CHAP. 1. Concerning Religion and Doctrine.

FIrst, have any within your Parish Preached, maintained, or held any hereticall, or scis­maticall opinions? impugned the Kings Majesties supremacie in causes Ecclesiasti­call? or the Articles of Religion established in the Church of England: and is the Kings Majesties Declaration prefixed before those Articles, duely observed?

2. Have any person within your Parish, affirmed that the Church of England is not a true Church, or that the forme of Gods worship contained in the booke of Common Prayer, the administration of the Sacraments, and other religious duties therein prescribed are corrupt, or contrary to the holy Scrip­tures; Or that the government of the Church of England, under his Majesties Archbishops, Bishops, Deanes, Archdeacons and others that beare office in the Church, is Antichristian or repug­nant to Gods holy word, or that the rites and ceremonies of the Church of England now established, are superstitious, or not to be used: or have any such spoken against the Kings Majesties Courts Ecclesiasticall, or the procéedings thereof?

3. Are there any in your Parish, that have béene, or are ve­hemently suspected to be present at Convinticles or private mee­tings under colour or pretence of any exercise of Religion, to re­peate Sermons or expound the Scriptures; and doe any affirme that such méetings are lawfull?

CHAP. 2. Concerning the Church, the Ornaments and possessions thereof.

1. IS your Church or Chappell, with the Chancell in good repa­ration, the windowes in no part stopped up, but well glazed the walls thereof within comely whited and adorned with sen­tences of holy Scripture, the floores paved & even the Stéeple, Belles, and frames, with the Bell-rores well maintained? if otherwise by whose default?

2. Have you in your Church or Chappell, a Bible of the lar­gest volume, and last translation, the booke of common prayer, the two Tomes of Homilies, and Bishop Iewels workes, faire and well bound? have you a Table of the degrées of Marriage set up in some eminent part of your Church; the Kings Majesties armes, and a table of the Ten Commandements of God, set up in the East end of your Church or Chancell; have you the Prayer bookes appointed for the fift of November, and twenty seven of March; & the booke of Canons or Constitutions Ecclesiasticall?

3. Have you a comely Communion Table, placed in the East end of the Chancell, the ends thereof North and South, and up­on an assent? is the same rayled in from anoyances, or otherwise, as was lately injoyned by publque authority; have you a come­ly carpet of Silke, or other decent cloth or stuffe, continually laid upon it in time of Divine Service; and a faire fine linnen cloth laid on it at the administration of the holy Communion; is it at any time prophaned by sitting, or laying of hats, leaning, or writing on it, or otherwise, and by whom? have you a Commu­nion cup with a cover of silver, a flagon or stoope of silver or pew­ter sufficient to containe the wine used at every Communion? have you a comely Font of Stone with a cover, set in the anci­ent usuall place of the Church, is it whole and cleane, have you a strong and comely Biere for burialls, and a hearse-cloth sutable?

4. Have you in your Church or Chappell, a convenient deske for your Minister to reade Divine Service, a comly Pulpit with a round bo [...]rd, are they so placed, as the Minister reading the Divine Service, doe not stand or knéele with his backe towards the Communion Table, as hath béene injoyned? have you a con­venient cloth and cushion for the Pulpit, have you a faire linners [Page]Surplesse for your Minister, with a hood fitting his degrée in the Vniversitie? have you a Register booke of Parchment, wherein all Christnings, Marriages, and Burialls within your Parish are duely recorded, and every page therof being full suscribed by your Minister and Church-wardens, according to the Cannon? have you a paper booke to insert the names of all strange Prea­thers in your Church or Chappell, with the name of the Bishop by whom they were licenced? have you a chest with thrée lockes and keyes for the safe kéeping of the goods, bookes, and ornaments of the Church? and are they so kept, and have you also a poore­mans bore, for the almes of the poore?

5. Have you a fayre and comely partition betwéene the Church and the Chancell, are your Chancells or allies of your Church incroached upon by building of Seates, or otherwise; have you any close Pewes or Galleries; have you any Seates or Pewes so high to hinder the prospect of the Chancell? are they in good repaire and decent; are they planched or matted, is there any straw brought into them, are the Parishoners conveniently placed in them according to their rankes and qualities, and doe any contend for seates in the Church or Chancell, have any erected any new pewes, seates or monuments without authority from the Ordinary, present the persons that have so erected them in the Church or Churchyard?

6. Have your Church or Church-yard béene at any time im­ployed to any prophane use, by kéeping of Feasts, Church-ales, Temporall Courts or Leets, Musters, exercises of Dauncing, Stooleball, Football or the like? is your Churchyard well fenced, with stone walls, rayles or pales, as have béene accustomed? have any incroached upon your church-yard, or annoyed the same by féeding of noysome cattell, hanging or laying of cloathes, or leaving of any dust, rubbish or filth therin, by opening their doores into it, & making by pathes or waies through it? have any person brawled, quarrelled, or fought in your Church or Church-yard, or otherwise behaved him or herselfe rudely & disoredrly therin, by prophane or filthy talke or otherwise; when any grave is digged, are the bones or corpes of the dead piously used, & have any con­vict, or any excommunicated person béen buried in yours Church or Churchyard; and by whom, and who have béene present at it?

7. Are your Parsonage or Vicarage Houses in good repara­tions; are yours Almes Houses imployed to a godly and the right holy uses; if not, by whose default? Have you a terrier of all the houses and gleabe lands and portions of tythes belonging to your Parsonage or Vicarage, taken by the view of honest and discréete men, is it safely kept, and a coppie brought into the Register of the Bishop.

CHAP. 3. Concerning Ministers and Preachers.

FIrst, doe your Minister or Curate distinctly and reverently reade the whole Divine Service by the booke of cōmon pray­er prescribed, every forenoone and afternoone, upon every Sun­day and holiday, and their eves: and upon wednesedayes and fridayes, and every day of the holy wéeke next before Easter in your Church or Chappell at fit and convenient times for the same, and also for Preaching, and administration of the Sacra­ments, Marriages, Burials, Christnings, and visiture of the sicke according to the prescript forme of the said booke; doth hée observe all the rites and ceremonies therein prescribed, without omission, alteration, or addition? doth he at all times of perfor­ming his Priestly duties weare the Surplesse with a hood sutable to his degrée, never omitting the same? doth hee reade the common service called the second service at the holy Table with an au­dible voice unto the end of the Nicean Creed. And doth he then begin his sermon or Homelie, and doth he before his sermon or Homely, reade or use any other forme of prayer then is prescribed by the 55. Cannon; and doth he conclude his sermon with Gloriae patri &c. and doth hee or whosoever officiates proceede to read the remainder of the divine service and conclude with the blessing called the peace of God, as he hath bin injoyned by publike au­thoritie?

2. Doth your Minister or Curate reade all those Psalmes and lessons and no other, with the Epistle and Gospel appointed for the day, and at the end of every Psalme doe he and all the people standing, say Gloria patri, &c. and after the lessons doth he use any other Psalme or Hymne but those appointed in the booke of Common Prayer; doth he reade the Creede of Athana­sius [Page]on all those dayes prescribed, and the Commination on Ash­wednesday, and the Letany on every Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday?

3. Doth your Minister or Lecturer, having a Curate under him, reade Divine Service himselfe upon two severall Sundaies in the yeare publikely, and at the usuall tymes both forenoone and afternoone, in the Church which he possesseth▪ and admini­ster the Sacraments as often in every yeere in such manuer and with such observations of Rites and Ceremonies as are prescri­bed in the booke of Common Prayer?

4. Is your Minister resident upon his benefice? if absent, how long hath he béene so and where? if he have another bene­fice, doth he supply his absence by a Curate lawfully licenced to Preach, and a competent allowance; if your Minister bee a li­cenced Preacher, doth he Preach once every Sunday in his own Church, or some other where there is no Preacher, & if he be not a licenced Preacher, doth he take upon him in his owne Cure or elsewhere to Preach; and doth hee upon every Sunday, when there is no Sermon, reade one of the Homilies published by au­thority, and procure monethly Sermons by such as are licenced? and doth your Minister or Curate serve more cures then one, if yea, how farre distant are the said Cures the one from the other? and doe any take upon him to be Curate, not being licenced by the Ordinary, or is not a Minister or Deacon, or being but Deacon to administer the holy Communion alone in your Church or Chappell?

5. Doth your Minister or Curate every Sunday before eve­ning prayer, standing in his D [...]ske halfe an houre or more, Ca­techise the youth and ignorant persons of your Parish in the Ca­techisme set forth in the booke of common prayer, and is it per­formed by questions and answers? doth your Minister goe to the administration of holy Baptisme presently after the second lesson? doth hée aske first whether the child be baptized or no; doth hee take the child in his armes, and doth hee touching the childs forehead, signe it with the signe of the Crosse? or doth hée at any time omitt the same, hath hee at any time deferred or re­fused to baptise any infant within the Parish being in danger of death, after notice given or request made unto him; and hath [Page]any child died unbaptized by his default; and hath he before the Godfathers and Godmothers, admonished them to bring the child to the Bishop to be confirmed, when it shall be fitted for the same; and hath hee used any other vessell then the Fontonely? hath he admitted any to answer as godfather or godmother, any parents, or such as have not received the holy communion or any more then two godfathers and one godmother for a male child, and two goodmothers and one godfather for a female, and hath he baptized any child at home, or upon any day, but on a Sunday or holy day without great necessity?

6. Doth your Minister administer the holy Communion so often in the yeere as that every Parishioner may receive thrice in the yéere, whereof Easter to be one; doth he first receive the same himselfe kneeling, or doth he administer it to any not knéeling; doth he alwaies use the words of Institution set downe in the booke without alteration, at every time the bread and wine is received, and doth he repeats the words prescribed to every one severally at the delivery of the bread and wine, and not omit any part of the words, or saying them to many at once? and doth he give publique warning in the Church at morning prayer the Sunday before every Communion to bée administred, and ad­monish the Parishioners to prepare themselves accordingly?

7. Hath your Minister admitted to the holy Communion any notorious offenders, or that have maliciously and openly con­tended with their neighbours, or to any strangers that doe com­monly come to your Church from other Parishes, or doth he ad­minister the Communion to any in private houses without great necessity?

8. Doth you Minister use the forme of thankesgiving for married women after childbirth, immediately before the Com­munion service, doth he use it to any not being vailed according to the ancient custome of the Church, without a hat, or that doth not come and knéele néere the Communion table, as hath béene injoyned by publique authority?

9. Hath your Minister given warning for the kéeping of holy­dayes, and fasting dayes hapning the wéeke following on Sun­day in time of morning prayer, immediately after the Sermon or Homily, as hath béene injoyned?

10. Doth your Minister or Curafe resort unto such as bee dangerously sicke in your Parish, notice thereof being given to him, is instruct and comfort them, and doth hee earnestly exhort them to be liberall to the poore, and if any (being sicke,) desire the prayers of the congregation, is it done in the Church accor­ding to the forme in the Liturgie, at the time of divine service, and in the reading deske?

11. Hath your Minister ever refused or deferred to burie the dead of your Parish in christian buriall, doth hee goe before the corpes to the grave, and there say the whole service appointed, not omitting the lesson or any part of it, doth he devoutly knéele when hee saith the prayers and collect, or hath hee admitted to Christian buriall any which bee excommunicated, or otherwise ought not to be butied in Christian buriall?

12. Hath your Minister taken upon him to appoint hold or continue in your Parish or elsewhere, any private fasts or mée­tings for Preaching or praying, for prophesies or other religions exercises not approved; or have hee at such meetings consulted about depraving the doctrine or discipline of the Church of England?

13. Hath your Minister or Curate read the booke of cannons Ecclesiasticall set forth by publicke authoritie, Anno Domini 1603. once every yeare as is injoyned?

14. Hath your Minister at any time taken upon him in the Church, to confuse the doctrine of any other Preacher in the same Church, without order from the Bishop; doth he (standing ex­communicated or suspended by his Ordinarie) intermeddle with reading divine service preaching, administring the Sacraments, or any other part of his Priestly office; if not, doth hee séeke to be absolved and desire to conforme himselfe in obedience to the Church? Is there any that being once admitted to the holy or­ders of Priest or Deacon, doth voluntarily relinquish his calling, and become as a lay man?

15. Hath your Minister with the rest of your Parishoners, gone the Peramblation of your Parish yéerely upon the Regati­on dayes, viz. Munday, Tuseday or Weddenseday before As­cention, and no other time, hath he used the prayers and thankes­givings, Psalmes and sentences of Scripture at that time, and [Page]doth he returne to the Church, and there reade divine service as was lately enjoyned by publique authority?

16. Hath your Minister admitted any excommunicated or suspended person into the Church in time of divine service, or hath he read the prayers while any such person hath beene pre­sent, hath he deferred the publishing of any excommunication or suspention under the seale of any Ecclesiasticall Iudge, the next Sunday or holiday after the same is brought or shewed unto him; doth he every sixe moneths denounce and publish in the Church by name all Recusants, Convict, or Excommunicated persons that doe persevere in that sentence and not seeke to be absolved?

17. Hath your Minister solemnized the marriage of any per­sons under the age of 21. yeares without the consent of their parents or godmothers, or of such as doe not audibly say and answer in all things appointed by the Liturgy, or of any without a Ring, or of such as have not had their banes published in their severall Churches thrée severall Sundayes or holidayes, or bée married in the times prohibited without speciall licence from the Ordinary? and doth hee begin in the body of the Church, and then goe up to the table, as is appointed; and doth hee as oft as there is a marriage appoint to have a Communion, and doth hée reade all that is prescribed to be read at matrimony by the booke of common prayer?

18. Is your Minister a man of sober life and conversation? is he reputed to be an incontinent person, a frequenter of Ta­verns, Innes or Alehouses, a common gamester or player at dice and Cards, a common swearer or drunkard, or guilty of any o­ther scadalous crime or offence; doth he use any mechanicall trade or bodily labour, soliciting of causes in law, doth he use common buying & selling, or any other imployments not befitting his cal­ling, and is he suspected to have obtained his benifice by Simonie directly or indirectly? doth he usually weare a gowne when he doth officiate, and doth he in his journying use a cloake with sléeves? doth he at any time goe abroad in his doublet and hose without a Coute or Cassocke, or weare any light coloured stockings, or is he or his wife any waies excessive in their apparrell?

19. Lastly, doth your Minister commonly upon Sundayes and holidayes, after the reading of the second lesson at morning [Page]and evening prayer, admonish the Churchwardens and Quest­men to note such as without cause doe absent themselves from divine service; or doe not receive the holy Communion thrice in the yeare; and if they be negligent in their office, doth hee pre­sent them to the Ordinary?

CHAP. 4. Concerning the Parishioners and Leyetie.

1. HAth any in your Parish prophaned any Sunday or Ho­liday, by unlawfull gaming, drinking and tipling in Ta­vernes, Innes or Alehouses, in the time of divine service or ser­mon, by working in their trades, selling of wares, setting open their shops, by themselves, their servants or apprentises, or any other waies?

2. Is the fist day of November observed and kept in your Parish, with prayers and thankesgiving unto God, as by the statute is appointed?

3. Doe all and singular persons dwelling in your Parish di­ligently resort to your Parish Church with their servants and children, to morning and evening prayer upon every Sunday and holiday; doe they come at the beginning of prayer, and then with due attention doe they orderly abide there the whole time of divine service and Sermon; hath any person in that time presumed to cover his head with his hat, doe they all devoutly knéele when the generall confession, the Letany, the ten Commandements, and other prayers and collects of the Church, or at Baptisme, Marriage, Buriall, and visitation of the sicke are read? is there any person, that doth not use lowly reverence, when the name Iesus is mentioned, or that doe not stand up when the Creede is rehearsed, and doe all the people say Amen, and make such other answers as are prescribed in the booke of common prayer?

4. Is there any in your Parish that hath rudely behaved themselves in the Church, or disturbed the Minister in time of divine service, by walking, talking, laughing, ringing of bells, or contending for place or seates in the Church, doe any sléepe in the Church in the said time, or have an [...] loytered about the Church or Churchyard in the same time, or have any brawled, quarrelled or tought in Church or Churchyard?

[Page] 5. Are there any Popish or scismaticall persons, or suspected to be popish or scismatically affected, or that have wilfully absen­ted themselves from the parish Church or Chappell in time of morning and evening prayer, or doe refuse or neglect to receive the holy Communion, or that do perswade others from the same; are there any that doe leave their owne Minister, and usually resort to other Preachers or Churches, or that doe cause their children to be baptized by any other Minister, or in another Pa­rish, and to what Parish or Church doe such usually resort?

6. Hath every one in your Parish being above 16. yéeres of age and of discretion, received the holy Communion thrice every yéere, whereof once at the feast of Easter? doe all of them of what sort soever, according as the Church expressly comman­deth, draw néere, and with all revernce come to the Lords table, when they are to receive the holy Communion?

7. Hath any woman of your Parish after child-birth, neg­lected to come to Church to give God thankes for her safe delive­rance, vailed in a decent manner, without a hat as hath beene ac­customed, and doth shee than knéele in some convenient place nigh the Communion table, and if there be a Communion, doth shee receive the same?

8. Is there any in your Parish that doe refuse to have their children baptized, or to receive the holy Communion of their owne Minister, without just cause approved by the Ordinary, or doe any deferr the baptizing of their children longer then the next Sunday or holyday after the birth, or doe any procure their Children to be baptized by any other Minister or Priest?

9. Doe all parents, masters, and mistresses, or dames, cause their children, servants, and apprentices to come to publique catechisme, to be instructed and taught therein?

10. Doe any person of what qualitie soever, keepe any Chap­lyne Schoolemaster or Scholler in his house, to reade divine service, expound the Scripture, or to instruct his family, unlesse such be licenced by the Ordinary?

11. Have you any in your Parish that are commonly known or reputed to be blasphemers of Gods holy name; common or usuall swearers, common drunkards, usurers, adulterers, in­cestuous persons, fornicators, bands, concealers or abettors of [Page]any such criminous persons; receivers of women unlawfully begotten with child, conveying or suffering them to goe away from their due punishment, attempters of womens chastitie, las­civious persons, ribalds or incontinent persons before marriage, common scoulds and such like?

12. Is there any that have unreverently used your Minister by word or deed, or have lated violent hands upon him, or other­wise disgraced and vilified his holy function and calling, or have any rayled upon or miscalled any of the Church-wardens or Questmen for doing their duties?

13. Have any of the Parishioners neglected to goe the per­ambulation or circuit of their Parish in Rogation weeke?

14. Have any refused to pay to the reparations of your Church or ornaments thereof, or other charges expended by the Churchwardens in the execution of their office, being lawfully and indifferently rated thereunto?

15. Hath any person of your Parish administred the goods of any person deceased, without authority, or that doe conceale any testament or last will, or that doe neglect to pay any legacies or somes of mony bequeathed or given to the Church, the poore, or any other charitable uses, or doe any detaine or convert the goods and stooke of the Church to their private use.

16. Is there any person within your Parish that doe stand ex­communicated or suspended, and how long? hath such excom­municated person resorted to Church to heare divine service or sermon, to receive the holy Communion, to be married or chur­ched; & you must present all persons that doe kéepe the company or societie of any such person after notice or publication thereof in the Church, their names qualities and conditions?

17. Are there any in your Parish that have beene married, being within the degrees of consanguinitie or affinitie, prohi­bited by Gods lawes, and the table of the degrees of the marriage set forth by publike authoritie, or that are precontracted, or that are under the age of 21. yeares, without the consent of their pa­rents or governours, and without licence, have any beeing di­vorced beene married againe their former husband or wife li­ving, or doe any married persons seperate themselves one from the other, without lawfull authoritie?

[Page] 18. Have any person within your Parish béene Clandestinely maried, viz. there banes not being first published three severall Sundayes or Holidayes in the Churches where they dwell; or in the times prohibited, viz. from Advent Sunday, untill the fourtéenth of Ianuary; from Septuag [...]sima Sunday, untill the Munday next after Low-Sunday; from the Sunday before Ro­gation wéeke, untill the Sunday after Trinity Sunday; or that are married at a lawlesse Church, priviliged place, or peculiar liberty, and not betwéene the houres of Eight and Twelve of the clocke in the forenoone, or in any private house, and without license from his Ordinary? and who have beene present at any such marriages?

19 Lastly, have all new married persons the same day of their mariage, received the holy Communion?

CHAP. 5. Concerning Churchwardens and Questmen, Schoole­masters, Physitions, Chyrurgions, and Parish-Clarkes.

1. HAve you in your Parish, Churchwardens and Questmen Chosen in Easterwéeke, by the joynt consent of the Mini­ster and Parishioners, at least the one by the Minister, the other by the Parishioners; have any of them continned longer then one yéere, unlesse they be new chosen thereunto?

2. Have your Churchwardens provided sufficient fine whit Bread, and wholsome wine for the Communicants, every Com­munion celebrated; have they yéelded up their accounts of what they have received and disbursed, have they or any of them de­tained in their hands any of the money, stocke and goods of the Church, and have they suffered any excommunicated person to come into the Church in time of divine service or Sermon?

3. Have your Churchwardens beene diligent to sée decencie kept in the Church, and all orders for divine service and admi­nistration of the Sacraments performed by the Parishioners; if not, have they duely presented them? doe they duely upon Sundayes and Holidayes in time of divine service, walke abroad to or serve all such as are evilly imployed in Alehouses or else­where, or idlely disposed? doe they note all such as bee absent [Page]from Church, or hath not received the holy Communion thrice in the yéere; have they and the Questmen or Sidemen before every generall Court of inquirie or visitation met together to peruse the booke of Articles, and to conferre about their presentments to be made?

4. Is there any in your Parish that teacheth any Schollers publikely or privately without lisence from the Ordinarie, doth he teach to reade or write in the Church or Chancell, is hee po­pishly or scismatically affected, doth he use to resort to Church in time of diuine service, and bring his Schollers with him; doth he teach them in the Catechisme set forth in the booke of common prayer, or any other Catechisme, is he of honest life and conver­sation; a graduate in the Vniversitie, or otherwise sufficient to teach, and diligent to teach and bring up youth committed unto him?

5. Have you any that practise Physicke or Chirurgery with­out licence from the Ordinary?

6. Have you a fit Parish Clarke of honest life, able to reade and write, chosen by the Minister, is hee diligent in his office; doth he keepe the Church cleane, and Church doores locked? doth he suffer unseasonable ringing of bells, and doth hee duely ring the passing bell for such as are dying, or after their depar­ture? and doe any refuse to pay the Clarkes wages accustumed, and by authority increased?

7. Have you an Appariter within your Parish, by whom is he authorised; have he taken any bribes directly or indirectly, to conceale any offence, or to forbeare the execution of any processe against any persons from this Court or any other?