Church or Chappel wear the Surplice VII Doth your Minister give notice of the Holidays and of the Ember Weeks that the people may be minded to pray for such as are to be duly and solemnly called to the work of the Ministry as also of the yearly perambulation in Rogation week for preserving the Bounds of the Parish and for destring Gods blessing upon the fruits of the earth doth he also observe the fifth of November the thirtieth of January and the twenty ninth of May according to the Statutes and Orders set forth in that behalf VIII Doth your Minister every year in your Church or Chappel publith the Statute made against prophane Swearing and Cursing and against the Prophanation of the Lords day according as it is thereby enacted 21 Jac. 20. Cap. 29. Car. 2. Can. 48. IX Hath your Minister been Licensed to Preach by the Bishop Can. 49. If so doth he then constantly unless in case of Sickness necessary absence or other reasonable impediment himself Preach in your Church or Chappel one Sermon every Sunday Can. 45.46 Or if he be not a Licensed Preacher or being so Licenced be hindred by Sickness or otherwise as aforesaid doth he procure a Sermon to be so preached by some other Minister a Licensed Preacher or one of the Homilies set forth by Authority to be there read by a Priest or Deacon Can. 59. Can. 61. Can. 66. X. Doth your Minister diligently instruct the Youth of your Parish in the Church Catechism and doth he prepare and present them being so instructed to be confirmed by the Bishop And doth he endeavor to reclaim all Popish Recusants and other Sectaries if any such be inhabiting within your Parish to the true Religion established in the Church of England and to their bounden duty in obeying the Law and submitting to the Government thereof Can. 67. Can. 68. XI Doth he neglect or refuse to visit the Sick or delay the Baptism of any Infant that is in danger of death is there any Child past Infancy or other person of more years through your Ministers default yet remaining unbaptized in your Parish Can. 69. Doth he use to Baptize any without God-fathers and God mothers Can. 29. or admit either of the Parents to be God father or God-mother to their own Children Can. 5. XII Hath he at any time as you know or have heard preached any False Heretical Seditious or Schismatical Doctrine thereby to seduce the people into parties and Factions to the disturbance of the publick peace and unity either of Church or State 13 Q. Eliz. 12 Can. 62. XIII Hath he presumed to marry any persons in private houses or such as being under age have not the consent of their Parents or without the Banes first published on three Sundays or Holidays in the Church or at any other hours than between eight and twelve in the Morning unless he had a Licence or Dispensation so to do Can. 56.14 Car. 2. XIV Doth any person Preach in your Parish as a Lecturer hath he allowance from the Bishop for so doing Doth he before his Lecture read Divine Service according to the Book of Common-Prayer and is he in all things conformable to the Laws and Orders of the Church of England Can. 72. XV. Hath your Minister taken upon him to appoint any publick or private Fasts Prophecying or Exercises not appointed by Authority Can. 73. or doth he or any other either Minister or Lay person hold any Conventicles or Meetings in private houses within the number of five persons under the pretences of Preaching Praying Thanksgiving or Humiliation contrary to the Laws and Canons in that case provided Can. 73. XVI Is your Parson Vicar Curate or Lecturer a man of a sober unblameable and exemplary Life Can. 74. Doth he familiarly converse with ungodly vitious and excommunicate persons Is he a frequenter of Taverns or Ale-houses a common Gamester a Swearer Railer or Quarreller Doth he set Neighbours at variance one with another or encourage them to suits and Contentions is he noted to be an intemperate Drinker or vehemently suspected of incontinency with any person either within your Parish or without Is his apparel grave and decent as the Canons of the Church require Or is his Carriage and Conversation in any kind whatsoever disorderly and Scandalous and unbeseeming a Minister of Iesus Christ TIT. IV. Concerning the Parishioners Can. 110. I. IS there in your parish any person a known or reputed Heretick or Schismatick any Papist Familist Anabaptist Quaker or other Sectary that refuse to come unto the Publick Assemblies Prayers or Services of the Church or that makes profession of any other Religion than what is established in the Church of England and if there be any such what are their names Can. 109. II. IS there any person in your Parish that lieth under a common fame or behement suspicion of Adultery Fornication or Incest Are there any common Drunkards within your parish or common Swearers or Blasphemers of Gods Name or any that are noted to be Railers unclean or filthy talkers or sowers of sedition faction and discord among their Neighbors 5 6 Ed. 6. cap. 3. Can. 13.29 Can. 2. III. Do any of your Parish upon Sundays or Holidays follow their bodily or ordinary labour or permit their Servants so to do Are any shops kept open or Wares sold or do any Vintners Inn-keepers or other Victuallers and Sellers of Beer and Ale suffer any persons to tipple or game in their houses upon those days 1 Q. Eliz. 2. IV. Doth every person inhabiting and sojourning within your Parish duly resort unto your Church or Chappel upon every Sunday and Holiday appointed for Divine Service Can. 18. Can. 111. Do they then and there abide quietly with reverence order and decency during all the whole time of Common-Prayer Preaching or other Service of God there used and are there any among you that come only to the Preaching and not to common Prayers of the Church Rub. Bap. V. Are there any in your Parish that refuse to send their Infant-children to be Baptized publickly in the Church unless in case of urgent danger in which case the Child may be baptized at home by a lawful Minister after the form and rites appointed in the Liturgy Or do they send them from their own Minister to be bartized in any other Parishes or after other form than is appointed Or do they keep them unbaptized any longer time than the Church alloweth And are there any Infants or more aged persons in your Parish as yet unbaptized Can. 59. VI. Doth every Housholder in your Parish cause their children and servants to come to Church to learn their Catechism and to give an account thereof unto your Minister as he shall require it of them openly in the Church upon Sundays and Holidays as in the Book of Common-Prayer is appointed that when
ARTICLES OF Visitation and Enquiry Concerning MATTERS Ecclesiastical EXHIBITED To the Ministers Church-wardens and Side-men of every Parish within the DIOCESS of Peterborough In the Episcopal and Primary VISITATION OF THE Right Reverend Father in God WILLIAM By Divine Permission Lord Bishop of Peterborough â—â—NDON Printed for William Hendâ—â—â—â—â— at the Kings Head in West 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Form of the Oath of Chur-wardens and Side-men YOV shall swear Truly and Faithfully to Execute the Office of Church-Warden or Side-man within your Parish and according to the best of your skill and knowledge Present such Things and Persons as to your knowledge are Presentable by the Laws Ecclesiastical of this Realm So help you GOD and the Contents of this BOOK ARTICLES OF Visitation and Enquiry WITHIN THE DIOCESS of Peterborough TITUL. I. Concerning Churches and Chappels with the Ornaments and Furniture thereunto belonging Can. 85. I. IS your Parish-Church or Chappel kept in good and sufficient repair Are the Roofs thereof well covered with Lead Tile or Slate the Windows well Glazed the Floors well Paved the Seats well fastned and conveniently placed and all things so decently ordered as becometh the House of God Lird Prov. Const lib 3 de immunitat Ecclesiae II. Hath the Steeple or Tower of your Church or Chappel or any part thereof been pulled down any of the Lead or Bells formerly belonging thereunto been embezelled sold or made away In whose hands or custody doth the same or any part thereof remain Declare what you know or have heard therein III. Is there a Font of Stone standing in the usual place for publick Baptism and doth your Minister therein publickly Baptize as the Law orders and requires Can. 82. IV. Have you in your said Church or Chappel a convenient Seat or Pew for your Minister to read Divine Service in Can. 83. A Pulpit with a comely Cloth or Cushion for the same Can. 80. A Bible of the last Translation in a large Volume and the Book of Common-Prayer 14 Car. 2. established by the late Act of Parliament both well and substantially bound Ks Conf. Canons Have you likewise the Book of Homilies set forth by Authority Book of Canons and Constitutions Ecclesiastical Can. 99. and a printed Table of the Degrees wherein marriage is prohibited Can. 58. V. Have you a comely large Surplice for the Minister to wear at all times of his publick Ministration in the Church provided and to be duly washed at the charge of your Parish Can. 70. VI. Have you a Register-Book of Parchment wherein to Register the Names and Sur-names of all such persons as are Married Christened or Buried within your Parish together with the names and Sur-names of both the Yarents of the Children so Christened expressing the Day Month and Pear of all such Christenings Marriages and Burials And is the transcript thereof yearly within one Month next after the 25. of March brought into the Bishops Registry Can. 52. VII Have you likewise another Book of Paper wherein to record the Names and Licences of all such Strangers as are admitted at any time to Preach in your Church or Chappel Can. 89. As also a third Book wherein to write down the Church-wardens Account together with a strong Chest with Locks and Keys wherein to keep the aforesaid Book and all the forementioned Furniture in safe Custody and lastly have you a Bier with a black Hearse-Cloth for the Burial of the Dead TIT. II. Concerning the Church-yard the Houses Glebes and Tithes belonging to the Church Can. 85. I. IS your Church-yard sufficiently fenced with walls Rails or Pales and decently kept from the annoyance of Swine Horses and other Cattel 35 Ed. 1. hath any person encroached upon the same or made any door into it out of his own ground or habitation without allowance from the Ordinary have any trees there growing been cut down how long since by whom and to whose use and benefit Lind. lib. 1. de Offic. Archid. II. Is the house of your Parson Vicar or Curate with all the Out-houses thereunto belonging kept in good and sufficient repair Or have any of the said Houses or Out-houses been defaced or pulled down without licence from the Ordinary and by whom Hath any person encroached upon any Garden Yard or Close belonging to your Parsonage or Vicarage-house or out up any Trees growing thereon Ibid. de Eccl. Edif or changed or removed the ancient Marks and Bounds of the same Can. 87. III. Have you a true and perfect Terrier of all the Glebe Lands Gardens Orchards Tenements or Cottages belonging to your Parsonage or Vicarage As also a note of such Pensions Rate-Tithes and Portions of Tithes or other yearly Profits either within or without your Parish as belong thereunto Have any of the same been with-held from your Minister and by whom as you know or have heard Lind. lib. 3. de rebus Eccles IV. Have any of the antient Glebe-lands belonging to your parsonage or Vicarage been taken away or exchanged for other without the free consent of the Incumbent and licence from the Ordinary by whom hath the same been made and how many years since and how much is your Parsonage or Vicarage damnified thereby in the yearly value thereof as you know believe or have heard V. Have any dying in your Parish given any Legacy to the Church or Poor and hath it been misemployed or disposed of to other uses TIT. III. Concerning Ministers I. IS your Minister defamed or suspected to have obtained either his Benefice or Orders by any Simoniacal compact Q. Eliz. Injunct 26. Can. 36. Lind. lib. 3.13 Q. Eliz. Can. 12. II. Is your Minister so far as you know or believe in Holy Orders according to the Church of England III. Did he within two Months after his Induction publickly in the Church upon some Sunday or Holi-day in the time of Divine Service read the 39 Articles of the Church of England established by Authority and there publickly declare his assent thereunto Can. 41. IV. Hath he any other Ecclesiastical Benefice Is be constantly resident upon his Benefice among you How many weeks in any one year hath be been absent from it Can. 47. 48. V. Hath your Minister a Curate to assist him Who is that Curate Is he conformable to the Laws and Orders of the Church of England and doth be serve in any other Church beside and what yearly stipend doth your Minister allow him VI. Doth your Parson Vicar or Curate diligently attend upon his Ministry in reading the Lessons and Prayers Preaching the Word Administring the Sacrament Catechising the Youth Visiting the Sick and in all other the Oâ—fices of his Ministerial Function in such manner and form as is directed by the Book of Common-Prayer lately establishes and the Act of Vniformity therewith published and doth he in the reading or celebrating every Office in your
they are Can. 61. well instructed in the same they may be Confirmed by the Bishop Can. 112. VII Is there any person in your Parish who being 16 years of age doth not receive the Sacrament of the Lords Supper at least three times in the year of which Easter is always to be one Can. 114. Doth any in your Parish refuse to receive the same kneeling or from the hands of your own Minister repairing for it to other Parishes and Ministers abroad Can. 21. Can. 27. Rub. C. Pr. Can. 28. 57. Or are there any Strangers not of your Parish that forsake their own Churches and usually repair to others for it Can. 65. VIII Have you any among you that be denounced and declared excommunicate for any crime committed how long have they been so excommunicated and do any of your Parish keep society with them before they be reconciled to the Church and absolved Can. 59. IX Are there any living in your Parish as Man and Wife who are within the degrees prohibited Can. 107. Or any that being lawfully divorced have married again Or any that being lawfully married and not separated or divorced by course of Law do not cohabit together Rub Common-Prayer X. Are there any married Women in your Parish who after their delivery from the peril of Child-birth refuse to make their publick thanksgiving to God in the Church and when they come so to do do they come decently apparelled and make their Offerings according to Custom 27 Hen. 8.20 Rub. Com. Prayer Can. 85. XI Are there any belonging to your Parish who refuse to pay their duty for Easter Offerings to your Minister Or any that refuse to contribute and pay the rate assessed upon them for repair of your Church and Chappel and for the providing of such Books Furniture and Ordinances as be requisite for the performance of all Divine Offices there Rub. Com. Prayer XII Do any refuse to bury their Dead according to the Rites of the Church of England and are there any Wills and Testaments of persons dead in your Parish that be yet unproved Can. 6. Or any goods administred without a due grant from the Ordinary Can. 92. Did any dying in your Parish or elsewhere leave any Legacy to your Church or Chappel 21 Hen. 8.5 Lind. lib. 3. de Test what were those Legacies and how have they been bestowed XIII Is there any strife and contention among any of your Parish for their Pews or Seats in your Church Have any new Pews been erected in your Chancel or in the Body of your Church or Chappel without leave from the Ordinary XIV Is there any in your Parish who hath lately or heretofore paid any Sum of Money to any Ecclesiastical Officer for Commutation of Penance what was the Sum and to what use hath it been employed XV. Are there any in your Parish that are Blasphemers of Gods holy Name z any common Drunkards or Swearers any commonly known or justly suspected to be guilty of Fornication Adultery Incest or any other crime of Ecclesiastical cognizance declare who they are that they may be proceeded against and punished according to their deserts TIT. V. Concerning Parish-Clerks and Sextons Can. 98. I. HAve you belonging to your Church or Chappelry a Parish-Clerk aged 21 years at the least Is he of honest life and conversation and sufficient or able to perform his duty in reading writing and singing Is he chosen by your Minister and doth he duly attend him in all Divine Services at the Church Are his wages duly paid unto him or who with holdeth the same from him Can. 67. II. Doth he or your Sexton if there be any such appointed in your Parish diligently look to your doors of your Church that they be locked and opened at due time And doth he keep your Church or Chappel clean from Dust Cobwebs and other annoyance Doth he Toll or King the Bells at the due accustomed hours before the beginning of Divine Service Morning and Evening that the people may be warned to come unto the Church And when any person is passing out of this life doth he upon notice given him thereof toll a Bell as hath been accustomed that the neighbours mâ—y thereby be warned to meditate upon their own death to recommend the dying person to the Grace and Favour of God TIT. VI. Concerning Hospitals Schools School-masters Physicians Chyrurgeons and Midwives 2 Hen. 5.1 Q. Eliz. A. 3.4 I. IS there in your Parish any Hospital Alms-house or Free-School not of the Kings Foundation or Patronage Who was the Founder or is now the Patron thereof And what is the yearly Revenue or Stipend belonging to the Governors or Masters of the same Is the same ordered and governed in every respect as it ought to be And are the Revenues thereof rightly employed according to the intention of the Founder and of such grants and ordinances as have been made concerning the same Can. 77. Can. 79. II. Doth any man keep a publick or private School in Your Parish who is not allowed thereunto by the Ordinary Doth your School-master teach his Scholars the Catechism of Religion set forth by Authority Doth he cause them upon Sundays and Holy-days orderly to repair to your Church or Chappel and see that they behave themselves there quietly and reverently during the time of Divine Service and Sermon 3 Hen. 8.11 III. Doth any Man in your Parish practise Physick or Chyrurgery or any Woman take upon her to exercise the Office of a Midwife without approbation and licence from the Ordinary TIT. VII Concerning Ecclesiastical Officers Can. 135. I. ARe there any Ecclesiastical Officers that exercise Ecclesiastical Iurisdiction within this Diocess that demand take and receive any extraordinary Fees for any cause that is transacted by them by virtue of their respective offices And have any Abuses or Offenses presented by the Church-wardens or others been by them suppressed or left unpunished Can. 136. II. Is there a Table of Fees publickly fastned and set up in the Consistory or Ecclesiastical Court to which you are called to appear and make your presentment that so every one may know what Fees he ought to pay as the Canons enjoyn III. Have any Apparitors taken any reward for the concealing of any offence or the avoiding the punishment or reformation of offenders and do they summon any to appear at the Consistory without citation first had and granted from the Ecclesiastical Iudge If you know of any other default or crime of ecclesiastical cognizance you are to present the same TIT. VIII Queries to be put to the Minister Concerning the Church-Wardens and Sidemen Can. 89. I. ARe the Church-wardens of your Parish yearly and duly chosen by the joynt consent of the Minister and Parishioners or one of them by the Minister and the other by the Parishioners or as the custom of the Parish