 Only two records for Arnold are known to exist while he still lived in England . The first of these was a transcript of baptisms , marriages and burials that he signed in 1622 as the warden of St. Mary 's , the parish church of Ilchester . These bishop 's transcripts , as they were called , were sent to the City of Wells , Somerset , a central repository for such records . The other record mentioning his name was the will of his father , Nicholas Arnold , dated 18 January 1623 . William Arnold was appointed by the will as overseer along with Ambrose Chappell , a friend of Nicholas . 
