'Vengeance of Edmond' Excerpt

Over the next few weeks, I am going to share with you all excerpts from the my works that have not yet been published. I do hope you enjoy them.
The first excerpt is from a story titled 'The Vengeance of Edmond'

'On a hillside there were many. Watching. Staring more like it. A finely dressed puritan was declaring a speech before an indifferent crowd regarding an obviously browbeaten woman, somewhat in her thirties. "Julianna Davison! You have been charged with trafficking with the Devil." The crowd, mainly ignorant farm-working peasants watched on in silence, never daring any attempt to challenge the puritans authority. He spoke on. "By witness of our glorious church and of your near distant neighbor, the noble Franz Ruder, I hereby sentence you to immediate death!" The woman looked to the crowd. "I swear on my soul I'd never do such a thing. Please! I beg of you, show mercy!" She loudly began to sob. The crowd was unmoved. The puritan spoke again. "By rightful decree of the Council of Saints, let it be done!" Two large men walked the crying woman up to the gallows platform. Although she was crying, she made no attempt at a struggle. They placed her under the noose and fastened it around her neck. Then, they kicked out the stool from beneath her and a loud snap was heard. Her feet wiggled a little and then she was still. Her face pointing to the floor.
The arrogant puritan then addressed the still and silent crowd. "Take this as a lesson all of you who do not respect the sovereign authority of the church!"...'