Free The Witch Hunter's Tale by Sam Thomas

from Newcome, the book that he himself had paid to have printed.
    “It is well known that witches thrive in times of disorder such as those in which we now live. And it is common knowledge that Satan has sent his imps to aid the King’s faction. And now it seems that the devil has sent his witches here in hope of overthrowing this very Council. Why would he do this? Why would he single out York from all the cities in England? Because Satan cannot tolerate our efforts to root out sin and build York into a shining city upon a hill. Gentlemen, Satan has challenged us, and if we do not accept the challenge we shall be defeated. If we do not drive these witches, the devil’s own waiting-women, out from the city, then God will have no more mercy on us than he did on Sodom. If we do not act, God will loose Satan’s hand. We will be destroyed—and rightly so.”
    “Mr. Hodgson, how do you propose we pay for this hunt?” George Breary rose to his feet as he spoke. “We will have to pay the jailors, the Searchers, the lawyers … the expense you are asking the city to bear is no small thing.” Some of the Councilmen were notorious for their parsimony, and I think George hoped to give them pause. If so, he was disappointed, for Joseph was prepared for this line of opposition.
    “Mr. Breary, what price would you put on defending the city against Satan’s assaults?” Joseph’s voice rose as he spoke, making his outrage at George’s words clear to all. “If news came that the King’s armies approached, would we not strengthen the city walls? Would we not build up our store of cannon-shot and gunpowder? Of course we would. The horrible truth is that the enemy is not approaching, no. He is already here; he is already within the city walls. Witches already have murdered a mother and her child. You have no wife, no small children, so you may be safe. But others among us have families. And I must ask you, Mr. Breary, how many of our wives and children must die before you say, I wish we had spent a few shillings to defend the city ?”
    George opened his mouth to reply, but Rebecca interrupted. “Members of the Council.” Her voice was as clear and loud as any man’s. “As you know, Richard, my late and beloved husband, had the singular honor of serving on this august body.”
    I suppressed a laugh at her description of her husband. While he was alive, he was never beloved of anyone, least of all her, and his service to the city consisted of sleeping through meetings and voting as she instructed him.
    Rebecca continued, her voice ringing through the hall with no less authority than Joseph’s had. “I would be doing his memory a terrible injustice if I did not take up his standard and defend his city, your city, against the assaults of these devils. Witches are not just murderers; they are rebels against God Himself. In Exodus the Lord commands, Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. Shall we now—even as God makes clear his hatred of England’s sinful ways—turn our backs on His commandments? As His vice-regents on earth, you will be called to account if you fail to do your duty. You must protect the city against these witches just as you would defend it against the Irish horde. Indeed the danger of witches is greater than this, for even now they are within the city, doing the devil’s work.”
    She paused and looked around the table, making sure that she had every Alderman’s attention. She needn’t have worried—they were spellbound.
    “I will not presume to tell you how to act in this matter. But I have seen what witches can do to a child’s body, and I have seen what trafficking with the devil did to Hester Jackson. Because of this I know all too well the depths of the devil’s depravity. But all is not lost, for I also know that you will do God’s will. I know that you will do the right thing for York.” As the Council stared at her in awe, Rebecca turned from the table and strode from the room, her cloak