FARMER. 
                       John Gloyd,
Whose turn is it to-day?

GLOYD. 
                 It’s Goodwife Corey’s.

FARMER. 
Giles Corey’s wife?

GLOYD. 
           The same.  She is not mine. 
It will go hard with her with all her praying. 
The hypocrite!  She’s always on her knees;
But she prays to the Devil when she prays. 
Let us go in.

A trumpet blows.

FARMER. 
            Here come the Magistrates.

SECOND FARMER. 
Who’s the tall man in front?

GLOYD. 
                 Oh, that is Hathorne,
A Justice of the Court, and a Quarter-master
In the Three County Troop.  He’ll sift the matter. 
That’s Corwin with him; and the man in black
Is Cotton Mather, Minister of Boston.

Enter HATHORNE and other Magistrates on horseback, followed by the Sheriff, constables, and attendants on foot.  The Magistrates dismount, and enter the Meeting-house, with the rest.

FARMER.

The Meeting-house is full.  I never saw
So great a crowd before.

GLOYD. 
                    No matter.  Come. 
We shall find room enough by elbowing
Our way among them.  Put your shoulder to it.

FARMER. 
There were not half so many at the trial
Of Goodwife Bishop.

GLOYD. 
                  Keep close after me. 
I’ll find a place for you.  They’ll want me there. 
I am a friend of Corey’s, as you know,
And he can’t do without me just at present.
                          [Exeunt.

SCENE II. —­ Interior of the Meeting-house.  MATHER and the Magistrates seated in front of the pulpit.  Before them a raised platform.  MARTHA in chains.  COREY near her.  MARY WALCOT in a chair.  A crowd of spectators, among them GLOYD.  Confusion and murmurs during the scene.

HATHORNE. 
Call Martha Corey.

MARTHA. 
             I am here.

HATHORNE. 
                        Come forward.

She ascends the platform.

The Jurors of our Sovereign Lord and Lady
The King and Queen, here present, do accuse you
Of having on the tenth of June last past,
And divers other times before and after,
Wickedly used and practised certain arts
Called Witchcrafts, Sorceries, and Incantations,
Against one Mary Walcot, single woman,
Of Salem Village; by which wicked arts
The aforesaid Mary Walcot was tormented,
Tortured, afflicted, pined, consumed, and wasted,
Against the peace of our Sovereign Lord and Lady
The King and Queen, as well as of the Statute
Made and provided in that case.  What say you?

MARTHA. 
Before I answer, give me leave to pray.

HATHORNE. 
We have not sent for you, nor are we here,
To hear you pray, but to examine you
In whatsoever is alleged against you. 
Why do you hurt this person?