persons beyng vnder theyr iurisdiction as they wyll aunswere to her Maiestie for the contrary And her hyghnes pleasure is that euery Iustice of peace beyng required shall assiste the Ordinaries and euery of them for the due execution of the sayde Iniunctions Imprinted at London in Powles Church yarde by Richard Iugge and Iohn Cawood Printers to the Quenes Maiestie Articles to be enquired in the visitacion in the first yere of the raigne of our most dread soueraigne Ladye Elizabeth by the grace of God of England Fraunce and Ireland Quene defender of the fayth c. Anno 1559. R.I. OMNIA DESVPER ARTICLES FYrst whether any person Vicar or Curate be residēt continually vpon his benefice doyng his duetie in preachynge readyng and duelye mynystrynge the holye Sacramentes Item whether in theyr Churches and chappels all ymages shrynes all tables Candelstickes trindelles or rolles of waxe pictures payntynges and all other monumentes of fayned and false miracles pilgrimages ydolatry and superstition be remoued abolyshed and destroyed Item whether they do not euery holy daye when they haue no Sermon immediatly after the gospell openly playnely and distinctly resite to theyr paryshioners in the pulpitte the Lordes prayer the beliefe and the ten cōmaundementes in Englyshe Item whether they do charge fathers and mothers maisters and gouernours of youth to bryng them vp in some vertuous studye and occupation Item whether suche beneficed men as be lawfully absent from theyr benefices do leaue their cures to a rude and vnlearned parson and not to an honest wel learned and expert Curate whiche can and wyll teache you holesome doctrine Item whether they do discourage any person from readyng of any part of the Byble eyther in Latin or Englyshe and do not rather comforte and exhorte euery person to reade the same at conuenient tymes as the very lyuelye word of God and the special fode of mans soul Item whether parsons vicars curates and other ministers be common haunters and resorters to tauernes or alehouses geuyng them selues to drynking ryotyng and playing at vnlawfull games and do not occupie them selues in the readyng or hearyng of some part of holy Scripture or in some other godly exercyse Item whether they haue admitted any man to preache in theyr cures not beyng lawfully licensed therunto or haue ben licensed accordyngly Item whether they vse to declare to theyr paryshioners any thyng to the extollyng or settyng forth of vayne and superstitious religion pilgrimages reliques or images or lyghtyng of candelles kyssyng knelyng deckyng of the same images Item whether they haue one booke or Register kept wherein they wryte the daye of euery weddyng chrystenyng and burying Item whether they haue exhorted the people to obedience to the Quenes Maiestie ministers and to charitie and loue one to another Item whether they haue admonyshed theyr parishioners that thei ought not to presume to receiue the sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ before they can perfectly the lordes prayer tharticles of the fayth and the .x. commaundementes in Englyshe Item whether they be resident vpon theyr benefices kepe hospitalitie or no. And yf they be absent kepe no hospitalitie whether they do relieue theyr parishioners and what they geue them Item whether proprietaries parsons vycars and clarkes hauyng Churches chappels or mansions do kepe their chauncels rectories vycarages and all other houses apperteynyng to them in due reparations Item whether they do counsayle or moue their parishioners rather to praye in a tongue not knowen then in Englyshe or put theyr trust in any certeine numbre of prayers as in saying ouer a numbre of Beades or other lyke Item whether they haue receaued any persons to the communion beyng openly knowen to be out of charitie with theyr neighbours or dyffamed with anye notorious cryme and not refourmed Item whether they haue prouided and haue a stronge chest for the poore mens boxe and set and fastened the same in a place of the Churche most conuenient Item whether they haue diligently called vpon exhorted and moued theyr parishioners and especially when they make theyr testamentes to geue to the sayd poore mens boxe and to bestowe that vpon the poore whiche they were wont to bestowe vpon pilgrimages pardons trentalles vpon other lyke blynd deuocions Item whether they haue denyed to visite the sicke or burye the deade beynge brought to the Churche Item whether they haue bought theyr benefices or come to them by fraude guyle deceit or symonye Item whether they haue geuen open monition to their parishioners to detect and present to theyr Ordinary all adulterers and fornicatours and such men as haue two wiues liuing within theyr paryshes Item whether they haue monished their parishioners openly that they should not sel geue nor otherwyse alienate anye of theyr Churche goodes Item whether they or any of them do kepe mo benefices and other ecclesiasticall promotions then they ought to do not hauyng sufficient licences and dispensations thereunto and howe many they be and theyr names Item whether they minister the holy Communion any otherwyse then onely after suche fourme and maner as it is set forth by the common aucthoritie of the Quenes Maiestie and the parliament Item whether you know any person within your paryshe or els where that is a letter of the worde of God to be read in Englyshe or sincerely preached in place and times conuenient Item whether in the tyme of the Letanye or any other common prayer in the time of the Sermon or Homyly when the priest readeth the scriptures to the parishners any persō haue departed out of the Church without iuste and necessarye cause or disturbe the minister otherwyse Item whether the money commyng and rysyng of any cattel or other moueable stockes of the church and mony geuen and bequeathed to the fyndyng of torches lyghtes tapers or lampes not payde out of any landes haue not bene employed to the poore mens cheste Item who hath the sayd stockes and money in theyr handes and what be theyr names Item whether anye indiscrete persones do vncharitably contemne and abuse priestes and ministers of the Churche Item whether there be any other Grammer taught in any scoole within this diocesse then that which is set forth by the auctoritie of king Henry theyght Item whether the seruice of the Church be done at due and conuenient houres Item whether any haue vsed to common iangle and talke in the Churche in the time of the prayer readyng of the Homyly preachyng readyng or declaryng of the Scripture Item whether any haue wylfully mainteyned and defended any heresyes errors or false opinions contrary to the faith of Chryst and holy Scripture Item whether any be common dronkardes swearers or blasphemers of the name of GOD. Item whether any haue committed adulterye fornication
prayer in the ten commaundementes the Articles of the beliefe and in the Lordes prayer and diligently examine theim teache the Cathechisme set forth in the booke of publique prayer Item that the Ordinaries do exhibite vnto our visitours theyr bookes or a true copy of the same conteynynge the causes why any person was imprysoned famyshed or put to death for religion Item that in euery paryshe three or foure discrete men which tender Gods glory and hys true Religion shal be appoynted by the Ordynaries diligently to see that all the paryshyoners duely resort to theyr Churche vppon all Sundayes and holy dayes and there to contynue the whole tyme of the Godly seruyce And all suche as shal be founde stacke or negligent in resortynge to the Churche hauynge no greate nor vrgent cause of absence they shall strayghtly call vppon them and after due monicion yf they amende not they shall denounce them to the Ordinary Item that the Churchwardens of euery paryshe shal delyuer vnto our visitours the inuentories of vestmentes copes and other ornamentes plate bokes and specially of Grayles Couchers Legendes Processionalles Hymnalles Manuelles Portuesses and such lyke apperteynyng to theyr Church Item that weekely vppon Wednesdayes and Frydayes not beynge holy dayes the curate at the accustomed houres of seruyce shall resort to Churche and cause warnyng to be geuen to the people by knollyng of the bell and saye the Letany and prayers Item because dyuers Collegiate and also some paryshe Churches heretofore there hath ben lyuynges appoynted for the mayntenaunce of menne and chyldren to vse syngynge in the Churche by meanes whereof the lawdable scyence of musicke hath ben had in estimation and preserued in knowledge The Quenes Maiestie neyther meanynge in any wyse the decaye of any thynge that myght conueniently tende to the vse and continuaunce of the sayde science neyther to haue the same in any parte so abused in the Churche that thereby the common prayer shoulde be the worse vnderstande of the hearers Wylleth and commaundeth that fyrst no alteration be made of such assignementes of lyuynge as heretofore hath bene appoynted to the vse of syngynge or musycke in the Churche but that the same so remayne And that there bee a modeste and destyncte songe so vsed in all partes of the common prayers in the Churche that the same may be as playnely vnderstanded as yf it were read without synging And yet neuerthelesse for the comforting of such as delite in musicke it maye be permytted that in the beginninge or in th end of common prayers eyther at mornynge or euenynge there may be songe an hymne or suche lyke songe to the prayse of almyghty God in the beste sort of melodye and musicke that maye be conueniently deuysed hauynge respecte that the sentence of the hymne maye bee vnderstanded and perceyued Item because in al alteracions and specially in rytes and Ceremonies there happeneth dyscorde emonges the people and thervpon slaunderous wordes and raylynges wherby charitie the knot of all christian societie is loosed The Quenes Maiestie beyng moste desyrous of al other earthly thynges that her people shoulde lyue in charitie both towardes God and man and therein abounde in good woorkes wylleth and straightly commaundeth al maner her subiectes to forbeare al vayne and contencious disputacions in matters of Religion and not to vse in despite or rebuke of any person these conuitious wordes papist or papisticall hereticke scismaticke or sacramentary or any suche lyke wordes of reproche But yf any maner of person shall deserue the accusation of anye suche that fyrste he bee charitablye admonysshed thereof And yf that shall not amende hym then to denounce the offendours to the Ordinary or to some higher power hauing aucthoritie to correcte the same Item because there is a great abuse in the printers of bokes which for couetousnes chiefly regard not what thei print so they may haue gayne whereby arryseth great disorder by publication of vnfruitfull vayne and infamous bokes and papers The Quenes maiestie straitly chargeth and commaundeth that no maner of person shall print any maner of boke or paper of what sorte nature or in what language soeuer it be except the same be first licensed by her maiestie by expresse wordes in writing or by .vi. of her priuie counsel or be perused licensed by the archbyshops of Cantorbury and yorke the byshop of London the Chauncelours of both vniuersities the bishop beyng Ordinary the Archdeacon also of the place where anye suche shal be printed or by two of them wherof the ordinary of the place to be alwayes one And that the names of such as shal alowe the same to be added in th ende of euery such worke for a testimonye of the alowaunce thereof And because many pampheletes playes and balettes be often times printed wherin regard would be had that nothing therin should be eyther hereticall sedicious or vnsemely for Christian eares Her maiestie likewise commaundeth that no maner of person shall enterpryse to print any suche except the same be to him licensed by such her maiesties commissioners or .iii. of them as be appointed appoynted in the citie of London to heare and determine diuers causes ecclesiasticall tending to the execution of certayne statutes made the last parliament for vniformitie of order in religion And yf any shall sell or vtter any maner of bookes or papers beyng not licensed as is abouesaid that the same partie shal be punyshed by order of the sayde commissioners as to the qualitie of the fault shal be thought meete And touchyng all other bookes of matters of religion or policie or gouernaunce that hath bene prynted eyther on thisside the Seas or on thother side because the diuersitie of them is great and that there nedeth good consideration to be had of the particularities therof her Maiestie referreth the prohibition or permission thereof to thorder which her sayd commissioners within the citie of London shall take and notifie According to the which her Maiestie strayghtly commaundeth all maner her subiectes and specially the Wardens companye of Stacioners to be obedient Prouided that these orders do not extende to any prophane aucthours and workes in anye language that hath ben heretofore commonly receaued or allowed in anye the vniuersities or Scoles but the same may be prynted and vsed as by good order they were accustomed Item although almyghtie God is at all tymes to be honoured with all maner of reuerence that maye be deuysed yet of all other tymes in tyme of common prayer the same is most to be regarded Therfore it is to be necessarely receiued that in tyme of the Letany and of all other Collectes and common supplications to almyghty God all maner of people shall deuoutly and humbly knele vpon their knees and geue eare thereunto And that whensoeuer the name of Iesus shal be in any Lessō Sermon or otherwyse in the Church pronounced That due reuerence be made of all persons yong
and olde with lowlynesse of cursye and vncoueryng of heades of the men kynde as thereunto doth necessarely belong and heretofore hath ben accustomed Item that all ministers and readers of publique prayers Chapiters and Homylies shal be charged to reade leysurely playnly distinctly and also such as are but meane readers shall peruse ouer before once or twyse the Chapiters and Homylies to thintent they may reade to the better vnderstandyng of the people and the more encoragement to godlynesse An admonition to simple men deceaued by malicious THe Quenes maiestie being informed that in certein places of this Realm sundry of her natiue subiectes being called to Ecclesiasticall ministerye in the Churche be by sinister perswasion and peruerse construction induced to fynde some scruple in the fourme of an othe whiche by an Act of the last Parliament is prescribed to be required of diuers persons for the recognitiō of theyr allegiaunce to her Maiestie which certeinly neither was euer meant ne by any equitie of wordes or good sence can be therof gathered Would that all her louyng subiectes shoulde vnderstande that nothyng was is or shal be meant or intended by the same oth to haue any other duetie allegiaunce or bonde required by the same othe then was acknowleged to be due to the most noble kynges of famous memory kyng Henry theyght her Maiesties father or king Edward the .vi. her Maiesties brother And further her Maiestie forbyddeth all maner her subiectes to geue eare or credite to such peruerse and malicious persons which most sinisterly and maliciously labour to notifie to her louyng subiectes how by the wordes of the said othe it may be collected that the kynges or quenes of this Realme possessours of the crowne maye chalenge aucthoritie and power of ministery of diuine offices in the Church wherein her sayde subiectes be much abused by such euyll disposed persons For certeinly her Maiestie neyther doth ne euer wyll chalenge any other aucthoritie than that was chalenged and lately vsed by the sayde noble kynges of famous memory king Henry the .viii. and king Edward the .vi. which is and was of auncient tyme due to the Imperial crowne of this Realme That is vnder god to haue the soueraintie and rule ouer all maner persons borne within these her Realmes dominions and countreys of what estate eyther Ecclesiasticall or temporall soeuer they be so as no other forraigne power shall or ought to haue any superioritie ouer them And yf any person that hath cōceaued any other sence of the forme of the said othe shall accept the same othe with this interpretation sence or meaning her Maiestie is well pleased to accept euery such in that behalfe as her good and obedient subiectes and shal acquite them of al maner penalties conteyned in the said act against such as shall peremptoryly or obstinatly refuse to take the same oth For the tables in the Church WHereas her Maiestie vnderstandeth that in manye and sundrye partes of the Realme the Alters of the Churches be remoued and tables placed for ministration of the holy Sacrament accordyng to the fourme of the law therfore prouided and in some other places the Alters be not yet remoued vpon opinion conceaued of some other order therin to be takē by her Maiesties visitours In thorder wherof sauing for an vniformitie ther semeth no matter of great moment so that the Sacrament be duely and reuerently ministred Yet for obseruation of one vniformitie through the whole Realme and for the better imitacion of the lawe in that behalfe it is ordered that no alter be taken downe but by ouersyght of the Curate of the Churche and the Churchwardens or one of them at the leaste wherein no riotous or disordred maner to be vsed and that the holy table in euery Church be decently made and sette in the place where the Alter stoode and there commonly couered as thereto belongeth and as shal be appoynted by the visitours and so to stand sauyng when the Communion of the Sacrament is to be distributed at which tyme the same shal be so placed in good sort within the Chauncell as whereby the minister may be more conueniently hearde of the communicantes in his prayer and ministration and the communicantes also more conuenientlye and in more nomber communicate with the sayde minister and after the Communion done from tyme to tyme the same holy table to be placed where it stode before Item where also it was in the tyme of kyng Edwarde the .vi. vsed to haue the sacramentall breade of common fine breade It is ordered for the more reuerence to be geuen to these holy misteries being the Sacramentes of the body and bloud of our sauior Iesus Christ that the fame sacramentall bread be made and fourmed plain without any figure therupon of the same finenesse and fashion rounde though somwhat bigger in compasse and thickenesse as the vsuall breade and wafer heretofore named syngyng cakes whiche serued for the vse of the priuate masse The fourme of byddyng the prayers to be vsed generally in this vniforme sort YE shall pray for Christes holy Catholyke Churche that is for the whole congregation of Christen people dispersed throughout the whole world and specially for the Church of Englande and Irelande And herein I require you moste specially to pray for the Quenes most excellent Maiestie our soueraigne lady Elizabeth Quene of Englande Fraunce and Ireland defendour of the fayth and supreme gouernour of this Realme aswell in causes Ecclesiasticall as Temporall You shal also pray for the ministers of gods holy word and Sacramentes aswel Archbyshops and Byshops as other pastours and curates You shall also pray for the Quenes moste honorable counsayle and for all the nobilitie of this Realme that all and euery of these in their callyng may serue truely and paynfully to the glory of God and edifying of his people remembryng th accompt that they must make Also you shal pray for the whole commons of this Realme that they may lyue in true fayth and feare of God in humble obedience and brotherly charitie one to another Finally let vs prayse God for all those whiche are departed out of this life in the faith of christ and pray vnto God that we may haue grace so to direct our liues after their good example that after this lyfe we with them may be made partakers of the glorious resurrection in the lyfe euerlastyng ¶ And this done shewe the holy dayes and fastyng dayes ALl whiche and singuler Iniunctions the Quenes Maiestie ministreth vnto her clergie and to all other her louyng subiectes straightly charging and commaunding them to obserue and kepe the same vpon payne of depriuation sequestration of fruites and benefices suspention excommunication and suche other cohertion as to Ordinaries or other hauynge Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction whom her Maiestie hath apoynted or shall appoynt for the due executiō of the same shal be sene conuenient Chargyng and commaundyng them to see these Iniunctions obserued and kepte of all