Touchstone reunion tour 2004 Blue Bayou
Lyrics added by request
Susanna Martin was a witch who dwelt in Amesbury
With brilliant eye and salty tongue she worked her sorcery
And when into the judges' court the sheriffs brought her hither
The lilacs drooped as she passed by, and then were seen to wither
A witch she was though trig and neat with comely head held high
It did not seem that one as she with Satan so would vie
And when in court the afflicted ones proclaimed her evil ways
She laughed aloud, and boldly, then, met Cotton Mather's gaze
"Who hath bewitched these maids?" he asked, and strong was her reply
"If they be dealing in black arts, ye know as well as I!"
And then the stricken ones made moan, as she approach-ed near
They saw her shape upon the beam, so none could doubt twas there
The neightbors 'round swore to the truth of her Satanic powers
That she could fly o'er land and stream, and come dry shod through showers
At night, twas said, she had appeared a cat of fearsome mien
"Avoid, she devil!" they had cried to keep their spirits clean
The spectral evidence was weighed, then stern the parson spoke
"Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live, tis written in the book!"
Susanna Martin, so accused, spake with flaming eyes
"I scorn these things, for they are nought but filthy gossips' lies!"
Now those bewitched, they cried her out, and loud their voice did ring
They saw a bird above her head, and evil yellow thing
And so beneath a summer sky, Susanna Martin died
And still in scorn she faced the rope-her comely head held high
Words from John Allison"s "Witches and War Whoops" collection Folkways FH5211; Music by Claudine Langille
