God's Laws owe most Loyalty and Obedience afore and above all other Powers and Potentates in Earth II. Impugners of the King's Supremacy censured WHosoever shall hereafter affirm That the King's Majesty hath not the same Authority in Causes Ecclesiastical that the godly Kings had amongst the Jews and Christian Emperours of the Primitive Church or impeach any part of His Regal Supremacy in the said Causes restored to the Crown and by the Laws of this Realm therein established Let him be Excommunicated ipso facto and not restored but only by the Archbishop after his Repentance and Publick Revocation of those his wicked Errors III. The Church of England a true and Apostolical Church WHosoever shall hereafter affirm That the Church of England by Law established under the King's Majesty is not a true and an Apostolical Church teaching and maintaining the Doctrine of the Apostles Let him be Excommunicated ipso facto and not restored but only by the Archbishop after his Repentance and Publick Revocation of this his wicked Errour IV. Impugners of the Publick Worship of God established in the Church of England censured WHosoever shall hereafter affim That the Form of God's Worship in the Church of England established by Law and contained in the Book of Common Prayer and Administration of Sacraments is a corrupt superstitious or unlawful Worship of God or containeth any thing in it that is repugnant to the Scriptures Let him be Excommunicated ipso facto and not restored but by the Bishop of the Place or Archbishop after his Repentance and Publick Revocation of such his wicked Errors V. Impugners of the Articles of Religion established in the Church of England censured WHosoever shall hereafter affirm That any of the Nine and thirty Articles agreed upon 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 One thousand five hundred sixty two for avoiding diversities of Opinions and for the establishing of Consent touching true Religion are in any part superstitious or erroneous or such as he may not with a good Conscience subscribe unto Let him be Excommunicated ipso facto and not restored but only by the Archbishop after his Repentance and publick Revocation of such his wicked Errors VI. Impugners of the Rites and Ceremonies established in the Church of England censured WHosoever shall hereafter affirm That the Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England by Law established are wicked Antichristian or superstitious or such as being commanded by lawful Authority men who are zealously and godly affected may not with any good Conscience approve them use them or as occasion requireth subscribe unto them Let him be Excommunicated ipso facto and not restored until he repent and publickly revoke such his wicked Errors VII Impugners of the Government of the Church of England by Archbishops Bishops c. censured WHosoever shall hereafter affirm that the Government of the Church of England under His Majesty by Archbishops Bishops Deans Archdeacons and the rest that bear Office in the same is Antichristian or repugnant to the Word of God Let him be Excommunicated ipso facto and so continue until he repent and publickly revoke such his wicked Errors VIII Impugners of the Form of consecrating and ordering Archbishops Bishops c. in the Church of England censured WHosoever shall hereafter affirm or teach That the Form and manner of making and consecrating Bishops Priests and Deacons containeth any thing in it that is repugnant to the Word of God or that they who are made Bishops Priests or Deacons in that Form are not lawfully made nor ought to be accounted either by themselves or others to be truly either Bishops Priests or Deacons until they have some other calling to those Divine Offices Let him be Excommunicated ipso facto not to be restored until he repent and publickly revoke such his wicked Errors IX Authors of Schism in the Church of England censured WHosoever shall hereafter separate themselves from the Communion of Saints as it is approved by the Apostles Rules in the Church of England and combine themselves together in a new Brother-hood accompting the Christians who are conformable to the Doctrine Government Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England to be prophane and unmeet for them to joyn with in Christian Profession Let them be Excommunicated ipso facto and not restored but by the Archbishop after their Repentance and Publick Revocation of such their wicked Errors X. Maintainers of Schismaticks in the Church of England censured WHosoever shall hereafter affirm That such Ministers as refuse to subscribe to the Form and manner of God's Worship in the Church of England prescribed in the Communion Book and their Adherents may truly take unto them the Name of another Church not established by Law and dare presume to publish it That this their pretended Church hath of long time groaned under the Burthen of certain Grievances imposed upon it and upon the Members thereof before mentioned by the Church of England and the Orders and Constitutions therein by Law established Let them be Excommunicated and not restored until they repent and pulickly revoke such their wicked Errors XI Maintainers of Conventicles censured WHosoever shall hereafter affirm or maintain That there are within this Realm other Meetings Assemblies or Congregations of the King 's born Subjects 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 but by the Archbishop after his Repentance and Publick Revocation of such his wicked Errors XII Maintainers of Constitutions made in Conventicles censured WHosoever shall hereafter affirm That it is lawful for any sort of Ministers and Lay-persons or of either of them to joyn together and make Rules Orders or Constitutions in Causes Ecclesiastical without the King's Authority and shall submit themselves to be ruled and governed by them Let them be Excommunicated ipso facto and not be restored until they repent and publickly revoke those their wicked and Anabaptistical Errors Of Divine Service and Administration of the SACRAMENTS XIII Due Celebration of Sundays and Holy-days ALL manner of Persons within the Church of England shall from henceforth celebrate and keep the Lord's Day commonly called Sunday and other Holy-days according to God's Holy Will and Pleasure and the Orders of the Church of England prescribed in that behalf 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 of the poor and Sick using all godly and sober Conversation XIV The prescript Form of Divine Service to be used on Sundays and Holy-days THE Common Prayer shall be said or sung
Sunday of every Month requiring all the said Masters Fellows and Scholars and all the rest of the Students Officers and all other the Servants there so to be ordered that every one of them shall communicate four times in the Year at the least kneeling reverently and decently upon their Knees according to the Order of the Communion Book prescribed in that behalf XXIV Copes to be worn in Cathedral Churches by those that Administer the Communion IN all Cathedral and Collegiate Churches the holy Communion shall be administred upon principal Feast-days sometimes by the Bishop if he be present and sometimes by the Dean and at some times by a Canon or Prebendary the principal Minister using a decent Cope and being assisted with the Gospeller and Epistler agreeably according to the Advertisements published Ann. 7 Elizabethae The said Communion to be Administred at such times and with such limitation as is specified in the Book of Common-Prayer Provided that on such limitation by any construction shall be allowed of but that all Deans Wardens Masters or Heads of Cathedral and Collegiate Churches Prebendaries Canons Vicars Petty Canons Singing-men and all others of the Foundation shall receive the Communion four times yearly at the least XXV Surplices and Hoods to be worn in Cathedral Churches when there is no Communion IN the time o` Divine Service and Prayers in all Cathedral and Collegiate Churches when there is no Communion it shall be sufficient to wear Surplices saving that all Deans Masters and Heads of Collegiate Churches Canons and Prebendaries being Graduats shall daily at the times both of Prayer and Preaching wear with their Surplices such Hoods as are agreeable to their Degrees XXVI Notorious Offenders not to be admitted to the Communion NO Minister shall in any wise admit to the receiving of the holy Communion any of his Cure or Flock which be openly known to live in sin notorious without Repentance nor any who have maliciously and openly contended with their Neighbours until they shall be reconciled Nor any Churchwardens or Side-men who having taken their Oaths to present to their Ordinaries all such Publick Offences as they are particularly charged to enquire of in their several Parishes shall notwithstanding their said Oaths and that their faithful discharging of them is the chief means whereby publick Sins and Offences may be reformed and punished wittingly and willingly desperately and irreligiously incur the horrible Crime of Perjury either in neglecting or in refusing to present such of the said Enormities and Publick Offences as they know themselves to be committed in their said Parishes or are notoriously offensive to the Congregation there although they be urged by some of their Neighbours or by their Minister or by their Ordinary himself to discharge their Consciences by presenting of them and not to incur so desperately the said horrible Sin of Perjury XXVII Schismaticks not to be admitted to the Communion NO Minister when he celebrateth the Communion shall wittingly administer the same to any but to such as kneel under pain of Suspension nor under the like pain to any that refuse to be present at Publick Prayers according to the Orders of the Church of England nor to any that are common and notorious Depravers of the Book of Common-Prayer and Administration of the Sacraments and of the Orders Rites and Ceremonies therein prescribed or of any thing that is contained in any of the Articles agreed upon in the Convocation One thousand five hundred sixty and two or of any thing contained in the Book of ordering Priests and Bishops or to any that have spoken against and depraved His Majesty's Sovereign Authority in Causes Ecclesiastical except every such Person shall first acknowledge to the Minister before the Church-wardens his repentance for the same and promise by word if he cannot write that he will do so no more and except if he can write he shall first do the same under his Hand-writing to be delivered to the Minister and by him sent to the Bishop of the Diocess or Ordinary of the Place Provided That every Minister so repelling any as is specified either in this or in the next precedent Constitution shall upon complaint or being required by the Ordinary signifie the cause thereof unto him and therein obey his Order and Direction XXVIII Strangers not to be admitted to the Communion THE Church-wardens or Quest-men and their Assistants shall mark as well as the Minister whether all and every of the Parishioners come so often every Year to the holy Communion as the Laws and our Constitutions do require And whether any Strangers come often and commonly from other Parishes to their Church and shall shew their Minister of them lest perhaps they be admitted to the Lord's Table amongst others which they shall forbid and remit such home to their own Parish Churches and Ministers there to receive the Communion with the rest of their own Neighbours XXIX Fathers not to be Godfathers in Baptism nor Children not Communicants NO Parent shall be urged to be present nor be admitted to answer as Godfather for his own Child nor any Godfather or Godmother shall be suffered to make any other Answer or Speech than by the Book of Common-Prayer is prescribed in that behalf Neither shall any Person be admitted Godfather or Godmother to any Child at Christening or Confirmation before the said Person so undertaking hath received the holy Communion XXX The lawful use of the Cross in Baptism explained VVE are sorry that His Majesty's most Princely care and pains taken in the Conference at Hampton Court amongst many other Points touching this one of the Cross in Baptism hath taken no better effect with many but that still the use of it in Baptism is so greatly stuck at and impugned For the further declaration therefore of the true use of this Ceremony and for the removing of all such scruple as might any ways trouble the Consciences of them who are indeed rightly Religious following the royal Steps of our most worthy King because he therein followeth the Rules of the Scriptures and the Practice of the Primitive Church we do commend to all the true Members of the Church of England these our Directions and Observations ensuing First It is to be Observed That although the Jews and Ethnicks derided both the Apostles and the rest of the Christians for preaching and believing in him who was crucified upon the Cross yet all both Apostles and Christians were so far from being discouraged from their Profession by the Ignominy of the Cross as they rather rejoyced and triumphed in it Yea the holy Ghost by the mouths of the Apostles did honour the Name of the Cross being hateful among the Jews so far that under it he comprehended not only Christ crucified but the force effects and merits of his Death and Passion with all the Comforts Fruits and Promises which we receive or expect thereby Secondly The honour and dignity of the Name of the Cross begat
Church and Chappel where Baptism is to be ministred the same to be set in the Ancient usual places In which only Font the Minister shall baptize publickly LXXXII A decent Communion Table in every Church VVHereas we have no doubt but that in all Churches within the Realm of England convenient and decent Tables are provided and placed for the celebration of the holy Communion we appoint that the same Tables shall from time to time be kept and repaired in sufficient and seemly manner and covered in time of Divine Service with a Carpet of Silk or other decent stuff thought meet by the Ordinary of the place if any question be made of it and with a fair Linen cloth at the time of the ministration as becometh that Table and so stand saving when the said holy Communion is to be administred At which time the same shall be placed in so good sort within the Church or Chancel as thereby the Minister may be more conveniently heard of the Communicants in his Prayer and Ministration and the Communicants also more conveniently and in more number may Communicate with the said Minister and that the Ten Commandments be set upon the East-end of every Church and Chappel where the people may best see and read the same and other chosen Sentences written upon the walls of the said Churches and Chappels in places convenient and likewise that a convenient Seat be made for the Minister to read Service in All these to be done at the charge of the Parish LXXXIII A Pulpit to be provided in every Church THE Church-wardens or Quest-men at the common charge of the Parishioners in every Church shall provide a comely and decent Pulpit to bo set in a convenient place within the same by the discretion of the Ordinary of the place if any question do arise and to be there seemly kept for the Preaching of Gods word LXXXIV A Chest for Alms in every Church THE Church-wardens shall provide and have within three months after the publishing of these Constitutions a strong Chest with a hole in the upper part thereof to be provided at the charge of the Parish if there be none such already provided having three Keys of which one shall remain in the custody of the Parson Vicar or Curate and the other two in the custody of the Church-wardens for the time being which Chest they shall set and fasten in the most convenient place to the intent the Parishioners may put into it their Alms for their poor Neighbours And the Parson Vicar or Curate shall diligently from time to time and especially when men make their Testaments call upon exhort and move their Neighbours to confer and give as they may well spare to the said Chest declaring unto them That whereas heretofore they have been diligent to bestow much substance otherwise then God commanded upon superstitious uses now they ought at this time to be much more ready to help the poor and needy knowing that to relieve the poor is a sacrifice which pleaseth God And that also whatsoever is given for their comfort is given to Christ himself and is so accepted of him that he will mercifully reward the same The which Alms and Devotion of the people the keepers of the Keys shall yearly quarterly or oftner as need requireth take out of the Chest and distribute the same in the presence of most of the Parish or six of the chief of them to be truly and faithfully delivered to their most poor and needy neighbours LXXXV Churches to be kept in sufficient reparations THe Churchwardens or Questmen shall take care and provide that the Churches be well and sufficiently repair'd and so from time to time kept and maintained that the Windows be well glazed and that the Floors be kept paved plain and even all things there in such an orderly and decent sort without dust or any thing that may be either noysome or unseemly as best becometh the House of God and is prescribed in an Homily to that effect The like care they shall take that the Church-yards be well and sufficiently repaired fenced and maintained with Walls Rails or Pales as have been in each place accustomed at their charges unto whom by Law the same appertaineth but especially they shall see that in every meeting of the Congregation peace be well kept and that all persons Excommunicated and so denounced be kept out of the Church LXXXVI Churches to be surveyed and the decays certified to the High Commissioners EVery Dean Dean and Chapter Archdeacon and others which have Authority to hold Ecclesiastical Visitations by Composition Law or Prescription shall survey the Churches of his or their Jurisdiction once in every three years in his own person or cause the same to be done and shall from time to time within the said three years certifie the High Commissioners for causes Ecclesiastical every year of such defects in any the said Churches as he or they do find to remain unrepaired and the names and sirnames of the parties faulty therein Upon which Certificate we desire that the said High Commissioners will ex officio mero send for such parties and compel them to obey the just and lawful Decrees of such Ecclesiastical Ordinaries making such Certificates LXXXVII A Terrier of Glebe-lands and other Possessions belonging to Churches WE Ordain That the Archbishops and all Bishops within their several Diocesses shall procure as much as in them lieth that a true Note and Terrier of all the Glebes Lands Medows Gardens Orchards Houses Stocks Implements Tenements and portions of Tythes lying out of their Parishes which belong to any Parsonage or Vicarage or rural Prebend be taken by the view of honest men in every Parish by the appointment of the Bishop whereof the Minister to be one and be laid up in the Bishops Registry there to be for a perpetual memory thereof LXXXVIII Churches not to be Prophaned THe Church-wardens or Quest-men and their Assistants shall suffer no Plays Feasts Banquets Suppers Church-ales Drinkings temporal Courts or Lets Lay-jurys Musters or any other prophane usage to be kept in the Church Chappel or Church-yard neither the Bells to be rung superstitiously upon Holy-days or Eves abrogated by the Book of Common Prayer not at any other times without good cause to be allowed by the Minister of the place and by themselves Church-wardens or Quest-men and Side-men or Assistants LXXXIX The choice of Church-wardens and their accompt ALL Church-wardens or Quest-men in every Parish shall be chosen by the joynt consent of the Minister and the Parishioners if it may be But if they cannot agree upon such a choice then the Minister shall chuse one and the Parishioners another and without such a joynt or several choice none shall take upon them to be Church-wardens neither shall they continue any longer then one year in that Office except perhaps they be chosen again in like manner And all Church-wardens at the end of their year or within a month after
every thing in them contained as is aforesaid but do likewise propounid publish and straightway 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 both within the Province of Canturbury and York in all points wherein they do or may concern every or any of them according to this our Will and Pleasure hereby signified 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 Sundays or Holy days 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 the Nativity of our Lord God next ensuing Straightly charging and commanding all Archbishops Bishops and all other that exercise any Ecclesiastical Iurisdiction within this Realm every man in his place to see and procure so much as in them lieth all and every of the same Canons Orders Ordinances and Constitutions to be in all points duly observed 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 the Tranquility of the Kingdom and their Duties and Service to Us their King and Sovereign In VVitness c. THE TABLE Of the Church of England 1 THE Kings Supremacy over the Church of England in Causes Ecclesiastical to be maintained Page 1 2 Impugners of the Kings Supremacy censured 2 3 The Church of England a true and Apostolical Church ib. 4 Impugners of the publick Worship of God established in the Church of England censured ib. 5 Impugners of the Articles of Religion established in the Church of England censured 3 6 Impugners of the Rites and Ceremonies established in the Church of England censured ib. 7 Impugners of the Government of the Church of England by Archbishops Bishops c. censured ib. 8 Impugners of the Form of consecrating and ordering Archbishops Bishops c. in the Church of England censured ib. 9 Authors of Schism in the Church of England censured 4 10 Maintainers of Schismaticks in the Church of England censured ib. 11 Maintainers of Conâ—nticles censured ib. 12 Maintainers of Constitutions made in Conventicles censured 5 Of Divine Service and Administration of the Sacraments 13 DUe celebration of Sundays and Holy-days 5 14 The prescript Form of Divine Service to be used on Sundays and Holy-days ib. 15 The Letany to be read on Wednesdays and Fridays 6 16 Colledges to use the Prescript Form of Divine Service ib. 17 Students in Colledges to wear Surplices in time of Divine Service ib. 18 A Reverence and Attention to be used within the Church in time of Divine Service 7 19 Loyterers not to be suffered near the Church in time of Divine Service 8 20 Bread and Wine to be provided against every Communion ib. 21 The Communion to be thrice a Year received ib. 22 Warning to be given beforehand for the Communion ib. 23 Students in Colledges to receive the Communion four times a Year 9 24 Copes to be worn in Cathedral Churches by those that Administer the Communion ib. 25 Surplices and Hoods to be worn in Cathedral Churches when there is no Communion 10 26 Notorious Offenders not to be admitted to the Communion ib. 27 Schismaticks not to be admitted to the Communion ib. 28 Strangers not to be admitted to the Communion 11 29 Fathers not to be Godfathers in Baptism nor Children not Communicants ib. 30 The lawful use of the Cross in Baptism explained 12 Ministers their Ordination Function and Charge 31 FOur Solemn Times appointed for the making of Ministers 14 32 None to be made Deacon and Minister both in one Day 15 33 The Titles of such as are to be made Ministers ibid. 34 The Quality of such as are to be made Ministers 16 35 The Examination of such as are to be made Ministers ib. 36 Subscriptions required of such as are to be made Ministers 17 37 Subscription before the Diocesan 18 38 Revolters after Subscription censured ib. 39 Cautions for Institution of Ministers into Benefices ib. 40 An Oath against Simony at Institution into Benefices ib. 41 Licences for Plurality of Benefices limited and Residence enjoined 19 42 Residence of Deans in their Churches 20 43 Deans and Prebendaries to Preach during their Residence ib. 44 Prebendaries to be resident upon their Benefices 21 45 Beneficed Preachers being Resident upon their Livings to Preach every Sunday 21 46 Beneficed men not Preachers to procure monthly Sermons ib. 47 Absence of Beneficed men to be supplied by Curates that are allowed Preachers 22 48 None to be Curates but allowed by the Bishops ib. 49 Ministers not allowed Preachers may not Expound ib. 50 Strangers not admitted to Preach without shewing their Licence 23 51 Strangers not admitted to Preach in Cathedral Churches without sufficient Authority ib. 52 The Names of Strange Preachers to be noted in a Book ib 53 No Publick Opposition between Preachers ib. 54 The Licences of Preachers refusing Conformity to be void 24 55 The Form of a Prayer to be used by all Preachers before their Sermons ib. 56 Preachers and Lecturers to read Divine Service and Administer the Sacraments twice a year at the least 25 57 The Sacraments to be refused at the hands of unpreaching Ministers 26 58 Ministers reading Divine Service and administring the Sacraments to wear Surplices and Graduates therewithal Hoods ib. 59 Ministers to Catechize every Sunday 27 60 Confirmation to be performed once in three years ib. 61 Ministers to prepare Children for Confirmation 28 62 Ministers not to marry any Persons without Banns or Licence ib. 63 Ministers of Exempt Churches not to Marry without Banns or Licence 29 64 Ministers solemnly to bid Holy-day ib. 65 Ministers solemnly to denounce Recusants and Excommunicates ib. 66 Ministers to confer with Recusants 30 67 Ministers to Visit the Sick ib. 68 Ministers not to refuse to Christen or Bury 31 69 Ministers not to defer Christning if the Child be in danger ib. 70 Ministers to keep a Register of Christenings Weddings and Burials ib. 71 Ministers not to preach or administer the Communion in Private Houses 32 72 Ministers not to appoint publick or private Fasts or Prophesies or to Exercise but by Authority 33 73 Ministers not to hold private Conventicles ib. 74 Decency in Apparel enjoyned to Ministers 34 75 Sober Conversation required in Ministers 35 76 Ministers at no time to forsake their Calling ib. School-Masters 77 NOne to teach School without Licence 35 78 Curates destrous to teach to be
CONSTITUTIONS AND Canons Ecclesiastical TREATED UPON By the BISHOP of LONDON President of the CONVOCATION FOR THE Province of CANTERBURY AND The rest of the Bishops and Clergy of the said Province AND Agreed upon with the King's Majesty's Licence in their Synod begun at London Anno Domini 1603. And in the Year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord JAMES by the Grace of God King of England France and Ireland the First and of Scotland the Thirty seventh AND Now Published for the due Observation of them by His Majesty's Authority UNDER THE Great Seal of England LONDON Printed for Samuel Mearne Stationer to the King 's most Excellent Majesty and Robert Pawlet 1678. JAMES by the Grace of God King of England Scotland France and Ireland Defender of the Faith c. To all to whom these Presents shall come Greeting Whereas our Bishops Deans of our Cathedral Churches Archdeacons Chapters and Colledges and the other Clergy of every Diocess within the Province of Canterbury being summoned and called by Virtue of our Writ directed to the most Reverend Father in God John late Archbishop of Canterbury and bearing Date the 31. Day of January in the First Year of Our Reign of England France and Ireland and of Scotland the 37. to have appeared before him in our Cathedral Church of St. Paul in London the 20. Day of March then next ensuing or elsewhere as he should have thought it most convenient to treat consent and conclude upon certain difficult and urgent Affairs mentioned in the said Writ Did thereupon at the time appointed and within the Cathedral Church of St. Paul aforesaid assemble themselves and appear in Convocation for that purpose according to Our said Writ before the Right Reverend Father in God Richard Bishop of London duly upon a second Writ of Ours dated the 9. Day of March aforesaid authorized appointed and constituted by reason of the said Archbishop of Canterbury his Death President of the said Convocation to execute those things which by Virtue of Our first Writ did appertain to him the said Archbishop to have executed if he had lived We for divers urgent and weighty Causes and Considerations Us thereunto especially moving of Our especial Grace certain Knowledge and meer Motion did by Virtue of our Prerogative Royal and Supreme Authority in Causes Ecclsieastical give and grant by Our several Letters Patents under Our Great Seal of England the one dated the 12. Day of April last past and the other the 25. Day of June then next following full free and lawful Liberty Licence Power and Authority unto the said Bishop of London President of the said Convocation and to the other Bishops Deans Archdeacons Chapters and Colledges and the rest of the Clergy before mentioned of the said Province That they from time to time during Our first Parliament now Prorogued might confer treat debate consider consult and agree of and upon such Canons Orders Ordinances and Constitutions as they should think necessary fit and convenient for the Honour and Service of Almighty God the good and quiet of the Church and the better Government thereof to be from time to time observed performed fulfilled and kept as well by the Archbishops of Canterbury the Bishops and their Successors and the rest of the whole Clergy of the said Province of Canterbury in their several Callings Offices Functions Ministeries Degrees and Administrations as also by all and every Dean of the Arches and other Iudge of the said Archbishop's Courts Guardians of Spiritualties Chancellors Deans and Chapters Archdeacons Commissaries Officials Registers and all and every other Ecclesiastical Officers and their inferiour Ministers whatsoever of the same Province of Canterbury in their and every of their distinct Courts and in the order and manner of their and every of their Proceedings and by all other Persons within this Realm as far as lawfully being Members of the Church it may concern them as in our said Letters Patents amongst other Clauses more at large doth appear Forasmuch as the Bishop of London President of the said Convocation and others the said Bishops Deans Archdeacons Chapters and Colledges with the rest of the Clergy having met together at the time and place before mentioned and then and there by Virtue of Our said Authority granted unto them 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 in the 25. Year of the Reign of King Henry the Eighth and by Our said Prerogative Royal and Supreme Authority in Causes Ecclesiastical to ratifie by Our Letters Patents under Our Great Seal of England and to confirm the same the Title and Tenour of them being word for word as ensueth Constitutions and Canons ECCLESIASTICAL Treated upon by the Bishop of London President of the Convocation for the Province of Canterbury and the rest of the Bishops and Clergy of the said Province and agreed upon with the King's Majesty's Licence in their Synod begun at London Anno Dom. 1603. And in the year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord JAMES by the Grace of God King of England France and Ireland the First and of Scotland the Thirty seventh Of the Church of ENGLAND I. The King's Supremacy over the Church of England in Causes Ecclesiastical to be maintained AS our Duty to the King 's most Excellent Majesty requireth We first decree and ordain That the Archbishop of Canterbury from time to time all Bishops of this Province all Deans Archdeacons Parsons Vicars and all other Ecclesiastical Persons shall faithfully keep and observe and as much as in them lieth shall cause to be observed and kept of others all and singular Laws and Statutes made for restoring to the Crown of this Kingdom the Ancient Jurisdiction over the State Ecclesiastical and abolishing of all Foreign Power repugnant to the same Furthermore 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 Foreign 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 Majesty's Realms and Dominions is due unto any such Foreign Power but that the King's Power within His Realms of England Scotland and 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
distinctly and reverently upon such days as are appointed to be kept holy by the Book of Common-Prayer and their Eves and at convenient and usual times of those days and in such place of every Church as the Bishop of the Doicess 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 observe the Orders Rites and Ceremonies prescribed in the Book of Common-Prayer 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 XV. The Letany to be read on Wednesdays and Fridays THE Letany shall be said or sung when and as it is set down in the Book of Common-Prayer by the Parsons Vicars Ministers or Curats in all Cathedral Collegiate Parish Churches and Chapels in some convenient Place according to the discretion of the Bishop of the Diocess or Ecclesiastical Ordinary of the Place And that we may speak more particularly upon Wednesdays and Fridays weekly though they be not Holydays the Minister at the accustomed hours of Service shall resort to the Church and Chapel and warning being given to the People by tolling of a Bell shall say the Letany prescribed in the Book of Common-Prayer whereunto we wish every Housholder dwelling within half a mile of the Church to come or send one at the least of his Houshold fit to joyn with the Minister in Prayers XVI Colledges to use the Prescript Form of Divine Service IN the whole Divine Service and Administration of the holy Communion in all Colledges and Halls in both Universities the Order Form and Ceremonies shall be duly observed as they are set down and prescribed in the Book of Common-Prayer without any Omission or Alteration XVII Students in Colledges to wear Surplices in time of Divine Service ALL Masters and Fellows of Colledges or Halls and all the Scholars and Students in either of the Universities shall in their Churches and Chapels upon all Sundays Holydays and their Eves at the time of Divine Service wear Surplices according to the Order of the Church of England and such as are Graduats shall agreeably wear with their Surplices such Hoods as do severally appertain unto their Degrees XVIII A Reverence and Attention to be used within the Church in time of Divine Service IN the time of Divine Service and of every part thereof all due Reverence is to be used for it is according to the Apostle's Rule Let all things be done decently and according to order Answerable to which Decency and Order we judge these our Directions following No man shall cover his Head in the Church or Chapel in the time of Divine Service except he have some Infirmity in which case let him wear a Night-cap or Coif All manner of Persons then present shall reverently kneel upon their knees when the general Confession Letany and other Prayers are read and shall stand up at the saying of the Belief according to the Rules in that behalf prescribed in the Book of Common-Prayer And likewise when in time of Divine Service the Lord Jesus shall be mentioned due and lowly Reverence shall be done by all Persons present as it hath been accustomed testifying by these Outward Ceremonies and Gestures their inward Humility Christian Resolution and due acknowledgement that the Lord Jesus Christ the true Eternal Son of God is the only Saviour of the World in whom alone all the Mercies Graces and Promises of God to Mankind for this Life and the Life to come are fully and wholly comprized None either Man Woman or Child of what calling soever shall be otherwise at such times busied in the Church than in quiet attendance to hear mark and understand that which is Read Preached or Ministred saying in their due places audibly with the Minister the Confession the Lord's Prayer and the Creed and making such other Answers to the Publick Prayers as are appointed in the Book of Common-Prayer Neither shall they disturb the Service or Sermon by walking or talking or any other way nor depart out of the Church during the time of Service or Sermon without some urgent or reasonable cause XIX Loyterers not to be suffered near the Church in time of Divine Service THE Church-wardens or Quest-men and their Assistants shall not suffer any idle Persons to abide either in the Church-yard or Church-porch during the time of Divine Service or Preaching but shall cause them either to come in or to depart XX. Bread and Wine to be provided against every Communion THE Church-wardens of every Parish against the time of every Communion shall at the charge of the Parish with the advice and direction of the Minister provide a sufficient quantity of fine white Bread and of good and wholesom Wine for the number of Communicants that shall from time to time receive there which Wine we require to be brought to the Communion Table in a clean and sweet standing Pot or Stoop of Pewter if not of purer Metal XXI The Communion to be thrice a-Year received IN every Parish Church and Chapel where Sacraments are to be administred within this Realm the holy Communion shall be ministred by the Parson Vicar or Minister so often and at such times as every Parishioner may Communicate at the least thrice in the Year whereof the Feast of Easter to be one according as they are appointed by the Book of Common-Prayer Provided That every Minister as oft as he administreth the Communion shall first receive that Sacrament himself Furthermore no Bread or Wine newly brought shall be used but first the Words of Institution shall be rehearsed when the said Bread and Wine be present upon the Communion Table Likewise the Minister shall deliver both the Bread and the Wine to every Communicant severally XXII Warning to be given beforehand for the Communion VVHereas every Lay Person is bound to receive the holy Communion thrice every Year and many notwithstanding do not receive that Sacrament once in a year We do require every Minister to give warning to his Parishioners publickly in the Church at Morning Prayer the Sunday before every time of his administring that holy Sacrament for their better preparation of themselves Which said warning we enjoyn the said Parishioners to accept and obey under the penalty and danger of the Law XXIII Students in Colledges to receive the Communion four times a-Year IN all Colledges and Halls within both the Universities the Masters and Fellows such especially as have any Pupils shall be careful that all their said Pupils and the rest that remain amongst them be well brought up and throughly instructed in Points of Religion and that they do diligently frequent Publick Service and Sermons and receive the holy Communion which we ordain to be administred in all such Colledges and Halls the first and second
a reverend Estimation even in the Apostle's times for ought that is known to the contrary of the Sign of the Cross which the Christians shortly after used in all their Actions thereby making an outward shew and profession even to the Astonishment of the Jews That they were not ashamed to acknowledge him for their Lord and Saviour who died for them upon the Cross. And this Sign they did not only use themselves with a kind of glory when they met with any Jews but Signed therewith their Children when they were Christened to dedicate them by that badge to his Service whose Benefits bestowed upon them in Baptism the name of the Cross did represent And this use of the Sign of the Cross in Baptism was held in the Primitive Church as well by the Greeks as the Latins with one consent and great applause At what time if any had opposed themselves against it they would certainly have been censured as Enemies of the Name of the Cross and consequently of Christ's Merits the Sign whereof they could no better endure This continual and general use of the Sign of the Cross is evident by many Testimonies of the Ancient Fathers Thirdly It must be confessed that in process of Time the Sign of the Cross was greatly abused in the Church of Rome especially after that corruption of Popery had once possessed it But the abuse of a thing doth not take away the lawful use of it Nay so far was it from the purpose of the Church of England to forsake and reject the Churches of Italy France Spain Germany or any such like Churches in all things which they held and practised that as the Apology of the Church of England confesseth it doth with reverence retain those Ceremoniâ—s which do neither endamage the Church of God nor offend the minds of sober men and only departed from them in those particular Points wherein they were fallen both from themselves in their Ancient Integrity and from the Apostolical Churches which were their first Founders In which respect amongst some other very Ancient Ceremonies the Sign of the Cross in Baptism hath been retained in this Church both by the Judgment and Practice of those reverend Fathers and great Divines in the Days of King Edward the Sixth of whom some constantly suffered for the Profession of the Truth and others being exiled in the time of Queen Mary did after their return in the beginning of the Reign of our late Dread Sovereign continually defend and use the same This Resolution and Practice of our Church hath been allowed and approved by the censure upon the Communion Book in King Edward the Sixth his Days and by the Harmony of Confessions of later Years because indeed the use of this Sign in Baptism was ever accompanied here with such sufficient Cautions and Exceptions against all Popish Superstition and Error as in the like Cases are either fit or convenient First The Church of England since the abolishing of Popery hath ever held and taught and so doth hold and teach still That the Sign of the Cross used in Baptism is no part of the Substance of that Sacrament For when the Minister dipping the Infant in Water or laying Water upon the face of it as the manner also is hath pronounced these Words I baptize thee in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost the Infant is fully and perfectly Baptized So as the Sign of the Cross being afterwards used doth neither add any thing to the virtue and perfection of Baptism nor being omitted doth detract any thing from the Effect and Substance of it Secondly It is apparent in the Communion-Book that the Infant Baptized is by virtue of Baptism before it be Signed with the Sign of the Cross received into the Congregation of Christ's Flock as a perfect Member thereof and not by any power ascribed unto the Sign of the Cross. So that for the very remembrance of the Cross which is very precious to all them that rightly believe in Jesu Christ and in the other respects mentioned the Church of England hath retained still the Sign of it in Baptism following therein the Primitive and Apostolical Churches and accounting it a lawful outward Ceremony and honourable Badge whereby the Infant is dedicated to the Service of him that died upon the Cross as by the Words used in the Book of Common Prayer it may appear Lastly The use of the Sign of the Cross in Baptism being thus purged from all Popish Superstition and Error and reduced in the Church of England to the primary Institution of it upon those true Rules of Doctrine concerning things indifferent which are consonant to the Word of God and the Judgments of all the Ancient Fathers we hold it the part of every private man both Minister and other reverently to retain the true use of it prescribed by Publick Authority considering that things of themselves indifferent do in some sort alter their Natures when they are either commanded or forbidden by a lawful Magistrate and may not be omitted at every man's pleasure contrary to the Law when they be commanded nor used when they are prohibited Ministers their Ordination Function and Charge XXXI Four Solemn Times appointed for the making of Ministers FOrasmuch as the Ancient Fathers of the Church led by Example of the Apostles appointed Prayers and Fasts 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 made and ordained 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 England 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 Arch-deacon but of the Dean and two Prebendaries at the least or if they shall happen by any lawful cause to be lett or hindred in the presence of four other grave Persons being Masters of Arts at the least and allowed for Publick Preachers XXXII None to be made Deacon and Minister both in one Day THE Office of Deacon being a step or degree to the Ministery according to the Judgment of the Ancient Fathers and the Practice of the Primitive Church We do ordain and appoint That hereafter no Bishop shall make any Person of what qualities or gifts soever a Deacon and a Minister both together upon one day but that the order in that behalf prescribed in the Book of making and consecrating Bishops Priests and Deacons be strictly observed Not that always every Deacon should be kept from the Ministery for a whole Year when the Bishop shall find good cause to the contrary but that there being
Law requireth their Presence there to discharge their Duties according to the Laws in that Case provided And the Bishop of the Diocess shall see the same to be duly performed and put in Execution XLV Beneficed Preachers being Resident upon their Livings to Preach every Sunday EVery Beneficed man allowed to be a Preacher and residing on his Benefice having no lawful Impediment shall in his own Cure or in some other Church or Chappel where he may conveniently near adjoyning where no Preacher is preach one Sermon every Sunday of the Year wherein he shall soberly and sincerely divide the Word of Truth to the glory of God and to the best Edification of the People XLVI Beneficed men not Preachers to procure monthly Sermons EVery Beneficed man not allowed to be a Preacher shall procure Sermons to be Preached in his Cure once in every Month at the least by Preachers lawfully Licensed if his Living in the Judgment of the Ordinary will be able to bear it And upon every Sunday when there shall not be a Sermon preached in his Cure he or his Curate shall read some one of the Homilies prescribed or to be prescribed by Authority to the intents aforesaid XLVII Absence of Beneficed men to be supplied by Curates that are allowed Preachers EVery Beneficed man Licensed by the Laws of this Realm upon urgent Occasions of other Service not to reside upon his Benefice shall cause his Cure to be supplied by a Curate that is a sufficient and Licensed Preacher if the worth of the Benefice will bear it But whosoever hath two Benefices shall maintain a Preacher Licensed in the Benefice where he doth not reside except he preach himself at both of them usually XLVIII None to be Curates but allowed by the Bishop NO Curate or Minister shall be permitted to serve in any Place without Examination and Admission of the Bishop of the Diocess or Ordinary of the Place having Episcopal Jurissdiction in Writing under his Hand and Seal having respect to the greatness of the Cure and meetness of the Party And the said Curates and Ministers if they remove from one Diocess to another shall not be by any means admitted to serve without Testimony of the Bishop of the Diocess or Ordinary of the Place as aforesaid whence they came in Writing of their Honesty Ability and Conformity to the Ecclesiastical Laws of the Church of England Nor any shall serve more than one Church or Chapel upon one day Except that Chapel be a Member of the Parish Church or united thereunto and unless the said Church or Chapel where such a Minister shall serve in two places be not able in the Judgment of the Bishop or Ordinary as aforesaid to maintain a Curate XLIX Ministers not allowed Preachers may not Expound NO Person whatsoever not examined and approved by the Bishop of the Diocess or not Licensed as is aforesaid for a sufficient or convenient Preacher shall take upon him to Expound in his own Cure or elsewhere any Scripture or matter of Doctrine but shall only study to read plainly and aptly without glossing or adding the Homilies already set forth or hereafter to be published by Lawful Authority for the Confirmation of the true Faith and for the good Instruction and Edification of the People L. Strangers not admitted to Preach without shewing their Licence NEither the Minister Church wardens nor any other Officers of the Church shall suffer any man to preach within their Churches or Chapels but such as by shewing their Licence to Preach shall appear unto them to be sufficiently authorized thereunto as is aforesaid LI. Strangers not admitted to Preach in Cathedral Churches without sufficient Authority THE Deans Presidents and Residentiaries of any Cathedral or Collegiate Church shall suffer no Stranger to Preach unto the People in their Churches except they be allowed by the Archbishop of the Province or by the Bishop of the same Diocess or by either of the Universities And if any in his Sermon shall publish any Doctrine either strange or disagreeing from the Word of God or from any of the Articles of Religion agreed upon in the Convocation House Anno 1562. or from the Book of Common Prayers the Dean or the Residents shall by their Letters subscribed with some of their Hands that heard him so soon as may be give notice of the same to the Bishop of the Diocess that he may determine the Matter and take such Order therein as he shall think convenient LII The Names of Strange Preachers to be noted in a Book THAT the Bishop may understand if Occasion so require what Sermons are made in every Church of his Diocess and who presume to preach without Licence the Church-wardens and Side-men shall see that the Names of all Preachers which come to their Church from any other Place be noted in a Book which they shall have ready for that Purpose wherein every Preacher shall subscribe his Name the Day wherein he preached and the Name of the Bishop of whom he had Licence to Preach LIII No Publick Opposition between Preachers IF any Preacher shall in the Pulpit particularly or namely of purpose impugn or confute any Doctrine delivered by any other Preacher in the same Church or in any Church near adjoyning before he hath acquainted the Bishop of the Diocess therewith and received Order what to do in that Case because upon such publick and Dissenting and contradicting there may grow much Offence and Disquietness unto the People the Church-wardens or Party grieved shall forthwith signifie the same to the said Bishop and not suffer the said Preacher any more to occupy that place which he hath once abused except he faithfully promise to forbear all such matter of Contention in the Church until the Bishop hath taken further Order therein who shall with all convenient Speed so proceed therein that publick Satisfaction may be made in the Congregation where the Offence was given Provided That if either of the Parties Offending do appeal he shall not be suffered to preach pendentelite LIV. The Licences of Preachers refusing Conformity to be void IF any man Licensed heretofore to Preach by any Archbishop Bishop or by either of the Universities shall at any time from henceforth refuse to conform himself to the Laws Ordinances and Rites Ecclesiastical established in the Church of England he shall be admonished by the Bishop of the Diocess or Ordinary of the Place to submit himself to the Use and due Exercise of the same And if after such Admonition he do not conform himself within the space of one Month We determine and decree That the Licence of every such Preacher shall thereupon be utterly void and of none effect LV. The Form of a Prayer to be used by all Preachers before their Sermons BEfore all Sermons Lectures and Homilies the Preachers and Ministers shall move the People to joyn with them in Prayer in this Form or to this effect as briefly as conveniently they may Ye shall
pray for Christ's holy Catholick Church that is for the whole Congregation of Christian People dispersed throughout the whole World and especially for the Churches of England Scotland and Ireland And herein I require you most especially to pray for the Kings most excellent Majesty our Soveraingn Lord IAMES King of England Scotland France and Ireland Defender of the Faith and Supream Governor in these his Realms and all other his Dominions and Countreys over all Persons in all Causes as well Ecclesiastical as Temporal Ye shall also pray for our gracious Queen Anne the Noble Prince HENRY and the rest of the King and Queens Royal Issue Ye shall also pray for the Ministers of Gods holy Word and Sacraments as well Archbishops and Bishops as other Pastors and Curates Ye shall also pray for the Kings most honourable Council and for all the Nobility and Magistrates of this Realm that all and every of these in their several Callings may serve truly and painfully to the glory of God and the edifying and well governing 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 the true Faith and Fear of God in humble Obedience to the King and Brotherly Charity one to another Finally let us praise God for all those which are departed out of this Life in the Faith of Christ and pray unto God that we may have Grace to direct our Lives after their good Example that this life ended we may be made Partakers with them of the glorious Resurrection in the Life everlasting always concluding with the Lord's Prayer LVI Preachers and Lecturers to read Divine Service and administer the Sacraments twice a year at the least EVery Minister being possessed of a Benefice that hath Cure and Charge of Souls although he chiefly attend to Preaching and hath a Curate under him to execute the other Duties which are to be performed for him in the Church and likewise every other stipendiary Preacher that readeth any Lecture or catechiseth or preacheth in any Church or Chappel shall twice at the least every year read himself the Divine Service upon two several Sundays publickly and at the usual times both in the Fore-noon and After-noon in the Church which he so possesseth or where he Readeth Catechiseth or Preacheth as is aforesaid and shall likewise as often in every year administer the Sacraments of Baptism if there be any to be baptized and of the Lords Supper in such Manner and Form and with the Observation of all such Rites and Ceremonies as are prescribed by the Book of Common-Prayer in that behalf which if he do not accordingly perform then shall he that is possessed of a Benefice as before be suspended and he that is but a Reader Preacher or Catechiser be removed from his Place by the Bishop of the Diocess until he or they shall submit themselves to perform all the said Duties in such manner and sort as before is prescribed LVII The Sacraments not to be refused at the hands of unpreaching Ministers WHereas divers Persons seduced by false Teachers do refuse to have their Children baptized by a Minister that is no Preacher and to receive the Holy Communion at his hands in the same respect as though the Vertue of those Sacraments did depend upon his Ability to preach Forasmuch as the Doctrine both of Baptism and of the Lord's Supper is so sufficiently set down in the Book of Common-Prayer to be used at the Administration of the said Sacraments as nothing can be added unto it that is material or necessary We do require and charge every such Person seduced as aforesaid to reform that their Wilfulness and to submit himself to the Order of the Church in that behalf both the said Sacraments being equally effectual whether they be ministred by a Minister that is no Preacher or by one that is a Preacher And if any hereafter shall offend herein or leave their own Parish Churches in that respect and communicate or cause their Children to be baptized in other Parishes abroad and will not be moved thereby to reform that their Error and unlawful Course Let them be presented to the Ordinary of the place by the Minister Church-wardens and Side-men or Quest-men of the Parishes where they dwell and there receive such punishment by Ecclesiastical Censures as such Obstinacy doth worthily deserve that is Let them persisting in their wilfulness be suspended and then after a months further Obstinacy excommunicated And likewise if any Parson Vicar or Curate shall after the publishing hereof either receive to the Communion any such persons which are not of his own Church and Parish or shall baptize any of their Children thereby strengthening them in their said Errors Let him be suspended and not released thereof until he do faithfully Promise that he will not afterwards offend therein LVIII Ministers reading Divine Service and administring the Sacraments to wear Surplices and Graduates therewithal Hoods EVery Minister saying the publick Prayers or ministring the Sacraments or other Rites of the Church shall wear a decent and comely Surplice with Sleeves to be provided at the Charge of the Parish And if any question arise touching the Matter Decency or Comeliness thereof the same shall be decided by the Discretion of the Ordinary Furthermore such Ministers as are Graduates shall wear upon their Surplices at such times such Hoods as by the Orders of the Universities are agreable to their Degrees which no Minister shall wear being no Graduate under pain of Suspension Notwithstanding it shall be lawful for such Ministers as are not Graduates to wear upon their Surplices instead of Hoods some decent Tippet of black so it be not Silk LIX Ministers to catechize every Sunday EVery Parson Vicar or Curate upon every Sunday and Holy-day before Evening Prayer shall for half an hour or more examine and instruct the Youth and ignorant Persons of his Parish in the Ten Commandments the Articles of the Belief and in the Lord's Prayer and shall diligently hear instruct and teach them the Catechism set forth in the Book of Common Prayer And all Fathers Mothers Masters and Mistresses shall cause their Children Servants and Apprentices which have not learned the Catechism to come to the Church at the time appointed obediently to hear and to be ordered by the Minister until they have learned the same And if any Minister neglect his Duty herein let him be sharply reproved upon the first Complaint and true notice thereof given to the Bishop or Ordinary of the Place If after submitting himself he shall willingly offend therein again let him be suspended If so the third time there being little hope that he will be therein reformed then excommunicated and so remain until he will be reformed And likewise if any of the said Fathers Mothers Masters or Mistresses Children Servants or Apprentices shall neglect their Duties as the one sort in not causing them to come
of Common Prayer that is brought to the Church to him upon Sundays or Holydays to be Christened or to Bury any Corps that is brought to the Church or Church-Yard convcnient Warning being given him thereof before in such manner and Form as is prescribed in the said Book of Common Prayer And if he shall refuse to Christen the one or Bury the other except the Party deceased were denounced Excommunicated Majori Excommunicatione for some grievous and notorious Crime and no man able to testifie of his Repentance he shall be suspended by the Bishop of the Diocess from his Ministery by the space of three months LXIX Ministers not to defer Christening if the Child be in Danger IF any Minister being duly without any manner of Collusion informed of the Weakness and Danger of Death of any Infant unbaptized in his Parish and thereupon desired to go or come to the Place where the said Infant remaineth to Baptize the same shall either wilfully refuse so to do or of Purpose or of gross Negligence shall so defer the time as when he might conveniently have resorted to the Place and have Baptized the said Infant it dieth through such his Default unbaptized the said Minister shall be suspended for three months and before his restitution shall acknowledge his Fault and promise before his Ordinary that he will not wittingly incur the like again Provided that where there is a Curate or a Substitute this Constitution shall not extend to the Parson or Vicar himself but to the Curate or Substitute present LXX Ministers to keep a Register of Christenings Weddings and Burials IN every Parish Church and Chapel within this Realm shall be provided one Parchment Book at the Charge of the Parish wherein shall be written the day and year of every Christening Wedding and Burial which have been in that Parish since the time that the Law was first made in that behalf so far as the ancient Books thereof can be procured but especially since the beginning of the Reign of the late Queen And for the safe keeping of the said Book the Church-wardens at the Charge of the Parish shall provide one sure Coffer with three Locks and Keys whereof the one to remain with the Minister and the other two with the Church-wardens severally so that neither the Minister without the two Church-wardens nor the Church-wardens without the Minister shall at any time take that Book out of the said Coffer And henceforth upon every Sabbath day immediately after Morning or Evening Prayer the Minister and Church-wardens shall take the said Parchment Book out of the said Coffer and the Minister in the presence of the Church-wardens shall Write and Record in the said Book the Names of all Persons Christened together with the Names and Surnames of their Parents and also the Names of all Persons Married and Buried in that Parish in the Week before and the day and year of every such Christening Marriage and Burial And that done they shall lay up that Book in the Coffer as before And the Minister and Church-wardens unto every Page of that Book when it shall be filled with such Inscriptions shall subscribe their Names And the Church-wardens shall once every year within one Month after the five and twentieth day of March transmit unto the Bishop of the Diocess or his Chancellor a true Copy of the Names of all Persons Christened Married or Buried in their Parish in the year before ended the said five and twentieth day of March and the certain days and months in which every such Christening Marriage and Burial was had to be subscribed with the Hands of the said Minister and Church-wardens to the end the same may faithfully be preserved in the Registry of the said Bishop which Certificate shall be received without Fee And if the Minister or Church-wardens shall be negligent in performance of any thing herein contained it shall be lawful for the Bishop or his Chancellor to convent them and proceed against every of them as contemners of this our Constitution LXXI Ministers not to preach or administer the Communion in Private Houses NO Minister shall Prench or Administer the holy Communion in any private House except it be in times of necessity when any being either so impotent as he cannot go to the Church or very dangerously sick are desirous to be Partakers of the holy Sacrament upon pain of Suspension for the first Offence and Excommunication for the second Provided that Houses are here reputed for Private Houses wherein are no Chapels dedicated and allowed by the Ecclesiastical Laws of this Realm And provided also under the pains before expressed that no Chaplains do Preach or Administer the Communion in any other places but in the Chapels of the said Houses and that also they do the same very seldom upon Sundays and Holy-days So that both the Lords and Masters of the said Houses and their Families shall at other times resort to their own Parish Churches and there receive the holy Communion at the least once every year LXXII Ministers not to appoint publick or private Fasts or Prophesies or to Exercise but by Authority NO Minister or Ministers shall without the Licence and Direction of the Bishop of the Diocess first obtained and had under his Hand and Seal appoint or keep any solemn Fasts either publickly or in any private Houses other than such as by Law are or by publick Authority shall be appointed nor shall be wittingly present at any of them under pain of Suspension for the first Fault of Excommunication for the second and of Deposition from the Ministery for the third Neither shall any Minister not Licensed as is aforesaid presume to appoint or hold any Meetings for Sermons commonly termed by some Prophesies or Exercises in Market-Towns or other places under the said Pains Nor without such Licence to attempt upon any Pretence whatsoever either of Possession or Obsession by Fasting and Prayer to cast out any Devil or Devils under pain of the Imputation of Imposture or Cozenage and Deposition from the Ministery LXXIII Ministers not to hold private Conventicles Forasmuch as all conventicles and secret Meetings of Priests and Ministers have been ever justly accounted very hurtful to the State of the Church wherein they live We do now Ordain and Constitute That no Priests or Ministers of the word of God nor any other Persons shall meet together in any private House or elsewhere to consult upon any matter or course to be taken by them or upon their motion or direction by any other which may any way tend to the Impeaching or Depraving of the Doctrine of the Church of England or of the Book of Common Prayer or any part of the Government and Discipline now established in the Church of England under pain of Excommunication ipso facto LXXIV Decency in Apparel enjoyned to Ministers THE true ancient and flourishing Churches of Christ being ever desirous that their Prelacy and Clergy might be had as well
in outward Reverence as otherwise regarded for the Worthiness of their Ministery did think it sit by a prescript Form of decent and comely Apparel to have them known to the People and thereby to receive the Honour and Estimation due to the special Messengers and Ministers of Almighty God We therefore following their grave Judgment and the ancient Custom of the Church of England and hoping that in time new-fangleness of Apparel in some Factious Persons will die of it self do constitute and appoint That the Archbishops and Bishops shall not intermit to use the accustomed Apparel of their Degrees Likewise all Deans Masters of Colleges Archdeacons and Prebendaries in Cathedral and Collegiate Churches being Priests or Deacons Doctors in Divinity Law and Physick Batchellors in Divinity Masters of Arts and Batchellors of Law having any Ecclesiastical Living shall usually wear Gowns with standing Collars and Sleeves strait at the Hands or wide Sleeves as is used in the Universities with Hoods or Tippets of Silk or Sarcenet and square Caps And that all other Ministers admitted or to be admitted into that Function shall also usually wear the like Apparel as is aforesaid except Tippets only We do further in like manner ordain That all the said Ecclesiastical Persons above mentioned shall usually wear in their Journeys Cloaks with Sleeves commonly called Priests Cloaks without Gards Welts long Buttons or Cuts And no Ecclesiastical Person shall wear any Coife or wrought Night-cap but only plain Night-caps of black Silk Satten or Velvet In all which Particulars concerning the Apparel here Prescribed our meaning is not to attribute any Holiness or special Worthiness to the said Garments but for Decency Gravity and Order as is before specified In private Houses and in their Studies the said Persons Ecclesiastical may use any comely and Scholar-like Apparel provided that it be not cut or pinckt and that in publick they go not in their Doublet and Hose without Coats or Cassocks And that they wear not any light coloured Stockings Likewise poor Beneficed men and Curates not being able to provide themselves long Gowns may go in short Gowns of the Fashion aforesaid LXXV Sober Conversation required in Ministers NO Ecclesiastical Person shall at any time other then for their honest Necessities resort to any Taverns or Alehouses neither shall they boad or lodge in any such Places Furthermore they shall not give themselves to any base or servile Labour or to drinking or Riot spending their time Idlely by day or by night playing at Dice Cards or Taâ—les or any other unlawful Game But at all times convenient they shall hear or read somewhat of the Holy Scriptures or shall occupy themselves with some other honest Study or Exercise always doing the things which shall appertain to Honesty and endeavouring to profit the Church of God having always in Mind that they ought to excel all others in Purity of Life and should be examples to the People to live well and Christianly under Pain of Ecclesiastical Censures to be inflicted with Severity according to the qualities of their Offences LXXV Ministers at no time to forsake their Calling NO man being admitted a Deacon or Minister shall from thenceforth voluntarily relinquish the same nor afterward use himself in the Course of his Life as a Lay-man upon pain of Excommunication And the Names of all such Men so forsaking their Calling the Church-wardens of the Parish where they dwell shall present to the Bishop of the Diocess or to the Ordinary of the Place having Episcopal Jurisdiction School-Masters LXXVII None to teach School without Licence NO Man shall teach either in publick School or private House but such as shall be allowed by the Bishop of the Diocess or Ordinary of the Place under his Hand and Seal being found meet as well for his Learning and dexterity in Teaching as for sober and honest Conversation and also for right understanding of Gods true Religion and also except he shall first subscribe to the first and third Articles aforementioned simply and to the two first Clauses of the second Article LXXVIII Curates desirous to teach to be Licensed before others IN what Parish Church or Chappel soever there is a Curate which is a Master of Arts or Batchelor of Arts or is otherwise well able to teach Youth and will willingly so do for the better increase of his Living and training up of Children in Principles of true Religion We will and ordain That a Licence to teach Youth of the Parish where he serveth be granted to none by the Ordinary of that place but only to the said Curate Provided always That this Constitution shall not extend to any Parish or Chappel in Countrey Towns where there is a publick School founded already In which case we think it not meet to allow any to teach Grammar but only him that is allowed for the said publick School LXXXIX The Duty of School-Masters ALL School-Masters shall teach in English or Latin as the Children are able to bear the larger or shorter Catechism heretofore by publick Authority set forth And as often as any Sermon shall be upon Holy and Festival days within the Parish where they teach they shall bring their Schollars to the Church where such Sermon shall be made and there see them quietly and soberly behave themselves and shall examine them at times convenient after their return what they have born away of such Sermons Upon other days and at other times they shall train them up with such Sentences of holy Scriptures as shall be most expedient to induce them to all Godliness and they shall teach the Grammar set forth by King Henry the Eighth and continued in the times of King Edward the Sixth and Queen Elizabeth of noble Memory and none other And if any School-Master being Licensed and having subscribed as aforesaid shall offend in any of the premisses or either speak write or teach against any thing whereunto he hath formerly subscribed if upon admonition by the Ordinary he do not amend and reform himself let him be suspended from teaching School any longer Things appertaining to Churches LXXX The great Bible and Book of Common Prayer to be had in every Church THE Church-wardens or Quest-men of every Church and Chappel shall at the charge of the Parish provide the Book of Common Prayer lately explained in some few points by his Majesties Authority according to the Laws and his Highness Prerogative in that behalf and that with all convenient speed but at the furthest within two months after the publishing of these our Constitutions And if any Parishes be yet unfurnished of the Bible of the largest Volume or of the Books of Homilies allowed by Authority the said Church-wardens shall within convenient time provide the same at the like charge of the Parish LXXXI A Font of Stone for Baptism in every Church ACcording to a former Constitution too much neglected in many places we appoint That there shall be a Font of Stone in every
here and in the former Constitution mentioned shall not prejudice those Diocesses where by Composition or Custom bona notabilia are rated at a greater sum And if any Judge of the Prerogative Court or any his Surrogate or his Register or Apparitor shall cite or cause any Person to be Cited into his Court contrary to the tenor of the premisses he shall restore to the party so cited all his Costs and Charges and the Acts and proceedings in that behalf shall be held void and frustrate Which Expences if the said Judge or Register or Apparitor shall refuse accordingly to pay he shall be suspended from the Exercise of his Office untill he yield to the performance thereof XCIV None to be cited into the Arches or Audience but dwellers within the Archbishops Diocess or Peculiars NO Dean of the Arches nor Official of the Archbishops Consistory nor any Judge of the Audience shall henceforward in his own Name or in the name of the Archbishop either ex officio or at the Instance of any party originally cite summon or any way compel or procure to be cited summoned or compelled any person which dwelleth not within the particular Diocess or peculiar of the said Archbishop to appear before him or any of them for any cause or matter whatsoever belonging to Ecclesiastical Cognizance without the Licence of the Diocesan first had and obtained in that behalf other than in such particular Cases only as are expresly excepted and reserved in and by a Statute Ann. 23 H. 8. cap. 9. And if any of the said Judges shall offend herein he shall for every such offence be suspended from the exercise of his Office for the space of three whole Months XCV Fhe Restraint of double Quarrels ALbeit by former Constitutions of the Church of England every Bishop hath had two Months Space to enquire and inform himself of the sufficiency and qualities of every Minister after he hath been presented unto him to be instituted into any Benefice yet for the avoiding of some inconveniencies we do now abridge and reduce the said two Months unto eight and twenty days only In respect of which Abridgement we do ordain and appoint that no double Quarrel shall hereafter be granted out of any of the Archbishops Courts at the suit of any Minister whosoever except he shall first take his personal Oath that the said eight and twenty days at the least are expired after he first tendered his Presentation to the Bishop and that he refused to grant him Institution thereupon or shall enter Bonds with sufficient sureties to prove the same to be true under pain of Suspension of the Granter thereof from the execution of his Office for half a year toties quoties to be denounced by the said Archbishop and Nullity of the double Quarrel aforesaid so unduly procured to all intents and purposes whatsoever Always provided that within the said eight and twenty Days the Bishop shall not institute any other to the prejudice of the said party before presented sub poena mullitatis XCVI Inhibitions not to be granted without the subscription of an Advocate THAT the Jurisdictions of Bishops may be preserved as near as may be entire and free from prejudice and that for the behoof of the Subjects of this Land better provision be made that henceforward they be not grieved with frivolous and wrongful Suits and Molestations It is ordained and provided that no Inhibition shall be granted out of any Court belonging to the Archbishop of Canterbury at the instance of any Party unless it be subscribed by an Advocate practising in the said Court which the said Advocate shall do freely not taking any Fee for the same except the party prosecuting the suit do voluntarily bestow some Gratuity upon him for his Counsel and Advice in the said Cause The like Course shall be used in granting forth any Inhibition at the instance of any party by the Bishop or his Chancellor against the Archdeacon or any other person exercising Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction And if in the Court or Consistory of any Bishop there be no Advocate at all then shall the subscription of a Proctor practising in the same Court be held sufficient XCVII Inhibitions not to be granted until the Appeal be exhibited to the Iudge IT is further ordered and decreed That henceforward no Inhibition be granted by occasion of any interlocutory Decree or in any cause of correction whatsoever except under the form aforesaid And moreover That before the going out of any such Inhibition the Appeal it self or a Copy thereof avouched by Oath to be just and true be exhibited to the Judge or his lawful Surrogate whereby he may be fully inform'd both of the quality of the Crime and of the cause of the Grievance before the granting forth of the said Inhibition And every Appellant or his lawful Proctor shall before the obtaining of any such Inhibition shew and exhibit to the Judge or his Surrogate in Writing a true Copy of those Acts wherewith he complaineth himself to be aggrieved and from which he appealeth or shall take a Corporal Oath that he hath performed his Diligence and true endeavour for the obtaining of the same and could not obtain it at the Hands of the Register in the Country or his Deputy tendring him his Fee And if any Judge or Register shall either procure or permit any Inhibition to be Sealed so as is said contrary to the Form and Limitation above specified let him be suspended from the Execution of his Office for the space of three Months If any Proctor or other Person whatsoever by his appointment shall offend in any of the Premisses either by making or sending out any Inhibition contrary to the tenour of the said Premisses let him be removed from the Exercise of his Office for the space of a whole Year without hope of release or restoring XCVIII Inhibitions not to be granted to factious Appellants unless they first Subscribe FOrasmuch as they who break the Laws cannot in reason claim any benefit or protection by the same We decree and appoint that after any Judge Ecclesiastical hath proceeded judiciously against obstinate and factious persons and contemmers of Ceremonies for not observing the Rites and Orders of the Church of England or for contempt of publick Prayer no Judge ad quem shall admit or allow any his or their Appeals unless he having first seen the Original Appeal the party Appellant do first personally promise and avow that he will faithfully keep and observe all the Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England as also the prescript Form of Common Prayer and do likewise subscribe to the three Articles formerly by us specified and declared XCIX None to marry within the Degrees prohibited NO persons shall Marry within the Degrees prohibited by the Laws of God and expressed in a Table set forth by Authority in the year of our Lord God 1563. and all Marriages so made and contracted shall be adjudged incestuous
said Arch-Bishop Bishop or Suffragan shall for Parchment Writing Wax Sealing or any other respect thereunto appertaining take above ten shillings under such pains as are already by Law prescribed CXXXVI A Table of the Rates and Fees to be set up in Courts and Registries VVE do likewise constitute and appoint That the Registers belonging to every such Ecclesiastical Judge shall place two Tables containing the several Rates and Sums of all the said Fees one in the usual place or Consistory where the Court is kept and the other in his Registry and both of them in such sort as every man whom it concerneth may without difficulty come to the view and perusal thereof and take a Copy of them the same Tables to be so set up before the Feast of the Nativity next ensuing And if any Register shall fail to place the said Tables according to the Tenour hereof he shall be Suspended from the execution of his Office until he cause the same to be accordingly done And the said Tables being once set up if he shall at any time remove or suffer the same to be removed hidden or any way hindered from sight contrary to the true meaning of this Constitution he shall for every such offence be Suspended from the exercise of his Office for the space of six Months CXXXVII The whole Fees for shewing Letters of Orders and other Licences due but once in every Bishops time FOrasmuch as a chief and principal cause and use of Visitation is that the Bishop Arch-Deacon or other assigned to Visit may get some good knowledge of the State Sufficiency and Ability of the Clergy and other persons whom they are to Visit We think it convenient that every Parson Vicar Curate Schoolmaster or other person Licensed whosoever do at the Bishops first Visitation or at the next Visitation after his Admission shew and exhibit unto him his Letters of Orders Institution and Induction and all other his Dispensations Licences or Faculties whatsoever to be by the said Bishop either allowed or if there be just cause disallowed and rejected and being by him approved to be as the custom is signed by the Register and that the whole Fees accustomed to be paid in the Visitations in respect of the Premisses be paid only once in the whole time of every Bishop and afterwards but half of the said accustomed Fees in every other Visitation during the said Bishops continuance Apparitors CXXXVIII The Number of Apparitors restrained FOrasmuch as we are desirous to redress such abuses and aggrievances as are said to grow by Somners or Apparitors We think it meet that the multitude of Apparitors be as much as is possible abridged or restrained Wherefore we decree and ordain That no Bishop or Archdeacon or their Vicars or Officials or other inferior Ordinaries shall depute or have more Apparitors to serve in their Jurisdictions respectively then either they or their Predecessors were accustomed to have thirty years before the publishing of these our present Constitutitions All which Apparitors shall by themselves faithfully execute their Offices neither shall they by any colour or pretence whatsoever cause or suffer their Mandates to be executed by any Messengers or Substitutes unless it be upon some good cause to be first known and approved by the Ordinary of the place Moreover they shall not take upon them the Office of Promoters or Informers for the Court neither shall they exact more or greater Fees than are in these our Constitutions formerly prescribed And if either the number of the Apparitors deputed shall exceed the fore said limitation or any of the said Apparitors shall offend in any of the Premisses the Persons deputing them if they be Bishops shall upon Admonition of their Superiour discharge the Persons exceeding the number so limited If inferiour Ordinaries they shall be suspended from the execution of their Office until they have dismissed the Apparitors by them so deputed and the Parties themselves so deputed shall for ever be removed from the Office of Apparitors and if being so removed they desist not from the exercise of their said Offices let them be punished by Ecclesiastical censures as persons contumacious Provided that if upon experience the number of the said Apparitors be too great in any Diocess in the judgment of the Archbishop of Canturbury for the time being they shall by him be so abridged as he shall think meet and convenient Authority of Synods CXXXIX A National Synod the Church Representative WHosoever shall hereafter affirm that the sacred Synod of this Nation in the Name of Christ and by the KING's Authority assembled is not the true Church of England by representation let him be Excommunicated and not restored until he repent and publickly revoke that his wicked Error CXL Synods conclude as well the absent as the present WHosoever shall affirm That no manner of person either of the Clergy or Laity not being themselves particularly assembled in the said sacred Synod are to be subject to the Decrees thereof in causes Ecclesiastical made and ratified by the Kings Majesties supream Authority as not having given their voices unto them let him be Excommunicated and not restored until he repent and publickly revoke that his wicked Error CXLI Depravers of the Synod censured WHosoever shall hereafter affirm That the sacred Synod assembled as aforesaid was a company of such persons as did conspire together against godly and religious professors of the Gospel and that therefore both they and their proceedings in making of Canons and Constitutions in causes Ecclesiastical by the Kings Authority as aforesaid ought to be despised and contemned the same being ratified confirmed and enjoyed by the said Regal Power Supremacy and Authority let them be Excommunicated and not restored until they repent and publickly revoke that their wicked Error WE of our Princely inclination and Royal care for the maintenance of the present Estate and Government of the Church of England by the Laws of this our Realm now settled 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 Clergy but to the whole Church of this our Kingdom and to all the true members of it if they be well observed Have therefore Us our Heirs and lawful Successors of our special Grace certain Knowledge and meer Motion 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 of the said Canons Orders Ordinances and Constitutions and to all and every thing in them contained as they are before written 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