notorious crimes and what penance haue they done for the same 14 What corporall punishment for any such or any other offence hath béen commuted and changed into a pecuniary mulct or summe of money by any Ecclesiasticall Iudge exercising iurisdiction within this Dioces what was the summe of money by any of them so receiued and taken and to what vses was the same imployed And vpon such Commutations was the vnfained repentance of the delinquent published in the Church And hath Commutation béen granted to one and the same party aboue once for any crime of the same kind 15 Do all Fathers Mothers Masters and Mistresses cause their children seruants and apprentises to come to the publike catechizing on Sundayes and Holydayes to be instructed and taught therein And those that do not their duties herein in not sending them to it or not duly comming or not learning and answering you shall present their names 16 Haue any in your Parish receiued or harboured any woman begotten with child out of wedlock and suffered her to depart without punishment first inflicted on her by the Ordinarye You shall truly present as well the party harbouring as harboured and who is suspected to be the father of the child 17 Is any person or persons suspected or detected héertofore of incontinency and therefore departing out of your parish for a season now returned againe Or in what place else is he or she now abiding to your knowledge or as you haue heard You shall not faile to present the whole truth in that behalfe as far as you know 18 Do all your parishioners of what sort soeuer receiue the blessed Sacrament thrice euery yéere at least and when they do receiue it doe they all according as the Church expresly them commandeth draw néere and with all Christian humility and reverence come before the Lords Table And not after the most contemptuous and vnholy usage of some if men did rightly consider sit still in their seates or pewes to haue the blessed Body and Blood of our Sauiour go up and down to séeke them all the Church ouer 19 Are there any deceased in your parish whose last Wills and Testaments haue not yet béene proued or did they dye intestate And if so who hath taken vpon him the administration of their goods and whether by lawfull authority from the Ordinary or without What be the names of such deceased and of their Executors and Administrators 20 What persons bée excommunicated in your parish and for what cause to your knowledge And how long haue they stood excommunicate And do any of them not being absolued presume to be present in the Church at diuine Seruice And do any familiarly use the company of such as do obsturately stand excommunicate knowing the same and what be their names Chap. 8. Concerning Schoole-masters Physitians Chirurgions Midwives Parish-clarks and Sextons HAue you any Schoole master in your Parish that teacheth publikely or in any private houses And if so what is his name and how long hath he béene there Is there any teaching of Schollers to read or write in the Chancell or in any part of the Church Doth any Papist kéep a Schoole-master in his house who commeth not to Church to heare diuine Seruice and to receiue the holy Communion What is his name and how long hath he taught there or elsewhere Doth your Schoole-master teach any Papists or Sectaries children that come not to Church Doth hée bring his schollers to Church and duly instruct them all to learne the Catechisme in the Book of Common Prayer at the least once euery wéeke or what other Catechisme doth hée teach Is he of honest and sincere life and religion and conversation Is he a Graduate and sufficient to teach and diligent in teaching and bringing up of youth 2 Is any thing withholden or otherwise imployed that hath béene giuen to the vse of a schoole in your parish What is it by whom is it imbezelled 3 What Physition or Chirurgion haue you in your parish who not being a Doctor of Physick or otherwise sufficiently licenced in either of the Vniuersities doth notwithstanding practise physick what other persons haue you among you either male or female who take upon them to professe or practise physick or chirurgery And who be Midwiues in your parish 4 Haue you a fit Parish-clark aged 20. yéeres at least and a Sexton Is your Clark or Sexton of honest life able to read and write Are his and the Sextons wages duly paid without fraud or diminution according to the ancient custome of your parish What are the said wages by the yeare By whom are the said Clark or Sexton chosen Are both or either of them diligent in his office and seruiceable to the Minister Doth he kéepe the Church cleane and the doores locked Is there any thing lost or spoyled through his default 5 Doth your Clark or Sexton take upon him to haue or suffer any superstitious or any unseasonable ringing of the Bels at any time or any ringing without good cause such as the Minister and Church-wardens haue not allowed When notice is given of any Christian passing out of this life within the parish doth he neglect to toll a passing-bell or to ring presently after the departure 6 Doth your parish Clark or Sexton or any other of your parish exact or require more then the ordinary and accustomed Fée for any seruice done by him or them in or â—at mariages christenings and burials or for any thing else concerning the same or haue they refused to do their duties therein untill they haue receiued what they demanded Chap. 9. Concerning Ecclesiasticall Officers WHat peculiar or exempt Iurisdictions know you of within the compasse of this parish 2 Are there any Ecclesiasticall Officers exercising Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction within this Dioces or any Ministers or Clarks under them who do take or exact any extraordinary fées for any cause that you know of or by way of gratuity for expedition 3 Haue any Church-wardens and Quest-men concealed and not presented any abuses or offences punishable in the Ecclesiasticall Court Or haue any such offences being by them presented to the Chancellor Arch-deacon Officiall or any other using Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction within this Dioces béene suppressed or left unpunished for bribe reward pleasure friend-ship feare or any other partiall respect 4 Are any assemblies called Vestry-méetings held in your Parish when and how often are they In what place and by whom Hath any thing that you haue heard of béene proposed treated or concluded therein touching the diuine Seruice or the doctrine and discipline of the Church Or any thing medled with for the gouerment of the Church or parish which belongs to the Ecclesiasticall cognition and Iurisdiction 5 Doth the Arch-deacon once in thrée yéeres visit and suruey your Church touching the repaires of the same and vpon any defect found hath he made certificate of it as far as you know or haue heard 6 Are there placed by the Registrar two
Tables containing the seuerall rates and summes of all fées due to the Iudge and other officers of your Courts one in the usuall place or Consistory where the Court is kept the other in the Regestry in such sort as euery man may come to vew the same without difficulty and doth the Chancellor Arch-deacon or Officiall or any other Minister of the Court exact or extort any other greater fées or summes of money then in the said tables are contained 7 Doth the Arch-deacon his Officiall or Surrogate make commutation of any penance or doth the Chancellor or any Surrogate under him commute or change any penance or corporall punishment for any money without the consent of the Bishop And what money haue they or any of them receiued for such commutation and of whom when and what was the offence for which any such summe of money was receiued or appointed to be paid 8 Doth the Chancellor Arch-deacon or Officiall or any other person vsing Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction spéed any act in any cause priuately of themselues and not in the presence of some publike Notary or Actuary Or for want of them in the presence of two or moe sufficient witnesses and then cause the same act to be registred 9 Is the number of Apparitors increased in this Dioces And wherein and in what manner is the Country ouerburthened or grieued by them Hath any of them under pretence of authority cited or summoned any person unlawfully or hath any of them taken any reward for the concealing of any offence or sin or that the offenders might escape punishment Who bée they that haue so done Or do any of them take any fées that are not vsuall Haue they threatned any to prosecute them if they had no reward giuen them Or do any of them cause any party to appeare in any Ecclesiasticall Court within this Dioces without a citation first obtained from the Iudge of the Court 10 Hath any Ecclesiasticall Iudge or Officer whatsoeuer Aduocate Register Procter Clarke or other such Ministers any way abused themselues in their Offices contrary to the Lawes and Canons in that behalfe prouided that you know of 11 Doth the Registrar or any of the Clarkes in Ecclesiasticall Office when any obtaine Absolution from the Iudge neglect to send forth the same under the Seale of the office or doth any of them presume to giue signification unto the Minister of the Parish only by a Note or Ticket under their hand to the intent that notice therof should be taken or the same be published in the Parish by him 12 Lastly haue you and every of you by your selves read or haue caused to be read to you all these Article Haue you well examined and inquired into euery particular therein intended Haue you sincerely uprightly and without any partial affection or concealement presented and made knowne all and euery of the offendors in any of the particulars either as they are taken in truth to be or by common fame reported If you know of any other matter of Ecclesiasticall cognisance worthy the presentment in your iudgement and fit to be reformed by Ecclesiasticall censure though it be not expressed in these Articles yet you shall likewise present the same by vertue of your oathes The Minister also of every Parish may and ought to ioyne with the Church-wardens or other Sworn-men for the presenting of offences and if they be so irreligious as not to do it the Minister of himselfe may and ought to present either the offences or the Church-wardens and Quest-men for not presenting the same and is required in his Canonical obedience so to do There must be distinct answer made to euery Article and to euery branch thereof as far as they know or haue heard of any offence otherwise the presentment will not be admitted And if their Oath and all this punctuall direction and aduertisement notwithstanding any Church-wardens or other Sworn-men shall follow the customary manner and be carelesse in inquiring and presenting as they ought then shall they not be able hereafter to say that they had not faire warning to the contrary giuen them in the spirit of méeknesse or to complaine that they are hardly dealt with if vpon information and proofe otherwise had they bée called to answer their wilfull periury in some other Court or course of iustice for neglecting to inquire and present to all the particulars herein proposed And to the intent that all things aboue mentioned may by the help of God as well be kept as set in good order the Chancellor of the Dioces and the Officiall and all their Surrogates are hereby required that so far as to them in their seuerall places it shall appertaine they do faithfully inquire after all these things and in all places of their Iurisdictions exact a due observance of the same The Parson Vicar or Curate of this Parish is required to receiue this book and vpon the Sunday next after the receipt hereof immediately after the Morning Seruice to publish the contents of the Processe which is sent forth That all Preachers and Lecturers if there be any in the Parish together with the Church-wardens and two or thrée of the chiefest Parishioners beside as also all Phisitians Schole-masters Chirurgions Midwiues and Sequestrators and all other whom it doth concerne may take notice of the day and place specified in the said Processe for appearance at the Lord Bishops Visitation and after publication so made this book of Articles is to be presently delivered to the said Church-wardens for the vse of themselves and the rest that are to make the presentments Ma. Elien FINIS
ARTICLES TO BE INQVIRED OF VVITHIN THE DIOCES OF ELY In the first Visitation of the R. Reverend Father in God MATTHEVV LORD BISHOP OF ELY Printed at London by Richard Badger 1638. The Tenour of the Oath to be ministred to the Church-wardens and any other of every Parish that shall be sworne to make Presentments YOu shall sweare that you and every one of you shall and will truly consider and diligently enquire of every one of these Articles here given you in charge and of all the branches thereof and make true answer to all particulars therein demanded and that all affection or favour or hatred or hope of reward or gaine or feare of displeasure or malice of any person and all other pretences set aside you shall and will present every such person of your Parish or within it as hath committed any offence or fault or made any default mentioned in any of these Articles or which is vehemently suspected or otherwise defamed of any such offence fault or default wherein you shall deale uprightly and fully according to the truth neither presenting nor sparing to present any contrary to the truth Having in this action God before your eyes with an earnest zeale to maintaine truth and vertue and to suppresse vice and to discharge your owne consciences So help you God and the Holy Contents of this Booke GOD SAVE THE KING Articles to be inquired of in the Dioces of Ely at the Visitation holden in the yeare of our LORD 1638. Chap. 1. Concerning Religion Doctrine and Church-government ARE there any abiding in your Parish or resorting to it who as farre as you know or haue credibly heard from persons of déeper iudgment do at any time preach teach deliuer publish or maintaine any heresie or any erroneous false opinion contrary to the faith of CHRIST or any sentence matter or cause which hath heretofore béene determined ordered or adiudged to be heresie by the authority of the Canonicall Scriptures or by the first foure generall Councels or any of them or by any other generall Councell determining the same to be heresie by the expresse words of holy Scripture Or are there any which do deny or impugne any of the 39 Articles of Religion agréed vpon in Anno 1562. and established in the Church of England And is the Declaration which the Kings Maiesty prefixed before those 39 Articles concerning the selling of the questions late in difference duly obserued by all within your Parish according to His Maiesties commandement 2 Be there any in your Parish that haue denied or perswaded any other to deny withstand or impugne the Kings Maiesties authority and supremacy in causes Ecclesiasticall within this Realme 3 Be there any in your Parish that haue affirmed that the Forme of consecrating Bishops and making Priests and Deacons as it is vsed in the Church of England is not holy right true and lawfull Or that the Gouernment of this Church vnder the Kings Maiestie by Archbishops Bishops Deanes Archdeacons and other Ecclesiasticall Officers is vnlawfull or antichristian 4 Is there in your Parish any that hath béene or is vehemently suspected to have béene present at any vnlawfull assemblies conuenticles or méetings vnder colour or pretence of any exercise of Religion or do any affirme and maintaine such méetings to be lawfull 5 Be there any abiding in or resorting to your Parish that are commonly reputed to be ill affected in matter of the religion professed in our Church or taken to be Recusant Papists or factious separatists refusing to repaire vnto the Church to heare diuine Seruice and to receiue the holy Communion Or that haue or do publish sell or disperse or conueigh to others any superstitious seditious or schismaticall Bookes Libels or Writings touching the Religion State or Ecclesiasticall gouernment of this Kingdome of England Present their names qualities and conditions if you know or haue heard of any 6 Haue any in your Parish spoken or declared anything in derogation or deprauation of the forme of Gods worship and the set forme of common prayer prescribed and established in the Church of England or in dislike of the administration of the Sacraments or of the other Rites and Ceremonies set forth and prescribed in the Book of Common Prayer and the Canons Ecclesiasticall Or do any preach speak and declare that the Booke of Common Prayer containeth any thing that is repugnant to the holy Scripture or not meet to be vsed Or do vse any scomfull words against those godly Sermons called the Homilies of the Church Chap. 2. Concerning Publike Prayer and the Administration of the Holy Sacraments c. 1 HAth any in your Parish caused procured or maintained any Minister to say any common or publike prayer or to administer the Sacrament of Baptisme or of the Lords Supper otherwise or in any other maner than is mentioned in the Book of Common Prayer Or hath any interrupted hindered let or disturbed the Minister in reading of diuine Seruice or administring the Sacraments in such manner as is mentioned in the said booke Or hath any interrupted him in his preaching or reading the Homilies 2 Is the Sacrament of Baptisme rightly and duly administred according to the forme prescribed in the Booke of Common Prayer with due obseruation of all Rites and Ceremonies prescribed to be vsed in the same without adding or altering of any part of any prayers or interrogatories Is the signe of the Crosse euery time vsed and the Surplice neuer but worne in the administring of it 3 Hath the administration of the Sacrament of Baptisme béene at any time deferred longer than till the next Sunday or Holiday immediately following the birth of the childe And do they all come to Church when a child is to be baptized at or about the beginning of diuine Seruice And is the baptizing performed immediately after the second Lesson 4 Hath the Sacrament of Baptisme béen refused to be administred to any children borne in or out of wedlock their birth being made known to the Minister of the Parish and they offered vnto him to be baptized Or haue any such children died vnbaptized 5 Haue the parents of the childe baptised béene at any time admitted to be Godfathers or Godmothers to the same Or haue any béene admitted to be Godfathers or Godmothers to any childe before they haue receiued the holy Communion Or haue there béene admitted more or lesse than two Godfathers and one Godmother for a male child and two Godmothers and one Godfather for a female Or haue any Godfathers or Godmothers vsed any other answers or spéech in Baptisme than is by the Book of Common Prayer appointed Or haue they giuen to the children baptised any name that is absurd or inconuenient for so holy an action 6 Haue any children béene baptised in priuate houses except vpon great necessity and if so what was the same or by any Lay-person or Midwife or Popish Priest or by any other than your owne Minister And haue all