whereas Jn Hawkins of Coggeshall Magna in the county of Essex cordwinder son of Jn Hawkins of the same town and county weaver and Eliz Bird daughter of Jn Bird of Oakly in the county of Essex grocer having declared their intentions of taking each other in marriage before several public meetings of the people of god called quakers in Halsted and Coggeshall Magna according to the good order used among them whose proceedings therein after a deliberate consideration thereof with regard unto the righteous law of god and example of his people recorded in the scriptures of truth in that case were approved by the said meetings they appearing clear of all others and having consent of parties and other relations therein concerned now these are to certify all whom it may concern that for the accomplishment of their said intentions this 16.12.1701 they the said Jn Hawkins aforesaid and Eliz Bird in their public meeting place at Coggeshall Magna in the county aforesaid and in a solemn manner he the said Jn Hawkins aforesaid taking the said Eliz Bird by the hand did openly declare as followeth friends in the fear of the lord and in the presence of this assembly of people I Jn Hawkins take this my most esteemed friend to be my wife promising by divine assistance to be to her a true and loving husband till it shall please the lord to separate us by death and then and therein the said assembly the said Eliz Bird aforesaid did in like manner declare as followeth friends in the fear of the lord and in the presence of this assembly I Eliz Bird take this my friend Jn Hawkins to be my husband promising to be unto him a loving and faithful wife till it please the lord to separate us by death and the said Jn Hawkins aforesaid and Eliz Bird aforesaid as a further confirmation thereof did then and there to those presents set their hands and we whose names are hereunto subscribed being present among others at the solemnizing of their said marriage and subscription in manner aforesaid as witnesses hereunto have also to these presents subscribed our names the day and year abovesai d Jn Hawkins Eliz Bird Thos Upsher Jn Hailes Robt Ludgater Wm Ludgater Isaac Anthony Wm Ludgater jun Xoph Hownell Robt Jews jun Wm Clay Robt Purcass Isaac Ludgater Sam Clark Thos Bentall Jn Ludgater jun Francis Garritt Wm Mast Joseph Mast Ann Cooke Mary Hutson Jane Raven Mary Dow Eliz Dow Eliz Winter Eliz Mast Ann Turner Hannah Turner Rose Larke Jn Larke Robt Seabrooke Dan Bayly Rich Hance Sam Burton Edw Mines Mary Mines Mary Larke Eliz Pemberton kindred sign Xoph Hawkins Wm Hawkins Thos Kettle Mary Kettle Mary Hawkins Math Hawkins Robt Dow sen Robt Dow Math Pitchfork Ann Pitchfork