In consequence of the Church being settled by law, all lands set aside at public town meetings for the provision of a minister, all glebes and parsonages voted for their habitation and maintenance, and all meeting houses raised by public tax or distress on the people, unless particularly named, became vested in the ministry settled by common law and coeval with its existence."1

Pursuant to the act of assembly, a meeting of the parishioners was held at Rye, Feb'y 28th, 1695, when Deliverance Brown and Isaac Denham were chosen vestry-men for Bedford. In 171 1, this precinct paid towards the rectors support and poor of the parish, ^5, J5.

At a town meeting held at Bedford, Oct. 4th, 1702, we have the following minute: --

"The town doth by a maiger vote desire that they may be by themselves as to maintain one amongst them selves e thcyr desire is that they may be clear from y' former aekt of ye assembly of being ioyned to rye e memerinock and the town doth desire mr. Jacobus van Cortlandt to present theyr desire e pertision to the genaraU asembly e ye town is willing to satisfie sd Cortland for his trouble. &

In a summary account of the state of the Chinch in the Province of New York, as it was laid before the clergy convened at New York, Oct. 5th, 1704, it is therein stated that: -- "There is an Independent church at Bedford, where the minister designs to leave them ; they are well affected to the Church, and it is hoped when he is gone they will be in communion with her."