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.