Francis COOKE

                   Francis Cooke of the Mayflower who md Esther Mahieu was not son of Richard
Cooke and Anne Crownton, although this connection is set forth in "New Lights
on Pilgrim Story Descent" by Rev. Thomas W. Mason of Rayleigh, Essex, England
The original entry on pg 12, as 2 oct 1578.  Francisca Cooke, Christened.  The
authors of "New Lights on Pilgrim Story" have alternately ommitted the   which
proves that the person of quality was a female.  On page 135 is the burial
entry 20 Nov 1591 of Francisca Cooke, presumably the same individual.
Eng. Pub. AC, Vol. 13 Visitation of Essex p. 39 lists pedigree of this Cooke
family. Only two children are listed for Richard Cooke and Anne Caunton.
Further research is needed to clarify this record.
Boston Transcript 1936"Three Hundred Colonial Families" vol 2 p. 239  B12F12
Rixford Mayflower Desc. p. 30 B1334 St Mary Magdalen and St Michael Bassishaw
A Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New neland Before 1692."
Vol. 1 (Basis of Farmers Register) by James Savage  Fiche # 6019972.
"The Pilgrims and Other English in Leiden Records:  Some New Pilgrim Documents"
The date of 30 June 1603 was the date that Francis Cooke and Hester Mahieu were
betrothed. It was registered in the "kerkelijk ondertrouwregister" or
eccesiastical register. Their wedding is not recorded in the Dutch Reformed
Church, which are preserved.  The marriage was probably soleminized in the
Weiden Walloon Reformed Church, whose marriage records before September 1604
are missing. In 1925 Professor Eekhof, who is best known in this country for
his book,"Jonas Michaelius", Founder of the Church in New Netherland (Leiden,
1926) carried out research published by Walter James Harrison, which gives some
further information on Hester Mahieu connections with the Walloon Church.
Edward Winslow had remarked that Hester Mahieu was of the Walloon Church;
Eekhof's research produced the information that she was admited to communion by
confession of fiath on 1 June 1603, about a month before the marriage).
On New Years day, 1608 among those admitted to communion by confession of
transfer from another church was "Francois Cooke et Esther sa femme, de
Norwich." G.A. Leiden, Archives de L'Eglise Wallonne de Leyde, nr. 16, folio
13v.)