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fore visited this spot. In reply to the question propounded, he stated 

 that measures were taken to cause Giles Corey to relent and plead. 

 By the courtesy of the Massachusetts Historical Society he had re- 

 cently the privilege of examining the manuscript Diary of Judge 

 Sewall, who was a member of the court that tried the alleged witches. 

 Judge Sewall made an entry on the 19th of September, 1692, stating 

 that this day, about noon, Giles Corey was pressed to death at Salem 

 for standing mute, or refusing to plead "guilty," or "not guilty." 

 The Judge further states that much pains was used with him for two 

 days by the court, one after another, and Capt. Richard Gardner of 

 Nantucket, who had been his acquaintance, but all in vain. 



No other instance of the infliction of this dreadful penalty has ever 

 occurred in New England. Why did it occur in this case! No law 

 permitting such a barbarity was ever on a New England statute book. 

 There was no New England law in force at the time, by which witch- 

 craft or any other capital crime could be punished. The government 

 of Massachusetts Bay was in a transition state. The old charter of 

 the colony had been taken away by the British Crown. For nearly 

 six years the colony had been under the despotic rule of Sir Edmund 

 Andros, or a temporary " council for the safety of the people." It was 

 understood that the repeal of the charter vacated the laws enacted 

 under it. The witchcraft excitement at Salem Village broke out in 

 February, 1G91-2, and when Sir Win. Phips, appointed Governor under 

 the new charter, arrived in Boston in May, 1692, the jails of Salem, 

 Ipswich and Boston, were filled with persons committed for the crime 

 of witchcraft, and awaiting trial. Many of them were the heads of 

 families ; their farm work was neglected, and. according to the custom 

 of that period they were obliged to pay their own jail fees and ex-, 

 penses. 



Gov. Phips arrived on Saturday, the 14th of May. On Monday the 

 16th, the government was organized. The council sat from day to 

 day. and proceeded as rapidly* as possible to appoint justices, sheriffs, 

 coroners, and other officers for the several counties. On the 27th 

 of May a special court was appointed for the trial of persons under 

 arrest "for all manner of crimes and offences had, made, done or per- 

 petrated within the counties of Suffolk, Essex, and Middlesex." Noth- 

 ing was said in the commission about witchcraft. Under what law 

 should the court act? There were no laws in force for the punish- 

 ment of crime. The commission states under what law they were to 

 act. They were instructed "to enquire of, hear and determine, for 

 this time, according to the law and custom of England, and of this 

 their Majesty's Province." As there were no Province laws, the latter 

 clause of the sentence had then no meaning. A Province code, for 

 the punishment of capital crimes, was not passed till October 29. The 



