letter directed to the justices subscribed by two of the inhabitants of Earls Colne Robt Rookes and Hen Smith recites "and if it may please your worships to understand there was born in our town a base child and one Jn Stebinge of Standburne in the county of Essex is the reputed father of the foresaid base child the man has been called before the right worshipful Antho Maxye and Israel Amyes and their worships hath processes with the foresaid Jn Stebinge according to the law provided in that behalf and the foresaid Jn Stebinge doth refuse the said order and every part thereof so that our poor town of Colne standeth still charged with the base child and causeth much contention amongst us for the collecting of the money for the base child for the which we are to desire your worships that we may have the bond returned" (at the foot) upon credible information made to this court that Stebbinge has not performed his bond for that he never paid anything to the parish for the relief of the child etc it is ordered by the court that his bond be estreated for the queen "you must make an order to award process upon the bond"