William Sadler served as curate at Cocking for three years from early 1695 to late 1697
Sadler was born at Linch, near Fernhurst in about 1660, the son of John Sadler. He matriculated at Exeter College, Oxford in July 1677 and graduated as a Bachelor of Arts on 28 January 1681, being awarded his Master of Arts degree in 1684.
He was ordained as a deacon on 20 September 1684 and as priest on 15 March 1685, both times at Chichester Cathedral by the Bishop of Chichester, Guy Carleton. His first appointment came on 18 February 1686, when he was installed as rector at Treyford by the new Bishop of Chichester, John Lake.
Sadler remained as rector of Treyford cum Didling for the next twelve years. He first appears as curate at Cocking when he signs the parish register for the 1694/95 year, which he also does for the following two years.
In 1698, he left the diocese and moved to Hampshire where he was installed as vicar at Newton Valence by the Bishop of Winchester, Peter Mews, on 4 May.
Curiously, William Sadler is recorded as marrying Elizabeth Glyd on the same day at Froyle, about ten miles to the north of Newton Valence. Elizabeth was the widow of Richard Glyd who was the previous vicar at Newton Valence having followed in the footsteps of his father, also Richard who was the vicar from 1662 until his death in 1694, and of his grandfather, Michael Glyd who was vicar from 1628 to 1662.
Sadler probably died in about 1710, as his successor was installed as vicar at Newton Valance on 22 July of that year.