The Witch of Edmonton: Free Audiobook and Listening Guide

The Witch of Edmonton, credited to Thomas Dekker; William Rowley; John Ford, is available as a LibriVox volunteer audiobook. This guide identifies the recording, its source summary and its audio tracks.

About the work

The LibriVox catalogue summary, preserved with the recording, reads:

LibriVox recording of The Witch of Edmonton by Thomas Dekker; William Rowley; John Ford. Read in English by Librivox Volunteers. Mother Elizabeth Sawyer is a poor, lonely, and unfairly ostracized old woman with nothing left to lose. Frank is a poor farmer who intends to marry his beloved Winnifred, who is pregnant with his child, but is pressured to marry Susan, the rich yeoman's daughter. Young Cuddy Banks is a clown who pines after a girl who doesn't love him. When Mother Sawyer turns to witchcraft after being unjustly accused of it, a talking devil-dog named Tom (performed by a human actor) comes to her aid, becoming her familiar and only friend. Though she intends to get her revenge, little does she know many of those around her are only too willing to sell their souls to the devil all by themselves. The play was inspired by the real-life story of Elizabeth Sawyer, who had been executed for witchcraft on 19 April 1621, and draws heavily on a pamphlet by Henry Goodcole, The wonderful discoverie of Elizabeth Sawyer, Witch (1621). While the pamphlet may be very ready to capitalize on the sensational story of a witch and portray Sawyer as simply a bad woman, the play does not permit an easy and comfortable demonization of her. It presents her as a product of society rather than an anomaly in it. - Summary by Mary Kay Cast Narrator: LydiaCW Mother Elizabeth Sawyer: Elizabby Anne: Newgatenovelist Susan: Kitty Katherine: Kristingj Winnifred: gloriana Sir Arthur Clarington: Hamlet Old Thorney / Hamluc: unreadpages Carter: ToddHW Warbeck: jburlinson Somerton: Salvationist Frank Thorney: Dave in the Fax Old Banks: alanmapstone Cuddy Banks: BlueFunk Dog, aka Tom: RobBoard Ratcliffe: McFarlane Justice / Constable: dlolso21 First Clown / First Countryman: Khaghbboommm Second Clown / Second Countryman: catrose Third Clown / Third Countryman: leanneyauyau Fourth Clown / Sawgut: Hamlet Edited by: carteki and linny

Recording facts

• Recording title: The Witch of Edmonton
• Author credits: Thomas Dekker; William Rowley; John Ford
• Language: English
• Original MP3 tracks: 5
• Listed recording duration: 2:24:30

Catalogue topics

• drama
• play
• tragedy
• death
• murder
• marriage
• persecution
• Elizabethan

Track guide

1. 01 - Preface and Act I — 28:52
2. 02 - Act II — 28:31
3. 03 - Act III — 31:34
4. 04 - Act IV — 29:23
5. 05 - Act V — 26:10

Listen to this recording

Open the complete recording and player on Internet Archive. The player includes the full track list and available download formats.

Source and rights

This is a record from LibriVox's official Internet Archive collection, with a public-domain licence recorded in its metadata. LibriVox's policy includes its catalogue summaries as well as its recordings. Its public-domain assessment follows United States law; copyright status can differ elsewhere. The summary and track facts are reproduced and reformatted from that record. Dates attached to the archive upload are not treated as original book publication dates.