# Dramas (Baillie)/Witchcraft/Act 5

ACT V.
SCENE I.—A mean Chamber, with a window looking upon the Market-place of Paisley.
Enter Annabella and the Landlord of the House.
LANDLORD.
ANNABELLA.
LANDLORD.
ANNABELLA.
LANDLORD.
ANNABELLA.
LANDLORD.
ANNABELLA.
LANDLORD.
ANNABELLA.
Re-enter Landlord.
LANDLORD.
ANNABELLA.
LANDLORD.
ANNABELLA.
[Exit Landlord.
[Bell tolls again, and at intervals through the whole scene.]
ANNABELLA (alone).
Enter Grizeld Bane.
GRIZELD BANE.
ANNABELLA (shrinking back).
GRIZELD BANE.
ANNABELLA.
GRIZELD BANE.
ANNABELLA.
GRIZELD BANE.
ANNABELLA.
GRIZELD BANE.
ANNABELLA.
GRIZELD BANE.
ANNABELLA.
GRIZELD BANE (running to the window, and beckoning her).
[They both go to the window, and the Scene closes.]
SCENE II.
The Market-place prepared for the Execution, with two Stakes, and faggots heaped round them, erected in the middle, but nearer the bottom than the front of the Stage. A great Crowd of people are discovered. The Bell tolls rapidly, and then stops.
Enter the Sheriff and Magistrates, and Mary Macmurren, supported by a Clergyman, and guarded.
CLERGYMAN.
MARY MACMURREN.
CLERGYMAN.
MARY MACMURREN.
CLERGYMAN.
MARY MACMURREN.
CLERGYMAN.
MARY MACMURREN.
BAILLIE.
CLERGYMAN (to Mary Macmurren).
MARY MACMURREN.
BAILLIE.
CLERGYMAN.
MARY MACMURREN.
SHERIFF (to Clergyman).
There is no making any thing of her now, miserable wretch! Lead her on to the stake, and make her pray with you there, if the Evil One hath not got the entire mastery over her to the very last. (The Clergyman leads Mary Macmurren to the stake.) And now there is a sadder duty to perform; the fair, the young, and the gentle must be brought forth to shame and to punishment.
[He goes to the gate of the prison, and returns, conducting Violet Murrey, who enters, leaning on the arm of Rutherford.]
SHERIFF.
VIOLET.
SHERIFF.
VIOLET.
SHERIFF.
VIOLET.
Say not so. I am condemned by what honest, though erring men, believed to be the truth. What God alone knows to be the truth, is not for man's direction.—(To Rutherford.) Weep not for me, my kind friend. You had good cause to believe that you had seen me in company with a creature not of this world, and you were compelled to declare it.
RUTHERFORD.
VIOLET.
RUTHERFORD.
VIOLET.
SEVERAL VOICES (from the crowd, calling out in succession).
BAILLIE.
SHERIFF (to Violet).
VIOLET.
SHERIFF.
VIOLET.
And I am ready.—(Turning to Rutherford.) The last fearful step of my unhappy course only remains: you have gone far enough, my good Sir. Receive my dying thanks for all your kindness, and let us part. Farewell! till we meet in a better world!
RUTHERFORD.
VIOLET.
BAILLIE (to Sheriff).
SHERIFF.
BAILLIE.
SHERIFF (aside).
VIOLET.
[She is led towards the stake, when a loud cry is heard without.]
VOICE.
Enter Murrey, darting through the crowd, who give way to let him pass.
MURREY.
SHERIFF (to Murrey).
MURREY.
SHERIFF.
RUTHERFORD.
SHERIFF.
MURRAY (supporting Violet).
Enter Dungarren, running distractedly.
BAILLIE (fronting him).
DUNGARREN.
In defiance of all earthly things. (Pushing the Baillie aside, and rushing on to Violet.) Who art thou? (Looking sternly at Murrey.) What right hast thou to support Violet Murrey?
MURREY.
DUNGARREN.
MURREY.
DUNGARREN (pointing to Rutherford).
MURREY.
BAILLIE (aside to the Sheriff's officers).
DUNGARREN.
She seems to revive; she will soon recover. (To Murrey.) And it was you who were with her on the heath, and in the cave?
MURREY.
DUNGARREN.
VIOLET (recovering, and much alarmed).
MURREY (embracing her).
SHERIFF.
DUNGARREN.
BAILLIE.
DUNGARREN.
Enter Black Bawldy, letting himself down from the wall of a low building, and running eagerly to the Sheriff.
BAWLDY.
SHERIFF.
BAWLDY.
SHERIFF.
BAWLDY.
SHERIFF.
Well, well; I'll take the punishing of thee into my own hands, knave. What shrieks are these? [Repeated shrieks are heard from the window of a house, and two figures are seen ​indistinctly within, struggling: a dull stifled sound succeeds, and then a sudden silence.] There is mischief going on in that house.
BAILLIE (running to the door of the house, and knocking).
GRIZELD BANE (looking over the window).
BAILLIE.
GRIZELD BANE.
SHERIFF.
FIRST OFFICER.
SECOND OFFICER.
BAILLIE (calling up to her).
GRIZELD BANE.
SHERIFF.
GRIZELD BANE (throwing down to them the scarf of Annabella).
SHERIFF.
[The door is burst open, and the Officers go into the house, and presently re-enter, bearing the dead body of Annabella, which they place on the front of the Stage, the crowd gathering round to stare at it.]
BAILLIE.
SHERIFF.
BAILLIE.
SHERIFF.
BAILLIE.
SHERIFF.
BAILLIE.
DUNGARREN (approaching the body of Annabella).
MURREY (to Sheriff).
SHERIFF.
VIOLET.
SHERIFF.
BAILLIE.
VIOLET.
SHERIFF.
BAILLIE.
VIOLET.
BAILLIE.
SHERIFF.
BAILLIE.
SHERIFF (to Murrey sorrowfully).
MURREY.
I came here so prepared, worthy Sir: I knew you could do nothing for me. (To Violet, who again kneels imploringly). Forbear, dearest ​child! thou humblest thyself in vain. I will meet fate as a man: do not add to my suffering by giving way to such frantic humiliation. (Raising her from the ground.) Dungarren, I commit her to your protection. You will be her honourable friend.
DUNGARREN.
MURREY.
DUNGARREN.
VIOLET.
But I do not! O! I cannot despise it! If my father must suffer, I will never marry thee, and I will never marry another.—My fate is sealed. Thou and this good man (pointing to Rutherford) will be my friends, and Heaven will, in pity, make my earthly course a short one. A creature so stricken with sorrow and disgrace has nothing to do in this world but to wait, in humble patience, till God in his mercy takes her out of it. ​
MURREY.
(Endeavours to lead her out, but is prevented by the crowd, who gather close on the front of the Stage, as Grizeld Bane issues with frantic gestures from the house.)
VOICES (from the crowd in succession).
[A trumpet sounds without, and the tumult increases, till a company of Soldiers appears under arms, and enter an Officer, accompanied by Fatheringham.]
OFFICER (giving a paper to the Sheriff).
SHERIFF.
"Be it known unto all men, that the King's Majesty, with the Lords and Commons in ​Parliamant assembled, have decreed that the law punishing what has been called the crime of witchcraft as a felonious offence be repealed; and it is therefore repealed accordingly. Henceforth there shall no person be prosecuted at law as a wizard or witch, throughout these realms; and any person or persons who shall offer injury to any one, as being guilty of the supposed crime of witchcraft, shall be punished for such aggression. God save the King!"
[A pause of dead silence, followed by low, then loud murmurs, and then voices call out in succession.]
VOICES.
[Crowd close round the stake where Mary Macmurren is bound.]
SHERIFF (to the Crowd).
FATHERINGHAM.
BAILLIE (to Fatheringham).
No, good Sir; not imaginary. She is a witch by her own confession. And that woman (pointing to Grizeld Bane) is also, by her own words, convicted of consorting and colleaguing with Satan,—an awful and mischievous witch.
FATHERINGHAM.
GRIZELD BANE (looking at him fiercely).
FATHERINGHAM (approaching her).
GRIZELD BANE.
BAILLIE.
FATHERINGHAM.
BAILLIE.
GRIZELD BANE.
FATHERINGHAM.
(Fixes his eyes upon her sternly, while she suffers herself to be led off.)
OFFICER.
SHERIFF.
OFFICER.
MURREY (stepping sternly from the opposite side of the Stage, and fronting Fatheringham closely).
FATHERINGHAM (starting back).
MURREY.
FATHERINGHAM.
MURREY.
FATHERINGHAM.
MURREY.
VIOLET.
FATHERINGHAM.
DUNGARREN.
FATHERINGHAM.
MURREY (rushing into his arms).
DUNGARREN.
[A murmur amongst the Crowd.]
SHERIFF.
DUNGARREN.
[The Curtain drops.]