By the Rev. G. S. Master. 303 



evenly through the year, indicates a much larger population ; the 

 names of the curate and churchwardens are unknown, and the other 

 names are not those of West Dean families. There is besides, 

 another return, although only of burials, properly attested by the 

 rector and churchwardens, for the same year. 



Our second existing register is a small folio of vellum, with a 

 stiff cover of the same material, and contains records of baptisms 

 from 1698 to 1793; of marriages from 1702 to 1753; and of 

 burials from 1678 to 1701, these last in accordance with the Act of 

 Parliament, 30 Charles II., for burying in woollen. Upon the paper 

 fly-leaf is a list of afiidavits brought to the rector. They refer 

 only to the first eleven entries of burials, so that it does not appear 

 that the provisions of the Act were long observed : — 



" An affidavit made under tlie hands and sealls of Mary Condicke and Elleanor 

 Atkins that Hester Grantham was buried in wollen was brought to me Gabriell 

 Thistlethayt Eector of W^' Dean the 31" of Jan: 1678." 



Upon the outside of the book are the signatures of "Walter 

 Sloper, A.M." [rector from 1682 to 1714]; " A ffrancke, A.M/' 

 afterwards D.D., [rector from 1714 to 1733] ; " W. Sterne, A.M/' 

 [rector from 1733 to 1754]; "Edmund Yalden, M.A." [rector 

 from 1754 to 1761] ; and "John Ray, A.M.'' [rector from 1761 

 to 1779], 



The induction of " W. Sterne " is noted within, under date 

 February 2nd, 1733. 



In this book, or in the Sarum copies, occur the singular Christian 

 names of " Chracy," 1661; " Gartred " (for Gertrude), 1661; 

 " MyzTt," 1666 ; " Clemence," 1735, " Hannibal," 1742 ; " Sebina/' 

 or "Sabina"' 1742; " Bithia," 1790. 



A baptismal entry in the copy for 1624 runs thus : — " Mar. 6, 

 William son of a vagrant person " 



In the copy for 1673 the Christian names of the baptized are 

 omitted. 



Hhe paternity of illegitimate children continues to be noted. 



About the year 1772 births are registered instead of baptisms, 

 but the practice is discontinued some six years later. 



VOL. XXII. — NO. LXVI. Y 



