now ... it is their design to have them redgestered."

_Lowestoft, Suffolk_, 1644 ... "For some time following there
was in this Town neither Minister nor Clarke, but the
inhabitants were inforced to procure now one and then another to
baptize their children, by which means there was no Register
kept, only those few hereafter mentioned weare by myself
baptized in those intervalls when I enjoyed my freedom."

_Hexham, Northumberland_, c. 1655.--"Note y't Mr. Will. Lister,
Minister of S't. John Lees in those distracted times, did both
marry and baptize all that made ther application to him, for
w'ch he was sometimes severely threatened by y'e souldiers, and
had once a cockt pistoll held to his breest, &c., so y't its no
wond'r y't y'e {442} Registers for these times are so imperfect,
and besides, they are extremely confused."

In the Preface to the _Enumeration Abstract of the Census of_ 1841, pp.
34-37., your correspondent will find information and statistics relative
to the estimated population of England and Wales, 1570-1750, compiled
from the parish registers, and--

"calculated on the supposition, that the registered baptisms,
burials, and marriages, on an average of three years, in 1570,
1600, 1630, 1670, 1700, and 1750, bore the same proportion to
the actual population as in the year 1801."

From the Table, pp. 36, 37, it appears, that whilst the population
(estimated) in the thirty years 1600-1630 increased upwards of 16
percent., in the forty years 1630-1670 it increased a mere trifle over 3