William Noyes

William Noyes (1568–1622), Rector of Cholderton, Wiltshire, was an Anglican clergyman of Puritan teachings. Under the influence of his instruction, members of his family succeeded him in Puritan ministry both in England and in Massachusetts Bay Colony, at first in Newbury, Essex County, where two of his sons, James and Nicholas, and his nephew Thomas Parker, were prominent figures. His grandson, Nicholas Noyes, was closely involved in the Salem witch trials. The religious motivations which led them to New England also gave rise to an extensive American branch of the Noyes family, of which William Noyes is the direct progenitor. Origins and early life William Noyes was the son of Robert Noyes (1524–1614) and Joan Attridge (1527–1618) of Urchfont, Wiltshire. The Noyes family were already established in various branches in Wiltshire during the 16th century. William Noyes of Urchfont, yeoman (d. 1557) purchased the prebend of Urchfont in 1540 from the Earl of Hertford, afterwards Protector Somerset. His son Richard Noyes of Manningford Bruce mentions "the sons of Robert Noyes of Cholderton" in his will of 1590. This may refer to Robert the father of William and his brothers Richard Noyes, of Cholderton, yeoman, who married Sara and died in 1639, and Robert Noyes, yeoman, born 1570, who died 20 January 1659 and was buried at Cholderton. The Noyes families of Urchfont and Cholderton were of the same stock, but there were various Noyes households. In November 1588, William matriculated from University College in the University of Oxford, and gained his B.A. in May 1592. He was ordained deacon in September 1593 and priest in December of the same year by John Coldwell at Salisbury Cathedral. Around 1595, he married and his three elder sons were born to him by around 1600. His wife, Anne, was, according to their grandson, Nicholas Noyes of Salem, the sister of Robert Parker, M.A. (graduate of Magdalen College, Oxford) with whom William Noyes was closely associated. However this is inconclusive (since 'sister' may refer to sisters by birth or by marriage), and it has been argued alternatively that she was sister of Parker's wife, Dorothy Stevens, who was certainly the sister of Revd. Richard Stevens of Stanton St Bernard, Wiltshire. It has further been speculated that they were daughters of Nicholas Stephens (d. 1611) and his wife, Frances Brydges, daughter of Sir Richard Brydges, of Burderop Park, Chiseldon, Wiltshire.