_Tableau--Curtain falls._

Act V.

_Six weeks later._ Giles Corey's _cell in Salem jail. It is early
morning._ Giles, _heavily chained, is sleeping upon his bed. A
noise is heard at the door._ Giles _stirs and raises himself._

_Giles._ Yes, Martha, I'm coming. (_Noise continues._) I'm coming,
Martha. (_Stares around the cell._) God help me, but I thought
'twas Martha calling me to supper, and 'tis a month since she died
on Gallows Hill. I verily thought that I smelt the pork frying and
the pan-cakes.

_The door is opened and the_ Guard, _bringing a dish of porridge,
enters; he sets it on the floor beside the bed, then examines_
Giles's _chains._

_Giles._ Make sure they be strong, else it will verily go hard with
the hussies. They will screech louder yet, and be more like
pin-cushions than ever. Art sure they be strong? 'Twere a pity such
guileless and tender maids should suffer, and old Giles Corey's
hands be rough. He hath hewn wood and handled the plough for nigh
eighty years with them, and now these pretty maids say he hurts
their soft flesh. In truth, they must be sore afflicted. Prithee are
the chains well riveted? I thought last night one link seemed
somewhat loose as though it might be forced, and old Giles Corey
hath still some strength; and hath he witchcraft, as they say, it
might well make him stronger. Be wary about the chains for the sake
of those godly and tender maids.

[_Exit_ Guard. Giles _takes the dish of porridge and eats._

_Giles_ (_making a wry face_). This be rare porridge; it be rare
enough to charge the cook on't with witchcraft. It might well have
been scorched in some hell-fire. I trow Martha would have flung it
to the pigs. I verily thought 'twas Martha calling me to supper, and
I smelt the good food cooking, and Martha hung a month since on
Gallows Hill. Who's that at the door now?

Guard _opens the door and_ Paul Bayley _enters._ Giles _takes
another spoonful of porridge._

_Paul._ Good-day, Goodman Corey.

_Giles._ Taste this porridge, will ye.

_Paul_ (_tastes the porridge_). 'Tis burned.

_Giles._ It be rare food to keep up the soul of an old man who hath
set himself to undergo what I have set myself to undergo. But it
matters not. I trow old Giles Corey may well have eat all his life
unknowingly to this end, and hath now somewhat of strength to fall
back upon. He needs no dainty fare to make him strong to undergo
what he hath set himself. How fare