Sir,—In my commonplace book I find the following notes, being extracts from the ancient Registers of East Peckham Church, Kent, which have never (I believe) been published, and which may perhaps be of service to the historian or antiquary.

1637. This yeare was the Communion-table rayled in by the appointment of Dr. Ryves, Dean of Shorham Deanery, and Chancellor to the most Reverend Father in God, William Laud, Archbishop of Canterbury, who commanded this uniformity to be general throughout the kingdom.

1638. This time of lent being to be kept holy by fasting and abstinence from flesh, notwithstanding Sir Roger Twisden, Knt and Baronett and Dame Isabella his wife, being both very sick and weake, in my judgement and opinion [are] to be tolerated for the eating of flesh.

FRANCISC. WORRALL, Vicar.

A similar entry occurs for the three following years.

1648. Upon the third of June the following Infants all born in the parish of Brenchley were baptized in this parish Church, by an order granted from Sir John Sedley, Knight and Baronett, Sir John Rayney, and Sir Isaac Sedley, Knights:—

"Whereas complaints have often been made unto us by many of the principal inhabitants of the Parish of Brenchley, that they having desired Mr. Gilbert, minister of the said Parish, to baptize their children, and according to the Directorie offered to present them before the Congregation, he hath neglected or refused so to do; whereby divers infants remain unbaptized, some of them above a year old, expressly contrary to the said Directorie.

"We do therefore order that the parents of such children do bring them unto the Parish Church of East Peckham, where we desire that Mr. Topping, minister of the said Parish, would baptize them according to the sayd Directorie, they acquainting him with the day they intend to bring them beforehand.

"Dated ye 25th of May 1648.

"JOHN SEDLEY.

"JOHN RAYNEY.

"ISAAC SEDLEY."

The last extract may illustrate the progress of Anabaptism, under the Parliamentary rule, and serves by way of curious sequel to the preceding excerpta.

In a window of the same church I observed this inscription:—"Here stoode the wicked fable of Mychael waying of [souls]. By the law of Qvene Elizabeth according to God Word is taken away."

C.F.S.

PAWNBROKERS' THREE BALLS.

Mr. Editor,—The Edinburgh Reviewer, cited by your correspondent Mr. W.J. Thoms, seems to have sought rather too far for the origin of a pawnbroker's golden balls.