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complaint was uttered, and not a breath of suspicion can be found in 

 any contemporaiy writing against the character or personal integrity 

 of any member of the court, and yet their course during the trials 

 was severely criticised and condemned. The General Court acquiesced 

 in the early action of the Governor aud Council, and for nearly six 

 mouths took no measures to organize a regular court of judicature. 

 It hardly becomes us to lay too much stress on the irregularity per- 

 taining to the organization of the special court, when there is so much 

 to condemn in the blind and illegal proceedings at the trial. In this, 

 again, the judges followed English precedents, the opinion of Sir 

 Matthew Hale, and of English lawyers, rather than the advice of the 

 leading clergymen of Boston and the vicinity. But time will not 

 suffice to discuss this point. 



My friend Mr. Upham, has said but little of the life and personal 

 character of Giles Corey, while he has indulged in terms of eulogy 

 which befit only a noble character. I have made no special study of 

 Giles Corey's life, aud hence the little I know of him is that common 

 information which is open to you all. My impression is that, though ^ 

 an exemplary citizen and a church member in his latter days, he bore 

 through life the reputation of anything but a saint. He had the mis- 

 fortune to be continually in quarrels and disputes with his neighbors. 

 He was a rash and impetuous man. He was once on trial for his life, 

 for killing one of his farm laborers named Goodell; and though ac- 

 quitted of that charge he was fined for cruelly beating the man. He 

 was accused of stealing wood, of setting John Proctor's house on fire, 

 and whatever mischief happened in the neighborhood it was thought 

 safe to charge it upon Giles Corey. His rash nature may have brought 

 him under suspicion when he was innocent. He sometimes turned 

 upon his accusers, prosecuted them for slander, and recovered dam- 

 ages. On the whole he must have lived a disturbed and troubled life, 

 and where there was so much smoke it is safe to conclude there was 

 some fire. When the witchcraft troubles broke out he was eighty- 

 one years of age. He believed in punishing witchcraft, attended the 

 trials, and entered into the spirit of the prosecutions. When his wife 

 was accused he hedged, and became himself involved. He was ex- 

 amined by the local magistrates, April 19, and committed to jail. At 

 this examination he answered all questions, and manifested none of 

 that resolute silence which five months later cost him his life. There 

 was a rugged heroism in his manner of meeting death, which is pic- 

 turesque ; but it fails to inspire in me that respect which I feel for the 

 calm faith and resignation of Martha Corey and Rebecca Nurse. I will 

 not detain you further by incidents in his life, which must be familiar 

 to you all. 



Mr. S. C. Bancroft, thought that what Mr. Poole had said gave a 



