![]() ![]() ![]() At the time of her trial, Good was described as "a forlorn, friendless, and forsaken creature, broken down by wretchedness of condition and ill-repute." She has been called "an object for compassion rather than punishment." Four- year-old Dorcas Good (Sarah's only child) was arrested on March 23, gave a confession, and in so doing implicated her mother as a witch. Particularly damaging to her case, was her accusation by her daughter. At least seven people testified as to her angry muttering and general turbulence after the refusal of charity. Good's habit of scolding and cursing neighbors who were unresponsive to her requests for charity generated a wealth of testimony at her trials. She fit the prevailing stereotype of the malefic witch quite well. Good was one of the first three women to be brought in at Salem on the charge of witchcraft, after having been identified as a witch by Tituba. By the time of the trials, Sarah and her husband were homeless, destitute and she was reduced to begging for work, food, and shelter from her neighbors. A portion of their land was seized and sold to satisfy their creditors, and shortly thereafter they sold the rest of their land, apparently out of dire necessity. Regardless of the cause of the debt, Sarah and her second husband, William Good, were held responsible for paying it. Poole died sometime after 1682, leaving Sarah only debts, which some sources credit her with creating for Poole. Sarah married a former indentured servant, Daniel Poole. Solart quickly remarried, her new husband came into possession of her share and the unpaid shares of the daughters, and as a result, most of the daughters never received a portion of the Solart estate. ![]() After testimony of an oral will, the estate was divided between his widow and her two eldest sons, with a portion to be paid to each of the seven daughters when they came of age. Solart took his own life in 1672 when Sarah was 17, leaving an estate of 500 pounds after debt. ![]() Sarah Good was the daughter of a prosperous Wenham innkeeper, John Solart. ![]()
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