to the churchwardens and overseers of the poor and constables of the parish of Earls Colne within the hundred of Lexden in this county and to any or every of them whereas complaint hath been made by the churchwardens and overseers of the poor and other chief inhabitants of the parish of Great Coggeshall in this county unto us whose hands and seals are hereunto set three of his majesties justices of the peace of this county and one of us being of the quorum and residing in the limits and division where the said parish of Great Coggeshall lieth that by reason of the great numbers of poor and impotent persons more than ordinary occasioned by a great and violent contagion of the smallpox which hath utterly for want of trade impoverished many families the said inhabitants of Great Coggeshall are not able amongst themselves to levy sufficient sums of money for the necessary relief and support of their poor nor to provide work for the children of such poor as cannot provide for the m we the said justices pursuant to the statute made in the 43Eliz1 do hereby rate tax and assess the respective inhabitants of the said parish of Earls Colne in the said hundred with the sum of 15li for the necessary relief of the poor of Great Coggeshall aforesaid and we do charge and command you the churchwardens and overseers of the poor of Earls Colne aforesaid to levy and collect the said tax or sum of 15li upon the respective inhabit ants of Earls Colne aforesaid and the same to pay the churchwardens and overseers of the poor of the parish of Great Coggeshall aforesaid or some of them on or before the 28.4. for the relief of the poor aforesaid as you will answer the contrary at your perils given under our hands and seals this 18.4.1698 Antho Abdy Edw Bullock Hen Ayloffe