Hi Mary O I can only assume that as the names their parents, guardians or overseers, had to be given in writing, whatever their age, in this case it was the names of the overseers, and that because of this the annotation (without parent or guardian) was added, and that they were over 21. You can see the 1653 Act at http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=56495 Stan