Genealogical notes of Barnstable families - citizen hylbom blog

CARSELY.
Two of this name were of the first settlers. William,
admitted a freeman of the Massachusetts Colony, Nov. 2,
1637, and of new Plymouth, Dec. 3, 1639. He came from
Scituate to Barnstable. He was the first constable, having
been appointed June 4, 1639, O. S., the day the town was
incorporated. He married Nov. 28, 1639, at Sandwich, a
sister of the Rev. Marmaduke Matthews of Yarmouth. It
does not appear by the record that he had any family. A
still-born child of his was buried May 7, 1641.
His house lot, containing six acres of upland more or
less, was bounded easterly by Mr. Linnell's, westerly by
Tristram Hull's, southerly by the highway, and northerly by
the marsh. He had one acre of meadow at the north end,
butting northeasterly on the harbor. He sold a part of his
house lot to Hon. Barnabas Lothrop about the year 1658.
William Casely was a man who had received a good
education,—had some knowledge of Latin, had perhaps
studied law, and was employed by the first settlers to draw
legal instruments. He was a member of Mr. Lothrop's
Church, but the date of his admission does not appear.
Thus far he has a clean record. He was a vain, self-con-
ceited, vulgar fellow. Common decency forbids stating
particulars. He was excommunicated from the Church,
Sept. 5, 1641, and among other reasons which I omit, he is
charged with being "much given to Idleness, and too much
to jearing"— "observed alsoe by some to bee somewhat
proud." The sentence of excommunication was pronounced
by Rev. Mr. Mayo. The record adds : "William Carsely
took it patiently.''