God's Laws owe most Loyalty and Obedience afore and above all other Powers and Potentates in Earth II. Impugners of the King's Supremacy censured WHosoever shall hereafter affirm That the King's Majesty hath not the same Authority in Causes Ecclesiastical that the godly Kings had amongst the Jews and Christian Emperours of the Primitive Church or impeach any part of His Regal Supremacy in the said Causes restored to the Crown and by the Laws of this Realm therein established Let him be Excommunicated ipso facto and not restored but only by the Archbishop after his Repentance and Publick Revocation of those his wicked Errors III. The Church of England a true and Apostolical Church WHosoever shall hereafter affirm That the Church of England by Law established under the King's Majesty is not a true and an Apostolical Church teaching and maintaining the Doctrine of the Apostles Let him be Excommunicated ipso facto and not restored but only by the Archbishop after his Repentance and Publick Revocation of this his wicked Errour IV. Impugners of the Publick Worship of God established in the Church of England censured WHosoever shall hereafter affim That the Form of God's Worship in the Church of England established by Law and contained in the Book of Common Prayer and Administration of Sacraments is a corrupt superstitious or unlawful Worship of God or containeth any thing in it that is repugnant to the Scriptures Let him be Excommunicated ipso facto and not restored but by the Bishop of the Place or Archbishop after his Repentance and Publick Revocation of such his wicked Errors V. Impugners of the Articles of Religion established in the Church of England censured WHosoever shall hereafter affirm That any of the Nine and thirty Articles agreed upon by the Archbishops and Bishops of both Provinces and the whole Clergy in the Convocation holden at London in the Year of our Lord God One thousand five hundred sixty two for avoiding diversities of Opinions and for the establishing of Consent touching true Religion are in any part superstitious or erroneous or such as he may not with a good Conscience subscribe unto Let him be Excommunicated ipso facto and not restored but only by the Archbishop after his Repentance and publick Revocation of such his wicked Errors VI. Impugners of the Rites and Ceremonies established in the Church of England censured WHosoever shall hereafter affirm That the Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England by Law established are wicked Antichristian or superstitious or such as being commanded by lawful Authority men who are zealously and godly affected may not with any good Conscience approve them use them or as occasion requireth subscribe unto them Let him be Excommunicated ipso facto and not restored until he repent and publickly revoke such his wicked Errors VII Impugners of the Government of the Church of England by Archbishops Bishops c. censured WHosoever shall hereafter affirm that the Government of the Church of England under His Majesty by Archbishops Bishops Deans Archdeacons and the rest that bear Office in the same is Antichristian or repugnant to the Word of God Let him be Excommunicated ipso facto and so continue until he repent and publickly revoke such his wicked Errors VIII Impugners of the Form of consecrating and ordering Archbishops Bishops c. in the Church of England censured WHosoever shall hereafter affirm or teach That the Form and manner of making and consecrating Bishops Priests and Deacons containeth any thing in it that is repugnant to the Word of God or that they who are made Bishops Priests or Deacons in that Form are not lawfully made nor ought to be accounted either by themselves or others to be truly either Bishops Priests or Deacons until they have some other calling to those Divine Offices Let him be Excommunicated ipso facto not to be restored until he repent and publickly revoke such his wicked Errors IX Authors of Schism in the Church of England censured WHosoever shall hereafter separate themselves from the Communion of Saints as it is approved by the Apostles Rules in the Church of England and combine themselves together in a new Brother-hood accompting the Christians who are conformable to the Doctrine Government Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England to be prophane and unmeet for them to joyn with in Christian Profession Let them be Excommunicated ipso facto and not restored but by the Archbishop after their Repentance and Publick Revocation of such their wicked Errors X. Maintainers of Schismaticks in the Church of England censured WHosoever shall hereafter affirm That such Ministers as refuse to subscribe to the Form and manner of God's Worship in the Church of England prescribed in the Communion Book and their Adherents may truly take unto them the Name of another Church not established by Law and dare presume to publish it That this their pretended Church hath of long time groaned under the Burthen of certain Grievances imposed upon it and upon the Members thereof before mentioned by the Church of England and the Orders and Constitutions therein by Law established Let them be Excommunicated and not restored until they repent and pulickly revoke such their wicked Errors XI Maintainers of Conventicles censured WHosoever shall hereafter affirm or maintain That there are within this Realm other Meetings Assemblies or Congregations of the King 's born Subjects than such as by the Laws of this Land are held and allowed which may rightly challenge to themselves the Name of True and Lawful Churches Let him be Excommunicated and not restored but by the Archbishop after his Repentance and Publick Revocation of such his wicked Errors XII Maintainers of Constitutions made in Conventicles censured WHosoever shall hereafter affirm That it is lawful for any sort of Ministers and Lay-persons or of either of them to joyn together and make Rules Orders or Constitutions in Causes Ecclesiastical without the King's Authority and shall submit themselves to be ruled and governed by them Let them be Excommunicated ipso facto and not be restored until they repent and publickly revoke those their wicked and Anabaptistical Errors Of Divine Service and Administration of the SACRAMENTS XIII Due Celebration of Sundays and Holy-days ALL manner of Persons within the Church of England shall from henceforth celebrate and keep the Lord's Day commonly called Sunday and other Holy-days according to God's Holy Will and Pleasure and the Orders of the Church of England prescribed in that behalf that is in hearing the Word of God read and taught in private and publick Prayers in acknowledging their Offences to God and amendment of the same in reconciling themselves charitably to their Neighbours where displeasure hath been in oftentimes receiving the Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ in visiting of the poor and Sick using all godly and sober Conversation XIV The prescript Form of Divine Service to be used on Sundays and Holy-days THE Common Prayer shall be said or sung distinctly and reverently upon such days as are appointed to be kept holy by the Book of common-Common-Prayer and their Eves and at convenient and usual times of those days and in such place of every Church as the Bishop of the Doicess or Ecclesiastical Ordinary of the Place shall think meet for the largeness or straitness of the same so as the People may be most edified All Ministers likewise shall observe the Orders Rites and Ceremonies prescribed in
Sunday of every Month requiring all the said Masters Fellows and Scholars and all the rest of the Students Officers and all other the Servants there so to be ordered that every one of them shall communicate four times in the Year at the least kneeling reverently and decently upon their Knees according to the Order of the Communion Book prescribed in that behalf XXIV Copes to be worn in Cathedral Churches by those that Administer the Communion IN all Cathedral and Collegiate Churches the holy Communion shall be administred upon principal Feast-days sometimes by the Bishop if he be present and sometimes by the Dean and at some times by a Canon or Prebendary the principal Minister using a decent Cope and being assisted with the Gospeller and Epistler agreeably according to the Advertisements published Ann. 7 Elizabethae The said Communion to be Administred at such times and with such limitation as is specified in the Book of Common-Prayer Provided that on such limitation by any construction shall be allowed of but that all Deans Wardens Masters or Heads of Cathedral and Collegiate Churches Prebendaries Canons Vicars Petty Canons Singing-men and all others of the Foundation shall receive the Communion four times yearly at the least XXV Surplices and Hoods to be worn in Cathedral Churches when there is no Communion IN the time o` Divine Service and Prayers in all Cathedral and Collegiate Churches when there is no Communion it shall be sufficient to wear Surplices saving that all Deans Masters and Heads of Collegiate Churches Canons and Prebendaries being Graduats shall daily at the times both of Prayer and Preaching wear with their Surplices such Hoods as are agreeable to their Degrees XXVI Notorious Offenders not to be admitted to the Communion NO Minister shall in any wise admit to the receiving of the holy Communion any of his Cure or Flock which be openly known to live in sin notorious without Repentance nor any who have maliciously and openly contended with their Neighbours until they shall be reconciled Nor any Churchwardens or Side-men who having taken their Oaths to present to their Ordinaries all such Publick Offences as they are particularly charged to enquire of in their several Parishes shall notwithstanding their said Oaths and that their faithful discharging of them is the chief means whereby publick Sins and Offences may be reformed and punished wittingly and willingly desperately and irreligiously incur the horrible Crime of Perjury either in neglecting or in refusing to present such of the said Enormities and Publick Offences as they know themselves to be committed in their said Parishes or are notoriously offensive to the Congregation there although they be urged by some of their Neighbours or by their Minister or by their Ordinary himself to discharge their Consciences by presenting of them and not to incur so desperately the said horrible Sin of Perjury XXVII Schismaticks not to be admitted to the Communion NO Minister when he celebrateth the Communion shall wittingly administer the same to any but to such as kneel under pain of Suspension nor under the like pain to any that refuse to be present at Publick Prayers according to the Orders of the Church of England nor to any that are common and notorious Depravers of the Book of common-Common-Prayer and Administration of the Sacraments and of the Orders Rites and Ceremonies therein prescribed or of any thing that is contained in any of the Articles agreed upon in the Convocation One thousand five hundred sixty and two or of any thing contained in the Book of ordering Priests and Bishops or to any that have spoken against and depraved His Majesty's Sovereign Authority in Causes Ecclesiastical except every such Person shall first acknowledge to the Minister before the Church-wardens his repentance for the same and promise by word if he cannot write that he will do so no more and except if he can write he shall first do the same under his Hand-writing to be delivered to the Minister and by him sent to the Bishop of the Diocess or Ordinary of the Place Provided That every Minister so repelling any as is specified either in this or in the next precedent Constitution shall upon complaint or being required by the Ordinary signifie the cause thereof unto him and therein obey his Order and Direction XXVIII Strangers not to be admitted to the Communion THE Church-wardens or Quest-men and their Assistants shall mark as well as the Minister whether all and every of the Parishioners come so often every Year to the holy Communion as the Laws and our Constitutions do require And whether any Strangers come often and commonly from other Parishes to their Church and shall shew their Minister of them lest perhaps they be admitted to the Lord's Table amongst others which they shall forbid and remit such home to their own Parish Churches and Ministers there to receive the Communion with the rest of their own Neighbours XXIX Fathers not to be Godfathers in Baptism nor Children not Communicants NO Parent shall be urged to be present nor be admitted to answer as Godfather for his own Child nor any Godfather or Godmother shall be suffered to make any other Answer or Speech than by the Book of common-Common-Prayer is prescribed in that behalf Neither shall any Person be admitted Godfather or Godmother to any Child at Christening or Confirmation before the said Person so undertaking hath received the holy Communion XXX The lawful use of the Cross in Baptism explained VVE are sorry that His Majesty's most Princely care and pains taken in the Conference at Hampton Court amongst many other Points touching this one of the Cross in Baptism hath taken no better effect with many but that still the use of it in Baptism is so greatly stuck at and impugned For the further declaration therefore of the true use of this Ceremony and for the removing of all such scruple as might any ways trouble the Consciences of them who are indeed rightly Religious following the royal Steps of our most worthy King because he therein followeth the Rules of the Scriptures and the Practice of the Primitive Church we do commend to all the true Members of the Church of England these our Directions and Observations ensuing First It is to be Observed That although the Jews and Ethnicks derided both the Apostles and the rest of the Christians for preaching and believing in him who was crucified upon the Cross yet all both Apostles and Christians were so far from being discouraged from their Profession by the Ignominy of the Cross as they rather rejoyced and triumphed in it Yea the holy Ghost by the mouths of the Apostles did honour the Name of the Cross being hateful among the Jews so far that under it he comprehended not only Christ crucified but the force effects and merits of his Death and Passion with all the Comforts Fruits and Promises which we receive or expect thereby Secondly The honour and dignity of the Name of the Cross begat
of Common Prayer that is brought to the Church to him upon Sundays or Holydays to be Christened or to Bury any Corps that is brought to the Church or Church-Yard convcnient Warning being given him thereof before in such manner and Form as is prescribed in the said Book of Common Prayer And if he shall refuse to Christen the one or Bury the other except the Party deceased were denounced Excommunicated Majori Excommunicatione for some grievous and notorious Crime and no man able to testifie of his Repentance he shall be suspended by the Bishop of the Diocess from his Ministery by the space of three months LXIX Ministers not to defer Christening if the Child be in Danger IF any Minister being duly without any manner of Collusion informed of the Weakness and Danger of Death of any Infant unbaptized in his Parish and thereupon desired to go or come to the Place where the said Infant remaineth to Baptize the same shall either wilfully refuse so to do or of Purpose or of gross Negligence shall so defer the time as when he might conveniently have resorted to the Place and have Baptized the said Infant it dieth through such his Default unbaptized the said Minister shall be suspended for three months and before his restitution shall acknowledge his Fault and promise before his Ordinary that he will not wittingly incur the like again Provided that where there is a Curate or a Substitute this Constitution shall not extend to the Parson or Vicar himself but to the Curate or Substitute present LXX Ministers to keep a Register of Christenings Weddings and Burials IN every Parish Church and Chapel within this Realm shall be provided one Parchment Book at the Charge of the Parish wherein shall be written the day and year of every Christening Wedding and Burial which have been in that Parish since the time that the Law was first made in that behalf so far as the ancient Books thereof can be procured but especially since the beginning of the Reign of the late Queen And for the safe keeping of the said Book the Church-wardens at the Charge of the Parish shall provide one sure Coffer with three Locks and Keys whereof the one to remain with the Minister and the other two with the Church-wardens severally so that neither the Minister without the two Church-wardens nor the Church-wardens without the Minister shall at any time take that Book out of the said Coffer And henceforth upon every Sabbath day immediately after Morning or Evening Prayer the Minister and Church-wardens shall take the said Parchment Book out of the said Coffer and the Minister in the presence of the Church-wardens shall Write and Record in the said Book the Names of all Persons Christened together with the Names and Surnames of their Parents and also the Names of all Persons Married and Buried in that Parish in the Week before and the day and year of every such Christening Marriage and Burial And that done they shall lay up that Book in the Coffer as before And the Minister and Church-wardens unto every Page of that Book when it shall be filled with such Inscriptions shall subscribe their Names And the Church-wardens shall once every year within one Month after the five and twentieth day of March transmit unto the Bishop of the Diocess or his Chancellor a true Copy of the Names of all Persons Christened Married or Buried in their Parish in the year before ended the said five and twentieth day of March and the certain days and months in which every such Christening Marriage and Burial was had to be subscribed with the Hands of the said Minister and Church-wardens to the end the same may faithfully be preserved in the Registry of the said Bishop which Certificate shall be received without Fee And if the Minister or Church-wardens shall be negligent in performance of any thing herein contained it shall be lawful for the Bishop or his Chancellor to convent them and proceed against every of them as contemners of this our Constitution LXXI Ministers not to preach or administer the Communion in Private Houses NO Minister shall Prench or Administer the holy Communion in any private House except it be in times of necessity when any being either so impotent as he cannot go to the Church or very dangerously sick are desirous to be Partakers of the holy Sacrament upon pain of Suspension for the first Offence and Excommunication for the second Provided that Houses are here reputed for Private Houses wherein are no Chapels dedicated and allowed by the Ecclesiastical Laws of this Realm And provided also under the pains before expressed that no Chaplains do Preach or Administer the Communion in any other places but in the Chapels of the said Houses and that also they do the same very seldom upon Sundays and Holy-days So that both the Lords and Masters of the said Houses and their Families shall at other times resort to their own Parish Churches and there receive the holy Communion at the least once every year LXXII Ministers not to appoint publick or private Fasts or Prophesies or to Exercise but by Authority NO Minister or Ministers shall without the Licence and Direction of the Bishop of the Diocess first obtained and had under his Hand and Seal appoint or keep any solemn Fasts either publickly or in any private Houses other than such as by Law are or by publick Authority shall be appointed nor shall be wittingly present at any of them under pain of Suspension for the first Fault of Excommunication for the second and of Deposition from the Ministery for the third Neither shall any Minister not Licensed as is aforesaid presume to appoint or hold any Meetings for Sermons commonly termed by some Prophesies or Exercises in Market-Towns or other places under the said Pains Nor without such Licence to attempt upon any Pretence whatsoever either of Possession or Obsession by Fasting and Prayer to cast out any Devil or Devils under pain of the Imputation of Imposture or Cozenage and Deposition from the Ministery LXXIII Ministers not to hold private Conventicles Forasmuch as all conventicles and secret Meetings of Priests and Ministers have been ever justly accounted very hurtful to the State of the Church wherein they live We do now Ordain and Constitute That no Priests or Ministers of the word of God nor any other Persons shall meet together in any private House or elsewhere to consult upon any matter or course to be taken by them or upon their motion or direction by any other which may any way tend to the Impeaching or Depraving of the Doctrine of the Church of England or of the Book of Common Prayer or any part of the Government and Discipline now established in the Church of England under pain of Excommunication ipso facto LXXIV Decency in Apparel enjoyned to Ministers THE true ancient and flourishing Churches of Christ being ever desirous that their Prelacy and Clergy might be had as well
now four times appointed in every Year for the Ordination of Deacons and Ministers there may ever be some time of trial of their behaviour in the Office of Deacon before they be admitted to the Order of Priesthood XXXIII The Titles of such as are to be made Ministers IT hath been long since provided by many Decrees of the Ancient Fathers that none should be admitted either Deacon or Priest who had not first some certain place where he might use his Function According to which Examples we do ordain that henceforth no Person shall be admitted into Sacred Orders except he shall at that time exhibit to the Bishop of whom he desireth Imposition of hands a Presentation of himself to some Ecclesiastical Preferment then void in that Diocess or shall bring to the said Bishop a true and undoubted Certificate that either he is provided of some Church within the said Diocess where he may attend the cure of Souls or of some Ministers place vacant either in the Cathedral Church of that Diocess or in some other Collegiate Church therein also situate where he may execute his Ministery or that he is a Fellow or in right as a Fellow or to be a Conduct or Chaplain in some Colledge in Cambridge or Oxford or except he be a Master of Arts of five years standing that liveth of his own Charge in either of the Universities or except by the Bishop himself that doth ordain him Minister he be shortly after to be admitted either to some Benefice or Curatship then void And if any Bishop shall admit any Person into the Ministery that hath none of these Titles as is aforesaid then he shall keep and maintain him with all things necessary till he do prefer him to some Ecclesiastical Living And if the said Bishop shall refuse so to do he shall be suspended by the Archbishop being assisted with another Bishop from giving of Orders by the space of a Year XXXIV The Quality of such as are to be made Ministers NO Bishop shall henceforth admit any Person into Sacred Orders which is not of his own Diocess except he be either of one of the Universities of this Realm or except he shall bring Letters Dimissory so termed from the Bishop of whose Diocess he is and desiring to be a Deacon is three and twenty years old and to be a Priest four and twenty years compleat and hath taken some Degree of School in either of the said Universities or at the least except he be able to yield an account of his Faith in Latin according to the Articles of Religion approved in the Synod of the Bishops and Clergy of this Realm One thousand five hundred sixty and two and to confirm the same by sufficient Testimonies out of the holy Scriptures and except moreover he shall then exhibit Letters Testimonial of his good Life and Conversation under the Seal of some College of Cambridge or Oxford where before he remained or of three or four grave Ministers together with the Subscription and Testimony of other credible Persons who have known his life and behaviour by the space of three years next before XXXV The Examination of such as are to be made Ministers THE Bishop before he admit any Person to holy Orders shall diligently examine him in the presence of those Ministers that shall assist him at the Imposition of hands And if the said Bishop have any lawful impediment he shall cause the said Ministers carefully to examine every such Person so to be Ordered Provided that they who shall assist the Bishop in examining and laying on of hands shall be of his Cathedral Church if they may conveniently be had or other sufficient Preachers of the same Diocess to the number of three at the least And if any Bishop or Suffragan shall admit any to Sacred Orders who is not so qualified and examined as before we have Ordained the Archbishop of his Province having notice thereof and being assisted therein by one Bishop shall suspend the said Bishop or Suffragan so offending from making either Deacons or Priests for the space of two years XXXVI Subscription required of such as are to be made Ministers NO Person shall hereafter be received into the Ministery nor either by Institution or Collation admitted to any Ecclesiastical Living nor suffered to Preach to Catechize or to be a Lecturer or Reader of Divinity in either University or in any Cathedral or Collegiate Church City or Market-Town Parish-Church Chapel or in any other place within this Realm except he be Licensed either by the Archbishop or by the Bishop of the Diocess where he is to be placed under their Hands and Seals or by one of the two Universities under their Seal likewise and except he shall first subscribe to these three Articles following in such manner and sort as we have here appointed 1. That the King's Majesty under God is the only Supream Governour of this Realm and of all other His Highness Dominions and Countries as well in all Spiritual or Ecclesiastical Things or Causes as Temporal and that no Foreign Prince Person Prelate State or Potentate hath or ought to have any Jurisdiction Power Superiority Preheminence or Authority Ecclesiastical or Spiritual within His Majesty's said Realms Dominions and Countries 2. That the Book of common-Common-Prayer and of Ordering of Bishops Priests and Deacons containeth in it nothing contrary to the Word of God and that it may lawfully so be used and that he himself will use the Form in the said Book prescribed in Publick Prayer and Administration of the Sacraments and none other 3. That he alloweth the Book of Articles of Religion agreed upon by the Archbishops and Bishops of both Provinces and the whole Clergy in the Convocation holden at London in the Year of our Lord God One thousand five hundred sixty and two and that he acknowledgeth all and every the Articles therein contained being in number Nine and thirty besides the Ratification to be agreeable to the Word Of God To these three Articles whosoever will subscribe he shall for the avoiding of all ambiguities subscribe in this Order and Form of Words setting down both his Christian and Sirname viz. IN. N. do willingly and ex animo subscribe to these three Articles above-mentioned and to all things that are contained in them And if any Bishop shall Ordain Admit or License any as is aforesaid Except he first have subscribed in manner and form as here we have appointed he shall be suspended from giving of Orders and Licences to Preach for the space of twelve Months But if either of the Universities shall offend therein we leave them to the danger of the Law and His Majesty's Censure XXXVII Subscription before the Diocesan NOne Licensed as is aforesaid to Preach Read Lecture or Catechise coming to reside in any Diocess shall be permitted there to Preach Read Lecture Catechise or Minister the Sacraments or to execute any other Ecclesiastical Function by what Authority soever he
in outward Reverence as otherwise regarded for the Worthiness of their Ministery did think it sit by a prescript Form of decent and comely Apparel to have them known to the People and thereby to receive the Honour and Estimation due to the special Messengers and Ministers of Almighty God We therefore following their grave Judgment and the ancient Custom of the Church of England and hoping that in time new-fangleness of Apparel in some Factious Persons will die of it self do constitute and appoint That the Archbishops and Bishops shall not intermit to use the accustomed Apparel of their Degrees Likewise all Deans Masters of Colleges Archdeacons and Prebendaries in Cathedral and Collegiate Churches being Priests or Deacons Doctors in Divinity Law and Physick Batchellors in Divinity Masters of Arts and Batchellors of Law having any Ecclesiastical Living shall usually wear Gowns with standing Collars and Sleeves strait at the Hands or wide Sleeves as is used in the Universities with Hoods or Tippets of Silk or Sarcenet and square Caps And that all other Ministers admitted or to be admitted into that Function shall also usually wear the like Apparel as is aforesaid except Tippets only We do further in like manner ordain That all the said Ecclesiastical Persons above mentioned shall usually wear in their Journeys Cloaks with Sleeves commonly called Priests Cloaks without Gards Welts long Buttons or Cuts And no Ecclesiastical Person shall wear any Coife or wrought Night-cap but only plain Night-caps of black Silk Satten or Velvet In all which Particulars concerning the Apparel here Prescribed our meaning is not to attribute any Holiness or special Worthiness to the said Garments but for Decency Gravity and Order as is before specified In private Houses and in their Studies the said Persons Ecclesiastical may use any comely and Scholar-like Apparel provided that it be not cut or pinckt and that in publick they go not in their Doublet and Hose without Coats or Cassocks And that they wear not any light coloured Stockings Likewise poor Beneficed men and Curates not being able to provide themselves long Gowns may go in short Gowns of the Fashion aforesaid LXXV Sober Conversation required in Ministers NO Ecclesiastical Person shall at any time other then for their honest Necessities resort to any Taverns or Alehouses neither shall they boad or lodge in any such Places Furthermore they shall not give themselves to any base or servile Labour or to drinking or Riot spending their time Idlely by day or by night playing at Dice Cards or Taâ—les or any other unlawful Game But at all times convenient they shall hear or read somewhat of the Holy Scriptures or shall occupy themselves with some other honest Study or Exercise always doing the things which shall appertain to Honesty and endeavouring to profit the Church of God having always in Mind that they ought to excel all others in Purity of Life and should be examples to the People to live well and Christianly under Pain of Ecclesiastical Censures to be inflicted with Severity according to the qualities of their Offences LXXV Ministers at no time to forsake their Calling NO man being admitted a Deacon or Minister shall from thenceforth voluntarily relinquish the same nor afterward use himself in the Course of his Life as a Lay-man upon pain of Excommunication And the Names of all such Men so forsaking their Calling the Church-wardens of the Parish where they dwell shall present to the Bishop of the Diocess or to the Ordinary of the Place having Episcopal Jurisdiction School-Masters LXXVII None to teach School without Licence NO Man shall teach either in publick School or private House but such as shall be allowed by the Bishop of the Diocess or Ordinary of the Place under his Hand and Seal being found meet as well for his Learning and dexterity in Teaching as for sober and honest Conversation and also for right understanding of Gods true Religion and also except he shall first subscribe to the first and third Articles aforementioned simply and to the two first Clauses of the second Article LXXVIII Curates desirous to teach to be Licensed before others IN what Parish Church or Chappel soever there is a Curate which is a Master of Arts or Batchelor of Arts or is otherwise well able to teach Youth and will willingly so do for the better increase of his Living and training up of Children in Principles of true Religion We will and ordain That a Licence to teach Youth of the Parish where he serveth be granted to none by the Ordinary of that place but only to the said Curate Provided always That this Constitution shall not extend to any Parish or Chappel in Countrey Towns where there is a publick School founded already In which case we think it not meet to allow any to teach Grammar but only him that is allowed for the said publick School LXXXIX The Duty of School-Masters ALL School-Masters shall teach in English or Latin as the Children are able to bear the larger or shorter Catechism heretofore by publick Authority set forth And as often as any Sermon shall be upon Holy and Festival days within the Parish where they teach they shall bring their Schollars to the Church where such Sermon shall be made and there see them quietly and soberly behave themselves and shall examine them at times convenient after their return what they have born away of such Sermons Upon other days and at other times they shall train them up with such Sentences of holy Scriptures as shall be most expedient to induce them to all Godliness and they shall teach the Grammar set forth by King Henry the Eighth and continued in the times of King Edward the Sixth and Queen Elizabeth of noble Memory and none other And if any School-Master being Licensed and having subscribed as aforesaid shall offend in any of the premisses or either speak write or teach against any thing whereunto he hath formerly subscribed if upon admonition by the Ordinary he do not amend and reform himself let him be suspended from teaching School any longer Things appertaining to Churches LXXX The great Bible and Book of Common Prayer to be had in every Church THE Church-wardens or Quest-men of every Church and Chappel shall at the charge of the Parish provide the Book of Common Prayer lately explained in some few points by his Majesties Authority according to the Laws and his Highness Prerogative in that behalf and that with all convenient speed but at the furthest within two months after the publishing of these our Constitutions And if any Parishes be yet unfurnished of the Bible of the largest Volume or of the Books of Homilies allowed by Authority the said Church-wardens shall within convenient time provide the same at the like charge of the Parish LXXXI A Font of Stone for Baptism in every Church ACcording to a former Constitution too much neglected in many places we appoint That there shall be a Font of Stone in every
the Book of common-Common-Prayer as well in reading the holy Scriptures and saying of Prayers as in Administration of the Sacraments without either diminishing in regard of preaching or in any other respect or adding any thing in the matter or form thereof XV. The Letany to be read on Wednesdays and Fridays THE Letany shall be said or sung when and as it is set down in the Book of Common-Prayer by the Parsons Vicars Ministers or Curats in all Cathedral Collegiate Parish Churches and Chapels in some convenient Place according to the discretion of the Bishop of the Diocess or Ecclesiastical Ordinary of the Place And that we may speak more particularly upon Wednesdays and Fridays weekly though they be not Holydays the Minister at the accustomed hours of Service shall resort to the Church and Chapel and warning being given to the People by tolling of a Bell shall say the Letany prescribed in the Book of Common-Prayer whereunto we wish every Housholder dwelling within half a mile of the Church to come or send one at the least of his Houshold fit to joyn with the Minister in Prayers XVI Colledges to use the Prescript Form of Divine Service IN the whole Divine Service and Administration of the holy Communion in all Colledges and Halls in both Universities the Order Form and Ceremonies shall be duly observed as they are set down and prescribed in the Book of Common-Prayer without any Omission or Alteration XVII Students in Colledges to wear Surplices in time of Divine Service ALL Masters and Fellows of Colledges or Halls and all the Scholars and Students in either of the Universities shall in their Churches and Chapels upon all Sundays Holydays and their Eves at the time of Divine Service wear Surplices according to the Order of the Church of England and such as are Graduats shall agreeably wear with their Surplices such Hoods as do severally appertain unto their Degrees XVIII A Reverence and Attention to be used within the Church in time of Divine Service IN the time of Divine Service and of every part thereof all due Reverence is to be used for it is according to the Apostle's Rule Let all things be done decently and according to order Answerable to which Decency and Order we judge these our Directions following No man shall cover his Head in the Church or Chapel in the time of Divine Service except he have some Infirmity in which case let him wear a Night-cap or Coif All manner of Persons then present shall reverently kneel upon their knees when the general Confession Letany and other Prayers are read and shall stand up at the saying of the Belief according to the Rules in that behalf prescribed in the Book of Common-Prayer And likewise when in time of Divine Service the Lord Jesus shall be mentioned due and lowly Reverence shall be done by all Persons present as it hath been accustomed testifying by these Outward Ceremonies and Gestures their inward Humility Christian Resolution and due acknowledgement that the Lord Jesus Christ the true Eternal Son of God is the only Saviour of the World in whom alone all the Mercies Graces and Promises of God to Mankind for this Life and the Life to come are fully and wholly comprized None either Man Woman or Child of what calling soever shall be otherwise at such times busied in the Church than in quiet attendance to hear mark and understand that which is Read Preached or Ministred saying in their due places audibly with the Minister the Confession the Lord's Prayer and the Creed and making such other Answers to the Publick Prayers as are appointed in the Book of Common-Prayer Neither shall they disturb the Service or Sermon by walking or talking or any other way nor depart out of the Church during the time of Service or Sermon without some urgent or reasonable cause XIX Loyterers not to be suffered near the Church in time of Divine Service THE Church-wardens or Quest-men and their Assistants shall not suffer any idle Persons to abide either in the Church-yard or Church-porch during the time of Divine Service or Preaching but shall cause them either to come in or to depart XX. Bread and Wine to be provided against every Communion THE Church-wardens of every Parish against the time of every Communion shall at the charge of the Parish with the advice and direction of the Minister provide a sufficient quantity of fine white Bread and of good and wholesom Wine for the number of Communicants that shall from time to time receive there which Wine we require to be brought to the Communion Table in a clean and sweet standing Pot or Stoop of Pewter if not of purer Metal XXI The Communion to be thrice a-Year received IN every Parish Church and Chapel where Sacraments are to be administred within this Realm the holy Communion shall be ministred by the Parson Vicar or Minister so often and at such times as every Parishioner may Communicate at the least thrice in the Year whereof the Feast of Easter to be one according as they are appointed by the Book of Common-Prayer Provided That every Minister as oft as he administreth the Communion shall first receive that Sacrament himself Furthermore no Bread or Wine newly brought shall be used but first the Words of Institution shall be rehearsed when the said Bread and Wine be present upon the Communion Table Likewise the Minister shall deliver both the Bread and the Wine to every Communicant severally XXII Warning to be given beforehand for the Communion VVHereas every Lay Person is bound to receive the holy Communion thrice every Year and many notwithstanding do not receive that Sacrament once in a year We do require every Minister to give warning to his Parishioners publickly in the Church at Morning Prayer the Sunday before every time of his administring that holy Sacrament for their better preparation of themselves Which said warning we enjoyn the said Parishioners to accept and obey under the penalty and danger of the Law XXIII Students in Colledges to receive the Communion four times a-Year IN all Colledges and Halls within both the Universities the Masters and Fellows such especially as have any Pupils shall be careful that all their said Pupils and the rest that remain amongst them be well brought up and throughly instructed in Points of Religion and that they do diligently frequent Publick Service and Sermons and receive the holy Communion which we ordain to be administred in all such Colledges and Halls the first and second
and the other in refusing to learn as aforesaid Let them be suspended by their Ordinaries if they be not Children and if they so persist by the space of a month then let them be excommunicated LX. Confirmation to be performed once in three years FOrasmuch as it hath been a solemn ancient and laudable Custom in the Church of God continued from the Apostles times that all Bishops should lay their Hands upon Children baptized and instructed in the Catechism of Christian Religion praying over them and blessing them which we commonly call Confirmation and that this holy Action hath been accustomed in the Church in former Ages to be performed in the Bishops Visitation every third Year We will and appoint that every Bishop or his Suffragan in his accustomed Visitation do in his own Person carefully observe the said Custom And if in that year by reason of some Infirmity he be not able personally to Visit then he shall not omit the Execution of that Duty of Confirmation the next year after as he may conveniently LXI Ministers to prepare Children for Confirmation EVery Minister that has Cure and Charge of Souls for the better accomplishing of the Orders prescribed in the Book of Common-Prayer concerning Confirmation shall take especial Care as that none shall be presented to the Bishop for him to lay his Hands upon but such as can render an account of their Faith according to the Catechism in the said Book contained And when the Bishop shall assign any time for the Performance of that part of his Duty every such Minister shall use his best endeavour to prepare and make able and likewise to procure as many as he can to be then brought and by the Bishop to be confirmed LXII Ministers not to marry any Persons without Banns or Licence NO Minister upon pain of Suspension per triennium ipso facto shall celebrate Matrimony between any Persons without a Faculty or Licence granted by some of the Persons in these our Constitutions expressed except the Banns of Matrimony have been first published three several Sundays or Holy-days in the time of Divine Service in the Parish-Churches and Chapels where the said Parties dwell according to the Book of Common Prayer Neither shall any Minister upon the like pain under any Pretence whatsoever joyn any persons so Licensed in Marriage at any unseasonable times but only between the hours of Eight and Twelve in the Fore-noon nor in any private Place but either in the said Churches or Chapels where one of them dwelleth and likewise in time of Divine Service nor when Banns are thrice asked and no Licence in that respect necessary before the Parents or Governours of the Parties to be married being under the age of twenty and one years shall either personally or by sufficient Testimony signifie to him their Consents given to the said Marriage LXIII Ministers of Exempt Churches not to Marry without Banns or Licence EVery Minister who shall hereafter celebrate Marriage between any Persons contrary to our said Constitutions or any part of them under colour of any peculiar Liberty or Privilege claimed to appertain to certain Churches and Chapels shall be suspended per triennium by the Ordinary of the Place where the offence shall be committed And if any such Minister shall afterwards remove from the Place where he hath committed that Fault before he bo suspended as is aforesaid then shall the Bishop of the Diocess or Ordinary of the Place where he remaineth upon Certificate under the hand and Seal of the other Ordinary from whose Jurisdiction he removed excute that Censure upon him LXIV Ministers solemnly to bid Holy-days EVery Parson Vicar or Curate shall in his several Charge declare to the People every Sunday at the time appointed in the Communion Book whether there be any Holy-days or Fasting-days the Week following And if any do hereafter wittingly offend herein and being once admonished thereof by his Ordinary shall again omit that Duty let him be censured according to Law until he submit himself to the due performance of it LXV Ministers solemnly to denounce Recusants and Excommunicates ALL Ordinaries shall in their several Jurisdictions carefully see and give Order that as well those who for obstinate refusing to frequent Divine Service established by publick Authority within this Realm of England as those also especially of the better sort and condition who for notorious Contumacy or other notable Crimes stand lawfully Excommunicate unless within three months immediately after the said Sentence of Excommunication pronounced against them they reform themselves and obtain the Benefit of Absolution be every six months ensuing as well in the Parish Church as in the Cathedral Church of the Diocess in which they remain by the Minister openly in time of Divine Service upon some Sunday denounced and declared Excommunicate that others may be thereby both admonished to refrain their Company and Society and excited the rather to procure out a Writ De Excommunicato capiendo thereby to bring and reduce them into due order and obedience Likewise the Register of every Ecclesiastical Court shall yearly between Michaelmas and Christmas duly certifie the Archbishop of the Province of all and singular the Premises aforesaid LXVI Ministers to confer with Recusants EVery Minister being a Preacher and having any Popish Recusant or Recusants in his Parish and thought fit by the Bishop of the Diocess shall labour diligently with them from time to time thereby to reclaim them from their Errors And if he be no Preacher or not such a Preacher then he shall procure if he can possibly some that are Preachers so qualified to take pains with them for that purpose If he can procure none then he shall inform the Bishop of the Diocess thereof who shall not only appoint some Neighbour Preacher or Preachers adjoyning to take that Labour upon them but himself also as his important Affairs will permit him shall use his best Endeavour by Instruction Persuasion and all good means he can devise to reclaim both them and all other within his Diocess so affected LXVII Ministers to Visit the Sick VVHEN any Person is dangerously sick in any Parish the Minister or Curate having Knowledge thereof shall resort unto him or her if the Disease be not known or probably suspected to be infectious to instruct and comfort them in their Distress according to the Order of the Communion Book if he be no Preacher or if he be a Preacher then as he shall think most needful and convenient And when any is passing out of this Life a Bell shall be tolled and the Minister shall not then slack to do his last Duty And after the Parties Death if it so fall out there shall be rung no more but one short Peal and one other before the Burial and one other after the Burial LXVIII Ministers not to refuse to Christen or Bury NO Minister shall refuse or delay to Christen any Child according to the Form of the Book