By the mid-17th century, the Anglican church was well established and Catholicism apparently declining, although about a quarter of families remained Catholic, and 30 years later there were a similar proportion of Nonconformist families. In 1642, during the English Civil War, the 'Protestation' in support of the Anglican Church was signed by 207 men in Midhurst, but 54 'recusant Papists' refused at first to sign it. Two days later 35 of these did sign, probably excepting the special clause denouncing the Roman Faith, as did their colleagues at Easebourne, where there was an equal number of recusants. By 1676, the estimated numbers of Conformists (Anglicans) was recorded as being 341, of Roman Catholics 56, and of Nonconformists 50.