Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	church_n	prayer_n	public_a	3,025	5	6.8559	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A79601	Articles of inquiry concerning certain matters ecclesiastical exhibited to the church-wardens and side-men of every parish within the Archdeaconry of Leicester: for their better direction in their presentments in the visitation of VVilliam Owtram, D.D. Arch-Deacon of Leicester.; Visitation articles. 1676	Church of England. Archdeaconry of Leicester. Archdeacon (1669-1679 : Owtram); Owtram, William, 1626-1679.	1676 (1676)	Wing C4051B; ESTC R229603	4,530	8

ARTICLES OF INQUIRY Concerning certain Matters ECCLESIASTICAL Exhibited to the Church-wardens and Side-men of every Parish WITHIN THE ARCH-DEACONRY OF LEICESTER FOR THEIR Better Direction in their Presentments IN THE VISITATION OF WILLIAM OWTRAM D.D. Arch-Deacon of LEICESTER London Printed in the Year 1676. The Tenour of the Oath of the Church-wardens and Side-men of every Parish YOV shall well and faithfully execute the Office of Church-wardens or Side-men in the Parish of N. and true Presentment make of such Defaults and Offences as you know or believe to be enquirable by the Laws Ecclesiastical of this Land So God you help Articles of Enquiry within the Arch-Deaconry of LEICESTER TIT. I. Concerning Churches and their Possessions with the Furniture and Ornaments thereunto belonging IS your Church or Chappel with the Chancel and Stéeple thereof in good and sufficient repair both within and without 2. Are all things therein cleanly kept frée from anything that may be noisom or unséemly 3. Hath any part thereof béen demolished or pulled down Have any of the Bells Lead Timber or utensils heretofore belonging to the same béen imbezelled or converted to private uses during or since the late War 4. Have you in your Church or Chappel a large Bible of the last Translation the Book of Common Prayer lately established the Book of Homilies allowed by Authority the Table of Degrées wherein Marriages are prohibited as also a Register Book in Parchment for Christenings Marriages and Burials and is the same kept in all points as is required Have you a paper-Paper-Book to record the Names Sirnames and Licenses of such strangers as are admitted to Preach in your Church or Chappel and do such strangers subscribe their Names thereunto 5. Have you a Font of stone standing in the usual place for Publick Baptism and doth your Minister therein only Baptize Publickly 6. Have you a decent Communion Table with a Carpet and another covering of white linnen to be spread thereon at the time of Administration of the Lords Supper What Cup Chalice Patten or Flagons have you belonging to that Service 7. Have you a convenient Seat or Pew for your Minister to read Service in a comely Pulpit set in a convenient place to Preach the Word in with a decent Cloth or Cushion for the same Have you also a large Surplice for the use of your Minister in his publick Administrations 8. Have you a Book for the Church-wardens accounts a Box for the alms for the Poor a strong Chest with Locks and Keys wherein may be safely kept the Plate Vessels Carpets Vestments and Books belonging to the Church and have you a Bier with a Herse-cloth for decent Burial of the dead 9. Is there any strife or contention among any of your Parish about the Pews or Seats in your Church or Chappel Have any new Pews or Monuments béen erected there without License or any old Monuments or Ornaments of your Church or Chappel béen defaced contrary to Law and by whom 10. Is your Church-Yard well and sufficiently fenced and decently kept without abuse or nusances Have any encroached upon the ground thereof or cut down any trées growing therein unless for necessary reparation of the Church or Chappel 11. Have you in your Parish a House for your Minister to dwell in Is the same with the out-houses thereunto belonging in good and sufficient repair Have any of them béen defaced or pulled down without license 12. Have you a true perfect Terriar of all the Glebe-lands and Tenements belonging to your Parsonage or Vicarage taken by the view of your Minister and other honest men of your Parish As also a note of such Pensions rate-tithes and portions of tithes both within and without your Parish as belong thereunto And is a Copy thereof delivered in the Bishops Registry 13. Is there any Alms-house Hospital or Frèe-School being not of the Kings foundation in your Parish and are they and their endowments preserved and employed to the right use 14. Have any dying in your Parish given any legacy to the Church or Poor which hath béen misemployed and disposed of to other uses 15. Are there any Wills or Testaments of persons dead in your Parish that are yet unproved or any goods Administred without a due grant from the Ordinary TIT. II. Concerning Ministers 1. HAve you a setled Minister in your Parish If not how long have you béen destitute What is the living yearly worth and who is the Patron thereof By whom are the fruits received and how are they disposed of If you have a Minister lately setled out of what Diocess and from what place came he 2. Is your Minister so far as you know or believe in holy Orders according to the Laws of the Church of England 3. Doth he diligently attend upon his Ministry in reading the Lessons and Prayers Preaching the Word Administring the Sacraments Catechissing the Youth visiting the sick and in all other the offices of his Ministerial Function in such manner and form as is directed by the Book of Common Prayer lately established and the Act of Vniformity therewith published And doth he in the reading or celebrating every office in your Church or Chappel wear the Surplice 4. Doth he give notice of the Holidayes and of the Ember weeks that the people may be minded to pray for such as are to be solemnly called to the work of the Ministry As also of the yearly Perambulation in Rogation wéek for preserving the bounds of the Parish and for desiring Gods blessing upon the fruits of the Earth Doth he also observe the fifth of November the thirtieth of January and the twenty ninth of May according to the Statutes and Orders set forth in that behalf 5. Is his Doctrine so far as you can judge agréeable to the Word of God and the 39. Articles agréed upon and published Anno Dom. 1562. 6. Hath he at any time that you know of publickly or otherwise spoken against the Order and Government of the Church of England as is now by Law established 7. Doth he administer the Sacraments in private houses otherwise than is by Law allowed 8. Doth he every year publish in your Church or Chappel the Statute against profane swearing and cursing according as it is thereby enacted 21 Jac. cap. 20. 9. Doth he permit any strange Minister to preach in your Church or Chappel who is not sufficiently authorized thereunto 10. Doth he serve more than one Church or Chappel in distinct Parishes upon one day If so how far distant are those Churches or Chappels which he so serveth and what wages and salary hath he for his pains 11. Is your Minister a man of godly sober and peaceable conversation Or on the contrary is he a frequenter of Taverns or Alehouses or doth he board therein Is he a common Gamester A prophane Swearer an obscene Iester or an intemperate Drinker Is he vehemently suspected of incontinency Is he a fomenter of suits and contention among neighbours Doth he give

himself to any base or servile labour or secular Trade unbefitting the duty and dignity of his office Is his apparel grave and decent both for fashion and colour as the Canons of the Church require Or is his carriage and conversation in any kind disorderly scandalous or unbeséeming a Minister of Iesus Christ TIT. III. Concerning Parishioners 1. DO any of your Parish make profession of any other Religion than what is professed and established in the Church of England Do any reproach the same Religion or seduce others from it or endeavour to alienate the hearts of the People from their Loyalty and obedience to the King Or are there any Conventicles or Religious Méetings for people of several Families held in your Parish contrary to the Laws in that case provided And who are the persons that go to those Méetings 2. Do any absent themselves from the publick assemblies Services of the Church or not come in due time as well to Service as Sermons or not behave themselves when they are there with such Reverence order decency attention as is required or depart thence before the Service and Sermon be ended and the blessing pronounced 3. Do any refuse to send their Infant-children to be baptized in your Church or Chappel unless in case of extream danger or are any Children kept unbaptized longer than is allowed or are there any more aged persons yet unbaptized or are any Children not Communicants admitted to be God-fathers or God-mothers in Baptism 4. Do the House-holders of your Parish take care to send their Children Servants to your Church or Chappel there to be instructed in the Church Catechism that so they may be brought to understand and take upon them their Baptismal covenant and be confirmed and admitted Communicants 5. Do all Communicants of your Parish upon timely notice given by the Minister thrice at the least every Year once whereof at Easter knéeling in that méek and reverend manner which is required partake of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper and do such signifie their names and purpose to communicate unto the Minister at least the day before the Celebration thereof 6. Are there any living in your Parish who have béen Married contrary to the Laws of God Or any who being lawfully divorced have Married again Or any who being lawfully Married and not separated or divorced by due course of Law do not cohabit together 7. Have any béen clancularly Married in private houses or in the Church without license the Banes not being thrice published or by License or without neither of the Persons so Married dwelling at that time in your Town 8. Do any Married Women in your Parish after their delivery from the danger of Child-birth refuse in due time to make their publick thanksgiving in your Church for so great a mercy or to pay their accustomed duties as is required 9. Are such as die in the Parish who are not denied Christian Burial decently buried according to the order of the Church 10. Do any profane the Lords Day by working in their ordinary callings by tipling gaming or any other unlawful exercises or pastimes 11. Do any walk talk or stand idle in the Church-Yard or Church-porch during the time of Divine Service or Sermons 12. Is there any of your Parish who hath lately or heretofore paid any sum of money to any Ecclesiastical Officer for Commutation of Penance What was that sum To whom was it paid And to what use hath it béen imployed 13. Have any irreverently used your Minister or spoken flanderous or reproachful words against him to the scandal of his Vocation Or interrupted him in his Administration 14. Do any refuse to pay the Rates assessed upon them for the repair of the Church or Chappel and the providing of Books Vtensils and other necessary Ornaments for the same 15. Are there any in your Parish Blasphemers of Gods Holy Name Any common Drunkards or Swearers Any commonly known or suspected to be guilty of Fornication Adultery Incest or any other notorious Crime of Ecclesiastical Cognizance Declare who they are that they may be punished according to their deserts TIT. IV. Concerning Church-wardens ARe the Church-wardens of your Parish yearly and duly chosen Have the former and last Church-wardens given up their accounts to the Minister and Parishioners and also delivered up to their Successours the moneys remaining in their hands together with all things else belonging to your Church or Chappel TIT. V. Concerning School-Masters DOth any man kéep a publick or private School in your Parish who is not licensed by his Ordinary Doth your School-master teach his Scholars the Catechism of Religion set forth by Authority Doth he cause them upon the Lords day and Holy-days to repair to your Church or Chappel and sée that they behave themselves there quietly and reverently during the time of Divine Service and Sermon And doth every woman that kéepeth a School in your Parish do the like TIT. VI. Concerning Parish-Clerks HAve you a Parish-Clerk chosen by your Minister of twenty years of age at least Is he of ability to perform his duty and doth he perform the same in all respects as is required of him Are his accustomed wages duly paid unto him or do any withhold the same from him IF you know any other default or crime of Ecclesiastical Cognizance not exprest in these Articles you are likewise to present the same and therein to take the assistance of your Minister and you are to know assuredly that as the true discharging of your Office is the chief means whereby publick Disorders Sins and Offences in your Parish may be reformed and Punished so if you wilfully refuse to present such Crimes and Faults as either you know to have been committed or otherwise have heard of by publick fame that in such cases you are to be proceeded against in this Court as in cases of wilful Omission and Perjury The Minister of every Parish may joyn in Presentment with the Church-wardens and Side-men and if they will not present such enormities as require Reformation the Minister himself being the Person that should have the chief care for the suppressing of Sin and Impiety in the Parish may present the same FINIS