Articles to be enquired of, throughout the whole diocesse of Chichester ministred and giuen in charge to the church-wardens and sidemen within the same diocesse by the reuerend father in God Richard by Gods prouidence Bishop of Chichester, in his generall visitation holden anno Domini 1631.

Articles to be enquired of, throughout the whole diocesse of Chichester ministred and giuen in charge to the church-wardens and sidemen within the same diocesse by the reuerend father in God Richard by Gods prouidence Bishop of Chichester, in his generall visitation holden anno Domini 1631.

Table of contents

Title page

§

The forme of the Oath which according to the 119. Canon, is to be administred vnto the Church-wardens and Sidemen.

Articles concerning Religion and Doctrine.

Articles concerning diuine Seruice and administration of the Sacraments.

Articles concerning the Church, the Ornaments, sacred vtensils, and possessions of the same.

Articles concerning Ministers and Preachers of Gods word.

Articles concerning Matrimonie.

Articles concerning the Church-wardens.

Articles concerning the Parishioners.

Articles concerning Schoole-masters, Physitians, and Chirurgians, and Parish Clarkes.

Articles concerning Ecclesiasticall Officers.

§

FINIS.

§

§

[Page]

[Page]

ARTICLES TO BE ENQVIRED OF, THROVGHOVT The whole Diocesse of CHICHESTER: Ministred and giuen in charge to the Church-wardens and Sidemen within the same Diocesse, By the Reuerend Father in God RICHARD by Gods prouidence Bishop of CHICHESTER, in his generall Visitation. Holden Anno Domini 1631.

Anno Consecrationis suae quarto.

LONDON, Printed by R. Y. for Thomas Bourne. MDCXXXI.

§

§

[Page]

[...]

3 Whether are there placed by the register, two tables, containing the severall rates and summes of all fees due to the Iudge, and other officers of your courts; one in the usuall place or consistorie where the court is kept, the other in his registrie, in such sort, as every man may come to view the same without difficultie? and whether doth the Chancellour, Arch-deacon, or any other officer or minister, exact, or extort any greater fees, or summes of money, then in the said tables are contained?

4 Whether doth the Chancellour, Arch-deacon, or officiall, commute or change any penance, or corporall punishment, for any money, without the consent of the Bishop? and what money have they, or any of them, received for such commutation, and of whom; when, and what was the offense, for which any such summe of money was received, or appointed to be payd?

5 Whether doth the Chancellour, Arch-deacon, or officiall, or any other person, using ecclesiasticall jurisdiction, speed any act, in any cause, privately of themselves, and not in the presence of some publick notarie, or actuarie?

6 Whether is the number of apparitours increased in this diocesse; and wherein, and in what manner is the countrey over-burdened, or grieved by them? hath any of them, under pretence of authoritie, cited or summoned any person unlawfully; or hath any of them taken any reward for the concealing of any offense or sinne; or that the offenders might escape punishment? who be they that have so done? or do any of them take any fees that are not usuall? have they threatned any to prosecute them, if they had no reward given them? or do any of them cause any partie to appeare in any ecclesiasticall court, within this diocesse, without first a citation obtained from the Iudge of the court?

7 Whether hath any ecclesiasticall Iudge or officer whatsoever, advocate, register, proctour, clerks, or other such ministers, any way abused themselves in their offices, contrarie to the laws and Canons in that behalf provided?

Lastly, Whether have you and every of you, sincerely, uprightly, and without any partiall affection, and concealment, presented and made known all and every the offenders, in any of the particulars mentioned in the precedent Articles, exhibited unto you; either as they are taken in truth to be, or by common fame reported?

If you know any other matter of ecclesiasticall cognisance, worthy the presentment, in your judgement, and fit to be reformed by ecclesiasticall censure, though it be not expressed in these Articles, yet you shall likewise present the same, by vertue of your oathes.

FINIS.

The forme of the Oath which according to the 119. Canon, is to be administred vnto the Church-wardens and Sidemen.

[Page]

[...]

[Page]

YOu shall sweare, that you, and euery of you shall duely consider, and diligently enquire of all and euery of these Articles giuen you in charge; and that all affection, fauour, hope of reward and gaine, all feare of displeasure, or offending any, all malice, enuy, and like sinister affections set apart, you shall present all and euery such persons, of, or within your Parish, as haue committed any offence, or made any default mentioned in these or any of these Articles: wherein you shall deale vprightly, sincerely, plainely, and fully, neither presenting, nor sparing to present any contrary to truth, hauing God before your eyes, with an earnest zeale to maintaine truth and vertue, and to suppresse error and vice: So helpe you God, and the holy contents of this Booke.

Articles concerning Religion and Doctrine.

[Page]

WHETHER be there any one, or more residing, lodging or abiding in your Parish, that hold, defend, set forth, or propose any Heresie, errors, or false opinions, contrary to holy Scripture, the Thrée Créedes, the Booke of Thirtie nine Articles, the Booke of Common Prayer, the Booke of Consecrating and ordayning Bishops, Priests, and Deacons?

2 Whether there be any in your Parish, that oppose, denie, or otherwise traduce the Kings Maiesties lawfull, and established supremacie ouer all persons, in all causes as well Ecclesiasticall as Temporall within his Highnesse Realmes and Dominions.

3 Whether there be any that affirme, or maintaine that the Church of England is not a true Church, but Hereticall, or Schismaticall, and that refuse to come into the publike Seruice, to receiue the Sacraments, to participate in other Diuine Rites and ceremonies with the Church of England, either as Popish Recusants, or Puritanicall Separatists and Schismatickes.

4 Whether there be any in your Parish that doe or hath frequented, celebrated, or vsed any vnlawfull Assemblies, priuate méetings, or conuenticles in priuate houses, vnder colour or pretext of Religion, repeating of Sermons, expounding [Page] of Scripture, or that holdeth such méetings to be lawfull, to be according to Gods word, or such as may challenge the name of a Church?

5 Whether any in your Parish doe publish, sell, disperse, or communicate to others, any superstitious or Popish bookes, or writings, any Schismaticall, and Puritanicall, Libelles, treatises, or papers Derogatorie from, or contrary to the Religion, State, Church Gouernment of this Kingdome of England, the Lawes and Canons of the same, the Ministery and Priesthood therein? Present their names, qualities, and conditions.

Articles concerning diuine Seruice and administration of the Sacraments.

1 HAth any of, or in your Parish spoken, or declared any thing to disgrace, depraue, contemne or derogate from the forme of Diuine Seruice, in the Book of Common Praier?

2 Bée there any in your Parish that either absolutely refuse to come into Church and be present at Prayer, or ordinarily walke abroad, or that vsually tarrie at home, or come not into the Church till Sermon begin?

3 Doth your Minister reade diuine Seruice according to the Iniunctions in the booke of Common Prayer; doth he diminish, alter, or change the forme prescribed, in part, or in all, vsing Prayers in stead thereof of his owne deuising, and conceiuing?

4 Whether doth hee reade the Confession, and absolution thereupon to be pronounced, or doth he change the words thereof to make it a Prayer, doth hee in reading the first, and second lessons, expound the Chapters, as he readeth: doth hee stand at the Gospell and Créed, and obserue the forme prescribed [Page] in the Booke, or not?

5 Whether is the Sacrament of Baptisme by him rightly and duely administred according to the prescript forme expressed in the Booke of common Prayer, without adding, altering, or detracting from any part, or point therein: Doth he refuse to vse the Interrogatories prescribed, the signe of the Crosse commanded: Doth he vse the words, and not doe the Acte: hath he admitted the Fathers, or Mothers in publike, or in priuate Baptisme to be Godfathers and Godmothers to their owne children: whether doth he vse to baptise the childe at the Font, or in some Bason at his seate where hée readeth Prayer, or is the Font translated and placed there, or néere thereto from the Church-doore, where it should stand, signifying that Baptisme is our entry into the Church of God?

6 Whether hath he refused in case of necessity, to baptise Children at home, haue any so dyed vnbaptised, or will he not baptise the children of Papists being offered to baptisme: such as he borne out of wedlocke as Bastards, or vnlesse the Father will affirme publikely at the Font, being asked, it is his owne childe?

7 Whether is the blessed Sacrament of the Lords Supper so administred as is prescribed, viz. once euery Moneth, or thrice at the least in the yeare?

8 Item in time of administration are any suffered to bee present, that doe not communicate: Doth your Minister in administring it vse the garments, and vestments prescribed, Doth he consecrate the Bread and Wine, with those words that are set downe, if not, how and in what manner?

9 Doth he first reuerently vpon his knées receiue himselfe and then seuerally, and distinctly giue it to the communicants, they méekely knéeling, and not standing or sitting either at [Page] the Table, or vpon some bench? Whether is the Bread wholsome and swéet? Is the Wine as it should be, representing blood; not Sacke, White-wine, Water, or some other Liquor. And if more bread and wine be afterward brought, the first not sufficing which was consecrated, doth hée first vse the words of consecration vpon it, before he giue it to the Communicants, as is prescribed Can. xxj.

10 Whether in solemnizing of Marriage, visitation of the sicke, Buriall of the dead, Churching of women, doth your Minister vse such maner and forme, such words, Rites, and Ceremonies as are prescribed: and if not, then in what maner doth he performe them?

Articles concerning the Church, the Ornaments, sacred vtensils, and possessions of the same.

1 WHether haue you in your Church, the whole Bible of the largest volumne, and last Translation, the Booke of Common Prayer, with the Booke of Ordination of Bishops, Priests, and Deacons, the two Bookes of Homilies?

2 Haue you a Font of Stone, for the administration of Baptisme, set vp in the vsuall place néere the Church doore, with a couer to kéepe it from dust and soyle?

3 Haue you a conuenient, and decent Communion Table, placed conueniently as it ought, with a Carpet of silke, or some other comely stuffe to be laid vpon it in time of diuine Seruice, and a cleane linnen cloth for the time of Communion?

4 Is it prophaned at any time, by sitting on it, casting hats or cloakes vpon it, writing, or casting vp accounts, or any other indecent vsage?

[Page]5 Haue you in your Church a conuenient seate for your Minister to reade Diuine Seruice, and to preach in a comely, large, and fine Surplice, a Communion Cup and flagon of siluer or pewter, a Chest for Almes with thrée lockes and keyes, another chest for kéeping the bookes, ornaments, and vtensils of the Church: Haue you a Register Booke in parchment for Christnings, Burials, Marriages, and are these duely and faithfully written and recorded therein, or not, and is the same safely kept in a chest with thrée lockes and keyes according to the Canon?

6 Whether is your Church, Chappell, Chancell, sufficiently repaired, decently and comely kept, as well within as without, be the seats maintained, the Stéeple and bels preserued, the windowes glased, the floore paued, and all things in such sort as may well be séeme the house of God?

7 Whether is your Church-yard well mounded, and fenced, kept cleane without Nusance, or soyle cast into it: is it incroached vpon, and by whom? doe any offensiuely kéepe doores, outletts, or passages into your Church-yard: doe any vse to quarrell, fight, play, or make méetings, banquets, Church-ales there: doe any kéepe Courts, Léetes, Lawdayes, Musters there: or otherwise vse it being a consecrated place, prophanely contrary to the 88. Canon?

Articles concerning Ministers and Preachers of Gods word.

1 WHether is your Minister a Preacher or not: of what degrée is he in the Vniuersitie, is he a licensed Preacher, doth he personally reside vpon his benefice: if not, how long doth he vse to absent himselfe, how doth he take order for seruing of his Cure, whether by a sufficient and honest man: what allowance doth he make him according to the proportion of his Benefice?

[Page]2 Whether is your Minister or Curate a man of honest life, fame and reputation, a quarreller, make-bate, sower of strife, sedition, dissention, or doth he commonly vse Alehouses, or vnlawfull games, is hee defamed or detected for drunkennesse, swearing, swaggering, or any indecent misbehauiour, to the disgrace of his holy function and calling?

3 Doth your Minister catechize the youth of the Parish vpon Sundayes in the after-noone, halfe an houre before euening prayer, in that Catechisme authorised in the common booke, and no other, and if any Parishioners refuse to send their Children, or Seruants to be catechised, let them be presented?

4 Whether doth your Minister admit to preach in his Cure any stranger without requiring his Licence, or any inconformeable man, or suspended from Preaching, and if yea, how often, and whom hath he so admitted?

5 Hath your Minister preached against, or confuted any Doctrine deliuered by any other minister, in the same, or any other Church within the Diocesse, before hee hath acquainted the Bishop therewith, and bin directed by him what to doe: to the disturbance of the Churches peace, or the scandall, or offence of others?

6 Hath your Minister preached or taught any new, and strange Doctrine, contrary vnto, or disagréeing from the booke of Articles, and the literall sense thereof? Doth your Minister preach or teach any thing contrary to his Maiesties late Iniunctions, about Predestination, falling from Grace, &c. to trouble mens minds with those déep and darke points, which of late haue so distracted and [...]engarboyled the world?

7 Doth your Minister vse in his prayer, to pray for the King, the Quéene, Clergie, Counsell, &c. and conclude with the Lords prayer according to the 55. Canon?

[Page]8 Haue you any superinducted Preacher, or Lecturer in your Parish: doth he twice in the yeare at least, reade Diuine Seruice, both morning & euening, two seuerall Sundayes, publikely in his surplice: doth he twice a yeare administer the Sacraments, with such Rites and Ceremonies as be prescribed in the Communion booke, according to the .56. Canon?

9 Doth your Minister solemnly bid holi-dayes, and fasting dayes in the wéek following, hath he married any without asking the banes thrice, doth he of his owne head and voluntarie motion, appoint or kéep any solemne fasts publikely or in priuate houses, other than such as by Law are, or by authority shall be appointed, or is he present at any such, in, or out of his Parish: Doth he hold, or frequent any méetings for Sermons, commonly called Prophesyings, or Exercises in market townes or other places: Doth hee vpon any pretence whatsoeuer by Fasting and Prayer take vpon him to cast out any Deuill, or Deuils in any obsessed, or possessed person?

10 Doth your Minister vpon euery Sunday when there is no Sermon, reade an Homilie, or some part thereof, doth he once in the yeare reade ouer the booke of Canons, vpon some Sundayes, or Holi-dayes, before euening prayer, according to the Iniunction from his Maiestie?

11 Doth your Minister vpon euery Wednesday and Friday reade the Letany in your Parish Church, or Chappell, according to the 15. Canon: hath he not diuers times omitted so to doe since your last presentments.

12 Doth your Minister alwayes, and at euery time both morning and euening, reading diuine Seruice, and administring the Sacraments, and other Rites of the Church, weare the Surplice according to the Canons, and doth he neuer omit wearing of the same at such times?

13 Doth your Minister vse in his common course of life [Page] that decent apparell, answerable to his calling and degrée, both abroad and at home, in iourneys and otherwise, as is ordained by the 74. Canon?

14 Hath any man residing in your Parish being a Deacon, or Priest, relinquished his Function, and betaken himselfe to a Lai-mans life, or vocation?

15 Doth any Person of what degrée or calling soeuer, kéepe or retaine in his house any Chaplaine, or Minister, to reade Prayers, Preach, instruct his Family, who are they, how many, of what condition or degrée?

16 Doth your Minister reside, and dwell vpon his Parsonage, the Uicarage house, or else-where, doth he kéepe it in good and sufficient reparations or not?

17 Doth your Minister yearely in Rogation wéeke, for the knowing and distinguishing of the bounds of Parishes, and for obtaining Gods blessing vpon the fruits of the ground, walke the Perambulation, and say▪ or sing in English, the Gospells, Epistles, Letanie, and other deuout prayers, together with the hundred and third, and hundred and fourth Psalmes?

18 Whether your Minister be knowne to be, or is vehemently suspected to be, an Usurer, Regrator, Wood-monger, buyer and seller of Timber, or to vse any other scandalous and defamed trade, and course of life, contrary to the Statute of this Realme, and honour of his calling?

19 Doth your Minister before the seuerall times of administring the holy Communion, especially before Easter, admonish and exhort his Parishioners, if they haue their consciences troubled, to resort vnto him, or some other learned and discréet Minister, to reueale, and open his griefe, and dis [...]i [...]tnesse▪ that so he may receiue such Ghostly counsell and comfort, that his conscience may be quieted, and himselfe receiue the benefit of Absolution?

[Page]20 If any man confesse his secret and hidden sinnes to the Minister, for the disburthening of his conscience and receiuing consolation, doth, or hath the Minister at any time reuealed that thing committed to his trust and secresie, contrarie to the 113. Canon?

Articles concerning Matrimonie.

1 HAue any béene married within your Parish, that were within the degrées of affinity, or consanguinity by the law of God forbidden; if any present their names?

2 Haue any within your Parish, béene married secretly in priuate houses, or without their parents, or gouernours consent signified, being vnder the age of one and twenty yeares?

3 Doe any persons lawfully married, liue asunder, vnlawfully, and in whom is the default?

4 Haue any persons (their banes being not thrice published in the Church) béene married without Licence, who were present at such marriages, and what Minister married them?

5 What Popish Recusants, or their children haue béene married in your Parish, in what sort was that Matrimonie solemnized, when, and by whom? haue any persons béene married in prohibited times without licence?

Articles concerning the Church-wardens.

1 BEE the Church-wardens chosen by the Minister and Parishioners, according to the 89. Canon, and whether hath any taken vpon him to be Church-warden, being not chosen, or hath any continued one yeare in his office without a new choyse?

2 Haue any Church-wardens retained any of the Church [Page] goods, and not made a iust account of what they haue receiued, and expended?

3 Haue your Church-wardens, and Sidemen béene, and are they diligent in their office, to sée decencie kept in the Church, and order in the time of Common Prayer, and administration of the Sacraments, and that there be no disturbance, but sobernesse and quietnesse in the Church. And doe the Church-wardens kéep a booke in your Parish, wherein the Names of euery strange Preacher in your parish is set downe, and haue the Church-wardens suffered any to preach not shewing or hauing no Licence?

Articles concerning the Parishioners.

DOe any in your Parish prophane the Sunday by vnlawfull games, drinking, or tipling in the time of common prayer or Sermon; and by working and doing the ordinarie workes of their vocation and trades?

2 Are there any in your parish that doe impugne or speake against the Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England, or the lawfull vse of them? And the gouernment of this Church vnder his Maiestie by Archbishops, Bishops and other ecclesiasticall officers?

3 Who in your Parish doe come to Sermon onely, and not to diuine Seruice, And who doe not reuerently behaue themselues during the time of diuine Seruice, deuoutly knèeling, when the generall Confession of Sinnes the Letany, the ten Commandements, and all Prayers and Collects are read, and vsing all due and lowly reuerence, when the blessed name of the Lord Iesus is mentioned, and standing vp when the Articles of the Beliefe, and Gloria Patri are read or said? who doe couer their heads in the Church during the whole time of Diuine Seruice, vnlesse it be in case of necessitie, in which case they may weare a nightcap, or who doe giue themselues to babling, talking, or walking, and are not attentiue to heare the Word read and preached? Haue any to your knowledge, publikely or priuately spoken against [Page] the bending of the knée at the name of the Lord Iesus, or vsed disgracefull speech against the acte, or such as vse the act of reuerend bowing toward the Communion Table, when they come to it to administer the Sacrament &c. what words haue béene vsed, by whom, or where that way: tell their names, and words spoken, if you can?

4 Is there any of your Parish hauing a Preacher to their Minister, that doe absent themselues from his Sermons, and resort to other places, to heare other Preachers: Or doe any in your parish communicate or baptize their children in any other parish?

5 Are there any in your parish that refuse to haue their children baptized, or themselues to receiue the Communion of your Minister, taking exception against him, or haue any wiues that refuse to come to Church, according to the booke of Common Prayer, to giue thanks to God for their safe deliuerance, in a decent habite, as hath béene anciently accustomed?

6 Hath any in your Parish spoken slanderous and reproachfull words against your Minister, to the scandall of his vocation, or against his Neighbour, defaming them touching any crime of Ecclesiasticall cognizance?

7 Whether doe any in your parish exercise any trade, or labour, buy, or sell, or kéepe open shops, or set out any wares to be sold vpon Sundayes, or Holidayes, by themselues, their seruants, or Apprentices, or haue otherwise prophaned the said dayes?

8 Is the fift of Nouember kept holy, and thansgiuing made to God, according to the order set forth in that behalfe?

9 Is there any in your Parish that bee, or are commonly knowne, or reputed to bee Blasphemers of Gods holy name, Drunkards, Adulterers, Fornicators, incestuous persons, concealers or harbourers of Fornicators, or Adulterers: Haue any béene detected or vehemently suspected of such notorious crimes, and what penance haue they done for the same?

[Page]10 What person, or persons haue died, and departed this mortall life since the second day of February last past; and whether did they make any last wils, or Testaments, and who were their Executors, or whether dyed they intestate, and who hath the administration of their Goods: and what be the names of such deceased, and Executors, and Administrators?

11 Whether haue any in your parish administred the goods of any person deceased without lawfull authority, and before he or they haue proued the will or Testament of the party deceased, or haue obtained commission from the Ordinary to dispose the said moueable goods; or are there any Willes vnproued, or Goods not administred?

12 What persons be excommunicate within your Parish, and for what cause to your knowledge, and doe any of them repaire to the Church, in time of prayer vnabsolued?

13 Whether haue any in your Parish giuen to the Church-wardens or Side-men, or to any of them, any euill words for doing their duties according to their Oathes and conscience, in making presentment for any fault?

14 Whether haue any within your Parish harboured any woman vnlawfully begotten with childe, and haue suffered her to depart away vnpunished?

Articles concerning Schoole-masters, Physitians, and Chirurgians, and Parish Clarkes.

1 IS there any Schoolemaster in your Parish that teacheth publikely or priuately, not licensed by the Ordinary, the Bishop of the Diocesse. Doth he teach any Papists, or sectuaries children that come not to Church. And doth he instruct all his Schollers to learne the short Catechisme, by Law established, contained in the booke of Common Prayer. Is he a graduate, and sufficient to teach?

[Page]2 What Physitian or Chirurgion is in your Parish vnlicensed, and being not a Doctor of Physicke, in either of the Uniuersities, doth practise Physicke. And what ignorant persons haue left their trade, and taken vpon them to professe physicke, or Chirurgery; and who be they that so abuse the people?

3 Haue you a fit Parish Clarke aged twenty yeares at least, of honest life, able to reade and write. Are his and the Sextons wages paid without fraud; if not, then whose default is it. By whom is he chosen: is he diligent in his Office, and seruiceable to the Minister; Doth he meddle with any thing aboue his Office, doth he kéepe the Church cleane, the Doores locked. Is any thing lost or spoyled by his default, and doth he execute his Office duly?

Articles concerning Ecclesiasticall Officers.

1 HAth any Chancellor Deputy, or Surrogate, or any other exercising Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction within this Diocesse, or any Register, Apparitor or other Officer belonging to the Ecclesiasticall Court, exacted any extraordinary or greater Fées, than heretofore of late hath béene accustomed, or than are expressed in the table of Fées set vp in the Consistory, declaring what fées are due?

2 Lastly, Doe you know any other matter worthy of presentment, or any other person or persons, which haue committed any fault, or offence contrary to his Maiesties Ecclesiasticall Lawes, or hereof vehemently suspected not set downe or expressed in these Articles, by vertue of your Oathes present the said faults, and the names of the persons which haue committed, or are vehemently suspected for committing the same offences?

THere must be a full, and seuerall presentment, on answer made to euery seuerall Article.

§

§

[Page]

MEmorandum, it is lawfull for euery Minister (be he Parson, Vicar, or Curate) to present any enormitie, or common fame of any enormous crime that shall arise within his Parish. And whereas it seemeth by the Canon, that the Officers are not to present oftner than twice a yeare: it is to be understood, as in that Canon appeareth, of presentments in generall. But it is lawfull and meete for euery Minister, Church-wardens, and Sidemen to make notorious offenders knowne to their Ordinaries, as often as occasion is offered, to the end that such offences may in due time be punished and reformed.

[Page]

Information about this book

Title statement

Articles to be enquired of, throughout the whole diocesse of Chichester ministred and giuen in charge to the church-wardens and sidemen within the same diocesse by the reuerend father in God Richard by Gods prouidence Bishop of Chichester, in his generall visitation holden anno Domini 1631.

Church of England. Diocese of Chichester. Bishop (1628-1638 : Montagu)

Edition statement

1631

Publication

Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

Place of publication

Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) :

Date

2006-06 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A00171

ID [STC]

STC 10182.5

ID [STC]

ESTC S2094

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

23024568

ID [OCLC]

ocm 23024568

ID [VID]

26095

Availability

This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal. The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission.

Series

Early English books online.

Notes

(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A00171)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 26095)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 1795:41)

Source

— Articles to be enquired of, throughout the whole diocesse of Chichester ministred and giuen in charge to the church-wardens and sidemen within the same diocesse by the reuerend father in God Richard by Gods prouidence Bishop of Chichester, in his generall visitation holden anno Domini 1631., Church of England. Diocese of Chichester. Bishop (1628-1638 : Montagu), Montagu, Richard, 1577-1641..

Extent

[16] p.

Printed by R.Y. for Thomas Bourne,. London :: MDCXXXI [1631]. (Signatures: A-B⁴.) (Reproduction of original in the St. John's College (University of Cambridge). Library.)

Creation

Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford.

Editorial practices

EEBO-TCP is a partnership between the Universities of Michigan and Oxford and the publisher ProQuest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by ProQuest via their Early English Books Online (EEBO) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). The general aim of EEBO-TCP is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic English-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in EEBO.

EEBO-TCP aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the Text Encoding Initiative (http://www.tei-c.org).

The EEBO-TCP project was divided into two phases. The 25,363 texts created during Phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 January 2015. Anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source.

Users should be aware of the process of creating the TCP texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data.

Text selection was based on the New Cambridge Bibliography of English Literature (NCBEL). If an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in NCBEL, then their works are eligible for inclusion. Selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. In general, first editions of a works in English were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably Latin and Welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so.

Image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. Quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in Oxford and Michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet QA standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. After proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. Any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. Understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of TCP data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. Users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a TCP editor.

The texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the TEI in Libraries guidelines.

Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements).

Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site.