FIRST ye shall enquire & truly present vpon your oathes taken , whether you do know of any , which hath thrust himself into any function Ecclesiastical without ordinary calling , as , to say publike seruice in Church or chappell , not being lawfully ordered Deacon at the least .

2 Whether your Parson or Vicar be known , suspected or reported to haue bought his benefice , or come to it by any simoniacall compact , made either by himself , or others , directly , or indirectly : or do let out his liuing or any part thereof to any , in consideration that he hath obtained the same ▪

3 Whether your Parson , Vicar , curat , or minister , or anie other Priest or layman or woman doe wilfully maintain or defend any heresies , false opinions or popish errors , contrary to the lawes of almightie God , and true doctrine , by publike authoritie now set foorth in this realme , and what be their names ?

4 Whether your Parson , Vicar , or curate , do not say common prayer in your church , or chappel , distinctly & reuerently , & in such order , as it is set foorth by publike authority , without any kind of alteration , & at due & conuenient hours : & whether your minister do not so turne himselfe , & stand in such place of your church or chancell , as the people may best heare the same , and whether the sacraments be not likewise ministred reuerently in such maner as by the lawes of this realm is appointed : & whether vpon wednesdayes and fridayes the Letany and other praiers appointed for the day be not said accordingly ?

5 Whether your Minister or any other not being licenced take vpon him to expound scripture , & therby omit vpon any sunday the reading of a part of an Homily at the least , or vpon any other occasion do omit the same ?

6 Whether your Minister do not read the commination against sinners , with certaine praiers appointed , at the least thrice a yeere besides the lent time : and whether he doth not read the Queenes Maiesties iniunctions quarterly in the Church ?

7 Whether he haue preached or caused to be preached his monethly or quarterly Sermons at the least , and who they be that preached them , and whether he haue suffered any not licenced to preach , or forbidden any that was licenced ?

8 Whether any notorious offender , or which is out of charity , or excommunicate , or a stranger of an other parish , be admitted to the communion by your minister , or such as being aboue twentie yeres of age haue not beene able to say at the least the Lords prayer , ten commandements , and Articles of the beliefe , or being aboue fourteen yeres , & vnder twenty , that could not say the Catechisme : & whether your minister at times conuenient before he administer vnto them , and namely before Easter , do vse to examin his Parishioners , whether they can say by heart the same which is required in this behalfe : & whether he marry any persons , that were single before , that cannot say the Catechisme ?

9 Whether your Ministers on euery Sunday and Holyday in the after-noone before euening prayer do not instruct all the youth within your parish of conuenient age of both sexes , in the Catechisme , or at the least so many of them by course as time wil serue , & as he may wel hear & instruce for half an hour space at the least , & present to the Ordinary such quarterly as refuse to come to be catechised ?

10 Whether he do diligently visite the sick & comfort them with exhortation to contribute by wil for the reliefe of the Poore , as their abilitie shall serue ?

11 Whether he be diligent in study of the holy Scriptures for further increase in knowledge , and for that purpose hath ( if hee bee vnder the degree of a Maister of Arte ) at the least , the new Testament in Latine , & English , and whether he doth daily conferre certaine Chapters thereof together , vsing at vacant times such good and seemly exercises as may keepe him from sluggishnes and idlenes ?

12 Whether any mynister haue maried any in times forbidden by the Ecclesiasticall Lawes , or without bannes thrice asked , otherwise than by licence of the ordinary , or hath vsed the forme of thanks giuing , for a woman after childebirth , being vnlawfully begotten with childe otherwise than in forme of a peninent person , viz. in a white sheet or other habit prescribed by the ordinary , or vpon any other day than on a Sunday , or Holy-day : or before sufficient caution taken , that shee should not depart the Parishe , till shee should performe such pennance , as should be enioyned by the Ordinary ?

13 Whether your Minister vse any other Rite , or Ceremony in the Church than is prescribed by the booke of Common Praier , and whether he or any other , keep or vse any secret Conuenticles , Preachings , Lectures , or Readings contrary to the Lawe , and what be their names ?

14 Whether your Parson , or Vicar : doth not in his owne person at the Church , sometimes in the Yeare , both say Publike Prayers himselfe , and also administer the holy Communion , according to the booke of Common Praier ?

15 Whether your Minister vse the dayes of Perambulations accustomed , and that without wearing of any Surples , or any other Rite , or staying at any olde Crosse , and also without vsing any other Praiers , than the 103. and 104. Psalmes , an Homily for that purpose , the Letanie , and such sentences of the Scripture as are appointed by Iniunction in that behalfe ?

16 Whether any do serue as a Minister , or Deacon not licenced vnder the Ordinaries Seale , or serue twoo cures , and whether any Minister comming out of an other Dioces hath not the Ordinaries letters testimoniall concerning aswell the cause of his departure as his behauiour , and what stipend your Curate hath by yeere ?

17 Whether is your minister a peacemaker and exhorter of his Parishioners to Christian loue , & concord , and such a one as is no sower of discorde amongst Neighbours ?

18 Whether your Parson or Vicar suffer his buildings or Chauncel to fall to ruine or decay , and whether he or anie other haue taken away or discouered any Church , Chappell , or Chauncel , or any part of them : any Church porch , vestrie , spittle , almes house , or such like : or hath pulled downe the belles , or hath made any spoile or waste vppon his benefice , either in his timber , or woods , or by felling trees in the Church-yarde ?

19 Whether the Minister and Church-wardens ( according to hir Maiesties Iniunctions ) doe keepe well the Register book , & therin register al Weddings , buriengs , & Christenings , and once euery yeere exhibite a Copie thereof by Indenture to the office of th ordinaries Register : and if it be not done , through whose default ?

20 Whether your Minister hath put in vre such orders concerning Catechising of youth , &c. and executed all other such things as hath from time to time since the last visitation , beene sent vnto him from the Ordinary , as processes , & such like : And whether he hath made any Certificats of penance orderly & penitently done , which hath indeed bin scoffingly , or impenitently performed , or els not done at all ?

21 Whether your Parson , or Vicar hath at anie time since the thirteenth yeere of the Queenes Maiesties raigne , made anie manner of lease , or graunt , of his Parsonage , or Vicarage , or anie part thereof ( hee being absent , and not resident vpon the same ) to any other then to his Curate that did , or doth serue his Cure in his absence ?

22 Whether is your Parson , or Vicar absent from among you aboue eightie daies in anie one yeere in all , not being lawfully qualified and dispenced withall , and beeing so licenced , whether is the Cure serued by an honest learned Curate , whether doth hee not at the least for one month in the yere , keepe hospitalitie at his liuing , and also giue , if his benefice be aboue twentie poundes a yeere , the fortith part thereof to the Poore ?

23 Whether any Minister do forsake his function & giue himselfe to any other trade of life then is fit , or may be incident with that calling ?

24 Whether doth your Minister keepe any suspected woman in his house , or ( being not married ) any woman not of neere kinred vnto him , or doth he liue in any tauerne , or alehowse , or commonly resort thither , or is he a hawker , or hunter , or a gamester , at any game , other then at shooting , or otherwise suspected of any notorious crime , or any euill example of life ?

25 Whether doth your Minister keepe , or suffer to be kept any Alehouse , Tauern , or Victualing house in his Parsonage or Vicarage house ?

26 Whether doth your Minister vse any excessiue or vnseemely kinde of apparell not commendable in that calling ?

27 Whether doth the Patrone suffer the Church to lie voide without incumbent , and take any the profites thereof , and how long he hath so done ?

28 Whether the Patron haue freely bestowed the benefice without any Simony , directly , or indirectly , betweene him & the incumbent , or any other : And whether he doth not retaine his owne tithes , or hath the benefice whereof he is Patrone , or some part thereof in farme ?

29 Whether your Schoolemaster teaching within your Parish openly , or within any Gentle-mans house be licenced thereunto by the ordinary : whether doth he teach such books as be commanded to be taught , and that diligently ? And whether is he reputed of sincere Religion , and conuersation , and frequenteth Diuine seruice , or no ?

30 Whether haue you in your Parish Church , or Chappel the booke of Common Praier , with the new Rallender , two Psalters , the great English Bible , the two Volumes of Homilies , the Paraphrase of Erasmus in English , the Table of the Ten commandements , whole , and vntorne , a conuenient Pulpit , a decent Communion Table on a frame , a Linnen Cloth to couer the same , with some other couering of Silke or such like , a Communion Cup , and a couer of Siluer , a decent Surplese with sleeues , a sure Coffer with two lockes for the Register booke , a strong Chest for the Almes Bore , with three lockes thereunto , and all other things requisite ?

31 Whether doth your Parson , Vicar , Curate , or Minister weare any Cope in your Parish Church or Chappell , or minister the holy Communion in any Chalice heretofore vsed at Masse , or in any prophane Cup or Glasse ?

32 Whether are all Altars taken downe , to the very foundation , and the place Whited , and paued vnder-neath , and the Roode-lofte downe to the Crosse-beame , al superstitious books vsed either in the Church or otherwise defaced , togither with all monuments of Superstition and Idolatry , as Vestiments , &c. And if not , in whose custody are they , or any of them ?

33 Whether any Church-wardens since the laste visitation haue suffered any vnmaried woman begotten with childe to depart their Parish before such pennance done as was inioyned ?

34 Whether is your Church , chappel , or chauncell sufficiently repaired , and churchyard decently and sufficiently fenced , and kept cleane : if not , in whose default ?

35 Whether haue your churchwardens from time to time truly leuied xii . pence for euery day , of those who absent themselues from church , and whether hath the same beene bestowed vpon the poore as it ought , or no : And whether the churchwardens themselues haue absented themselues , or beene negligent in their duty , or in frequenting diuine seruice , and whether doth your Minister admonish the churchwardens openly in the church after the second lesson at morning and euening praier to looke to their charge in this behalfe ?

36 Whether haue any churchwardens or swornmen , since the last visitation or inquisition , or at any time , concealed any disorder or crime done in your Parish , or not presented the same to be reformed ?

37 Whether any churchwardens without iust cause delaieth to giue account euerie yeare of the church goods , or detaineth any of the church goods , or common stocke , and whether is the stock of the poore mans boxe faithfully , and indifferently distributed to the poore without any partiall affection ?

38 Whether any churchwardens haue continued in that office , at any time aboue one yeare without a newe election ?

39 Whether the clerke be appointed , according to the custome of your Parish , whether is he obedient to the minister in such things , as belong to his office , & vseth diligence in keeping al such things as belong to his charge , decent & cleane : whether is he able to read distinctly , & to answere as appertaineth to him in the church , & whether is hee suffered to read any thing in the church , saue the one lesson and the epistle ?

40 Whether when any man is passing out of this life , the Bel be not touled , to moue the people to pray for the sick person , and whether there be any ringing for any that died out of the parish , & whether in the parish there be any more ringing than one short peale before , & an other after the buriall : & whether on Allsoules euen or day , or any Saints euen , or vpon any abrogate holidaies , there be any other ringing than is vsual , on common working dates , or other than ringing to common praier , or sermons , & that but moderate : & whether there be any ringing at al in time of common praier , reading of homilies , or of preaching ?

41 Whether any Lords of misrule , dauncers , plaiers , or any other disguised persons do dance , or play any vnseemly parts in the Church , Church-yard , or Chappel-yard , or whether are there any playes or common drinking kept in church , or Church-yarde , who maintaine & accompany such ?

42 Whether any person in your parish hath remained excommunicated by the space of fortie daies , & whether any such doe intrude himselfe to diuine seruice , the Sacrament , or publike assemblies , and who are encoragers and keepers of company with such as so remaine excommunicate ?

43 Whether any holy daies , or Fishdaies abrogated by authority , are either by your minister bidden , or by any other obserued superstitiously , or any festiual daies vsed a new by any without lawfull authority ?

44 Whether all superiours , as parents , masters , &c. do asmuch as in them lieth to bring to the church to be catechised on holy daies & Sundaies in the afternoone before euening praier , their children , seruants , and apprentices both mankind and womankind being aboue seuen yeares of age , and vnder twenty , or at the least such & so many , as your minister shall thinke meete to be sent thither for that purpose : and there diligently & obediently to heare and to be ordered by the minister vntil such time as they haue learned the same Catechisme : & what their names be that neglect so to doe : and who betwixt the saide ages cannot say the Catechisme ?

45 Whether there be any that refuse to come to diuine seruice in their parish Church , or Chappell , or doe not frequent the same , or doe not being of conuenient age communicate thrice a yere at the least , & namely once about Easter , or receiuing have not signified the same to the minister in tyme conuenient , that he might examine them how they were instructed for partaking of so high mysteries : and whether there bee any strangers , that soiourne in your parish , especially about Easter , and do absent themselues from Church : or any that be hinderers or deriders of true religion , or of those which professe it ?

46 Whether there be any lay or temporall man , not being within orders , or any child , that hath or enioyeth any benefice or spirituall promotion ?

47 Whether any in your Parish be suspected to resort to any Masse , or other kind of seruice than is receiued by authority , or to be reconciled to the Church of Rome , or do goe vp & downe in secretwise or disguised , or that haue beene not long sithence beyond the Seas , being no merchants , vsing traficke , or otherwise lawfully licenced ?

48 Whether any do pray in an vnknowen tongue , or vpon beads , or do any way number their praiers superstitiously , or do read , sel , or deliuer , any popish books come from beyond the seas .

49 Whether any be in your parish which at time of diuine prayers do vse any iangling , talking , walking , or other vnseemely behauior in church or churchyard , or do any way disturbe common prayer , or any part of the diuine seruice , or do vse any game , or pastime abroad at those times , or sit in the tauern , or alehouse , or streetes at such times , or which doe worke on Sundaies , any handicraft worke , or which keepe open any shoppes for sale of wares til euening praier be finished , or which depart before praiers bee finished , or commeth late without cause sufficient , or which be brawlers , or fighters in the church or churchyard :

50 Whether any in your parish be knowen , or suspected to vse any witchcraft , or sorcerie , charme , inchantment , or vnlawful inuocation , and namely , Midwiues at the labor of women , or any who do take vpon them to tel destinies , or to guide men to things lost , or any that resorteth vnto such for helpe & counsaile , or finally any blasphemers of the name of God , or swearers among you :

51 Whether any be known , or suspected to be adulterers , fornicators , incestuous persons , bawdes , or recettors of incontinent persons into their houses , or which conuey or suffer them to goe away before they do make satisfaction to the congregation offended , any drunkards , ribalds , malicious , contentious , and vncharitable persons , common slaunderers , raylers , scoulders , or sowers of discord amongst you :

52 Whether any childe being born since the 13. yeare of the Queenes Maiesties raigne hath not been brought to be baptised to your parish church , but hath beene baptised at home , or their baptisme differred :

53 Whether your hospitales , spittles , & almes-houses be well & godly vsed , according to the foundation , & ancient ordinances of the same . Whether there be any other placed in them then poore , impotent , & needy persons , that haue not whereby , or wherwith to liue .

54 Whether there be any man that hath , or hath had at one time two wiues , or a woman two husbandes , any maried within degrees of consanguinity , or affinity , set foorth in a table for that purpose , any diuorced keeping company stil togither , any maried without the degrees forbidden , which without law haue forsaken their wiues or husbands , or liue not togither , any maried that haue made precontracts to other , any that haue made priuy contracts , or maried without consent of their parents , or gouernors , any maried without bannes thrise solemnly asked , or out of the parish church where the solemnization ought to haue been , without the Ordinaries licence vnder his seale :

55 Whether there be any that directly , or indirectly , do take any vsury , or interest , who they be & what is the maner of their vsury :

56 Whether any set downe in the last will and testament , of any , as executors , do presume to execute , or deal with the deads goods before the wil be proued , or any presume to administer before administration committed vnto them , any hinderers of the performance of such wil , any forgers , or changers of wils , or any executors which haue not fulfilled their testators will , especially in not paying legacies giuen to good and godly vses :

57 Whether doth your Parson , Vicar , or Curate , churchwardens & swornemen , & euery of them certifie in writing vnder their handes & seales to their Ordinary of the Dioces , or his Vicar general the names & surnames of al those persons that absent themselues from hearing the diuine seruice ( contrary to hir Maiesties lawes ) according to the iniunction giuen in that behalf , quarterly to be made , or at the leastwise in time conuenient before ech the assises , or quarter sessions to be holden within the said dioces of Hereford :

58 Whether do you know , or haue you hard of any man or woman that hath practized , or doth practise Phisicke or surgery within this dioces of Hereford , not being licenced so to doe by th ordinary of the same , vnder his hand and seale , according to the Statute in that case prouided , & what is his , or her name which doth , or hath so done :

59 Whether the Archdeacon , Chauncelor , Commissarie , Official , or any other vsing ecclesiastical iurisdiction in this dioces , their registrars , or arctuaries , apparitors , or summoners , haue at any time wincked at & suffered any adulteries , fornications , incestes , or other faults & offences , to passe & remaine vnpunished , & vncorrected , for mony , rewards , bribes , pleasure , friendship , or any other partiall or affectionate respect , or any of them haue bin burdensome to any in this dioces , by exacting or taking excessiue fees , excessiue procurations , any rewards , or commodities , by the way of promotion , gift , contribution , help , redemption of penance , omission of quarter sermons , obteining of any benefices or office , or any other like waies or meanes :

60 How many Adulteries , Incests , and Fornications , are notoriously knowen to haue bin committed in your Parish , since Easter . 1585. how many offendors in any such faults haue been put to open penance , & openly corrected : and how many haue had their penance or any part thereof commuted , without consent of the Bishop himself first had , and what summes of mony laied by that means vpon the offenders haue bin bestowed vpon the poore of that Parish , or other godly vses : and how many haue bin winked at , & borne withal , or haue fined and paied mony to the Archdeacon , chanceler , commissary , Official , or their deputies , or to the Deanes , Registrares , or Sumners , or any of them , for to escape open punishment & correction : & what their names & surnames be :

61 Whether the Deans Rurals , & Sunners , or any of them do pay any annual rent , fee , or pension for their offices , & what they paie , and to whom :

62 Whether any haue been licenced to mary without the asking of bannes at al , or thrice asking , no sufficient caution being taken before , that there was no impediment of precontract , consanguinitie , affinitie , or any other lawful cause : & that at time of granting the said Licence there was no controuersie , matter , or complaint mooued or depending before any ecclesiasticall or ciuil iudge touching any such lawful impediment of contracting matrimonie betweene such persons : and that the same parties should not come to solemnize their marriage before they had obtained the expresse assent & consent of their parents or gardians : & further that the mariage of them should be publikely solemnized in the face of the church in meet & conuenient time .

63 Whether in al excommunications for Heresy , schisme , Simony , periury , vsury , incest , adulterie , or any other grieuous crime , the sentence haue been pronounced against any but in the proper person of a Bishop , Deane , Archdeacon , or Prehendary , & the same being within holy orders , & hauing ecclesiastical iurisdiction : and whether any Vicar general , official or commissarie not being within holy orders haue pronounced sentence of excommunication against any for contumacie , but some learned minister , sufficiently autorised therunto either by the Bishop within his iurisdiction , or by the Archdeacon within his , the Archdeacon being himselfe also a minister .

64 Generally whether you knowe anie of the Queens iniunctions , broken , or any other ecclesiasticall matter worthy of redresse or no ? & if you do , by the oathes that you haue taken , you shal truly present it , aswel now as hereafter , when it shal come to your knowledge :