_Parish Register of Petworth_ (Vol. iii., pp. 449. 485. 510.).--By the
parish register abstract accompanying the population returns of 1831, it
appears that in that year the earliest existing register of Petworth
commenced in 1559. We are indebted to the late Mr. Rickman for this
abstract of the dates of all the parish registers in the kingdom; and it
would be well if, at the next census, a similar return was called for,
that it may be seen what registers are then missing.
As to lost registers, I may state that I possess the bishop's
transcripts of sixty registers, signed by the minister and churchwardens
of parishes in the county of Kent; they comprise the baptisms,
marriages, and burials for the years 1640 and 1641. The registers of
sixteen of these parishes do not begin until after 1641, consequently
these transcripts are the only records now existing of the baptisms,
marriages, and burials in those sixteen parishes for 1640 and 1641.