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A32940
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Articles of enquiry concerning matters ecclesiastical within the diocese of Chester, in the primary episcopal visitation of the right reverend Father in God John Lord Bishop of Chester, Anno Dom. 1674.; Visitation articles. 1674
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Church of England. Diocese of Chester.
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1674
(1674)
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Wing C4025; ESTC R213187
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4,777
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11
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ARTICLES OF ENQUIRY CONCERNING Matters Ecclesiastical Within the DIOCESE of CHESTER IN THE Primary EPISCOPAL VISITATION OF THE Right Reverend Father in God JOHN Lord Bishop of CHESTER Anno Dom. 1674. LONDON Printed for JOH WILLIAMS Junior M.DC.LXXIV The Tenour of the Oath to be Tendered to the Church-Wardens and Side-men YOU shall Swear diligently to enquire and true Presentment make of all Defaults and Offences against the Laws Ecclesiastical of this Realm In which you are to take Direction from these Articles And that you will not Present any Person out of Malice or Ill-will nor spare any out of Fear or Favour So help you God ARTICLES OF ENQUIRY Within the DIOCESE of CHESTER TIT. I. Concerning Churches or Chappels with the Ornaments Furniture and Possessions belonging to them I. IS the Fabrick of your Church or Chappel with all things appertaining to it kept in good repair within and without in such order and decency as becometh the House of God II. IS there in the Church or Chappel a Font of Stone standing in the usual ancient place with a Cover to it for the Administration of Baptism Is there also a convenient Communion Table with a fair Carpet of Silk or other decent stuff in the time of Divine Service and with a fair Linnen Cloth at the time of Administring the Sacrament What Cup Chalice Patin or Flagons have you belonging to that Service III. HAVE you in your Church or Chappel a convenient seat for the Minister to read Divine Service in And a Pulpit with a decent Cloth or Cushion for the same IV. HAVE you a large Folio Bible of the last Translation with two Books of Common Prayer well bound one for the Minister the other for the Clerk Have you the Book of Homilies set forth by Authority the Book of Canons and the Table of Degrees prohibited in Marriage V. HAVE you a Register-Book of Parchment for all who are Christned Married or Buried in the Parish Doth your Minister every Lords-day in the Presence of your Church-Wardens set down the Names of Parties with the Day Month and Year of each Christning Marriage or Burial Is the Transcripts thereof every Year within one Month after the Twenty fifth of March carried into the Bishops Registry VI. HAVE you a Paper-Book in which the Names of Strangers who preach or officiate in the Church or Chappel are set down and another Book for the Church-Wardens Accompts VII HAVE you a fair Surplice for the Minister to wear at the times of his publick Ministration provided at the Charge of the Parish VIII HAVE you a Chest with three Locks and Keyes to keep the Books and Ornaments of the Church Have you a Bier with a black Herse-cloth for the Burial of the Dead IX IS the Church-yard sufficiently fenced with Walls Pales or Rails and decently kept from all Annoyance or Incroachments Are the Trees therin preserved X. IS the Mansion-House of your Minister with all other Houses thereto belonging kept in good repair Have any of them been pulled down or defaced Have any Incroached upon the Land thereto belonging or felled the Trees thereon growing XI HAVE you a perfect Terrier of all Glebe-Lands Gardens Orchards and Tenements belonging to your Parsonage or Vicarage as also an Account of such Pensions Rate-Tyths and Portions of Tiths or other yearly Profits either within or without the Parish as belong thereunto Have any of the same been with-held from your Minister And by whom as you know or have heard XII HAVE any of the ancient 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 Have any Inclosures been made in your Parish to the detriment of the Church by the decay of Tillage and converting Arable-Land into Pasture 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 XIII HAVE any new Pews or Seats been erected in your Chancel or in the Body of the Church or Chappel without leave from the Ordinary TIT. II. Concerning Ministers I. IS your Minister Curate or Lecturer Episcopally Ordained II. HATH he been Licensed to Preach by the Bishop or either of the Vniversities III. IS he defamed or suspected to have obtained his Orders or Benefice by any Simoniacal Compact IV. DOTH your Minister diligently read Divine Service and preach every Lords-day in the Church unless hindered by sickness or reasonable absence And in such cases doth he procure some lawful Minister to read Prayers to Preach and perform other Ministerial Duties V. DOTH your Minister in the Morning and Evening Service in the Administration of the Sacraments and in performing other Religious Offices appointed by the Church of England use the respective Forms in the Book of Common Prayer together with all those Rites and Ceremonies which are enjoined in this Church And doth he make use of the Surplice when he reads Divine Service or Administers the Sacraments VI. DOTH your Minister diligently Catechize the Youth of his Parish Doth he prepare and procure them as occasion is offered to come and be confirmed by the Bishop And doth he endeavour to reclaim all Popish Recusants and all Sectaries in your Parish to the true Religion and Worship of God as it is established by Law VII IS your Minister a man of a sober unblamable and exemplary life Is he grave modest and regular in his outward demeanor and apparel according to the Constitutions of the Church Or is his carriage conversation or company in any kind whatsoever disorderly or scandalous and unbeséeming his Calling and Charge VIII IS your Minister ready to visit the Sick and to Baptize Infants in danger of death being so desired Is any Infant or more aged person in the Parish yet Vnbaptised by his default Doth he duely Administer the Blessed Sacrament of the Lords Supper Three times every year at the least whereof Easter to be one Doth he baptize with Sureties IX DOTH your Minister Marry any persons at Vncanonical Hours not betwéen eight and twelve or in private or such as are under Age not having the Consent of their Parents and Guardians Doth he Marry any either without Banes first published Three Sundays or Holidays in the Church or without License so to do or with the License of any other than the Archbishop Bishop of this Diocese or his Chancellor X. DOTH your Minister duly bid and observe Holidays and Fasting-days as is appointed And doth he then use the Forms of Prayer prescribed by the Church Hath he taken upon him to appoint any private Fasts or Religious Exercises without lawful Authority Doth he or any other Minister or Lay-person in your Parish hold any unlawful Conventicles or Meetings under pretence of any exercise of Religion XI IS your Minister constantly Resident among you Hath he a Curate conforming to assist him in his
absence or presence Doth he carry himself in all things as an able and discreet Minister and conformable to the Church of England Doth he serve any more Cures besides that of your Parish on the same day what is the name of your Curate and what yearly Stipend doth your Minister allow him XII IS there in your Parish any Lecturer what is his name Doth he read Divine Service before his Lecture as by Law is required and is he Conformable to the Discipline of the Church of England TIT. III. Concerning Parishoners I. ARE there any in your Parish who are reputed Hereticks or Schismaticks refusing Communion with the Church of England Any impugners of the Religion established of his Majesties Supremacy or of any the Laws Rites and Ceremonies Ecclesiastical Have any spoken or declared any thing in derogation or to the depraving of the Form of Gods Worship in the Church of England and Administration of the Sacraments Rites and Ceremonies prescribed in the Book of Common-Prayer as it is now established by Law II. ARE there any in your Parish who lie under a common fame or vehement suspition of Adultery Fornication or Incest Are there any common Drunkards Swearers or Blasphemers of Gods holy Name and Word III. ARE there any Excommunicate persons or any who countenance or keep company with them IV. DO any of your Parish prophane the Lords-day by neglecting of publick Holy Duties or by doing the works of their ordinary Calling or using unlawful Recreations or permitting their Children or Servants so to do Do they duly observe other Holidays Festivals and Fasts appointed by Authority V. DO all those who inhabit in your Parish duly resort to your Church or Chappel and continue there during Divine Service Sermon and other Holy Duties with that Reverence Order and Decency as befits devout Christians Or have any occasioned Riot Clamor or Fighting in the Church at any time Are there any Recusant Papists or Sectaries in your Parish Do they or any of them keep any Schoolmaster in their House which cometh not to Church to hear Divine Service and receive the Holy Communion VI ARE there any in your Parish who refuse to have their Infant-children Baptized by your Minister Or do they keep them unbaptized longer than the Church allows And what Infants or more aged persons are there in your Parish unbaptized VII DO all your Houshoulders duly send their children Apprentices and Servants to be chatechized And do they take care when occasion is offered they should be confirmed by the Bishop VIII IS there any person in your Parish being Sixteen years of age who refuseth to receive the Blessed Sacrament of the Lords Supper at least three times every Year whereof Easter to be one And do all receive this Sacred Mysterie with that outward gesture of Humilitie and Reverence as becomes them meekly kneeling upon their Knees IX ARE there any in your Parish who are known or suspected to be unlawfully Married contrary to the Laws of God and this Church Are there any who being lawfully Married and never divorced do yet live asunder Or any who being lawfully Divorced do live together again Or being separated for Adultery have afterwards Enter-married with any other during the life of their First Consort X. ARE there any Married Women in your Parish who after their safe Delivery from Child birth neglect to make their humble and publick Thanksgivings to God decently apparelled according to the appointment of the Church Or refuse to pay the Offerings according to custom XI ARE there any of your Parish who refuse to pay their Easter Offerings and other Duties to your Minister Or to pay the Rates assessed on them for the Repair and provisions of the Church XII DO you know or have you heard of any Patron or other person in your Parish who having the gift of an Ecclesiastical Benefice hath made gain thereby upon any Bargain either for Money Pension Lease Reserve of Tythes or Glebe or other Simoniacal Compact whatsoever XIII DO any among you refuse to Bury their Dead according to the Rites of the Church of England Are there any Wills of Deceased persons unproved or Goods not administred Do you know of any Legacies given to your Church not yet received by you or detained from you or not applied to the uses appointed TIT. IV. Concerning the Officers belonging to the Church I. ARE the Church-Wardens of your Parish yearly chosen according to Law And are there Side-men appointed to assist them for the due ordering of the Church II. HAVE the former and last Church-Wardens given up their Accompts to those that succeed them together with all Monies and other things belonging to your Church or Chappel III. HAVE you a Parish Clark aged one and twenty years at least who is of sober life and good report Is he chosen by your Minister and approved by the Parish and is he able for Reading Writing and Singing as a Clerk Are his Wages duly paid him IV. DOTH he or your Sexton take care of your Church to keep it lockt and clean to open the Doors and ring the Bells in due times to call the Inhabitants to the Worship of God Also to admonish them by Tolling of a Passing-Bell for any that are dying thereby to meditate of their own Death and to commend the others weak condition to the mercy of God TIT. V. Concerning Alms-houses Schools and Schoolmasters Phisicians Chirurgions and Midwives I. IS there any Hospital Alms-house or Free-School founded in your Parish not of the Kings Foundation Are they so governed and ordered in the use and Revenue as the Founders appointed according to het Ordinances and Statutes which have been made concerning the same II. DOTH any man keep a publick or private School in your Parish Is he or they licensed and allowed thereunto by the Bishop Is he of sober religious and exemplary Conversation Doth he instruct his Scholars in the Catechism and Religion of the Church of England Is there any Woman that taketh upon her to instruct and educate any young Maidens Doth she resort duly and bring with her to Divine Service upon the Lords-day and Holidaies all such Young Maidens as are committed to her Care III. DO any in Your Parish practise Phisick Chirurgerie or Midwiferie without License from the Ordinarie THe Minister of every Parish may join in Presentments with the Church-Wardens and Side-men and if they will not present then the Ministers themselves being the Persons that have the chief care of the suppressing of Sin and Impiety in their Parishes may present the Crimes aforesaid and such things as shall want due Reformation Can. 113. JOH CESTRIENS THe Ministers of every Parish are desired to give in the Names of such of the younger sort in their several Parishes as they judg fit to receive Confirmation from the Bishop FINIS