conscience sees it fit.

Governor:
Then shall you be banished out of this plantations liberties!

William:
I would be glad of it.

Governor:
Then take your leave, and trouble us no further.

William:
How sadly hath The Lord testified against you. [turning to leave] Katherine...Thomasin! Come.

William:
Art thou then born a sinner?

Caleb:
Aye. I was conceived in sin, and born in iniquity.

William:
And, what is thy birth sin?

Caleb:
Adam's sin imputed to me, and a corrupt nature dwelling within me.

William:
Well-remembered Caleb. Very well. And canst thou tell me what thy corrupt nature is?

Caleb:
My corrupt nature is empty of grace, bent unto sin, only unto sin, and that continually.

Caleb:
Was Samuel born a sinner? How might then...

William:
We pray he hath entered God's Kingdom.

Caleb:
What wickedness hath he done?

William:
Place faith in God, Caleb. We'll speak no more on thy brother.

Caleb:
Why? He hath disappeared not one week past, yet you and Mother utter not his name.

William:
He is gone, Caleb.

Caleb:
Tell me.

William:
Tell thee what?

Caleb:
Is he in hell?

William:
Caleb!

Caleb:
Mother will not stop her prayer...And if he died? If I died this day?

William:
What is this?

Caleb:
I hold evil in my heart. My sins are not pardoned.

William:
Thou art youngly yet.

Caleb:
An if God will not hear my prayers?

William:
Caleb...

Caleb:
Tell me!

William:
Look you, I love thee marvelous well, but 'tis God alone, not man, what knows who is a son of Abraham and who is not. Who is good and who is evil. Fain would I tell thee Sam sleeps in Jesus, that thou wilt, that I will, but I cannot tell thee that. None can.

Thomasin:
Why is it when thou dost a wrong, I be a-washing Fathers clothes like a slave, and thou art playing idle?

Mercy:
Because Mother hates you!

Thomasin:
Spoilt child.

Mercy:
I'll tell Mother you have left the farm alone. Black Phillip saith I can do what I like.

Thomasin:
Devil take your Black Phillip.

Mercy:
It's your fault I cannot leave the yard. I could go to the brook before you let The Witch take Sam.

Thomasin:
Quiet thee.

Caleb:
It was a wolf stole Sam.

Mercy:
A witch. I've seen her in her riding cloak about the Wood!

caleb:
Father showed me the tracks.

Mercy:
It was a witch!

Thomasin:
It was a witch, Mercy. You speak aright.

Caleb:
Thomasin!

Thomasin:
It was I!

Mercy:
Liar.

Thomasin:
[walking gradually toward her sister] Twas I what stole him. I be the Witch of the Wood.

Mercy:
Liar! Liar!

Thomasin:
I am.

Caleb:
List' not to her, Mercy.

Thomasin:
I am that very witch. When I sleep my spirit slips away from my body and dances naked with The Devil. That's how I signed his book.

Mercy:
No!

Thomasin:
He bade me bring him an unbaptized babe, so I stole Sam, and I gave him to my master. And I'll make any man or thing else vanish I like.

Mercy:
No.

Thomasin:
Aye. And Ill vanish thee too if thou displeaseth me.

Mercy:
Be quiet.

Cableb:
Mercy, she's but telling fantasies.

Thomasin:
Perchance I'll boil and bake thee since we are lack of food.

Mercy:
Stop!

Caleb:
Stop Thomasin.

Mercy:
Its not true!

Thomasin:
It is, thou thing! How I crave to sink my teeth into thy pink flesh. If ever thou tellst thy mother of this, I will witch thee and thy mother!

Caleb:
And Jonas too!

Mercy:
Caleb!

Thomasin:
Stop thy tears and swear thy silence.

Mercy:
I swear it.

Thomasin:
You will not tell Mother nor Father!

Mercy:
I swear!

Caleb:
Thomasin, let her alone!

Mercy:
[running away] Get away from her Caleb or she'll witch thee!

Caleb:
Why tell Mercy those horrible fancies?

William:
You must sleep tonight, Kate.

Katherine:
Thou dost remember I love thee?

William:
I do. List me Kate. I fear thou lookst too much upon this affliction. We must bend our thoughts towards God, not ourselves. He hath never taken a child from us. Never a one, Kate. Who might earn such grace? We have been ungrateful of God's love.

Katherine:
He hath cursed this family.

William:
No. He hath taken us into a very low condition to humble us and to show us more of his grace. Was not Christ was led into the wilderness to be ill met by the devil?

Katherine:
We should ne'er left the plantation.

William:
Kate...

Katherine:
We should never have left.

William:
That damned church! There is naught hither.

William:
I took thy fathers cup. I sold it. Forgive me Kate. Forgive me Thomasin.

Katherine:
What is this?

William:
Katherine, I must make a confession... I, yestermorn, took Caleb to the Wood. 'Twas for food, and the pelts for money. Good money.

Katherine:
I knew you were false! I knew it!

William:
I meant it as a surprise, 'twas why I kept secret. I will trap that wolf, Kate.

Katherine:
You stood by whilst our son lied to me!

William:
'Twas for thy sake. I love thee Kate.

Katherine:
You took him to the Wood!

William:
I will find him.

Katherine:
You have broken God's covenant. You are a liar. And you have lost another child.

William:
I will go now!

Katherine:
You cannot escape the Wood!

William:
I will find him!

Katherine:
And kill thyself too? Will Jonas be the man of the house? Will you damn all your family to death?

William:
Katherine.

Katherine:
Let go of me.

William:
What dost thou want, Katherine? Tell me and I will give it thee!

Katherine:
I want to be home.

William:
Thou shall be home by candle-time tomorrow.

Katherine:
In England. Will... I also have a confession to make. I never meant to be a shrew to thee. I have become as Job's wife, I know it, but since Sam, since... My heart has turned to stone. I had dreamed once, 'twas when I was of Thomasin's years, that I was with Christ upon earth. I was so very near him, and in many tears for the assurance of the pardon of my sins, and I was so ravished with his love towards me, I thought it far exceeding the affection of the kindest husband. And since Samuel disappeared, I have such a sad weakness of faith, I cannot shake it. I cannot see Christ's help as near. I pray and I pray but I cannot. I fear I cannot ever feel that same measure of love again.

William:
Thou shalt have of it in heaven. I'll be in field. If you can spare a while, do. We'll leave at dawn. I promise thee that.

Mercy:
Thomasin is a witch!

William:
Nay. I'll not hear it. I'll have proof of it, or heaven help thee. On thy knees! Look me in the eye daughter. Dost thou love the word of God?

Thomasin:
Yes.

William:
Love you The Bible? Love you Prayer?

Thomasin:
Yes! Yes!

William:
We are children of sin all, yet I tell thee, I have raised up no witch in this house. Let us pray, then we need fear nothing. We shall never lie open to the wicked one. Pray for thy brother.

Mercy:
You must believe us.

Thomasin:
Evil, wretches!

William:
Thomasin! Thomasin! Pray! Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name... Jonas, pray!

Jonas:
I... I cannot remember my prayer.

William:
What?

Mercy:
Nor I. I cannot.

William:
What nonsense is this. Speak children: Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name... Pray. Pray you beasts.

Katherine:
Get on thy knees and pray!

William:
Damnation! Thomasin! Stop! I cannot hear this. This is not so!

Caleb:
[raving] A toad. A cat. A crow. A raven. A great black dog. A wolf. She desires of my blood. She desires of my blood. She sends em upon me. She desires of my blood. They feed upon her teats. She desires of my blood. She desires of my blood. Her nether parts! She sends em upon me. She desires of my blood. My Lord, My Jesus! Save me! She desires of my blood. Think on Christ! She sends her Devils...I am thine enemy. She desires of my blood, wallowing in the blood and filth of my sins...Cast the light of thy Countenance upon me. Spread over me the lap of thy love. Wash me in the ever-flowing fountains of thy blood. Wholly thine I am, my sweet Lord Jesus. My Lord, my love! Kiss me with the kisses of thy mouth. How lovely art thou! Thy embrace! My Lord! My Lord! My Love! My soul's salvation, take me to thy lap! [he dies]

William:
You must tell me, Thomasin. Tomorrow, I cannot keep secret of this. A council will be called and thy life is...Thy life...

Thomasin:
You will not believe me?

William:
I saw the Serpent in my son. You stopped their prayer...

Thomasin:
They lie.

William:
I saw it. Caleb disappeared with thee!

Thomasin:
I love Caleb!

William:
And who then found him, pale as death, naked as sin and witched? Thomasin listen to me. The bargain thou hast made is of no effect.

Thomasin:
I made no bargain.

William:
Thy soul belongeth to Christ.

Thomasin:
I made no bargain.

William:
The Devil hath no interest in thee!

Thomasin:
I am no witch, father!

William:
What did I but see in my house?

Thomasin:
Will you not hear me?

William:
I prithee, confess...Why have you turned against me? Christ can unwitch us if you will but speak the truth to me. As I love thee, speak truth!

Thomasin:
You ask me to speak truth?

William:
I beg thee!

Thomasin:
You and Mother are planned to rid the farm of me. Aye. I heard you speak of it. Is that truth? You took of Mothers cup and let her rail at me. You confessed not till it was too late. Is that truth?

William:
Peace thee.

Thomasin:
I will not.

William:
I am thy father!

Thomasin:
You are a hypocrite!

William:
Hold thy tongue, Daughter mine!

Thomasin:
You took Caleb to the Wood and let me take the blame of that too. Is that truth? You let Mother be as thy master! You cannot bring the crops to yield! You cannot hunt! Is that truth enough?!

William:
Enough!

Thomasin:
Thou canst do nothing save cut wood!

William:
B*tch!

Thomasin:
And you will not hear me!

William:
Must I hear the Devil wag his tongue in thy mouth?!

Thomasin:
Ask the twins then. Go and ask them. They spend all day long babbling to that horned beast. They know well his voice. Go to! The Adversary oft comes in the shape of a he-goat. And whispers. Aye, whispers. He is Lucifer, you know it. The twins know it.

William:
Slander thy brethren no more.

Thomasin:
It is they!

William:
From my sight.

Thomasin:
'Twas they and that goat what bewitched this whole farm.

William:
Lies!

Thomasin:
Wast a wolf stole Sam? I never saw no wolf. Mercy told me herself by the stream I be the Witch of the Wood!

Thomasin:
Black Phillip, I conjure thee to speak to me. Speak as thou dost speak to Jonas and Mercy. Dost thou understand my English tongue? Answer me.

[Beat. Thomasin turns to leave]

Black Phillip:
What... [Thomasin stops] dost thou want?

Thomasin:
What canst thou give?

Black Phillip:
Wouldst thou like the taste of butter? A pretty dress? Wouldst thou like to live deliciously?

Thomasin:
Yes.

Black Phillip:
Wouldst thou like to see the world?

Thomasin:
What will you from me?

Black Phillip:
Dost thou see a book before thee? [Thomasin looks at the book as Black Phillip circles her in human form] Remove thy shift.

[Thomasin does so. Black Phillip places a hand on her shoulder]

Thomasin:
I cannot write my name.

Black Phillip:
I will guide thy hand.

William:
We will conquer this wilderness. It will not consume us.

William:
[to Jonas and Mercy] Did ye make some unholy bond with that goat?

William:
[his last words] Corruption, thou art my father!

Jonas, Mercy:
[singing] Black Phillip, Black Phillip, a crown grows out his head. Black Phillip, Black Phillip, to nanny queen is wed. Jump to the fence post. Running in the stall. Black Phillip, Black Phillip, king of all.