[Paul seats himself on a stool. Giles sits on his bed.

Giles. Master Bayley, ye have been long a-courting my daughter.  Do ye propose in good faith to take her to wife?

Paul. With the best faith that be in me.

Giles. Then I tell ye, man, take her speedily—­take her within three weeks.

Paul. I would take her with all my heart, goodman, would she be willing.

Giles. She must needs be willing.  Why, devil take it! be ye not smart enough to make her willing?  It will all go for naught if she be not willing.  Tell her her father bids her.  She hath ever minded her father.

Paul. I will tell her so, goodman.

Giles. Tell her ’tis the last command her father gives her.  If she say no, hear it yes.  Do not ye give it up if ye have to drag her to ’t.  Why, she must not be left alone in the world.  It be a hard world.  Old Giles hath gone far in it, and found it ever a hard world.  Verily it be not cleared any more than the woods of Massachusetts.  It be hard enough for a man; a young maid must needs have somebody to hold aside the boughs for her.  Wed her, if she will or no.  I have somewhat to show ye, Master Bayley. (Draws a document from his waistcoat.) See ye this?

[Paul takes the document and examines it.

Giles. See ye what ’tis?

Paul. It is a deed whereby you convey all your property to me, so I be Olive’s husband.  Wherefore?

Giles. It be drawn up in good form.  It be duly witnessed.  You see that it be all in good form, Paul.

Paul. I see.  But wherefore?

Giles. It will stand in law; there will be no getting loose from it.  It be a good and trusty document.  But—­so be it that this afternoon I stand trial for witchcraft, and plead guilty or not guilty, this same good and trusty document will be worth less than the parchment ’tis writ on.  ’Tis so with the law.  There will be an attainder on’t.  My sons-in-law that testified to the undoing of Martha and me will have their share, and thou and Olive perchance have naught in this bedlam.  I bear no ill will toward my sons-in-law and my daughters, who have been put up by them to deal falsely with Martha and me, but I would not that they have my goods.  I bear no ill will; it becometh not a man so near death to bear ill will.  But they shall not have my goods; I say they shall not.  There shall be no attainder on this document.  I will stand mute at my trial.

Paul. Goodman Corey, know you the penalty?

Giles. I trow I know it better than the catechism.  ’Tis to be pressed beneath stone weights until I be dead.

Paul. I say you shall not do this thing.  What think you I care for your goods?  I’ll have naught to do with them, nor will Olive.  This is madness!

Giles. ’Tis not all for the goods.  I would Olive had them, and not those foul traitors; but ’tis not all.  Were there no goods and no attainder, I would still do this thing.  Paul, they say that Martha spake fair words when they had her there on Gallows Hill.