At least thirty years before the Salem witchcraft trials, Matthas Button became embroiled in the effects of witchcraft beliefs and suffered great tribulations as a result. He incurred the emnity of this man, John Godfrey, when he, Matthias, testified at a trial of Godfrey on suspicion of witchcraft.

John Godfrey arrived in New England in 1634 and from then on, was a transient resident of several Essex County towns, including Haverhill, Newbury, Andover, Ipswich and Salem. He had a local reputation for his feats of strength, boastfulness, sleight of hand and claims of occult powers. He was first tried as a witch in June, 1659, in Andover, when Haverhill and Andover residents claimed they had suffered "losses in their persons and estates, which came not from natural causes but from ill-disposed person, who they affirmed was John Godfrey". The testimony against him was so weird and incherent he was acquitted. Again in 1665, at a trial in which Matthias Button was a witness, he was charged with "not having the fear of God before his eyes, did or have consulted with a familiar spirit and being instigated by the divil have done much hurt and mischief by several act of witchcraft to the bodyes and goods of several persons".

Testimony at the trial stated the Godfrey passed through locked doors, appeared in two places at the same instant and kept company with a retinue of strange cats and noisy demons. He was found "suspiciously guilty" but not "legally guilty" and was released with a verbal warning to discontinue his blasphemous way of life.

In Essex County court records, we next find record of a trial, Matthias Button, Haverhill vs John Godfrey: "For the burning of my house, and my goods that was in it and the cause of my wife's death, and running away as soon as he had done it". The jury awarded Matthias 238 pounds and 2 shillinngs damages and costs. In court at Hampton March 6, 1669, Godfrey acknowledged he was at Button's home the day before it burned and that he made a small fire upon the hearth. It came to light the Godfrey had apparently tried to induce witnesses to swear falsely. The following month he was sentenced to pay 100 pounds fine and to stand in the pillory with the inscription "JOHN GODFREY FOR SUBORNING SITNESSES" pencilled on paper and pinned to the back of his shirt.

Later that year he was sentenced on the original charge of houseburning and was forced to stand on the gallows for one hour with a halter about his neck, and also whipped.

NOTE There is some mystery concerning the above dates. The last trial was held in 1669, and refers to the death of Button's wife. Ann Teagle Button died Feb. 4, 1662/63, which would indicate the probable date of the houseburning for which godfrey was tried. There is no explanation for the long delay in the law suit.