the complete poetical works-第173节
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ENDICOTT。
What is it？
MERRY。
Profane swearing； please your Worship。
He cursed and swore from Dock Square to the Court…house；
ENDICOTT。
Then let him stand in the pillory for one hour。
＇Exit KEMPTHORN with constable。
Who's next？
MERRY。
The Quakers。
ENDICOTT。
Call them。
MERRY。
Edward Wharton；
Come to the bar！
WHARTON。
Yea； even to the bench。
ENDICOTT。
Take off your hat。
WHARTON。
My hat offendeth not。
If it offendeth any； let him take it；
For I shall not resist。
ENDICOTT。
Take off his hat。
Let him be fined ten shillings for contempt。
MERRY takes off WHARTON'S hat。
WHARTON。
What evil have I done？
ENDICOTT。
Your hair's too long；
And in not putting off your hat to us
You've disobeyed and broken that commandment
Which sayeth 〃Honor thy father and thy mother。〃
WHARTON。
John Endicott； thou art become too proud；
And loved him who putteth off the hat；
And honoreth thee by bowing of the body；
And sayeth 〃Worshipful sir！〃 'T is time for thee
To give such follies over； for thou mayest
Be drawing very near unto thy grave。
ENDICOTT。
Now； sirrah； leave your canting。 Take the oath。
WHARTON。
Nay； sirrah me no sirrahs！
ENDICOTT。
Will you swear？
WHARTON。
Nay； I will not。
ENDICOTT。
You made a great disturbance
And uproar yesterday in the Meeting…house；
Having your hat on。
WHARTON。
I made no disturbance；
For peacefully I stood； like other people。
I spake no words； moved against none my hand；
But by the hair they haled me out； and dashed
Their hooks into my face。
ENDICOTT。
You； Edward Wharton；
On pain of death； depart this Jurisdiction
Within ten days。 Such is your sentence。 Go。
WHARTON。
John Endicott； it had been well for thee
If this day's doings thou hadst left undone
But； banish me as far as thou hast power；
Beyond the guard and presence of my God
Thou canst not banish me。
ENDICOTT。
Depart the Court；
We have no time to listen to your babble。
Who's next？ ＇Exit WHARTON。
MERRY。
This woman； for the same offence。
EDITH comes forward。
ENDICOTT。
What is your name？
EDITH。
'T is to the world unknown；
But written in the Book of Life。
ENDICOTT。
Take heed
It be not written in the Book of Death！
What is it？
EDITH。
Edith Christison。
ENDICOTT （with eagerness）。
The daughter
Of Wenlock Christison？
EDITH。
I am his daughter。
ENDICOTT。
Your father hath given us trouble many times。
A bold man and a violent； who sets
At naught the authority of our Church and State；
And is in banishment on pain of death。
Where are you living？
EDITH。
In the Lord。
ENDICOTT。
Make answer
Without evasion。 Where？
EDITH。
My outward being
Is in Barbadoes。
ENDICOTT。
Then why come you here？
EDITH。
I come upon an errand of the Lord。
ENDICOTT。
'Tis not the business of the Lord you're doing；
It is the Devil's。 Will you take the oath？
Give her the Book。
MERRY offers the Book。
EDITH。
You offer me this Book
To swear on； and it saith；〃 Swear not at all；
Neither by heaven； because it is God's Throne；
Nor by the earth； because it is his footstool！〃
I dare not swear。
ENDICOTT。
You dare not？ Yet you Quakers
Deny this book of Holy Writ； the Bible；
To be the Word of God。
EDITH （reverentially）。
Christ is the Word；
The everlasting oath of God。 I dare not。
ENDICOTT。
You own yourself a Quaker；do you not？
EDITH。
I own that in derision and reproach
I am so called。
ENDICOTT。
Then you deny the Scripture
To be the rule of life。
EDITH。
Yea； I believe
The Inner Light； and not the Written Word；
To be the rule of life。
ENDICOTT。
And you deny
That the Lord's Day is holy。
EDITH。
Every day
Is the Lords Day。 It runs through all our lives；
As through the pages of the Holy Bible；
〃Thus saith the Lord。〃
ENDICOTT。
You are accused of making
An horrible disturbance； and affrighting
The people in the Meeting…house on Sunday。
What answer make you？
EDITH。
I do not deny
That I was present in your Steeple…house
On the First Day； but I made no disturbance。
ENDICOTT。
Why came you there？
EDITH。
Because the Lord commanded。
His word was in my heart； a burning fire
Shut up within me and consuming me；
And I was very weary with forbearing；
I could not stay。
ENDICOTT。
'T was not the Lord that sent you；
As an incarnate devil did you come！
EDITH。
On the First Day； when； seated in my chamber；
I heard the bells toll； calling you together；
The sound struck at my life； as once at his；
The holy man； our Founder； when he heard
The far…off bells toll in the Vale of Beavor。
It sounded like a market bell to call
The folk together； that the Priest might set
His wares to sale。 And the Lord said within me；
〃Thou must go cry aloud against that Idol；
And all the worshippers thereof。〃 I went
Barefooted； clad in sackcloth； and I stood
And listened at the threshold； and I heard
The praying and the singing and the preaching；
Which were but outward forms； and without power。
Then rose a cry within me； and my heart
Was filled with admonitions and reproofs。
Remembering how the Prophets and Apostles
Denounced the covetous hirelings and diviners；
I entered in； and spake the words the Lord
Commanded me to speak。 I could no less。
ENDICOTT。
Are you a Prophetess？
EDITH。
Is it not written；
〃Upon my handmaidens will I pour out
My spirit； and they shall prophesy〃？
ENDICOTT。
Enough；
For out of your own mouth are you condemned！
Need we hear further？
THE JUDGES。
We are satisfied。
ENDICOTT。
It is sufficient。 Edith Christison；
The sentence of the Court is； that you be
Scourged in three towns； with forty stripes save one；
Then banished upon pain of death！
EDITH。
Your sentence
Is truly no more terrible to me
Than had you blown a feather into the the air；
And； as it fell upon me； you had said；
Take heed it hurt thee not！〃 God's will he done！
WENLOCK CHRISTISON （unseen in the crowd）。
Woe to the city of blood！ The stone shall cry
Out of the wall； the beam from out the timber
Shall answer it！ Woe unto him that buildeth
A town with blood； and stablisheth a city
By his iniquity！
ENDICOTT。
Who is it makes
Such outcry here？
CHRISTISON （coming forward）。
I； Wenlock Christison！
ENDICOTT。
Banished on pain of death； why come you here？
CHRISTISON。
I come to warn you that you shed no more
The blood of innocent men！ It cries aloud
For vengeance to the Lord！
ENDICOTT。
Your life is forfeit
Unto the law； and you shall surely die；
And shall not live。
CHRISTISON。
Like unto Eleazer；
Maintaining the excellence of ancient years
And the honor of his gray head； I stand before you；
Like him disdaining all hypocrisy；
Lest； through desire to live a little longer；
I get a stain to my old age and name！
ENDICOTT。
Being in banishment； on pain of death；
You come now in among us in rebellion。
CHRISTISON。
I come not in among you in rebellion；
But in obedience to the Lord of heaven。
Not in contempt to any Magistrate；
But only in the love I bear your souls；
As ye shall know hereafter； when all men
Give an account of deeds done in the body！
God's righteous judgments ye cannot escape。
ONE OF THE JUDGES。
Those who have gone before you said the same；
And yet no judgment of the Lord hath fallen
Upon us。
CHRISTISON。
He but waiteth till the measure
Of your iniquities shall be filled up；
And ye have run your race。 Then will his wrath
Descend upon you to the uttermost！
For thy part； Humphrey Atherton； it hangs
Over thy head already。 It shall come
Suddenly； as a thief doth in the night；
And in the hour when least thou thinkest of it！
ENDICOTT。
We have a law； and by that law you die。
CHRISTISON。
I； a free man of England and freeborn；
Appeal unto the laws of mine own nation！
ENDICOTT。
There's no appeal to England from this
