Depiction of trial by gallows | Photo by Leandro Raichardt
“I will die today, but I’ve done something before I die none of you will ever do. I have lived! I have done what I wanted to do without any imaginary restrictions on how I lived.”
~ Richard Hawkes, “The Darkness at Dawn” by Pamela Roberts Lee
We condemn the character of Richard Hawkes for his grave crimes. But in the end, he has paid them with his life. Through his execution under trial by gallows, it seemed that justice was served.
Was it?
“The Darkness at Dawn” by Pamela Lee is one of the best-selling historical novels about theft and murder. It was set in the 1600s Colonial America.
During that period, the trial by gallows penalty was a primary method of execution. It served more than the purpose of serving justice to the victim, as it later became a public spectacle for deterring crime and reinforcing societal norms.
Their harsh approach to justice is rooted in the legal and cultural frameworks they’ve inherited from England. Severe punishments were commonplace in these frameworks.
As it moved to “The New World,” these models evolved, and offenses punishable by the gallows included not just murder and theft, but also witchcraft and blasphemy.
Trial by Gallows: A Spectacle of Moral Dilemma
Is justice worth breaking an oath?
Years before Richard’s murder trial, on the ship heading to New England, John Lee gave Richard the chance to return the stolen chalice. He did, but under the heroic guise that he found the sacred item and returned it. It was done out of his agreement with John Lee that John wouldn’t disclose Richard’s theft in exchange for returning the chalice and sparing the life of Grace Newell.
But because Richard’s crimes were too great to ignore, John (who became a soldier, scout, and civic leader) prosecuted him on behalf of the governor.
Later on, Richard finally faced trial. Having surpassed moral dilemma, John Lee revealed the truth about the stolen chalice.
If John Lee’s disclosure of Richard’s theft was a form of betrayal, can you call his course of action morally wrong for having broken his oath, or morally right for having revealed the truth and served justice?
Did Richard truly pay for his crimes in the trial by gallows?
Richard Hawkes’ Finals Words on the Gallows
During the trial by gallows, Richard Hawkes neared his bitter end. The words he uttered came from that of a charred soul.
“You are slaves to a god existing only in your minds. You believe this imaginary god may have already condemned you to a place which you call hell; a place that’s also imaginary.”
The historical novel is set in the Puritan community in Colonial America, where strict moral laws were imposed. Consider the weight of the emotions in his words.
He must have had a life of unfathomable bitterness that he does not believe in the true existence of god, and the spiritual realms. All his life, he lived by the principle of freedom, unrestrained by any moral compass.
“You seek to discover if this imaginary god has selected you to go to an imaginary place you call heaven. But after all of your efforts you can never know whether you’ve been granted your god’s grace.”
Because of his troubled past and chaotic life, there seemed to be no hope in life—no god. For the mad Richard Hawkes, heavens, god, and the divine grace were all just a concept spawned by the mind.
He condemns the religious for their so-called “virtue” as a thing driven by blind and foolish devotion.
“I will die today, but I’ve done something before I die none of you will ever do. I have lived! I have done what I wanted to do without any imaginary restrictions on how I lived. I pity you and your smallness”
Richard did what he did and lived his life without moral constraints. He chose to be free from the “imaginary restrictions” on how he should live.
If we try to set aside our hatred toward Richard’s crimes, we can see a different perspective. Richard seemed to look at things from a practical lens. His actions and the crimes he committed may have been influenced by his troubled childhood and relationship with his dad. Get a glimpse of how this part of Richard’s life unfolds by getting a copy of “The Darkness at Dawn” by Pamela Roberts Lee.
Remember, he also had ambitions. He will take any possible measure without questioning if it’s right or wrong.
He did it his way. Having that freedom made him believe he was above everyone.
“But most of all I pity you for your fear. You are afraid of everything, especially death. I don’t fear death for I know it is nothing more than the end of existence and in that there’s no pain, no punishment, and no reward.”
Even if his actions may cost his life, he did it his way. He had freedom and drive. When these two are combined, you can do great wonders and even unthinkable horrors.
Richard feared nothing; not even death.
Could it be that Richard was the real victor?
In the eternal conflict between good and evil, our free will has the final say. No matter how we justify our actions, we did what we did. We face the consequences and gain a certain reward.
Likewise, Richard lived his life the way he wanted. He may pay for his crimes in the end, but he will always cherish the satisfaction he had when he committed those horrible deeds.
“I will feel pain today at the end of a rope, but that pain will end when I die. Your pain will go on.”
Richard’s death by the gallows does not announce his ultimate defeat or the totality of how he should pay for his crimes. Practically, his death will cease the crimes he committed and will continue to commit. But will it ever end the cycle of crimes he and the likes of him committed?
At the moment of Richard’s death, he was spared from pain and suffering.
What should have been done better?
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