General Notes

RFN505
BIOGRAPHY
JACOB, bapt. Jan. 9, 1641/2. Some of the evidence given at t he
time of his death in 1676 points to the conclusion that he was not of
enti rely normal mentality. At the court session of April, 1669, Jacob
Goodale was ordered to pay five shillings to the constable of Andover
for bringing home hi s son.(*) There is no other evidence that he was
married or that he had a son, and the name may possibly be a clerk's
error for Robert Goodale, Jacob being the runaway. Jacob Goodale d. in
1676, after being severely beaten by Giles Co rey.(+)
About the last part of November 1675, Mrs. Mary Corey testified that
Elizabeth, wife of Zechariah Goodell, told her that the latter's
brother, Jac ob, had been to Zachariah's house and got into the cellar,
taking some apples. Zechariah was coming in at that moment with a log
of wood.  Laying it down, he took a stick and "pade him to som
purpos."  About ten days later, Giles Cor ey unreasonably beat Jacob
with a stick about an inch in diameter, nearly an h undred blows in the
presence of Elisha Kebee, who told Corey that he would kno ck him down
if "he did not forbear."  Corey then went to the house of Zecharia h
Goodell and told him that his brother Jacob had had a fall.  He was
afraid that he had broken his arm, and desired him to take Jacob to
Mrs. Mole's in th e town.  Jacob was then about thirty-four years of
age and had a reputation fo r being lustful.  Now Jacob went "very
Ravel" and stooping, and he was very pa le and his eyes were sunken.
Thereupon Zechariah went to Corey's house and saw Jacob who was there.
The roads were very slippery and Corey said that his hor se was not
caulked, and so he could not go with him.  Jacob went so badly,
Ze chariah asked him if he had any other hurt than his arm, but he
would not tell .  Zechariah then requested that some one might go with
them, for he would not go alone with him.  Whereupon Goody Corey went
with them.  Jacob died a few d ays later and an inquest was held.  The
jury reported "We find several wrongs that he hath had on his body as
upon his left arm and upon his right thigh a g reat bruise which was
very much swold, and upon reins of his back in color dif fering from
the other parts of his body we caused an incision to be made, much
bruished and run with a jelly and the skin broke upon the outside of
each bu ttock."  For this offence Giles Corey was fined.  In later
years Giles was bru tally put to death during the witch hunts.  The
above episode was recorded in a poem by Longfellow.