Maid of Salem (1937) Movie Script
(BELL TOLLING)
Hear ye! Hear ye! Hear ye!
Contracts approved
at town meeting this day.
""It is agreed
with Miles Corbin
""to be herder of cows
for Salem Village
""in place of Thomas Bilge,
whose habitual inebriation
""renders it needful to
divest him of office.
""The said Miles Corbin
shall drive
""the milk cattle to
the common pasture,
""and bring his charges
home before sundown.
""ln consideration whereof,
the farmers of Salem
Village have this day
""agreed to pay
the said Corbin
40 a year.""
MARSHAL: Thomas Bilge.
Thomas Bilge,
the town fathers
have this day
removed you
from office
for habitual
drunkenness.
And have given
your charge and staff
to Miles Corbin.
Praise be.
Tomorrow,
l"ll just sit
on the fence
the livelong day
and spit at bumblebees.
Aye, that"s all
you"re good for, Bilge,
just spitting
at bumblebees.
(CLEARlNG THROAT)
(HOLLERlNG)
(CATTLE BELLOWlNG)
He"s welcome to them.
Those daft beasties
are bewitched.
They"ve worn me out
with their hollering
and bellowing and
running into the forest,
Iike things possessed.
And of what use
are they to men?
They give naught but milk.
To the stocks with ye.
And there
ye shall sit
and meditate
on your sins
till sundown,
Thomas Bilge.
Methinks
l"ll just sleep.
Six for Doctor John
and Martha,
six for Elder Goode,
six for the meeting house,
three for Jeremiah Adams.
Three? Oh, no.
No, Jeremiah spoke
for six this week.
Six candles for
a few lobsters?
Besides, how can
an old lobster-man
living alone
with never a gossip
in to see him,
burn so many candles
in a week?
Who knows?
A bright window may
bring him a gossip.
Oh, six for Jeremiah.
And a piece of cake.
Cake, indeed.
Let him bake his own.
Now, Aunt Ellen,
he hasn"t your
gift with the oven.
ELLEN: Did you wipe
your shoes, Timothy?
Yes, Mother.
Oh, cake for me?
Not till supper.
But l"m so hungry,
l"m weak.
Truly?
From your great
application to learning?
What did you learn
at school today?
Manners.
Speak not, sing not,
hum not, wiggle not,
spit only in a corner.
And very good
learning, too.
Now, wash your hands
and finish the candles.
But I dipped candles
last week.
And will again
this week.
Make haste while
the tallow is warm.
(GROANS)
Oh, dear, are you ill?
Shall I take you
to Doctor John"s
for some ipecac?
I"ll be home
by sundown.
There, the leech
has drawn the blood.
By moonrise
the swelling will be gone.
That didn"t hurt
very much now, did it?
No. I fear not
but ipecac.
Good day, John.
Barbara.
Good day, Barbara.
Oh, Jasper,
fighting again?
No, ma"am.
I fell from a tree,
an apple tree.
Next time, lad,
pick a tree your own size.
Now, be off with you.
You"d best keep
your good eye
open for the Elders.
You have a new
doctor"s book.
Mm-hmm.
But that"s not all
I brought from Boston.
(GASPS)
John, you brought it.
It will cost your aunt
but six shillings.
Oh.
It"s beautiful.
BARBARA: John, do you think
I should wear the bow
under the chin
or at the side?
JOHN: Well, the shopkeeper
said at the side.
BARBARA: The side.
Oh, Martha,
isn"t it lovely and gay?
Yes, very gay,
Barbara.
Too gay, you think?
Nonsense.
There"s enough wearing
of somber clothing here.
But if Elder Goode
sees it before
the Sabbath meeting,
he may forbid
the wearing.
Oh.
And l"m just on my way
to his house.
Why not leave it here?
May l?
Yes, of course.
Thank you.
I can see their faces
when I walk down
the aisle next Sabbath.
Thank you again, John.
(DOOR CLOSES)
Tituba, Abigail.
TlTUBA: And every month
in the dark of the moon,
the drums would beat,
and there"d be a rustle
like a great wind
and we"d hear them
screaming and laughing,
and we knew
they were all meeting
in the jungle.
Who, Tituba? Who?
TlTUBA: The spirits
of the bad ones.
And there"d be drinking
and feasting and dancing,
and suddenly a great
fire would shoot up,
and Obano himself
would appear.
Obano?
You calls him Satan.
Did you see him?
TlTUBA: Oh, no, missy.
Only a few ever seen him.
He come in fire and go
in a whirling of wings
like bats. Up, up.
And when morning come,
the trees in that jungle
would be dead
and the river would
be as red as blood.
Tituba. You tell
the most outlandish stories.
You never saw such things.
I"d see more than that
if I drank
the stuff she brews.
ABlGAlL: Quiet, Goody.
(GRUNTS)
You should have been
here sooner, Barbara.
Tituba told our fortunes.
I"m going to travel
and meet strange men.
MARY: And l"m going to
marry a man from Boston.
I"m to be a person
of importance.
I shall be
above everyone else
and everyone
shall listen to me.
See what she
tells you, Barbara.
ANN: Yes, tell Barbara"s
fortune, Tituba.
Will you?
Give me your hand, child.
I see a man, tall,
well-favored, dark hair.
Go on, Tituba. Go on.
I see no more.
Oh, please.
Tituba!
GOODE: Abigail, Tituba!
It"s Father.
Quickly! Quickly!
Idleness and gossip!
Abigail,
to your spinning wheel.
Tituba,
prepare the supper!
Howdy do, Elder.
Howdy do.
These are not
the same weight
as the others.
Nor are they
so strong of bayberry.
Your aunt had best
be more careful
if she expects a full measure
of my flax in return.
Yes, sir.
Tituba, you did go to
those feasts in the jungle,
didn"t you?
No, no, mistress! No!
But you did,
or you couldn"t know
so much about them.
Tell me more.
Not here. In my cabin,
where the master won"t know.
Jeremiah!
Barbara! I"d forgotten
you"d be here today!
Did you have
any luck?
None, child.
My traps are
as empty of lobsters
as the Elders" meetings
are of humor.
I"ll not be needing
any candles this week,
so you"d best run
along home, child.
So, you don"t
want candles
because you haven"t lobsters
enough to pay for them.
Nonsense! Come along.
Oh, but my cabin
is in disorder.
I"ve had no time
to clean.
Then l"ll do it
for you.
Barbara!
Barbara,
don"t go in!
That chair,
it was rocking.
The wind, perhaps.
Now, child, it"s late.
Your aunt will be worried.
What is it?
Am I not welcome today?
Always welcome.
Well, then,
fetch some water
while I get the broom.
Oh, but...
(SHRlEKS)
Glory be.
I heard your voice,
but I thought you mortal.
My nephew,
Roger Coverman,
from Virginia.
Mistress Barbara Clarke.
Glory be.
Good day to you, sir.
And to you, mistress.
My aunt will be worried.
Barbara, wait.
I must ask you,
not a word
about my visitor.
Nay, I cannot
tell you why.
Faith, but she must know.
These tatters,
this blood, this bandage.
But let me give you
the worst of it first.
I"m a fugitive, l"m a rebel,
l"m a traitor to the Crown.
Oh.
How interesting.
Ah, but wait!
You must let me
give you the best of it.
You see, "twas
a little matter of taxes,
and being a Virginian
and a patriot,
I resented it,
as did others.
The governor resented
our objections and
we replied with swords.
I warrant it was
a gallant fight.
Gallant?
Three hundred of them
against 2,000 soldiers,
and Roger with his
back against the wall,
holding off half a dozen.
Now, now, now,
Uncle, no matter
how magnificent
we were in defeat,
they beat us well,
put us to flight and
confiscated our lands.
But how came you here?
A friendly skipper
brought me
as far as Boston,
the rest of the way
on foot,
through your forests.
Hiding by day,
traveling by night.
With a price on his head
of 1,000.
Do you think it
worth it?
Oh, Roger,
be serious.
There"s scarce a man,
even in this colony,
who wouldn"t give
you up for that sum.
I cannot speak
for others.
As for myself,
I have not seen you.
Good day, sir.
She has not seen me?
What does she mean
by that?
A rebuke, no doubt.
Puritans of this colony
would hardly approve
your speech and manners.
If manners they be.
Oh! She"s forgotten
her basket.
Mistress!
Mistress Barbara,
you forgot your basket.
Oh, thank you, sir.
And I forgot the candles,
and this piece of cake
for Jeremiah.
When will you
come here again?
I bring candles
once each week.
Only once?
But l"m a great reader.
I read far into the night.
We shall have none
by sunrise tomorrow.
I must gather bayberries
before I can make more.
Bayberries?
Then let me help you.
I have an amazing
nose for bayberries.
I track them down
like a hound
upon the trail.
You might be seen.
I could not risk
so valuable a head.
Ah, "tis not my head
that"s in danger now.
Truly, when will l
see you again?
When I bring
more candles.
Uncle, you old miser
of speech.
Why did you not
tell me of her?
To think that
she should find me
like this.
I"m sorry she
found you at all.
What?
Would you ruin my life?
Ruin your life?
I"m trying to
save it, lad.
See that you do.
From now on,
it will be worth
the living.
A razor, a needle
and a bit of mending,
and l"ll soon be myself.
(SlNGlNG) Bid me to live,
and I will live
Thy protectant to be
Or bid me love...
Roger!
Anyone within half a mile
could hear you.
Well, they might ask me
to lead the psalm singing
next Sabbath.
Egad, that"s an idea.
She"d be there of course.
And I sorely need
the comforts of religion.
(SlNGlNG) Bid me to live,
and I will live
And the scripture saith
that Satan shall go
to and fro in the land,
and up and down in it,
as a roaring lion
walketh about,
seeking whom he may devour.
My brethren,
here in this new land,
that ancient prophecy
is being fulfilled.
Satan and his legions
are here.
The power of God
has driven him
from the old world
into this wilderness,
where the ignorant savages
were waiting to receive him.
Say you,
""What signs are there
of his presence?""
Where there is
sickness or hurt
or other grievous misery,
there he is.
I bid ye watch!
I bid ye fast!
And pray God to protect us
from the power of Satan.
(SlGHS)
Speaking of Satan,
I also bid ye beware
of the frivolity and
foolishness of women
that bedeck
themselves with ribbons,
curls and lace bonnets.
Thus causing the minds
of men to wander.
I tell you that a female
that will fritter away
her time,
trimming and tricking herself
out in such a fashion,
should be looked upon
as the mere gizzard
of a trifle.
The epitome of nothing
and a very apt prey
for the devil.
We will now sing Psalm 8.
Elder Cheeves
will set the tune.
(SlNGlNG) Oh, Lord,
our God in all the earth
How thy name wondrous great
Who hath thy glorious majesty
Above the heavens set
Out of the mouth
of suckling babes
Thy strength
thou didst ordain
That thou might
still the enemy
And them that thee disdain
(MOUTHlNG)
You, come with me...
(MOUTHlNG) No.
You, come with me...
A little lower placed
And hath with glory
crowned him
And comely majesty
Amen
Brethren,
before we disperse,
I have an announcement
to make.
One that gives me,
personally,
a feeling of great happiness
and satisfaction.
Elder Goode has
set next Wednesday
for the raising
of my new home,
which you, dear people,
have so kindly given me.
Remember, it is more blessed
to give than to receive.
So let no one forget to
bring his or her gift.
Good day,
Goodwife Nurse.
How are you, child?
Very well, thank you.
It"s good to see so
glowing a countenance,
even under a bonnet so...
So sinful.
I"ve asked Miles Corbin
to supper.
Wait and bring
him home with you.
(SHUSHlNG)
Oh, Miles!
(CLEARlNG THROAT)
Good day, Barbara.
Good day.
I"m ready, Miles.
Are you coming?
I cannot go
with you, Susy.
I"ve consented to sup
with the widow Clarke
and Barbara.
I should think
you"d wait for the man
Tituba promised you.
What did she
mean by that?
Oh, she"s just jealous.
Aye, and rightly so.
Mr. Parris.
I was much interested
in your sermon today,
for in Boston last week,
Mr. Cotton Mather told me
two women had
been arrested at
Cape Ann for witchcraft.
Satan"s instruments.
He promised to
keep me informed
of any further outbreak.
There are several here
who could bear questioning.
One, anyway.
Goody Hodgers?
Aye. A witch if
ever there was one.
The judges were
too lenient when she
was accused last year.
She deceived them
with lies.
BlLGE: Mr. Goode!
Mr. Parris!
Mr. Goode!
I saw him!
I saw him plain.
PARRlS: Saw whom?
The devil"s own person
in yonder forest.
Drunk again.
No, sir.
And on the Sabbath, too.
No, sir.
I been drinking,
but l"m not drunk now.
But l"m going to be.
I"d sooner see
snakes than devils.
Well, Deborah will
be waiting supper.
I"d best be going, too.
Good day, Mr. Parris.
I"ll go with you, Elder.
"Tis like jelly
I am with fright.
He came right at me!
(SCOFFS)
I tell you, I saw him.
I saw his horns
and his tail.
Have a care, Bilge,
or they"ll arrest you
like they did me.
Did you see him?
They said I did.
You better get
yourself a charm, Bilge.
A charm to keep him away.
Do you know a good one?
Indian beans are good,
worn round the neck.
Or a badger"s claw.
But the surest charm of all
is a necklace, 21 links,
each woven of seven hairs
freshly plucked from
the end of a dog"s tail.
(LAUGHlNG)
Seven hairs freshly plucked
from the end of a dog"s tail.
I"ve been thinking,
Barbara.
Yes?
It was you
Reverend Parris meant
when he rebuked your sex.
I fancy it was.
You"re a bold piece,
Barbara,
(CLEARlNG THROAT)
with your frippery.
What you have need of
is a man of character
to restrain ye.
It"s very kind of you
to concern yourself
about me, Miles.
I consider it my duty,
for when I marry,
l"m entitled by the colony
to take for myself
a fine piece
of bottom land
with a brook on it,
and I shall have
three horses,
six cows, 10 pigs.
Ten... That seems
an over abundance
of pigs.
Moreover, the Elders
think well of me.
The people in the village
listen when I talk.
One day
I shall be an Elder.
(LAUGHlNG) Oh, Miles.
You laugh too freely,
Barbara.
After marriage,
l"ll not brook
such frivolity.
Indeed.
The Elders have been
speaking of you and me
as a proper couple,
and my mother
is of a mind
that we should
be married soon.
Miles,
you sweep me
off my feet!
So, you make sport
of the Elders" suggestion?
Sport of me?
Well, l"ll not
be laughed at
through supper.
Oh, no, Miles!
Miles, I did not mean
to flout you.
Besides,
we have chicken
for supper.
You cannot induce me.
Susy Abbot"s
a right-thinking girl,
and the Abbots
always have chicken.
Miles.
(GROANS)
Oh, chicken.
Don"t touch.
Where"s Miles?
Aunt Ellen,
please forgive me,
but I made a jest.
And l"m afraid
he understood it.
Barbara!
And weighing
his pride against
your good chicken,
he decided
not to come.
Oh, Barbara!
You cannot refuse
every young swain
in the village.
It is your duty to marry
and have children,
to the glory of God
and the colony.
But would you
have me marry a man
who boasts only of
his fine bottom lands,
his three horses,
six cows, 10 pigs,
and treats me like
one of his livestock?
Oh, faith!
The man is a blockhead.
I cannot abide him
or his pigs!
But the chicken,
enough for a family of six.
Oh, yes, the chicken.
ROGER: Chicken. Ambrosia!
Food for the gods!
Mistress,
you"ve saved my life.
Sure I wouldn"t
be discourteous
to the lobsters
of Massachusetts,
but to have them
for breakfast,
dinner and supper.
Why, the very expression
of a lobster"s eye
brings to my mind
our red-faced Governor
of Virginia.
Hail to the colony, I say,
but confound the governor.
You"ll be confounded
yourself
if you don"t stay away
from the village.
As I nearly was today,
it was in the shadows
of the forest.
I came suddenly
upon a people-minded
villager,
and he held up
his finger so.
Whereupon,
I threw my cloak
over my head,
Ieaped behind a tree
and bellowed like a demon.
And how that villager ran.
He ran so fast,
his legs couldn"t
keep up with him,
so that he fell
and rose howling
and ran some more.
Isn"t it good to hear
a man laugh so freely?
Aye, we seldom
hear it in this place.
That"s your penance
for living among
these Puritans, Uncle.
Not meaning yourself,
mistress.
It"s true they"re not much
given to laughter, Roger.
And they"ve little cause.
"Tis a stern heritage
that has come down to them
through generations.
Yet, in spite of all that,
they conquered this land.
It took courage
to do that, my lad.
Listen to him,
a sermon in
everything he says.
But believe me, mistress,
he"s a rebel, too.
For in Virginia,
when they would
not let him
teach his ideas
of a kindly God,
he turned rebellious,
and now traps lobsters.
Your tongue"s
too loose, nephew.
And you burn
too many candles.
You"ll excuse me.
There, l"ve done it.
What?
Recalled the old days
to his mind.
He loved Virginia.
(SlGHlNG)
I don"t wonder.
From what you"ve told me,
it must be very gay.
We make it gay.
We"ve a saying there,
""When danger lurks
around the corner,
""you must dance
the safe moments away.""
Dance?
That"s not
a Puritan custom,
I warrant.
Oh, no.
Have you never danced?
The cotillion,
the gavotte?
The very names
sounds frivolous.
The Gavotte"s my favorite.
I"ll teach it to you.
No, no, no, no,
it would not be
fitting for me.
It"s the most
proper dance,
I assure you.
This is the manner of it.
(HUMMlNG)
Ah, faith, but you must
smile when you dance.
One, two,
slowly curtsy.
ELLEN: Now, the first one.
TlMOTHY: I was. You was.
You were.
Were.
He was.
You was.
Were.
Were.
I say.
You says.
ELLEN: Timothy,
I fear you will
never be a scholar.
TlMOTHY: May I go to bed,
Mother?
Yes.
What are you doing?
Dancing.
Dancing?
What are you bowing for?
That"s a curtsy
to my partner,
a very handsome
young man.
I don"t see any man.
You"re not supposed to.
Mother!
She said
she"s dancing with
a handsome young man.
Get along to bed
with you. Go on.
Aw...
Barbara, you do say
the most foolish things.
Dancing?
And you supposedly
a God-fearing girl.
I"m sorry, Aunt Ellen.
Does no good to be
sorry after the deed.
Besides, tomorrow
is the house-raising.
You"d better get your sleep.
There"ll be plenty to do.
Yes, Aunt Ellen.
(SLURRlNG) Here, doggy.
Nice, doggy.
Here, here, here.
Here, doggy. Doggy!
(DOG YELPlNG)
All safe. Jump.
(BOTH LAUGHlNG)
This way.
(BARBARA EXCLAlMlNG)
ROGER: Here we go.
(BOTH LAUGHlNG)
"Tis an avalanche we are.
Did you hurt yourself?
I"m shaken to pieces.
What did you expect?
How was I to
know the ground
would give way
and upset
your Puritan dignity?
Oh.
Well, l"m fast learning
how it feels to be
a fugitive.
Hiding in trees,
tumbling down hills.
Like a very mountebank.
Before long,
l"ll have you as
cunning as a fox,
swift as a deer,
leaping from hill to hill.
Oh, Roger!
Methinks the whole
pattern of my life
has changed
since l"ve known you.
Aye, and I can"t say
l"m proud of it.
"Tis a sneaking
feeling I get,
dodging and hiding
about like a badger
in his hole.
Must it always be
like that for you?
Well, I suppose
I could send a petition
to Their Majesties.
Could you?
To King William
and Queen Mary?
What would you say?
Well, now, that takes
a bit of thinking.
I fancy l"d try to
appeal to the human side.
Now, if I were
talking to the King,
man to man,
I"d say, ""William,
can"t you and I come
""to a fair and square
understanding?
""You see, there"s
a young lady in the case.
""l"d like to see her
in proper fashion,
to meet her family.
""But how in conscience
can I do it
""with your governors
chasing me all over
the colonies?""
""Now, just put yourself
in my place, William.
""Supposing you were
chased out of London
""and had to hide at Dover,
by the sea.
""You"d miss your Mary,
wouldn"t you?
Of course you would.
""Well, it"s the same
with me, but worse.
""For, mind you,
though l"m not saying
a word against your Mary.
""The young lady
I have in my mind
is the most fascinating,
""twinkling, dark-eyed maid
that ever took an honest
man"s breath away.""
Now, whisper,
what would you say to that?
I"d say...
I"d say I had to
gather herbs and
get to the house-raising.
But that"s not
what l"ve been asking.
I must hasten.
Now, men, get ready.
Take hold!
One, two, three!
"Tis the best raising
we"ve had, Rebecca.
Well, I want to know.
Barbara and Doctor John.
The whole village working,
and we"re the only idlers.
A choice bit of gossip
for Mrs. Cheeves.
Her day would be spoiled
if she did not have
something to babble of.
John.
Don"t say you found me
on the shore road.
Why not?
Because...
ELLEN: Barbara!
I"m sorry l"m late,
Aunt Ellen,
but the herbs
were scarce
and hard to find.
"Tis a poor excuse,
Barbara.
You must have been
daydreaming again.
Of a certain tall,
well-favored man,
I warrant.
ELLEN: Why,
what do you mean?
That was Tituba"s
prophecy for her.
A dark,
handsome young man.
SUSY: A dark young man?
Well, it certainly
couldn"t be Miles.
Well, Martha...
What kept you
so long, John?
I had to stop
by Goody Dobbs.
I didn"t know
she was ailing.
(LAUGHlNG) She isn"t,
but her cow is.
Is that where
you found Barbara?
Oh, no, no, she was
hurrying along the...
(STAMMERS) In the forest.
MAN: Ready for
the door, John.
Coming! Coming!
Mr. Parris,
my little contribution.
Oh, thank you.
Thank you very much.
It"s all right.
Look, it will be
finished by sundown.
Splendid.
Even to the shelves
for your books.
Ooh. That reminds me.
You promised to lend me
Cotton Mather"s book
on witchcraft.
Did you bring it?
No. I can"t lay
my hands on it.
I"ve searched the house.
It"s disappeared.
""Sometimes they
would be deaf,
""sometimes dumb
and sometimes blind,
""then their tongues would be
drawn down their throats,
""then they would be
pulled out on their chins
to a prodigious length.
""They would make
the most piteous outcries.
""They were scratched,
they were pinched
and tormented,
""all of which they said
was the work of women
who bewitched them.
""Sometimes the children
were shaken with a fit.""
I don"t want
to be pinched
and tormented.
Quiet! I"m only
telling you
what"s in a book.
It must have
been dreadful.
Did those children die?
No. They were
the talk of the colony.
Cotton Mather
even took one of them
to live in his
great house in Boston.
The whole town
came to see her
and prayed over her.
The whole town?
Oh, my.
Yes. Just like
they pray over a queen
or somebody great.
I"d like that.
So would l.
I don"t want anybody
to bewitch me.
Will you keep still?
What else did they do?
Go on,
read some more.
All right.
(BELL TOLLlNG)
Dinner!
Don"t you tell!
No.
Wait for me!
Wait for me!
(MERCY SOBBlNG)
Ann, go back there
and help Mercy.
Oh, let her help herself!
I"m not her mother!
Ann!
There, there.
Oh, Mercy!
Mercy, don"t cry.
Barbara"s here.
Yes. There, there.
Ann is such a naughty girl,
but we don"t care. No.
Now,
what shall we do?
Shall we make a puppet?
Yes, please, Barbara.
Yes, that"s what we"ll do.
Now, watch.
And we"ll make it
to look just like
Barbara, shall we?
Look. Now, we"ll take
a piece of string...
Mary, have you seen Mercy?
I think she"s
in the saw pit,
Mrs. Cheeves.
Susy, will you
tend to this for me?
I"ll be back
in a minute.
(LAUGHlNG) I think
she"s very funny.
She looks just
like me, doesn"t she?
What are you doing?
Come here.
(SOBBlNG)
And stop that crying
or l"ll give you
a good whipping.
Drop that, child.
Children wait till
their elders are served.
I don"t have to wait.
What"s this?
Why, this is what
the master was looking for.
Give it back
this minute.
No, no, not to you.
Master Goode, sir.
She took it.
No, no, master.
It fell from her bonnet.
She...
Go to the house.
I"ll attend to you later.
But, Father...
At once!
I haven"t had
a drink all day.
Bilge.
It is all right,
Marshal,
I know me way
to the stocks.
And see that
you go straight.
(GRUNTS)
As straight as me
legs"ll carry me.
(SPANKlNG)
ANN: No, Father. No!
(ANN SOBBlNG)
GOODE: Now,
get into your bed
and stay there.
(ANN CONTlNUES SOBBlNG)
Don"t, Ann.
Don"t cry.
I hate him!
I hate him.
I hate Tituba!
Oh, I could kill her
for telling him!
Don"t, Ann, don"t!
You look like
you"re bewitched!
Do l?
Did I really frighten you?
Yes. You look awful.
Mistress,
the master...
He doesn"t know.
Is that the potion you
were telling me about?
Yes, the juice of
herbs and flowers,
Iike I used to make
in my country.
Will it take you to
the witches" feast?
Can you truly go there?
My spirit can.
Could I go there
if I drank your potion?
No, no, mistress.
It wouldn"t be
right for you.
Why not?
Your husband,
Master Goode.
He won"t know.
Tituba, you must help me.
I can"t go on like this.
I want the things
you promised me.
Laughter, dancing,
happiness.
You promised me
happiness would
come to me.
I want it now.
I want to live
before the years close in.
I"m afraid!
I"m afraid, mistress.
No, l"m afraid.
Tituba, I may not have need
for this old cloak.
It would keep you
warm this winter.
Well, will you
give it to me now?
Will you?
Yes, I will.
Yes, I will. Yes.
You will drink this
at an open window
in the dark of the moon.
Elder.
Why, Mr. Morse.
What brings you
so far afield?
Is anything amiss?
I come from Cape Ann
with evil tidings.
Come in. Come in.
GOODE: Of course
you"ll stay the night.
MORSE: Thank you, I will.
Good evening, mistress.
Good evening.
Abigail, Mr. Morse
is staying the night.
Prepare a bed for him.
Yes, Nathaniel.
Sit ye down and rest.
Rest? I cannot rest.
Neither will anyone
else in this village
when they hear
what I have to say.
Deborah.
Martha, something"s amiss.
Yes.
(PEOPLE CHATTERlNG)
My good people,
Mr. Morse has ridden
from Cape Ann
with grave tidings
for us all.
Hear him.
People of Salem Village,
we are in great danger.
The power of evil
is upon us.
Strange apparitions
have been seen
in the forests.
The people of Cape Ann
have barricaded
themselves in their homes.
The Elders have
seized women
who have confessed
to being witches.
(ALL GASPlNG)
Others have been
taken at Boston.
The evil is
spreading among us.
Beware of those in
secret league with Satan.
Satan, who is fighting
to destroy our faith in God.
We know how he works
with such men and women
who have given
their souls to him,
sending his spirit
into them
with power to harm
and destroy others.
Power to bring sickness
and blight upon us.
Children have been bewitched,
their minds tormented,
their bodies twisted.
No one is safe.
So watch your neighbor.
Watch one another,
even those of
your own household.
For those we least suspect
may be the devil"s servants
wearing the false
cloak of godliness.
(WlND BLOWlNG)
The scriptures say,
""Thou shalt not
suffer a witch to live.
""And if any man or woman
consulteth with
a familiar spirit,
(RAlN PATTERlNG)
""they shall be
put to death!""
So, death to them,
or we ourselves
will be destroyed.
Death to the servants
of darkness.
(THUNDER RUMBLlNG)
(WlND HOWLlNG)
(SOBBlNG)
Barbara!
It"s monstrous,
coming here
and spreading terror
through the whole village.
I tell you,
it"s monstrous.
But there must
be reason to fear.
But to threaten death,
to burn and to hang.
I"ve never believed
in witchcraft.
There"s been
no real proof of it.
(BANGlNG ON DOOR)
MR. CHEEVES: Dr. John!
Come. Come quickly.
Little Ann Goode
is afflicted.
What ails the child?
We don"t know,
but she"s in
great torment.
I"ll come with you, John,
I may be able to help.
Yes. Hurry.
(SOBBlNG)
They"re hurting me.
They"re hurting me again.
Ann. Ann, who hurt you?
Thank heaven
you"ve come, Doctor.
Ann. Ann. Ann.
Oh, they"re choking me.
Oh, they"re torturing me.
Ann! Ann, child, quiet.
I can"t!
This is Dr. John.
Tell me,
what hurts you?
Everything.
Everything.
(GROANlNG)
Ann. Ann.
I see them by Nabby.
They"re after her, too.
Abigail. Abigail?
Yes, where is
her mother?
I"ll get her.
(SCREAMlNG)
Ann, my child.
Abigail. Abigail...
Abigail.
No. No.
They"re drinking wine,
red as blood.
(PEOPLE CHATTERlNG)
MAN: How can they stand it?
WOMAN:
Poor little things.
Who could be
doing this?
If we only knew,
we"d make short
work of them.
Poor little souls.
They"ve been
suffering all night.
(ANN SCREAMlNG)
Has anyone found out
what"s hurting them?
No.
Mr. Morse is still
questioning them.
(NABBY GROANlNG)
(GROANlNG)
Quiet, dear, quiet.
(SOBBlNG)
I can find nothing
physically wrong
with them.
Because they"re
beyond your skill,
Doctor.
I know the signs
of bewitchment.
Bewitchment.
We want to help you,
others may be harmed.
If someone is hurting you,
we must know who it is.
It"s clearer. Clearer.
I see. Don"t. Don"t.
Don"t let her hurt me.
Don"t...
I do see! I do see!
Don"t let her hurt me!
Don"t let her hurt me.
You mean Tituba?
Yes.
Don"t let her get away.
Catch her.
Tell the others.
Quick.
It"s Tituba.
ALL: Tituba?
Aye. They"ve cried
out against Tituba!
(ALL CLAMORlNG)
Get back there.
They"ll see you.
Will...
Will they hurt her much?
No. She"s only a slave.
I... I"m afraid!
Well, you don"t have to be.
Now, get back there quick,
and lie down.
(OVERLAPPlNG CHATTER)
And then they took
the poor creature to
Salem Town for a hearing.
But how can they
believe that
people become devils
all of a sudden?
There"s no reason to it.
There never is any reason
when fear strikes.
Roger,
if that slave confesses,
which she may do
under their form
of questioning,
madness will sweep
the whole village.
It"s hard
to explain, lad,
but l"ve seen it
happen in England.
Then no one is safe?
No one.
Even to defend
a person accused
arouses suspicion.
That"s why I fear
for Barbara.
Barbara?
Today she tried
to protect Tituba.
I warned her, but...
What are you going to do?
Do? What would
you have me do, after
what you"ve told me?
I must get her
away from here.
But think of yourself,
you mustn"t be seen.
It will do you
no good to lie.
Now tell us,
why did you bewitch
those children?
I didn"t. I didn"t.
We"ve been patient
long enough. Confess.
But I don"t know
nothing about it.
You said you did.
You said you knew Satan,
that you saw him.
But, master,
I just made up tales
to please them.
I meant no harm.
This woman is a witch.
I"ve proof of it.
She bewitched my wife.
SEWALL: Your wife?
You"re the first to know.
My wife told me that
last night this woman
forced her to take
a magical potion.
But she made me
give it to her.
GOODE: You lie.
My wife spoke
while she was
under bewitchment.
You took her there.
I didn"t. I didn"t.
Did you give her
the potion?
You must answer.
Yes, master.
But it was only
the juice of the flowers
to make her sleep.
Confess your witchcraft.
But, master,
you"ll hang me.
No, no.
Not if you confess.
That will prove
your repentance
and save your life.
You mean,
if I say l"m a witch,
that"s repentance?
SEWALL: Yes.
And you won"t put
a rope around my neck?
You won"t hang me?
LAUGHTON: No, no,
you"ll live.
MORSE: Confess!
I confess. Yes.
Yes, I confess.
You"re in league
with the devil.
Yes, yes.
You"ve seen him.
Yes, often, often.
It was you
who hurt the children?
Yes. I hurt the children.
But I didn"t
mean to hurt them.
They made me.
The others made me.
They hurt the...
Others?
TlTUBA: Yes.
There was many others.
Do you know
who they are?
Yes.
Now, let me go.
Let me go.
MORSE: Tell us their names.
Oh, let me go.
MORSE: Tell us their names!
It was Goody Hodgers
and...
Giles Cory,
Charles Patton and...
(BELL TOLLlNG)
Halt!
What is this?
Tituba has confessed.
And has cried out
against others.
Who are named?
Giles Cory,
Goody Hodgers,
and many others.
John. John.
Giles Cory.
Are they mad?
We cannot
let this go on.
There"s nothing
we can do.
There must be.
If you won"t, l...
Barbara.
Come to the house.
Why?
Come into the house.
Well, what is this?
Barbara, you must not
speak nor defend
anyone accused.
But why?
Believe me, dear,
it"s dangerous.
Ellen is right.
Why do you both look
at me so strangely?
Because we fear
for you.
Fear for me?
Ellen, tell her.
Barbara, you"ve never
known about your mother,
how she died.
Why, yes.
She died in England
of grief,
when my father
was lost at sea.
Not of grief.
A woman hated her.
She whispered
that your mother,
by witchcraft,
had caused
your father"s death.
She was accused
of witchcraft?
JOHN: Convicted and...
ELLEN:
We had to tell you, dear,
because of the danger.
If this were known,
suspicion might
point to you.
You see, Barbara,
why you must
keep silent?
Do... Do others know?
Only Martha.
Martha?
You know we came
from the same town
in England.
But I have her
promise not to tell.
(SOBBlNG) God have pity.
God have pity.
What a heavy secret
for you to carry
all this while.
Now, go up to bed,
please. You need rest.
You will be careful?
Yes.
I wish we could have
kept this from you.
No.
John, they want you
at the meeting house.
Oh, yes.
I"ll come at once.
Good night, Barbara.
TlMOTHY: Barbara.
Why aren"t you asleep?
What were all those
people doing outside?
Never mind.
Now, go to sleep.
I know.
It"s because of Satan.
I heard Mrs. Cheeves
say so.
(SlGHlNG)
That"s just her way
of making you
be a good boy.
Oh, then I can go out
tomorrow and play?
No, no.
The Elders want all
children to stay in
for a few days.
But I want to go out.
Oh, Timothy,
please go to sleep.
(SOBBlNG)
(WlNDOW PANE TlNKLlNG)
(GASPS)
Why, you"re trembling.
Oh, hold me close.
There, there.
I know what has happened.
Jeremiah has told me.
That"s why
l"ve come here.
I have a plan
to take you away.
Away?
Of course.
I could not let you
stay here now.
But... But, Roger,
to leave here,
and leave Aunt Ellen.
You love me, don"t you?
Oh, Roger.
Then you must trust me.
But where could we go?
There are many countries
not under British rule.
I"m going to Boston
to find a ship that
will give us passage.
Jeremiah goes with me.
When all is arranged,
he"ll come and
bring you to me.
No, l"m afraid.
Afraid? With me?
Oh, no, for you.
You may be seen.
If you were taken,
I might never
see you again.
I"ll be a very
shadow for your sake.
I"ll travel only by night.
Now, think of this
while l"m gone,
that soon
we"ll be together,
without hiding,
without secrecy.
You"ll be my wife.
Oh, my dearest.
(JEREMlAH WHlSTLlNG)
That"s Jeremiah.
Someone must be
on the road.
I must go now.
Goodbye.
Oh, no, Roger.
Roger.
Oh.
Oh, Timothy.
What are you
doing out of bed?
Who were you with?
What?
I saw you.
You were with a man.
Oh, nonsense,
you must have
been dreaming
or perhaps you saw
the shadow of a tree.
No, it wasn"t a tree.
Now, may I go out
and play tomorrow?
No.
Very well, then.
I"ll tell Mother
and Elder Goode
you were with a man.
Timothy. Timothy.
I tell you I was
with no man.
Mother!
You mustn"t do that.
Why are you
so frightened?
Look, Timmy.
I was with someone,
but if it were known
it would make trouble.
You wouldn"t want to
make trouble for me,
would you?
No.
Well, then,
will you promise me
you won"t tell anyone?
Can I go out
and play tomorrow?
If you promise.
I"d best go in alone.
Bide here, lad.
A tankard of ale,
if you please.
Aye, aye, sir.
The harbor seems
well filled.
Aye, shipping be good.
Sea trade brisk.
Boston port be growing.
What craft are in?
Well, let"s see,
there"s the Pirateer,
the Charles Hope,
the Seraphim...
The Seraphim?
From Virginia?
Aye.
I know her well.
Who"s her skipper?
Captain Edwards.
He was here
but a moment ago.
Edwards?
I must give him a hail.
Where"s the Seraphim
lying?
At the foot of Fort Street.
Sailing at flood tide.
Thank ye.
FlRST MATE: Ho, there.
What do you want?
Is the captain aboard?
CAPTAlN: Aye.
But all hands signed,
if that"s what you"re asking.
Well, not exactly,
Captain Edwards.
This is somewhat of
a personal nature.
Why, Mr. Coverman,
I didn"t recognize
you in this...
Oh.
Come below,
come below.
Come in.
Sat thee down,
sat thee down.
Thank ye.
I see you have
a new mate.
Aye, a lusty lad.
I never thought to
see you again, sir.
I"ve been with
my uncle here.
Jeremiah Adams,
Captain Edwards.
And I wanted to
thank you, Captain,
for what you did
for Roger.
I might not have
shipped the lad
so safely
had I known
the price on his head.
That was your loss,
Captain.
Little did you think
I was worth the price
of a new ship to you.
That I didn"t,
that I didn"t.
But l"m satisfied to
find you a free man.
Aye, but would I be
in Virginia?
No, lad.
Although there"s rumor
of a new governor
coming from England.
A new governor?
Aye.
But they"re still hanging
every rebel they catch.
I feared as much.
That"s why we
sought you out.
Captain, "tis urgent
that I get away from here
to some foreign port.
Foreign port, eh?
As to that, the French
are none too friendly.
But there"s Florida.
That"s under Spanish rule.
Are there
Spanish ships in port?
There must be.
I heard a parrot
swearing in Spanish
at the tavern.
It"ll take
no time to find out.
Then let"s lose none.
Aye, but you"re
forgetting the rum.
I give you
Their Majesties.
Their Majesties.
Their Majesties.
Watch your head
when you come up.
Watch your head.
There.
Steady there.
What"s afoot?
Sir, that man"s a rebel.
He"s wanted for
treason in Virginia,
and we demand
his arrest.
You demand.
Yeah.
Aboard my ship?
Yeah.
Go forward.
Seize him, men.
Well, as for you, sir.
FlRST MATE: Steady, lads,
take him alive.
Save yourself, Uncle!
Get back to Barbara!
FlRST MATE: Seize him.
You devils.
"Tis likely we"ve
saved you trouble, sir.
Go mighty hard with ye,
harboring a rebel
against the Crown.
Bring him forward.
1,000 worth of cargo.
And the reward will be
divided among us all.
SAlLOR: Well,
this one"s done for.
Come on.
Over the side with him.
We"ll be at sea
when he wakes up.
(MOB SHOUTlNG)
(lNDlSTlNCT)
Let it be understood
that this is but a hearing,
not a trial.
I call Ezra Cheeves.
Now tell us, how did
the prisoner harm you?
In many ways, sir.
I mind well the evening,
two weeks ago,
she came down
through her meadow
and stood at the fence,
looking at my cattle.
In the morning,
my cows had gone dry.
(PEOPLE MURMURlNG)
Then you believe
she bewitched them?
Aye, sir.
And myself, too.
For that night,
I did have grievous
pains in my left side,
so grievous,
I could not sleep.
What have you
to say to all this?
I have not harmed him
nor his cattle.
I have not left my house
for the past fortnight.
I have been ill.
Then it was her
apparition I saw.
I saw your witch"s face.
You cast a spell on me.
It"s true.
She cast a spell on me.
She told me at
the house-raising
that I would
never be happy,
that evil would
come to me.
And it did.
My children were stricken.
I was made ill.
How could she
foretell what would
happen to me if
she isn"t a witch?
(SOBBlNG)
(GAVEL POUNDlNG)
But...
But what I said was counsel,
meant only for her good.
MORSE: Enough.
Was it like this
when my mother was...
(SHUSHlNG) Child.
On the evidence presented
against Goodwife Nurse,
we order her removed
to Their Majesties"
jail at Salem,
there to await trial
for witchcraft.
No. No.
How can you do
such a thing to
this saintly woman?
I"ve known her
from my childhood.
She has done naught
but good all her life.
MORSE: Silence.
You all know
I speak the truth.
There"s not one of you
but has had some token
of her kindness.
What right have you
to speak?
This wench has
no place here.
I have as much as you,
Mr. Cheeves.
I beg you, sirs,
do not send Rebecca
Nurse to her death
on the testimony
of a man who tried
to steal her land
and did not succeed.
He says his cows went dry.
Who knows but it
was time for them
to go dry?
He says he has pains
in his side.
Is it so strange
for an old man
who loves his cider
to have pains?
And you call
this witchcraft.
MORSE: You defy this court?
But this is a matter
of life and death.
You hear only the accusers.
Why not examine them?
Find out if
they"re lying,
or if their minds
are deranged.
Only a witch
defends a witch,
and I know her for one.
Ask Timothy Clarke
what he told my daughter.
Ask him.
(ANN SOBBlNG)
MORSE: Bring the lad forward.
What did you tell?
I didn"t tell anything.
He did.
Speak up, lad.
I only told Ann that
one night I looked
from my window
and saw Barbara go out
to the bridge and meet...
Timothy. You promised.
MORSE: Go on.
And meet someone
in the shadows,
tall and black.
He... He put his arms
around her.
MORSE: You mean it was a man?
It looked like a man,
but when I asked Barbara,
she said it wasn"t.
She said she was
with someone,
but she was with no man.
MORSE: She said
she was with no man?
TlMOTHY: Yes. And...
And she made me promise
not to tell what I saw.
Witch.
Witch.
Oh, no. I can explain.
I was with...
(WOMAN SCREAMlNG)
MORSE: Satan.
Guard.
Guard.
Well, sir?
Where are my friends?
Why haven"t they
come to see me?
Governor"s orders, sir.
Prisoners condemned
for treason
can see no one.
But can"t I see
my friend Mr. Denham?
I have a message
I must send north
to the Massachusetts
Bay Colony.
I"m sorry, sir.
There"s nothing
I can do.
(PEOPLE SHOUTlNG)
(DOGS BARKlNG)
Hold.
What"s beyond?
Black swamp
for miles.
There"s no use
going on.
The dogs could
not trail, sir.
Could Mr. Coverman
get through,
do you think?
SOLDlER: No man could
live in there.
Ironical, isn"t it,
Denham,
that this should
happen on the day
that the new governor
arrived with his pardon?
(PEOPLE SHOUTlNG)
(DOOR UNLOCKlNG)
Oh...
Oh, John. John.
I cannot believe
it"s really you.
It"s been so long
since l"ve seen anyone.
I know. I know.
I tried every way.
They wouldn"t let me
come here until today.
But why?
Barbara Clarke,
you are ordered to
appear before the court.
(BELL TOLLlNG)
(PEOPLE CHATTERlNG)
MAN: Here come the judges.
SOLDlER: Halt.
Forward face.
Barbara Clarke,
you are hereby
indicted and arraigned
on charges of practicing
the detestable arts
of witchcraft,
to the grievous harm
and the endangerment
of the colony.
You have persistently
denied these charges.
Now, if you expect
mercy of God, confess.
I have nothing to confess.
LAUGHTON: Then you deny
that you have been snared
into witchcraft?
I deny there is such
a thing as witchcraft.
(PEOPLE GASPlNG)
Blasphemy.
Why waste time
trying her?
I am sworn to
administer justice,
Mr. Morse.
The trial will proceed.
Timothy Clarke.
Come forward.
Timothy,
you have stated that
on a certain night
you saw the accused
in the arms of
a cloaked figure?
Yes, sir.
And when she said
it was no man,
you believed it
was Satan himself?
Answer.
Yes, sir.
But the child did not
say that at the hearing.
No, sir.
The thought has
since been put
into his mind.
Silence. Under the law,
you may not speak
without leave.
LAUGHTON: You have said that
you saw her in her room
at night, dancing alone.
Yes, sir.
LAUGHTON: And when you
questioned her, she said?
She...
She said she was dancing
with a handsome young man.
But... But I wasn"t
supposed to see him.
And have you anything
to say to that?
I was but jesting,
pretending. No more.
LAUGHTON: And who were you
pretending to dance with?
The man Timothy
saw at the bridge.
The man I have
already told you of.
The man you all refuse
to believe exists.
May I question Timothy?
You may question.
Timothy, that night,
you really thought it
was a man, didn"t you?
TlMOTHY: Yes.
Well, it was.
Now think.
Try hard to remember.
That man wore
a feather in his hat,
a dark cloak, a long sword.
Strange clothes that
you had never seen before.
Couldn"t that
have made you think
that he was not real?
Yes.
LAUGHTON: Enough.
Timothy, you may go.
Barbara Clarke,
you"ve told
a strange story.
If there were
such a man
as you now claim,
why didn"t you
tell about him
in the beginning?
Because I believed Timothy
had seen his face
and could describe him.
SEWALL: Why shouldn"t
he describe him?
Because he was
in hiding here,
a political refugee.
LAUGHTON: An artful tale.
SEWALL: Is he in hiding still?
He must be,
or he would come to me now.
Is he known
to anyone here?
What is his name?
Can you tell us
anything about him?
(SOBBlNG) I cannot.
I cannot betray him.
Do we need any
further evidence?
I think we do.
So far,
it has not been proven
that the accused
has brought harm
to anyone as charged.
But she has.
She"s brought harm
to one Mercy Cheeves.
Call Mercy Cheeves.
Mercy Cheeves.
Now tell us,
how did the prisoner
harm your child?
She has bewitched her, sirs.
She gave her a puppet.
From that day
she has been ailing
until we fear
for her life.
LAUGHTON: Is that the puppet?
Yes.
LAUGHTON: Let me see it.
(SOBBlNG) Don"t.
Please don"t take it.
(SHUSHlNG)
She cries this way
whenever it is
taken from her.
Child, who has
bewitched you?
(MERCY SOBBlNG)
Barbara. Barbara.
Don"t let them hurt me.
Let me go.
Let me go.
Let the child go
to the prisoner.
There, there, Mercy,
don"t cry.
No one is
going to hurt you.
Barbara won"t let them.
Why don"t you
come home with me?
I will, dear, soon.
No. Come now.
What"s these?
That... That"s just
a silly game
we"re playing.
They took my puppet.
I know,
but her dress
was all dirty.
Now, if you
leave her here,
I"ll make her
a nice new one.
A red one?
Yes.
Yes, a red one.
Now, be a good girl
and go to your mother,
will you?
Go, Mercy.
(SOBBlNG)
Take the child out.
ALL: She"s a witch.
She"s a witch.
GOODE: Of course
she"s a witch.
You have condemned yourself.
Now tell us,
what power have you
over that child?
Can you not see
for yourselves?
It"s something that
poor child has never had
from its father and mother,
kindness and love.
Things that seem
to have been forgotten
hereabouts.
Is it so strange
that she should turn to
someone who shows
her a little kindness,
and yet the evidence
of such you call evil?
Don"t, don"t let this
blindness lead us
again to murder!
There"s been enough of it.
Isn"t it plain that
she"s telling the truth?
That she"s shielding someone,
someone she cares for?
I know because...
John. No, no, John.
Please do not
listen to him.
She"s bewitched him,
too.
Martha!
She"s of evil blood,
born into witchcraft.
Don"t, Martha! Don"t!
Her mother was
burned as a witch
in England.
(PEOPLE SHOUTlNG)
(GAVEL POUNDlNG)
What proof
have you of this?
Ask her own aunt,
Ellen Clarke.
LAUGHTON: Call Ellen Clarke.
You have heard
the accusation.
Is it true?
Answer.
Was the prisoner"s mother
burned as a witch?
Yes.
But many innocent people
were called witches.
Was she pronounced a witch
by a God-fearing
English court?
Answer.
Oh, stop it. Stop it.
Isn"t it enough that
you"re torturing me?
Yes, my mother was
accused of being a witch.
She was burned as one.
But does that
prove she was guilty
any more than I am,
or the others
you have condemned?
We"re not tried by justice,
but by fear and ignorance.
MORSE: "Tis the devil
speaking.
There is no power of evil
such as you believe.
Blasphemy.
Why don"t you confess?
I will not confess a lie,
nor deny God to save my life.
I do confess pity for you.
You who have been
given the power to save
and send righteous people
to their death.
I don"t ask mercy of you,
but only pray God
for your awakening.
She"s innocent.
(ALL SHOUTlNG)
Oh, good day, lad.
You"re Timothy,
I warrant.
Will you tell
your cousin Barbara
l"m here?
Barbara? She... She...
What is it, lad?
Speak up.
Mother.
Barbara,
will you not confess
and save your life?
Then may He have
mercy on your soul.
ROGER: Hold.
MAN: Who is he?
Hold.
Hold. Hold.
"Tis murder you"re doing.
By what authority
do you interfere?
Arrest him!
Take him away.
Wait, wait.
Wait. Wait.
Wait. Hold.
At least let us hear
what he has to say.
Who are you, sir?
I am Roger Coverman.
I"m the one that
girl"s been protecting.
The one you poor fools
thought was Satan.
Well, look at me.
Am I not flesh and blood?
Aye. Now that I look well,
"twas you.
"Twas you that made me think
I saw the devil himself.
Now are you convinced?
But what of the other
charges against her?
Have you not
heard enough?
Will you be satisfied
only with this girl"s death,
when before your very eyes
the principal charge
against her has
been proven false?
What of the others
who were hanged here?
What if they
were innocent, too?
ROGER: Barbara.
Barbara.
Ann, come here.
Father.
Please.
Please, Father. Please.
Please forgive me, Father.
Forgive me.
(SOBBlNG)
I"m sorry.
Oh, merciful God,
forgive.
The child confessed
that it was spite
that made her accuse
the slave Tituba.
You see,
she didn"t realize
what great harm
might come from it.
We... We made
a thorough
investigation.
We now believe that
all the other accusations
sprang from
either fear or malice.
Now, as one of
Their Majesties" judges,
I beg Your Excellency
to sign.
Although this abolishes trial
for witchcraft in this colony,
it in no way atones
for the past.
We must do
everything in our power
to safeguard the future.
First, it is my order
that the tree on
Gallows Hill be destroyed.
Hear ye! Hear ye! Hear ye!
Contracts approved
at town meeting this day.
""It is agreed
with Miles Corbin
""to be herder of cows
for Salem Village
""in place of Thomas Bilge,
whose habitual inebriation
""renders it needful to
divest him of office.
""The said Miles Corbin
shall drive
""the milk cattle to
the common pasture,
""and bring his charges
home before sundown.
""ln consideration whereof,
the farmers of Salem
Village have this day
""agreed to pay
the said Corbin
40 a year.""
MARSHAL: Thomas Bilge.
Thomas Bilge,
the town fathers
have this day
removed you
from office
for habitual
drunkenness.
And have given
your charge and staff
to Miles Corbin.
Praise be.
Tomorrow,
l"ll just sit
on the fence
the livelong day
and spit at bumblebees.
Aye, that"s all
you"re good for, Bilge,
just spitting
at bumblebees.
(CLEARlNG THROAT)
(HOLLERlNG)
(CATTLE BELLOWlNG)
He"s welcome to them.
Those daft beasties
are bewitched.
They"ve worn me out
with their hollering
and bellowing and
running into the forest,
Iike things possessed.
And of what use
are they to men?
They give naught but milk.
To the stocks with ye.
And there
ye shall sit
and meditate
on your sins
till sundown,
Thomas Bilge.
Methinks
l"ll just sleep.
Six for Doctor John
and Martha,
six for Elder Goode,
six for the meeting house,
three for Jeremiah Adams.
Three? Oh, no.
No, Jeremiah spoke
for six this week.
Six candles for
a few lobsters?
Besides, how can
an old lobster-man
living alone
with never a gossip
in to see him,
burn so many candles
in a week?
Who knows?
A bright window may
bring him a gossip.
Oh, six for Jeremiah.
And a piece of cake.
Cake, indeed.
Let him bake his own.
Now, Aunt Ellen,
he hasn"t your
gift with the oven.
ELLEN: Did you wipe
your shoes, Timothy?
Yes, Mother.
Oh, cake for me?
Not till supper.
But l"m so hungry,
l"m weak.
Truly?
From your great
application to learning?
What did you learn
at school today?
Manners.
Speak not, sing not,
hum not, wiggle not,
spit only in a corner.
And very good
learning, too.
Now, wash your hands
and finish the candles.
But I dipped candles
last week.
And will again
this week.
Make haste while
the tallow is warm.
(GROANS)
Oh, dear, are you ill?
Shall I take you
to Doctor John"s
for some ipecac?
I"ll be home
by sundown.
There, the leech
has drawn the blood.
By moonrise
the swelling will be gone.
That didn"t hurt
very much now, did it?
No. I fear not
but ipecac.
Good day, John.
Barbara.
Good day, Barbara.
Oh, Jasper,
fighting again?
No, ma"am.
I fell from a tree,
an apple tree.
Next time, lad,
pick a tree your own size.
Now, be off with you.
You"d best keep
your good eye
open for the Elders.
You have a new
doctor"s book.
Mm-hmm.
But that"s not all
I brought from Boston.
(GASPS)
John, you brought it.
It will cost your aunt
but six shillings.
Oh.
It"s beautiful.
BARBARA: John, do you think
I should wear the bow
under the chin
or at the side?
JOHN: Well, the shopkeeper
said at the side.
BARBARA: The side.
Oh, Martha,
isn"t it lovely and gay?
Yes, very gay,
Barbara.
Too gay, you think?
Nonsense.
There"s enough wearing
of somber clothing here.
But if Elder Goode
sees it before
the Sabbath meeting,
he may forbid
the wearing.
Oh.
And l"m just on my way
to his house.
Why not leave it here?
May l?
Yes, of course.
Thank you.
I can see their faces
when I walk down
the aisle next Sabbath.
Thank you again, John.
(DOOR CLOSES)
Tituba, Abigail.
TlTUBA: And every month
in the dark of the moon,
the drums would beat,
and there"d be a rustle
like a great wind
and we"d hear them
screaming and laughing,
and we knew
they were all meeting
in the jungle.
Who, Tituba? Who?
TlTUBA: The spirits
of the bad ones.
And there"d be drinking
and feasting and dancing,
and suddenly a great
fire would shoot up,
and Obano himself
would appear.
Obano?
You calls him Satan.
Did you see him?
TlTUBA: Oh, no, missy.
Only a few ever seen him.
He come in fire and go
in a whirling of wings
like bats. Up, up.
And when morning come,
the trees in that jungle
would be dead
and the river would
be as red as blood.
Tituba. You tell
the most outlandish stories.
You never saw such things.
I"d see more than that
if I drank
the stuff she brews.
ABlGAlL: Quiet, Goody.
(GRUNTS)
You should have been
here sooner, Barbara.
Tituba told our fortunes.
I"m going to travel
and meet strange men.
MARY: And l"m going to
marry a man from Boston.
I"m to be a person
of importance.
I shall be
above everyone else
and everyone
shall listen to me.
See what she
tells you, Barbara.
ANN: Yes, tell Barbara"s
fortune, Tituba.
Will you?
Give me your hand, child.
I see a man, tall,
well-favored, dark hair.
Go on, Tituba. Go on.
I see no more.
Oh, please.
Tituba!
GOODE: Abigail, Tituba!
It"s Father.
Quickly! Quickly!
Idleness and gossip!
Abigail,
to your spinning wheel.
Tituba,
prepare the supper!
Howdy do, Elder.
Howdy do.
These are not
the same weight
as the others.
Nor are they
so strong of bayberry.
Your aunt had best
be more careful
if she expects a full measure
of my flax in return.
Yes, sir.
Tituba, you did go to
those feasts in the jungle,
didn"t you?
No, no, mistress! No!
But you did,
or you couldn"t know
so much about them.
Tell me more.
Not here. In my cabin,
where the master won"t know.
Jeremiah!
Barbara! I"d forgotten
you"d be here today!
Did you have
any luck?
None, child.
My traps are
as empty of lobsters
as the Elders" meetings
are of humor.
I"ll not be needing
any candles this week,
so you"d best run
along home, child.
So, you don"t
want candles
because you haven"t lobsters
enough to pay for them.
Nonsense! Come along.
Oh, but my cabin
is in disorder.
I"ve had no time
to clean.
Then l"ll do it
for you.
Barbara!
Barbara,
don"t go in!
That chair,
it was rocking.
The wind, perhaps.
Now, child, it"s late.
Your aunt will be worried.
What is it?
Am I not welcome today?
Always welcome.
Well, then,
fetch some water
while I get the broom.
Oh, but...
(SHRlEKS)
Glory be.
I heard your voice,
but I thought you mortal.
My nephew,
Roger Coverman,
from Virginia.
Mistress Barbara Clarke.
Glory be.
Good day to you, sir.
And to you, mistress.
My aunt will be worried.
Barbara, wait.
I must ask you,
not a word
about my visitor.
Nay, I cannot
tell you why.
Faith, but she must know.
These tatters,
this blood, this bandage.
But let me give you
the worst of it first.
I"m a fugitive, l"m a rebel,
l"m a traitor to the Crown.
Oh.
How interesting.
Ah, but wait!
You must let me
give you the best of it.
You see, "twas
a little matter of taxes,
and being a Virginian
and a patriot,
I resented it,
as did others.
The governor resented
our objections and
we replied with swords.
I warrant it was
a gallant fight.
Gallant?
Three hundred of them
against 2,000 soldiers,
and Roger with his
back against the wall,
holding off half a dozen.
Now, now, now,
Uncle, no matter
how magnificent
we were in defeat,
they beat us well,
put us to flight and
confiscated our lands.
But how came you here?
A friendly skipper
brought me
as far as Boston,
the rest of the way
on foot,
through your forests.
Hiding by day,
traveling by night.
With a price on his head
of 1,000.
Do you think it
worth it?
Oh, Roger,
be serious.
There"s scarce a man,
even in this colony,
who wouldn"t give
you up for that sum.
I cannot speak
for others.
As for myself,
I have not seen you.
Good day, sir.
She has not seen me?
What does she mean
by that?
A rebuke, no doubt.
Puritans of this colony
would hardly approve
your speech and manners.
If manners they be.
Oh! She"s forgotten
her basket.
Mistress!
Mistress Barbara,
you forgot your basket.
Oh, thank you, sir.
And I forgot the candles,
and this piece of cake
for Jeremiah.
When will you
come here again?
I bring candles
once each week.
Only once?
But l"m a great reader.
I read far into the night.
We shall have none
by sunrise tomorrow.
I must gather bayberries
before I can make more.
Bayberries?
Then let me help you.
I have an amazing
nose for bayberries.
I track them down
like a hound
upon the trail.
You might be seen.
I could not risk
so valuable a head.
Ah, "tis not my head
that"s in danger now.
Truly, when will l
see you again?
When I bring
more candles.
Uncle, you old miser
of speech.
Why did you not
tell me of her?
To think that
she should find me
like this.
I"m sorry she
found you at all.
What?
Would you ruin my life?
Ruin your life?
I"m trying to
save it, lad.
See that you do.
From now on,
it will be worth
the living.
A razor, a needle
and a bit of mending,
and l"ll soon be myself.
(SlNGlNG) Bid me to live,
and I will live
Thy protectant to be
Or bid me love...
Roger!
Anyone within half a mile
could hear you.
Well, they might ask me
to lead the psalm singing
next Sabbath.
Egad, that"s an idea.
She"d be there of course.
And I sorely need
the comforts of religion.
(SlNGlNG) Bid me to live,
and I will live
And the scripture saith
that Satan shall go
to and fro in the land,
and up and down in it,
as a roaring lion
walketh about,
seeking whom he may devour.
My brethren,
here in this new land,
that ancient prophecy
is being fulfilled.
Satan and his legions
are here.
The power of God
has driven him
from the old world
into this wilderness,
where the ignorant savages
were waiting to receive him.
Say you,
""What signs are there
of his presence?""
Where there is
sickness or hurt
or other grievous misery,
there he is.
I bid ye watch!
I bid ye fast!
And pray God to protect us
from the power of Satan.
(SlGHS)
Speaking of Satan,
I also bid ye beware
of the frivolity and
foolishness of women
that bedeck
themselves with ribbons,
curls and lace bonnets.
Thus causing the minds
of men to wander.
I tell you that a female
that will fritter away
her time,
trimming and tricking herself
out in such a fashion,
should be looked upon
as the mere gizzard
of a trifle.
The epitome of nothing
and a very apt prey
for the devil.
We will now sing Psalm 8.
Elder Cheeves
will set the tune.
(SlNGlNG) Oh, Lord,
our God in all the earth
How thy name wondrous great
Who hath thy glorious majesty
Above the heavens set
Out of the mouth
of suckling babes
Thy strength
thou didst ordain
That thou might
still the enemy
And them that thee disdain
(MOUTHlNG)
You, come with me...
(MOUTHlNG) No.
You, come with me...
A little lower placed
And hath with glory
crowned him
And comely majesty
Amen
Brethren,
before we disperse,
I have an announcement
to make.
One that gives me,
personally,
a feeling of great happiness
and satisfaction.
Elder Goode has
set next Wednesday
for the raising
of my new home,
which you, dear people,
have so kindly given me.
Remember, it is more blessed
to give than to receive.
So let no one forget to
bring his or her gift.
Good day,
Goodwife Nurse.
How are you, child?
Very well, thank you.
It"s good to see so
glowing a countenance,
even under a bonnet so...
So sinful.
I"ve asked Miles Corbin
to supper.
Wait and bring
him home with you.
(SHUSHlNG)
Oh, Miles!
(CLEARlNG THROAT)
Good day, Barbara.
Good day.
I"m ready, Miles.
Are you coming?
I cannot go
with you, Susy.
I"ve consented to sup
with the widow Clarke
and Barbara.
I should think
you"d wait for the man
Tituba promised you.
What did she
mean by that?
Oh, she"s just jealous.
Aye, and rightly so.
Mr. Parris.
I was much interested
in your sermon today,
for in Boston last week,
Mr. Cotton Mather told me
two women had
been arrested at
Cape Ann for witchcraft.
Satan"s instruments.
He promised to
keep me informed
of any further outbreak.
There are several here
who could bear questioning.
One, anyway.
Goody Hodgers?
Aye. A witch if
ever there was one.
The judges were
too lenient when she
was accused last year.
She deceived them
with lies.
BlLGE: Mr. Goode!
Mr. Parris!
Mr. Goode!
I saw him!
I saw him plain.
PARRlS: Saw whom?
The devil"s own person
in yonder forest.
Drunk again.
No, sir.
And on the Sabbath, too.
No, sir.
I been drinking,
but l"m not drunk now.
But l"m going to be.
I"d sooner see
snakes than devils.
Well, Deborah will
be waiting supper.
I"d best be going, too.
Good day, Mr. Parris.
I"ll go with you, Elder.
"Tis like jelly
I am with fright.
He came right at me!
(SCOFFS)
I tell you, I saw him.
I saw his horns
and his tail.
Have a care, Bilge,
or they"ll arrest you
like they did me.
Did you see him?
They said I did.
You better get
yourself a charm, Bilge.
A charm to keep him away.
Do you know a good one?
Indian beans are good,
worn round the neck.
Or a badger"s claw.
But the surest charm of all
is a necklace, 21 links,
each woven of seven hairs
freshly plucked from
the end of a dog"s tail.
(LAUGHlNG)
Seven hairs freshly plucked
from the end of a dog"s tail.
I"ve been thinking,
Barbara.
Yes?
It was you
Reverend Parris meant
when he rebuked your sex.
I fancy it was.
You"re a bold piece,
Barbara,
(CLEARlNG THROAT)
with your frippery.
What you have need of
is a man of character
to restrain ye.
It"s very kind of you
to concern yourself
about me, Miles.
I consider it my duty,
for when I marry,
l"m entitled by the colony
to take for myself
a fine piece
of bottom land
with a brook on it,
and I shall have
three horses,
six cows, 10 pigs.
Ten... That seems
an over abundance
of pigs.
Moreover, the Elders
think well of me.
The people in the village
listen when I talk.
One day
I shall be an Elder.
(LAUGHlNG) Oh, Miles.
You laugh too freely,
Barbara.
After marriage,
l"ll not brook
such frivolity.
Indeed.
The Elders have been
speaking of you and me
as a proper couple,
and my mother
is of a mind
that we should
be married soon.
Miles,
you sweep me
off my feet!
So, you make sport
of the Elders" suggestion?
Sport of me?
Well, l"ll not
be laughed at
through supper.
Oh, no, Miles!
Miles, I did not mean
to flout you.
Besides,
we have chicken
for supper.
You cannot induce me.
Susy Abbot"s
a right-thinking girl,
and the Abbots
always have chicken.
Miles.
(GROANS)
Oh, chicken.
Don"t touch.
Where"s Miles?
Aunt Ellen,
please forgive me,
but I made a jest.
And l"m afraid
he understood it.
Barbara!
And weighing
his pride against
your good chicken,
he decided
not to come.
Oh, Barbara!
You cannot refuse
every young swain
in the village.
It is your duty to marry
and have children,
to the glory of God
and the colony.
But would you
have me marry a man
who boasts only of
his fine bottom lands,
his three horses,
six cows, 10 pigs,
and treats me like
one of his livestock?
Oh, faith!
The man is a blockhead.
I cannot abide him
or his pigs!
But the chicken,
enough for a family of six.
Oh, yes, the chicken.
ROGER: Chicken. Ambrosia!
Food for the gods!
Mistress,
you"ve saved my life.
Sure I wouldn"t
be discourteous
to the lobsters
of Massachusetts,
but to have them
for breakfast,
dinner and supper.
Why, the very expression
of a lobster"s eye
brings to my mind
our red-faced Governor
of Virginia.
Hail to the colony, I say,
but confound the governor.
You"ll be confounded
yourself
if you don"t stay away
from the village.
As I nearly was today,
it was in the shadows
of the forest.
I came suddenly
upon a people-minded
villager,
and he held up
his finger so.
Whereupon,
I threw my cloak
over my head,
Ieaped behind a tree
and bellowed like a demon.
And how that villager ran.
He ran so fast,
his legs couldn"t
keep up with him,
so that he fell
and rose howling
and ran some more.
Isn"t it good to hear
a man laugh so freely?
Aye, we seldom
hear it in this place.
That"s your penance
for living among
these Puritans, Uncle.
Not meaning yourself,
mistress.
It"s true they"re not much
given to laughter, Roger.
And they"ve little cause.
"Tis a stern heritage
that has come down to them
through generations.
Yet, in spite of all that,
they conquered this land.
It took courage
to do that, my lad.
Listen to him,
a sermon in
everything he says.
But believe me, mistress,
he"s a rebel, too.
For in Virginia,
when they would
not let him
teach his ideas
of a kindly God,
he turned rebellious,
and now traps lobsters.
Your tongue"s
too loose, nephew.
And you burn
too many candles.
You"ll excuse me.
There, l"ve done it.
What?
Recalled the old days
to his mind.
He loved Virginia.
(SlGHlNG)
I don"t wonder.
From what you"ve told me,
it must be very gay.
We make it gay.
We"ve a saying there,
""When danger lurks
around the corner,
""you must dance
the safe moments away.""
Dance?
That"s not
a Puritan custom,
I warrant.
Oh, no.
Have you never danced?
The cotillion,
the gavotte?
The very names
sounds frivolous.
The Gavotte"s my favorite.
I"ll teach it to you.
No, no, no, no,
it would not be
fitting for me.
It"s the most
proper dance,
I assure you.
This is the manner of it.
(HUMMlNG)
Ah, faith, but you must
smile when you dance.
One, two,
slowly curtsy.
ELLEN: Now, the first one.
TlMOTHY: I was. You was.
You were.
Were.
He was.
You was.
Were.
Were.
I say.
You says.
ELLEN: Timothy,
I fear you will
never be a scholar.
TlMOTHY: May I go to bed,
Mother?
Yes.
What are you doing?
Dancing.
Dancing?
What are you bowing for?
That"s a curtsy
to my partner,
a very handsome
young man.
I don"t see any man.
You"re not supposed to.
Mother!
She said
she"s dancing with
a handsome young man.
Get along to bed
with you. Go on.
Aw...
Barbara, you do say
the most foolish things.
Dancing?
And you supposedly
a God-fearing girl.
I"m sorry, Aunt Ellen.
Does no good to be
sorry after the deed.
Besides, tomorrow
is the house-raising.
You"d better get your sleep.
There"ll be plenty to do.
Yes, Aunt Ellen.
(SLURRlNG) Here, doggy.
Nice, doggy.
Here, here, here.
Here, doggy. Doggy!
(DOG YELPlNG)
All safe. Jump.
(BOTH LAUGHlNG)
This way.
(BARBARA EXCLAlMlNG)
ROGER: Here we go.
(BOTH LAUGHlNG)
"Tis an avalanche we are.
Did you hurt yourself?
I"m shaken to pieces.
What did you expect?
How was I to
know the ground
would give way
and upset
your Puritan dignity?
Oh.
Well, l"m fast learning
how it feels to be
a fugitive.
Hiding in trees,
tumbling down hills.
Like a very mountebank.
Before long,
l"ll have you as
cunning as a fox,
swift as a deer,
leaping from hill to hill.
Oh, Roger!
Methinks the whole
pattern of my life
has changed
since l"ve known you.
Aye, and I can"t say
l"m proud of it.
"Tis a sneaking
feeling I get,
dodging and hiding
about like a badger
in his hole.
Must it always be
like that for you?
Well, I suppose
I could send a petition
to Their Majesties.
Could you?
To King William
and Queen Mary?
What would you say?
Well, now, that takes
a bit of thinking.
I fancy l"d try to
appeal to the human side.
Now, if I were
talking to the King,
man to man,
I"d say, ""William,
can"t you and I come
""to a fair and square
understanding?
""You see, there"s
a young lady in the case.
""l"d like to see her
in proper fashion,
to meet her family.
""But how in conscience
can I do it
""with your governors
chasing me all over
the colonies?""
""Now, just put yourself
in my place, William.
""Supposing you were
chased out of London
""and had to hide at Dover,
by the sea.
""You"d miss your Mary,
wouldn"t you?
Of course you would.
""Well, it"s the same
with me, but worse.
""For, mind you,
though l"m not saying
a word against your Mary.
""The young lady
I have in my mind
is the most fascinating,
""twinkling, dark-eyed maid
that ever took an honest
man"s breath away.""
Now, whisper,
what would you say to that?
I"d say...
I"d say I had to
gather herbs and
get to the house-raising.
But that"s not
what l"ve been asking.
I must hasten.
Now, men, get ready.
Take hold!
One, two, three!
"Tis the best raising
we"ve had, Rebecca.
Well, I want to know.
Barbara and Doctor John.
The whole village working,
and we"re the only idlers.
A choice bit of gossip
for Mrs. Cheeves.
Her day would be spoiled
if she did not have
something to babble of.
John.
Don"t say you found me
on the shore road.
Why not?
Because...
ELLEN: Barbara!
I"m sorry l"m late,
Aunt Ellen,
but the herbs
were scarce
and hard to find.
"Tis a poor excuse,
Barbara.
You must have been
daydreaming again.
Of a certain tall,
well-favored man,
I warrant.
ELLEN: Why,
what do you mean?
That was Tituba"s
prophecy for her.
A dark,
handsome young man.
SUSY: A dark young man?
Well, it certainly
couldn"t be Miles.
Well, Martha...
What kept you
so long, John?
I had to stop
by Goody Dobbs.
I didn"t know
she was ailing.
(LAUGHlNG) She isn"t,
but her cow is.
Is that where
you found Barbara?
Oh, no, no, she was
hurrying along the...
(STAMMERS) In the forest.
MAN: Ready for
the door, John.
Coming! Coming!
Mr. Parris,
my little contribution.
Oh, thank you.
Thank you very much.
It"s all right.
Look, it will be
finished by sundown.
Splendid.
Even to the shelves
for your books.
Ooh. That reminds me.
You promised to lend me
Cotton Mather"s book
on witchcraft.
Did you bring it?
No. I can"t lay
my hands on it.
I"ve searched the house.
It"s disappeared.
""Sometimes they
would be deaf,
""sometimes dumb
and sometimes blind,
""then their tongues would be
drawn down their throats,
""then they would be
pulled out on their chins
to a prodigious length.
""They would make
the most piteous outcries.
""They were scratched,
they were pinched
and tormented,
""all of which they said
was the work of women
who bewitched them.
""Sometimes the children
were shaken with a fit.""
I don"t want
to be pinched
and tormented.
Quiet! I"m only
telling you
what"s in a book.
It must have
been dreadful.
Did those children die?
No. They were
the talk of the colony.
Cotton Mather
even took one of them
to live in his
great house in Boston.
The whole town
came to see her
and prayed over her.
The whole town?
Oh, my.
Yes. Just like
they pray over a queen
or somebody great.
I"d like that.
So would l.
I don"t want anybody
to bewitch me.
Will you keep still?
What else did they do?
Go on,
read some more.
All right.
(BELL TOLLlNG)
Dinner!
Don"t you tell!
No.
Wait for me!
Wait for me!
(MERCY SOBBlNG)
Ann, go back there
and help Mercy.
Oh, let her help herself!
I"m not her mother!
Ann!
There, there.
Oh, Mercy!
Mercy, don"t cry.
Barbara"s here.
Yes. There, there.
Ann is such a naughty girl,
but we don"t care. No.
Now,
what shall we do?
Shall we make a puppet?
Yes, please, Barbara.
Yes, that"s what we"ll do.
Now, watch.
And we"ll make it
to look just like
Barbara, shall we?
Look. Now, we"ll take
a piece of string...
Mary, have you seen Mercy?
I think she"s
in the saw pit,
Mrs. Cheeves.
Susy, will you
tend to this for me?
I"ll be back
in a minute.
(LAUGHlNG) I think
she"s very funny.
She looks just
like me, doesn"t she?
What are you doing?
Come here.
(SOBBlNG)
And stop that crying
or l"ll give you
a good whipping.
Drop that, child.
Children wait till
their elders are served.
I don"t have to wait.
What"s this?
Why, this is what
the master was looking for.
Give it back
this minute.
No, no, not to you.
Master Goode, sir.
She took it.
No, no, master.
It fell from her bonnet.
She...
Go to the house.
I"ll attend to you later.
But, Father...
At once!
I haven"t had
a drink all day.
Bilge.
It is all right,
Marshal,
I know me way
to the stocks.
And see that
you go straight.
(GRUNTS)
As straight as me
legs"ll carry me.
(SPANKlNG)
ANN: No, Father. No!
(ANN SOBBlNG)
GOODE: Now,
get into your bed
and stay there.
(ANN CONTlNUES SOBBlNG)
Don"t, Ann.
Don"t cry.
I hate him!
I hate him.
I hate Tituba!
Oh, I could kill her
for telling him!
Don"t, Ann, don"t!
You look like
you"re bewitched!
Do l?
Did I really frighten you?
Yes. You look awful.
Mistress,
the master...
He doesn"t know.
Is that the potion you
were telling me about?
Yes, the juice of
herbs and flowers,
Iike I used to make
in my country.
Will it take you to
the witches" feast?
Can you truly go there?
My spirit can.
Could I go there
if I drank your potion?
No, no, mistress.
It wouldn"t be
right for you.
Why not?
Your husband,
Master Goode.
He won"t know.
Tituba, you must help me.
I can"t go on like this.
I want the things
you promised me.
Laughter, dancing,
happiness.
You promised me
happiness would
come to me.
I want it now.
I want to live
before the years close in.
I"m afraid!
I"m afraid, mistress.
No, l"m afraid.
Tituba, I may not have need
for this old cloak.
It would keep you
warm this winter.
Well, will you
give it to me now?
Will you?
Yes, I will.
Yes, I will. Yes.
You will drink this
at an open window
in the dark of the moon.
Elder.
Why, Mr. Morse.
What brings you
so far afield?
Is anything amiss?
I come from Cape Ann
with evil tidings.
Come in. Come in.
GOODE: Of course
you"ll stay the night.
MORSE: Thank you, I will.
Good evening, mistress.
Good evening.
Abigail, Mr. Morse
is staying the night.
Prepare a bed for him.
Yes, Nathaniel.
Sit ye down and rest.
Rest? I cannot rest.
Neither will anyone
else in this village
when they hear
what I have to say.
Deborah.
Martha, something"s amiss.
Yes.
(PEOPLE CHATTERlNG)
My good people,
Mr. Morse has ridden
from Cape Ann
with grave tidings
for us all.
Hear him.
People of Salem Village,
we are in great danger.
The power of evil
is upon us.
Strange apparitions
have been seen
in the forests.
The people of Cape Ann
have barricaded
themselves in their homes.
The Elders have
seized women
who have confessed
to being witches.
(ALL GASPlNG)
Others have been
taken at Boston.
The evil is
spreading among us.
Beware of those in
secret league with Satan.
Satan, who is fighting
to destroy our faith in God.
We know how he works
with such men and women
who have given
their souls to him,
sending his spirit
into them
with power to harm
and destroy others.
Power to bring sickness
and blight upon us.
Children have been bewitched,
their minds tormented,
their bodies twisted.
No one is safe.
So watch your neighbor.
Watch one another,
even those of
your own household.
For those we least suspect
may be the devil"s servants
wearing the false
cloak of godliness.
(WlND BLOWlNG)
The scriptures say,
""Thou shalt not
suffer a witch to live.
""And if any man or woman
consulteth with
a familiar spirit,
(RAlN PATTERlNG)
""they shall be
put to death!""
So, death to them,
or we ourselves
will be destroyed.
Death to the servants
of darkness.
(THUNDER RUMBLlNG)
(WlND HOWLlNG)
(SOBBlNG)
Barbara!
It"s monstrous,
coming here
and spreading terror
through the whole village.
I tell you,
it"s monstrous.
But there must
be reason to fear.
But to threaten death,
to burn and to hang.
I"ve never believed
in witchcraft.
There"s been
no real proof of it.
(BANGlNG ON DOOR)
MR. CHEEVES: Dr. John!
Come. Come quickly.
Little Ann Goode
is afflicted.
What ails the child?
We don"t know,
but she"s in
great torment.
I"ll come with you, John,
I may be able to help.
Yes. Hurry.
(SOBBlNG)
They"re hurting me.
They"re hurting me again.
Ann. Ann, who hurt you?
Thank heaven
you"ve come, Doctor.
Ann. Ann. Ann.
Oh, they"re choking me.
Oh, they"re torturing me.
Ann! Ann, child, quiet.
I can"t!
This is Dr. John.
Tell me,
what hurts you?
Everything.
Everything.
(GROANlNG)
Ann. Ann.
I see them by Nabby.
They"re after her, too.
Abigail. Abigail?
Yes, where is
her mother?
I"ll get her.
(SCREAMlNG)
Ann, my child.
Abigail. Abigail...
Abigail.
No. No.
They"re drinking wine,
red as blood.
(PEOPLE CHATTERlNG)
MAN: How can they stand it?
WOMAN:
Poor little things.
Who could be
doing this?
If we only knew,
we"d make short
work of them.
Poor little souls.
They"ve been
suffering all night.
(ANN SCREAMlNG)
Has anyone found out
what"s hurting them?
No.
Mr. Morse is still
questioning them.
(NABBY GROANlNG)
(GROANlNG)
Quiet, dear, quiet.
(SOBBlNG)
I can find nothing
physically wrong
with them.
Because they"re
beyond your skill,
Doctor.
I know the signs
of bewitchment.
Bewitchment.
We want to help you,
others may be harmed.
If someone is hurting you,
we must know who it is.
It"s clearer. Clearer.
I see. Don"t. Don"t.
Don"t let her hurt me.
Don"t...
I do see! I do see!
Don"t let her hurt me!
Don"t let her hurt me.
You mean Tituba?
Yes.
Don"t let her get away.
Catch her.
Tell the others.
Quick.
It"s Tituba.
ALL: Tituba?
Aye. They"ve cried
out against Tituba!
(ALL CLAMORlNG)
Get back there.
They"ll see you.
Will...
Will they hurt her much?
No. She"s only a slave.
I... I"m afraid!
Well, you don"t have to be.
Now, get back there quick,
and lie down.
(OVERLAPPlNG CHATTER)
And then they took
the poor creature to
Salem Town for a hearing.
But how can they
believe that
people become devils
all of a sudden?
There"s no reason to it.
There never is any reason
when fear strikes.
Roger,
if that slave confesses,
which she may do
under their form
of questioning,
madness will sweep
the whole village.
It"s hard
to explain, lad,
but l"ve seen it
happen in England.
Then no one is safe?
No one.
Even to defend
a person accused
arouses suspicion.
That"s why I fear
for Barbara.
Barbara?
Today she tried
to protect Tituba.
I warned her, but...
What are you going to do?
Do? What would
you have me do, after
what you"ve told me?
I must get her
away from here.
But think of yourself,
you mustn"t be seen.
It will do you
no good to lie.
Now tell us,
why did you bewitch
those children?
I didn"t. I didn"t.
We"ve been patient
long enough. Confess.
But I don"t know
nothing about it.
You said you did.
You said you knew Satan,
that you saw him.
But, master,
I just made up tales
to please them.
I meant no harm.
This woman is a witch.
I"ve proof of it.
She bewitched my wife.
SEWALL: Your wife?
You"re the first to know.
My wife told me that
last night this woman
forced her to take
a magical potion.
But she made me
give it to her.
GOODE: You lie.
My wife spoke
while she was
under bewitchment.
You took her there.
I didn"t. I didn"t.
Did you give her
the potion?
You must answer.
Yes, master.
But it was only
the juice of the flowers
to make her sleep.
Confess your witchcraft.
But, master,
you"ll hang me.
No, no.
Not if you confess.
That will prove
your repentance
and save your life.
You mean,
if I say l"m a witch,
that"s repentance?
SEWALL: Yes.
And you won"t put
a rope around my neck?
You won"t hang me?
LAUGHTON: No, no,
you"ll live.
MORSE: Confess!
I confess. Yes.
Yes, I confess.
You"re in league
with the devil.
Yes, yes.
You"ve seen him.
Yes, often, often.
It was you
who hurt the children?
Yes. I hurt the children.
But I didn"t
mean to hurt them.
They made me.
The others made me.
They hurt the...
Others?
TlTUBA: Yes.
There was many others.
Do you know
who they are?
Yes.
Now, let me go.
Let me go.
MORSE: Tell us their names.
Oh, let me go.
MORSE: Tell us their names!
It was Goody Hodgers
and...
Giles Cory,
Charles Patton and...
(BELL TOLLlNG)
Halt!
What is this?
Tituba has confessed.
And has cried out
against others.
Who are named?
Giles Cory,
Goody Hodgers,
and many others.
John. John.
Giles Cory.
Are they mad?
We cannot
let this go on.
There"s nothing
we can do.
There must be.
If you won"t, l...
Barbara.
Come to the house.
Why?
Come into the house.
Well, what is this?
Barbara, you must not
speak nor defend
anyone accused.
But why?
Believe me, dear,
it"s dangerous.
Ellen is right.
Why do you both look
at me so strangely?
Because we fear
for you.
Fear for me?
Ellen, tell her.
Barbara, you"ve never
known about your mother,
how she died.
Why, yes.
She died in England
of grief,
when my father
was lost at sea.
Not of grief.
A woman hated her.
She whispered
that your mother,
by witchcraft,
had caused
your father"s death.
She was accused
of witchcraft?
JOHN: Convicted and...
ELLEN:
We had to tell you, dear,
because of the danger.
If this were known,
suspicion might
point to you.
You see, Barbara,
why you must
keep silent?
Do... Do others know?
Only Martha.
Martha?
You know we came
from the same town
in England.
But I have her
promise not to tell.
(SOBBlNG) God have pity.
God have pity.
What a heavy secret
for you to carry
all this while.
Now, go up to bed,
please. You need rest.
You will be careful?
Yes.
I wish we could have
kept this from you.
No.
John, they want you
at the meeting house.
Oh, yes.
I"ll come at once.
Good night, Barbara.
TlMOTHY: Barbara.
Why aren"t you asleep?
What were all those
people doing outside?
Never mind.
Now, go to sleep.
I know.
It"s because of Satan.
I heard Mrs. Cheeves
say so.
(SlGHlNG)
That"s just her way
of making you
be a good boy.
Oh, then I can go out
tomorrow and play?
No, no.
The Elders want all
children to stay in
for a few days.
But I want to go out.
Oh, Timothy,
please go to sleep.
(SOBBlNG)
(WlNDOW PANE TlNKLlNG)
(GASPS)
Why, you"re trembling.
Oh, hold me close.
There, there.
I know what has happened.
Jeremiah has told me.
That"s why
l"ve come here.
I have a plan
to take you away.
Away?
Of course.
I could not let you
stay here now.
But... But, Roger,
to leave here,
and leave Aunt Ellen.
You love me, don"t you?
Oh, Roger.
Then you must trust me.
But where could we go?
There are many countries
not under British rule.
I"m going to Boston
to find a ship that
will give us passage.
Jeremiah goes with me.
When all is arranged,
he"ll come and
bring you to me.
No, l"m afraid.
Afraid? With me?
Oh, no, for you.
You may be seen.
If you were taken,
I might never
see you again.
I"ll be a very
shadow for your sake.
I"ll travel only by night.
Now, think of this
while l"m gone,
that soon
we"ll be together,
without hiding,
without secrecy.
You"ll be my wife.
Oh, my dearest.
(JEREMlAH WHlSTLlNG)
That"s Jeremiah.
Someone must be
on the road.
I must go now.
Goodbye.
Oh, no, Roger.
Roger.
Oh.
Oh, Timothy.
What are you
doing out of bed?
Who were you with?
What?
I saw you.
You were with a man.
Oh, nonsense,
you must have
been dreaming
or perhaps you saw
the shadow of a tree.
No, it wasn"t a tree.
Now, may I go out
and play tomorrow?
No.
Very well, then.
I"ll tell Mother
and Elder Goode
you were with a man.
Timothy. Timothy.
I tell you I was
with no man.
Mother!
You mustn"t do that.
Why are you
so frightened?
Look, Timmy.
I was with someone,
but if it were known
it would make trouble.
You wouldn"t want to
make trouble for me,
would you?
No.
Well, then,
will you promise me
you won"t tell anyone?
Can I go out
and play tomorrow?
If you promise.
I"d best go in alone.
Bide here, lad.
A tankard of ale,
if you please.
Aye, aye, sir.
The harbor seems
well filled.
Aye, shipping be good.
Sea trade brisk.
Boston port be growing.
What craft are in?
Well, let"s see,
there"s the Pirateer,
the Charles Hope,
the Seraphim...
The Seraphim?
From Virginia?
Aye.
I know her well.
Who"s her skipper?
Captain Edwards.
He was here
but a moment ago.
Edwards?
I must give him a hail.
Where"s the Seraphim
lying?
At the foot of Fort Street.
Sailing at flood tide.
Thank ye.
FlRST MATE: Ho, there.
What do you want?
Is the captain aboard?
CAPTAlN: Aye.
But all hands signed,
if that"s what you"re asking.
Well, not exactly,
Captain Edwards.
This is somewhat of
a personal nature.
Why, Mr. Coverman,
I didn"t recognize
you in this...
Oh.
Come below,
come below.
Come in.
Sat thee down,
sat thee down.
Thank ye.
I see you have
a new mate.
Aye, a lusty lad.
I never thought to
see you again, sir.
I"ve been with
my uncle here.
Jeremiah Adams,
Captain Edwards.
And I wanted to
thank you, Captain,
for what you did
for Roger.
I might not have
shipped the lad
so safely
had I known
the price on his head.
That was your loss,
Captain.
Little did you think
I was worth the price
of a new ship to you.
That I didn"t,
that I didn"t.
But l"m satisfied to
find you a free man.
Aye, but would I be
in Virginia?
No, lad.
Although there"s rumor
of a new governor
coming from England.
A new governor?
Aye.
But they"re still hanging
every rebel they catch.
I feared as much.
That"s why we
sought you out.
Captain, "tis urgent
that I get away from here
to some foreign port.
Foreign port, eh?
As to that, the French
are none too friendly.
But there"s Florida.
That"s under Spanish rule.
Are there
Spanish ships in port?
There must be.
I heard a parrot
swearing in Spanish
at the tavern.
It"ll take
no time to find out.
Then let"s lose none.
Aye, but you"re
forgetting the rum.
I give you
Their Majesties.
Their Majesties.
Their Majesties.
Watch your head
when you come up.
Watch your head.
There.
Steady there.
What"s afoot?
Sir, that man"s a rebel.
He"s wanted for
treason in Virginia,
and we demand
his arrest.
You demand.
Yeah.
Aboard my ship?
Yeah.
Go forward.
Seize him, men.
Well, as for you, sir.
FlRST MATE: Steady, lads,
take him alive.
Save yourself, Uncle!
Get back to Barbara!
FlRST MATE: Seize him.
You devils.
"Tis likely we"ve
saved you trouble, sir.
Go mighty hard with ye,
harboring a rebel
against the Crown.
Bring him forward.
1,000 worth of cargo.
And the reward will be
divided among us all.
SAlLOR: Well,
this one"s done for.
Come on.
Over the side with him.
We"ll be at sea
when he wakes up.
(MOB SHOUTlNG)
(lNDlSTlNCT)
Let it be understood
that this is but a hearing,
not a trial.
I call Ezra Cheeves.
Now tell us, how did
the prisoner harm you?
In many ways, sir.
I mind well the evening,
two weeks ago,
she came down
through her meadow
and stood at the fence,
looking at my cattle.
In the morning,
my cows had gone dry.
(PEOPLE MURMURlNG)
Then you believe
she bewitched them?
Aye, sir.
And myself, too.
For that night,
I did have grievous
pains in my left side,
so grievous,
I could not sleep.
What have you
to say to all this?
I have not harmed him
nor his cattle.
I have not left my house
for the past fortnight.
I have been ill.
Then it was her
apparition I saw.
I saw your witch"s face.
You cast a spell on me.
It"s true.
She cast a spell on me.
She told me at
the house-raising
that I would
never be happy,
that evil would
come to me.
And it did.
My children were stricken.
I was made ill.
How could she
foretell what would
happen to me if
she isn"t a witch?
(SOBBlNG)
(GAVEL POUNDlNG)
But...
But what I said was counsel,
meant only for her good.
MORSE: Enough.
Was it like this
when my mother was...
(SHUSHlNG) Child.
On the evidence presented
against Goodwife Nurse,
we order her removed
to Their Majesties"
jail at Salem,
there to await trial
for witchcraft.
No. No.
How can you do
such a thing to
this saintly woman?
I"ve known her
from my childhood.
She has done naught
but good all her life.
MORSE: Silence.
You all know
I speak the truth.
There"s not one of you
but has had some token
of her kindness.
What right have you
to speak?
This wench has
no place here.
I have as much as you,
Mr. Cheeves.
I beg you, sirs,
do not send Rebecca
Nurse to her death
on the testimony
of a man who tried
to steal her land
and did not succeed.
He says his cows went dry.
Who knows but it
was time for them
to go dry?
He says he has pains
in his side.
Is it so strange
for an old man
who loves his cider
to have pains?
And you call
this witchcraft.
MORSE: You defy this court?
But this is a matter
of life and death.
You hear only the accusers.
Why not examine them?
Find out if
they"re lying,
or if their minds
are deranged.
Only a witch
defends a witch,
and I know her for one.
Ask Timothy Clarke
what he told my daughter.
Ask him.
(ANN SOBBlNG)
MORSE: Bring the lad forward.
What did you tell?
I didn"t tell anything.
He did.
Speak up, lad.
I only told Ann that
one night I looked
from my window
and saw Barbara go out
to the bridge and meet...
Timothy. You promised.
MORSE: Go on.
And meet someone
in the shadows,
tall and black.
He... He put his arms
around her.
MORSE: You mean it was a man?
It looked like a man,
but when I asked Barbara,
she said it wasn"t.
She said she was
with someone,
but she was with no man.
MORSE: She said
she was with no man?
TlMOTHY: Yes. And...
And she made me promise
not to tell what I saw.
Witch.
Witch.
Oh, no. I can explain.
I was with...
(WOMAN SCREAMlNG)
MORSE: Satan.
Guard.
Guard.
Well, sir?
Where are my friends?
Why haven"t they
come to see me?
Governor"s orders, sir.
Prisoners condemned
for treason
can see no one.
But can"t I see
my friend Mr. Denham?
I have a message
I must send north
to the Massachusetts
Bay Colony.
I"m sorry, sir.
There"s nothing
I can do.
(PEOPLE SHOUTlNG)
(DOGS BARKlNG)
Hold.
What"s beyond?
Black swamp
for miles.
There"s no use
going on.
The dogs could
not trail, sir.
Could Mr. Coverman
get through,
do you think?
SOLDlER: No man could
live in there.
Ironical, isn"t it,
Denham,
that this should
happen on the day
that the new governor
arrived with his pardon?
(PEOPLE SHOUTlNG)
(DOOR UNLOCKlNG)
Oh...
Oh, John. John.
I cannot believe
it"s really you.
It"s been so long
since l"ve seen anyone.
I know. I know.
I tried every way.
They wouldn"t let me
come here until today.
But why?
Barbara Clarke,
you are ordered to
appear before the court.
(BELL TOLLlNG)
(PEOPLE CHATTERlNG)
MAN: Here come the judges.
SOLDlER: Halt.
Forward face.
Barbara Clarke,
you are hereby
indicted and arraigned
on charges of practicing
the detestable arts
of witchcraft,
to the grievous harm
and the endangerment
of the colony.
You have persistently
denied these charges.
Now, if you expect
mercy of God, confess.
I have nothing to confess.
LAUGHTON: Then you deny
that you have been snared
into witchcraft?
I deny there is such
a thing as witchcraft.
(PEOPLE GASPlNG)
Blasphemy.
Why waste time
trying her?
I am sworn to
administer justice,
Mr. Morse.
The trial will proceed.
Timothy Clarke.
Come forward.
Timothy,
you have stated that
on a certain night
you saw the accused
in the arms of
a cloaked figure?
Yes, sir.
And when she said
it was no man,
you believed it
was Satan himself?
Answer.
Yes, sir.
But the child did not
say that at the hearing.
No, sir.
The thought has
since been put
into his mind.
Silence. Under the law,
you may not speak
without leave.
LAUGHTON: You have said that
you saw her in her room
at night, dancing alone.
Yes, sir.
LAUGHTON: And when you
questioned her, she said?
She...
She said she was dancing
with a handsome young man.
But... But I wasn"t
supposed to see him.
And have you anything
to say to that?
I was but jesting,
pretending. No more.
LAUGHTON: And who were you
pretending to dance with?
The man Timothy
saw at the bridge.
The man I have
already told you of.
The man you all refuse
to believe exists.
May I question Timothy?
You may question.
Timothy, that night,
you really thought it
was a man, didn"t you?
TlMOTHY: Yes.
Well, it was.
Now think.
Try hard to remember.
That man wore
a feather in his hat,
a dark cloak, a long sword.
Strange clothes that
you had never seen before.
Couldn"t that
have made you think
that he was not real?
Yes.
LAUGHTON: Enough.
Timothy, you may go.
Barbara Clarke,
you"ve told
a strange story.
If there were
such a man
as you now claim,
why didn"t you
tell about him
in the beginning?
Because I believed Timothy
had seen his face
and could describe him.
SEWALL: Why shouldn"t
he describe him?
Because he was
in hiding here,
a political refugee.
LAUGHTON: An artful tale.
SEWALL: Is he in hiding still?
He must be,
or he would come to me now.
Is he known
to anyone here?
What is his name?
Can you tell us
anything about him?
(SOBBlNG) I cannot.
I cannot betray him.
Do we need any
further evidence?
I think we do.
So far,
it has not been proven
that the accused
has brought harm
to anyone as charged.
But she has.
She"s brought harm
to one Mercy Cheeves.
Call Mercy Cheeves.
Mercy Cheeves.
Now tell us,
how did the prisoner
harm your child?
She has bewitched her, sirs.
She gave her a puppet.
From that day
she has been ailing
until we fear
for her life.
LAUGHTON: Is that the puppet?
Yes.
LAUGHTON: Let me see it.
(SOBBlNG) Don"t.
Please don"t take it.
(SHUSHlNG)
She cries this way
whenever it is
taken from her.
Child, who has
bewitched you?
(MERCY SOBBlNG)
Barbara. Barbara.
Don"t let them hurt me.
Let me go.
Let me go.
Let the child go
to the prisoner.
There, there, Mercy,
don"t cry.
No one is
going to hurt you.
Barbara won"t let them.
Why don"t you
come home with me?
I will, dear, soon.
No. Come now.
What"s these?
That... That"s just
a silly game
we"re playing.
They took my puppet.
I know,
but her dress
was all dirty.
Now, if you
leave her here,
I"ll make her
a nice new one.
A red one?
Yes.
Yes, a red one.
Now, be a good girl
and go to your mother,
will you?
Go, Mercy.
(SOBBlNG)
Take the child out.
ALL: She"s a witch.
She"s a witch.
GOODE: Of course
she"s a witch.
You have condemned yourself.
Now tell us,
what power have you
over that child?
Can you not see
for yourselves?
It"s something that
poor child has never had
from its father and mother,
kindness and love.
Things that seem
to have been forgotten
hereabouts.
Is it so strange
that she should turn to
someone who shows
her a little kindness,
and yet the evidence
of such you call evil?
Don"t, don"t let this
blindness lead us
again to murder!
There"s been enough of it.
Isn"t it plain that
she"s telling the truth?
That she"s shielding someone,
someone she cares for?
I know because...
John. No, no, John.
Please do not
listen to him.
She"s bewitched him,
too.
Martha!
She"s of evil blood,
born into witchcraft.
Don"t, Martha! Don"t!
Her mother was
burned as a witch
in England.
(PEOPLE SHOUTlNG)
(GAVEL POUNDlNG)
What proof
have you of this?
Ask her own aunt,
Ellen Clarke.
LAUGHTON: Call Ellen Clarke.
You have heard
the accusation.
Is it true?
Answer.
Was the prisoner"s mother
burned as a witch?
Yes.
But many innocent people
were called witches.
Was she pronounced a witch
by a God-fearing
English court?
Answer.
Oh, stop it. Stop it.
Isn"t it enough that
you"re torturing me?
Yes, my mother was
accused of being a witch.
She was burned as one.
But does that
prove she was guilty
any more than I am,
or the others
you have condemned?
We"re not tried by justice,
but by fear and ignorance.
MORSE: "Tis the devil
speaking.
There is no power of evil
such as you believe.
Blasphemy.
Why don"t you confess?
I will not confess a lie,
nor deny God to save my life.
I do confess pity for you.
You who have been
given the power to save
and send righteous people
to their death.
I don"t ask mercy of you,
but only pray God
for your awakening.
She"s innocent.
(ALL SHOUTlNG)
Oh, good day, lad.
You"re Timothy,
I warrant.
Will you tell
your cousin Barbara
l"m here?
Barbara? She... She...
What is it, lad?
Speak up.
Mother.
Barbara,
will you not confess
and save your life?
Then may He have
mercy on your soul.
ROGER: Hold.
MAN: Who is he?
Hold.
Hold. Hold.
"Tis murder you"re doing.
By what authority
do you interfere?
Arrest him!
Take him away.
Wait, wait.
Wait. Wait.
Wait. Hold.
At least let us hear
what he has to say.
Who are you, sir?
I am Roger Coverman.
I"m the one that
girl"s been protecting.
The one you poor fools
thought was Satan.
Well, look at me.
Am I not flesh and blood?
Aye. Now that I look well,
"twas you.
"Twas you that made me think
I saw the devil himself.
Now are you convinced?
But what of the other
charges against her?
Have you not
heard enough?
Will you be satisfied
only with this girl"s death,
when before your very eyes
the principal charge
against her has
been proven false?
What of the others
who were hanged here?
What if they
were innocent, too?
ROGER: Barbara.
Barbara.
Ann, come here.
Father.
Please.
Please, Father. Please.
Please forgive me, Father.
Forgive me.
(SOBBlNG)
I"m sorry.
Oh, merciful God,
forgive.
The child confessed
that it was spite
that made her accuse
the slave Tituba.
You see,
she didn"t realize
what great harm
might come from it.
We... We made
a thorough
investigation.
We now believe that
all the other accusations
sprang from
either fear or malice.
Now, as one of
Their Majesties" judges,
I beg Your Excellency
to sign.
Although this abolishes trial
for witchcraft in this colony,
it in no way atones
for the past.
We must do
everything in our power
to safeguard the future.
First, it is my order
that the tree on
Gallows Hill be destroyed.