The Witch Hunter's Tale(21)

“But there are things you do not know,” Rebecca continued, “things Mr. Hodgson and I have kept in the greatest confidence for fear of exciting tumult within the city.”

The Councilmen feared disorder more than anything else, and they leaned forward in their seats, unwilling to miss a single word.

“As Mr. Hodgson said, it is not in a witch’s nature to labor alone in the vineyards of Satan. And before she died, Hester swore to us that she was not the only witch in the city. There are others, many others.” The Councilmen looked at each other in alarm and began to whisper among themselves. I glanced at Martha and saw the surprise on her face, for Hester has denied knowing of other witches in the city. I was not surprised that Rebecca would lie, of course, but I could not help being struck by her audacity in doing so before the Council. At the same time I realized that it was a brilliant stroke: With Hester dead, who could gainsay Rebecca’s words?

“Mrs. Hooke,” the Lord Mayor said. “Did the witch Hester Jackson tell you who these other witches are?”

“No, my Lord Mayor,” Rebecca said. “I am afraid she would not go so far as that. It seems even Satan’s handmaidens have a sense of loyalty.”

“Well then, Mr. Hodgson, what can we do?” the Lord Mayor asked Joseph. “Surely you did not ask us here simply to tell us of the danger.”

“My Lord Mayor,” Joseph said as he rose once again to his feet. “This is why I called the Council into session. I have a solution.” The murmuring stopped and all eyes settled on Joseph. He and Rebecca could not have planned the meeting any better.

I stole a glance at Will to see his reaction to his brother’s words, but his face remained a mask.

“Many of you have heard of witch hangings in other parts of England,” Joseph continued. “Most have been to the south, but today word reached us of witches found in Lancashire.” He passed around copies of the book I’d bought 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.”