INprimis , whether the Church of your Parish be now vacant and destitute of an incombent : how long it hath so remained : whether any sequestration be graunted of the Fruits , to whom , and by whom ? If it haue an incumbent , what his name is , of what bringing vp & degrée in Schooles ? What the valure of the liuing is in the Quéenes bookes ? who is the patrone by right or aduouson ? Whether he hath anie mo benefices , or Ecclesiasticall promotions , how many , and where ? If he lie not in his Benefice , to whome he letteth his Tythes , for what yeerely commoditie , the ordinarie charges deducted ? Whether the Curate be orderly and lawfully admitted vpon due trial and examination of his sufficiencie and honestie vnder the Seale of Office ?

2 Whether Common Praier be distinctly and audibly read within the Parishe , and the Sacramentes reuerently and orderly administred and whether for the better performance of thē you haue a booke of Common praier , two Psalters , the English Bible , the Homilies , the Paraphrases of Erasmus in English , the table of the ten Commandements , a comely Table standing vppon a frame for the holy Communion decently couered , and a conuenient Communion cup , with a couer of siluer , and a séemelie and decent Pulpit .

3 Whether your Altars , Roodeloftes , and other Monumentes of superstition bee cleane defaced and taken away , and whether Massebookes , Portases , or any superstitious Legendaries , Vestiments , Crosses , Images , or any other Reliques or Monuments of Idolatrie , be either knowne or suspected to remaine in any mans handes , and in whose , or what you know are become of those which you had ?

4 Whether your Parson , Vicar , or Curate , be a painfull , zelous and diligent preacher : at the least whether he doth procure quarterly or ●●nethly Sermons according to the Queenes Iniunctions , especially vppon such daies as the holy Communion shal be ministred for the better enstruction & preparation towards the action : And whether he doth duely and orderly according to the said Iniunctions , Cathechise euery Sonday with exposition of the same , for the better instruction of the youth of the parish , and Christian enformation of other the hearers , and whether such as are to be Cathechised attend orderly at the time to be instructed , or who they be that make default or shew themselues obstinate therein . And whether your Minister doth carefully repaire to visite the sick of your Parishe for their spirituall comforte , and willingly attend hys charge in those extremities . And further where hee doth conferre with his Parishioners , especially such as he knoweth not throughly grounded in the way and knowledge of their saluation , for their better instruction before they repaire to the holy Communion . And if anye refuse thys necessary conferrence offered by the minister , not only to stay them from receiuing , but also to present what bee their names with their causes pretended ?

5 Whether your Minister doth admit any to the Communion : or to be married , or to answere for Infantes in Babtisme , being not sufficiently Cathechised and able to yeald an accompt of their christian faith , the whome conscience will not allure almost once to thinke sereously of the meanes of their saluation , yet other extraordinarye occasions maye driue for shame to some knowledge of Christianitie .

6 Whether any Officer for fauour , feare , or corruption , hath so qualified or dispensed with any publicke or notorious sinne , that the offenders hath bene restored to the Congregation and Sacraments , without christian publicke satisfaction , howe many haue bene presented heretofore , and how their causes haue bene ended , and for what cause the Minister without christian publicke satisfaction , hath admitted any to the christian participation of praiers and sacramentes . And whether any Officer , Archedeacon or Officiall haue delt with anye commutation of penaunce , and what bee their names , whose penaunces by them haue bene commuted , for what sinne , and how it hath bene vsed or employed ?

7 Whether your Minister or any other of your Parishe be knowne or suspected as fauourers of the Romish Churche , superioritie , or religion . And whether anye runnagate Iesuites , or counterfaite Massing Priestes , going not according to the order of their professions , are knowen or suspected to frequent or haunt to any person or persons within your Parishe , sometime for a shift to lye or lurke with them : and whether they or any Scholemaister , or any other pretending the name of a seruant , are suspected to allure and perswade any within your parishes from the true sinceritie of the Gospell , now by publicke authoritie established to the vsing of Mattins , Beades , and suche other vaine Popishe trish trashe : or of any vnlawfull Popish bookes : And whether anye be reputed or suspected to be reconciled to the Church of Rome within your Parish , & what be their names ? And whether you know or haue heard of any sometime in orders , that now do liue as lay men ?

8 Whether any of your Parishe doe altogether absent themselues from deuine seruice , or do seldome or negligently come to the Churche , or doe not continue there without disturbance of the Minister and Congregation , not departing thence but vppon some iust and lawfull cause : And whether any of your Parishioners doe not receiue the Communion at the least thrise in the yeare , according to her Maiesties lawes . And whether any hauing diuers houses of remoue , doe shifte from place to place , in colour to defeate the performance of the Christian ducties in those behalfes , what they be , and the names of euery of the familie that doth the like . And whether the particuler twelue pence be leuied according to the Statute ?

9 Whether anye within your parishe , haue anye of their kindred or kinsfolke beyond the Seas , what be their names , and howe long they haue continued out of the realme , and what by hearesay , or in conscience you iudge ther affection to be in religion : Or whether any are knowne or suspected to relieue any such ?

10 Whether your Minister keep any suspected woman in his house or be geuen to dronkennesse , idlenesse , or be a haunter of . Tauerns , Alehouses , or other suspected place , or be Hunters , Hawkers , Dicers , Carders , Tablers , Swearers , or any wayes geue any euill example of life . or vnseemely apparell , to the offence of others , and discredite of their , calling . And whether they be reported or suspected to haue come by their Benefice , or other Ecclesiasticall promotions Simonically , directly , or indirectly ?

11 Whether there belong anye glebe landes to your Parsonage or Vicarage , and how many seuerall parcelles there be , and howe muche they containe by estimation , whether any be alienated , exchaunged , or encroched vpon to the decay of the liuing ? And whether your Chansell and Parsonage houses be in good and sufficient reparations , and whether your Church be in euery parte so maintained as were csnuenient . And whether your Churchyardes be throughly fenced about and clenly kept , and who is the cause of anye of these defaultes . And whether any Patrones haue decayed the Parsonage houses , and keep a Stipend 〈…〉 Priest in place , where an Incumbent should be possessed ?

12 Whether your Minister keepe well their Registers of all Weddinges , Burialles , and Christninges within your Parish , according to the Quéenes Iniunctions , and doe present a Copie of them once euery yeare by Indenture , to the Chauncellor or his Deputie , to remaine of recorde in the principall Office .

13 Whether any within your Parish administer the goods of those that bee dead without lawfull authoritie : Or any are suspected to haue suppressed or altered the last wil of the dead , or any Executors that haue not fulfilled the Testators will , especially in performing of Legacies geuen to other good vses , or maintenaunce of the poore .

14 Whether you haue a Schoolemaister in your Parishe , and whether your Schoolemaister teaching publickely or priuately bee of good and sincere religion & conuersation , and whether they be examined and allowed by the Ordenarie or his Officer in that behalfe . And whether any liuing giuen towardes the erection or maintenaunce of any schoole , be withholden backe or otherwise any waies employed .

15 Whether any haue pulled down or discouered any church , chansell or Chappell , Porche , Vestrie , Steeple , Almehouse , Belles , or anye parte of them , or felled Wood or Timber in the churchyarde . And whether your Hospitalles , Spittelles , or Almeshouses be well and godly vsed and maintained according to the foundation and auncient ordinaunces of the same ?

16 Whether any entertainment bee geuen , or gaming vsed in anye Innes or Alehouses , or other Victualers in time of deuine Seruice or Sermons : Or whether any Butchers , Victualers , Pedlers , or anye other Artificers in time of common prayer or Sermon , open their shops or wares : And whether your Minister customably remembreth your Churchwardens and Swornemen , to attend their charge in suche behalfe .

17 Whether your church goods , stockes , or rentes be let to the best commoditie , and for such vses as they were first ment , or now are to be employed and conuerted , no other waies . Or whether the same bee encreased or decayed , by what meanes , who being churchwardens , whether any are behinde with making their accomptes , or be thought not to haue made a true , perfect , and sufficient accompt , what landes or stocks should be or yet remaine ?

18 Whether any within your Parishe be suspected to vse Sorcerie , Witchcraft , Charmes , vnlawful Prayers , or Inuocations in Latin or English : namely , Midwiues in time of womens trauaile with childe : and who resorte to such for helpe or counsaile ?

19 Whether the Minister or Churchwardens haue suffered anye Lordes of Misrule , or Sommer Lords or Ladies , or any disguised persons , or Morisedancers , or others at Christmas , or any time in sommer to come vnreuerently pyping , dauncing , or playing in church or churchyarde , with vnseemely scoffes , iestes , ribauldrie , or at any other place & time , namely in time of deuine Seruice , or Sermons , and what they be that commit such disorders , or accompanie , or maintaine them ?

20 Whether any of your parish haue bene maried within the degrees of affinitie , and consanguinitie forbidden by the lawes of God , & whether for the better knowledge and direction of those degrees , you haue the Table drawne out to that ende , affixed publiquely in your Parishe Churche : And whether any diuorsed or separated for marying within those degrees , be notwithstanding conuersant and keep company together : Whether any man be suspected to haue two wiues , anye woman two husbandes , any maried after a former precontract : any priuy or secret contractes without consent of Parentes , Tutors , or Gouernors : or any married without Banes thrise solemply asked : or out of your Parish where one of them at the least doth inhabite . And whether any married liue apart , and not continue together according to the lawes of god and the realme . What licences so marry haue bene graunted since the death of the last Bishop , the Ministers shall exhibite to vs or our Officers at the Visitation .

21 Whether any of your Parish be known , defamed , or vehemently suspected of any notorious sinne , fault , or crime , as of Vserie , swearing Adulterie , Fornication , Incest , Baudrie , Drunkennesse , Ribaldrie , Slaundering , Contention , sowing of discorde betweene neighbours , priuie receiuing women vnlawfully begotten with childe , or suffering them to depart before publicke satisfaction made to the Congregatign ? Or whether there be any fightersr Quarrellers , Brawlers , or Chiders in the Churche or Churchyarde , anye Scoffers , Rimers , or diriders of Ministers , or any that lay violent handes on them , or any of them , or otherwise abuse them ?

All and euery of the particulers of the premises you are dilligently to enquire of , and as well the ministers seuerally , as the Churchwardens and Sidemen , ioyntly to present the defaultes of euery of them in writing subscribed with their names . And generally whatsoeuer breaches and offences els they shall know or heare committed against anye of the Queenes Maiesties Iniunctions , or anye of the Ecclesiasticall Lawes of this Realme .

INprimis , for that the want of a sufficient Ministerie is not onely the Nurse of Ignorance and Popery , but also the cause of all Atheisme , disobedience , and dissolutenesse of life : And the corruption of Patrons , aboundeth to the great decay of the sufficient maintenance of Ministers , this setled order is set down to preuent either inconueniece wherof all Patrones together with such as are to be presented to Benifices , hereby without further intimation are to take knowledge within this Diocease of Couentrie and Lichfield , vz .

That whosoeuer shall hereafter bee presented to any Benifice , shall attend for his publicke examination the first day of euerie moneth only , openly in the consistorie at Lichfield , betwéene the houres of eight and aleuen ( if it be not a Sonday or Holiday ) then the next daie following , where the reuerende Father in God the now Lord Bishop in person , or the Chauncellor at the least , or the Chauncelors Deputie giuing attendance , and calling for their assistance foure other Preachers at the least shall and will cause the gifts and learning of the partie presented to bee throughly examined , and presently vppon conference betwene them of his sufficiencie , to set their Iudgementes downe solempnly in a booke made and kept for that purpose , to notifie their allowance , or dissallowance . And for the better and more assured performannce of this aduertisement greatly heretofore neglected and abused , as well for want of appointing certaine sufficient and sincere Examiners vsually to attend this charge as otherwise , the said reuerend Father in his now purposed Visitation will publish to the whole Countrey the names of such Preachers , by whose credite and conscience he will chiefly commit this charge and trust , besides the pretence of such as being alwaies néere at hande may be vsed and required .

And although the man for his learning shall be quallified , and bring besides Letters testimoniall for his good behauiour according to order , yet for that such Testimonialls haue by often and too much experience béene proued to procéed or hearesay , and importunitie of intreatie , with out any through knowledge of the partie so commended . Therefore the partie so presented and allowed as before , shall with license of the Ordinarie , repaire eftsons to that Parish , and aswell acquaint his Parishners with his persone as his giftes , that moneth onely , reading the first Sunday he commeth thither , this publicke aduertisement in time of deuine Seruice . And so the first day of the next moneth following , to repaire to the saide reuerend Father , or by his direction to the Office for his Institution , ( if none shall vndertake to proue against him some notorious default that day of his apparance ) and so without further delay to bee dispatched , giuing first his oath besides other matters , that neither by himselfe , nor any for him he hath vsed Simonie , in attaining to that liuing directly or indirectly , according to the Ecclesiastical laws in that behalfe prouided and established .

2 Item , for that the lawes of this Realme do permit diuers persons sufficiently qualified and dispensed withall , to enioye twoo Benefices , and to demise the one to a sufficient Curate , it is likewise ordered that the first day of the next moneth after the Visitation ended , all the Curates , in , & throughout the Diocesse of Couentrie and Lichfield , shal attend at the Consistorie Court , where the foresaide reuerend Father in person , or his Chauncelor at the least , or the Chancelors deputy assisted with foure preachers , named & published in euerie session of this visitation , with other such neere assistants , as shal be called and vsed as before , wil be readie to sit for that purpose , and exhibiting their former licenses to the Ordinarie , if so be vpon this further triall and examination , they shall appeare méete in all respects for that congregation , euerie circumstance well waied & duly considered then to be continued in the former place and seruice , otherwise to haue warning to depart , and the Incumbent likewise to haue conuenient notice to prouide him of a more sufficient Minister within a reasonable time : And no Curate to be accepted or allowed in any Parishe without the license of the Ordinarie vnder his seale . Prouided further , that the licenses graunted to Curates shall not generally extend to any place vncertainely , but shall namely containe the particular Parish whereto he shall be commended , and that al licenses contrarie to this order to be reformed . And further that no Curates , who are to supplye the absence of an other qualified by lawe , bee vsed as instruments onely by colour to defeat the good meaning of the Statutes in that behalfe prouided , to the benefit of Laie men , but them selues to enioy the commodities allotted to their owne better maintenaner , according to the true meaning of the Statute .

3 Item , for that the peruerse obstinate vntowardnesse of diuers yong Gentlemen in religion , doth argue a manifest & most intollerable corruption in their bringing vp and in Schoolemaisters , that all Schoolemaisters , aswel in anie noble or Gentlemens houses , as otherwise publickly or priuately teaching within anie Towne of this Diocesse , shall likewise bring in their Licences heretofore to them graunted , the third daie of the first moneth next after the Visitation before the saide reuerend Father , or his Chauncelor at the least , or the Chauncelors Deputie , with the foresaide Preachers and assistantes attending this seruice in the Consistorie at Lichfielde , to whom if they do not sufficiently allow their habilitie for learning , their soundnesse for Religion , their honestie for connersation by learning and testimonie of suche as are well knowne to the Bishop , then to bee displaced and inhibited to continue their teaching anie longer within this Diocease Otherwise with very good fauour and allowance to remaine in their former estate , enioined once a quarter at the least to examine his schollers in the Catechisme , and to sée them frequent al exercises of Religion according to their discretion : And no Schoolemaister to haue or enioy any generall Licence , throughout the whole Diocease vncertainely , but to teach in that particuler place whereto he shall bee allowed , and the Licences contrarie to this order to be reformed .

4 Item , for that to helpe the lamentable inconueniences growing to the Church of God by the insufficient Ministerie , they are not onely to be sifted which are already made Ministers , but also a diligent care and foresight is to be vsed , that only sufficient men be admitted to that function hereafter . Therefore the foresaide reuerend Father would haue al and euery within this Diocease of Couentrie and Lichfield , which intend for themselues or their frendes , to sollicite for orders of the Ministerie to take knowledge hereby , that they & euery of them must attend for publike examination and triall , the first day of euerie quarter of the yéere , onely in the Comistorie of Lichfielde , where the said reuerend , or his Chauncelor with the Archdeacons and other assistances and forenamed Preachers to be called , making due proofe by publicke examination of all circumstances required by law , and immediatly setting down their iudgements accordingly , and if he or they vpon such triall shall be found worthy , then by the said reuerend Father to receiue orders , if the said reuerend Father shall thinke it so méete and conuenient , otherwise either to be cleane reiected , or referred ouer to their further sufficiencie : and no prinate orders otherwise either to be sued , looked for , or performed within this Diocease of Couentrie and Lichfield .

5 Item , for that sundrie and manifolde inconueniences haue ensued the graunt of Licenses to marrie , these circumstances shal be obserued , by the Officers who are to graunt the same . First , that they do not rashly without aduertisement from the Minister , or some such as they know to be of good credit and honestie graunt the License . Secondly , that they include in the bands taken consent of the Parents , Tutors , or Couernors . Thirdly , that the direction of the license be made to one of the ministers , where the parties to be maried shall dwell , who cannot be ignorant of the estate of the parties , and may stay the procéeding to mariage according to the License , if he know or suspect any lawful impediment , aduertising the Chauncelor with all conuenient speed of the cause of his stay Other wese no License to be graunted , vnlesse the matter be notoriously knowne to the Officer authorised to dispence in that behalfe .

6 Item , that none denounced or to be denounced and published excommunicate , shall hereafter be admitted to the Church , or receiuing of the Sacramenis , without his absolution testified to the Minister & Church wardens , vnder the Ordinaries hand or Seale : And that such as continue obstinatly so denounced or excommunicate , be publikely notified to the whole Congregation from time to time to their amendment or further discredite .

7 Item that the ordinance of the Booke of Common Praier bee from henceforth obserued in this , that the Bread deliuered to the Communicants , be such as is vsual to be eaten at the Table with other meals , yet of the purest and finest Wheat : and no other bread to be vsed by the Minister , nor to be prouided for by the Churchwardens & Parishners then such finest common bread .

8 Item , whereas priuate Baptisme in time of necessitie séemeth tollerated by the Booke of Common Praier , and therevpon not onely diners old women and Midwiues haue hoth against Gods laws and the meaning of the said Booke , presumed to intrude themselues into that ministerie & function , but also vnder cullor of such priuate Baptismes , many times wicked Iesuits , masse Priests or Reconcilers haue béene knowne to Baptise Infants : It is therefore ordered to be receiued and obserued , that if vpon any reasonable causes mouing the Parents and Minister , they thinke not good to expect the next Sabaoth or Holyday , for the more commendable performance of that Sacrament in the presence of the whole Congregation at Church : That then it be performed with a conuenient multitude of such as shal be knowne sound and well effected to Religion , and either by the Minister of the Parish himselfe , or other knowne Minister with his priuitie or consent . And that henceforth no women presume to intrude themselues into Babtizing of Infants in any respect or condition .