b.c.1610
William was a tanner and came from the parish of St. Alphage, Cripplegate, London on the "Elizabeth" in 1635:
8 Aprilis 1635
Theis pties herevnder mencioned are to be transported to New England: imbarqued in the Elizabeth of London Wm Stagg Mr. (master) bound thither: they have taken the oath of Allegeance & Supremacie p Cert: from the pish of St. Alphage Cropplegate [Cripplegate] the Minister there
Tanners:Isabel Craddock, age 30, had sailed on the "Rebecca", John Hodges, master, arriving in Boston on 8 June.
They lived in Ipswich until they moved to Salisbury where William received a house lot in 1640. About 1649 he moved to Haverhill where he and Isabella were living in 1667.
Isabella testified against John Godfrey who was tried for witchcraft in 1658 in Salem. Godfrey evidently sued Abraham Whittaker for debt and the following year was charged with witchcraft for which he was most likely indicted, tried and acquitted and won the suit for slander shortly thereafter. This scene repeated itself in 1665 and 1666 and in 1669 he filed a defamation suit which he lost. He was also in court for various suits for payment, drunkenness, stealing and "cursing speeches". He never married and he earned his living as a heardsman and died by 1675. For a history of his life see Entertaining Satan: Witchcraft and the Culture of Early New England by John P. Demos, chapter 2.
At a court held at Salem June 28, 1659.
John Godfrey plaintiff against William Symonds and Samuel his son defendants in an action of slander that the said Samuel, son to William Symonds hath done him in his name, charging him to be a witch, the jury find for the plaintiff 2d damages and cost of court 29s yet notwithstanding do conceive that by the testimonies he is rendered suspicious.
(1) To the honored court to be holden at Ipswich this twelfth month 1658 or 1659Honored gentlemen:
Whereas divers of esteem with us and as we hear in other places also have for some times have suffered losses in their estates and some affliction on their bodies also: which as they suppose doth not arise from any natural cause or any neclect in themselves but rather from some ill disposed person: that upon differences had betwixt themselves and one John Godfrey resident at Andover or elsewhere at his pleasure we whose names are underwritten do make bold to sue by way of request to this honored court that you in your wisdom will be pleased if you see cause for it, to call him in question and to hear at present or at some after session what may be said in this respect.
James Davis, Sr. in the behalf of his son Ephraim Davis
Thomas Hayne testifieth that being with Goodwife Holderidge she told me that she saw a great horse and showed me where it stood: I then took a stick and struck on the place but felt nothing, and I heard the door shake and Goodwife said it was gone: out at the door immediately after she was taken with extremity of fear and pain so that she presently fell into a sweat and I thought she would swoon away: she trembled and shook like a leaf. Thomas Hayne(3)
Nathan Gould being with Goodwife Holderidge one night there appeared a great snake as she said with open mouth and she being weak hardly able to go alone yet then ran and laid hold of Nathan Gould by the head and could not speak for the space of half an hour. Nathan Gould(4)
The deposition of Isabelle Holdred who testifieth that John Godfrey came to the house [where] Henry Blaisdell her husband and herself were and demanded a debt of her husband and said a warrant was out, and Goodman Lord was suddenly to come. John Godfrey [ ]ed if we would not pay him. The deponent answered yes, tonigh or morrow if we had it: for I believe we shall not [ ] we are in thy debt: John Godfrey answered thats a bitter word: [ ] said I must begin and must send Goodman Lord: the deponent answered [ ] when thou wilt I fear thee not nor all the devils in hell: and farther the deponent testifieth that two days after this, she was taken with those strange fits with which she was tormented a fortnight together night and day and several apparitions appeared to the deponent in the night: The first night night a bumble bee, the next night a bear appeared with ground the teeth and shook the claw, thou sayest thou art not afraid: thou thinkest Henry Blaisdells house will save thee. The deponent answered I hope that Lord Jesus Christ will save me: the apparition then spake thou sayest thou art not afraid of all the devils in hell but I will have thy hearts blood within a few hours. The next was the apparition of a great snake at which the deponent was exceedingly affrighted and skipped to Nathan Gould who was in the opposite chimney corner and caught hold of the hair of his head and her speech was taken away for the space of half an hour: the next night appeared a great horse and Thomas Hayne being there the deponent told him of it: and showed him where: the said Thomas Hayne took a stick and struck at the place where the apparition was: his stroke glanced by the side of it: and it went under the table, and he went to strike again. Then the apparition fled to the [ ] and made it shake and went away: and about a week after the deponent and her son were at the door of Nathan Gould and heard a rushing in the [ ] the deponent said to her son yonder is a beast: he answered 'tis one of Goodman Cobbyes black oxen: and it came toward them: and came within [ ] yards of them the deponent her heart began to ache for it seemed to have [ ] great eyes: and spake to the boy lets go in: but suddenly the ox beat her up against the wall and struck her down and she was much hurt by it: not being able to rise up but some others carried me into the house: all my face being bloody being much bruised the boy was much affrighted a long time after: and for the space of two hours was in a sweat that one might have washed hands on his hair.
Further the deponent affirmeth that she hath been often troubled with [ ] black cat sometimes appearing in the house and sometimes in the night [ ] bed and lay on her and sometimes stroking her face the cat [ ] thrice as big as an ordinary cat.(5)
The deposition of Charles Brown and his wife: This deponent saith about 6 or 7 years since in the meetinghouse of Rowley being in the gallery in the first seat there was one in the second seat (which he doth to his best remembrance think and verily believe it was John Godfrey) this deponent did see him yawning open his mouth and while he so yawned this deponent did see a small teat under his tongue. And further this deponent saith that John Godfrey was at this deponents house about 3 years since speaking about the power of witches he the said Godfrey spoke that if witches were not kindly entertained the devil will appear unto them and ask them if they were grieved or vexed with anybody and ask them what he should do for them and if they would not give them beer or victuals they might let all the beer run out of the cellar and if they looked steadfastly upon any creature it would die and it were hard to some witches to take away life either of man or beast yet when they once begin it then it is easy to them.(6)
Isabella was killed in the Mast Swamp on the border of Stratham and Exeter, by Negro Jack who was hanged in Boston in 1690.
Issue-
Ref:
(1) Essex County Court Records- Vol. IV, p. 29
Witch Hunting in Seventeenth Century New England- David D. Hall, Northeastern University Press, 1999- p.115ff
"Old Families of Salisbury and Amesbury"- p.203