not sparing to execute the penalties in them severally mentioned upon any that shall wittingly or wilfully break or neglect to observe the same as they tender the honour of God the peace of the Church tranquillity of the Kingdom and their duties and sorvice unto Us their King and Soveraign In witness c. Constitutions AND CANONS ECCLESIASTICAL Treated upon by the Archbishops and Bishops and the rest of the Clergy of Ireland and agreed upon by the Kings Majesties licence in their Synod begun and holden at Dublin Anno Domini 1634. and in the year of the Reign of our Soveraign Lord Charles by the Grace of God King of Great Brittain France and Ireland the Tenth I. Of the agreement of the Church of England and Ireland in the profession of the same Christian Religion FOR the manifestation of our agreement with the church of England in the confession of the same christian faith and the doctrine of the Sacraments We do receive and approve the book of Articles of Religion agreed upon by the Archbishops and Bishops and the whole clergy in the convocation holden at London in the year of our Lord God 1562. for the avoiding of diversities of opinions and for the establishing of consent touching true Religion And therefore if any hereafter shall affirm that any of those Articles are in any part superstitious or erroneous or such as he may not with a good conscience subscribe unto let him be excommunicated and not absolved before he make a publick revocation of his errour II. The Kings supremacy in causes Ecclesiastical to be maintained ALl Ecclesiastical persons having cure of souls and all other Preachers and Readers of Divinity lectures shall to the uttermost of their wit knowledge and learning purely and sincerely without any colour or dissimulation teach manifest open and declare four times every year at the least in their Sermons and other collations and lectures That all usurped and sorrain power forasmuch as the same hath no establishment nor ground by the law of God is for most just causes taken away and abolished and that therefore no manner of obedience or subjection within his Majesties Realms and Dominions is due unto such forreign power but that the Kings power within his Realm of Ireland and all other his Dominions and Countries is the highest power under God to whom all men as well Inhabitants as born within the same do by Gods laws owe all loyalty and obedience and to no other forreign power and potentate in the earth And whosoever shall hereafter maintain that the Kings-Majesty hath not the same authority in causes Ecclesiastical that the godly Kings had amongst the Jews and Christian Emperours in the Primitive Church or impeach in any part his Regal supremacy in the said causes restored to the Crown and by the laws of this Realm therein established let him be excommunicated and not restored but only by the Archbishop of the Province after his repentance and publick revocation of his errour III. Of the prescript form of Divine Service contained in the book of Common Prayer THat form of Liturgy or Divine Seâ—vice and no other shall be used in any Church of this Realm but that which is established by the law and comprised in the book of Common-Prayer and administration of Sacraments And if any one shall preach or by other open words declare or speak any thing in the derogation or despising of the said book or of any thing therein contained let him be excommunicated and not restored until he repent and publickly revoke his errour IV. Of the form of consecrating and ordering Archbishops Bishops c. and of the churches established according to that order THat form of ordination and no other shall be used in this Church but that which is contained in the book of Ordering Bishops Priests and Deacons allowed by authority and hitherto practised in the Churches of England and Ireland And if any shall affirm that they who are consecrated or ordered according to those rites are not lawfully made nor ought to be accounted either Bishops Priests or Deacons or shall deny that the Churches established under this government are true Churches or refuse to joyn with them in christian profession let him be excommunicated and not restored until he repent and publickly revoke his errour V. Authors of Schisme and maintainers of Conventicles censured WHosoever shall separate themselves from the communion of Saints as it is approved by the Apostles rules in the Church of Ireland and combine themselves rogether in a new brotherhood accounting the christians who are conformable to the doctrine government rites and ceremonies of the Church of Ireland to be prophane and unmeet for them to joyn with in christian profession or shall affirm and maintain that there are within this Realm other meetings assemblies or congregations than such as by the laws of this Land are held and allowed which may rightly challenge to themselves the name of true and lawful Churches let him be excommunicated and not restored until he repent and publickly revoke his errour VI. Due celebration of Sundayes and Holy-dayes ALl manner of persons shall celebrate and keep the Lords day commonly called Sunday and other Holy-dayes according to Gods holy will and pleasure and the orders of this Church that is in hearing the word of God read and taught in private and publick prayers in acknowledging their offences to God and amendment of the same in reconciling themselves charitably to their neighbours where displeasure hath been in oftentimes receiving the Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ in visiting the poor and fick using all godly and sober conversation VII The prescript form of Divine Service to be used on Sundayes and Holy-dayes with all decency and due reverence EVery Sunday and Holy-day the Parsons Vicars and Curates shall celebrate Divine Service at convenient and usual times of the day and in such place of every Church as the Bishop of the Diocess or Ecclesiastical Ordinary of the place shall think meet for the largeness or straitness of the same so as the people may be most edified All Ministers likewise shall use and observe the Orders Rites Ornaments and Ceremonies prescribed in the book of Common prayer and in the Act for Uniformity printed therewith as well in reading the holy Scriptures and saying of prayers as in administration of the Sacraments without either diminishing in regard of preaching or in any other respect or adding any thing in the matter or form thereof And in Cathedral and Collegiate Churches all Deans Masters and Heads of Collegiate Churches Canons and Prebendaries being Graduates shall daily at the times both of Prayer and Preaching wear with their Surplices such Hoods as are agreeable to their degrees No man also shall cover his head in any Church or Chappel in the time of Divine Service except he have some infirmity in which case he may wear a night-cap or coise Neither shall any person be otherwise at such times
or come not to the same 96. To provide a chest for Alms in every church 97. To abolish all monuments of superstition 98. None to teach school without Licence and curates desirous to teach to be licenced before others 99. The duty of school masters ¶ Of the authority of the Synod 100. The Authority of this National synod established HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE DIEV ET MON DROIT CHARLES by the Grace of God King of England Scotland France and Ireland Desender of the faith c. To all men to whom these presents shall come greeting Whereas our Bishops Deans of our cathedral churches Arch-deacons chapters and colledges and the rest of the clergy within our Kingdom of Ireland were summoned and called by vertue of our writs directed to the Arch-bishops of the four several Provinces and bearing date the four and twentieth day of May in the teuth year of our Reign to appear before the said Arch-bishops in the cathedral church of St. Patricks Dublin upon the one and twentieth day of July then next ensuing then and there to treat and conclude upon certain high and urgent affairs in the said writs mentioned who did thereupon at the time appointed and in the said cathedral church of St. Patricks aforesaid assemble themselves and appear in convocation for that purpose according to the tenor of the said writs And whereas we for divers urgent and weighty occasions us thereunto moving of our especial grace certain knowledge and meer motion did by vertue of our prerogative royal and supream authority in causes Ecclesiastical give and grant by our Letters Patents under our Great Seal of Ireland bearing date the one and twentieth day of July in the teuth year of our Reign full power and authority unto the said Archbishops Bishops Deans Archdeacons chapters colledges and clergy of this Kingdom then assembled in convocation in the said cathedral church of St. Patrick that they from time to time during the Parliament then begun at Dublin might confer treat consult and conclude of and upon such Articles canons Orders Ordinances Statutes and constitutions Ecclesiastical as they shall think necessary fit and convenient for the honour and service of Almighty God and augmentation of his divine worship the rooting out of heresies and errours out of the Vineyard of Christ for the procuring of the good and quiet of the church and preservation of good government in causes Ecclesiastical and to the Jurisdiction of the church belonging as also to make and set down ordinances and decrees to have such force and effect as other canons and constitutions of the church have and the same our royal assent being thereunto first had and obtained to set forth and publish freely and lawfully and that as well the Archbishops and Bishops and all other inferiour persons whom it may concern should yield due obedience thereunto as in and by our said letters Patents more at large it doth and may appear Forasmuch as the said Archbishops Bishops Deans Archdeacons chapters and colledges with the rest of the clergy of this Kingdom having met together at the time and place before mentioned and then and there by vertue of our said authority granted unto them have treated of concluded and agreed upon certain canons orders ordinances and constitutions to the end and purpose by Us limited and prescribed unto them and have thereupon offered and presented the same unto Us most humbly desiring Us to give our royal assent unto their said canons orders ordinances and constitutions according to the form of a certain Statute or Act of Parliament made in that behalf and by our said Prerogative royal and supream authority in causes Ecclesiastical to ratifie by our letters Patents under our Great Seal of Ireland and to confirm the said canons being one hundred in number and contained in a book Entituled Constitutions and Canons Ecclesiastical treated upon by the Archbishops and Bishops and the rest of the Clergy of Ireland and agreed upon with the Kings Majesties licence in their Synod begun at Dublin Anno Domini 1634. and in the year of the Reign of our Soveraign Lord CHARLES by the grace of God King of Great Brittain France and Ireland the Tenth which book is remaining with John Forth Clerke of the upper house of Convocation We of our Princely inclination and royal care for the maintenance of the present estate and government of the church of Ireland by the laws of this our Realm now setled and established having diligently with great contentment and comfort read and considered of all these their said canons orders ordinances and constitutions agreed upon as is before expressed and finding the same such as we are perswaded will be very profitable not only to our elergy but to the whole church of this our Kingdom and to all the true members of it if they be well observed Have therefore for us our Heirs and lawfull Successors of our especial grace certain knowledge and meer motion by the advice and consent of our right trusty and right well beloved cousin à nd Councellour Thomas Visecunt Wentworth our Deputy general of our said Kingdom of Ireland and President of our council established in the North parts of our Kingdom of England given and by these presents do give our royal assent according to the form of the said Statute or Act of Parliament aforesaid to all and every the said canons orders ordinances and constitutions and all and every thing in them contained And furthermore we do not only by our said Prerogative royal and supream authority in causes Ecclesiastical ratifie confirm and establish by these our letters Patents the said canons orders ordinances and constitutions and all and every thing in them contained as is aforesaid but do likewise propound publish and stâ—aightly enjoyn and command by our said authority and by these our letters Patents the same to be diligently observed executed and equally kept by all our loving Subjects of this our Kingdom in all points wherein they do or may concern every or any of them according to this our will and pleasure hereby signisied and expressed And that likewise for the better observation of them every Minister by what name or title soever he be called shall in the Parish Church or chappel where he hath charge read all the said canons orders ordinances and constitutions once every year upon some Sundayes or Holy-dayes in the afternoon before divine service dividing the same in such sort as that the one half may be read one day and the other another day The book of the said canons to be provided at the charge of the Parish betwixt this and the Feast of Easter next ensuing Straightly charging and commanding all Archbishops Bishops and all other that exercise any Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction within this Realm every man in his place to see and procure so much as in them lyeth all and every of the same canons orders ordinances and constitutions to be in all points duly observed
the Bishop or by him or them to whom the Jurisdiction of that church appertaineth according to the quality of the offence XXVIII Prebendaries to be resident upon their benefices NO Prebendaries or canons in cathedral or collegiate Churches having one or more benefices with cure and not being Residentaries in the same cathedral or collegiate Churches shall under colour of the said Prebends absent themselves from their benefices with cure above the space of one moneth in the year unless it be for some urgent cause and certain time to be allowed by the Bishop of the Diocess And such of the said canons and prebendaries as by the Ordinances of the said cathedral or collegiate churches do stand bound to be resident in the same shall so among themselves sort and proportion the times of the year concerning residence to be kept in the said Churches as that some of them always shall be personally resident there And that all those who be or shall be Residentaries in any cathedral or collegiate church shall after the days of their residency appointed by their local Statutes or customs expired presently repair to their benefices or some of them or to some other charge where the Law requireth their presence there to discharge their duties according to the law in that case provided And the Bishop of the Diocess shall see the same to be duly performed and put in execution XXIX Four solemn times appointed for the making of Ministers FOrasmuch as the ancient Fathers of the church led by the examples of the Apostles appointed Prayers and Feasts to be used at the solemn ordering of Ministers and to that purpose allotted certain times in which only sacred Orders might be given or conferred We following their holy and religious example do constitute and decree that no Deacons or Ministers be ordained and made but only upon the Sundays immediately following Jejunia quatuor temporum commonly called Ember-weeks appointed in ancient time for prayer and fasting purposely for this cause at their first Institution and so continued at this day in the church of Ireland And that this be done in the cathedral or parish church where the Bishop resideth and in the time of Divine Service in the presence not only of the Archdeacon but of the Dean and two Prebendaries at the least or if they shall happen by any lawfull cause to be let or hindered in the presence of four other grave persons being allowed for publick Preachers And lastly that no person of what quality or gifts soever be made a Deacon and a Presbyter both together upon the same day XXX The titles of such as are to be made Ministers NO person shall be admitted into Sacred Orders except he shall at that time exhibit to the Bishop of whom he desireth imposition of hands a presentation of himself to some Ecclesiastical preferment then void in that Diocess or shall bring to the said Bishop a true and undoubted certificate that either he is provided of some church within the said Diocess where he may attend the cure of souls or of some Ministers place vacant either in the cathedral church of that Diocess or in some other collegiate church therein also scituate where he may execute his Ministery or that he is a Senior Fellow of some Colledge in the University or except he be a Master of Arts of five years standing that liveth of his own charge in the University or except by the Bishop himself that doth ordain him Minister he be shortly after to be admitted either to some Benefice or Curateship then void not to be removed until he be otherwise provided for except by his notable evil carriage he deserve the contrary And if any Bishop shall admit any person into the Ministery that hath none of these Titles as is aforesaid then he shall keep and maintain him with all things necessary till he do prefer him to some Ecclesiastical living And if the said Bishop shall refuse so to do he shall be suspended by his Archbishop being assisted with another Bishop from giving of Orders by the space of a year XXXI The quality of such as are to be made Ministers NO Bishop shall hereafter admit any person into Sacred Orders which is not of his own Diocess except he be a graduate of some University within the Kings Dominions or except he shall bring letters dimissory so termed from the Bishop of whose Diocess he is and desiring to be a Deacon is three and twenty years old and to be a Presbyter four and twenty years compleat and hath taken some degrees of School in some of the said Universities or at the least except he be able to yield an account of his faith in latin according to the Articles of Religion generally received in the Church of England and Ireland and to confirm the same by sufficient testimonies out of the holy Scriptures And except moreover he shall then exhibit letters Testimonial or authentical certificate of his good life and conversation under the Seal of some Colledge where before he remained or of three or four grave Ministers together with the subscription and testimony of other credible persons who have known his life and behaviour by the space of three years next before XXXII The examination of such as are to be made Ministers THe Bishop before he admit any person to holy Orders shall diligently examine him in the presence of those Ministers that shall assist him at the Imposition of hands And if the said Bishop have any lawfull impediment he shall cause the said Ministers carefully to examine every such person so to be ordered Provided that they who shall assist the Bishop in examining and laying on of hands shall be of his Cathedral Church if they may conveniently be had or other sufficient Preachers of the same Diocess to the number of three at the least And if any bishop or Suffragan shall admit any toSacred Orders who is not so qualified and examined as before we have ordained the Archbishop of that Province having notice thereof and being assisted by one bishop shall suspend the said bishop or Suffragan so offending from making either Deacons or Priests for the space of two years Neither shall any person be received into the Ministery nor admitted to any Ecclesiastical living nor permitted to preach read Lecture catechize or minister the Sacraments except he shall first by subscription declare his consent to the first four Canons of this present Synod and every thing contained therein XXXIII Caution for institution of Ministers into benefices NO bishop shall institute any into a benefice who hath been ordained by any other bishop except he first shew unto him his letters of Orders and bring him a sufficient testimony of his former good life and behaviour if the bishop shall require it and lastly shall appear upon the due examination to be worthy of his ministry XXXIV Patrons of Eâ—clesiastical benefices THe Bishop shall earnestly and diligently exhort Patrons of benefices to