Editing Giles Corey (section)

==Arrest, examination, and refusal to plead==
Martha Corey was arrested for witchcraft on 19 March 1692. Corey was so swept up by the trials that he initially believed the accusations against his wife until he himself was arrested based on the same charge on 18 April, along with [[Mary Warren (Salem witch trials)|Mary Warren]], [[Abigail Hobbs]], and [[Bridget Bishop]].{{Citation needed|date=August 2019}} The following day, they were examined by the authorities, during which Hobbs accused Giles of being a [[Wizard (paranormal)|wizard]]. Giles denied the accusations and refused to plead (guilty or not guilty), was imprisoned and arraigned at the September sitting of the court.

The records of the Court of [[Oyer and Terminer]] on 9 September 1692 contain a deposition by one of the people who accused Giles of witchcraft in ''Mercy Lewis v. Giles Corey'':

<blockquote>I saw the apparition of Giles Corey come and afflict me urging me to write in his book, and so he continued most dreadfully to hurt me by times beating me and almost breaking my back till the day of his examination being the {{nowrap|19th April {{bracket|1692}}}} and then also during the time of his examination he did afflict and torture me most grievously and also several times since urging me vehemently to write in his book and I verily believe in my heart that Giles Corey is a dreadful wizard for since he had been in prison he or his appearance has come and most grievously tormented me.<ref name=Goss2018>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ojFEDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA118 |title=Documents of the Salem Witch Trials |date=2018 |pages=118–119 |editor-first=K. David |editor-last=Goss |publisher=ABC-CLIO |location=Santa Barbara |isbn=978-1-4408-5320-3 |lccn=2017032306 |oclc=987796573}}</ref></blockquote>

Again, in this court, Corey refused to plead.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://salem.lib.virginia.edu/people/gilescorey.html |title=Salem Witch Trials: Giles Corey |last=Snyder |first=Heather |date=2001 |website=Salem Witch Trials Documentary Archive |access-date=19 September 2018 |publisher=University of Virginia }}</ref>