Concerning Church and Church-yard.

WHether is your Church and Chancell in all respects wel and sufficiently repaired, and kept sweet and cleane: haue you therein the tenne Commandements, the Articles of the beleefe, and other godly sentences fairely written; the Bible of the largest volume, the bookes of Common prayer, the two volumes of Homilies, the booke intituled God and the King, and all other bookes requisite, a seemely Pulpet, a convenient seat for the Minister at prayers, a large & comely Surplesse, whole and vntorne?

2 Haue you in your said Church a strong chest for Almes, with a hole in the cop, and three lockes and keyes thereto? Is the mony therein put, imploied to the vse of the poore?

3 Haue you a Register of Christnings, Weddings, and Burialls, in a booke of parchment duly kept in a chest with three lockes and keyes?

4 Hath any man pulled downe or vncouered, or suffered to decay any parsonage or vicorage houses, or any Church, Chancell, Chappell, Veste­rie, or Church house, in part, or in all?

5 Whether is your Parsonage, Vicorage, or Ministers house, or any part thereof conuerted, made, vsed, or imployed to, or for any common passage, entry, through-fare, or common way for people, or cattle vsually to passe through, forth of the Churchyard and into or vnto any Alehouse, Tipling, or victualing house, common Inne, or wine Taverne. And by whom, and by whose sufferance and permission, and how long hath the same beene so made, enioyed, vsed, imploied, or rather misused and misim­ployed as aforesaid?

6 Whether are the pales, fences, enclosures, and markes of the anci­ent bounds and limits of your parsonage, vicorage, or ministers house, or of the courts, entries, gardens, back-sides, or other appurtenances belon­ing to the same, or any part thereof remoued and altered, or taken away from their ancient places, bounds and limits thereof, and laid and vsed to and with any victualing house, common Iune, or wine Cauerne. And by whom, when, and by whose sufferance, and how long time hath the same beene so done and suffered. And whether by the continuance of the vse of the premises as aforesaid, may not the same in short time growe out of knowledge, and by some prescription become preiudiciall to the Church, or succeeding Incumbent thereof?

7 Are your Bells, Bell-ropes, and clocke in good repaire, & well or­dered? Is your Churchyard well fenced and decently kept? Is it not prophaned with fighting, brawling, chiding, gaming, dancing, playing, or with vnlawfull cattle, or otherwise; and how, and by whom, and by whose default?

Ministers and Curates.

8 Doth he read or say the whole diuine seruice euery Sunday and Holyday, and administer the holy Sacraments according to the book of Common prayer, Is your Minister a licensed Preacher, doth hee dili­gently preach sound doctrine, and for matters of gouernment seriously teach and maintaine the Kings supremacie vnder God within his Ma­iesties dominions, ouer all persons, and in causes aswell Ecclesiasticall as Ciuill, and the abolishing of all forraigne power?

9 Hath your Minister more Benefices then one? if two, or more, doth he reside vpon one of them himselfe, and maintaine a licensed Preacher on the other? If he haue but one is he resident, and dwelling thereupon; is he painfull in his vocation, of sober and good conuersation, and giuen to hospitality?

10 Doth your Minister vse decencie of Apparell, aswell in the Church as elsewhere. And in time of diuine prayers, and administration of the Sacraments, doth he vse to weare the Surplesse; and if hee be a Graduate, such a hood as is agreeable to his calling?

11 Is your Minister a peace-maker, and no sower of discord, or is he suspected, famed, or noted of any notorious crime; or giueth he any ill ex­ample? or doth any Minister with you forsake his calling?

12 Doth any preach in your Parish, that resuseth to conforme him­selfe to the lawes, ordinances, and rites of the Church of England?

13 Hath your Minister a Curate, & how is he licensed? doth he serue two Cures, & doth he bid the Fasting dayes, & Holy-dayes, commande [...] and allowed?

14 If your Minister be not a Preacher allowed, doth he procure monethly Sermons; & when there is no Sermon, doth hee read an Ho­mily, doth he take on him to expound any text of Scripture?

15 What Preachers haue come from any other place, & preached i [...] your Parish: haue you their names written in a booke kept for that pur­pose; hath such a Preacher subscribed his name thereto, and set down the day when he preached, and by whom licensed?

16 Hath your Minister obtained his Benefice by any Symonicall compact, either directly, or indirectly?

17 Hath any of your Parish, or of any other parish, vnreuerently vse [...] [Page]your Minister, laid violent hands on him, or disgraced his office & functi­on, by word or deed?

Diuine Service.

18 Is diuine seruice in due time on Sundaies, Holydaies, and at o­ther times appointed, reuerently said or sung in your Church or Chap­pell, with the Letany on Wednesdaies and Fridaies; and all other rites and ceremonies, according to the prescript forme of common prayer in the Communion Booke?

19 Whether doth any not being licensed (or any not ordered at least for a Deacon) say Common prayer openly in your Church, or Chappell?

20 Doe any men, young or old, vse to weare their Hattes in the Church or Chappell in the time of divine Service, or are there any that behaue themselues disorderly in the Church, Chappell, or Churchyard, or any disturbers of divine seruice or sermons?

21 Whether doe any victualers (or others in your parish) suffer any drinking or gaming in their houses on Sundaies or Holidaies, especially in time of Diuine seruice or sermons?

22 Whether any in your parish vpon the sabaoth daies, or holidaies doe vse their Trade, or doe any other worke or labour, as Brewing, Ba­king, Washing, Barbing, or such like, or doe any Mercers, Drapers, Shomakers, Butchers, or others whatsoeuer open their shops for sale of wares vpon those dayes, or doe hedge, ditch, digge, carry, or drawe bur­dens by themselues, their seruants, horses, or other cattle whatsoeuer on such daies?

The holy Communion.

23 Haue you a decent Communion Table on a frame, with a seemly carpet, and a cloth of Linnen, a communion cup and couer of siluer, a faire Flagon of pewter or purer mettle for the Wine, a place for the Bread, & a Towell to lay ouer it?

24 Whether is there any in your parish, which being full fixteene yeares of age and vpward, hath not receaued the holy communion three seuerall times in the yeare past at least, in his or her parish church where­of Easter to be one of the three times?

25 Doth your Minister instruct and examine his Parishioners con­cerning the Sacraments at conuenient times, before hee administer the Communion. And doth he admit any thereto that cannot say at least the Lords praier, the Articles of the Christian faith, and the ten Comman­dements?

26 Is your Communion ministred with Bread and Wine, consecra­ted in such order as in the booke of common prayer is appointed? And [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page]doth your Minister deliuer both kindes to euery severall Communicant, with the blessing prescribed in the booke of common prayer?

27 Doth any in your parish receaue the holy Communion either sit­ting, standing, or otherwise then kneeling, as is prescribed in the booke of common prayer; or doe any refuse to receaue the same kneeling; and doth your Minister admit any to receaue the communion otherwise then knee­ling?

28 Doth your Minister admit any notorious offenders, or any schis­matickes to the holy communion before due pennance enioyned by the Ordinary, be duly performed by them, or doth hee admit any notoriously knowne to be out of charity; or any that hath done any open wrong to his Neighbour before reconciliation made to the party wronged?

29 Whether doth your Minister appoint and obserue so many Com­mumons in one yeare as that the parishioners may conveniently receaue all of them there three seuerall times in the yeare: And doth he vse to giue publique notice thereof in the Church, the Saboth day next going before every such Communions, that the Parishioners may prepare themselues to be pertakers thereof?

Baptisme.

30 Haue you in your Church a convenient Font of stone, well kept, and couered, standing in the ancient place; doth your Minister Baptise therein, or in any Bason, or other thing, or with any other ceremonies thē such as are allowed in the booke of common prayer; or doth he omit neg­lect, of not vse all the ceremonies therein prescribed; and doth hee vse the signe of the Crosse in Baptisme?

31 Doth your Minister refuse to Baptise any children of Christian parents, that are brought to the Church?

32 Are Parents vrged to be present at the Baptising of their Chil­dren; or be any admitted to be Godfathers, or Godmothers that haue not receaued the holy Communion; or doe any parents refuse to haue their children signed with the signe of the croste in their Baptisme?

33 Haue any children that were borne in your parish beene carried out of the parish to be baptised elsewhere; or haue any not beene baptised at all or in places, or by parties vuknowne?

34 Whether hath your Minister refused, deferred, or delaied to come vnto, and to Christen any child being in weaknesse, or in danger of death, being therevnto required, by reason whereof such a child hath (through his negligence, or by his default) died vnbaptised?

Catechisme.

35 Doth your Minister or his Curate, duely Catechise according to [Page]the laie Canon every Sunday, such children and servants of both sexes, as are of convenient age, or at least so many of them by course, as the time will serue?

36 Doe Parents and Housholders bring, or send their children and servants to the Church every Sunday duely to be catechised, according as the late Canons require, and who are negligent therein?

Matrimonie.

37 Whether is Matrimonie solemnized in your church or chappell, according to the booke of common prayer?

38 Haue you in your church a Table of Degrees of Mariage, are any married within the degrees of consanguinity or affinity therein forbidden or doe any children vnder the age of twenty one yeares, contrace them­selues, or marry without consent of their Parents or Gardians?

39 Haue any been maried without Banes thrise asked in the church three seuerall sundaies or Holydaies (vnlesse by License of the Ordinary, granted vnder seale) or at any time of the day, then betwixt the houres of eight and twelue in the forenoone, or at any times prohibited, that is to say, from advent Sunday to the Octaues of the Epiphany, from Septua­gesima Sunday to the Octaues of Easter: from Rogation Sunday, to Trinity Sunday?

40 Haue any that dwell in your parish, been married in any other pa­rish, or any of another parish beene married in your parish; or haue any bin maried priuatly out of the church or face of the congregation, when, where by whom, and who were present at such marriages?

41 Haue any women not well knowne to be married, beene deliuered of any child in your parish and in whose house: or hath any woman in your parish beene carnally knowne, or begotten with child before marriage, & by whom?

42 Haue any forsaken their wiues or Husbands, and married others; haue any married againe after they haue beene divorced: or doe any which haue beene divorced keepe company still together?

43 Doe any married couples liue asunder and not together, and doe either of them keepe in their house, or secretly resort to any other, to the raising of suspition of same of incontinency?

44 Hath any in your parish for mony or reward, Married any Wo­man that committed Fornication or Adultery with an other man? Or hath any vnmarried Woman begotten with child, gone out of your parish before she hath done peunance enioyned her by the Ordinary, where was she, or is she receaued or harbored, at whose charge, and who conveyed her away?

Visitation of the Sicke.

45 Doth your Minister or Curate visit the sicke, doth hee admonish them to repentance, comfort the Penitent, and exhort them to charitable & almes deeds?

Buriall of the Dead.

46 Are your Dead buried according to the forme of Buriall set down in the booke of Common prayer; or haue any beene buried secretly or in the night, who and by whom and who were present thereat?

47 Doe the Executors or Administrators, or other friends of them that are buried in church or chancell, repaire againe the pauements, & giue any thing to the Church?

Churching of Women.

48 Doe any Women refuse to giue God thankes openly in the church or (as we tearme it) to be churched at convenient times after child-birth, or doth any Minister refuse to church them, or church them any otherwise then is prescribed in the booke of common prayer?

49 Hath any Woman vnlawfully begotten with child, beene admit­ted to publique thankesgiuing in the church, before she hath performed such pennance as was enioyned her by the Ordinary, or at least beene churched in a white sheet, and confessed her fault penitently before sufficient witnes­ses, and vndertaken to stand to the censure of her Ordinary for her said of­fence?

Parish Clearkes.

50 Haue you a Parish Clarke chosen by the Minister, is hee of honest conversation, hath he competent skill in reading, writing, and singing: And doth any withhold or detaine his Wages or duties from him?

Schoolemasters.

51 Haue you any Schoole house, and how is it repaired. And haue you any Schoolemaster in your Parish that teacheth publiquely, or pri­vately, is he lawfully licensed: Doth hee come duely to the Church and re­ceiue the holy Communion? Doth he instruct his Schollers in the Cate­chisme allowed, & in the Booke intituled God and the King: causeth hee them to repaire to diuine Prayers in the Church, and to heare and note Sermons: Teacheth he any other Grammer then that which is allowed?

52 Is any Schoole-master knowne or suspected publiquely or priuat­ly to read to his Schollers, or suffer them to read any Booke that may confirme them in Poperie, superstition, or disobedience to the Kings Maie­stie, or to his lawes Ecclesiasticall or Ciuil, & how many either men or wo­men, doe teach children in your Parish, and what be their names?

Schismatickes and Recusants of all sorts.

53 Doe you know any that teach or maintaine any doctrine contrary to the Articles agreed vpon in the convocation Anno Dom. 1562.

54 Doth any preach, minister the Communion, baptize children, o [...] church Women in priuate houses, or ether where then in the Church, ex­cept it be in cases of necessitie?

55 K [...]ow you any that absent themselues from the Church negligent­ly or wilfully, how long haue they so done: And of them that are absent without a sufficient and lawfull cause, is the forfeiture of xii d. taken euery sunday, & conuerted to the vse of the poore, according to the statute. Eliz. 1.

56 In your Parish where there is a Preacher, doe any vse to absent themselues from his sermon, and resort to any other?

57 Know you any that forbeare to participate with the church of Eng­land in prayer or sacraments, either denying the Church to be Apostolicall, or condemning the ceremonies thereof as superstitious?

58 Haue you in your parish any Popish Recusants, any halfe Papists that come to the Church, & receiue not the Communion, any Church Pa­pists that come & receiue themselues, but either perswade others, or main­taine their wiues, children, family, or friends not to come?

59 Doth any seminary Priest or Iesuite, resort to any place within this Dioces, or suspect you any such: Or doe you know any that resort to any Popish Priest or Iesuite?

60 Know you any that by writing, talke or argument, impugne the Kings supremacie, or any that haue kept in their custodie, that sell disperse, carry or deliuer vnto others any vnlawfull Bookes against the Religion & Gouernment established, or in defence of any forraigne power, or domestical consistorie?

Excommunicated persons.

61 Are all excommunicated persons kept out of the Church from di­uine Prayers, & receiuing of the holy communion vntill they bee lawfully absolued? And are there any in your Parish which haue stood excommuni­cated forty dayes & vpwards; are such persons as stand excommunicated, once in euery six moneths denounced in your Church in time of diuine ser­vice vpon some Sunday?

62 Hath any Excommunicated person not absolued (at least in his ex­tremitie) not giuing any testimony of his repentance before his departure, beene buried in Christian burials, who buried him, her, or them; where, and when, and who were present at such burials?

63 Do any retaine or keepe in their house or seruice any person denoun­ced excommunicate, or doe any way encourage them therein, or conuerse [Page]with them in buying, selling, eating, drinking, or otherwise?

Wills, Testaments, and Administrations.

64 Doe any in your parish administer the Goods of the dead, or any way intermeddle therewith, without lawfull authority committed vnto them vnder the Ordinaries seale?

65 Know you any in your parish that suppresse the last Will of the Dead, or any that forge or alter any Wills, or any Executors that fulfil not the Testacors Will; or any that detaine Legacies giuen to any charitable vses?

Seuerall Articles.

66 Doe any in your parish prophane the Sabaoth dayes, or not duely obserue the Holy-dayes appointed? Are the Ember Fasts orderly obserued at the foure times of the yeare appointed?

67 Are the dayes and [...] [...]ram [...]ulation duely obserued in the Rogation weeke: if not, in whose default?

68 Are the Canons, Constitutions, & orders, made & agreed vpon in the convocation house Anno Dom. 1603. read ouer once euery yeare in your Church vpon Sundayes, or Holy-dayes, according to his Maiesties Com­mandement in that behalfe?

69 Doth your Minister yearely present, and giue vp in writing to the Ordinary, the names of all Recusants, & halfe Recusants men & women, as­well soiourners as parishioners, & common guests in your parish, aboue the age of thirteene yeares, according to the 114 Canon, or not?

70 Doe any in your parish cake vpon them to practise Physicke or Chi­rurgery, not being lawfully licensed?

71 Are any in your parish (or which were of your parish, & are now de­parted) knowne, suspected, famed, or reported to haue offended in Fornica­tion, Adultery, Iucest, Witchcraft, Sorcery, Charming, Vsury, Swearing, Drunkennesse, common slaundering, sowing of discord, brawling, scolding, or any other vncleannesse of life, or bad manners?

72 Are any Housholders in your parish (in whose house there is any one that can read) which haue not the booke intituled God & the King, and who be they which want the same?

73 Haue any Apparators, or others, taken any reward to compound or conceale any offence presentable, or punishable in the Ecclesiasticall Court, let this be manifested, & information & presentment made for euery offence accordingly?

74 You shal further present whether any in your parish vpon Sundaies or Holydaies, do vse any dauncing, plaies, or other sports or pastimes what­soeuer, before all Seruice on those daies be fully ended: And are the same v­sev [Page]by any of another parish, or by any which haue not the same day been at diuine prayers in their own parish Church, who be they which haue offended in any of the premistes?

Churchwardens and Sidemen.

75 Are your Churchwardens & Sidemen chosen yearely in the Easter weeke according to the Canons: And doe the Churchwardens yearelie, tru­lie make & deliuer vp in writing, their accompt of all their receipts & dis­bursments whatsoeuer, by them receiued & [...] out for the Parish, & of all the Church goods, Bookes, and other things, as the Canons require?

76 Doe your Churchwardens themselues come duely to the Church to diuine Praiers & sermons: & doe they their best endeauours, especiallie vpon Sundaies and Holidaies, to cause all Parishioners to doe the like?

77 Whether is there a transcript or covie of the Register Booke of the Church, of christnings, weddings, [...] [...]xhibited & deliuered vp into the Registrie of the Ordinarie, or not?

78 Haue the late Churchwardens concealed any crime, offence or disor­der in their times, & not presented the same; what be the matters so cōcealed: Or doth any trouble, molest, or vex the Minister, churchwardens or sidemen for being presented by thē: & who be they that so do? And haue your church­wardens continued in that office aboue one yeare without a new election?

79 Haue you aduisedly & diligentlie perused, read, or heard others read & peruse this book of Articles, & euery particular Article & branch thereof: & haue you framed your Answers & presentments to the same accordingly?

80 Generallie, whether doe you know any of the Canons (latelie set forth and approued by his Maiestie) broken, or any Ecclesiasticall matter worthie to be presented, or not; and if you doe, you shall truely present the same (by the Oath you haue taken) aswell now as hereafter when it shall come to your knowledge?

81 Whether any Churchwardens, Questmen or Sidemen of any Pa­rish haue beene called and inforced to present any faults committed in their Parishes, otherwise then at the Visitations or time and times limited in the 116 Canon.