ARTICLES TO BE ENQVIRED OF IN THE METROPOLITICALL VISITATION OF THE MOST REVEREND FATHER VVILLIAM By GODS Providence Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterbury Primate of all England and METROPOLITAN In and for the Dioces of _____ In the yeere of our LORD GOD 163 _____ And in the first yeere of his Graces Translation EX IONE RESVRGIT VIRTVS Printed at London by Richard Badger 1633. The Tenour of the Oath to be Ministred to the Church-wardens and Side-men YOu shall sweare that you and every of you shall duely consider and diligently enquire of all and every of these Articles given you in charge and that all affection favour hatred hope of reward and gaine or feare of displeasure or malice set aside you shall present all and every such person that now is or of late was within your Parish as hath committed any offence or made any default mentioned in these or any of these Articles or which are vehemently suspected or defamed of any such offence or default Wherein you shall deale uprightly and fully neither presenting nor sparing to present any contrary to truth having in this action God before your eyes with an earnest zeale to maintaine truth and to suppresse vice So helpe you God and the Holy Contents of this Booke Concerning the Church the Ornaments thereof and the Churches possessions IMprimis Whether haue you in your seuerall Churches and Chappels the whole Bible of the largest volume and the Booke of Common Prayer both fairely and substantially bound A Font of stone set vp in the ancient vsuall place A conuenient and decent Communion Table with a Carpet of silke or some other decent stuffe continually laid vpon the same at time of diuine seruice and a faire linnen cloth thereon at the time of the receiuing of the holy Communion And whether is the same Table placed in such conuenient sort within the Chancell or Church as that the Minister may be best heard in his Prayer and Administration and that the greatest number may communicate And whether is it so vsed out of time of Diuine seruice as is not agréeable to the holy vse of it as by sitting on it throwing hats on it writing on it or is it abused to other prophaner vses and are the Ten Commandements set vpon the East end of your Church or Chappell where the people may best sée and reade them and other sences of holy Scripture written on the walles likewise for that purpose 2 Item whether are the afternoones Sermons in your seuerall Parishes turned into Catechizing by question and answer according to the forme prescribed in the Booke of Common Praier and whether doth euery Lecturer reade diuine Seruice according to the Liturgy printed by authoritie in his Surplice and Hood before the Lecture And whether are his Majesties Instructions in all things duly obserued 3 Whether haue you in your said Church or Chappel a conuenient seat for your Minister to reade Seruice in together with a comely pulpet set vp in a conuenient place with a decent cloath or cushion for the same a comely large Surplice a faire Communion cup with a couer of siluer a Flagon of siluer tinne or pewter to put the Wine in whereby it may be set vpon the Communion Table at the time of the blessing thereof with all other things and ornaments necessary for the celebration of Diuine Seruice and administration of the Sacraments And whether haue you a strong Chest for Almes for the poore with thrée Lockes and Keies and another Chest for kéeping the Bookes and Ornaments of the Church and the Register Book And whether haue you a Register Booke in Parchment for Christnings Weddings and Burials and whether the same be kept in all points according to the Canons in that behalfe prouided And is the Mothers Christian name therein Registred as well as the Fathers and a transcript therof brought in yearely within one moneth after the 25 of March into the Lord Archbishop or Bishop of the Diocesse his principall Register And whether haue you in your said Church or Chancell a Table set of the degrées wherein by Law Men are prohibited to marry 4 Whether are your Church and Chappels with the Chancels thereof and your parsonage or vicarage house your parish Almes-house and Church-house in good reparations and are they imployed to godly and their right holy vses Is your Church Chancell and Chappell decently and comly kept as well within as without and the seats well maintained according to the 85 Canon in that behalfe prouided Or haue any Patrons or others decayed the Personage-houses and kéepe a stipendary Priest or Curate in place where an incumbent should be possessed Whether is your Church-yard well fenced with walles railes or pales and by whom and if not in whose default the same is and what the defect or fault is And whether any person haue incroached vpon the ground of the Church-yard or whether any person or persons haue vsed any thing or place consecrated to holy vse prophanely or wickedly 5 Is your Church or Chappell decently paued and is your Church-yard well and orderly kept without abuse Are the bones of the dead decently interred or laid vp in some fit place as beseemeth Christians And is the whole consecrated ground kept frée from Swine and all other nastinesse as becommeth the place so dedicated 6 Whether haue any ancient Monuments or Glasse windowes béene defaced or any brasse Inscriptions Lead Stones or any thing else belonging to your Church or Chappell béene at any time parloyned and by whom 7 Whether haue you the Terrier of all the Gleabe Lands Medowes Gardens Orchards Houses Stockes Implements Tenements and portions of Tithes whether within your Parish or without belonging vnto your parsonage or vicarage taken by the view of honest men in your said Parish And whether the same Terrier be laid vp in the Bishops Registery and in whose hands any of them are now And if you haue no Terrier already made in Parchment you the Church-wardens and Sidemen together with your Parson or Vicar or in his absence with your Minister are to make diligent inquiry and presentment of the premises and make subscribe and signe the said Terrier as aforesaid Concerning the Clergy 1 VVHether doth your Parson Vicar or Curate distinctly and reuerently say Diuine seruice vpon Sundayes and Holidayes and other dayes appointed to be obserued by the booke of Common Prayer as Wednesdayes and Fridayes and the Eues of euery Sunday and Holiday at fit and vsuall times And doth he duly obserue the Orders Rites and Ceremonies prescribed in the said Booke of common-common-Prayer as well in reading publike prayers and the Letany as also in administring the Sacraments solemnization of Matrimony visiting the sicke burying the dead Churching of Women and all other like Rites and Offices of the Church in such manner and forme as in the said Booke of Common prayer he is inioyned without any omission or addition And doth he reade the Book of the last Canons yearely
Popish Recusants or other Schismaticks doe labour to seduce and withdraw others from the Religion now established Or instruct their families or children in Popish religion or refuse to entertaine any especially in place of greatest seruice or trust but such as concurre with them in their opinions 6 How long haue the said popish Recusants abstained from Diuine Seruice or from the Communion as aforesaid 7 Is there any in your Parish that retaine sell vtter or disperse any Popish bookes or Writings or other Bookes Libraries or writings of any Sectaries touching the Religion State or Gouernement Ecclesiasticall of this Kingdome of England or kéepe any Monuments of Superstition vncancelled or vndefaced 8 Whether haue you any in your Parish which heretofore being popish Recusants or Sectaries haue since reformed themselues and come to Church to heare Diuine Seruice and receiue the Sacraments If yea then who are they And how long since haue they so reformed themselues And whether they still remaine and abide in that conformitie 9 Is there any in your Parish that refuse to haue their Children Baptised or themselues to receiue the Communion at the hands of your Minister taking exception against him and what causes or exceptions doe they alleage or haue any maried Wiues refused to come to Church according to the Booke of Common Prayer to giue God thankes after their Child-birth for their safe deliuerance And whether doe any of or in your Parish refuse to haue their Children Baptized in your parish Church according to the forme prescribed in the booke of common Prayer 10 Doe any of your Parish vsually goe to other Parish Churches to heare Diuine Seruice or Sermons Or doe they communicate or Baptize their Children in any other Parish 11 Whether there be any in your Parish who will come to heare the Sermon but will not come to publike prayers appointed by the Booke of Common Prayer making a Schisme or diuision as it were betweene the vse of publike prayer and preaching 12 What persons within your Parish for any offence contumacy or crime of Ecclesiasticall 〈…〉 excommunicate present their names and for what cause they are excommunicated and how long they haue so stood and what person or persons doe wittingly and vsually keepe them company 13 Whether any not being in Orders doe execute any Priestly or Ministeriall office in your Church Chappell or Church-yard and what be their names 14 Whether any in your Parish that hauing heretofore taken vpon him the order of Priest-hood or Deacon hath since relinquished the same and liues as a Lay-man neglecting his vocation 15 Haue any person in your Parish quarrelled or stricken or vsed any violence to your Minister or haue stricken or quarrelled with any other person within your Church or Church-yard or demeaned himselfe disorderly in the Church by filthy or prophane talke or any other base or immodest behauiour Or haue disturbed the Minister in time of Diuine Seruice or Sermon or haue libelled or spoken slanderous words against your Minister to the scandall of his vocation or defamed any of his Neighbours touching any crime of Ecclesiasticall Conusance 16 Whether any of or in your Parish without consent of the Ordinarie or other lawfull authority haue caused any to doe pennance or to be censured or punished for any matter of Ecclesiasticall Conusance by any Vestry méetings or otherwise by their owne authority Or haue taken any money or commutation for the same Present their names that haue done it And who haue beene so punished In what manner and vpon what cause 17 Whether any person in your Parish doe exercise any Trade or labour buy or sell or kéep open Shops or Ware-houses vpon any Sunday or Holyday by themselues their Seruants or Apprentices or haue otherwise prophaned the said dayes contrary to the orders of the Church of England And whether there be any Inne-kéepers Alehouse-keepers Victualiers or other persons that permit any persons in their houses to eate drinke or play during the time of Diuine Seruice or Sermon or reading the Homilies in the forenoone or afternoone vpon those dayes 18 Whether the fifth day of Nouember be kept holy and thankes-giuing made to God for his Maiesties and this States happie deliuerance according to the Ordinance in that behalfe 19 Whether any of your parish hold or frequent any conuenticles or priuate Congregations or make or maintaine any constitutions agréed vpon in any such assemblies Or any that doe write or publikely or priuately speake against the Booke of Common prayer or anything therein contained or against any of the Articles of Religion agreed vpon in Anno 1562. or against the Kings Supremacie in causes Ecclesiasticall or against the Oath of Supremacie or of Allegiance as pretending the same to be vnlawfull and not warrantable by the Word of GOD Or against any of the Rites or Ceremonies of the Church of England now established Or against the Gouernement of the Church of England vnder the Kings most excellent Maiesty by Arch-Bishops Bishops Deanes Arch-Deacons and other Officers of the same affirming that the same is repugnant to the Word of GOD and that the said Ecclesiasticall Officers are not lawfully ordained Or whether there be any Authors Maintainers or Fauourers of Heresie or Schisme or that be suspected to be Anabaptists Libertines Brownists of the Family of Loue or of any other Heresie or Schisme 〈◊〉 present their names 20 Whether any in your Parish haue maried within the degrées by Law prohibited and where and by whom And whether any couple in your Parish being lawfully maried liue apart one from the other without due separation by the Law or any that haue beene diuorced which kéepe company with any other at Bedde or at Boord 21 Whether doe any persons administer the goods of the dead without lawfull authority or suppresse the last will of the dead Or are there in your Parish any wils not yet proued or goods of the dead dying intestate left vnto administred By authority in that behalfe you shall not faile to present the Executors and all others faulty therein and also how many persons being possessed of any goods and chattels haue died within your Parish since ther day of February 1632. 22 Whether any with-hold the Stocke of the Church or any goods or other things giuen to good and charitable vses 23 Whether your Hospitals and Almes-houses and other such houses and corporations founded to good and charitable vses and the lands possession and goods of the same be ordered and disposed of as they should be And doe the Masters Gouernours Fellowes and others of the said Houses and Corporations behaue and demeane themselues according to the godly Ordinances and Statutes of their seuerall Foundations 24 Whether haue you any in your Parish to your knowledge or by common same or report which haue committed Adultery Fornication or Incest or any which haue impudently bragged or boasted that he or she haue liued incontinently with any person or persons whatsoeuer or
and weare a Surplice according to the said Canons 2 Whether haue you any Lecturer in your Parish who hath preached in his Cloake and not in his Gowne and whether haue you any Lecturer who will not professe his willingnesse and readines to take vpon him a Liuing or Benefice with cure of soules or who hath refused a Benefice when it hath beene offered vnto him 3 Doth your Minister bid Holidayes and Fasting-dayes as by the Booke of Common prayer is appointed and doth he giue warning beforehand to the Parishioners for the receiuing of the holy Communion as the two and twentieth Canon requireth and whether hee doth administer the holy Communion so often and at such times as that euery Parishioner may receiue the same at the least thrice in euery yeere whereof once at Easter as by the Booke of Common prayer is appointed And doth your Minister receiue the same himselfe on euery day that he administreth it to others and vse the words of institution according to the Booke at euery time that the Bread and Wine is renewed accordingly as by the prouiso of the 21. Canon is directed And doth he deliuer the Bread and Wine to euery Communicant seuerally and knéeling Whether he hath admitted to the holy Communion any notorious Offender or Schismaticke contrary to the 26. and 27. constitutions or receiued any to the Communion being not of his owne Cure or put any from the Communion who are not publickly infamous for any notorious crime Doth he vse the signe of the Crosse in Baptisme or Baptize in any Bazon or other vessell and not in the vsuall Font Or admit any Father to be God-father to his owne child or such who haue not receiued the holy Communion or baptize any Children that were not borne in the parish or wilfully refuse to Baptize any Infant in his parish being in danger hauing beene enformed of the weakenesse of the said childe and whether the childe dieth through his default without Baptisme 4 Whether hath your Minister married any without a King or without Banes published three seuerall Sundayes or Holydayes in time of Diuine Seruice in the seuerall Churches or Chappels of their seuerall abode according to the Booke of Common prayer or in times prohibited albeit the Banes were thrice published without a License or dispensation from the Archbishop the Bishop of the Diocesse or his Chancellor first obtained in that behalfe Or not betwixt the houres of eight and twelue in the forenoone or haue maried any in any priuate house or if the parties be vnder the age of 21 yéeres before their parents or gouernours haue signified their consent vnto him 5 Doth he refuse to bury any which ought to be interred in Christian buriall or defer the same longer than he should or bury any in christian buriall which by the constitutions of the Church of England or Lawes of the Land ought not to be so interred 6 Is your Minister a Preacher allowed If yea then by whom If not whether doth he procure some who are lawfully licensed to preach monethly amongst you at the least 7 Doth your Minister being licensed preach vsually according to the Canons either in his owne Cure or in some other Church or Chappell neare adioyning where no Preacher is and how often he hath béene negligent in that behalfe and doth hee preach standing and with his Hat off Or whether doth he or his Curate vpon euery Sunday when there is no Sermon reade an homilie or some part thereof according as hee ought to doe or in case he be not licensed to preach doth he take vpon him to preach or expound the Scriptures in his owne Cure or elsewhere If so then you are to present the same the time and place when and where he did it 8 Doth your Minister vse to pray for the Kings Maiesty King Charles and for the Quéenes Maiesty Prince Charles and all the royall Progeny with addition of such Stile and Titles as are due to his Highnesse and exhort the people to obedience to his Maiesty and all Magistrates in authority vnder him And doth hee also pray for all Arch-Bishops Bishops and other Ecclesiasticall persons 9 Is your Minister continually resident vpon his Benefice and how long time hath he bin absent and in case he be licensed to be absent whether doth he cause his Cure to be sufficiently supplied according to the Canons Or in case he hath another Benefice whether doth he supply his absence by a Curate sufficiently licensed to preach in that Cure where he himselfe is not resident Or otherwise in case the smalnesse of the liuing cannot finde a preaching Minister doth he preach at both his Benefices vsually 10 Doth your Minister or Curate serue any more Cures than one If yea then what other Cure doth he serue and how farre are they distant 11 Doth your Minister or Curate euery Sunday and Holiday before Euening prayer for halfe an houre or more examine and instruct the youth and ignorant persons of his Parish in the Tenne Commandements Articles of the Beliefe and in the Lords Prayer and the Sacraments according as it is prescribed in the Catechisme set forth in the booke of Common praier onely And if he doe not where is the fault either in the Parents and Masters of the children or in the Curate neglecting his duty And is hee carefull to tender all such youth of his Parish as haue béene well instructed in their Catechisme to be confirmed by the Bishop in his Visitation or any other conuenient time as is appointed by the booke aforesaid 12 Doth your Minister in the Rogation dayes goe in perambulation of the circuit of the parish saying and vsing the prayers Suffrages and Thankesgiuing to God appointed by Law according to his duty thanking God for his blessings if there be plenty on the earth Or otherwise to pray for his grace and fauour if there be a feare of scarcity 13 Hath your Minister admitted any Woman begotten with childe in adultery or fornication to be Churched without licence of the Ordinary 14 Hath your Minister or any other Preacher baptized children churched any woman or ministred the holy Communion in any priuate house otherwise than by Law is allowed 15 Doth your Minister endeuour and labour diligently to reclaime the popish Recusants in his parish from their errors if there be any such abiding in your parish Or whether is your Parson Vicar or Curate ouer conuersant with or a fauourer of Recusants whereby he is suspected not to be sincere in Religion 16 Hath your Minister taken vpon him to appoint any publique or priuate Fasts Prophesies or exercises not approued by Law or publique authority or hath vsed to meet in any priuate house or place with any person or persons there to consult how to impeach or depraue the Booke of Common Prayer or the doctrine or discipline of the Church of England If yea then you shall present them all 17 Hath your Minister staied the publication of
any excommunications or suspentions or doth he euery halfe yéere denounce in his Parish Church all such of his parish as are excommunicated and perseuere therein without séeking to be absolued or doth he wittingly and willingly keep company with such as are excommunicate And hath he admitted into your Church any person excommunicate without a certificate of his absolution from the Ordinary or other competent Iudge 18 Doth your Minister carefully looke to the releefe of the poore and from time to time call vpon his Parishioners to giue somewhat as they can spare to godly and charitable vses especially when they make their Testaments 19 Whether your Minister or any hauing taken holy Orders being now silenced or suspended or any other person of your knowledge or as you haue heard hold any conuenticles or doth preach in any place or vse any other forme of Diuine Seruice than is appointed in the Booke of Common prayer If yea then you are to presents their names and with whom 20 Whether is your Curate licensed to serue by the Bishop of this Diocesse or by any other and by whom 21 Doth your Minister vse such decencie and comelinesse in his apparell as by the 47. Cannon is enioyned is he of sober behauiour and one that doth not vse such bodily labour as is not seemely for his function and calling 22 Is your Minister noted or defamed to haue obtained his Benefice or his orders by Symony or any other way defamed to be a Symoniac all person or any way noted to be a Schismaticke or scismatically affected or reputed to be an incontinent person or doth table or lodge any such in his house or is he a frequenter of Tauernes Innes or Ale-houses or any place suspected for ill rule Or is he a common Drunkard a common Gamester or player at Dice a Swearer or one that applieth himselfe not at his study or is otherwise offensiue and scandalous to his function or Ministry 23 Doth your Preacher or Lecturer reade Diuine seruice before his Sermon or Lecture and Minister the Sacraments twice a yeere at least in his owne person according to the Canons 24 When any person hath bene dangerously sicke in your Parish hath hee neglected to visit him and when any haue béene parting out of this life hath he omitted to doe his last duty in that behalfe 25 Doth your Minister Curate or Lecturer in his or their Sermons deliuer such doctrine as tends to obedience and the edifying of their Auditory in faith and religion without intermedling with matters of State not fit to be handled in the Pulpit but to be discussed by the wisdome of his Maiesty and his Councell And if you finde any faulty herein you shall present them Schoole-Masters 1 DOth any in your Parish openly or priuately take vpon him to teach Schoole without license of the Ordinary and is he conformable to the Religion now established And doth hee bring his Schollers to the Church to heare diuine Seruice and Sermons And doth hee instruct his Schollers in the grounds of the Religion now established in this Church of England and is hee carefull and diligent to benefit his Schollers in learning 2 Doth your Schoolemaster teach and instruct his youth in any other Catechisme than is allowed by publike authority And what Catechisme it is that he so teacheth 3 Is any Liuing or Meanes giuen towards the erection or maintenance of any Schoole withholden backe or otherwise imployed and by whom 4 Doth any kéepe Schoole in the Chancell or Church by which meanes that holy place and the Communion Table are many waies profaned and the windowes broken Parish Clark and Sextons 1 HAue you a fit Parish Clarke aged twenty yeeres at least of honest conuersation able to reade and write Whether are his and the Sextons wages paid without fraud according to the ancient custome of your Parish if not then by whom are they so defrauded or denied by whom are they chosen and whether the said Clarke be approued by the Ordinary and hath he taken an Oath as in such cases is fit and required and is he diligent in his Office and seruiceable to the Minister and doth he take vpon him to meddle with any thing aboue his Office as Churching of Women burying the dead or such like 2 Doth your Clark or Sexton kéep the Church cleane the doores locked at fit times Is any thing lost or spoiled in the Church through his default are the Communion Table Font Bookes and other Ornaments of the Church kept faire and cleane doth he suffer any vnseasonable ringing or any prophane exercise in your Church Or doth he when any is passing out of this life neglect to toll a bell hauing notice thereof Concerning the Parishioners 1 VVHether any of your Parishioners being sixtéene yéeres of age or vpwarde or others lodging or commonly resorting to any House within your parish doe wilfully absent themselues from your parish Church vpon Sundayes or Holidayes at Morning and Euening prayers Or who come late to Church and depart from Church before seruice be done vpon the said dayes Or who do not reuerently behaue themselues during the time of Diuine seruice deuoutly knéeling when the generall confession of sinnes the Letany the ten Commandements and all Prayers and Collects are 〈◊〉 and â—â—ing all due and â—â—â—ly reuerence when the blessed name of the Lord Iesus Christ is mentioned and standing vp when the Articles of the Beliefe are read or who 〈…〉 in the Church during the time of Diuine Seruice vnlesse 〈…〉 in which case they may weare a Night-cap or Coyfe Or who doe giue themselues to babling talking or walking and are not attentiue to heare the Word preached or read Whether any of your Parish being of sixtéene yéeres of age or vpwards doe not receiue the holy Communion in your Church thrice euery yéere whereof once at Easter and whether they doe not deuoutly knéele at the receiuing thereof And whether any hauing diuerse houses of remoue doe shift from place to place of purpose to defeat the performance of their Christian duties in that behalfe 2 Whether any of your parishioners being admonished thereof doe not send their Children Seruants and Apprentizes to the Minister to bee catechized vpon such Sundayes and Holydayes as are appointed Or whether any of them doe refuse to come or if they come refuse to learne those instructions set forth in the Booke of Common prayer 3 Whether any of your Parish doe entertaine within their house any soiourner common guests or other persons who refuse to frequent Diuine Seruice or receiue the holy Communion as aforesaid present their names their qualities or conditions 4 What Recusant Papists are there in your Parish or other Sectaries present their names qualities or conditions whether they kéepe any Schoolemaster in their house which commeth not to Church to heare Diuine Seruice and receiue the Communion What is his Name and how long hath he taught there or elsewhere 5 Whether any of the said
any that haue attempted the chastity of any woman or solicited any woman to haue the carnall knowledge of her body or which are commonly reputed to bee common Drunkards Blasphemers of Gods holy Name common Swearers common Slanderers of their Neighbours and sowers of discord filthy and lascittious Talkers Vsurers Symoniacall Persons Bawdes or Harborers of Women with childe which be vnmaried or Conueying or suffering them to goe away before they haue made satisfaction to the Church or any that hauing heretofore béene presented or suspected of any the aforesaid crimes haue for that cause departed your parish and are now returned againe Or any which haue vsed any inchantments sorceries incantations or witchcrafts which are not made felony by the Satutes of this Realme or any which haue committed any periury in any Ecclesiasticall Court in an Ecclesiasticall cause or which haue committed any forgery punishable by the Ecclesiasticall Lawes and the procurors and abettors of the said offences you shall truly present the names of all and singuler the said offendors and with whom they haue committed the said offences in case they haue not béene publikely punished to your knowledge for the same crimes Phisitions Chirurgions and Mid-wiues 25 HOw many Phisitions Chirurgions or Mid-wiues haue you in your Parish How long haue they vsed their seuerall Sciences or Offices and by what authority And how haue they demeaned themselues therein and of what skill are they accounted to be in their profession Touching the Church-wardens and Side-men 26 VVHether you and the Church wardens Quest-men or Side-men from time to time doe and haue done their diligence in not suffering any idle person to abide either in the Church-yard or Church porch in Seruice or Sermon time but causing them either to come into the Church to heare Diuine Seruice or to depart and â—â—â—t disturbe such as be hearers there And whether they haue and you doe diligently sée the parishioners duely resort to the Church euery Sunday and Holiday and there to remaine during Diuine Seruice and Sermon And whether you or your predecessors Church-wardens there suffer any Playes Feasts Drinkings or any other profane vsages to be kept in your Church Chappell or Church-yards or haue suffered to your and their vttermost power and endeuour any person or persons to be tipling or drinking in any Inne or Victualling house in your Parish during the time of Diuine Seruice or Sermon on Sundayes and Holydayes 2 Whether and how often haue you admitted any to preach within your Church or Chappell which was not sufficiently licensed And whether you together with your Minister haue not taken diligent héed and care that euery parishioner being or sixtéene yéeres of age or vpwards haue receiued thrice euery yeere as aforesaid and also that no stranger haue vsually come to your Church from their owne Parish-Church 3 Whether haue there béene prouided against euery Communion a sufficient quantity of fine white bread and of good and wholsome wine for the communicants that shall receiue And whether that wine be brought in a cleane and swéet standing pot of pewter or of other purer mittall 4 Whether were you chosen by the consent of the Minister and the Parishioners And haue the late Church-wardens giuen vp a iust account for their time and deliuered to their successors by Bill indented the money other things belonging to the Church which was in their hands And are the Almes of the Church faithfully distributed to the vse of the poore 5 Whether doe you sée the names of all Preachers which are strangers and preach in your Parish Churches to be noted in a Booke for that purpose and whether euery Preacher doe subscribe his name and of whom he had his License 6 Whether any man doe trouble or molest you for doing your duties 7 Whether there be any Legacies witholden giuen to the Church or poore people or to the mending of Highwayes or otherwise by the Testators In whose hands it is by whom it was giuen and by whom it is with-holden 8 Doe you know of any thing that hath béene complained of that is not yet redressed Concerning Ecclesiasticall Magistrates and Officers 1 VVHether doe you know or haue heard of any payment composition or agreement to or with any Ecclesiasticall Magistrate Iudge or Officer for winking at or sparing to punish any person for any offence of Ecclesiasticall Conusance or for suppressing or concealing of any excommunication or any other Ecclesiasticall Censure of or against any Recusant or any other offendor in the cases aforesaid What summe of money or other consideration hath béene receiued or promised by or to any of them in that respect by whom and with whom 2 Hath any person within your Parish paid or promised any summe of money or other reward for commutation of pennance for any crime of Ecclesiasticall Connsance If so then with whom When and for what and how hath the same beene imployed 3 Are your Ecclesiasticall Iudges and their substitutes Masters of Arts or Batchellors of the Lawes at the least Learned and practised in the Ciuill and Ecclesiasticall Lawes Men of good life and fame zealously affected in Religion and iust and vpright in executing their Offices Haue they heard any matter of Office priuately in their Chambers without their sworne Registers or their Deputies presence 4 Doe you know or haue you heard that any Ecclesiasticall Iudge Officer or Minister hath receiued or taken any extraordinarie fées or other rewards or promises by any wayes or meanes directly or indirectly of any person or persons whatsoeuer either for the granting of the administration of the Goods and Chattels of those that haue died intestate to one before another or for allotting of larger portions of the Goods and Chattels of those that haue died intestate to one more than to another or for allowing larger and vnreasonable accounts made by Executors or Administrators or for giuing them Quietus est or discharges without Inuentory or account to defraude Creditors Legataries or those who are to haue portions And what summes of money doe you know or haue you heard that any Ecclesiasticall Iudge or Officer hath taken out of â—he state of any dying intestate vpon pretence to bestow the same in Pios vsus and how haue the same béene bestowed 5 Hath any Ecclesiasticall Magistrate Iudge Officer or any other exercising Ecclesiastical Iurisdiction within this your Diocesse Or any Aduocate Register Procter Clarkes Apparators or other Minister belonging to the same Ecclesiasticall Courts exacted or taken by any wayes or meanes directly or indirectly extraordinary or greater Fées than are due accustomed And whether is there a Table for the rates of all Fées set vp in their seuer all Courts and Offices And whether they haue sent or suffered any Processe to goe out of the Ecclesiasticall Courts otherwise than by Law they ought Or haue they taken vpon them the Offices of Informers or Promoters to the said Courts or any other way abused themselues in their Offices contrary to the Law and Canons in that behalfe prouided 6 What number of Apparators haue euery seuerall Iudge Ecclesiasticall And wherein and in what manner is the Countrey ouerburthened by them And wherein haue they caused or summoned any to appeare in the said Courts without a presentment or Citation first had Or whether haue they threatned any to prosecute them in the said Courts if they would not giue them some rewards and what bribes in that behalfe haue they taken 7 What reward or fées hath any of the Apparators taken to saue the iournies to Canterbury of any persons and what after composition so made haue they or any of them taken and receiued and what acquittance or discharge haue they giuen or promised them and whether haue they not cited some to appeare before the Arch-Deacon or his Officiall after they haue béene ordered by the Commissary and done their pennance accordingly and whom haue they so cited and troubled and what hath it cost them as you know or haue heard or by inquiry can finde If you know of any other default or crime of Ecclesiasticall Comisance you are to present the same by vertue of your Oathes The Minister of euery Parish may and ought to ioyne in presentment with the Church-wardens and Side-men and if they will not present the Minister may and ought himselfe present the defaults and crimes aforesaid and there must be seuerall presentments made to euery seuerall article and the Minister Church-wardens and Sworne-men are to meete and conferre about the said presentments and answering of euery of the aforesaid Articles FINIS