Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Goodcole, Henry
GOODCOLE, HENRY (1586–1641), divine, baptised at St. James's, Clerkenwell, Middlesex, on 23 May 1586, was the son of James Goodcole of that parish, by his wife Joan Duncombe (Parish Registers, Harl. Soc. i. 17, iii. 4). He does not appear to have graduated at a university, nor to have obtained church preferment until late in life. A scandal connected with his marriage may have been the cause of his non-advancement. His ministrations seem to have proved acceptable to the condemned prisoners in Newgate, whom he attended by leave of the ordinary, and whose dying confessions he occasionally published. Such are: 1. ‘A True Declaration of the happy Conuersion, contrition, and Christian preparation of Francis Robinson, Gentleman. Who for covnterfetting the Great Seale of England, was drawen, Hang'd, and quartered at Charing Crosse, on Friday last, being the Thirteenth day of Nouember, 1618,’ 4to, London, 1618. 2. ‘The Wonderful Discovery of Elizabeth Sawyer, a Witch, late of Edmonton, her Conviction, Condemnation, and Death; together with the Relation of the Devil's Access to her, and their Conference together,’ 4to, London, 1621. 3. ‘The Adultresses Funerall Day: in flaming, scorching, and consuming fire: or the burning downe to ashes of Alice Clarke late of Vxbridge in the County of Middlesex, in West-smithfield, on Wensday the 20. of May, 1635, for the unnaturall poisoning of Fortune Clarke her Husband. A breviary of whose Confession taken from her owne mouth is here unto annexed: As also what she sayd at the place of her Execution,’ 4to, London, 1635. In 1637 Goodcole appears as curate of St. James's, Clerkenwell, in which cure he was succeeded by James Sibbald, D.D., on 19 Nov. 1641 (Newcourt, Repertorium, i. 657). He married, at St. James's, Clerkenwell, on 24 Aug. 1606, Anne Tryme, by whom he had, rather too soon, a daughter Joan, baptised on 25 Feb. 1606–7, and two sons, Andrew and Humphry (Parish Registers, Harl. Soc. i. 49, 54, 60, iii. 31).
[Robinson's Edmonton, p. 118.]