The forme of the Oath taken by the Churchwardens and Sidemen .

YOu shall sweare , that you & euery of you shal duly consider & diligently enquire of these Articles giuen you in charge , and that al fauour , hatred , hope , feare , or any other corrupt affection set aside , you shall present all and euery such person which now is , or lately was in your Parish , as haue committed any offence or default comprized in any of these Articles , or which are vehemently suspected or defamed of any such offence or default . Wherein you shall deale according to an vpright conscience , Canon . neither presenting nor sparing to present any person contrary to truth . So helpe you God , and his faithfull promises in Iesus Christ .

WHETHER haue you in your Church all things requisite for the common Prayer , and due administration of the Sacraments , according to his Maiesties Laws and Canons Ecclesiasticall lately established : Concerning the Church . And namely a faire Bible , 80. 81. 82 83. 84. 70. the booke of common Prayer , lately ordained onely to be vsed ? A Font of stone set vp in the ancient vsuall place ? A decent Communion table standing vpon a frame , with a Carpet of silke or some other séemely stuffe , and a faire linnen cloth to lay thereon at the time of communion ? A faire communion Cup with a couer of Siluer ? a decent Pulpit with a cloath and Cushion for the same ? a conuenient seat to read seruice in ? a comely large surplice ? a strong chest for almes for the poore with thrée locks & keyes , and another chest for kéeping the Ornaments of the Church and Register booke ? And whether haue you a Register booke in parchment of all Christenings , Weddings , and Burials ? and whether is the same kept according to the said Canons ? and whether doth your Minister vpon euery Sunday read the names of such as haue béen christend , married , or buried the wéeke before ?

2 Whether your Church , 85. 88. Chancell , and Churchyard be kept in good reparatoms aswell within as without ? whether any prophanation be vsed in them , or any man hath incroached vpon them ? And whether your Prisonage or vicarage house , and all housing therevnto belonging , be likewise maintained in sufficient reparations ? If not , through whose default , and what is the defect ?

3 Whether haue you a Terrier of all the gleabes , 87. lands , medows , gardens , orchards , houses , stocks , ymplements , Tenements , & portions of Tythes lying within or without your Parish , which belong vnto your Parsonage or Vicarage , & in whose hands , it doth remaine ? If not , you shall together with your Minister make diligent enquirie of all the premises , and exhibite with your next presentment a true note of them in parchment subscribed with your hands , specifying how they are but alled or bounded , & in whose occupation at this present they are ?

4 WHether diuine seruice be said in your Church by your Minister distinctly and reuerently , Concerning the Minister . vppon Sundaies and such holy daies as are appointed to bee obserued by the booke of common Prayer , 14. 15. 58. and their Eeues , and vpon Wednesdaies and Fridaies at conuenient and vsuall times ? And whether doth he in ministring the sacraments , solemnizing of matrimonie , visitation of the sicke , burying the deade , churching of women , and all other rites and offices of the Church , vse the formes of prayers prescribed in the said booke without any omission or additton ? And whether doth he read the booke of Canons once yearely and weare a Surplice according to the said Canon ?

5 Whether doth your Minister solemnly giue warning to his parishioners for the holy cammunion , 22. 64. 67. 84. 66. 26. 27. 28. 29. 62. 63. 68 69. 62. 100. and for all holydaies and fasting daies ? And whether doth he visite the sicke and exhort them to giue to the poore ? And whether doth he conferre with recusants in your Parish ( if there be any ) according to the Canons ? And whether doth he admit to the holy communion any notorious offenders , scismaticks , or strangers : or reiect any , who are not by presentment or publike scandall infamous for some notorious crime ? And whether doth he admit any Father to be Godfather to his owne child , or any to be Godfathers & Godmothers which haue not receiued the holy communion , or doth not vse the signe of the crosse in baptisme : or doth baptize in any bason or other vestell , and not in the vsuall Font , or doth baptize any children that were not borne within the parish ? And whether doth he marrie any in any exempt place , or without banes published thrée seueral Sundaies or holidaies , or without a sufficient dispensation or licence , or without licence in times prohibited , albeit the banes were thrice published , or not betwéene the houres of 8. and 12. in the forenoone , or if the parties bee vnder the age of 21. yéeres , before their parents haue signified their consent vnto him , or whether doth he refuse to christen , or to burie , or doth deferre the same longer than he should , and whether by his default any child hath dyed without baptisme in your parish ?

6 Whether doth he preach , 70. 71. 72. 73. 74. minister the communion , baptize children , ( vnlesse in case of necessitie ) solemnize marriage , or church women in priuate houses ? Or doth kéepe or suffer any Fastes , Prophesies , Exercises , or exercismes without lawfull authority : or doth hold or suffer any priuate conuenticles contrary to the Canons ? And whether doth he frequent Tauernes , Alehouses , or any place suspected for incontinency , or doth table or lodge in any such house : or is he a common Gamester at Dice , Cards , Tables , or any other vnlawfull game , a swearer or drunkard , or one that applyeth not himselfe to his study , or is otherwise offensiue and scandalous to his function and ministery , or doth not vse decency in his apparell , as by the Canons he is enioyned ?

7 Whether is he continually resident vpon his benefice , and how long time hath he been absent ) from the same ? And ( in case he be lycenced to be absent whether doth hee cause his cure to be sufficiently supplyed , 45. 46. 47. 74. according to the Canons ? And whether ( if he be allowed a preacher ) doth he preach one sermon euery Sunday : or ( if not so allowed ) doth procure monthly sermons and read homilies ? And whether ( not being so allowed ) doth he expound any scripture , or suffer any man to preach in your Church , whom you haue not well knowne to haue béen sufficiently yeeneed , and who hath not first subscribed his name , together with the day when he did preach , and who was not severly and decently apparelled ?

8 Whether doth your Preacher and Lecturer read diuine seruice , 56. 55. and minister the Sacraments twice a yéere at the least in his owne person , according to the said Canons ? And whether doth he vse the forme of Prayer before his Sermons for the Kings most excellent Maiestie , exhorting the people to obedience to his Maiestie , and other Magistrates in authoritie vnder him ?

9 Whether doth your Minister on Sundaies & holydaies catechize the youth & ignorant persons in your parish according to the order prescribed in the booke of common prayer , and according to the said Canons ? 59. And whether doth he in the Rogation daies vse the perambulation of the circuite of the parish appointed by law , according to his dutie ?

10 Whether doth he euery six moneths denonce in his parish Church all such of his parish as doe perseuer in the sentence of excommunication , 65. not seeking to be absolued ? And whether hath he admitted any such excommunicate person to the Communion , or to the church without certificate of his absolution ? And whether doth he or any of your parish familiarly frequent the company of any such excommunicate person ?

11 WHether any of your parishioners doe not cause their Children , Concerning Parishioners . Seruants , and Apprentices , to come to their Minister vpon Sundaies and holydaies to be instructed in the Catechisme by him ? 59. And whether any of them refuse to come , or if they come , refuse to learne those instructions set forth in the said booke of common prayer ? And what bee the names of them so not causing , or refusing ?

12 Whether any of your parishioners , 13. 14. 18. or other strangers soiourning , lodging , or commonly resorting to any house within your parish , aboue 16. yéeres of age , doe wilfully or negligently absent themselues from your parish Church , vpon Sundaies or holydaies at morning and euening prayer , or who come very late to church vpon the said dayes , or who depart from church before seruice be finished : Or who doe not reuerently behaue themselues during the tune of diuine seruice , deuoutly knéeling at such times as the generall confession of sins , the Letany , the Ten commandements , and all prayers and collects are read : Or who doe vse any gaining or pastime abroad , or in any house , or doe sit in the stréet , or Churchyard , or in any Tauerne , or Victualling house vpon any of those dayes in the time of diuine seruice , or who haue quarrelled , brawled , or vsed violence to any person within your Church or Churchyard : Or who haue vsed filthy & prophane talke , or other rude and immodest behauiour ?

13 Whether there be any of or within your parish being sixtéene yéeres of age and vpwards , 21. 22. 28. that doe not receiue the holy Communion in your Church thrice in this yéere at the least , and chiefly once at Easter next : And whether any of your Parish doth not deuoutly knéele at the receiuing thereof ? And whether doth not your Minister receiue it himselfe on euery day that he administreth it to others , and vse the words of institution at euery time that the bread & wine is administred ? And whether doe your selues diligently obserue your office , in marking what persons of or within your parish offend against this and the next precedent Article , and in due presenting their names ?

14 Whether any in your parish hauing a Preacher to their Parson , Vicar , or Curate , doe absent themselues from his sermons , and resort to other places to heare other preachers ? And whether any hauing béen ordayned Priest or Deacon hath relinquished the same and betaken himselfe to a course of life as a lay man ? Or whether any not being in orders , doth openly read common prayer , or execute any ministeriall dutie in your church , and what be their names ?

15 Whether there be any that doe publikely or priuately speake against the Booke of common Prayer , 4. 6. 10. 57. 9. 10. 100. deprauing the same or any thing therein contained : or against any of the sayd Articles of Religion agréed vpon in Anno. 1562. Or against the Kings Royall supremacie in causes ecclesiasticall , or against any of the rites or ceremonies of the Church of England : Or against the gouernement of the said church of England vnder the Kings most excellent Maiestie , by Archbishops , Bishops , Deanes , Archdeacons , and other officers in the same , affirming that the same is repugnant to the word of God , and that the said ecclesiasticall Officers are not lawfully ordayned ? Or whether there bee any that be Authors or maintayners of scisme or frequenters of any priuate conuenticles or méetings : Or that be , or be suspected to be Anabaptists , Libertines , Brownists , of the Family of Loue , or of any other herisie or scisme : And what be their names ?

16 Whether doe you know any Schoolemaister that doth teach , or Curate that doth read diuine seruice within your parish , without lycence of his Ordinarie vnder his scale ? And whether doth not such Schoolemaister instruct his schollers in the Catechisme , 77. 48. 79. and teach them the grounds of Religion , and bring them to Church to heare diuine seruice & sermons , and whether is he a common officer or artificer , or any waies reproueable in life ? And whether is your parish Clarke also allowed by the Ordinary ? And whether doth your Clarke serue more eures than one ? And whether doe they demeane themselues according to their seuerall duties ?

17 How many Midwiues haue you in your parish which doe exercise that office , how long haue they so done , and by what authority ? Also how many in your parish doe practise as Phisitions or Chyrurgions , how long haue they so done , and of what skill are they reputed in their profession ?

18 Whether doe you know any persons that doe administer the goods of the dead without lawfull authority , or suppresse the last will of the dead , or with-hold any stocke of the Church , or any legacies giuen to godly and charitable vses : 89. and whether is the Almes of the Church faithfully distributed to the vse of the poore ? And whether the late Churchwardens haue giuen a iust accompt according to the Canons ?

19 Whether do you know in your parish any common swearers , 109. drunkards , blasphemers , any simonicall persons , or vsurers contrary to the statute 37. of Henrie the eight , any witches , coniurers , soothsayers , charmers , fornicators , adulterers , incestuous persons , braulers , common slaunderers of their neighbors , raylers , scoulds , filthy & lascimous talkers , sowers of discord betwéene neighbors , or any that receiue or lodge incontinent persons , or harbour women with child which be vnmaried , conneying or suffering them to go away before they haue made satisfaction to the congregation , or any persons that are by common same noted or vehemently suspected of any of these crimes , or that being héertofore suspected , or presented for any of these faults , haue for that cause departed out of your parish , and are now returned againe ?

20 Whether there be any persons within your parish that be married within the prohibited degrées of consanguinity or affinity , 99. 57. or their old wines or husbands being yet aliue , albeit diuorced from them , or that being lawfully married , doe liue scandalously apart , or that were married in times prohibited , or without banes thrée seuerall Sundaies or holidaies published hauing no sufficient lycence or dispensation for the same ? And whether there be any that doe communicate , or cause their children to be baptized in other Parishes abroad , or kepe their children vnbaptized longer then is conuenient ?

21 Whether any woman deliuered of child in your parish , in time conuenient after Childbirth , doe not come to the vsuall place in the Church to giue God thanks , as is appointed by the booke of common Prayer ? And whether doth your Clarke lay a Cushion at the said vsuall place ? And whether doth your Minister admit any thereto , who was begotten with child in adulterie or fornication , without licence from the Ordinarie ?

22 Whether any Inhabitant within your parish doth detaine the Clarks wages , duties for bread and wine , or any other Church duties ? Present particularly what be their names , and what and how much those duties be ?

23 Whether any person in your parish doe exercise any Trade , Handicraft , or bodily labour , or doe buy & sell , or kéepe open shoppes or Warehouses vpon any Sunday or holiday , by themselues , their seruants or Apprentizes , or haue otherwise prophaned the said da●es contrary to the orders of the Church of England ? And whether there be any Inkéepers , Alchousekéepers , or Victuallers , that permit any persons in their houses to eate , drinke , or play at any games during the time of diuine seruice , or Sermon in the forenoone or afternoone vppon those dayes ?

24 Whether doe any in your parish familiarly frequent the company of excommunicate persons ? And whether doth your Minister or any of your parish without consent of the Ordinary , cause any to doe penance , or to be censured or punished by any Vestry méetings , or otherwise by their owne authority , or do or haue taken any money for any crime or matter punishable by the ecclesiasticall Law , who haue béene so punished , in what manner , and vpon what cause ?

25 If any one or more of you do know , or haue heard of any fault enquired of in these Articles , or of any other crime , the reformation whereof belongeth to the spirituall iurisdiction , hapning from the _____ day of _____ that then you do enforme one another therof , 117. and you shall likewise present the same by vertue of your oathes ?

26 The Minister of euery parish may ioyne in euery presenment with the Churchwardens and Sidemen , who if they will not present , the Minister may himselfe present to the sayd Archdeacon or his Officiall such faults or crimes abouesaid , as shall be thought to require due reformation ? 113.

You are charged to specifie the fault or crime , 118. 128. proper name & surname , trade or addition , & place of dwelling of euery person presented . And to bring your first generall presenment vpon all these Articles into Christ-church in London , in the forenoone betweene the howers of viij and xj . of the clocke , the. _____ day of _____ And your last generall presentment on the Tuesday senight immediately ensuing after Easter day next , or else then and there to appeale personally , to shew the cause of your default therein . Intimating further , that you may ( besides those generall ) present offenders , as oft as you shall thinke meete , as by the said Canons is prescribed .