Sabbat

Richard Shannon

• Publisher: Oberon Books
• Year: 2012
• Print ISBN:
  9781849432467
• Edition: 1
• eBook ISBN:
  9781849435222
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: British Drama
• Index: Literature

Good Friday 1612. High on a hill in the wild and lawless area of Pendle, a secret meeting is held at Malkin Tower. By the end of the year, most of those present have been sentenced to death at Lancaster Castle - hanged for the crime of witchcraft.

This powerful play attempts to unravel the mysteries behind one of England's most famous trials, that of the notorious Pendle Witches. Did Alice Nutter and the others really take part in a witches' Sabbat? Or were these Pendle folk innocent victims at a time of persecution, paranoia and superstition? Sabbat imagines the events leading up to the trial and execution of The Lancashire Witches and asks: who held the real power behind the tightly closed doors of Pendle? How many lives were destroyed by laws born out of fear?

Act 1

SCENE 1

The house of Roger Nowell.

The space is dark. A fire burns. It is raining.

A woman holds another woman in her arms as she twists, crying out in a fevered sleep.

ALICE: Two Angels came from the West

The one brought Fire, the other Frost, Out Fire! In Frost!

In the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost!

JUDITH screams in her sleep.

ALICE: Still, still, still.

JUDITH: Alice! Alice!

ALICE: I’m here. I have you tight.

No harm’s near.

JUDITH: Oh Alice, I had such dreams. Such fearful dreams.

ALICE: You have a fever.

JUDITH: I have seen nothing but death…

ALICE: Judith.

JUDITH: Such pictures of horror. I saw great meat hooks, such as I have seen men use. They came and took my child and all was in blood and…

ALICE: Enough!

Enough.

Dreams only. Dreams will not touch your child, but fear might. So no more talk.

And drink a little. Here.

You will be strong. The Lord and all his saints will see to it.

There’s a promise.

JUDITH: You cannot promise. You cannot.

I’ve heard stories in the village, terrible things.

They say if you wait at midsummer’s eve…at the church porch, you can see all the spirits of those that will be dead that twelve months.

I thought I saw my child leading me into shadows.

Oh Alice, is it true?

ALICE: Hush child. These are all fever’s thoughts, not your own.

JUDITH: I may be cursed. I may Alice. I hid when Mother Demdike came Lammas tide. She was begging. Jennet Device led her by the hand. I often give them a morsel, but with the child, I thought to hide myself. She knew I was there. I heard her mumble outside the door.

ALICE: Judith, peace. You are safe. Who is safer from all bad charms? You are the Magistrate’s own wife. Besides, Old Demdike is not right in her mind. She mumbles all the time. No one knows what. And that’s because she has no teeth in her head, so her tongue clacks like the clapper of a broken bell, all noise and no sense.

JUDITH: No one is safe Alice. The King’s son died at Michaelmas, and who has more to fend off death than the King?

ALICE: The King lives under God’s heaven and must die when it pleases God.

Pause.

JUDITH: I cannot bear it. It goes on forever. The waiting and the waiting.

And I feel it moving, moving like some worm, deep inside me, as if it were gnawing at me. Sometimes, I wish it would go and leave me as I was before.

ALICE: Don’t think such things. You are blessed by God’s grace with a child. You should thank heaven that you bear a child. Your husband has no son.

JUDITH: Aye, and his wife before me died giving birth to a son.

That mite lived three days. I’ll fare no better.

Pause.

Some women prepare their shrouds. Is it not so? They lie in the dark, with no windows open. They wait to die.

ALICE: My child, you must not fear this birth. It is a woman’s lot to endure in pain – since Eve plucked the rosy apple from the tree – but it is soon over. You are strong and fit to bear your husband many children. So we’ll have no more talk of shrouds or hooks or death.

JUDITH: No.

ALICE: Good.

Now sleep. Sleep without dreaming. You can scarcely keep your eyes open. I will watch over you.

JUDITH sinks into sleep. ALICE kisses her lightly on the forehead and makes the sign of the cross.

SCENE 2

The house of Roger Nowell.

JENNET is heard singing a very bawdy song outside JUDITH’s door.

JENNET: Mistress Nowell. Are you waking?

It’s Jennet.

I come to bless the babe that is to be.

Come Mistress.

I know you’re there.

JUDITH: Jennet – I wish you well.

And thank you for your blessing – but – but I am too busy.

JENNET: Too busy doing what?

JUDITH: Doing what I please around the house. I may be with child but I have to keep a tidy house.

JENNET: I can help thee Mistress. I’m known for my tidiness.

JUDITH: I’m obliged to you Jennet, but I’m… I’m nearly finished all the morning’s labour and now I must take my rest.

JENNET: Then you’ll need a companion to gossip with. And here I am.

Besides Mistress Nowell – I am fearful thirsty – I am in sore need of a bare cup of water, if it please you.

JUDITH: A cup of water?

JENNET: And I’ll be on my way.

JUDITH pours a cup of water and opens the door a crack.

JENNET barges into the room.

JENNET: Thank you Mistress – you’re the kindest soul in Pendle.

She looks around and starts to pick things up.

Oh what fine things. Did Master Nowell buy you these for your wedding?

JUDITH: Jennet – Jennet – please, those bowls are very… Jennet leave that…

Please – Jennet – I cannot have guests…my husband has said…

JENNET: I’m not a guest. I’m Jennet Device. And you know me well enough for a neighbour.

And I’m your friend, ent I?

Now look at this. What’s this?

Such a pretty colour.

JENNET sticks her finger into a glass jar containing yellow spice.

JUDITH: Some spice. Roger bought it in Lancaster.

JENNET: Spice?

JUDITH: It’s to liven a cooking pot.

JENNET tastes the spice and spits it out with a yowl.

JENNET: It’s made of fire! You mustn’t touch such stuff!

Fit only for the Devil’s tongue.

JUDITH: Now Jennet, I am grateful for your visit and I am glad…

JENNET: I came to bless the child that is to be. Old Demdike – she sends me – she can’t come herself – her legs are swollen like a toad’s throat in spring, but she sends me with a blessing.

JENNET suddenly puts her hand on JUDITH’s stomach.

JENNET: May this womb be fruitful and bring forth ripeness and may the child be strong and full of breath. And may you bar the gate of shadows from this mother. Amen.

JUDITH: Jennet, Jennet – please enough. You make me a little fearful.

JENNET: Oh no Mistress – you have no need. Master Nowell is a good man and deserving o...

Table of contents

• Front Cover
• Half-Title Page
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Contents
• Introduction
• Historical Facts – a brief outline
• Chracters
• Act 1
• Act 2