56 
copied on to parchment in the last two years of his twenty-six 
years’ incumbency. This we learn from the headings he has given 
to the two first pages of his work, in large Old English characters. 
The first page is headed in Latin, meaning a “Book of Registers 
of Penrith, written in 1599, in the 41st year of Queen Elizabeth.” 
There is nothing further on this page properly relating to the 
registers, but the otherwise blank space has been filled with some 
miscellaneous notes to which I will refer presently. The second 
page has also a heading in similar Old English characters, as 
follows: “A Trewe Copie of the Register Booke of Penrith, of all 
Christenings, Marriages, and Burialls, beginning in the year of our 
Lord God, 1556, written (on) parchment ;” and under this is 
written in small letters, and with a different ink, “By me, William 
Walleis, vicarius quonda,” i.e., at one time vicar; making it clear 
that William Walleis added this record after he had ceased to be 
vicar of Penrith. 
I will notice a few of the earliest entries, to show that some 
familiar personal names of this day were in existence in Queen 
Mary’s time. ‘'1656, last day of May, Niclas (Nicholas) Apulby 
and Katherine Emetson, was married.” ‘Robert Goodburn and 
Isabel Watson married ;” and from that time to the present century 
the name of Goodburn has been continually turning up in the 
register. ‘Rolland Atkinson and Grace Bartram married.” 
“William, son of Henry Simpson, buried.” 
The difficulty of reading these early registers is considerable, 
owing to the antiquated style of writing, the capricious spelling, 
and, worst of all, the faded ink. The names of Railton, Roper, 
Pattinson, Hewer, Bowerbank, Winder, Nelson, and Carleton 
occur from the earliest to modern times. The name of Hutton is, 
of course, of frequent occurrence. Some of these entries evidently 
relate to the ancient family of Hutton Hall, Penrith, but other 
Huttons of more plebian families are also numerous. The brevity 
of the entries of the early registers—neither ages being stated nor, 
as a rule, occupations mentioned—renders the bulk of them of no 
special interest. The only guidance we have in identifying families 
is in the use of the prefixes—Sir, Mr., and Mrs. ; and in the 
