Articles to be enquired of by the church-wardens and sworne-men, within the peculiar iurisdiction of the deane and chapter of the cathedrall church of S. Peter in Exeter

Touching the Church .

WHETHER is your Church or Chappell with the Chauncell thereof , and euery part of either of them , well and sufficiently repayred , the windowes well glased , the floores paued plaine and euen , without dust , or any thing noysome , or vnséemely .

2 Whether is your Churchyard well fenced with walles , rayles , pales , as hath béene accustomed ; if not , whose default is it .

3 Whether hath there bin any fighting , chiding , brawling or quarrelling , any playes , feasts , temporall Courts or Leets , lay Iuries , Musters , or other prophane vsage in your Church or churchyard any Bels superstitiously rung on Holy-daies , or their Eeues , or at any other time without good cause , allowed by the Minister , & Churchwardens : haue any trées bin felled in your churchyard , & by whom ?

4 Whether is the Mansion house of your Parson , Vicar , or Curate , with al the buildings thereunto belonging , your Parish , Almes-house , and Church-house sufficiently repayred , maintayned , and to godly , and their right vses employed .

5 Whether haue you in your Church , the Bible in the largest volume , the Booke of common Prayer lately authorised by his Maiestie , the bookes of Homilies allowed , the two Psalters , a conuenient Pulpit for the preaching , a decent seat for the Minister to read seruice in , conuenientlie placed , a strong chest with a hole in the lid , and thrée locks and keyes , one for the Minister , the other for the Church-wardens for the almes of the poore , and the kéeping of the Register Booke of the Christenings , Marriages , and Burials .

6 Whether haue you in your Church , a Font of stone for baptisme set in the ancient vsuall place , a decent Table for the Communion conuenientlie placed , couered with silke , or other decent stuffe in time of diuine Seruice , and with a faire linnen cloth ouer that , at the administration of the Communion .

7 Whether haue you all such Bels , Ornaments , & other Vtensils as haue ancientlie belonged to your Church , a communion cup of siluer with a couer , a faire standing pot or stoape of pewter or purer mettall , for the wine vpon the communion table , a comely surples with sléeues , a Register Booke of parchment of christenings , marriages , & burials , a booke for the names of al strange Preachers subscribed with their names and the name of the Bishop or others where they had license ?

8 Whether is the almes for your poore quarterly at the least distributed by you the Churchwardens and the Minister in the presence of sixe of the chiefe Parishioners , to your poore ? And are weekely the names and surnames of all persons married , christened and buried and of their Parents with the day & yeare entred in your said parchment booke , and is euery leafe being full , subscribed by you the Minister and Churchwardens .

9 Whether are the ten Commandements set vp in the East end of the Church and other chosen Sentences of holy Scripture vpon the wals in conuenient places , are all your seates in your Church in good repaire cleanlie kept conuenientlie placed , and the parishioners in them or elsewhere or o●●ly set , and is there no contention or striuing for any seat or place amongst them ?

Touching the Ministrie , Seruice , and Sacrament .

WHether is the common prayer said or sung by your Minister both morning and euening distinctly and reuerently euery Sunday and Holy-day , and on their Eeues , and at conuenient and vsuall times of those daies , and in most conuenient place of the Church for the edifying of the people ?

2 Whether doth your Minister obserue the orders , rightes , and ceremonies prescribed in the booke of common prayer , in reading the holy Scriptures , Prayers & administration of the Sacraments , without diminishing in regard of preaching or any other respect , or adding any thing in the matter or forme thereof .

3 Whether doth your Minister on wednesdaies and fridaies not béeing holy daies at the accustomed houres of Seruice , resort to the Church and say the Letanie prescribed , and doth your Clarke or Sexton giue warning before by tolling of a bell on those daies .

4 Whether doth your Minister as oft as he administreth the communion , first receiue it himselfe ? whether doth he vse any bread or wine newly brought , before the words of Institution be rehearsed , and the bread and wine present on the table , doth he not deliuer the bread and wine to euery communicant seuerally ?

5 Whether doth your Minister giue warning publikly in the church at morning prayer on the Sunday before ●ée administreth the Communion , for the better preparation of the Parishioners ?

6 Whether hath your Minister admitted to the Communion any notorious sinner openly knowne or defamed , or any who hath openly and maliciouslie contended with his neighbour , before repentance and reconciltation made and done by appointment of the ordinary ?

7 Whether hath your Minister admitted to the Communion any Church-warden or Side-man , who hath wittingly and willingly neglected contrary to his oath , to present any publike offence or scandall , being mooued to present either by some of his Neighbours , the Minister , or his Ordinarie ?

8 Whether hath your Minister administred the communion to any but such as kneele ? or doe any refuse to kneele ? hath he administred to any who refuseth to be present at publike Prayer : or who hath depraued the Booke of common Prayer ? administration of the Sacraments , or the rights and ceremonies prescribed or the Articles of Religion agreed vpon , or the Booke of ordering Priests , and Bishops ? or against his Maiesties Supremacie ? or haue any beene for these causes repelled , and haue they repented in writing , or otherwise , and what be their names ?

9 Whether hath your Minister more Benefices than one ? if he haue , how farre distant are they , how often is hee absent in the yeare ? when he is absent , hath he an allowed Preacher for his Curate ?

10 Whether is your Minister an allowed Preacher ? if he be , doth he euery Sunday in your Church , or some other néere adioyning where no Preacher is , preach one Sermon euery Sunday ?

11 Whether doth your Minister being no Preacher allowed , presume to expound the Scripture in his owne Cure , or else where doth he procure euery moneth a Sermon to bee preached in his Cure by Preachers lawfully licensed , and on euery Sunday when there is no Sermon doth he or his Curat read some one of the Homilies prescribed ?

12 Whether is your Curate allowed by the Ordinary vnder his hand and seale to serue in your Cure , and whether doth he serue two churches or chappels in one day ?

13 Whether doth your Minister alwaies in saying the publike Prayers and administring the Sacraments , weare a decent surplesse with sleeues , and being a Graduate , doth he alwaies weare therewith a Hoode by the order of the Vniuersities , agréeably to his degrée .

14 Whether hath your Minister or any other Preacher in your Church , preached any thing to confute or impugne any doctrine deliuered by any other Preacher , and hath he and they prayed for Christs Catholike Church , as is prescribed by the Canon ?

15 Whether hath , or doth any preach in your Church which refuseth to conforme himselfe to the Lawes , Rites , and Ordinances established , or which hath not first shewed a sufficient licence ?

16 Whether doth your minister in his sermons foure times in the yeare at the least , teach and declare the Kings Maiesties power within his Realmes , to be the highest power vnder God , to whom al within the same , owe most loyaltie and obedience , and that all forraigne power is iustlie taken away ?

17 Whether doth your Minister euery Sunday & Holy-day halfe an houre before Euening prayer or more , examine and instruct the youth in the ten Commandements , the Beléefe , the Lords prayer , and the Catechisme , set forth in the Booke of common prayer ?

18 Whether hath your Minister married any which haue not bin thrée seueral Sundaies or Holy-daies asked in your Church in that time of diuine Seruice without license , or hath he with licence or without married any whereof neither dwelt in your Parish ?

19 Whether hath your Minister with licence or without , married any at any other times than betwéene the houres of Eight & Twelue in the fore-noone , or in any priuate house , or when there is no license , before their Parents or Gouernours , ( the parties being vnder the age of 21 ) haue testified their consents ?

20 Whether doth your Minister declare to the people euery Sunday at the time appointed , what Holy-daies or Fasting daies bée in the wéeke following ? doth he being a Preacher confer with all Recusants and persons excommunicate or suspended ? beeing no Preacher doth he procure a sufficint Preacher to reclaime them thereby ?

21 Whether doth your Minister kéepe a Note of all persons excōmuicate , and once euery sixe moneths , doth he denounce them which haue not obtained their absolution , on some Sunday in seruice time , that others may be admonished to refraine their company ?

22 Whether doth your Minister hauing notice giuen him , diligently visite the sicke ( the disease not being infections ) doth hée instruct and comfort them , doth he then mooue them to make their Testaments , and remember the poore , and other workes of charity , and the passing-bell tolling , doth he then neglect his last dutie ?

23 Whether hath your Minister refused to baptize anie Childe brought to the Church vpon any Sunday or Holy-day , or to burie any Corps brought into the Church or churchyard ; or to church any women , hauing had warning thereof .

24 Whether hath your Minister being truely enformed of the danger of death of any Infant vnbaptized , and being desired to go to the place where the child is , to baptise it , neglected to goe , by meanes whereof the child died vnbaptized ?

25 Whether doth your Minister at any time preach or administer the communion in any priuate house , except when any are so impotent , that they cannot goe to Church , or very dangerouslie sicke .

26 Whether do any Chaplens , in your parish preach or administer the Sacrament in any Chappell not consecrated , or in any house hauing no Chappell allowed by law , and doe the Lords and Maisters where such chappels are , resort often to the parish Church , and there receiue the communion once at the least euery yeare ?

27 Whether hath your Minister held or appointed any publike fast , or béene present at such , doth he or any other in your parish hold any Lecture or Exercise , or attempt by fasting or prayer , or otherwise to cast out any Diuels , without the license of the Bishop vnder his hand and seale ?

28 Whether hath there béene any secret conuenticles or méetings in your parish by any Priests , Ministers , or others , tending to the deprauing of the forme of prayer , doctrine , or gouernment of the Church ?

29 Whether doth your Minister and Preacher , being at the least a Master of Arts , or Bachelor of Law , vsually weare his Gowne with a standing coller , and sléeues straight at the hand , or wide sléeues , and therewithall a Hood or tippet of silke or sarcenet , and a square cap ?

30 Whether doth your Minister hauing not attained those degree , weare the like Gowne , and square cap with a tippet ?

31 Whether doth your Minister in his iourney weare a cloak with sléeues called a priests cloak with gards , welts , long buttons , or cuts ?

32 Whether doth your Minister weare a wrought night-cap at any time , or doth he weare any cut or pinkt apparell , doth he in publike goe in his Dublet and Hose without a coat or cassocke , and doth he weare any light coloured stockings ?

33 Whether doth your Minister resort to any Tauerns , or Ale-houses , except for his honest necessities , or doth hée boorde or lodge in any such place , doth he vse any base or seruile labour , drinking , ryot , dice , cardes , tables , or any other vnlawfull games ? is hee contenuous , a hunter , hawker , swearer , dauncer , suspected of incontinencie , or giue euill example of lift ?

34 Whether is there in your Parish any Minister or Deacon who hath forsaken his calling , vsing himself in his course of life as a lay man ?

Touching Schoole-masters .

WHether haue you in your Parish any Schoole-master , who teacheth either in publike Schoole , or priuate house ? doth hée giue any euill example of life , is hee allowed by the Ordinary vnder his hand and seale , or doth your minister or Curate teach , and is hee allowed in like manner ?

2 Whether doth your minister or Schoolemaster , who teacheth , teach the Catechisme by authority set forth , doth he when there is any Sermon , or diuine seruice , bring his Schollers to Church , and sée them quietly and soberly ordered , doth he examine them after their returne what they haue learned of the sermon ?

3 Whether doth he at other times teach them such sentences of holy Scripture , as may indure them to all godlinesse , doth he teach the Grammer set foorth by King Henry the Eight , continued by King Edward the sixt , and Quéene Elizabeth ?

4 Whether hath your Schoolemaster an Vsher vnder him , are they both diligent , is your Vsher allowed by the Ordinary , doth your Schoolemaster direct his Vsher the forme & manner of teaching and doth he wéekly take account of him & the Schollers vnder his charge how they haue profited , & what they haue learned & out of what author ?

5 Whether hath either of them spoken , writ , or taught against any thing whereunto he formerly subscribed as the Kings supremacy , the Articles of religion , book of common prayer , or any thing therin contained ?

Touching the Parish Clarke and Sexton .

WHether haue you a parish Clarke sufficient for his place of the age of 20. yeares at the least , is he of honest conuersation , can he reade , write , and sing , is he diligent in his office , and seruiceable to his minister ?

2 Whether doth your Clarke meddle with any thing aboue his Office , as churching of women , burying the dead , reading of prayers , or such like ?

3 Whether doth your Clarke or Sexton kéepe your Church clean , the doores safe locked , is any thing by his default lost or spoyled in the Church , doth he suffer any vnreasonable ringing , or any prophane exercise in your church ?

4 Whether doth your clarke or Sexton , when any is passing out of this life , neglect to toll a bell hauing notice thereof , or the party being dead , doth he suffer any more than one short peale , and before his buriall one , and after the same another ?

5 Whether doth any of your Parish refuse to pay vnto the Parish clarke or Sexton such wages as are vnto them due , and haue béen accustomablie paid .

Touching Parishioners .

WHether hath any in your parish spoken against , or any way impugned the Kings Maiesties supremacie in causes Ecclesiasticall , the Truth and Doctrine of the Church of England , the forme of Gods worship contained in the Booke of common Prayer , and administration of Sacraments ?

2 Whether hath any in your parish spoken against or impugned the Articles of religion , agreed vpon in An. 1602. the rites , & ceremonies established in the church , the gouernment by Archbishops , Bishops , Deanes , Archdeacons and others that beare office in the same ?

3 Whether hath any in your parish spoken against , or impugned the forme of making and consecrating Bishops , Priests , or Deacons , or haue any separated themselues from the society of the congregation and combined in a new Brotherhood , or depraued the Synod lately held by th Kings authority ?

4 Whether hath any in your parish maintained or defended any such Ministers or Schoolemasters as refuse to subscribe to the order of the Church , haue they affirmed that such Ministers , and their adherents may make rules , and order in causes Ecclesiasticall without the Kings authority ?

5 Whether doth any in your parish prophane , violate , or mispend the Sabboth , or holy-daie , or any part of them vsing any offensiue conuersation , or worldly labour in those daies , or any of them ?

6 Whether hath any in your parish , in time of diuine seruice couered his head , albeit he haue infirmity , in which case a cap or night-coyfe is allowed , or is there any who hath not reuerently knéeled when the generall Confession , Letanie , and other prayers are read , and which haue not stood vp at the saying of the Beléefe ?

7 Whether hath any in your parish disturbed the Seruice or Sermon by walking , talking , or any other way , or departed out of the Church , during the seruice or sermon without some vrgent cause , or loytered about the Church , or church-porch ?

8 Whether doe all parishioners receiue the holy communion thrise euery yeare at the least , whereof the Feast of Easter to be one , & haue all being of the age of 16. yeares dulie receaued , or not ?

9 Whether hath any Parent béen vrged to be present , or admitted to answere as God-father for his owne child , or hath any God-father or God-mother made any other answere or spéech , than is prescribed by the Booke , or haue any béene admitted for such at baptisme , who haue not first receiued the Communion ?

10 Whether doth all fathers , mothers , masters , mistresses come and cause their children , seruants , and apprentises to come dulie to the church , according to the ministers direction , to be instructed and catechised , or who be they that haue not obeyed the minister herein ?

11 Whether haue any persons married together within the degrées of consanguinitie or affinitie prohibited , set forth in a Table appointed to bée placed in euery church , or haue any married or contracted themselues vnder the age of 21. yeares , without the consent of their Parents , or Gouernours , if their Parents be dead ?

12 Whether haue any persons once lawfully married , forsaken each other , or doe liue a sunder without the authority of the Ordinary , or doe any being diuorced or separated , marrie againe the former wife or husband yet liuing ?

13 Whether haue any béene maried in the times wherein mariage is by law restrayned , without lawfull license , viz. From the Saturday next before Aduent Sunday , vntill the Fouretéenth of Ianuarie : and from the Saturday next before Septuagesima sunday vntill the Munday next after lowe Sunday : and from the Sunday before the Rogation wéeke , vntill Trinitie Sunday ?

14 Whether hath any of your parish vnreuerentlie vsed your minister , or haue any laid violent hands vpon him , or disgraced his Office and Calling by word or déede ?

15 Whether haue you in your parish anie dweller or soiourner , a maintainer of Popish doctrine , or suspected to kéepe scismatical books , or to fauour any heresie or errour ?

16 Whether haue you any common resorts to your church , which are not of your parish , or doe anie such receaue the communion amongst you : what be their names , and of what parishes are they ?

17 Whether haue anie in the time of seruice , opened their shops , exercised their trade , vsed anie gaming , béene in anie Tauerne , or Ale-house , or otherwise ill employed ?

18 Whether are there in your parish any Adulterers , Fornicators , incestuous persons , bawdes , receauers close fauourers , conueyers away , or which suffer to depart any incontinent person vnpunished , any blasphemers , Common swearers , Drunkards , Rybands , Vsurers , malicious slaunderers , Scolds , or sowers of discord , or any defamed of the said crimes ?

19 Whether doe any in your Parish administer the goods of the dead without authoritie , or suppresse their will or Testament , haue any Executors neglected to performe their Wils , especiallie in paying of Legacies giuen to the church , to the poore , or to any other charitable , or godlie vses ?

20 Whether doe any refuse to paie to the reparations , ornaments , and other things required in your church , as they are ceassed by a lawfull vestrie , or any dwelling out of your parish , which hold land in your Parish ?

21 Whether hath any person suspended or excommunicated , béene suffered to heare Diuine seruice , or the sermon , to receiue the sacraments , to be maried or churched , or haue any Excommunicants béene buried in christian buriall ?

22 Whether haue any in your Parish béene christned , churched , buried , or receiued the communion , or béen maried out of your church , both parties dwelling in your Parish ?

23 Whether haue all women in your parish deliuered of child , come at conuenient time after to church to giue thanks , and haue they béene churched according to the Booke of common praier ?

24 Whether hath the perambulation of the circuit of your Parish béene obserued once euerie yéere , if not whose default is it ?

25 Whether haue any in your Parish giuen the churchwardens or Sidemen , or any of them euill words for doing thier dutie , according to their oath and conscience in making presentment for any fault .

Touching Church-wardens and Swornemen .

WHether doe any in your Parish take vppon them to be church-warden or Sideman , which is not lawfully chosen by the Minister and Parishioners according to the Canon , or doe any continue that Office longer than one yéere , except they bee chosen againe , and are all such Officers chosen yéerelie in Easter wéeke ?

2 Whether doe your churchwardens within one Moneth at the most after their yéere ended , before the Minister and Parishioners , giue vp a iust account of all such monie , and other things , as they haue receiued and bestowed ? haue they deliuered all remaining in their hands belonging to their church or parish , by bill indented to be deliuered to the next churchwardens ?

3 Whether haue the Churchwardens with the aduise of the Minister from time to time prouided a sufficient quantity of fine white bread , and holsome wine for the number of Communicants ?

4 Whether doe the Churchwardens and Swornemen before euerie Visitation , and at other times when there is iust occasion , méete and conferre about their presentments , and the answering of these Articles , and who hath ( after notice giuen him of the time and place ) carelesly absented himselfe ?

5 Whether the forfeiture of xij . d. for absence from Church appointed by Statute to the vse of the poore , bee taken and leuied by the Churchwardens , and employed according to the same Statute : and whether is the same forfeiture taken of all persons which stand wilfully suspended or excommunicated ?

6 Whether haue any churchwardens lost , sold , or detayned anie Goods , Ornaments , Bels , Rents , or Implements of the Church ?

7 Whether doe you the Churchwardens and Sidemen about the middest of diuine Seruice vsually walke out of the Church , and sée who are abroad in any Alehouse , or elsewhere absent , or euil employed , and haue you presented all such to the Ordinarie ?

8 Whether doe you know , or haue heard a fame of anie offence committed , or dutie omitted by any of your Parish before your time , and heretofore not presented to the Ordinary , or as yet not reformed , and haue you presented the same ?

9 Finally , doe you know of any matter or cause which is a breach of the lawes Ecclesiasticall here not expressed , and haue not presented the same ?