Peter A. Rhodes of Enfield, Ct.:Information about ALICE IREOD

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ALICE IREOD (b. Abt. 1611, d. Abt. 1650)

ALICE IREOD was born Abt. 1611 in ENGLAND, and died Abt. 1650 in SUFFOLK, MA.. She married HENRY LAKE on Abt. 1641 in MA., son of DAVID LAKE and ALICE BACKSTER.

Notes for ALICE IREOD:
EXECUTED AS A WITCH ABT 1651, IN BOSTON, MA.
THE CLAIM IN THE TOWN OD DORCHESTER, MA. WAS THAT THE DEVIL WAS COMING TO HER IN THE FORM OF HER DECEASED, BELOVED CHILD. RECORDS ARE SCANT, BUT THEY SHOW SHE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO RECANT HER STORY ON THE DAY OF HER EXECUTION AND POSSIBLY TO SAVE HER LIFE. SHE DID NOT RECANT HER STORY, BUT SHE SAID SHE KNOW WHY GOD WAS PUNISHING HER:
SHE HAD ENGAGED IN SEX PRIOR TO MARRIAGE, BECOME PREGNANT, AND ATTEMPTED A SELF-ABORTION.
ALICE LAKE'S STORY IS A CLASSIC. SHE WAS RULED BY TWO STRONG, WOMANLY PULLS--GUILT AND GRIEF.
ALICE HAD A DESCENDANT WHO WAS A MEDICAL DOCTOR WHO SPENT MANY YEARS RESEARCHING HER STORY AND TRYING TO TRACK HER DESCENDANTS. THIS MAN DESCRIBED ALICE'S STORY BEST:

"HERE IS A PENITENT, BROKEN HEARTED, SUBMISSIVE WOMAN,
LAYING BARE THE GREATEST SECRET OF HER BOSOM, ASKING FORGIVENESS;
YET THE DAMNABLE TACTICS OF THE FANATICAL CHRISTIAN CHURCH STRING
HER UP LIKE A MISERABLE TRAMP."

In about 1649, near modern-day Boston, a mother of five lost her baby to death. After her baby died, she imagined she saw the baby. Because of that, she was accused and convicted of being a witch, and she was executed. The claim in the town of Dorchester, Ma, was that the devil was coming to her in the form of her deceased, beloved child.
She was ruled by two strong, womanly pulls -- guilt and grief.
Her trial was presided over by Richard Mather.

More About ALICE IREOD and HENRY LAKE:
Marriage: Abt. 1641, MA..

Children of ALICE IREOD and HENRY LAKE are:

+THOMAS LAKE, b. 09 Feb 1643/44, SALEM ESSEX, MA., d. 14 Dec 1715, LITTLE COMPTON, NEWPORT, R.I..