in the Rubricke of that Office is it done within the limited houres of 8. and 12. Doe the new marryed then receive the Holy Communion Churching 15 Doth your Minister refuse to Church any women that have béen safe delivered out of the perils in Childbirth and doth he observe the forme in the Booke Commination 16 Doth he in the beginning of Lent publish the Commination and according to the rubrickes in due place time and manner Visitation of the sicke 17 Doth he especially upon notice diligently resort to the sicke and doe his Spirituall Office according to the directions in that forme given doth he exhort his charge in time of health to frequent participation of the Lords Supper and principally in plague time and doth he Minister the Sacrament to such as desire it in their sickenesse and that according as he is directed and have any desirous of the Sacrament dyed without it by his neglect and doth he monish men and women to settle their estates in time of health and to liberality to the poore Buriall 18 Doth he bury the Dead according to that forme méeting the Corps and friends at the Church stile c Lecturers 19 Is your Lecturer being setled a Licensed Preacher well Salaried and that duly payed doth he read Divine Service with all due observation and Administer both Sacraments twice in the yeare at least In his owne person and especially doth he so read on the Lecture day But if your Lecture be bestowed by the grave Divines of the neighbourhood doe you provide fitting entertainment for them when they come to Preach respectively that they be not either charged for their Love or preiudized in their health 20 Are the Chaplaines of your Chappels Vicars or stipendaries of appropriate Churches well endowed or stipended the buildings sustained hospitality kept for reliefe of the poore or who is faulty and hath your Curate competent allowance 21 Doth your Rector or Vicar reside with you unlesse for some great cause dispensed with hath he being dignifyed with plurality a sufficient Curate Preacher in the Church where his abode is not so constant and is the Chancell in all parts and all the Church houses and buildings in good repaire 22 Doth your Parson and Vicar kéepe exact bookes of all his yearely receipts for the good of the Successor 23 Doth your Minister notice the perambulation of the bounds according to Law and Custome and follow the royall directions given in that case Of the Patron 1 HAth the Patron of your Church presented his Clerk without suspition or fame of any Simoniacall contract direct or indirect 2 Is he zealous to his power to defend the Church and incumbent from the wrong and iniury of ill affected persons 3 Doth he intimate any his Clerkes in utility to his Church except in the case of sickenesse or extreame age to the Bishop that he in his wisdome may remedy the Church according to Law 4 Hath your Church-Patron living amongst you all due respect from the Parson or Vicar Is hée in decay hath he the honour of the chiefe seate in the Church where he is Patron Churchwardens and Sidemen 1 ARe you duely chosen and in Easter Wéeke and so of the other Officers have all your Predecessors passed cléere and iust accounts of all Church goods and monies in the end of their severall yeares and exhibited a bill in writing of all receipts and expences and transinitied or undertaken so to doe all remaining summes of money into the hands of their successors in Office are there any arrerages and upon whom 2 Is the fabricke of the body of your Church in good repaire in walles roofe pavement windowes gates belfrey bels frames whéeles c. and also decently beautifyed with all Canonicall-paintings and choyce sentences have you a séemely Table for the Lords Supper placed according to Law hath any presumed of private pleasure to remove it who and whether have you a faire carpet one or two Coverings of Damaske or Diaper if your Parish be able or other fine linnen are they kept choycely and cleane one fine surplesse at least made well and kept cleane for dayly use as néed shall require 3 Are the great Bible the Service Bookes faire and good kept clasped or stringed after divine Service and well laid up have you the bookes of Martyrs Erasmus Paraphrase and the workes of Bishop Jewell and are they chained in some convenient place the Bookes of Homilies the homily of rebellion the Articles and Canons and are they safely kept for the use of the Parish 4 Is your Challice silver and the cover thereof not battered kept cléene for all Communions Is your Font of Stone sound beautifull and well covered have you a velvet cushion sightly Pulpit Pulpit cloth reading Pew are all the Seates in reasonable repaire and uniformity have you a iust inventory of all your Churches goods and exhibit a Copy thereof particularly describing what is faire and good old or in decay what vessels have you to bring the Wine in to the Lords boord are they kept cleane scoured and used onely in Gods Service have you a Table for the discovery of lawfull or unlawfull marriages is it hung up in a frame have you a chest for the poore with so many lockes as is required and all other chests lockes and keyes if you have a vestry is it kept in repaire and decency 5 Have you severall books well bound for the Recording of the Christen and surnames of all persons and their parents baptized in your Parish all marryed or buryed with like relations and the Licencers of all strange Preachers in your Church all these with the day of the moneth in the line a decent margent and a subscription in the bottome by the Minister and Churchwardens to every leafe are they fairely written wéekly and carefully examined after Are any bookes of Christnings Weddings Buriall growne old Then signify it that they may be transcribed and not so much evidence lost as is endangered 6 Are your Churchyards kept cleane and well fenced or closed and by them that are bound 7 Have you a Terrier of the Recovery and Vicarage Glebes and Houses and also of all lawfull customes and if you have not make one and bring it in subscribed by the Minister your selves and some of the chiefe Parishioners and kéepe a Copy by your selves 8 Doe you kéepe safely all such terriers bookes rentals bonds wills leases accounts or any other muniment or evidence belonging to your Parish with the assistance of the Minister So that nothing be defaced iniured or imberreled 9 Doe you and did your predecessors vigilantly cause all Parishioners to frequent the common Prayers Sermons and Sacraments and all other duties of a christian man in publique in due time with due continuance and reverence to the end did they and doe you levy one shilling wéekely for absence according to Law and is it converted to the use of the poore 10
ARTICLES TO BE CONSIDERED OF BY THE Churchwardens and others within the Archdeaconry of Derby In the Visitation Archidiaconall of Derbyshire Anno S t is 1641 Let all things be done Decently and in Order POST TENEBRAS LUX Printed at London by Tho. and Rich. Cotes 1641 Articles concerning the Clergy 1. ARe there in this Archdearenry any wandring ministers or pretenders to holy orders that resorts to your Church and there by begging disgrace that holy calling 2 Are there any that kéepe or frequent drinking houses and use unlawfull games 3 Any that having taken holy orders forsake their vocation and live secularly 4 Doth any man in lower orders presume to do the duties of an higher office and having no orders to do any publique duty 5 Doe the Priests and Deacons carry themselves discretly gravely exemplarily do they make their families patterns to the people of God doth the Deacon assist the Priest in divine Service the administration of the Lords Supper and distribution thereof reade the holy Scriptures and Homilies to the Congregation instruct the youth in the Catechisme baptise and preach onely if so farre allowed by the Bishop discover the impotent and néedy where such provision is made to the Curate that they may be Christianly relieved 6 Doth your minister shew diligence in prayer and that open not being hindred by the study of Divinity Is he studious in Gods holy word all other conducing studies Is he a lycensed preacher then doth he not lawfully hindred preach every Sunday in his owne or some neighboring Church not being licensed doth he procure monthly Sermons and at other times read Homilies doth your minister in his Sermons confute all erronious and strange doctrines exhort the whole and the sicke occasionally and advance love peace and quietnesse in his owne charge and elsewhere doth he read the booke of Canons as is required hath he opposed any other preacher in his Sermons or bin opposed by any declare it and the manner how doth he kéepe proportionable Hospitality for the poore Prayer before the Sermon Doth your minister pray before every Sermon for the Kings most excellent Maiesty with a full declaration of the Royall stile Defence of the abolishment of Popish usurpations doth hee foure times at least yearely defend the iust abolition of all forraigne power within these realmes dehorting from any obedience to such power doth he maintaine that the Kings power within the realmes of England Scotland and Ireland is the highest under God to whom all men Inhabitants as well as natives doe owe loyalty of obedience afore and above all other powers in earth by Gods law doth he exhort to obedience unto his Sacred Maiesty and all subordinate Magistrates doth he also pray for the Quéenes Maiesty Prince Charles his Grace and all the royall progeny Impugners of supremacy of government c. 8 Doth he or any in your parish impugne the regall supremacy in causes Ecclesiasticall or the Ecclesiasticall government established by Archbishops Bishops and the rest as Antichristian and repugnant to Gods word or the bookes of ordination and consecration or affirme that the Church of England is no true Apostolicall Church That our Common prayer book is of corrupt superstitious unlawful contents and repugnant to the hâ—ly Scriptures that the rites and Ceremonies established by law are wicked superstitious Antichristian Not to be approved subscribed or used with a good conscience Doth be pray for the Archbishops and Bishops befoâ—e his Sermon doth hee reade all the offices and formes in the booke of Common prayer set forth as occasion shall require â—istinctly and reverently without addition or contraction of his owne private phantasy and in the ornaments commanded Bidding of Holidayes c. 9 Doth he notice all Holidayes and Fastingdayes and duely commend to the parish the pious remembrance of the poore Baptisme 10 Is your minister being required diligent to baptize sicke Infants in case of necessity as the booke directeth doth he admonish not to deferce baptisme beyond the next Sunday or Holyday after hirth saving upon great and reasonable cause shewed and approved by him is baptisme ministred in private houses without great necessity doth any except a lawfull minister baptise are Infants so baptized brought to the Church and all things examined and done in that behalfe required that the congregation may be certified of the lawfull baptisme Is publique baptisme ministred in a full Congregation after the last lesson at Morning or Evening Prayer as the Curate shall appoint doth the Minister beginne with that question whether the Childe be baptized or no doth he after baptisme receive the Child and signe it are the Godfathers and Godmothers Communicants doth he command that the Child be brought to Confirmation by them when it hath learned as is expressed in the Rubricke and doe the Godfathers and Godmothers looke to their charge Catechizing 11 Doth your Minister or some other by his appointment diligently upon Sundayes and Holidayes halfe an houre before Evening Prayer openly in the Church instruct and examine so many Children of your Parish sent unto him as the time will suffer and he shall thinke fit in some part of the Catechisme and further observe his Maiesties late directions in that behalfe and when the Bishop giveth notice of Confirmation doth he bring or send in writing the names of all fit to be Confirmed and doth he admit any to the holy Communion before they have well learned the Catechisme and be confirmed Communion 12 Doth he celebrate the Sacrament of the blessed body and blood of Christ so frequently in the yeare that every Housholder may Communicate thrice in the yeare at least whereof the feast of Easter to be one 13 If any Parishioner be a notorious evill liver or iniurious to his neighbour by word or déed hath your Curate having knowledge thereof called such a one and advertized him not to presume to come to the Lords Table before 1. Decâ—aration of his true repentance 2. Satisfaction given to the Congregation by his amendment 3. And recompence to the wronged or at least a purpose and profession so to doe and where in his observation malice and hatred hath reigned hath he laboured mutuall reconciliation betwixt the parties and admitted the penitent party onely to the Sacrament and doth the Curate and Churchwardens provide the best elements at the charge of the Parish for that holy use and doth the Curate take the Remainder to his owne use and punctually governe his actions in this holy Sacrament by the rubrickes of the Communion Marriages 14. Are all banes of matrimony asked thrée severall times on Sundayes and Holydaies in time of divine Service and in presence of the people and that in both Parishes if the parties so inhabit and no marriage celebrated in that Case without certificate of the one Minister to the other Is it begun in the body of the Church and continued with all the solemnities
Have any out of corrupt affection smothered any publique and scandalous crimes what were they and who have done so in their Office 11 Are your Overseers Sides men Clerke and others diligent in their Offices and is the Clerkes wages rightly payed Schoolemasters 1 HAve you any frée Schoolemasters and Vshers any that teach otherwise openly or privately are they licenced painfull profitable as well in nurtering youth in good manners as learning sound Protestants good livers frequenters of the Church for Service and Sacraments bring they their Scholiers with them having borders or leave they any behinde at their houses and that usually 2 Are there any that teach privately in Recusants houses or Recusants children in their owne name them all 3 Is the Curate contented if any besides himselfe doe teach Schoole 4 Doth your Schoolemaster teach Master Lillies Grammer and other warranted Authours And for grounds of Religion the Gréeke and Latine Catechismes in that respect provided according to the childrens severall capacities 5 Are any houses Schoole-lands or repts derayed concealed misemployed or diverted to other uses how and by whom Is the number of your Feoffées full and doe they diligently performe their trust Is the Schoolehouse in good repaire within and without or in what convenient place are your children taught Parishioners 1 DOe they live in the feare of God exercising all piety and charity do they observe holydayes and fasting-dayes without servile labours buying or selling in Church time do they continue the perambulations in Ember wéek doe they without wandring abroad kéepe to their owne Church and chappell encouraging their Minister and giving a good example and doe they abide there untill the end 2 Are there any that disallow and seperate from your Prayers and resort to sermons only or comply in all things except the Sacrament and what are their names are Wednesdayes and Frydayes and holiday Eeves observed for devotion 3 Doe every Parishioner receive thrice yéerely and is Easter one time and doe all above 16. yeares old receive and do all knéele and use other Canonicall reverences especially in the holy Sacrament 4 Doe Masters Dames Parents cause their servants and children to submit obediently to catechizing till that be well learned which is appointed 5 Doth every Parishioner living or being landed within the Pâ—rish pay his reasonable Lunes and taxes to Church and Chappell and the poore and who refuseth 6 Doth every Parishioner make a cleare reckoning yéerely at Easter with the Parson Vicar or their Deputy and also pay Clerkes wages 7 Doe Communicants signifie their names to the Minister over night or before or after morning Prayer 8 Are Parents carefull to baptize their children on the next Sunday or Holyday after birth and give the Minister canonicall notice that he may appoint accordingly and are the Godfathers Godmothers people and children ready at the Font at the time appointed 9 Doth the Parish stay at the Church stile untill the Minister can méet the Coarse 10 Doe women resort to Church for thankesgiving after Childbirth doe they knéele néere the holy table and doe they offer then the accustomed offerings and on Communion dayes Communicate 11 Doe the Parishioners on the first day of Lent come to the Commination 12 Are there any unlawfull méetings for common actions of Religion as is pretended in any place but the Church or Chappell 13 Are there any that have dyed intestate doth any Executor neglect to prove the Will pay legacies c. or any administrators faulty in their administrations 14 Are there any that disturbe the Minister and godly peoples attentions in time of Gods service by quarrells for seates or such like scorners pratlers murmurers sléepe in Church loyterers in néere high wayes houses especially Alehouses Church yard or Church porch what their names that accustome so to doe 15 Are there any that prophane the Christian Sabboth or Lords day and holy dayes appointed by worldly affaires or vitious actions any that prophane Churches or Church yards with brawling fighting secular pleas and Courts eating drinking playes or other unfit actions or behavior 16 Are there any Churches or Chappels where divine service hath béen formerly used let fall and by whose defauit or any Church lands goods plate bels clocks stockes of money and implements c. sacrilegiously or uniustly taken away concealed and misemployed 17 Have any at any time laid violent hands upon your Minister or defamed him or used any irreverent language towards him 18 Are there any noted for periury blasphemy vaine and idle swearing and who and of what condition 19 Any any wayes inconformable and refractary to his Maiesties Ecclesiasticall Laws established by high Court of Parliament especially Recusants and Seperatists and who are they 20 Have any béen married by other Minister or forme then the Church of England doth allow or so baptized any children kept unbaptized by the space of a moneth or longer any children conveyed beyond the seas for Popish bréeding any buryed otherwise than the statute hath commanded not being excommunicate with the great excommunication 21 Do recusants refuse to submit to godly conference have they any busie seducers about them as Iesuites Seminaries c. declare the whole matter and the names of all parties as also all misleaders of his Maiesties good subiects in any other by wayes 22 Are there any that maintaine any doctrines against the Catholique Faith in obstinate and hereticall manner any falne away from the faith to popish faction or from all religion any that use witchcrast sorcery charmes unlawfull invocations in Latine upon man or beast or suspected so to doe cunning men or women or resorters to them or any other addicted to superstitious observations spreaders of the same 23 Have any in your Parish not hitherto questioned lived in any kind of incontinency as incest adultery fornication any bawdes ayders instruments entertainers of unchaste persons have any strangers delivered in your Parish béen after Churched and departed without pennance who are they and who hath béene affirmed or suspected to be the Father of the Child 24 Are there any supposed not to be truly marryed that converse as man and wife Any having or déeming to have two or more wives or husbands doth any man or woman marryed live apart without a lawfull sentence of divorse hath either party during the others life marryed again have any persons marryed to one party béene precontracted to another and what clandestine marriages have béen in your Church made with out consent of parents guardians publication of banes or licences and no satisfaction rendred to the Church 25 Are there any in your Parish that sow discord and debate amongst neighboâ—s man and wife c. any ribalds malitious persons scolds slanderers defamers depravers of the lyturgy in word writing or otherwise 26 Have you any Almeshouses and Hospitals and whether of the Kings or other pious benefactors foundation are the buildings in good repaire the poore iustly dealt with the feoffées or Overseers carefull and entite in their number and who is the visitor as you have knowne and heard thereof Excommunicate Persons 1 VVHat persons in your Parish and for what causes stand excommunicate neither desiring nor endevouring absolution and how long have they stood so are such denounced in your Church every â—ixe moneths 2 Have any béene admitted to the rights and priviledges of the Church without repentance and absolution 3 Hath the sentence of excommunication béene delayed or neglected to be divulged longer than the next Sunday or Holiday after the receipt 4 Are there any that favour and cherish such persons as being so cut off care not to be restored nor to satisfy the Church Apparitors 1 CAn your Apparitors read and write competently 2 Is there any excesse in their number and more then former times have knowne 3 Doe they dispatch their mandates in their owne persons faithfully and not by others 4 Doe they behave themselves as promotors or informers vexing some wrongfully exâ—using others for lucre sake and know you any that have so prevented the repentance of delinquents and the Churches satisfaction 5 Doth any of them exact more or greater fées than the table ratified doth allow FINIS