This book presents an annotated edition of the vestry minutes of Stepney Parish, a historic parish in East London, covering the years 1579 to 1662. The minutes offer a detailed picture of life in the parish during a period of great change, including the English Civil War and the Restoration. The editors provide extensive historical and cultural context for the documents, highlighting their significance for scholars of English history and literature, as well as for anyone interested in local history. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.