Witchsmeller Pursuivant
Encyclopedia
"Witchsmeller Pursuivant" is the fifth episode of The Black Adder
, the first series of the BBC One
sitcom
Blackadder
.
, and infects King Richard, rendering him more deranged than usual; when Edmund
comes to visit, the King nearly stabs him to death. Harry
summons the Privy Council
, which includes Edmund and Percy
. The Council agrees (over Edmund's objections) that the Plague is the result of witchcraft
, and summons the Witchsmeller Pursuivant
(Frank Finlay
). Edmund goes to a village to find Mistress Scott, but discovers her and her pussycat have been burnt by the Witchsmeller, who he insults.
The Pursuivant suggests a test to discover the witches in their midst: he will place a dagger and a crucifix
on a table, and blindfold the suspect — if he chooses the crucifix, he is innocent, but if he chooses the dagger, he is guilty. When Edmund is selected as the first suspect, the Witchsmeller blindfolds him and switches the two objects around; Edmund accidentally chooses the dagger and is condemned as a witch.
As a courtesy, Edmund is granted a trial. Percy and Baldrick
are appointed defence lawyers, but the Witchsmeller silences them before they can even start their case by condemning them as witches, who obviously can't be trusted to tell the truth. He then mounts a sham prosecution, attacking Edmund for having a cat named Bubbles ("short for Beelzebub
bles!") and feeding it blood and feeding his horse carrots, which the Witchsmeller declares are the devil's favourite food. He questions the horse itself, who is declared a hostile witness
for refusing to testify. The following day, the horse mysteriously dies, but not before leaving a signed confession. The prosecution then calls a peasant woman (Barbara Miller), who claims to have given birth to Edmund's child — a poodle
. The trio are found guilty and sentenced to burn at the stake. The only consolation Edmund receives is a doll from his mother
, who cryptically promises to "see what [she] can work out."
On the day of the execution, Edmund obscenely rebukes Baldrick's last-minute "cunning plan" and offers a feeble confession. When the pyre
is lit, Edmund panics and drops the doll — which bears a striking resemblance to the Witchsmeller — and the would-be executioner mysteriously burns to death, after which the flames disappear. The accused witches are spared, believing it to be the result of Baldrick's plan.
Meanwhile, a cured King Richard greets Queen Gertrude and daughter-in-law Leia, asking about the commotion outside. The Queen assures him that everything will work out, and winks at the audience; sparks fly out of her eyes, implying that she is the real witch. Leia is the only witness to the incident.
The Black Adder
The Black Adder is the first series of the BBC situation comedy Blackadder, written by Richard Curtis and Rowan Atkinson, directed by Martin Shardlow and produced by John Lloyd...
, the first series of the BBC One
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
sitcom
Situation comedy
A situation comedy, often shortened to sitcom, is a genre of comedy that features characters sharing the same common environment, such as a home or workplace, accompanied with jokes as part of the dialogue...
Blackadder
Blackadder
Blackadder is the name that encompassed four series of a BBC1 historical sitcom, along with several one-off instalments. All television programme episodes starred Rowan Atkinson as anti-hero Edmund Blackadder and Tony Robinson as Blackadder's dogsbody, Baldrick...
.
Plot
In 1495, the Black Plague is ravaging EuropeEurope
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, and infects King Richard, rendering him more deranged than usual; when Edmund
Prince Edmund (Blackadder)
Prince Edmund Plantagenet, Duke of Edinburgh is a fictional character in the first series of the BBC sitcom Blackadder.-Character overview:...
comes to visit, the King nearly stabs him to death. Harry
Harry, Prince of Wales (Blackadder)
Prince Henry "Harry" Plantagenet, Earl of March was a fictional character played by Robert East in the popular BBC sitcom Blackadder ....
summons the Privy Council
Privy council
A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a nation, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the monarch's closest advisors to give confidential advice on...
, which includes Edmund and Percy
Lord Percy Percy
Lord Percy Percy is the name given to a pair of related fictional characters, played by Tim McInnerny, in the first two series of the popular British sitcom Blackadder. The Lord Percy of Blackadder II is the descendant of that seen in The Black Adder...
. The Council agrees (over Edmund's objections) that the Plague is the result of witchcraft
Witchcraft
Witchcraft, in historical, anthropological, religious, and mythological contexts, is the alleged use of supernatural or magical powers. A witch is a practitioner of witchcraft...
, and summons the Witchsmeller Pursuivant
Pursuivant
A pursuivant or, more correctly, pursuivant of arms, is a junior officer of arms. Most pursuivants are attached to official heraldic authorities, such as the College of Arms in London or the Court of the Lord Lyon in Edinburgh. In the mediaeval era, many great nobles employed their own officers of...
(Frank Finlay
Frank Finlay
Francis Finlay, CBE is an English stage, film and television actor.-Personal life:Finlay was born in Farnworth, Lancashire, the son of Margaret and Josiah Finlay, a butcher. A devout Catholic, he belongs to the British Catholic Stage Guild. He was educated at St...
). Edmund goes to a village to find Mistress Scott, but discovers her and her pussycat have been burnt by the Witchsmeller, who he insults.
The Pursuivant suggests a test to discover the witches in their midst: he will place a dagger and a crucifix
Crucifix
A crucifix is an independent image of Jesus on the cross with a representation of Jesus' body, referred to in English as the corpus , as distinct from a cross with no body....
on a table, and blindfold the suspect — if he chooses the crucifix, he is innocent, but if he chooses the dagger, he is guilty. When Edmund is selected as the first suspect, the Witchsmeller blindfolds him and switches the two objects around; Edmund accidentally chooses the dagger and is condemned as a witch.
As a courtesy, Edmund is granted a trial. Percy and Baldrick
Baldrick
Baldrick is the name of several fictional characters featured in the long-running BBC historic comedy television series Blackadder. Each one serves as Edmund Blackadder's servant and sidekick and acts as a foil to the lead character...
are appointed defence lawyers, but the Witchsmeller silences them before they can even start their case by condemning them as witches, who obviously can't be trusted to tell the truth. He then mounts a sham prosecution, attacking Edmund for having a cat named Bubbles ("short for Beelzebub
Beelzebub
Beelzebub -Religious meaning:Ba‘al Zəbûb is variously understood to mean "lord of flies", or "lord of the dwelling". Originally the name of a Philistine god, Beelzebub is also identified in the New Testament as Satan, the "prince of the demons". In Arabic the name is retained as Ba‘al dhubaab /...
bles!") and feeding it blood and feeding his horse carrots, which the Witchsmeller declares are the devil's favourite food. He questions the horse itself, who is declared a hostile witness
Hostile witness
A hostile witness is a witness in a trial who testifies for the opposing party or a witness who offers adverse testimony to the calling party during direct examination.A witness called by the opposing party is presumed hostile...
for refusing to testify. The following day, the horse mysteriously dies, but not before leaving a signed confession. The prosecution then calls a peasant woman (Barbara Miller), who claims to have given birth to Edmund's child — a poodle
Poodle
The Poodle is a breed of dog. The poodle breed is found officially in toy, miniature, and standard sizes, with many coat colors. Originally bred as a type of water dog, the poodle is highly intelligent and skillful in many dog sports, including agility, obedience, tracking, and even herding...
. The trio are found guilty and sentenced to burn at the stake. The only consolation Edmund receives is a doll from his mother
Gertrude of Flanders
Gertrude of Flanders is a fictional character in the popular BBC sitcom Blackadder . She was played by Elspet Gray.In the series, she is the Queen of Flanders in her own right and the wife of King Richard of England and Scotland and mother of Princes Harry and Edmund.In attitude, Gertrude mainly...
, who cryptically promises to "see what [she] can work out."
On the day of the execution, Edmund obscenely rebukes Baldrick's last-minute "cunning plan" and offers a feeble confession. When the pyre
Pyre
A pyre , also known as a funeral pyre, is a structure, usually made of wood, for burning a body as part of a funeral rite...
is lit, Edmund panics and drops the doll — which bears a striking resemblance to the Witchsmeller — and the would-be executioner mysteriously burns to death, after which the flames disappear. The accused witches are spared, believing it to be the result of Baldrick's plan.
Meanwhile, a cured King Richard greets Queen Gertrude and daughter-in-law Leia, asking about the commotion outside. The Queen assures him that everything will work out, and winks at the audience; sparks fly out of her eyes, implying that she is the real witch. Leia is the only witness to the incident.
Cast
Important characters are in bold.- Rowan AtkinsonRowan AtkinsonRowan Sebastian Atkinson is a British actor, comedian, and screenwriter. He is most famous for his work on the satirical sketch comedy show Not The Nine O'Clock News, and the sitcoms Blackadder, Mr. Bean and The Thin Blue Line...
as Prince Edmund, Duke of Edinburgh "The Black Adder"Prince Edmund (Blackadder)Prince Edmund Plantagenet, Duke of Edinburgh is a fictional character in the first series of the BBC sitcom Blackadder.-Character overview:... - Tony RobinsonTony RobinsonTony Robinson is an English actor, comedian, author, broadcaster and political campaigner. He is best known for playing Baldrick in the BBC television series Blackadder, and for hosting Channel 4 programmes such as Time Team and The Worst Jobs in History. Robinson is a member of the Labour Party...
as Baldrick, Bachelor of the Parish of Chigwell - Tim McInnernyTim McInnernyTim McInnerny is an English actor. He is known for his role as Percy in Blackadder and Blackadder II, and as Captain Darling in Blackadder Goes Forth...
as Percy, Duke of NorthumberlandLord Percy PercyLord Percy Percy is the name given to a pair of related fictional characters, played by Tim McInnerny, in the first two series of the popular British sitcom Blackadder. The Lord Percy of Blackadder II is the descendant of that seen in The Black Adder... - Frank FinlayFrank FinlayFrancis Finlay, CBE is an English stage, film and television actor.-Personal life:Finlay was born in Farnworth, Lancashire, the son of Margaret and Josiah Finlay, a butcher. A devout Catholic, he belongs to the British Catholic Stage Guild. He was educated at St...
as the Witchsmeller Persuivant - Elspet GrayElspet GrayElspeth Jean Gray, Baroness Rix is a Scottish actress, known for her work on British television in the 1970s and '80s...
as Queen Gertrude of FlandersGertrude of FlandersGertrude of Flanders is a fictional character in the popular BBC sitcom Blackadder . She was played by Elspet Gray.In the series, she is the Queen of Flanders in her own right and the wife of King Richard of England and Scotland and mother of Princes Harry and Edmund.In attitude, Gertrude mainly... - Natasha King as Princess Leia of Hungary
- Robert EastRobert East (actor)Robert Gwyn East East is an accomplished theatre and tv actor. He also wrote Incident at Tulse Hill, first produced at the Hampstead Theatre in December 1981 under the direction of Harold Pinter....
as Harry, Prince of WalesHarry, Prince of Wales (Blackadder)Prince Henry "Harry" Plantagenet, Earl of March was a fictional character played by Robert East in the popular BBC sitcom Blackadder .... - Brian BlessedBrian BlessedBrian Blessed is an English actor, known for his sonorous voice and "hearty, king-sized portrayals".-Early life:The son of William Blessed, a socialist miner, and Hilda Wall, Blessed was born in the town of Goldthorpe, West Riding of Yorkshire, England...
as King Richard IV - Richard MurdochRichard MurdochRichard Bernard Murdoch was a British comedic radio, film and television performer.Richard Bernard Murdoch attended Charterhouse School. He then appeared in Footlights whilst a student at Pembroke College, Cambridge...
as Ross, a Lord - Valentine DyallValentine DyallValentine Dyall was an English character actor, the son of veteran actor Franklin Dyall. Dyall was especially popular as a voice actor, due to his very distinctive sepulchral voice, he was known for many years as "The Man in Black", narrator of the BBC Radio horror series Appointment With Fear.In...
as Angus, a Lord - Peter Schofield as Fife, a Lord
- Stephen FrostStephen FrostStephen Frost , also known as Steve Frost, is an English comedian.Frost is known for his work in the 1980s with Mark Arden as part of the double act The Oblivion Boys on Saturday Live...
as Soft, a Guard - Mark ArdenMark ArdenMark Arden is an English comedian and actor, best known for being one half of comic double act "The Oblivion Boys" with Stephen Frost....
as Anon, a Guard - Perry BensonPerry BensonPerry Benson is an English character actor best known for his regular roles in British television sitcoms You Rang, M'Lord? , Oh, Doctor Beeching! and Operation Good Guys .-Movie career:...
as Daft Red, a Peasant - Bert ParnabyBert ParnabyBert Parnaby was a British actor who was notable for a string of TV and Film roles from the 1960s through the 1980s. His TV roles included performances in Blackadder, By the Sword Divided, Juliet Bravo, Inspector Morse and Last of the Summer Wine. In 1988, he appeared as Father Christmas in the BBC...
as Dim Cain, a Peasant - Roy EvansRoy Evans (actor)Roy Evans is an actor who has appeared in British Television from 1960s onwards appearing in a wide range of productions including Doctor Who , Blake's 7 and Porterhouse Blue .-External links:...
as Dumb Abel, a Peasant - Forbes CollinsForbes CollinsForbes Collins is a British actor, best known for his role as King John in the popular comedy Maid Marian and Her Merry Men. He also starred in the episode All About Scoring, Innit? in the critically acclaimed drama, Minder, playing Arklow, as well as appearing in episodes of the first series of...
as Dopey Jack, a Peasant - Patrick Duncan as Officer, an Officer
- Barbara Miller as Jane Pinkettle
- Howard Lew LewisHoward Lew LewisHoward Lew Lewis is an English comedian and actor, best known for his roles in comedy series including Maid Marian and her Merry Men and Brush Strokes.-Biography:Lewis' grandmother Dame Ethel Gomer-Lewis was an opera singer...
as Piers, a Yeoman - Sarah Thomas as Mrs. Field, a Goodwife
- Louise GoldLouise GoldLouise Gold is an English singer, actress and puppeteer whose career has spanned almost four decades.From 1977, Gold was a puppeteer and voice actress for The Muppet Show and Sesame Street, and she has performed voice and puppet work on various other Muppet films and specials...
as Mrs. Tyler, a Goodwife - Gareth Milne as the Stuntman