Hello all: Forgive me if this question has been overdone, but I'm wondering: what's the latest thoughts on why Giles Corey refused to enter a plea? I've seen several thoughts, but I feel sure that the listmembers here will have gone beyond the commonplace notions to consider various possibilities and the pros and cons of each. So will you share your thoughts with the list? Thanks! Francine Nicholson >From: SALEM-WITCH-D-request@rootsweb.com >Reply-To: SALEM-WITCH-L@rootsweb.com >To: SALEM-WITCH-D@rootsweb.com >Subject: SALEM-WITCH-D Digest V02 #82 >Date: Sat, 21 Dec 2002 19:00:41 -0700 >MIME-Version: 1.0 >Received: from lists5.rootsweb.com ([207.40.200.41]) by >mc9-f39.bay6.hotmail.com with Microsoft SMTPSVC(5.0.2195.5600); Sat, 21 Dec >2002 18:01:55 -0800 >Received: (from slist@localhost)by lists5.rootsweb.com (8.12.4/8.12.4) id >gBM20fKb027330;Sat, 21 Dec 2002 19:00:41 -0700 >Message-Id: <200212220200.gBM20fKb027330@lists5.rootsweb.com> >X-Loop: SALEM-WITCH-D@rootsweb.com >X-Mailing-List: <SALEM-WITCH-D@rootsweb.com> archive/volume02/82 >Precedence: list >Return-Path: SALEM-WITCH-D-request@rootsweb.com >X-OriginalArrivalTime: 22 Dec 2002 02:01:56.0078 (UTC) >FILETIME=[1AC2A8E0:01C2A95E] > ><< message2.txt >> ><< message4.txt >> ><< message6.txt >> ><< message8.txt >> ><< message10.txt >> _________________________________________________________________ MSN 8 limited-time offer: Join now and get 3 months FREE*. http://join.msn.com/?page=dept/dialup&xAPID=42&PS=47575&PI=7324&DI=7474&SU= http://www.hotmail.msn.com/cgi-bin/getmsg&HL=1216hotmailtaglines_newmsn8ishere_3mf

Dear Francine, There are better experts on this list than I, but things seem to be slow because of the holidays, so I'll take a short shot at answering your question. Basically, Corey refused to enter a plea so that he could not be tried. If tried, he would have been convicted, and all his possessions would have been forfeit to the Crown, rendering his family homeless and disinherited. By refusing to plea, he was able to save something out of the wreckage of his life for his children. You might be reminded of ancient Rome under the worst of the Caesars. If Caesar ordered your death (and you were a propertyholder), you could choose to kill yourself in order to preserve your estate for your family. If you didn't kill yourself and were formally executed, all your possessions were forfeit to Caesar. Giles Corey endured two days of torture by pressing before he finally died. His love of his family must have been fierce indeed to have sustained him through that. Lisa At 11:58 PM 12/21/02, Francine Nicholson wrote: >Hello all: > >Forgive me if this question has been overdone, but I'm wondering: what's >the latest thoughts on why Giles Corey refused to enter a plea? I've seen >several thoughts, but I feel sure that the listmembers here will have gone >beyond the commonplace notions to consider various possibilities and the >pros and cons of each. So will you share your thoughts with the list? > >Thanks! > >Francine Nicholson