every three moneths of the year Articles for Administration of Prayer and Sacraments FIrst That the Common prayer be said or sung decently and distinctly in such place as the Ordinary shall think meet for the largenesse and streightnesse of the Church and quire so that the people may be most edified Item That no Parson or Curate not admitted by the Bishop of the Dioces to preach do expound in his own Cure or other where any Scripture or matter of doctrine or by the way of exhortation but onely study to read gravely and aptly without any glossing of the same or any additions the Homilies already set out or other such necessary doctrine as is or shall be prescribed for the quiet instruction and edification of the people Item That in Cathedral Churches and colledges the holy Communion be ministred upon the first or second Sunday of every moneth at the least So that both Dean Prebendaries Priests and clerks do receive and all other of discretion of the foundation do receive four times in the year at the least Item In the ministration of the holy Communion in Cathedral and collegiat Churches the principal Minister shall use a cope with gospeller and epistoler agreeably and at all other prayers to be said at that Communion table to use no copes but Surplesses Item That the Dean and Prebendaries wear a surples with a silk hood in the quire and when they preach in the Cathedral or Collegiat Church to wear their hood Item that every minister saying any publick prayers or ministring the Sacraments or other Rites of the Church shall wear a comly surples with sleeves to be provided at the charges of the Parish and that the Parish provide a decent table standing on a frame for the Communion table Item They shall decently cover with Carpet silk or other decent covering and with a fair linen cloth at the time of the ministration the Communion table and to set the ten Commandements upon the East wâ—ll over the said table Item That all Communicants do receive kneeling and as is appointed by the laws of the Realm and the Queens Majesties Injunctions Item That the font be not removed nor that the Curate do baptize in parish Churches in any Basons nor in any other form then is already prescribed without charging the parent to be present or absent at the Christning of his childe although the Parent may be present or absent but not to answer as Godfather for his childe Item That no childe be admitted to answer as Godfather or Godmother except the childe hath received the Communion Item that there be none other holydayes observed besides the Sundayes but only such as be set out for holydayes as in the Statute Anno quinto sexto Edwardi sexti and in the new Kalender authorised by the Queens Majesty Item That when any Christian body is in passing that the Bell be tolled and that the Curate be specially called for to comfort the sick person and after the time of his passing to ring no more but one short peal and one before the burial and another short peal after the burial Item That on Sundayes there be no shops open nor artificers commonly going about their affaires worldly And that in all Faires and common Markets falling upon the Sunday there be no shewing of any wares before the Service be done Item That in the Rogation dayes of procession they sing or say in English the two Psalms beginning Benedic anima mea c. with the Letany and suffrages thereunto with one Homily of thanksgiving to God already devised and divided into foure parts without addition of any superstitious ceremonies heretofore used Articles for certain orders in Ecclesiastical policy FIrst against the day of giving of orders appointed the Bishop shall give open monitions to all men to except against such as they know not to be worthy either for life or conversation And there to give notice that none shall sue for Orders but within their own Diocess where they were born or had their long time of dwelling except such as shall be of degree in the Vniversities Item That no Curate or Minister be permitted to serve without examination and admissidn of the Ordinary or his deputy in writlng having respect to the greatness of the Cure and the meetness of the party and that the said Ministers if they remove from one Diocess to another be by no means admitted to serve without testimony of the Diocesan from whence they come in writing of their honesty and ability Item That the Bishop do call home once in the year any Prebendary in his Church or beneficed in the Diocess which studieth at the Vniversities to know how he profiteth in learning and that he be not suffered to be a serving or waiting man dissolutely Item That at the Archdeacons visitation the Archdeacon shall appoint the Curate to certain taxes of the New Testament to be con'd without book And at their next Synod to exact a rehearsal of them Item That the Church wardens once in the quarter declare by their Curates in bills subscribed with their hands to the Ordinary or to the next officer under him who they be which will not readily pay their penalties for not coming to Gods divine service accordingly Item That the Ordinaries do use good diligent examination to foresee all Simonical pacts or covenants with the Patrons or presenters for the spoil of their glebe tithes or mansion houses Item That no persons be suffered to marry within the Levitical degrees mentioned in a table set forth by the Archbishop of Canterbury in that behalf Anno Domini 1563. and if any such be to be separated by order of law Articles for outward apparel of persons Ecclesiastical FIrst that all Archbishops and Bishops do use and continue their accustomed apparel Item That all Deans of Cathedral Churches Masters of Colledges all Archdeacons and other dignities in Cathedral Churches Doctors Bachilers of Divinity and Law having any Ecclesiastical living shall wear in their common apparel abroad a side gown with slieves streight at the hand without any cuts in the same And that also without any falling cape and to wear tippets of Sacrenet as is lawful for them by that act of Parliament Anno 24. Henrici octavi Item That all Doctors of Physick or of any other faculty having any living Ecclesiastical or any other that may dispend by the Church one hundred marks so to be esteemed by the fruits or tenths of their promotions and all Prebendaries whose promoâ—ions be valued at twenty pound or upward wear the like apparel Item That they and all Ecclesiastical persons or other having any Ecclesiastical living do wear the cap appointed by the Injunctions And they to wear no hats but in their journying Item That they in their journying do wear their cloaks with sieeves put on and like in fashion to their gowns without gards welts or cuts Item That in their private houses and studies they use
used to be kept as holy dayes and then and there to abide orderly and soberly during the time of the Common Prayer Preaching or other service of God there to be used and ministred The forfeiture for not coming to Church 32. Eliz. 1. upon pain of punishment by the censures of the Church And also upon pain that every person so offending shall forfeit for such offence twelvepence to be levied by the Church-wardens of the Parish where such offence shall be done to the use of the poor of the same Parish of the goods lands and tenements of such offender by way of distresse And for due Execution hereof the Queens most excellent Majesty the Lords Spiritual and all the Commons in this present Parliament assembled do in Gods name earnestly require and charge all the Archbishops Bishops and other Ordinaries that they shall endeavour themselves to the uttermost of their knowledges that the due and true Execution hereof may be had throughout their Diocesse and Charges as they will answer before God for such evils and plagues wherewith Almighty God may justly punish his people for neglecting this good and wholsome Law And for their Authority in this behalf The Ordinary may punish Offenders by the Censures of the Church be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That all and singular the said Archbishops Bishops and all other their Officers exercising Ecclesiastical Iurisdiction as well in place exempt as not exempt within their Diocesse shall have full power and authority by this Act to reform correct and punish by Censures of the Church all and singular persons which shall offend within any their Iurisdictions or Diocesse after the said Feast of the Nativity of St. John Baptist next coming against this Act and Statute any other Law Statute Privilege Liberty or Provision heretofore made had or suffered to the contrary notwithstanding And it is Ordained and enacted by the Authority aforesaid Which Justices may punish their offences That all and every Iustices of Oyer and Determiner or Iustices of Assize shall have full power and Authority in every of their Open and general Sessions to enquire hear and determine all and all manner offences that shall be committed or done contrary to any Article contained in this present Act within the limits of the Commission to them directed and to make Processe for the Execution of the same as they may do against any person being indicted before them of trespasse or lawfully convicted thereof A Bishop may joyn with the Iustices to enquire of offenders Provided alwayes and be it enacted by the Authority aforesaid that all and every Archbishop and Bishop shall or may at all time and times at his liberty and pleasure joyn and associate himself by vertue of this Act to the said Iustices of Oyer and Determiner or to the said Iustices of Assize at every of the said open and General Sessions to be holden in any place within his Diocesse for and to the enquiry hearing and determining of the offences aforesaid At whose charges the books of Common prayer shall be gotten Provided also and be it enacted by the Authority aforesaid That the books concerning the said Services shall at the Costs and charges of the Parishioners of every Parish and Cathedral Church be attained and gotten before the said Feast of the Nativity of St. Iohn Baptist next following and that all such Parishes and Cathedral Churches or other places where the said books shall be attained and gotten before the said Feast of the Nativity of Saint Iohn Baptist shall within three weeks next after the said books so attained and gotten use the said Service and put the same in Vre according to this Act. And be it further enacted by authority aforesaid That no person or persons shall be at any time hereafter Impeached Within what time offenders shall be Impeached or otherwise molested of or for any of the offences above-mentioned hereafter to be committed or done contrary to this Act unlesse he or they so offending be thereof Indicted at the next General Sessions to be holden before any such Iustices of Oyer and Determiner or Iustices of Assize next after any offence committed or done contrary to the tenour of this Act Trial of Peers Provided alwayes and be it ordained and enacted by the Authority aforesaid That all and singular Lords of the Parliament for the third offence above mentioned shall be tryed by their Peers Chief Officers of Cities and Boroughs shall enquire of offenders Provided also and be it Ordained and Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That the Major of London and all the Majors Bayliffs and other head Officers of all and singular Cities Boroughs and Towns Corporate within this Realm Wales and the Marches of the same to the which Iustices of Assize do not commonly repaire shall have full power and authority by vertue of this Act to enquire hear and determine the offences abovefaid and every of them yearly within fifteen dayes after Easter and St. Michael the Archangel in like manner and form as Iustices of Assize and Oyer and Determiner may do The Ordinaries Iurisdiction in their Cases Provided alwayes and be it Ordained and Enacted by the Authority aforesaid that all and singular Arch-bishops and Bishops and every of their Chancellours Commissaries Archdeacons and other Ordinaries having any peculiar Ecclesiastical Iurisdiction shall have ful power and authority by vertue of this Act as well to enquire in their Visitation and elsewhere within their Iurisdiction at any other time and place to take accusations and informations of all and every the things above mentioned done committed or perpetrated within the Limits of their Iurisdictions and authority and to punish the same by Admonition Excommunication Sequestration or Deprivation and other Censures and Processe in like form as heretofore hath been used in like Cases by the Queens Ecclesiastical Laws Provided alwayes and be it Enacted None shall be punished above once for one offence that whatsoever persons offending in the Premises shall for their offences first receive a punishment of the Ordinary having a Testimonial thereof under the said Ordinaries seal shall not for the same offence eftsoons be convicted before the Iustices And likewise receiving for the said first offence punishment by the Iustices shall not for the same offence eftsoones receive punishment of the Ordinary Any thing contained in this Act to the contrary notwithstanding Provided alwayes and be it Enacted Ornamens of the Church and Ministers that such ornaments of the Church and of the Ministers thereof shall be retained and be in use as was in this Church of England by Authority of Parliament in the second year of the Reign of King Edward the sixt until other order shall be therein taken by the Authority of the Queenes Majesty with the advice of her Commissioners appointed and Authorized under tho Great Seal of England for causes Ecclesiastical or of the Metropolitan of
The Seales of ARMES of the Bishops of England etc. A COLLECTION OF ARTICLES Injunctions Canons Orders Ordinances and Constitutions Ecclesiastical with other Publick Records OF THE CHVRCH of ENGLAND Chiefly in the Times of K. EDWARD VIth Q. ELIZABETH and K. JAMES Published to Vindicate the Church of ENGLAND and to promote Uniformity and peace in the same And humbly presented to the CONVOCATION LONDON Printed by R. Norton for Timothy Garthwait at the Little North-doore of St. Pauls Church 1661. THE TABLE  Anno Domini Pag. KIng EDWARD'S Injunctions 1547. 1. Order of Communion Service 1547. 15. Arch Bp. CRANMERS Articles of visitation 1548. 25. Bp RIDLYES Articles of visitation 1550. 33. ARTICLES of Religion agreed upon in the Convocation 1552. 39. The Latin Edition of those Articles 1552. 51. Q. ELIZABETH'S Injunctions 1559. 63. The Queens Articles of visitation 1559. 235. An ACT for Vniformity of Common Prayer 1559. 75. Celebratio Coenae Dom. in Funebribus in the 2. yeer of the Queen 1560. 249. Book of ORDINATION 1559. 96. Commendatio Benefactorum 1560.  ARTICLES of Religion agreed upon in the Convocation c. and compared with King EDWARD the VI. Articles 1562. 86. The Latine Edition of those Articles 1562. * .1 ADVERTISEMENTS for Due order about Ministers Apparel the Communion c. 1564. 86. Liber quorundam CANONUM 1571. * 15. ARTICVLI Provinciae Cantuariensis 1584. 243. Capitula sive CONSTITUTIONES Ecclesiasticae 1597. 37. The OATHES of Supremacy Allegiance Canonical Obedience Residence  88. The Oath against Simony  90. Of Abrogate HOLYDAYES in K. HENRY the 8 ths time 1536. 225. Proclamation against the despisers of the COMMON PRAYER c. 1573. 227. Proclamation against the Sectaries of the Family of Love 1580. 229. Proclamation against Schismatical and seditious Books and Libels 1588. 231. Prayers at the Healing  223. In K. JAMES his time CANONS and Constitutions in Latine 1603. 303. PRoclamation declaring the proceedings in Ecelesiastical Courts to be according to the Laws of the Land  91 A PREFACE to the Reader OUR great Lord and Master Christ having purchased to himself by his precious blood a peculiar people his One mystical Body the Church sanctified it with the washing of water by the word that he might present it to himself a glorious Church holy without spot Ephes 5.27 not without all spot there is a spot of Gods children of sins of frailty and infirmity which the Church as long as she is Militant will never be without but without spot of malice and wicked lewdness such spots and blemishes as were figured by the corporal blemishes forbidden to the Priests and their sacrifices Lev. 21. 22.20 spots that will make the Church as abhorred in the sight of God as those bodily spots made the Priests and their sacrifices unto the eyes of men without such scandalous spots mentioned Gal. 5.9 all the members of this one Body may and ought to be That the Church may preserve her self in this purity without spot and in this unity without division and continue one holy Church as it is in our Creed a double power and Authority is needful as to all other Bodies politick so likewise to this Society of Believers the Church one of jurisdiction to correct and reform those impure members by spiritual censures whom counsel will not win and if they be incorrigible to cast them out of this holy Society lest their leaven should leaven the whole lump 1 Cor. 5.6 thus to preserve the Churches purity and again to correct and reduce to unity the contentious troublers of the Churches peace if it may be by charitable admonitions if not to stop their mouths Titus 1.11 not by arguments alone for such will never prevail upon absurd unreasonable and obstinate men and such there alwayes will be but by spiritual Censures even to the casting them out of the Churches Society so to preserve peace and unity Besides this power of Jurisdiction there is necessary also for the obtaining of those two high ends a Legislative power to make Canons and Constitutions upon emergent occasions For though our great Lord hath already given to his Church most holy and wise rules and Laws for the same purposes yet because they are general not descending to every particularity of time and place and manner of performanee which yet are necessary to be determined for the preservation of publick peace and unity and because there may at least through the perversnesse of men of corrupt minds arise some doubts and controversies about the sense and meaning of those most holy rules of our Lord for the determining of which we are not now to expect any resolution from Prophet or Oracle or other immediate voice from heaven it doth hereupon necessarily follow that there must be Authority left to this Church and the Governours thereof to make new Laws upon these emergent occasions to determine these particularities to decide and compose these controversies whereby to preserve the unity of the spirit in the Bond of Peace Who soever shall think that all this may be done by friendly perswasion or learned disputes onely will finde himself deceived as experience of all Ages hath shown and will shew as long as there be men of perverse mindes and corrupt affections Without a definitive and Authoritative sentence controversies will be endless and the Churches peace unavoidably disturbed and therefore the voice of God and right Reason hath taught that in matters of Controversie the definitive sentence of Superiours should decide the doubt and whosoever should decline from that sentence and do presumptuously should be put to death that others might hear and fear and do no more presumptuously Deut. 17. which is to be understood mystically also of death spirituall by Excommunication by being cut off from the living body of Christs Church It being thus cleared by reason and Gods own rule that such power is necessary for the preserving Peace and unity it cannot be imagined with reason that our great Master should deny his dear bought body such necessaries But not to rest upon the reason why they should be given it may be made to appear that de facto He hath given such power to the Church and that by reciting his gracious Commissions granted to the Church with his Apostles practice and exercise of those powers who best knowing their Lords will and pleasure must be by their practice the best Interpreters of his minde and meaning See then how read we For the power of Jurisdiction we finde a large Commission St. John 20. As my father sent me so send I you and one particular of Jurisdiction there expressed Whosoever sins you binde in Earth they are bound in Heaven a sharp and dreadful sentence worse then that of the Sword by so much as the death of the Soul is worse then the death of the Body which in obstinate despisers of that correction doth too certainly follow This power of spiritual censures St. Paul calls
the rod of Discipline 1 Cor. 4. ult By vertue of this Power Commission S. Paul delivers the incestuous Corinthian to Satan and casts him out of the Churches Communion 1 Cor. 5. and the same St. Paul not only exercises this Jurisdiction himself but also directs his son Bishop Timothy how to behave himself in the ordering of these Church censures 1 Tim. 5.19 not to receive an accusation against a Presbyter under two or three witnesses and when he hath heard to rebuke or censure as the cause requires without partiality or leaning to either side all which speak plainly a Tribunal erected in the Church and acknowledged by the Apostle enough to prove the power of Jurisdiction Then the Legislative of making Laws and Constitutions for regulating manners and determining doubts and controversies it cannot with reason be denied to be granted in that large Commission forecited St. John 20. As my father sent me so send I you For here committing the Government of the Church to his Apostles our Lord Commissions them with the same Power that was committed to him for that purpose when he was on earth with the same necessary standing power that he had and exercised as Man for the good of the Church Less cannot in reason be thought to be here granted then all power necessary for the well and peaceable government of the Church and such a power is this of making lawes this is a Commission in general for making lawes then in particular for making Articles and decisions of doctrines controverted the power is more explicit and expresse S. Matth. 28. All power is given to me Go therefore and teach all nations that is with authority and by vertue of that power that is given to me and what is it to teach the truth with authority but to command and oblige all people to receive the truth so taught and this power was not given to the Apostles persons only for Christ there promised to be with them in that Office to the end of the world that is to them and their successors in that Pastoral Office to the Apostles or Bishops that should succeed them to the end of the world This will appear still more clear by S. Paul Heb. 13. where after he had commanded them not to be carried about with divers and strange doctrines he prescribes this as the preservative against such errours and inconstancy Obey them that have the oversight over you and watch for your souls obey them in the guidance and conduct of your souls in their determinations and decisions about such divers and strange Doctrine all which supposes in those Guides a power to govern and rule us in such doubts and controversies about doctrines and matters of belief an authority to determine in controversies of faith as our Church teaches in her 20. Article adde to this that St. Paul tells us 1 Tim. 3.15 that the Church is the ground and pillar of truth And whither then should we go in doubts and controversies for the determination of what is truth but to the ground and pillar of truth For the clearer understanding of this power in the Church know that to this one holy Church our Lord committed in trust the most holy faith and the whole stock of necessary Christian truth therefore called the ground and pillar of truth This truth she must endeavour to preserve as by stopping the mouthes of obstinate gainsaiers so by guiding and governing the meek but weak doubters into the truth by determining their doubts and controversies Not that the Church can make Articles of faith and obtrude them upon the members but that she may and must if the true sense of faith and holy Scriptures be called in question declare and determine what that sense is which she hath received in trust from Christ and his Apostles commanding under penalties and censures all her children to receive that sense and to profess it in such expressive words and form as may directly determine the doubt Thus she did in the great NICENE Council venerable over all the Christian world when the Arrians had perverted by subtil controversies and questions the true sense of the Creed concerning our Saviours Divinity she first declared what sense of the Creed she had received by constant tradition from the Apostles and then enjoyned all Christians to profess that sense by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the same substance with the Father a word directly determining the controversie in hand Nor did the Christian world ever question her Authority in this particular And in controversies about doctrines where she hath received no such clear determination of either part from Christ and his Apostles she hath power to declare her own sense in the controversie and to determine which part shall be received and profest for truth by her members and that too under Ecclesiastical penalty and censure which they accordingly are bound to submit to not as an infallible verity but as a probable truth and rest in her determination till it be made plain by as great or a greater authority that this her determination 〈…〉 our and if it shall appear to any of the members to be an errour or if they shall think it so to be by the weight of such reasons as are privately suggested to them yet are they still obliged to silence and peace where the Decision of a particular Church is against the Doctrine of the Universal not to profess in this case against the Churches determination because the professing of such a controverted truth is not necessary but the preservation of the peace and unity of the Church is This is not to assert infallibility in the Church but authority The sentence shall binde to submission though the Superiors may erre in the sentence Thus God ordered it Deut. 17. that in doubts the inferior were to stand to the decision and sentence of the Priests and the Judge and yet their judgement was not infallible 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whole assembly the chiefest Senate might erre sin through ignorance a sacrifice is appointed for the expiation of their error Lev. 4.13 Better that inferiours be bound to stand to such fallible judgement as to quiet submission in such kind of controversies as afore mentioned then that every man be suffered to interpret Laws determine controversies which will bring into the Church certain confusion Nor wil such submission in the Inferiors be damnable seeing in this submission to authority they follow Gods method obeying them that have the oversight over them Heb. 13. and keep order of which God is the Author 1 Cor. 14.33 God is not the Author of confusion but of order and peace as in all Churches of the Saints This Authority in determining doubts and controversies the Church hath practised in all Ages and her constant practice is the best interpreter of her right We read not onely of St. Pauls determining controversies about rites and circumstances 1 Cor. 14. but
also of the Churches determining controversies of doctrines and matters of belief in a full Council Act. 15. and requiring submission to those determinations from inferiour members The like did the Church afterwards in her general Councils of NICE CONSTANTINOPLE EPHESUS and CHALCEDON And not onely the General Councils have exercised this Authority but particular Churches also in National Councils in the Council of ORANGE MILEVIS and others have used the same power over their children whom they were bound to teach and govern and for whose souls they were to account to God and they did no more then was their right so long as they did it with submission to the general Church to whom they are subject Christ said to the Apostles and by this to all the guides of soules that should succeed them in a lawful Ordination He that heares you heares me and he that despises you despises me St. Cypr. ep 69 From these premises it plainly follows that our dear Mother the Church of England in making these Canons and Articles for determining of controversies in matters of belief which you may see in the ensuing Collection did no more then what was both her right and her duty to do both for the preservation of her peace and the guidance and conduct of the souls committed to her charge and what her care hath been in the exercise of this power for the good of her members ever since the Reformation will evidently to her honour appear by this following Collection made up not without great care and industry of the Publisher By which he hath done our Mother this farther right that now whosoever will may easily see the notorious slander which some of the Roman perswasion have endeavourd to cast upon her That her Reformation hath been altogether Lay and Parliamentary for by the Canons and articles following which were formerly scattered and hard to be seen by every one now gathered together into a body it easily appears to any that will but open their eyes and read that the Reformation of this Church was orderly and Synodical by the Guides and Governours of souls and confirmed by Supream Authority and so in every particular as legal as any reformation could or ought to be Anth. Sparrow Books sold by T. Garthwait THe Works of that Profound Divine Dr. Tho. Jackson president of Corp. Chr. Coll. Oxon. in Folio 3. Volumes The Scholastical History of the Canon of the Scripture by Dr. Cofin Ld. Bp. Duresme in 4o. An Introduction to the Oriental Languages by Dr. Walton Ld. Bp. of Chester in 12o. The English Case exactly set down by Hezekiahs Reformation in a Serm. at Paris before His Majesty by Dr. Steward Dean of Westminster in 12o. A Rationale upon the Book of Com. Prayer by Dr. Sparrow in 12o. A Defence of the Liturgy in answer to the Exceptions of divers Ministers in 12o. The Form of Consecration of a Church by Bp. Andrews Golden Remains of Mr. John Hales of Eton Colledge with His Letters touching rhe Synod of Dort in 4o. Dr. Pierce of the Positive being of sin with a Postscript touching Mr. Baxter in 4o. A Sermon of Lent preacht before his Majesty by Dr. Gunning c. in 4o. Bp. Andrews his Sermons in fol. INJUNCTIONS given by the most excellent Prince EDWARD the Sixt By the grace of God King of England France and Ireland Defender of the Faith and in earth under Christ of the Church of England and Ireland the supreme head To all and singular his loving subjects as well of the Clergy as of the Laitie Imprinted at LONDON by Richard Grafton 1547. Injunctions given by the most excellent Prince Edward the sixt by the grace of God King of England France and Ireland defender of the Faith and in earth under Christ of the Church of England and of Ireland the supreme head To all and singular his loving subjects as well of the Clergy as of the Laity THE Kings most Royal Majestie by the advice of his most dear uncle the Duke of Somerset Lord Protector of all his Realms Dominions and Subiects and Governour of his most royal person and the residue of his most honourable counsel intending the advancement of the true honour of almighty God the suppression of Idolatry and Superstition throughout all his Realms and Dominions and to plant true Religion to the extirpation of all hypocrisy enormities and abuses as to his duty appertaineth doth minister unto his loving subjects these godly Injunctions hereafter following Whereof part were given unto them heretofore by the authority of his most dear beloved father King Henry the viii of most famous memory and part are now ministred and given by his Majesty All which Injunctions his highnesse willeth and commandeth his said loving subjects by his supreme authority obediently to receive and truely to observe and keep every man in their offices degrees and states as they will avoyd his displeasure and the pains in the same Injunctions hereafter expressed 1. The first is that all Deans Archdeacons Parsons Vicars and other Ecclesiastical persons shall faithfully keep and observe and as far as in them may lye shall cause to be observed and kept of other all and singular laws and statutes made as well for the abolishing and extirpation of the Bishop of Rome his pretensed and usurped power and jurisdiction as for the establishment and confirmation of the Kings authority jurisdiction and supremacy of the Church of England and Ireland And furthermore all Ecclesiasticall persons having cure of souls shall to the uttermost of their wit knowledge and learning purely sincerely and without any colour or dissimulation declare manifest and open iiii times every year at the least in their Sermons ond other collations that the Bishop of Romes usurped power and jurisdiction having no establishment nor ground by the laws of God was of most just causes taken away and abolished and that therefore no manner of obedience or subjection whithin his Realms and Dominions is due unto him And that the Kings power within his Realms and Dominions is the highest power under God to whom all men within the same Realms and Dominions by Gods laws owe most loyalty and obedience afore and above all other powers and Potentates in earth Besides this to the intent that all superstition and hypocrisy crept into divers mens hearts may vanish away They shall not set forth or extol any Images Relicks or Miracles for any superstition or lucre nor allure the people by any inticements to the Pilgrimage of any Saint or Image but reproving the same they shall teach that all goodness health and grace ought to be both asked and looked for onely of God as of the very author and giver of the same and of none other Item that they the persons above rehersed shall make or cause to be made in their Churches and every other Cure they have one Sermon every quarter of the year at the least wherein they shall purely and sincerely declare the word
should receive the blessed Sacrament of the Altar and admonish them to learn the said necessary things more perfectly or else they ought not to presume to come to Gods board without a perfect knowledge and will to observe the same and if they do it is to the great peril of their souls and also to the worldly rebuke that they might incur hereafter by the same Also that they shall admit no man to preach within any their Cures but such as shall appear unto them to be sufficiently licensed thereunto by the Kings Majeste the Lord Protectors grace the Archbishop of Canterbury the Archbishop of York in his Province or the Bishop of the Diocesse and such as shall be so licensed they shall gladly receive to declare the word of God without any resistence or contradiction Also if they have heretofore declared to their parishioners any thing to the extolling or setting forth of pilgrimages relicks or Images or lighting of Candels kissing kneeling decking of the same Images or any such superstition they shall now openly before the same recant and reprove the same shewing them as the truth is that they did the same upon no ground of scripture but were led and seduced by a common errour and abuse crept into the Church through the sufference and avarice of such as felt profit by the same Also if they do or shall know any man within their parish or elsewhere that is a letter of the word of God to be read in English or sincerely preached or of the execution of these the Kings Majesties Injunctions or a fautor of the Bishop of Romes pretensed power now by the laws of this Realm justly reiected extirpated and taken away utterly they shall detect and present the same to the King or his Council or to the Iustice of peace next adjoyning Also that the Parson Vicar or Curate and parishioners of every parish within this Realm shall in their Churches and Chapels keep one Book or Register wherein they shall write the day and year of every wedding Christning and Burial made within their Parish for their time and so every man succeeding them likewise And therein shall write every persons name that shall be so Wedded Christned or Buried And for the safe keeping of the same book the parish shall be bound to provide of their common charges one sure cofer with two locks and keyes whereof the one to remain with the Parson Vicar or Curate the other with the Wardens of every Parish church or chapel wherein the said book shall be laid up which book they shall every Sunday take forth and in the presence of the said Wardens or one of them write and record in the same all the Weddings Christnings and Burials made the whole week before and that done to lay up the book in the said cofer as afore And for every time that the same shall be omitted the party that shall be in the fault thereof shall forfeit to the said Church iii. s. iiii d. to be employed to the poor mens box of that parish Furthermore because the goods of the Church are called the goods of the poor and at these dayes nothing is less seen then the poor to be sustained with the same all Parsons Vicars Pencionaries Prebendaries and other beneficed men within this Deanery not being resident upon their benefices which may dispend yearly xx.l. or above either within this Deanery or elsewhere shall distribute hereafter among their poor parishioners or other inhabitants there in the presence of the Church-wardens or some other honest men of the parish the xl part of the fruits and revenues of their said benefices lest they be worthily noted of ingratitude which reserving so many parts to themselves cannot vouchsafe to impart the xl portion thereof among the poor people of that parish that is so fruitful and profitable unto them And to the intent that learned men may hereafter spring the more for the execution of the premisses ever Parson Vicar Clerk or beneficed man within this Deanery having yearly to dispend in benefices and other promotions of the Church an C.l. shall give competent exhibition to one Scholar and for so many C.l. more as he may dispend to so many Scholars more shall he give like exhibition in the Vniversity of Oxford or Cambridge or some Grammar schole which after they have profited in good learning may be partners of their patrons cure and charge as well in preaching as otherwise in the execution of their offices or may when need shall be otherwise profit the Common weale with their counsail and wisdom Also that the proprietaries Parsons Vicars and Clerks having Churches Chapels or Mansions within this Deanery shall bestow yearly hereafter upon the same Mansions or Chancels of their Churches being in decay the fift part of that their benefices till they be fully repaired and the same so repaired shall alwayes keep and maintain in good estate Also that the said Parsons Vicars and Clerks shall once every quarter of the year read these Injunctions given unto them openly and deliberately before all their parishioners to the intent that both they may be the better admonished of their duty and their said Parishioners the more moved to follow the same for their part Also for as much as by a law established every man is bound to pay his tithes no man shall by colour of duty omitted by their Curates detain their tithes and so redubbe and requite one wrong with another or be his own judge but shall truely pay the same as he hath been accustomed to their Parsons Vicars and Curates without any restraint or diminution And such lack and default as they can justly finde in their Parsons and Curates to call for reformation thereof at their ordinaries and other superiours hands who upon complaint and due proof thereof shall reform the same accordingly Also that no person shall from hence forth alter or change the order and manner of any fasting day that is commanded or of Common prayer or divine service otherwise then is specified in these Injunctions until such time as the same shall be otherwise ordered and transposed by the Kings authority Also that every Parson Vicar Curate Chauntery priest and Stipendary being under the degree of a Bacheler of Divinity shall provide and have of his own within three moneths after this visitation the New Testament both in Latine and in English with the Paraphrase upon the same of Erasmus and diligently study the same conferring the one with the other And the Bishops and other ordinaries by themselves or their officers in their Synods and visitations shall examine the said Ecclesiastical persons how they have profited in the studie of holy Scripture Also in the time of high Masse within every Church he that saith or singeth the same shall read or cause to be read the Epistle and Gospel of that Masse in English and not in Latine in the Pulpit or in such convenient place as the people
being hallowed Item Whether they have given open monition to their Parishoners that they should not wear beads nor pray upon them Item Whether they have moved their Parishoners lying upon their death-beds or at any other time to bestow any part of their substance upon Trentals Masses Satisfactory or any such blinde devotions Item Whether they take any Trentals or other Masses Satisfactory to say or sing for the quick or the dead Item Whether they have given open monition to their parishioners to detect and present to their Ordinary all adulterers and fornicators and such men as have two wives living and such women as haue two husbands living within their parishes Item Whether they haue not monished their Parishoners openly that they should not sell giue nor otherwise alienate any of their Churche goods Item Whether they or any of them do keep more benefices and other Ecclesiastical promotions then they ought to do not having sufficient licence and dispensations thereunto and how many they be and their names Item Whether they minister the Communion any otherwise then only after such form and manner as is set forth by the Kings Majesty in the book of the Communion Item Whether they hallowed and delivered to the people any Candles upon Candlemas-day and Ashes upon Ashe-Wednesday or any Palms upon Palm Sunday last past Item Whether they had upon Good-Friday last-past the Sepulchres with their lights having the Sacrament therein Item Whether they upon Easier-Even last past hallowed the Font Fire or Paschal or had any Paschal set up or burning in their Churches Item Whether your Parsons and Vicars have admitted any Curates to serve their Cures which were not first examined and allowed either by my Lord of Canterbury Master Arch-Deacon or their officers Item Whether you know any person within your parish or else where that is a letter of the word of God to be read in English or sincerely preached or of the execution of the Kings Majesties Injunctions or other his Majesties proceedings in matters of religion Item Whether every parish have provided a Chest with two locks and keyes for the book of Wedding Christining and Burying Item Whether in the time of the Letany or any other Common prayer in the time of the Sermon or Homily and when the Priest readeth the Scripture to the parishioners any person have departed out of the Church without a just and necessary cause Item Whether any bells have been knowled or rung at the time of the premisses Item Whether any person hath abused the Ceremonies as in casting holy water upon his bed or bearing about him holy bread St. Iohns Gospel ringing of holy bells or keeping of private holy dayes as Taylors Bakers Brewers Smithes Shoomakers and such other Item Whether the money coming and rising of any cattle or other movable stocks of the Church and mony given or bequethed to the finding of Torches lights tapers or lamps not paid out of any lands have not been employed to the poor mens Chest Item Who hath the said stocks and money in their hands and what be their names Item Whether any undiscreet persons do uncharitably contemn and abuse Priests and Ministers of the Church Item Whether they that understand not the Latine do pray upon any Primer but the English Primer set forth by the Kings Majesties authority and whether they that understand Latine do use any other then the Latine Primer set forth by like authority Item Whether there be any other Grammar taught in any other school within this Diocesse then that which is set forth by the Kings Majesty Item Whether any person keep their Church holy day and the dedication day any otherwise or at any other time then is appointed by the Kings Majesty Item Whether the service in the Church be done at due and convenient houres Item Whether any have used to commune jangle and talk in the Church in the time of the Common prayer reading of the Homily Preaching Reading or declaring of the Scripture Item Whether any have wilfully maintained and defended any Heresies Errors or false opinions contrary to the faith of Christ and holy Scripture Item Whether any be common drunkards swearers or blasphemers of the name of God Item Whether any have committed adultery fornication or incest or be common bands and receivers of such evil persons or vehemently suspected of any of the premises Item Whether any be braulers slanderers chiders scolders and sowers of discord between one person and another Item Whether you know any that use Charmes Sorcery Enchantments Witchcraft Southsaying or any like craft invented by the Devil Item Whether the Churches Pulpits and other necessaries appertaining to the same be sufficiently repaired Item Whether you know any that in contempt of their own Parish Church do resort to any other Church Item Whether any Inholders or Alehousekeepers do use commonly to sell meat and drink in the time of Common prayer Preaching or Reading of the Homilies or Scripture Item Whether you know any to be married within the degrees prohibited by the Laws of God or that be separated or divorced without a just cause allowed by the Law of God and whether any such have married again Item Whether you know any to have made privie contratts of matrimony not calling two or more thereunto Item Whether they have married solemnly the banes not first lawfully asked Item Whether you know any Executors or Administrators of dead mens goods which do not duely bestow such of the said goods as were given and bequeathed or appointed to be distributed among the poor people repairing of high wayes finding of poor Scholars or marrying of poor Maids or such other like charitable deeds Item Whether any do contemn married Priests and for that they be married will not receive the Communion or other Sacraments at their hands Item Whether you know any that keep in their houses undefaced any abused or feigned Images any Tables Pictures Paintings or other monuments of feigned miracles Pilgrimages Idolatry or Superstition ARTICLES to be enquired of IN THE VISITATION OF THE DIOCES of LONDON By the reverend Father in God NICOLAS BISHOP of LONDON In the fourth year of our Soveraign Lord King Edward the 6. by the Grace of God King of England France and Ireland defender of the faith and in earth of the Church of England and also of Ireland the supreme head next and immediatly under our Saviour CHRIST Imprinted at LONDON by Reynold Wolfe M.DL St. PAUL I Testifie therefore before God and before the Lord Jesus Christ which shall judge the quick and dead at his appearing in his Kingdom preach thou the word be fervent in season or out of season Improve rebuke exhort withal long suffering and Doctrine 2. Tim. 4. Articles of Visitation by Bishop Ridley Anno 1550. WHether your Curates and ministers be of that cdnversation of living that worthily they can be reprehended of no man Whether your Curates and Ministers do haunt and resort to Taverus or Alesouses
Church Of the Lords Supper THe Supper of the Lord is not onely a signe of the love that Christians ought to have among themselves one to another but rather it is a Sacrament of our redemption by Christs death Insomuch that to such as rightly worthily and with faith receive the same the bread which we break is a communion of the body of Christ likewise the Cup of blessing is a Communion of the blood of Christ Transubstantiation or the change of the Substance of Bread and wine into the substance of Christs Body and Blood cannot be proved by holy Writ but it is repugnant to the plain words of Scripture and hath given occasion to many superstitions For as much as the truth of mans nature requireth that the body of one and the self same man cannot be at one time in divers places but must needs be in some one certain place therefore the body of Christ cannot be present at one time in many and divers places and because as holy Scripture doth teach Christ was taken up into heaven and there shall continue unto the end of the World a faithful man ought not either to believe or openly to confesse the real and bodily presence as they tearm it of Christs flesh and blood in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper The Sacrament of the Lords Supper was not commanded by Christs ordinance to be kept carried about lifted up nor worshipped Of the perfect oblation of Christ made upon the Cross THe offering of Christ made once for ever is the perfect redemption the pacifying of Gods displeasure and satisfaction for all the sins of the whole world both original and actual and there is none other satisfaction for sin but that alone Wherefore the sacrifices of Masses in the which it was commonly said that the Priest did offer Christ for the quick and the dead to have remission of pain or sin were forged fables and dangerous deceits The state of single life is commanded to no man by the word of God BIshops Priests and Deacons are not commanded to vow the state of single life without marriage neither by Gods Law are they compelled to abstain from matrimony Excommunicate persons are to be avoided THat person which by open denunciation of the Church is rightly cut off from the unity of the Church and excommunicate ought to be taken of the whole multitude of the faithful as an Heathen and Publican until he be openly reconciled by Penance and received into the Church by a Iudge that hath authority thereto Traditions of the Church IT is not necessary that Traditions and Ceremonies be in all places one or utterly like for at all times they have been divers and may be changed according to the diversity of countries and mens manners so that nothing be ordained against Gods word Whosoever through his private judgement willingly and purposely doth openly break the Traditions and Ceremonies of the Church which be not repugnant to the word of God and be ordained and approved by common authority ought to be rebuked openly that other may fear to do the like as one that offendeth against the common order of the Church and hurteth the authority of the Magistrate and woundeth the consciences of weak brethren Of Homilies THe Homilies of late given and set out by the Kings authority be godly and wholsome containing Doctrine to be received of all men and therefore are to be read to the people diligently distinctly and plainly Of the book of Prayers and Ceremonies of the Church of England THe Book which of very late time was given to the Church of England by the Kings authority and the Parliament containing the manner form of praying and ministring the Sacraments in the Church of England likewise also the book of ordering Ministers of the Church set forth by the foresaid authority are Godly and in no point repugnant to the wholsome Doctrine of the Gospel but agreeable thereunto furthering and beautifying the same not a little and therefore of all faithful members of the Church of England and chiefly of the Ministers of the word they ought to be received allowed with all readinesse of minde and thanksgiving and to be commended to the people of God Of Civil Magistrates THe King of England is Supream head in earth next under Christ of the Church of England and Ireland The Bishop of Rome hath no jurisdiction in this Realm of England The Civil Magistrate is ordained and allowed of God wherefore we must obey him not onely for fear of punishment but also for conscience sake The Civil Laws may punish Christian men with death for heinous and grievous offences It is Lawful for Christians at the commandment of the Magistrate to wear weapons and serve in lawful wars Christian mens goods are not common THe riches and goods af Christians are not common as touching the right title and possession of the same as certain Anabaptists do falsly boast Notwithstanding every man ought of such things as he possesseth liberally to give almes to the poor according to his ability Christian men may take an oath AS we confesse that vain and rash swearing is forbidden Christian men by our Lord Iesu Christ and his Apostle Iames So we judge that Christian Religion doth not prohibit but that a man may swear when the Magistrate requireth in a cause of faith and charity so it be done according to the Prophets teaching in justice judgement and truth The Resurrection of the dead is not yet brought to passe THe Resurrection of the Dead is not as yet brought to passe as though it onely belonged to the soul which by the grace of Christ is raised from the death of sin but it is to be lookt for at the last day For then as Scripture doth most manifestly testifie to all that be dead their own bodies flesh and bone shall be restored that the whole man may according to his works have either reward or punishment as he hath lived vertuously or wickedly The Souls of them that depart this life do neither dye with the bodies nor sleep idly THey which say that the Souls of such as depart hence do sleep being without all sense feeling or perceiving untill the day of judgement or affirm that the souls dye with the bodies and at the last day shall be raised up with the same do utterly dissent from the right belief declared to us in holy Scripture Hereticks called Millenarii THey that go about to renew the Fable of the Hereticks called Millenarii be repugnant to holy Scripture and cast them selves headlong into a Iewish dotage All men shall not be saved at the length THey also are worthy of Condemnation who endeavour at this time to restore the dangerous opinion that all men be they never so ungodly shall at length be saved when they have suffered paines for their sins a certain time appointed by Gods Iustice The End of the Articles Imprinted by John Day 1553. ARTICULI de quibus in
Sacraments as well Archbishops and Bishops as other Pastors and Curates You shall also pray for the Queens most honorable Counsel and for all the Nobility of this Realm that all and every of these in their calling may serve truely and painfully to the glory of God and edifying of his people remembring the account that they must make Also ye shall pray for the whole Commons of this Realm that they may live in true faith and fear of God in humble obedience and brotherly charity one to another Finally let us praise God for all those that are departed out of this life in the faith of Christ and pray unto God that we may have grace for to direct our lives after their good example that after this life we with them may be made partakers of the glorious Resurrection in the life everlasting And this done shew the holy dayes and fasting dayes ALL and singular which Injunctions the Queens Majesty ministreth unto her Clergy and to all other her loving Subjects straightly charging and commanding them to observe and keep the same upon pain of deprivation sequestration of fruits and benefices suspension excommunication and such other correction as to Ordinaries or other having Ecclesiastical Iurisdiction whom her Majesty hath appointed or shall appoint for the due execution of the same shall be seen convenient charging and commanding them to see these Injunctions observed and kept of all persons being under their jurisdiction as they will answer to her Majesty for the contrary And her highnesse pleasure is that every Iustice of peace being required shall assist the Ordinaries and every of them for the due execution of the said Injunctions ARTICLES AGREED UPON By the ARCH-BISHOPS and BISHOPS of both Provinces and the whole CLERGIE In the Convocation holden at LONDON in the year 1562. For the avoiding of diversities of opinions and for the establishing of Consent touching true RELIGION Reprinted by His MAJESTIES Commandment with His Royal Declaration prefixed thereunto LONDON Printed by Bonham Norton and John Bill Printers to the Kings most Excellcnt Majestie 1630. HIS MAJESTIES DECLARATION BEing by Gods Ordinance according to Our just Title Defender of the Faith and supream Governour of the Church within these Our Dominions We hold it most agreeable to this Our Kingly Office and Our own Religious zeal to conserve and maintain the Church committed to Our charge in the unity of true Religion and in the bond of peace and not to suffer unnecessary Disputations altercations or questions to be raised which may nourish faction both in the Church and Common-wealth We have therefore upon mature deliberation and with the advice of so many of Our Bishops as might conveniently be called together thought fit to make this Declaration following That the Articles of the Church of England which have been allowed and authorized heretofore and which our Clergy generally have subscribed unto do contain the true Doctrine of the Church of England agreeable to Gods word which We do therefore ratifie and confirm requiring all our loving Subjects to continue in the uniform profession thereof and prohibiting the least difference from the said Articles which to that end We command to be new printed and this Our Declaration to be published therewith That we are supream Governour of the Church of England and that if any difference arise about the external policy concerning Injunctions Canons or other Constitutions whatsoever there to belonging the Clergy in their Convocation is to order and settle them having first obtained leave under Our broad Seal so to do and We approving their said Ordinances and Constitutions providing that none be made contrary to the Laws and Customes of the Land That out of Our Princely care that the Church-men may do the work which is proper unto them the Bishops and Clergy from time to time in Convocation upon their humble desire shall have licence under Our broad Seal to deliberate of and to do all such things as being made plain by them and assented unto by Us shall concern the setled continuance of the Doctrine and Discipline of the Church of England now established from which We will not endure any varying or departing in the least degree That for the present though some Differences have been ill raised yet we take comfort in this that all Clergy-men within our Realm have alwayes most willingly subscribed to the Articles established which is an Argument to Us that they all agree in the true usual literal meaning of the said Articles and that even in those curious points in which the present differences lie men of all sorts take the Articles of the Church of England to be for them which is an argument again that none of them intend any desertion of the Articles established That therefore in these both curious and unhappy differences which have for so many hundred years in different times and places excercised the Church of Christ We will that all further curious search be laid aside and these disputes shut up in Gods promises as they be generally set forth to Us in the holy Scriptures and the general meaning of the Articles of the Church of England according to them And that no man hereafter shall either print or preach to draw the Article aside any way but shall submit to it in the plain and full meaning thereof And shall not put his own sense or Comment to be the meaning of the Article but shall take it in the literal and Grammatical sense That if any publick Reader in either Our Universities or any Head or Master of a Colledge or any other person respectively in either of them shall affix any new sense to any Article or shall publickly read determine or hold any publick disputation or suffer any such to be held either way in either the Universities or Colledges respectively or if any Divine in the Universities shall preach or print any thing either way other then is already established in Convocation with Our Royal assent he or they the offenders shall be liable to Our displeasure and the Churches censure in our Commission Ecclesiastical as well as any other and We will see there shall be due execution upon them ARTICLES OF RELIGION Of faith in the holy Trinity THere is but one living and true God everlasting without body parts or passions of infinite power wisdome and goodness the maker and preserver of all things both visible and invisible And in unity of this Godhead there be three persons of one substance power and eternity the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost 2. Of the Word or Son of God which was made very man THe Son which is the Word of the Father Haec notata non habentur in Edw. 6. begotten from everlasting of the Father the very and eternal God of one substance with the Father took mans nature in the womb of the blessed Virgin of her substance so that two whole and perfect natures that is to say the Godhead and manhood
this Realm And also that if there shall happen any contempt or irreverence to be used in the Ceremonies or Rites of the Church by the misusing of the orders appointed in this book the Queens Majesty may by the like advice of the said Commissioners or Metropolitan ordain and publish such farther Ceremonies or Rites as may be most for the advancement of Gods Glory the edifying of his Church and the due reverence of Christs holy mysteries and Sacraments And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforsaid All Lawes Ordinances made for other service shall be void That all Laws statutes and ordinances wherein or whereby any other service administration of Sacraments or Common Prayer is limited established or set forth to be used within this Realm or any other the Queens Dominions or Countryes shall from henceforth be utterly void and of none effect Coke pla fol 352. A Clause Anno 8. Eliz. cap. 1. A confirmation of the Stat. of 1 Eliz. 2. touching the book of Common Prayer Administration of the Sacraments WHerefore for the plain declaration of all the premisses and to the intent that the same may the better be known to every of the Queens Majesties subjects whereby such evil speech as heretofore hath been used against the High state of Prelacy may hereafter cease Be it now declared and enacted by the Authority of this present Parliament that the said Act and Statute made in the first year of the reign of our said Soveraign Lady the Queens Majesty whereby the said book of Common-prayer and the Administration of Sacraments with other Rites and Ceremonies is authorized and allowed to be used shall stand and remain good and perfect to all respects and purposes And that such order and form for the Consecrating of Archbishops A Confirmation of the Stat. of 5. 6. Ed. 6. 1 touching the form of consecrating Archbishops c. and Bishops and for the making of Priests Deacons and Ministers as was set forth in the time of the said late King Edward the sixth and added to the said Book of Common-prayer and authorised by Parliament in the fifth and sixth years of the said late King shall stand and be in full force and effect and shall from henceforth be used and observed in all places within this Realm and other the Queens Majesties Dominions and Countries Anno 13. Eliz. cap. 12. Reformation of Disorders in the Ministers of the Church c. THat the Churches of the Queens Majesties Dominions may be served with Pastors of sound Religion Be it enacted by the Authority of this present Parliament That every person under the degree of a Bishop which doth or shall pretend to be a Priest or Minister of Gods holy Word and Sacraments by reason of any other form of Institution Consecration or ordering than the form set forth by Parliament in the time of the late King of most Worthy Memory King Edward the sixth 3. Edw. 6.12 5. Edw. 6.1 Dyer f. 377. or now used in the Reigne of our most gracious Soveraigne Lady before the Feast of the Nativity of Christ next following shall in the presence of the Bishop or Guardian of the Spiritualities of some one Diocesse where he hath or shall have Ecclesiastical living declare his assent Every Ecclesiastical person shall subscribe to the Articles touching the Confession of the Faith and declare his assent thereunto and subscribe to all the Articles of Religion which only concern the Confession of the true Christian Faith and the Doctrine of the Sacraments comprised in a book imprinted entituled Articles Whereupon it was agreed 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 a thousand five hundred sixty and two according to the computation of the Church of England for the avoiding of the diversities of opinions and for the establishing of consent touching true Religion put forth by the Queens Authority and shall bring from such Bishop or Guardian of Spiritualties in writing under his Seal Authentick a testimonial of such assent and subscription and openly on some Sunday in the time of some publick service afternoon Reading of the Articles testimonial in every Church where by reason of any Ecclesiastical living he ought to attend read both the said testimonial and the said Articles upon pain that every such person which shall not before the said Feast do as is above appointed shall be ipso facto deprived and all his Ecclesiastical promotions shall be void as if he were then naturally dead And that if any person Ecclesiastical or which shall have Ecclesiastical livings shall advisedly maintain or affirm any Doctrine directly contrary or repugnant to any of the said Articles The penaltie of maintaining of Doctrine against the Articles and being convented before the Bishop of the Diocesse or the Ordinary or before the Queens Highnesse Commissioners in causes Ecclesiastical shall persist therein or not revoke his error or after such revocation eftsoones affirm such untrue Doctrine such maintaining or affirming and persisting or such eftsoone affirming shall be just cause to deprive such person of his Ecclesiastical promotions And it shall be lawful to the Bishop of the Diocess or the Ordinary or the said Commissioners to deprive such persons so persisting or lawfully convicted of such eftsoones affirming and upon such sentence of deprivation pronounced he shall be indeed deprived Several things required in him which shall be admitted to a Benefice And that no person shall hereafter be admitted to any Benefice with Cure except he then be of the age of three and twenty years at the least and a Deacon and shall first have subscribed the said Articles in presence of the Ordinary and publickly read the same in the Parish Church of that Benefice with declaration of his unfeigned assent to the same And that every person after the end of this Session of Parliament to be admitted to a Benefice with Cure except that within two moneths after his Induction he do publickly read the said Articles in the same Church whereof he shall have Cure in the time of Common Prayer there with declaration of his unfeigned assent thereto and be admitted to minister the Sacraments within one year after his Induction if he be not so admitted before shall be upon every such default ipso facto immediately deprived And that no person now permitted by any dispensation or otherwise shall retain any Benefice with Cure being under the age of One and Twenty years or not being Deacon at the least or which shall not be admitted as is aforesaid within one year next after the making of this Act or within six moneths after he shall accomplish the age of twenty four years on pain that such his dispensation shall be meerly void The age of a Minister or Preacher and his testimoniall And that none shall be made Minister or admitted to
their own liberty of comely apparel Item That all inferiour Ecclesiastical persons shall wear long gowns of the fashion aforesaid and caps as afore is prescribed Item That all poor Parsons Vicars and Curates do endeavour themselves to conform their apparel in like sort so seon and as conveniently as their ability will serve to the same Provided that their ability be judged by the Bishop of the Dioces And if their ability will not suffer to buy them long gowns of the form afore prescribed that then they shall wear their short gowns agreeable to the form before expressed Item That all such persons as have been or be Ecclesiastical and serve not the ministery or have not accepted or shall refuse to accept the oath of obedience to the Queens Majesty do from henceforth abroad wear none of the said apparel of the form and fashion aforesaid but to go as meer lay men till they be reconciled to obedience and who shall obstinately refuse to do the same that they be presented by the Ordinary to the Commissioners in causes Ecclesiastical and by them to be reformed accordingly Protestations to be made promised and subscribed by them that shall hereafter be admitted to any office room or Cure in any Church or other place Ecclesiastical IN primis I shall not preach or publickly interpret but only read that which is appointed by publick authority without special licence of the Bishop under his seal I shall read the service appointed plainly distinctly and audibly that all the people may hear and understand I shall keep the Register book according to the Queens Majesties Injunctions I shall use sobriety in apparel and specially in the Church at Common prayers according to order appointed I shall move the Parishioners to quiet and concord and not give them cause of offence and shall help to reconcile them which be at variance to my uttermost power I shall read daily at the least one Chapter of the old Testament and an other of the New with good advisement to the increase of my knowledge I do also faithfully promise in my person to use and exercise my office and place to the honour of God to the quiet of the Queens subjects within my charge in truth concord and unity And also to observe keep and maintain such order and uniformity in all external policy rites and ceremonies of the Church as by the Laws Good usuages and orders are already well provided and established I shall not openly intermeddle with any artificers occupations as covetously to seek a gain thereby having in Ecclesiastical living to the sum of twenty nobles or above by year Agreed upon and subscribed by Commissioners in causes Ecclesiastical Matthaeus Cantuariensis Edmondus Londoniensis Richardus Eliensis Edmondus Roffensis Robertus Wintoniensis Nicolaus Lincolniensis With others Imprinted at LONDON by Reginald Wolfe The OATHS of ALLEGIANCE SUPREMACY AND Canonical Obedience The Oath of ALLEGIANCE I A. B. Do truely and sincerely acknowledge professe testifie and declare in my conscience before God and the World that our Soveraign Lord King Charles is lawful and rightful King of this Realm and of all other his Majesties Dominions and Countries and that the Pope neither of himself nor by any authority of the Church or Sea of Rome or by any other means with any other hath any power or authority to depose the King or to dispose any of his Majesties Kingdoms or Dominions or to authorize any Foraign Prince to invade or annoy him or his Countries or to discharge any of his Subjects of their Allegiance and obedience to his Majesty or to give license or leave to any of them to bear Armes raise Tumults or to offer any violence or hurt to his Majesties Royal Person State or Government or to any of his Majestyes Subjects within his Majesties Dominions Also I do swear from my heart that notwithstanding any declaration or sentence of Excommunication or Deprivation made or granted or to be made or granted by the Pope or his Successours or by any Authority derived or pretended to be derived from him or his Sea against the said King his Heirs or Successours or any Absolution of the said Subjects from their Obedience I will bear faith and true Allegiance to his Majesty his Heirs and Successours and him and them will defend to the uttermost of my power against all conspiracies and attempts whatsoever which shall be made against his or their Persons their Crown and Dignity by reason or colour of any such Sentence or Declaration or otherwise and will do my best endeavour to disclose and make known unto his Majesty his Heires and Successours all Treasons and Traiterous Conspiracies which I shall know or hear of to be against him or any of them And I do further swear That I do from my heart abhor detest and abjure as impious and heretical this damnable Doctrine and Position That Princes which be excommunicated or deprived by the Pope may be deposed or murthered by their Subjects or any other whatsoever And I do believe and in Conscience am resolved that neither the Pope nor any person whatsoever hath power to absolve me of this Oath or any part thereof which I acknowledge by good and full authority to be lawfully administred unto me and do renounce all pardons and dispensations to the contrary And all these things I do plainly and sincerely acknowledge and swear according to these expresse words by me spoken and according to the plain and common sense and understanding of the same words without any equivocation or mental evasion or secret reservation whatsoever And I do make this Recognition and acknowledgement heartily willingly and truely upon the true faith of a Christian So help me God c. The Oath of SVPREMACY I A B. Do utterly testifie and declare in my conscience that the Kings highnesse is the onely supreme Governour of this Realm and of all other his Highnesse Dominions and Countries as well in all Spiritual or Ecclesiastical things or causes as Temporal And that no Foraign Prince Person Prelate State or Potentate hath or ought to have any Jurisdiction Power Superiority Preeminence or Authority Ecclesiastical or Spiritual with in this Realm And therefore I do utterly renounce and forsake all Foraign Jurisdictions Powers Superiorities and authorities and do promise from henceforth I shall bear faith and true Allegiance to the Kings Highnesse his Heires and lawful Successours and to my power shall assist and defend all Jurisdictions Priviledges Preeminences and Authorities granted or belonging to the Kings Highness his Heirs and Successours or united and annexed to the Imperial Crown of this Realm So help me God and by the Contents of this book The Oath of SIMONY I A. B. do swear that I have made no Simoniacal payment contract or promise directly or indirectly by my self or by any other to my knowledge or with my consent to any person or persons whatsoever for or concerning the procuring or obtaining of the R. or
V. of A in the Dioces of London Nor will at any time hereafter perform or satisfie any such kinde of payment contract or promise made by any other without my knowledge or consent So help me God through Jesus Christ Juramentum de CANONICA OBEDIENTIA EGO A. B. juro quod praestabo veram Canonicam Obedientiam Episcopo Londinensi ejusque successoribus in omnibus Licitis honestis Sic me Deus adjuvet Juramentum de continuâ Residentiâ in Vicariâ EGO A. B. Juro quod ero residens in Vicariâ meâ nisi alitèr dispensatum fuerit a Diocesano meo By the KING A PROCLAMATION Declaring That the proceedings of his Majesties Ecclesiastical Courts and Ministers are according to the Lawes of the Realm WHereas in some of the Libellous books and Pamphlets lately published The most Reverend Father in God the Lord Arch-bishop and Bishops of this Realm are said to have usurped upon his Majesties Prerogative Royal and to have proceeded in the high Commission and other Ecclesiastical Courts contrary to the Laws and statutes of this Realm It was ordered by his Majesties high Court of Star-Chamber the Twelfth day of June last that the opinion of the two Lords chief Justices the Lord chief Baron and the rest of the Judges and Barons should be had and certified in those particulars viz. Whether Processes may not issue out of the Ecclesiastical Courts in the Name of the Bishops Whether a Patent under the great Seal be necessary for the keeping of the Ecclesiastical Courts and enabling Citations Suspensions Excommunications and other censures of the Church And whether Citations ought to be in the Kings name and under his Seal of Armes and the like for Institutions and Inductions to Benefices and correction of Ecclesiastical offences Whether Bishops Arch-Deacons and other Ecclesiastical persons may or ought to keep any visitation at any time unlesse they have expresse Commission or Patent under the great Seal of England to do it and that as his Majesties Visitors onely and in his name and Right alone Whereupon his Majesties said Judges haveing taken the same into their serious consideration did unanimously concur and agree in opinion and the first day of July last certified under their hands as followeth That processes may issue out of the Ecclesiastical Courts in the name of the Bishops and that a Patent under the great Seal is not necessary for the keeping of the said Ecclesiastical Courts or for enabling of Citations Suspensions Excommunications and other Censures of the Church And that it is not necessary that Summons Citations or other Processes Ecclesiastical in the said Courts or Institutions or Inductions to Benefices or correction of Ecclesiastical offences by Censure in those Courts be in the Kings name or with the style of the King or under the Kings Seal or that their Seals of office have in them the Kings Armes And that the statute of Primo Edvardi sexti cap. secundo which enacted the Contrary is not now in force And that the Bishops Arch-Deacons and other Ecclesiastical persons may keep their Visitations as usually they have done without Commission under the great Seal of England so to do which opinions and resolutions being declared under the hands of all his Majesties said Judges and so certified into his Court of Starchamber were there recorded and it was by that Court further ordered the fourth day of the said month of July that the said certificate should be enrolled in all other his Majesties Courts at Westminster and in the High Commission and other Ecclesiastical Courts for the satisfaction of all men That the proceedings in the high Commission and other Ecclesiastical Courts are agreeable to the Laws and Statutes of the Realm And his Royal Majesty hath thought fit with advice of his Councel that a publick Declaration of these the opinions and resolutions of his Reverend and Learned Judges being agreeable to the Judgment and resolutions of former times should be made known to all his Subjects as well to vindicate the legal proceedings of His Ecclesiastical Courts and Ministers from the Unjust and scandalous imputation of Invading or entrenching on his Royal prerogative as to settle the minds and stop the mouths of all unquiet Spirits that for the future they presume not to censure His Ecclesiastical Courts or Ministers in these their Just and warranted proceedings And hereof his Majesty admonisheth all his Subjects to take warning as they shall answer the contrary at their perils Given at the Court at Lyndhurst the 18th day of August in the 13th year of his Majesties Reign God save the King Imprinted at London by Robert Barker Printer to the Kings most Excellent Majesty and by the Assignes of John Bill 1637. THE FORM and MANNER OF MAKING CONSECRATING BISHOPS PRIESTS AND DEACONS According to the APPOINTMENT OF THE Church of England LONDON Printed by Bonham Norton and John Bill Printers to the Kings most Excellent Majesty 1629. THE PREFACE IT is evident unto all men diligently reading holy Scripture and ancient Authors that from the Apostles time there hath been these Orders of Ministers in Christs Church Bishops Priests and Deacons which Offices were evermore had in such reverent estimation that no man by his own private authority might presume to execute any of them except he were first called tried examined and known to have such qualities as were requisite for the same and also by publick prayer with imposition of hands approved and admitted thereunto And therefore to the intent these orders should be continued and reverently used and esteemed in this Church of England it is requisite that no man not being at this present Bishop Priest nor Deacon shall execute any of them except he be called tried examined and admitted according to the Form hereafter following And none shall be admitted a Deacon except he be twenty one years of age at the least And every man which is to be admitted a Priest shall be full four and twenty years old And every man which is to be consecrated a Bishop shall be fully thirty years of age And the Bishop knowing either by himself or by sufficient testimony any person to be a man of vertuous conversation and without crime and after examination and trial finding him learned in the Latine tongue and sufficiently instructed in holy Scripture may upon a Sunday or Holiday in the face of the Church admit him a Deacon in such manner and form as hereafter followeth The form and manner of ordering DEACONS FIft When the day appointed by the Bishop is come there shall be an Exhortation declaring the duty and office of such as come to be admitted Ministers how necessary such Orders are in the Church of Christ and also how the people ought to esteem them in their Vocation After the Exhortation ended the Archdeacon or his Deputy shall present such as shall come to the Bishop to be admitted saying these words REverend Father in God I present unto you these
persons present to be admitted Deacons The Bishop TAke heed that the persons whom ye present unto us be apt and meet for their learning and godly conversation to exercise their ministry duly to the honour of God and edifying of his Church The Archdeacon shall answer I Have enquired of them and also examined them and think them so to be And the Bishop shall say unto the people BRethren if there be any of you who knoweth any impediment or notable 〈◊〉 in any of these persons presented to be ordered Deacons for the which he ought not to be admitted to the same let him come forth in the Name of God and shew what the crime or impediment is And if any great crime or impediment be objected the Bishop shall surcease from Ordering that person until such time as the party accused shall try himself clear of that crime Then the Bishop commending such as shall be found meet to be Ordered to the prayers of the Congregation with the Clerks and people present shall say or sing the Letany as followeth with the prayers The Letany and Suffrages O God the Father of heaven have mercy upon us miserable sinners O God the Father of heaven have mercy upon us miserable sinners O God the Son Redeemer of the world have mercy upon us miserable sinners O God the Son Redeemer of the world have mercy upon us miserable sinners O God the holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Son have mercy upon us miserable sinners O God the holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Son have mercy upon us miserable sinners O holy blessed and glorious Trinity three Persons and one God have mercy upon us miserable sinners O holy blessed and glorious Trinity three persons and one God have mercy upon us miserable sinners Remember not Lord our offences nor the offences of our forefathers neither take thou vengeance of our sins Spare us good Lord spare thy people whom thou hast redeemed with thy most precious blood and be not angry with us for ever Spare us good Lord From all evil and mischief from sin from the crafts and assaults of the devil from thy wrath and from everlasting damnation Good Lord deliver us From all blindnesse of heart from pride vain-glory and hypocrisy from envy hatred and malice and all uncharitablenesse Good Lord deliver us From fornication and all other deadly sin and from all the deceits of the world the flesh and the devil Good Lord deliver us From lightning and tempest from plague pestilence and famine from battle and murder and from sudden death Good Lord deliver us From all sedition and privie conspiracy from all false doctrine and heresie from heardnesse of heart and contempt of thy word and commandment Good Lord deliver us By the mystery of thy holy Incarnation by thy holy Nativity and Circumcision by thy Baptisme Fasting and Temptation Good Lord deliver us By thine Agony and bloody Sweat by thy Crosse and Passion by thy precious death and burial by thy glorious resurrection and ascenson and by the coming of the holy Ghost God Lord deliver us In all time of our tribulation in all time of our wealth in the hour oâ—… death and in the day of judgement Good Lord deliver us We sinners do beseech thee to hear us O Lord God and that it may please thee to rule and govern thy holy Church universally in the right way We beseech thee to hear us good Lord. That it may please thee to keep and strengthen in the true worshiping of thee in righteousnesse and holinesse of life thy servant CHARLES our most gracious King and Governour We beseech thee to hear us good Lord. That it may please thee to rule his heart in thy faith fear and love and that he may evermore have affiance in thee and ever seek thy honour and glory We beseech thee to hear us good Lord. That it may please thee to be his defender and keeper giving him the victory over all his enemies We beseech thee to hear us good Lord That it may please thee to blesse and preserve our gracious Queen Mary Prince James Duke of York and the rest of the Royal Progeny We beseech thee to hear us good Lord. That it may please thee to illuminate all Bishops Pastors and Ministers of the Church with true knowledge and understanding of thy Word and that both by their preaching and living they may set it forth and shew it accordingly We beseech thee to hear us good Lord. That it may please thee to edue the Lords of the Councel and all the Nobility with grace wisdome and understanding We beseech thee to hear us good Lord. That it may please thee to blesse and keep all the Magistrates giving them grace to execute Iustice and to maintain truth We beseech thee to hear us good Lord. That it may please thee to blesse and keep all thy people We beseech thee to hear us good Lord. That it may please thee to give to all Nations unity peace and concord We beseech thee to hear us good Lord. That it may please thee to give us an heart to love and dread thee and diligently to live after thy commandments We beseech thee to hear us good Lord. That it may please thee to give to all thy people increase of grace to hear meekly thy Word and to receive it with pure affection and to bring forth the fruits of the Spirit We beseech thee to hear us good Lord. That it may please thee to bring into the way of truth all such as have erred and are deceived We beseech thee to hear us good Lord. That it may please thee to strengthen such as do stand and to comfort and help the weak hearted and to raise vp them that fall and finally to beat down Satan under our feet We beseech thee to hear us good Lord. That it may please thee to succour help and comfort all that be in danger necessity and tribulation We beseech thee to hear us good Lord. That it may please thee to preserve all that travel by land or by water all women labouring of childe all sick persons and young children and to shew thy pity upon all prisoners and captives We beseech thee to hear us good Lord. That it may please thee to defend and provide for the fatherless children and widows and all that be desolate and oppressed We beseech thee to hear us good Lord. That it may please thee to have mercy upon all men We beseech thee to hear us good Lord. That it may please thee to forgive our enemies persecuters and slanderers and to turn their hearts We beseech thee to hear us good Lord. That it may please thee to give and preserve to our use the kindly fruits of the earth so as in due time we may enjoy them We beseech thee to hear us good Lord. That it may please thee to give us true repentance to forgive us all our sins negligences ignorances and to
assist and defend all jurisdictions priviledges preeminences and authorities granted or belonging to the Kings Highnesse his Heirs and Successors or united and annexed to the Imperial Crown of this Realm so help me God and the Contents of this Book Then shall the Bishop examine every one of them that are to be ordered in the presence of the people after this manner following DO you trust that you are inwardly moved by the holy Ghost to take upon you this office and ministration to serve God for the promoting of his glory and the edifying of his people Answer I trust so The Bishop DO you think that ye truely be called according to the will of the Lord Iesus Christ and the due order of this Realm to the Ministery of the Church Answer I think so The Bishop DO you unfeignedly beleive all the Canonical Scriptures of the Old and New Testament Answer I do believe The Bishop WIll you diligently read the same unto the people assembled in the Church where you shall be appointed to serve Answer I will The Bishop IT appertaineth to the office of a Deacon in the Church where he shall be appointed to assist the Priest in Divine service and specially when he Ministreth the holy Communion and to help him in distribution thereof and to read holy Scriptures and Homilies in the Congregation and to instruct the youth in the Catechisme to Baptize and to Preach if he be admitted thereto by the Bishop And furthermore it is his office where provision is so made to search for the sick poor and impotent people of the parish to intimate their estates names and places where they dwell unto the Curate that by his exhortation they may be relieved by the Parish or other convenient almes will you do this gladly and willingly Answer I will do so by the help of God The Bishop WIll you apply all your diligence to frame and fashion your own lives and the lives of your familie according to the doctrine of Christ and to make both your selves and them as much as in you lieth wholesome examples of the flock of Christ Answer I will so do the Lord being my helper The Bishop WIll you reverently obey your Ordinary and other chief Ministers of the Church and them to whom the government and charge is committed over you following with a glad minde and will their godly admonitions Answer I will endeavour my self the Lord being my helper Then the Bishop laying his hands severally upon the head of every of them shall say Take thou authority to execute the office of a Deacon in the Church of God committed unto thee In the Name of the Father the Son and the holy Ghost Amen Then shall the Bishop deliver to every one of them the new Testament saying Take thou authority to read the Gospel in the Church of God and to preach the same if thou be thereto ordinarily commanded Then one of them appointed by the Bishop shall read the Gospel of that day Then shall the Bishop proceed to the Communion and all that are ordered shall tarry and receive the holy Communion the same day with the Bishop The Communion ended after the last Collect and immediatly before the Benediction shall be said this Collect following ALmighty God giver of all good things which of thy great goodnesse hast vouchsafed to accept and take these thy servants unto the Offices of Deacons in thy Church make them we beseech thee O Lord to be modest humble and constant in their ministration to have a ready will to observe all spiritual discipline that they having alwayes the testimony of a good conscience and continuing ever stable and strong in thy Son Christ may so well use themselves in this inferiour Office that they may be found worthy to be called unto the higher Ministeries in thy Church through the same thy Son our Saviour Christ to whom be glory and honour world without end Amen And here it must be shewed unto the Deacon that he must continue in that Office of a Deacon the space of a whole year at the least except for reasonable causes it be otherwise seen to his Ordinary to the intent he may be perfect and well expert in the things appertaining to the Ecclesiastical administration in executing whereof if he be found faithful and diligent he may be admitted by his Diocesan to the Order of Priesthood ⧠The form of ordering of Priests When the exhortation is ended then shall follow the Communion And for the Epistle shall be read out of the twentieth Chapter of the Acts of the Apostles as followeth FRom Mileto Paul sent messengers to Ephesus and called the elders of the congregation which when they were come to him he said unto them Ye know that from the first day that I came into Asia after what manner I have been with you at all seasons serving the Lord with all humblenesse of minde and with many tears and temptations which happened unto me by the lying in wait of the Iews because I would keep back nothing that was profitable unto you but to shew you and teach you openly throughout every house witnessing both to the Iews and also to the Greeks the repentance that is toward God and the faith that is toward our Lord Iesus And now behold I go bound in the spirit unto Ierusalem not knowing the things that shall come on me there but that the holy Ghost witnesseth in every City saying that bands and trouble abide me But none of these things move me neither is my life dear unto my self that I might fulfil my course with joy and the ministration of the word which I have received of the Lord Iesus to testifie the Gospel of the grace of God And now behold I am sure that henceforth ye all through whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God shall see my face no more Wherefore I take you to record this day that I am pure from the blood of all men For I have spared no labour but have shewed you all the counsel of God Take heed therefore unto your selves and to all the flock among whom the holy Ghost hath made you overseers to rule the congregation of God which he hath purchased with his blood For I am sure of this that after my departure shall grievous wolves enter in among you not sparing the flock Moreover of your own selves shall men arise speaking perverse things to draw disciples after them Therefore awake and remember that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one of you night and day with tears And now brethren I commend you to God and to the word of his grace which is able to build further and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified I have desired no mans silver gold or vesture Yea you know your selves that these hands have ministred unto my necessities and unto them that were with me I have shewed you all things how that so
the evil speaker He must also have a good report of them which are without lest he fall into rebuke and the snare of the evil speaker The Gospel JEsus said to Simon Peter Simon Iohanna lovest thou me more then these He said unto him Ye Lord thou knowest that I love thee he said unto him Feed my Lambs He said to him again the second time Simon Iohanna lovest thou me He said unto him Yea Lord thou knowest that I love thee he said unto him Feed my sheep He said unto him the third time Simon Iohanna lovest thou me Peter was sorry because he said unto him the third time Lovest thou me And he said unto him Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee Iesus said unto him Feed my sheep Or else out of the tenth Chapter of John as before in the Order of Priests After the Gospel and creed ended first the elected Bishop shall be presented by two Bishops unto the Arch-Bishop of that Province or to some other Bishop appointed by his commission the Bishops that present him saying MOst reverend Father in God we present unto you this godly and well learned man to be consecrated Bishop Then shall the Arch-Bishop demand the Kings mandate for the Consecration and cause it to be read and the Oath touching the knowledge of the Kings Supremacy shall be ministred to the persons elected as it is set out in the order of Deacons And then shall be ministred the Oath of due obedience unto the Archbishop as followeth The Oath of due obedience to the Arch-Bishop IN the Name of God Amen I. N. chosen Bishop of the Church or See of N. do professe and promise all due reverence and obedience to the Archbishop and to the Metropolitical Church of N. and to their successors so help me God through Iesus Christ This Oath shall not be made at the Consecration of an Archbishop Then the Archbishop shall move the Congregation present to pray saying thus to them BRethren it is written in the Gospel of St. Luke that our Saviour Christ continued the whole night in prayer or ever that he did chuse and send forth his twelve Apostles It is written also in the Acts of the Apostles that the disciples which were at Antioch did fast and pray or ever they laid hands upon or sent forth Paul and Barnabas Let us therefore following the example of our Saviour Christ and his Apostles first fall to prayer or that we admit and send forth this person presented unto us to the work whereunto we trust the holy Ghost hath called him And then shall be said the Letany as afore in the Order of Deacons And after this place That it may please thee to illuminate all Bishops c. That it may please thee to blesse this our brother elected and to send thy grace upon him that he may duly execute the office whereunto he is called to the edifying of the Church and to the honour praise and glory of thy Name Answer We beseech thee to hear us good Lord Concluding the Letany in the end with this prayer Almighty God giver of all good things which by thy holy Spirit hast appointed divers orders and Ministers in thy Church mercifully behold this thy servant now called to the work and ministry of a Bishop and replenish him so with the truth of thy doctrine and innocency of life that both by word and deed he may faithfully serve thee in this Office to the glory of thy Name and profit of thy Congregation through the merits of our Saviour Iesus Christ who liveth and reigneth with thee and the holy Ghost world without end Amen Then the Archbishop sitting in a chair shall say to him that is to be consecrated BRother forasmuch as holy Scripture and the old Canons commandeth that we should not be hasty in laying on hands and admitting of any person to the goverment of the Congregation of Christ which he hath purchased with no less price than the effusion of his own blood afore I admit you to this administration whereunto you are called I will examine you in certain articles to the end the Congregation present may have a trial and bear witnesse how you be minded to behave your self in the Church of God Are you perswaded that you be truely called to this ministration according to the will of our Lord Iesus Christ and the order of this Realm Answer I am so perswaded The Archbishop ARe you perswaded that the holy Scriptures contain sufficiently all doctrine required of necessity for eternal salvation through the faith in Iesus Christ And are you determined with the same holy Scriptures to instruct the people committed to your charge and to teach or maintain nothing as required of necessity to eternal salvation but that you shall be perswaded may be concluded and proved by the same Answer I am so perswaded and determined by Gods grace The Archbishop WIll you then faithfully exercise your self in the said holy Scriptures and call upon God by prayer for the true understanding of the same so as ye may be able by them to teach and exhort with wholsome doctrine and to withstand and convince the gainsayers Answer I will so do by the help of God The Archbishop BE you ready with all faithful diligence to banish and drive away all erronious and strange doctrine contrary to Gods word and both privately and openly to call upon and encourage others to the same Answer I am ready the Lord being my helper The Archbishop WIll you deny all ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and live soberly righteously and godly in this world that you may shew your self in all things an example of good works unto others that the adversary may be ashamed having nothing to lay against you Answer I will so do the Lord being my helper The Archbishop WIll you maintain and set forward as much as shall lie in you quietnesse peace and love among all men and such as be unquiet disobedient and criminous within your Diocesse correct and punish according to such authority as ye have by Gods word as to you shall be committed by the ordinance of this Realm Answer I will so do by the help of God The Archbishop WIll you shew your self gentle and be merciful for Christs sake to poor and needy people and to all strangers destitute of help Answer I will so shew my self by Gods help The Archbishop ALmighty God our heavenly Father who hath given you a good will to do all these things grant also unto you strength and power to perform the same that he accomplishing in you the good work which he hath begun ye may be found perfect and irreprehensible at the latter day through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen Then shall be sung or said Come holy Ghost c. As it is set out in the Order of Priests That ended the Archbishop shall say Lord hear our prayer Answer And let our cry come unto thee ¶ Let us Pray
the order in the said book allowed upon no just and lawful cause all such persons they shall enquire of present and see punished and ordered according as is prescribed in the said Act with more care and diligence then heretofore hath been done the which negligence hath been cause why such disorders have of late now so much and in so many places encreased and grown And if any persons shal either in private houses or in publick places make assemblies and therein use other Rites of Common prayer and Administration of the Sacraments then is prescribed in the said Book or shall maintain in their houses any persons being notoriously charged by Books or preachings to attempt the alteration of the said orders they shall see such persons punished with all severity according to the Laws of this Realm by paines appointed in the said Act. And because these matters do principally appertain to the persons Ecclesiastical and to the Ecclesiastical government her Majesty giveth a most special and earnest charge to all Arch-Bishops Byshops Archdeacons and Deans and all such as have ordinary jurisdiction in such causes to have a vigilant eye and care to the observation of the Orders and Rites in the said book prescribed throughout their cures and Diocesse and to proceed from time to time by ordinary and Ecclesiastical jurisdiction as is granted thâ—m in the said Act with all celerity and severity against all persons who shall offend against any of the Orders in the said Book prescribed upon pain of her Majesties high displeasure for their negligence and deprivation from their dignities and benefices or other censures to follow according to their demerits Given at Grenewich the 20. day of October 1573. in the fifteenth year of the Queens Majesties reign God save the Queen Imprinted at London by Newgate Market next unto Christs Church by Richard Jugge Printer to the Queens Majesty Cum privilegio Regiae Majestatis By the Queen A Proclamation against the Sectaries of the Family of love WHereas by report of sundry of the Bishops of this Realm and others having cure of souls the Qeens Majesty is informed that in sundry places of Her said Realm in their several Diocesses there are certain persons which do secretly in corners make privie assemblies of divers simple unlearned people and after they have craftily and hypocritically assured them to esteem them to be more holy and perfect men then other are they do then teach them damnable heresies directly contrary to divers of the principal Articles of our Belief and Christian faith and in some parts so absurd and fanatical as by feigning to themselves a monstruous new kind of speech never found in the Scriptures nor in ancient Father or Writer of Christs Church by which they do move ignorant and simple people at the first rather to marvel at them then to understand them but yet to colour their sect withal they name themselves to be of the family of love and then as many as shall be allowed by them to be of that family to be elect and saved and all others of what Church soever they be to be rejected and damned And for that upon conventing of some of them before the Bishops and Ordinaries it is found that the ground of their sect is maintained by certain lewd heretical and seditious books first made in the Dutch tongue and lately translated into English and printed beyond the seas and secretly brought over into the Realm the author whereof they name H. N without yielding to him upon their examination any other name in whose name they have certain Books set forth called Evangelium Regni or a joyful Message of the Kingdom Documental sentences The prophecie of the spirit of love A publishing of the peace upon the earth and such like And considering also it is found that these Sectaries hold opinion that they may before any Magistrate Ecclesiastical or Temporal or any other person not being professed to be of their sect which they tearm the family of love by oath or otherwise deny any thing for their advantage so as though many of them are well known to be teachers and spreaders abroad of these dangerous and damnable sects yet by their own confession they cannot be condemned whereby they are more dangerous in any Christian Realm Therefore Her Majesty being very sorry to see so great an evil by the malice of the Devil first begun and practised in other countries to be now brought into this Her Realm and that by her Bishops and Ordinaries She understandeth it very requisite not onely to have these dangerous Hereticks and Sectaries to be severely punished but that also all other means be used by Her Majesties Royal authority which is given Her of God to defend Christs Church to root them out from further infecting of Her Realm She hath thought meet and convenient and so by this Her Proclamation She willeth and commandeth that all Her Officers and Ministers temporal shall in all their several vocations assist the Archbishops and Bishops of Her Realm and all other persons Ecclesiastical having cure of souls to search out all persons duely suspected to be either teachers or professors of the foresaid damnable Sects and by all good means to proceed severely against them being found culpable by order of the Laws either Ecclesiastical or Temporal and that also search be made in all places suspected for the books and writings maintaining the said Heresies and Sects and them to destroy and burn And wheresoever such books shall be found after the publication hereof in custody of any person other then such as the Ordinaries shall permit to the intent to peruse the same for confutation thereof the same persons to be attached and committed to close prison there to remain or otherwise by Law to be condemned until the same shall be purged and cleared of the same Heresies or shall recant the same and be thought meet by the Ordinary of the place to be delivered And that whosoever in this Realm shall either print or bring or cause to be brought into this Realm any of the said books the same persons to be attached and committed to prison and to receive such bodily punishment and other mulct as fautors of damnable Heresies And to the execution hereof Her Majesty chargeth all Her Officers and Ministers both Ecclesiastical and Temporal to have special regard as they will answer not onely afore God whose glory and truth is by these damnable Sects greatly sought to be defaced but also will avoid Her Majesties indignation which in such cases as these are they ought not escape if they shall be found negligent and carelesse in the Execution of their authorities Given at Our Manour of Richmond the third of October in the two and twentieth year of our Reign God save the Queen Imprinted at London by Christopher Barker Printer to the Queens most Excellent Majesty By the Queen A Proclamation against certain seditious and schismatical Books and Libels c.
THe Queens most excellent Majesty considering how within these few yeers past and now of late certain seditious and evil disposed persons towards her Majesty and the Government established for causes Ecclesiastical within Her Majesties Dominions have divised written printed or caused to be seditiously and secretly published and dispersed sundry Schismatical and seditious books diffamatory Libels and other phantastical writings amongst her Majesties Subjects containing in them doctrine very erroneous and other matters notoriously untrue and slanderous to the State and against the godly reformation of Religion and Government Ecclesiastical established by Law and so quietly of long time continued and also against the persons of Bishops and others placed in authority Eccesiastical under Her Highnesse by her authority in rayling sort and beyond the bounds of all good humanity All which Books Libels and writings tend by their scope to perswade and bring in a monstrous and apparent dangerous Innovation within Her Dominions and Countries of all manner of Ecclesiastical Government now in use and to the abâ—idging or rather to the overthrow of her Highnesse lawful Prerogative allowed by Gods Law and established by the Laws of the Realm and consequently to reverse dissolve and set at liberty the present Government of the Church and to make a dangerous change of the form of Doctrine and use of Divine service of God and the ministration of the Sacraments now also in use with a rash and malicious purpose also to dissolve the Estate of the Prelacy being one of the three ancient estates of this Realm under her Highnesse whereof her Majesty mindeth to have such a reverend regard as to their places in the Church and Common wealth appertaineth All which said lewd and seditious practises do directly tend to the manifest willful breach of great number of good Laws and Statutes of this Realm inconveniencies nothing regarded by such Innovations In consideration whereof her Highness graciously minding to provide some good and speedy remedy to withstand such notable dangerous and ungodly attemps and for that purpose to have such enormous malefactors discovered and condignely punished doth signifie this her Highnesse misliking and indignation of such dangerous and wicked enterprises and for that purpose doth hereby will and also straightly charge and command that all persons whatsoever within any her Majesties Realms and Dominions who have or hereafter shall have any of the said seditious Books Pamphlets Libels or Writings or any of like nature already published or hereafter to be published in his or their custody containing such matters as above are mentioned against the present Order and Government of the Church of England or the lawful Ministers thereof or against the Rites and Ceremonies used in the Church and allowed by the Laws of the Realm That they and every of them do presently after with convenient speed bring in and deliver up the same unto the Ordinary of the Diocesse or of the place where they inhabit to the intent they may be utterly defaced by the said Ordinary or otherwise used by them And that from henceforth no person or persons whatsoever be so hardy as to write contrive print or cause to be published or distributed or to keep any of the same or any other Books Libels or Writings of like nature and quality contrary to the true meaning and intent of this â—…er Majesties Proclamation And likewise that no man hereafter give any instruction direction favour or assistance to the contriving writing printing publishing or dispersing of the same or such like Books Libels or Writings whatsoever as they tender her Majesties good favour will avoid Her high displeasure and as they will answer the contrary at their uttermost perils and upon such pains and penalties as by the Law any way may be inflicted upon the offenders in any of these behalfs as persons maintaining such seditious actions which her Majesty mindeth to have severally executed And if any person have had knowledge of the Authors Writers Printers or dispersers thereof which shall within one moneth after the publication hereof discover the same to the Ordinary of the place where he had such knowledge or to any of her Majesties privie Councel the same person shall not for his former concealment be hereafter molested or troubled Given at her Majesties Palace at Westminster the xiii of February 1588. In the xxxi year of her Highnesse reign God save the Queen Imprinted at London by the Deputies of Christopher Barker Printer to the Queens most excellent Majestie 1588. ARTICLES to be enquired in the VISITATION IN THE First year of the reign of our most dread Sovereign LADY ELIZABETH By the grace of God Of England France and Ireland Queen defender of the Faith c. Anno Domini 1559. Articles c. Anno 1559. FIrst whether any Parson Residency Vicar or Curate be resident continually upon his Benefice doing his duty in preaching reading and duly ministring the holy Sacraments Item Whether in their Churches and Chappels all Images False miracles Shrines all Tables Candlesticks Trindals and rolls of Wax Pictures paintings and all other monuments of feigned and false miracles Pilgrimages Idolatry and Superstition be removed abolished and destroyed Item Whether they do not every holy day The Lords prayer when they have no Sermon immediatly after the Gospel openly plainly and distinctly recite to their Parishioners in the Pulpit the Lords prayer the Belief and the ten Commandments in English Item Whether they do charge Fathers and Mothers Masters To bring up youth and Governours of youth to bring them up in some vertuous studie and Occupation Item Whether such beneficed men Curates as be lawfully absent from their Benefices do leave their cures to a rude and unlearned person and not to an honest well-learned and expert Curate which can and will teach you wholesome doctrine Item Reading the Scriptures Whether they do discourage any person from reading of any part of the Bible either in Latine or English and do not rather comfort and exhort every person to read the same at convenient times as the very lively word of God and the special food of mans soul Item Whether Parsons Vicars Curates and other Ministers Taverns and games be common haunters and resorters to Taverns or Alehouses giving themselves to drinking rioting and playing at undlawful games and do not occupie themselves in the reading or hearing of some part of holy Scripture or in some other godly exercise Item Preachers Whether they have admitted any man to preach in their cures not being lawfully licenced thereunto or have been licenced accordingly Item Whether they use to declare to their Parishioners Superstition any thing to the extolling or setting forth of vain and supersticious Religion Pilgrimages Relicks or Images or lighting of Candles kissing kneeling or decking of the same Images Register Item Whether they have one book or register kept wherein they write the day of every Wedding Christning and Burying
Obedience Item Whether they have exhorted the people to obedience to the Queens Majesty and Ministers and to charity and love one to another The Sacrament Item Whether they have admonished their Parishioners that they ought not to presume to receive the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ before they can say perfectly the Lords prayer the Articles of the faith and the ten Commandements in English Hospitality Item Whether they be resident upon their Benefices and keep hospitality or no whether they do relieve their Parishioners and what they give them Reparations Item Whether Proprietaries Parsons Vicars and Clarks having Churches Chappels and Mansions do keep their Chancels Rectories Vicarages and all other houses appertaining to them in due reparations Prayer in English Item Whether they do counsel or move their Parishioners rather to pray in a tongue not known then in English or put their trust in any certain number of prayers as in saying over a number of Beads Beads or other like Defamed persons Item Whether they have received any persons to the Communion being openly known to be out of charity with their neighbours or defamed with any notorious crime and not reformed Poor mens box Item Whether they have provided and have a strong chest for the poor mens box and set and fastned the same in a place of the Church most convenient Testament Item Whether they have diligently called upon exhorted and moved their parishioners and especially when they make their Testaments to give to the said poor mens Box and to bestow that upon the poor which they were wont to bestow upon Pilgrimages Pardons Trentalls and upon otherlike blinde devotions Sick Burial Item Whether they have denied to visit the sick or bury the dead being brought to the Church Simony Item Whether they have bought their Benefices or come to them by fraud guile deceit or Simony Adulterers Item Whether they have given open monition to their Parishioners to detect and present to their Ordinary all Adulterers and Fornicators and such men as have two wives living within their Parishes Item Whether they have monished their parishioners openly Church goods that they should not sell give nor otherwise alienate any of their Church goods Item Whether they Many Benefices or any of them do keep moe Benefices and other Ecclesiastical promotions then they ought to do not having sufficient licences and dispensations thereunto and how many they be and their names Item Whether they minister the holy Communion any otherwise Communion then onely after such form and manner as it is set forth by the common authority of the Queens Majesty and the Parliament Item Letters of the word or preaching Whether you know any person within your Parish or else where that is a letter of the word of God to be read in English or sincerely preached in place and times convenient Item Whether in the time of the Letany Goers out of the church or any other Common prayer in the time of the Sermon or Homily and when the Priest readeth the Scriptures to the Parishioners any person have departed out of the Church without just and necessary cause or disturbed the minister otherwise Item Whether the money coming and rising of any Cattel Church money or other moveable stocks of the Church and money given and bequeathed to the finding Torches Lights Tapers or Lamps not paid out of any lands have not been imployed to the poor mens chest Item Who hath the said stocks and money in their hands Keepers of the Church money and what be their names Item Contempt of Priests Whether any undiscreet person do uncharitably contemn and abuse Priests and Ministers of the Church Item The Kings Grammar Whether there be any other Grammar taught in any School within this Diocesse then that which is set forth by the authority of King Henry the eight Item The time of Service Whether the service of the Church be done at due and convenient houres Item Whether any have used to commune jangle Talkers in the Church and talke in the Church in the time of the prayer reading of the Homily preaching reading or declaring of the Scripture Item Heresies Whether any have wilfully maintained and defended any Heresies errors or false opinions contrary to the faith of Christ and holy Scripture Item Whether any be common drunkards Drunkards swearers or blasphemers of the name of God Adulterers Item Whether any have committed Adultery fornication or incest or be common Bawds or receivers of such evil persons or vehemently suspected of any of the premisses Brawlers Item Whether any be brawlers slanderes chiders scolders and sowers of discord between one person and another Sorcerers Item Whether you know any that do use Charmes Sorceries Inchantments Invocations Circles Witchcrafts Soothsaying or any like crafts or imaginations invented by the Devil and specially in the time of womens travel Pulpits Item Whether Churches Pulpits and other necessaries appertaining to the same be sufficiently repaired and if they be not in whose default the same is Resorters to other Churches Item Whether you know any that in contempt of their own Parish Church do resort to any other Church Inholders Item Whether any Inholders or Alehouse keepers do use commonly to sell meat and drink in the time of common prayer preaching reading of the Homilies or Scripture Divorce Item Whether you know any to be married within the degrees prohibited by the laws of God or that be separated or divorced without the degrees prohibited by the law of God and Whether any such have married again Privie contracts Item Whether you know any to have made privie contracts of Matrimony not calling two or moe witnesses thereunto nor having thereto the consent of their parents Banes Item Whether they have married solemnly the banes not first lawfully asked Executors Item Whether you know any Executors or Administrators of dead mens goods which do not onely bestow such of the said goods as were given and bequeathed or appointed to be distributed among the poor people repairing of High wayes finding of poor scholars or marrying of poor maidens or such other like charitable deeds Images Item Whether you know any that keep in their houses any undefaced Images Tables Pictures Paintings or other Monuments of feigned and false miracles Pilgrimages Idolatry and superstition and do adore them and specially such as have been set up in Churches Chappels and Oratories Books Item What books of holy Scripture you have delivered to be burnt or otherwise destroyed and to whom ye have delivered the same Bribes Item What bribes the Accusers Promoters Persecutors Ecclesiastical Iudges and other the Commissioners appointed within the several Diocesses of this Realm have received by themselves or other of those persons which were in trouble apprehended or