Population and dissenters: I have, upon the best Calculation that I can make, in my Parish of St Edmonds, between three & four Hundred families. And of them, I thank God, I have not more than five or six families of Dissenters of Every kind. I have one familie of Quakers, one or two of Arrians, & the rest Presbyterians. I have no Meeting=house of Dissenters of any kind in my Parish.
Public or charity schools: I have no Charity School in this Parish & but one publick School of any Kind & that is a Writing School, in which the Master Mr James Rouse teaches Children to write & Cypher, & I believe the number of them may be about twenty. I do not know or hear that he takes any care either as to the Principles or moralls of his Children & as to bringing them duely to Church as the Canon directs, He never does, & but seldom comes himself.
Alms-house, hospital or charitable endowment:
There is an Almshouse on the Bridge for three poor persons, which is in the Donation of the Chamber, but they have given the nomination of the persons that are to Inhabit to the parish of St Edmunds on the Bridge on Consideration of their keeping it <in due repair.> It has no Endowment for its support that I know of. There are severall parish Lands or Tenements given for such Pious & Charitable uses as the feoffees or Trustees of the said poor shall think propper. Most of those Lands are Leased out for three lives & one & twenty year after & the reserved Annuall High Rents from them amount to about twelve pounds, which the feoffees expend, I believe very honestly since I came to the parish either upon the Church or on some other pious & usefull charity within <the> said Parish, as the Donation directs.
Residence upon cure: I do reside personally on my Cure, but <not> any Parsonage house, because there is no such belongs to the parish, which is likewise the fate of most of the other parishes in this City.
Curate: I have no Curate, but do the whole duty of the Parish myself.
Divine service at other churches: I do not perform Divine service at any other Church, besides my owne; unless when requested to do so Occasionally, either in the sickness or absence of any neighbouring Brother.
Frequency of divine service: Divine service is duely performed twice every Lords day, with two sermons. And every Wednesday, Fraiday, & Saturday I have Prayers once a day & likewise upon every festivall & fast that is appointed to be observed in our Church.
Frequency of communion: The sacrament is administered six times in <the> year in this Parish six times in St. Mary <Steps> & we take It regularly by Turns. So that in both those Parishes we have monthly Sacraments duely administred.
Number of communicants: I believe we may have between three & four Hundred Communicants that do receive some times or other; & the usuall number that <we> have at each time of communicating may be about one Hundred & as far as I can recollect we might last Easter have about six or sevenscore.
Catechising of children: I do generally Catechise the Children of my parish for twelve weekes togather in the Summertime between Midsumer & Michaelmas, & do usually explain It by a short exposition & have commonly a good number of Children sent, but can get very few or no Servants or Apprentices.
St Edmunds on the Bridge Rectory, in the Deanry of Xtianity. William Barter A:B: Rectr: Inst: August 21st 1708. Presb: March 12th 1703/4. Jonath: Exon. [Explanation]