MGC: Firstly, thank you Dale for that DC will, it has many things that have helped me already in my poor oldye mindye to sorte oute. I do feel we now have the right DC b. in Bramford. http://books.google.co.za/books?id=qygCm4iVO2MC&pg=PA439&dq=Samuel+Collins+firmin&cd=10#v=onepage&q=Samuel%20Collins%20firmin&f=false [See both pages 438-439]. [Take Good Note]: I have been working a lot with patterns, an want to point something out here, this should have great value one fine day. The WoDC tells me his father is clearly one John Collins, and I do not know who his mother is right now. DC [bp:12-05-1583] must have a brother JC [bp:25-03-1569] and a brother SC [bp:19-12-1580]. which seems to be right. We know from the Taylor ref. and also WoDC, that there is one John Collins hanging around the whole time. I think this is his brother. I have a feeling this brother John Collins d:1642, after DC made his will in 1639, and a year before DC d:1643 or so. The WoDC was never changed, either way, this seems to be his brother John Collins. [NB!!!]: But for the ref. above, this does seem to be Samuell Collins [Vicar of Braintree]. Samuell Collins [1580] brother of DC, was Vicar of Braintree from 1611-1657. Have you got those dates !!!. Due to the 3 or more contemporary Samuel Collins, use the dates I am giving out here, I spent a lot of time on this. Romford will a place to further search out. Here in Romford, Samuel Collins, Curate + Preacher 1605-1611. That is him I am certain. So before he rose to fame as Vicar of Braintree, he was Curate + Preacher of Romford (!!!). His last year in Romford as Curate was 1611, and then the same year he was made Vicar of Braintree. As the one ends, the next one starts.... The John Collins Curate of Romford (1613), has to be of serious serious near kin, I think his brother (!!!). This SC VoB is (1580-1657). His son Dr. Samuel Collins is (1619-1670) and died in Paris. Use these dates (!!!). Pgs. 438-9: Check out both pages: Robert Sanwell (See St. PleP too), Nicholas Palgrave, Anthony Warde, John Fermyn (Firmin). Make note of them. For DC to be buried with so many other family members in St. PleP, there will be a huge connection to the clergy there and elsewhere. Artes, Dale, -R, etc.: Just add a sister Katherine Collins for Daniel Collins. [To my brother Samuell Collins Vicar of Braintree Twentie pounds. To his sonne Sam: a hundred pounds. To his five Children each a hundred pounds a peece.]: You will notice here that there must be 5 kids, I only know 3 of them. Who are the other 2 ?. [Samuell Pordage Overseer]: I assume this is right and not 'Overseas' ?. I need to ask the question: When did the baptismal records start for Braintree Essex ?. If say a Martha Collins was b. in Braintree Essex say 1605-1611, does a register exist for this TL ?. Can we get an answer on that one ?. We should have the correct Daniel Markham of EC here it seems, we just need to know which brother of Daniel and Samuel Collins has a dg Martha (!!!). I suspect Martha Collins father is possibly a John Collins. Actually, if you can just find out who [Sibel Colenes] who m. [Henery Licnke/Linch] father is, you will probably be home. We need to know this item. This is a most interesting tree. DC's wife d. before him. I think I might be confusing him with Thomas Francknell having a son TF after TF snr d. There is a [Sermon of his at the Funeral of Mr. Samuel Collins Vicar of Braintree, who died 1657]: This proves his d. date. This SC seems to be 'cousin' to Mark Mott. The greatest pattern for this Collins family by far, is found in the church positions to the area of London shown. === Samuel Collins (1619-1670), author of the 'Present State of Russia' born in 1619, was the eldest son of Samuel Collins, vicar of Braintree, Essex, who appears to have surrendered his living in 1661, died 2 May 1667 [<= 1667 dates are for his father !!!]. Samuel Collins was admitted to Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, in 1635; took no degree in that university; afterwards graduated M.D. at Padua; and was incorporated M.D. of Oxford 24 June 1659. It would appear that about 1660 he met in Holland Gebden, the commissary of the Russian court, who was gathering a band of celebrated men to serve the Czar Alexis, father of Peter the Great, at Moscow. Collins accepted Gebden's invitation to settle in Russia, and for nine years he acted as the Czar's physician. Many honours and rewards were given him, but in 1669 he left Moscow for England. He soon afterwards made a journey to France, and died at Paris on 26 Oct. 1670. A brass mural tablet containing an inscription to his memory was set up, in accordance with the instructions in his will, outside the eastward of Braintree Church. Collins's only book - The Present State of Russia, in a Letter to a Friend at London, written by an eminent person residing at the Great Tzar's Court at Moscow for the space of nine years. Illustrated with many copper plates - was first published in London after the author's death in 1671. It is a very entertaining account of life in the Russian court, and was issued in a French translation in 1679. Dorman Newman, the original publisher, according to his own statement, received the manuscript from 'a gentleman that attended upon the learned Dr. C. all the time of his being with the emperor of Russia.' It was distributed into chapters and sections by 'some that were learned and skilful' but the doctor's death before 'it came to press' compelled Newman to employ 'another worthy person' to transcribe the manuscript and see it through the press. Although the title-page bears no author's name, Collins is stated to be the writer in the publisher's advertisement at the end of the book. === The above is the most accurate info I can find. I am not sure if this Dr. Samuel Collins son of Samuel Collins vicar of Braintree is actually buried in Braintree, but he did die in Paris. I think there is just a monumental stone (Not a grave stone !!!) in Braintree to his memory. The SC VoB was not just there for a year or two, he was there for 46+ years. That's almost half a century. Is Martha Collins his dg ?. He has 5 kids, Samuel, John?, Lucy?, so who are the other 2 ?. I am still seeing that the Jas Markham of EC 'Weaver' who m. Martha, and has a son Mathew, is not the Attorney Jas Markham at least. This may or may not be the Attorney's son. - S.K.M. - [!!!] ====================