ARTICLES TO BE ENQVIRED OF IN THE ORDINARIE Visitation of the most Reuerend Father in God GEORGE by Gods Providence Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterbury Primate of all England and Metropolitan in and for the Cities and Diocesse of COVENTRY and LICHFIELD the See there being voyd Holden in the yeere of our Lord God 1632. and in the two and twenty yeere of his Graces Translation Imprinted at London for Robert Milbourne 1632. The Tenor of the Oath to bee 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 euery such person of or 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 vprightly and full neither presenting nor sparing to present any contrary to trueth hauing in this action God before your eyes with an earnest zeale to maintaine trueth and to suppresse vice So helpe you God and the holy Contents of this booke I. Concerning the Ministers INprimis Whether doeth your Minister distinctly and reuerendly say diuine Seruice vpon Sundayes and Holy-dayes and other dayes appoynted to be obserued by the Booke of Common Prayer Wednesdayes and Frydayes and the Eues of euery Sunday and Holy-day at fit and vsuall times And doth your Minister duly obserue the Orders Rites and Ceremonies prescribed in the said Book of Common Prayer as well in reading pulibke Prayers and the Letany as also in administring the Sacraments solemnization of Matrimony Uisiting the sick Burying the dead Churching of women and all other like Rites and offices of the Church in such maner and forme as in the Book of Common prayer is enioyned And doth he reade the booke of the last Canons once yéerely and weare a Surplice according to the sayd Canons 2 Item whether doth your Minister bid Holydayes Fasting dayes as by the Booke of Common Prayer is appointed And doth hee giue warning beforehand to the parishoners for the receiuing of the holy Cōmunion as the 22. canon requireth And whether doth he administer the holy Cōmunion so often at such times as that euery parishioner may receiue the same at the least thrice in euery yere wherof once at Easter as by the Booke of Common Prayer is appointed And doeth your Minister receiue the same himselfe on euery day that hee 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 doeth háe deliuer the Bread and Wine to euery Cōmunicant seuerally Whether hath he admitted to the holy Communion any 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 not being publikely infamous for some notorious crime Doeth he vse the signe of the Crosse in Baptisme or Baptize in any Bason or other Uessell and not in the vsuall Font or admit any Father to be Godfather to his own child or such who haue not receiued the holy Cōmunion 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 bene enformed of the weakenesse of the sayd child and whether hath the child dyed through his default without Baptisme 3 Item whether hath your Minister married any without a Ring or without Banes published thrée seueral Sundayes or Holydayes in time of diuine Seruice in the seueral Churches or Chappels of their seuerall abode according to the book 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 married in any priuate house or if the parties be vnder the age of 21. yeres before their parents or gouernors haue signified their consent vnto him 4 Item whether doth he refuse to bury any which ought to be interred in Christian buriall or deferre the same longer then he should or bury any in Christian burial which by the Constitutions of the Church of England ought not to be so interred 5 Item whether the body of any excommunicate person dying within your parish hath bin buried by any of your parishioners disorderly your Minister iustly refusing to bury it within your Church or Churchyard or haue the body or bodies of any such excommunicate person or persons bin carried out of your Parish to be buried in another Parish without consent of your Minister or Ordinary first had and obtained and what are their seuerall names and sirnames 6 Item whether is your Minister a Preacher allowed If so then by whom If not whether doth he procure some who are lawfully licensed to preach amongst you monethly at the least 7 Item whether doth your Minister being licensed preach vsually according to the Canons either in his owne Cure or in some other Church or Chappell neere adioyning where no Preacher is and how often hath he bin negligent in that behalfe and doth he preach standing and with his hat off Or whether doth he or his Curate vpon euery Sunday when there is no Sermon reade an Homily or some part thereof according as he ought to doe or in case hee bee 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 Item whether doth your Minister in his Sermons Lectures and other exercises vse to pray for the Kings Maiesty King Charles and for our gracious Quéene Mary and all the Royal Progeny with addition of such Stile and Titles as are due to his Highnes and exhort the people to obedience to his Maiestie and all Magistrates in authority vnder him not omitting particular mencion of the Bishop of the Diocesse according to his Maiesties late direction in that behalfe 9 Item whether is your Minister continually resident vpon his Benifice and how long time hath he bin absent in case he be licensed to be absent whether doth he cause his Cure to be sufficiently supplyed according to the Canons or in case hee 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 smallnesse of the liuing cannot finde a preaching Minister doeth hee preach at both his Benefices vsually 10 Item whether doeth your Minister or Curate serue
any more Cures then one If so then what other Cure doth he serue and how farre are they distant 11 Item whether doth your Minister euery Sunday and Holyday before Euening Prayer for halfe an houre or more examine and instruct the Youth and ignorant persons of his Parish in the Ten Commandements Articles of the Beliefe and in the Lords prayer and the Sacraments according as it is prescribed in the Catechisme and set foorth in the Book of Common Prayer and also strictly enioyned by our late Soueraigne King Iames of blessed memory in his directions to the Bishops of each Diocesse 12 Item whether doth your Minister in the Rogation dayes goe in perambulation of the circuit of the parish saying and vsing the prayers and thanksgiuing 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 Item whether hath your Minister admitted any woman begotten with child in adultery or fornication to be churched without license of the Ordinary 14 Item whether hath your Minister or any other Preacher Baptized children churched any woman or ministred the holy Communion in any priuate house otherwise then by Law is allowed 15 Item whether doth your Minister being a Preacher endeauour labor 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 Uicar or Curate ouerconuersant with or a fauourer of Recusants whereby he is suspected not to be sincere in Religion 16 Item whether hath your Minister taken vpon him to appoint any Publike or priuate Fasts Prophecies or exercises not approued by Law or publike authority or hath vsed to méete in any priuate house or place with any person or persons there to consult how to impeach or depraue the book of Common prayer or the Doctrine or Discipline of the Church of England If so then you shall present them all 67 Item whether hath your Minister stayed the publication of any excommunications or suspensions or doth he euery halfe yere denounce in his parish Church all such of his parish as are excommunicated perseuere therin without séeking to be absolued or doth he wittingly 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 Item whether doth your Minister carefully looke to the reliefe 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 Item whether doth your Minister or any hauing taken the holy Orders being now silenced or suspended or any other person of your knowledge or as you haue heard hold any conuenticles or preach in any place or vse any other forme of Diuine Seruice then is appointed in the Booke of Common Prayer If so then you are to present their names and with whom 20 Item whether is your Curate licensed to serue by the Bishop of this Diocesse or by any other and by whom 21 Item whether doth your Minister vse such decencie and comelinesse in his apparell as by the 47. Canon is enioyned and is he of sober behauiour and one that doth not vse such bodily labor as is not séemely for his function and calling 22 Item whether is your Minister noted or defamed to haue obtained his Benefice or his Orders by Simony or any other way defamed to be a Symoniacall person or any way noted to be a Schismaticke or Schismatically affected or reputed to be an incontinent person or to table or lodge any such in his house or is he a frequenter of Tauernes Innes Alehouses or any place suspected for ill rule or is he a common Drunkard a common Gamester or a player at Dice a Swearer or one that applieth not his Studie or is otherwise offensiue and scandalous to his function or Ministery 23 Item whether are there any Lectures or exercises vsed within your parish Church If so then whether do the sayd Lecturer or Lecturers refuse to conforme themselues to the Lawes and Ordinances of the Church of England and especially to the late instructions for Lectures published by his Sacred Maiesty King Charles and directed to the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury his Grace and accordingly by his Grace sent to euery Diocesse of his Graces Prouince Anno Dom. 1629. And so by the Lord Bishop of this Diocesse commanded to bee published thorow this Diocesse by his Lordships Arch-deacous at their seuerall visitations after Easter Anno Dom. 1630. And doth your Lecturer or Lecturers and euery of them obserue that Article and instruction of his Maiestie wherein it is prouided precisely that euery Lecturer shall before his Lecture or Sermon reade Diuine Seruice in his Surplice and Hood according to his Degrée If you know of any default or neglect hereof in not obseruing this instruction of his Maiesties or other the Lawes Ecclesiasticall of this Kingdome you are to present it otherwise you are likely to answere for this your contempt 24 Item whether do any Knight or Gentlemen within your Parish maintaine or keepe any Chaplaine contrary to the Lawes of the Land not being thereunto Licensed by the Bishop of this Diocesse 25 Item whether doth your Preacher or Lecturer reade Diuine Seruice and Minister the Sacraments twice a yeere at least in his owne person according to the Canons II. Concerning the Church the Ornaments thereof and the Churches possessions 26 WHether haue you in your seuerall Churches and Chappels the whole Bible of the largest volume and the book of Common Prayer as also the book of Homilies set forth by his Maiesties authority all fairely and substantially bound a Font of stone set vp in the ancient vsuall place a conuenient decent Communion Table with a Carpet of silke or some other decent Stuffe continually layd vpon the Table at the time of Diuine Seruice and a faire linnen cloth vpon the same at the time of the receiuing of the holy Communion And whether is the same Table placed in such conuenient sort within the Chancel or Church as that the Minister may be best heard in his prayer 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 and as by sitting on it throwing hats on it writing on it or is it abused to other prophane vses And are the Ten Commandements set vpon the East end of your Church or Chappell where the people may best see and reade them and other Sentences of holy Scripture written on the walles likewise for that purpose 27 Item whether haue you in your said Church or Chappell a conuenient seate for your Minister to read Seruice in together with
may weare a Night cap or Coyse Or who doe giue themselues to babling talking or walking and are not attentiue to the word preached or read or reading or praying during the time aforesaid Whether any of your Parish being of sixteene yeares of age and vpwards do not receiue the holy Communion in your Church thrice euery yéere wherof once at Easter and whether they doe not deuoutly kneele at the receiuing thereof 39 Item whether any of your Parishioners being admonished therof doe not send their children seruants and apprentises to the Minister to be catechised vpon such Sundayes and Holidayes as are appointed or whether any of them do refuse to come or if they come refuse to learne the Catechisme set foorth in the booke of Common Prayer 40 Item how many of the sayd Catechismes haue bin dispersed in your Parish or Chappell according to the number of such children and seruants as can reade and are to learne the same according to the late Iniunction of your Ordinary and who they bee that haue refused to obey that order so enioyned and what are their seuerall names 41 Item whether any of your Parish doe entertaine within their house any soiournier common guests or other persons who refuse to frequent diuine Seruice or receiue the holy Communion as aforesayd Present their names their qualities or conditions 42 Item what recusaÌ„t Papists are there in your parish or haue dwelt or made vsuall abode there within the space of two or thrée yéeres last past and whether they still dwell or remaine there or where doe they dwell or make their abode Present their names qualities or conditions And whether keepe they any Schoole-master 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 else where 43 Item whether doe any of the sayd Popish Recusants labor 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 Papistry 44 Item whether the tuition of the children of any of your Parishioners dying within your Parish be committed to any Popish Recusants conuict contrary to the Stat. 3 Iâ—â— Cap. 5. and if so to present and certifie the names both of such children and of the Tutors or Guardians to whose tuition and education they are committed 45 Item how long haue the sayd Popish Recusants abstained from Diuine Seruice or from the Communion as aforesayd 46 Item whether is there any in your parish that retaine vndefaced or sell vtter or disperse any Popish Bookes or Writings or other Bookes Libels or writings of any Seetaries touching the Religion State or Gouernment Ecclesiasticall of this Kingdome of England or kéepe any Ornaments of superstition vncancelled or vndefaced 48 Item whether haue you any in your parish which hertofore 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 they are how long since haue they so reformed themselues And whether they still remaine and abide in that conformitie 49 Item whether is there any in your parish that refuse to haue their children baptized or themselues to receiue the CoÌ„munion at the hands of your Minister taking exception against him and what causes or exceptious doe they alledge Or haue any married wiues refused to come to Church according to the book of Common prayer to giue God thanks 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 coÌ„mon prayer 50 Item whether any in your parish hauing a Preacher to your Parson Uicar or Curate doe absent themselues from his Sermons and resort to other places to heare other Preachers or whether any of your parish doe Communicate or Baptize their children in any other parish 51 Item what persons within your parish for any offence contumacy or crime of Ecclesiasticall conusance doe stand Excommunicate Present their names and for what cause they are Excommunicated and how long they haue so stood and what person and persons doe wittingly and vsually kéepe them company 52 Item whether doe any not being in Orders execute any Priestly or Ministeriall office in your Church Chappell or Churchyard and what be their names 53 Item whether is there any in your parish that hauing hertofore taken vpon him the Order of Priesthood or Deacon hath since relinquished the same and liues a Lay-man neglecting his vocation 54 Item whether hath any person or persens in your parish quarrelled or stricken or vsed any violence to your Minister or hath strucken or quarreld with any other persoÌ„ within your Church or Churchyard or demeaned himselfe disorderly in the Church by filthy or prophane talke or any other lewd or immodest behauior 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 55 Item whether haue any of or in your parish without consent of the Ordinary or other lawfull authoritie caused any to doe penance or to be censured or punished for any matter of Ecclesiastical conusance by any Uestry-meetings or otherwise by their own authority or haue takeÌ„ any money or coÌ„mutatioÌ„ for the same present their names that haue don it and who haue béen so punished in what manner and vpon what cause 56. Item whether any person in your parish do exercise any trade or labour buy or sell or keepe open shops or ware-houses vpon any Sunday or Holiday by theÌ„selues their seruants or apprentices or haue otherwise profaned the said daies contrary to the orders of the Church of EnglaÌ„d And whether there be any Inne keepers Ale-house-kéepers Uictualers 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 after-noone vpon these dayes 57 Item whether hath the fift day of Nouember bin kept holy and thanksgiuing made to God for his Maiesties this States happy deliuerance according to the Ordinance in that behalfe And whether haue you in your Parish Church or Chappell the bookes in this behalfe set foorth and commanded by publike authority 58 Item whether doth any of your parish hold or frequent any conueÌ„ticles or priuate congregations or make or maintain any constitutions agreed vpon in any such assemblies Or are there any that do write or publikely or priuately speake against the booke of Common prayer or any thing therein contained or against any of the Articles of Religion agréed vpon in Anno 1562. or against the Kings Supremacy in causes
a comely Pulpit set vpon a conuenient place with a decent cloth or Cushion for the same a comely large Surplice a faire Communion Cup with a couer of Siluer a Flagon of Siluer Tinne or Peuter to put the Wine in wherby 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 administration of the Sacraments And whether haue you a strong chest for almes of the Poore with thrée lockes and keyes and another Chest for the keeping the Bookes and Ornaments of the Church and the Register Booke And whether haue you a Register Booke in Parchment for Christenings Weddings and Burialls and whether the same be kept in all points according to the Canons in that behalfe prouided And whether haue you in your said Church or Chancell a Table set of the degrées wherein by Law men are prohibited to marry 28 Item whether are your Church and Chappell 's with the Chancels thereof and your Parsonage or Uicarage house your Parish almes-house and Church-house in good reparations and are they imployed to godly their right holy vses Is your Church Chancell Chappell decently and comely kept as well within as without and the seats well maintained according to the 85 Canon in that behalfe prouided Whether your Church-yard be well fenced kept without abuse and if not in whose default the same is and what the defect or fault is And whether any person haue encroched vpon the ground of the Churchyard or whether any person or persons haue vsed any thing or place consecrated to holy vse prophanely or wickedly 29 Item whether haue you the Terrier of all the Gleabe Lands Meddowes Gardens Orchards Houses Stockes Implements Tenements and portions of Tithes whether within your Parish or without belonging vnto your Parsonage or Uicarage taken by the view of honest men in your sayd Parish And whether the sayd Terrier bée layd vp in the Bishops Registry and in whose hands any of them are now And if you haue no Terrier already made in Parchment you the Church-wardens and Side-men together with your Parson or Uicar or in his absence with your Minister are to make diligent enquirie and presentment of the premisses and make subscribe and signe the sayd Terrier as aforesayd III. Schoole-Masters 30 WHether doeth any in your Parish take vpon him to teach Schoole without license of the Ordinary and is he conformable to the Religion now established And doth he bring his Schollers to the Church to heare Diuine Seruice and Sermons And doeth he instruct his Schollers in the grounds of Religion now established in this Church of England and is hee carefull and diligent to benefit his Schollers in learning IIII. Parish-Clerkes and Sextons 31 WHether haue you a fit Parish-Clerke aged twenty yéeres at least of honest conuersation able to reade and write Whether are his the Sextons wages payed 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 Clerke 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 seruiceable to the Minister doth he take vpon him to meddle with any thing aboue his Office as Churching of women burying the dead and such like 32 Item whether doeth your Clerke or Sexton kéepe the Church cleane the doores locked Is any thing lost or spoyled in the Church through his default doeth hee suffer any vnreasonable ringing or any propane exercise in your Church or doth he when any is passing out of this life neglect to tole a Bell hauing notice thereof V. Physicians Surgeons and Mid-vviues 34 HOw many Physicians 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 bee in their profession VI. Touching the Church-wardens and Sidemen 34 WHether you the Churchwardens Quest-men or Sidemen from time to time do haue done their diligences 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 not disturbe such as hée hearers there And whether haue they and do you diligently sée the Parishioners duly resort to the Church euery Sunday and Holy day and there to remaine during diuine Seruice Sermon And whether you or your predecessors Church-wardens there suffer any Playes Feasts Drinkings or any other prophane vsages to bee kept in your Church Chappel or Church yards or haue suffered to your and their vttermost power and endeauour any person or persons to be tippling or drinking in any Inne or Uictualling house in your Parish during the time of diuine Seruice or Sermon on Sundayes or Holydayes 35 Item 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 of your Parishioners being of sixeteene yeeres of age or vpwards haue receiued thrice euery yéere as aforesaid and also that no stranger haue vsually come to your Church from their owne Parish Church 36 Item whether haue there bin prouided against euery Communion a sufficient quantitie of fine white bread and of good and wholesome wine for the communicants that shall receiue And whether that wine be brought in a cleane and swéete standing pot of pewter or of other purer mettall 37 Item 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 the money and 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 VII Concerning the Parishoners 38 Whether is there any of your Parishioners beeing sixteene yeeres of age or vpwards or others lodging or commonly resorting to any house within your parish that do wilfully absent them selues from your Parish-church vpon Sundayes or Holydayes at Morning and Euening Prayers or who come late to Church depart from Church before Seruice be done vpon the said daies Or who do not reuerently behaue themselues during the time of Diuine Seruice deuoutly knéeling when the generall confession of sins the Letany the ten Commandements and all prayers and Collects are read vsing all due and lowly reuerence whē the blessed Name of the Lord Iesus Christ is mentioned standing vp when the Articles of the Beliefe are read or who do couer their heads in the Church during the time of Diuine Seruice vnlesse it be in case of necessity in which case they