| Sarah Goddard | A woman from Salisbury in the county of Wiltshire, who is either Richard Goddard's daughter in law, or his daughter, and step daughter to his wife, Mistress Goddard. Sara allegedly borrowed money from her mother (in law), Mrs. Goddard, which turned stained black in her pocket, a quasi-magical sign of Sara's ill intent. Mrs Goddard began to suspect that Sara, and her sister Anne, had intended to poison her, a suspicion supported by Mistress Roswell who, along with Goddard herself, sent Anne Styles to visit Anne Bodenham numerous times to get details about this supposed crime. The mode of murder was to be poison, which Bodenham said was hidden under Sarah's bed, then moved to "white Pot set upon the Dresser in the Kitchin" and added to Mistress Goodard's Sage Ale. Styles' suggested there was something odd floating in the Ale. Eventually Sarah and her sister Anne discovered that they were accused off plotting to poison their mother, and " being much moved at it, and to vindicate themselves, that no such aspersion might lie on them (in regard it was also reported, that they should buy one Ounce and halfe of poyson that cost 6 d. at an Apothecaries)" traveled around Salisbury, discovering that Styles had bought the poison herself. Styles was fired and they threatened to press charges against her for slander and attempted murder.(3-9) | Elizabeth Rosewel acquainting the Maid, that her Mistriss going to borrow money of her Daughter in Law Mistriss Sarah Goddard, the money was stained black, and thereupon Elizabeth Rosewel told the Maid that her Mistriss was afraid of being poysoned by the said Mistriss Sarah, and by her Sister Mistriss Anne Goddard, for that she had been thrice before in danger of being poysoned, and therefore desired the Maid to go to the VVitch... [who] met her at the second door, and told her, she knew wherefore she came, and that it was about poysoning, and told the Maid further that it was intended that her Mistriss should be poysoned, and that there was moneys found in Mistriss Sarahs Pocket, that was stained, but she would prevent it; And further said to her, that it was Mistriss Sarahs intention to go a journy into Summerset-shire, but
she would shew her a trick, as she spoke the words, she should break her neck before she went out of the Gate; and then the VVitch took five shillings of the Maid, (that she had received from Mistriss Elizabeth Rosewel) and so the Maid left her and went home, and when the Maid came home, she went into Master Masons Chamber, where Master Mason and Mistriss Elizabeth Rosewel were, and acquainted them with what the VVitch had told her, and upon that, one of them replyed, the Devill appeared in the faces of Mistriss Sarah and Mistriss Anne, and desired the maid to go again the next day, to know of the VVitch what the time should be that her mistriss should be poysoned, and the next morning about six or seaven of the Clock, the maid went to the VVitches house, and carried five shillings along with her, and gave it the VVitch, and told her she was come to know the time when her mistriss should be poysoned, and the Witch told her, it should be on a Friday, [...] And in a short time after, Mistriss Rosewel sent her again to the VVitch, to know of her when the day should be, that Mistriss Goddard should be poysoned, and delivered her eight shillings to give the VVitch, so
the Maid went again to the VVitch accordingly, and gave her the eight shillings, and the Witch replyed she could not tell her then, but gave the Maid one shilling, and bid her go to an Apothecary, and buy some white Arsenick, and bring it to her to prevent it, which the Maid did, and carryed it to the Witch, who said to her she would take it and burn it, to prevent the poysoning, but she burnt it not as the Maid could see at all; then the Maid returned home, and told Master Mason and Mistriss Rosewel what she had done, who laughed at it. The next day being Tuesday, she was again sent by Master Mason, to know where the poyson should be found that should be given her Mistriss [...] the VVitch took her Book and Glass again, and shewed the Maid in the Glass, Mistriss Sarah Goddards Chamber, the colour of the Curtains, and the Bed turned up the wrong way, and under that part of the Bed where the Bolster lay, she shewed the poyson in a white paper; The Maid afterward returned home, and acquainted Mistriss Rosewel with what the Witch had shewed her in a Glass, that the poyson it lay under Mistriss Sarahs Bed, and also spoke to her that they might go together and take it away; but Mistriss Rosewel replyed no, let it alone for Gods sake, and would not, neither did she take it or suffer it to be taken away. And the Witch further told the Maid (when she was with her the Thursday) that the next day being Friday, about 7. or 8. of the Clock at night, there should be Sage Ale made for her Mistriss, And that there should be a white Pot set upon the
Dresser in the Kitchin wherein poyson should be put, but Mistriss Goddard should not drink it, and that Mistriss Rosewel knew best what to do; And on the Friday Night, there was Aleset on the fire (as the Witch before related) the maid being that while sleeping in the Hall; Mistriss Rosewel awaked her and bid her go into the Kitchin, and see whether or no there was not poyson in the Cup; And the maid looked and found something there, and called to Mistriss Rosewel, and told her there was something in it, which swimmed on the top, and something in the bottom, as the Witch before had told the maid should be. And then mistriss Rosewel took the same and carried it up to her mistriss, and shewed it her, and the maid afterward asking mistriss Rosewel if she had told her mistriss of it, she replyed, that her mistriss knew well enough of it by her looks.
The next day following being Saturday the maid was sent again to the Witch, to get some example shewen upon the Gentlewoman that should procure the poyson, upon which the maid went again to the VVitch, and told her for what she was sent. [....]
The young Gentlewomen mistriss Sarah and mistriss Anne,
hearing of these transactions about poyson, and that it should be laid to their charge, that they had a designe, and provided poyson to poyson their Mother; being much moved at it, and to vindicate themselves, that no such aspersion might lie on them (in regard it was also reported, that they should buy one Ounce and halfe of poyson that cost 6 d. at an Apothecaries) they went about Sarum to enquire whether any such thing was bought, and by whom, that the truth might be discovered, and the aspersion might be removed; and having found where the poyson was bought, the Maids fellow-servant Mirian and Mris. Rosewell told the Maid, that her Mistris wished her to goe away and shift for her selfe, otherwise they supposed that she should be examined before some Justice, and so there might some trouble and disgrace come upon them in the businesse() |