I did a little research and came to a definite conclusion about the song. It's about a man named Giles Cory, who was wrongly accused of being a wizard during the Salem Witch Trials. He refused to enter a plea, ("Condemned I will not plea") and the state couldn't lawfully execute him due to that. Therefore, the townsfolk wanted to torture him so he would give a plea by using the Peine Forte et Dure (placing heavy rocks or boulders over a person to crush their body). But he wouldn't say a word the entire time until seconds before his death, in which case he muttered "More weight"("Peine Forte et Dure...Has failed, and surely will die with me"). He was the only American to ever be killed using the Peine Forte et Dure methods.
Some corrections to the lyrics (And yes, I realize that even the lyrics booklet has mistakes). "Corey" should be spelled "Cory" and "Ayer" should be spelled "Oyer".
I did a little research and came to a definite conclusion about the song. It's about a man named Giles Cory, who was wrongly accused of being a wizard during the Salem Witch Trials. He refused to enter a plea, ("Condemned I will not plea") and the state couldn't lawfully execute him due to that. Therefore, the townsfolk wanted to torture him so he would give a plea by using the Peine Forte et Dure (placing heavy rocks or boulders over a person to crush their body). But he wouldn't say a word the entire time until seconds before his death, in which case he muttered "More weight"("Peine Forte et Dure...Has failed, and surely will die with me"). He was the only American to ever be killed using the Peine Forte et Dure methods.
Some corrections to the lyrics (And yes, I realize that even the lyrics booklet has mistakes). "Corey" should be spelled "Cory" and "Ayer" should be spelled "Oyer".
@Unearth77 "Corey" is the correct spelling.
@Unearth77 "Corey" is the correct spelling.