Bring It: "More Weight"

    One of my favorite historical figures is Giles Cory (or Corey). The defiant 80 year-old man with a checkered-past known for being accused of wizardry during the Salem Witch Trials of 1692. For those of us who are unaware of this brave man's defiant stand, I will give you a synopsis.  Giles Cory, like the other townspeople of Salem, was caught up in the frenzy that surrounded Salem in the year of 1692, and he actually was supportive of the witch trials, even when his own wife Martha was accused of witchcraft!  That is, until Giles himself was accused in April of nightly spectral appearances and tormentations to people trying to get them to sign his mysterious devilish book.  Supposedly these spectral appearances continued even after he was locked up in jail, so of course he must have been a wizard the town thought.  He knowing, of course, that he was no wizard, must have seen through the accusations by that point.  During that time of collective societal insanity, many of the accused would claim to be innocent, and yet others would accuse other townsfolk of witchcraft to get a lesser sentence for themselves by placing the blame for their own supposed witchcraft on another.  The accusations snowballed, and all in all more than two-hundred people were accused, 30 found guilty, 7 died in prison (including 2 infants, one of whom was born in prison), and 19 were hung (14 women, 5 men).  However when Cory was brought to court, he refused to make a plea of guilty or not guilty.  He was the only person we know of during the witch trials to refuse to make a plea.  

    Why would he take this peculiar stance?  Interestingly, a person who refused to plead one way or the other could not be tried in court  It was a loop hole of sorts to really give those pulling the strings the middle finger, if you will. In order to force people to make a plea, so they could be tried, the law during that time was to "press" them. In the pressing process, the non-pleader was stripped naked, heavy boards were then laid upon them, and large rocks were placed on the boards.  On the 17th of September the insubordinate Giles Cory was taken from jail to begin the tortuous process of pressing.

     Though it certainly would have been painful as the pressure grew (the pressure became so great on Cory that his tongue was pressed out of his mouth and the Sheriff shoved it back in with his cane), Giles did not cry out. He would have been given a small amount of bad bread and standing water alternately every other day. After two days of pressing with boulders (and at times the Sheriff himself would also stand on Cory and the rocks), Cory was asked multiple times if he would make a plea.  I love his reply!  With as much courageous dignity as a naked 80 year-old man under a pile of boulders could muster, he obstinately replied, "More weight."  He did pass away to pressing that day, September 19th, 1692, but his defiant words live on to inspire those who rebel against injustice, and make me want to stand more boldly for what is right, even when under forces meant to make one bend.    

    What was his motivation? Of course it is just speculation on my part, but I believe he was challenging the hysteria of the community because he knew first-hand that it was not correct. In doing a little bit of reading about Giles Cory, I learned he died in full possession of his property (which was willed to his two sons-in-law) because he was never found guilty. This technicality may have been part or all of his reasoning, to prevent the Sheriff and the government from seizing his property (which the former tried to do anyway).  But given the provocative words he chose to defy the deranged system that the town had fallen deeply into, I believe he was chiefly motivated by standing for what was right. Some believe the gruesome and public nature of his death did in fact make many question further what they were doing in Salem, and may have made them drop their support for the witch trials or perhaps to take a stance against them.

    It certainly is a morbid tale to think about, but it is full of bravery.  I like to remind my young children about the death of Giles Cory from time to time, and we enjoy pretending to be him, except we pile pillows on top of ourselves instead of large rocks (less people die that way).  Anyway, as I reflect on his words, I wonder what I would have said if I were in his situation? Would I have given in and plead not guilty or accused someone else of witchcraft to direct the finger pointing away from myself?  Would it have been the cold that would have made me give up, or the hunger and thirst, or the crushing weight of the rocks?  I hope I would stay strong to my convictions as he did, hopefully with a perfect poignant statement to go with it.

    But of course we don't live in a situation anything like that.  We don't live during a time when society is in a frenzy over some perceived or exaggerated threat with people hiding behind political leaders for safety.  We do not openly judge some as harming, or perhaps even murdering, others unbeknownst to the supposed unwitting offender.  And of course, we live in a free country where everyone is free to make their own choices and take their own chances, no matter how dumb others may think that choice is.  Oh how nice it is to live in a time like this (warning! sarcasm in use).  No, we don't live in a time like that, so I guess this is just a morbid story that doesn't apply to us.  However if we did live in a time when people were accused of harming others, and we were not free to make our own choices and risks, then maybe it would be useful to recall this story and derive wisdom and courage from this amazing historical figure, Giles Cory, and apply his sermon these hundreds of years later.  At times we (society) are whipped into a frenzy like those of Salem were by the news de jour and the twist that is put on it.  Society has about as much focus and direction as tumbleweed in a dust devil, being whipped about by the current hot topic to entertain our two-week attention span.  Of course we do not all agree, but in my humble opinion, there is some level of social hysteria being purposely stirred up around COVID-19, a.k.a. coronavirus. Certainly many people have died and been seriously ill (I have witnessed it myself), but the way the statistics (or lack of statistics more reflective of what is actually going on) are presented is truly manipulative and has people in an unhelpful fervor.  I see people giving Grandma a hug through a plastic sheet protector, and not attending family weddings or holidays, and I'm sure you have heard of or seen other ridiculous measures as well.  When our country has thrived on people assuming their own calculated risks, that has now been taken away by our hypocritical leaders.  At least in the employment field some (the "non-essentials") are not allowed to assess their own risk and benefit and decide for themselves.  No, no, the politicians and the revered "top doctors" and scientists are keeping us safe.  And all the drastic measures the country has taken, have ended up destroying many small businesses and millions of people's livelihoods.  And this for a disease with a greater than 99% recovery rate, and people in this once free country are not allowed to keep their doors of business open, to calculate the risk for themselves, and allow their customers to calculate their own risk and make their own decision.   

    The pressures to conform are mounting.  It is getting to the point that I would not be surprised if the unvaccinated fools will be mandated to continue to wear a mask while everyone else can take theirs off, and the mask will be like some Scarlet Letter to let everyone know you're a leper and to be avoided.  As many are and will wilt to the pressure and run to the government for safety and direction, we will face more pressure to give up our freedoms, as you have already been seeing. Thankfully there are a few stalwart souls standing up to the brainwashing, who endure the discomfort of sticking out in public to literally struggle for their and your freedom.  As the rocks are added upon us, what can we do when the line has been breeched?  As the pressure increases, God grant me the strength to look at my enemy in the face and say, "More weight!"