Being in this condition Mr Wharton of Felsted was with a friend of his at Upminster and I having some business with him went over to see him, where I found they had told him I was removing from them upon which he propounded Earles Colne in Essex a place in a very good air the means he said was about 50li. per annum: the town was able to make it more; upon this I promised him to go over upon notice from him, being ill I had word from him that they desired me on the next Lords day. in the meantime one of the Town came over to me, March. I came over and my loving uncle Ralph Josselin with me, we came that night to Mr Rich: Harlakendens at the priory : I was affected with that family exceedingly and the situation of the Town, the next day being the Lords day I preached, upon their approbation they desired me I would come and live with them as their Minister, I in a word answered them if they would make the means a competency such as I could live on which I conceived was 80li. per annum I would embrace, they gladly entertained it and valued it thus to me:
[Earles Colne} Comit Essex:] Tithes they would make good at. 40li. 0s. per annum Mr. Rich: Harlakend:
| wood and money | 20.0: |
| His tenants in contribution | 2:0: |
| Mr Tho: Harlakenden | 3:0: |
| And the town contribution | 15:0 |
The house, close, churchyard and the dues that accrued to the Minister they conceived to be worth. 10li. per annum. thus seeing gods providence in it, I accepted their offer, and there was this proposition more that if I found not the Town as good as their words, upon 6. months warning we would part: I should have my free leave to depart from them: They desired me to keep a Fortnight Lecture, which though I did not engage myself by promise to keep yet I did for sometime: things thus acted we posted up to London and passed all with the Bishop. [1640: March] so that I took peaceable possession, returned to Cranham and after a fortnights stay I brought my wife over, my uncle and Goodman Robjohn accompanying me but not one man of Earles Colne came to meet us on(e) the way, neither did any come to welcome us to Town, which seemed to me an unkind part, and made me suspect that I was deceived in the disposition of the people.
[1641:] well I stayed with Mr R: Harlakenden until Apr: 1641: when we went to board with Mr Edw: Cressener : we paid: 6li. per quarter, here we lived, quietly, and very contentedly. I would not desire better usage, it is but there due commendation of their love and respect to us. I fell to my work, in the Ministry, and now I began to prepare my house, money came not in from the Town as was expected in a word. I laid out my. 20li. and Mr Harlakenden . 20li. The Town should have raised 20li. more, but there was none would take any care for it: to this day they have not brought in 5li. that I can give an account of; this was a little trouble when my quarters came: one or 2 was gathered not by their care but by my procuring men to do the same; 2 persons refused at first. my. 3li.15s. per quarter: fell under. 3li. the first quarter, neither did any take care to make it up: when the Tithes came I must do it myself: I compounded(:) with all my toil I think that year I could make them amount not above 33li. and since they are come to less, and all the loss to this day has fallen upon my shoulders: I confess I was stumbled at their dealings, and some abuses offered me about the Protestation so that I wondered at the people, and supposed it would grow bad indeed, that made so bad an entrance, in the Contrary I must confess I had many private gifts, which helped to make amends for the town losses: