[gentle music plays] [Gideon] I was this close to offering myself up to the Witchfinder General at a trial that starts in 12 hours.

Witch!

[Gideon] Argh!

I’m getting executed in the morning and I want to look my best.

-I’m heading to um-- -Ipswich.

[Thomasine] Got talking to a merchant's heading that way.

Thomasine!

-Go and get him.

-[Myers] Gideon!

Someone’s given you a second chance.

What you gonna do, Master Gideon?

[Gideon] We’re gonna save her Myers.

We’re gonna save her life.

Ah, I feel good.

Unencumbered.

There’s a lightness to me.

[Myers] This horse doesn’t think so.

The trial starts in two hours, and he keeps slowing down.

Yeah, that’s 'cause you keep squeezing your thighs.

He thinks you wanna stop.

Squeezing means go.

No, it does not mean go.

It means stop.

You’re just wrong, Myers.

I’m serious, relax your thighs.

Will you stop winging!

When you relax your thighs.

You’re like pincers cutting into him.

-[horse nickers] -Not you as well.

-[Thomasine] So, you off to Ipswich market?

-[Hebble] Yes.

-What’s in the sacks?

-Just produce.

Oh, what kind of produce?

How wonderful to have such an inquisitive mind!

Oh, look there’s Ipswich.

That’s Ipswich?

Oh!

It’s not what I imagined.

See those woods with trees swishing in the breeze?

That’s known as the Swish.

And over that hill is the River Ip.

This is simply where the Ip meets the Swish.

So, the Saxons called it Ipswish.

Oh!

And the trees were here in Saxon times?

Funny how they look quite new.

Now, your father’s address?

Oh, it’s er Coptandle Lane.

-Oh, yes.

-You know it?

I know it well.

It’s not far.

Great.

Well, I’ll just get off here then.

No, no.

I said I’ll take you and I shall.

Nah.

The walk will do me good.

-Honestly, I’m fine.

-I said no.

-It's fine.

-I said no.

Looking for this?

What is this?

We’re on the way to your father’s.

-On Coptandle Lane?

-Yes.

-Which I just made up?

-Ah.

This isn’t Ipswich is it?

I have a witch!

Help!

Someone alert the Witchfinder General.

You, washing boy.

Go!

Quickly!

[Gideon] Give him the sword.

[Thomasine] How did you get here?

Give.

Him.

The sword.

I.

Don't.

Think.

So.

Thomasine?

Give me the sword.

En garde, sir.

You look ridiculous, Buzzy.

The name is Gideon Bannister.

Why does he call you Buzzy?

Is it cause your dad’s a beekeeper?

-Stay out of it you.

-A beekeeper?

The man’s obsessed with them.

You don’t know about his beard of bees?

Wearing a swarm on his face to amuse children?

-People don’t do that.

-[Gideon] Father does.

At every social occasion, every summer.

When I went up to Cambridge with the sons of physicians and clerics, I was not Gideon Bannister.

Son of Edward Bannister, of Harwich.

I was Buzzy Bannister, the bee beard boy.

You’re lucky it wasn’t butterflies.

-Hmm?

-That was father’s obsession.

Always in the lepidotarium.

On hot days, he’d stand there, arms out like Christ, waiting for his precious butterflies to land on him.

I never lived it down at school.

They called me Flapper.

I didn't know.

Why would you when I just made it up to distract you?

Rule number one of fencing: never drop your guard.

-[Thomasine] Good rule.

-[metallic clunk] Sorry about that.

He’s just winding me up.

-I just thought I’d clip him.

-Yeah, with a spade.

Shall we...?

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

That's her!

[Gideon] Alright, pal?

-[guards grunt] -Argh!

Get off me!

-[guard] Come on.

-Get off!

-Come on.

-I’ll speak to Matthew Hopkins!

I'll get you out of this!

[Myers] Gideon!

Gideon!

Wet stockings.

Are you taking me to see him?

I said are you taking me to see him?

-Hello?

-Hello.

-So, you can hear me?

-Yes.

Are you taking me to see him?

I am asking, staggering by the way, if you are taking me to see Matthew Hopkins.

You do know who he is?

-[menacing chuckle] -[imposing music playing] Everyone knows the Witchfinder General.

[Matthew] Have to say, you timed it well.

The trial starts in one hour and a few of our witches died in gaol over-night.

Important to get the numbers.

I just wanted to have a very quick word about my one.

-About your witch?

-Well, that is the issue I had hoped to-- "Thomasine Gooch.

Used sorcery to kill a pig."

Sworn depositions here too.

Looks good.

No, they all help.

I had expected at least half a dozen to be brought by John Stearne but there’s no sign-- How did you get this pouch?

It belongs to John Stearne.

John Stearne’s dead, sir.

[whines] [cries] Oh, John.

Dear, dear, John.

A fine man and a truly good friend.

I shall miss you very much.

Still!

We move on.

Do you want to know how he died?

No, don’t think so.

Unless, of course, she killed John Stearne?

[both chuckle] -Oh!

-No.

Oh, this is fantastic.

-No, that was a theory but-- -Oh, the court will adore this.

And of course, I shall need a new associate.

I wonder if this is why you came here.

Well, it was originally-- After all, you bring me a witch by way of a calling card.

Like a dog with a dead bird in its mouth.

But not just any dead bird, the bird whose sorcery killed my cherished right-hand man, my dear, dear friend... -John?

-John.

Because that kind of prize deserves rewarding.

Come.

[mysterious music playing] Naturally, you will need some finer clothes.

A better cloak, wider hat.

Important to create the right image.

Uh, what are you, a 38 chest?

Uh, Susan!

Uh, your residence shall be this one across the way.

I like to keep a few homes dotted around the East of England, depending where work takes us.

Uh, you there!

Morning, Matthew.

Yes, it’s Mr. Hopkins now.

And uh, you’re moving out, so, you have the time it takes me to load this pistol to leave the premises.

Thank you!

That’s Mrs. Stearne, John’s mother.

Don’t worry, they won’t be long.

It’s a, a lovely place, similar to mine, uh, here.

Oh, Mary!

I don’t know if you’ve had much of a look around?

I’ve loaded it!

The previous owner did a tremendous job of it.

-[gunshot] -[Gideon groans] But um, he didn’t want to give it up, truth be told.

Good.

Good thing witches.

-Sorry?

-They were witches?

Oh, yes, yes.

I, uh, was paid a small fortune to prosecute their case and, uh, I ended up with this house into the bargain.

Ah Susan, fetch my angora cloak and my other hat, there’s a good girl!

Susan is very good.

We thought at one time she was a witch.

I undertook an investigation and turned out she wasn’t one.

So now she is my assistant.

Yeah, a similar situation to the woman I brought.

She seemed a witch initially but then she might not be.

I notice you have said that for a third time even though I pointedly ignored the first two.

-Why is that I wonder?

-Just that we have spent, um, some days together.

Her hooks are in you.

Womankind is persuasive and wily.

Witness how Eve convinced Adam to eat that fateful apple.

Some scholars believe Adam didn’t even like apples.

God had only intended for her to be the first woman, but due to some sort of mix up also appears to have created the first slag.

I just think in this case, there may be one or two gray areas.

Hmm.

My problem is your gray areas, they’d reflect on me, especially if I’ve given you the cloak, and the hat, and the house, and all that money, renown across half of England.

So, is there a gray area... or is she a witch?

-Will Gooch for you, sir.

-[Gideon] Gooch?

Gooch as in...?

-Thomasine's dad.

-How did you find out about this?

There’s a Mr. Hebble been putting the word about that she’s been accused.

And so I came down the trials and somebody says they got her.

So, I thought, well, I have to speak up.

You wish to speak as a character witness?

My word’s gonna count for a lot, isn’t it?

I mean you only get one father.

Yeah.

Unless you’re Jesus because although, you know, he was raised by Joseph as is but actually, God was, is, his dad, weren’t it?

I suppose Jesus must have thought that like God was...

I don’t-- like a friend of his mum's, that just stared at him a lot and got, got sad at birthdays.

But y’know, I’m, I’m, I’m no expert on much really but you ask me anything about Thomasine, absolutely any-- not shoe size though 'cause I am not good on shoes sizes.

-But anything else I-- -Can I just stop you there?

-Shall I see him out?

-If you would.

Come on, pal.

I have you.

She has her father.

A weight off the old mind I imagine.

Back to the case, you mentioned a gray area?

It’s more of a gray speckle if I’m honest.

I am 95% sure she’s a witch.

98%.

I like to round up.

100%.

[tense music playing] [men laugh] Well, God knows we needed a witch of the caliber he brought.

Another two died in the gaol overnight.

You arrange a big trial, and these wretches can’t even muster the good grace to stay alive for the damn thing.

[men laugh] Oh, I must introduce you to Lord Salisbury, he will be the judge today.

You wouldn’t want to take him on at backgammon, but he’ll always do the right thing in a witch trial.

-[men laugh] -[Gideon laughs uncomfortably] God, I love a trial.

The thick must of an English court.

The stench of theater.

I presume you’ve noticed my clack?

-Pardon me, your...?

-Clack.

I’ve had a copper panel added to each heel so that it sounds that bit louder.

It means as I approach, I can be heard from some way away.

Clack, clack, clack.

Could that be him?

Clack, clack, clack.

It’s getting closer.

Clack, clack, clack and suddenly there I am, swishing my cloak as I sweep into the room.

It just adds that bit of drama.

I do something similar with an egg.

-Right?

-Um... You’d have to see it live.

Oh, well, I look forward to that.

Uh, you, boy!

Have a fresh egg laid at once.

[Gideon mutters] Oh, a fresh one.

[whispers] Myers!

How’s the cotignac?

Slightly bitter.

But that’s not for the reasons you think.

I think they just skimp on the sugar round here.

Look, an innocent lady has nothing to worry about at trial.

Even if it’s one-sided?

All feels a bit David and Goliath.

And David won remember.

He had a slingshot, she has nothing.

No, not true Myers.

The Good Lord has sent a guardian angel, as a character witness who will speak on her behalf.

She’s got her father, which means she walks free, and I keep this job.

-[bell tolls] -[Matthew] Right.

Let us convict some witches!

[chuckles] -[guard] ...fully grown ones can run about 11 miles an hour.

-[door creaks] So that’s about one mile every seven minutes.

You know, a lot of people forget about that.

[Gideon] Fascinating.

Absolutely fascinating.

Guard just telling me how quickly geese run.

Don’t know why.

Not as fast as I’m gonna run when we get out of-- New cloak?

This?

No, God, no.

No, no, this has been in the family eons.

Funnily enough my great uncle used to wear it hare coursing but since he coursed his last hare, I became the um... Mr. Hopkins gave it to me.

But you did get him to let me go?

Yeah, bit of a topsy-turvy few minutes actually.

Good chat with Matthew, had a very good chat with Matthew, he pointed out that although you are currently innocent and there will continue to be a presumption of that innocence, the best way to prove that innocence would be for-- -For the court to decide.

-For the court to decide, exactly you got it.

[sighs] All right?

She gonna hit me?

You gonna hit me?

She just stares.

[Gideon sighs] -They’re not mistreating you or anything are they?

-Nah...

I think they save that for the hanging.

Come now, you’re talking as if it’s a forgone conclusion.

Isn't it?

The day’s not done.

Pardon me.

Okay, she’ll see you now.

-She?

-Thomasine.

-Your daughter?

-Why would I wanna see my daughter?

You've come here to testify for her.

What?

No, against her.

They said there’s a reward.

Twenty shillings for any testimony leading to the conviction of a witch or sorceress.

You... horrible prick of a cock of a dick of a knob of a man.

You’re her father.

You’re getting settled in Ipswich then you’re gonna come and get her.

Ipswich, well, I dunno what her mother chose to tell her but... You wrote her letters.

Letters?

[Thomasine] Where did you just go?

What are you doing?

Get off of them!

Are these your father’s letters, that your mother read to you?

Well, I can't read them.

Oh.

"Sold some meat today."

He writes beautifully.

Mum never did get to the end of that one.

Would you read it to me?

-Nah, it's private-- -Please.

Can’t wait for you to come here and stay with me.

I think they’d like you.

And even if they don’t, I like you.

You’re a good person, Thomasine.

[gentle music playing] People might try to change you but that’s because there’s something wrong with them, not because there’s anything wrong with you.

Remember that.

There’s something infectious about you.

Not like dysentery, although it’s important to be hygienic, Thomasine.

I mean more like an honesty that makes other people want to be honest as well.

And I’ve had a new delivery of sausages... [chuckles] ...which are selling well.

Yours, William Gooch... brackets, dad.

Funny, that.

You know, he came from nothing.

And then there’s people like you who live in your big houses, cotignac.

And you could never say anything as decent as that in a million months.

[door creaks] Mr. Bannister?

Hate to have to drag you away from the killer of my dear, dear... -John.

-John.

John Stearne.

But I have found you some shoes that clack.

I didn’t kill John Stearne.

Oh, I wonder who I should believe.

Let me have a little think.

Oh, yes, the man!

So, this was your plan all along?

To pin the man’s death on me?

And to think that I thought deep down you were a good person.

Yeah, well, I’m not, am I?

I’m a bad person.

And no, I don’t care.

I do bad things to people.

I’m not nice like you.

I like dark clothes.

I like men who pound their fists on the table and make the cups jump up a little bit.

Well, good luck sleeping tonight.

I don’t need it.

I’m gonna go out and celebrate.

And I'm gonna sleep with a woman for money.

And I’m gonna underpay her too.

With small denomination coins that she has to pick off the table herself.

-[door creaks] -[Gideon] Thanks, mate.

Well, if her father won’t, then that only leaves you.

I’ve done my bit and it fell on deaf ears.

I have made vigorous representations to Mr. Hopkins on her behalf but to no avail.

I have pleaded with her father to testify, and he would not.

Myers, you must understand, we cannot always get what we want in this bloody life of ours.

You have been praying to God to remove your cataracts for the last decade.

No.

All I’ve been praying for is a sign that I am godly.

Yes, and he’s ignored you.

Well, maybe he’s not ignored me.

Maybe he’s saying he doesn’t like this.

-You’ve changed your tune.

-So have you.

I thought we agreed, this is not what God wants.

Since when have you worried about what’s right?

All you’re after is a little pat on the head.

Good doggy.

You are gagging for a choir of angels to visit you.

-Well, Edith said she heard-- -Edith is full of... You think God is wasting a choir of angels on Edith?

Or you for that matter?

Wake up.

Argh!

Argh!

[somber music playing] [indistinct chattering] [man] Careful.

Mr. Bannister... the introduction?

Ladies and gentlemen.

Pray silence for the Witchfinder General.

Mr. Matthew Hopkins.

[approaching clacking] [mutters] Get a...move on.

Heard that.

And this must be Thomasine Gooch.

-How does she plea?

-Not guilty.

Clever girl.

Prosecution ready to proceed, Mr. Hopkins?

Oh, it’s not me who will be prosecuting, your honor.

-[crowd moans] -Yes, I was rather hoping to take the next case, Mary Higgins.

She bewitches ducks and geese.

I mean basically all the water foul in Suffolk, she controls.

Yes, you’ll be doing her as well.

Fantastic, that’s great.

So, hold the Bible in one hand, and raise the other one.

The other Bible?

Nope, the other hand.

-Do you see another Bible?

-Raise the Bible?

Hold the Bible, raise your hand.

The one without the Bible.

-Then say, I swear by-- -I swear by-- Wait until I finish saying, before you start saying it.

I swear by almighty God to say the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

So, help me, God.

Yeah, but you don’t really need that first one.

you just need to say "the whole truth and nothing but the truth."

But it is "the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

So, help me God."

But if you tell the whole truth then it stands to reason that you’re telling the truth.

I mean you can’t tell the whole truth and then go, oh, yeah, I best tell the truth as well.

Because you’ve already told the truth when you’ve told the whole truth.

-Can we...?

-[Thomasine] Yeah, I'm just saying... What was it I was saying?

Hold the Bible in one hand, raise the other one.

Then say I swear by almighty God to the tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

-So, help me God.

-Then I'm under oath?

-Yes, you are.

-But doesn’t that make you under oath?

[crowd mumbles] Fine.

I’m under oath before almighty God.

I think you’ll find there’s very little to unearth here.

Do I pretend not to hear if an old lady asked me to help with a particular heavy bag?

Yep, quite often.

Do do that.

Do I laugh when I see a very tall lady walking along with a very short man?

Yeah, I’ll allow myself a snigger.

Do I think that Mr. Hopkins’ shoes are too loud?

A little maybe but I’m a big boy.

Do you think I’m a witch?

[crowd mumbles] Come now!

How is what he thinks of any relevance?

He knows me better than anyone here.

And he’s under oath.

Do you think I’m a witch?

I think we’ve rather gone beyond that don’t you!

Do you think I’m a witch?

-Ask me a harder one.

-'Cause I don't think you do think I'm a witch.

You keep saying how disgusted you are by witches -but I don’t think you’re disgusted by me.

-I wouldn’t bet on it love.

That night in the woods, I woke up and found your head on my chest.

I was trying to leech a modicum of warmth for the day ahead.

And when I said that you had no honor, you were upset.

-Thomasine, listen-- -Thomasine, you started calling me Thomasine.

It was always Gooch and now you started calling me Thomasine.

-It was a shorthand!

-Thomasine’s longer.

Well, that depends on how much you elongate the "oo" in Gooch, doesn’t it.

-Thmsn.

Goooooooch.

-I think you enjoyed the journey.

And I think there’s a part of you that wishes we hadn’t got here and it had carried on a bit.

I think you’re carrying on a bit at the moment.

Did you enjoy the journey?

-Yes.

-Do you think I'm a witch?

If you can stand here now and tell me that you think I’m a witch, I will change my plea to guilty.

So, do you?

Do you think I’m a witch?

[pensive music playing] No more questions, your Grace.

Your honor, I move that we strike that from record.

-[Thomasine] What?

-The key charge here concerns the inexplicable deaths of a man called John Stearne and a pig called... Richard.

You see to me, it’s very simple.

This is 1645, we are at the cutting edge of human enlightenment.

If a thing appears odd and lacks a ready explanation, most likely it is witchery.

Are we to believe this pig and John Stearne died of old age and misfortune?

[judge] Quite.

-Strike it all from the record.

-What?!

[crowd mumbles] No, no.

I know what you’re gonna say-- Don’t you ever criticize my shoes in public again.

Now!

I want you to return to my study and collect the black cloth.

It’s customary to wear it on your head when passing a sentence of death.

Doesn’t the judge usually do that?

Yes.

But I want you to do it!

[gavel bangs] [gentle music playing] The case of Thomasine Gooch, accused of witchery.

Those who succumb to the lure of witchcraft and use their sorcery to harm others commit a crime punishable by death.

To that end, I have now reached a judgment.

[Gideon] Your honor, exhibit B.

[crowd gasps] Easy!

Easy.

Calm yourselves.

My name is Gideon Bannister.

Some of you may know the name.

Now, Mr-- Oh, now they nod!

Well, Mr. Hopkins says that which appears odd or can’t be explained must be witchcraft.

Really?

This odd enough for you?

Anyone explain this?

No, but is it the work of Satan?

Of course it's the work of Satan.

[Gideon] Wrong.

This is perfectly natural.

What you see isn’t witchery, it’s just a swarm of bees...

Admittedly about five times more than I expected "bearding" around the queen.

-Bearding?

-You see, odd occurrences can be explained.

In this case, the Queen is giving off a womanly odor to attract male bees.

Just as the smell of a bitch's vagina attracts local dogs-- [coughs] Mm-- One's gone in.

-[buzzing] -Ow!

Ow!!

Ow!!!

-Owwww!!!

-Satan!

[crowd screams] -Satan!

-[crowd] Satan!

[gunshot] [high-pitched ringing] [muffled screaming] [Gideon] Ooh!

Go.

Yeah.

[Gideon] Oh!

Ah!

[crowd yelling] [boy] You're a witch.

-[girl] No!

-I know you're a witch.

-No!

-I can tell.

-No.

-Yeah, you are, you're a witch.

You made a pact with the devil.

Confess.

[high-pitched ringing] [spirit-like sigh] I can hear them!

-I can hear them!

-[tuneful high-pitched ringing] Thank you, Lord.

[angelic choral singing] I can hear them!

[women scream] [panicked shouting] Good idea, this.

Leave the back way.

Have, uh, some wine brought to my quarters.

And that witch with the freckles.

And tell the judge to pick one for himself too.

A good day’s work calls for-- Are you going to hit me?

Is she going to hit me?

-[Matthew yelping] -[Thomasine sighs] [Thomasine] I wouldn’t worry.

My cousin once fell in nettles and her hands swelled up so much, you couldn’t see her knuckles.

They were more like big bags with fingers sticking out.

It was like having udders at the end of her arms.

[Gideon] Right, well, I wasn’t worried.

You said the swelling had gone down.

It has nearly.

-Mmm.

-Honestly, you can hardly tell.

The important thing is to avoid detection.

The whole of East England will be looking for you.

We could say I’m a traveling merchant and you’re my bag carrier.

-I’m not your bag carrier.

-I’ll say you’re my bag carrier.

I’ll say you’re my bag carrier.

-Why would I be your bag carrier?

-Why would I be yours?

Then let’s just walk quietly.

Take it all in.

The important thing is we get out of Anglia undetected.

What about Ipswich?

I was gonna see my dad.

Well, we can write to him?

He stopped writing after mum died.

I reckon he’ll start again.

[Myers humming] How long do they hang around for?

-Hmm?

-[buzzing] Oh, the stragglers?

Anything up to an hour.

I can flick ‘em off if they’re bothering you?

No...

I think they suit you.

[Gideon] Weird thing to say.

[Myers humming] [theme music playing]