Touching the Church .

WHether is your Church or Chappell , with the Chancell thereof , and euery part of either of them , well and sufficiently repaired , glased , paued , or any thing noysome or vnséemely ?

2 Whether is your Church-yard well fenced , as hath béene accustomed ? if not , whose default is it ?

3 Whether hath there béene any fighting , chiding , brawling , or quarelling in your Church or Church-yard : and by whom ?

4 Whether is the mansion house of your Parson , Vicar , or Curate , with all the building thereunto belonging , and Church-house sufficiently repaired , maintained , and to their right vses , imployed ?

5 Whether haue you in your Church the Bible in the largest Volume , the booke of common prayer lately authorized by his maiestie , the bookes of Homilies allowed , the two Psalters , a conuenient Pulpit for the Preaching , a decent seat for the Minister to say Seruice in , conueniently placed , a strong chest with an hole in the lid , & three lockes and keyes , one for the Minister , the other for the Church-wardens , for the Almes of the poore , & the kéeping the Register Booke of the Christenings , Mariages 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 conueniently 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 , and other vtensils as haue anciently belonged vnto your Church : a Communion cup of siluer with a couer ; a faire standing pot or stoope of siluer or pewter for the Wine vpon the Communion Table , a comely surplesse with large sléeues , a Register booke of parchment for Christenings , Mariages , & Burials , a booke for the names of all strange Preachers , subscribed with their names , & the names of the Bishop or others by whom they had Licence ?

8 Whether are wéekly the names and surnames of all persons maried , christened , and buried , and of their parents , with the day and yeare , entred into your said parchment booke , and euery leafe being full , subscribed by you the Ministers and Church-wardens ?

9 Whether are all your seats in your Church in good repaire , cleanly kept , conueniently placed , & the parishioners in them , or else-where orderly set & is ther any contention or striuing for any seat or place amongst them ?

10 Whether in any of your Churches the partition betwéene the Chancell and the body of the Church , be taken away ? And how long since , and by whom ? haue you a Terrier of all the gleab-land , and other appurtinancies belonging to your Church ?

Touching the Ministrie , seruice , and Sacraments .

WHether is the whole Common praier said or sung by your Minister both morning and euening , distinctly and reuerently euery Sunday and holyday , and on their Eues , and at conuenient & vsuall times of those dayes and in most conuenient place of the Church , for the edifying of the people ?

2 Whether doth your Minister obserue the orders , rytes , and ceremonies prescribed in the booke of Common prayer , in reading the holy Scriptures , prayers and administration of the Sacraments , without diminishing in regard of preaching , or any other respect , or adding any thing in the matter or forme thereof ? doth he baptize in any basin or other vessel , and not in the ordinary Font ?

3 Whether doth your Minister on Wednesdayes and Frydayes , not being holydayes at the accustomed houres of seruice , resort to the Church , and say the Letany prescribed , & doth your Clarke or Sexton giue warning before , by foulling of a bell on those dayes ?

4 Whether doth your Minister , as oft , as he administreth the Communion weare the Surplesse & 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 ? whether doth he deliuer the bread and wine to euery communicant seuerally ?

5 Whether doth your Minister giue warning publikely in the Church at morning prayer , the Sunday before hée 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 maliciously contended with his neighbor , before repentance and reconciliation made and done by appoyntment of the Ordinary ?

7 Whether hath your Minister admitted to the Communion any Church-warden or Sideman , who hath wittingly and willingly neglected ( contrary to his oth ) to present any publike offence or scandall , being moued to present either by some of his neighbours , the Minister , or his Ordinary ?

8 Whether hath your Minister administred the Communion to any but such as knéele , or doe any refuse to kneele ? hath he administred to any who refuse to be present at publike Prayer ? or is there any who hath depraued the Book of common Prayer , administration of the Sacraments , or the Rites and Ceremonies prescribed , or the Articles of Religion agréed vpon anno Dom. 1562. or the booke of ordering Priests and Bishops : or spoken against his Maiesties Supremacie : or haue any béene for these causes repelled , and what be their names ?

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

10 Whether is your Minister and allowed Preacher ? if he be , doth he euery Sunday in your Church , or some other néer 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 elsewhere ? doth he procure euery Moneth a Sermon to be preached in his Cure by preachers lawfully licensed , and on euery Sunday when there is no Sermon , doth he or his Curate 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 in saying the publike prayers & vsually administring the Sacraments , weare a decent Surplesse with sléeues ? and being Graduate , doth hee weare therewith a hood by the order of the Uniuersities , agréeable to his degree ?

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 hée and they vsed the prayer 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 , all within the same owe most loyalty & obedience , & that al foraine power is iustly taken away ?

17 Whether doth your Minister euery Sunday and Holyday halfe an houre before Euening prayer or more , eramine 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 béene thrée seuerall Sundayes or holydayes asked in your Church in the time of Diuine seruice , without Licence ? and hath hée without Licence , married any , or with any Licence but onely from the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury , the Bishop of the Diocesse , or his Chancellour ?

19 Whether hath your Minister either with Licence or without , married any at other times then betwéene the houres of Eight and Twelue in the forenoone , or in any priuate house , or before their Parents or Gouernours ( the parties being vnder the age of 21. yeares ) haue testified their consents ?

20 Whether doth your Minister declare to the people euery Sunday at the time appointed , what holydayes and fasting dayes be the wéeke following ? doth he being a Preacher conferre with all Recusants , and persons excommunicate or suspended in his parish : being no Preacher , doth he procure a sufficient Preacher to reclaime them thereby ?

21 Whether doth your Minister kéepe a note of all persons excommunicate , and once euery six months 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 deth your Minister hauing notice giuen him diligently visit the sicke ( the Disease not being infectious ) doth he instruct and comfort them , doth he then mooue them to make their Testaments , and remember the poore , and other workes of charity ?

23 Whether hath your Minister refused to baptize any childe brought to the Church vpon any Sunday or Holyday , or to bury any corps brought into the Church or Churchyard , or to Church any woman , hauing had conuenient warning thereof ?

24 Whether hath your Minister , being truly informed of the danger of death of any infant vnbaptized , and being desired to goe to the place where the child is , to baptize 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 , or church any women except when any are so impotent that they cannot goe to Church , or are very dangerously sicke , where and how often hath he so done ?

26 Whether hath your Minister held or appointed any publike Fast , or béene present at any ? doth he or any other person in your Parish hold any Lecture or exercise , without the Licence of the Bishop , vnder his hand or seale , or attempt by fasting , or other wise to cast out any deuils ?

27 Whether hath there been any secret conuenticles or méetings in your Parish , by any Priest , Minister , or others , tending to the deprauing of the forme of Prayer , Doctrine , or the gouernment of the Church ?

28 Whether doth your Minister in his iourney , weare a cloake with sléeues , called a Priests cloake ?

29 Whether doth your Minister resort to any Tauernes or Alehouses , or doth he boord or lodge in any such place ? or doth vse any base or seruile labour , drinking , riot , dice , cards , tables , or any other vnlawfull games ? Is he contentious , a hunter hawker , dancer , swearer , suspected of any incontinency , or hath giuen any euill example of life ?

30 Whether is there in your Parish any Minister or Deacon , who hath forsaken his calling , vsing himselfe in his course of life as a Gentleman or other Lay man ? Or any that is not in holy Orders , read Common prayer or vse any ministeriall duty in your Church or Chappell ?

Touching Schoolemasters .

WHether haue you in your Parish any Schoole-master , who teacheth either in publike Schoole , or priuate house , is he of sound religion , or doth he giue any euil example of life ? is he alowed by the Ordinary ? or doth your Minister or Curate teach ? and is he allowed in like manner ?

2 Whether doth your Minister or Schoolemaster who teacheth , teach the Catechisme by authority set forth ?

Touching the Parish Clarke , and Sexton .

WHether haue you a Parish Clarke sufficient for his place , of the age of 20 years 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 , and not giuen to ouermuch drinke , or any other vice ? is he chosen by the Parson or Vicar , doth he take vpon him his Clarkeship before he hath taken the Oath of Supremacy before the Lord Bishop , or his Commissary ?

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

3 Whether doth your Clarke or Sexton kéepe your Church cleane , the doores fast locked , is any thing by his default lost or spoiled in the Church ? doth he suffer any vnseasonable 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 then one short peale , and before his huriall one , and after the same another ?

5 Whether doth any in your Parish refuse to pay vnto the parish Clark or Sexton , such wages as are vnto them due , and haue beene accustomably payed ?

Touching Parishioners .

WHether hath any in your Parish spoken against or any way impugned the Kings Maiesties Supremacy 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 the Sacraments ?

2 Whether hath any in your parish spoken against or impugned the rites & ceremonies established in the Church , the gouernment by Archbishops , Bishops , Deanes , Archdeacons , and others that beare office in the same ?

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

4 Whether doth any in your Parish profane , violate , or misspend he Sunday or holyday , or any part of them , vsing any offensiue conuersation , or worldly labour in those dayes ?

5 Whether haue any in your Parish in the time of Diuine Seruice , couered his head , albeit he hath no infirmity , in which case a cap or night-coyfe is allowed : or is there any who hath not reuerently knéeled when the generall confession , Let any , or other prayers are read , and which doe not stand vp at the saying of the Beleefe ?

6 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 ?

7 Whether doe all Parishioners receiue the holy Communion thrice euery yeare at the least , whereof the feast of Easter to be one , & haue all being of the age of xvii yeares duly receiued , or not ?

8 Whether hath any Parent béene vrged to be present , or admitted to answer as Godfather for his owne child , or hath any Godfather or Godmother made any other answer or spéech then is prescribed by the Booke , or haue any béen admitted for such a baptisme , who haue not first receiued the Communion , doe anie kéepe their children longer then is conuenient ?

9 Whether doe all Fathers , Mothers , Masters and Mistresses , come & cause their children , seruants and Aprentices to come duely to the Church , and according to the Ministers directions to be instructed or catechized ?

10 Whether haue any persons maried together within the degrées of consanguinitie or affinitie prohibited , set forth in a Table , appointed to be placed in euerie Church ?

11 Whether haue any persons once lawfully married , forsaken each other , or doe liue asunder without the authoritie of the Ordinarie , or doe any being diuorced or separated , marry againe the former wife or husband yet liuing ?

12 Whether haue any béene maried in the times wherein mariage is by law restrained , without lawfull Licence viz. from the Saturday next before Aduent Sunday , until the fourteenth of Januarie : and from the Saturday next before Septuagesima Sunday , vntill the Munday next after Low Sunday : and from the Sunday next before the Rogation wéeke , vntill Trinity Sunday ?

13 Whether haue any in your Parish vnreuerently vsed your Minister , or haue any laid violent hands vpon him , or disgraced his office and calling by word or déed ?

14 Whether haue you in your Parish any dweller or soiourner , who is a maintainer of popish Doctrine or suspected to kéepe schismaticall bookes , or to fauour any heresie or errour ?

15 Whether haue you any common resorters vnto your Church , which are not of your parish , or doe any such , heare diuine seruice , and receiue the Communion amongst you : what be their names , and of what parish are they ?

16 Whether haue any in time of diuine Seruice , vpon sundaies or holidayes , opened their shops , exercised their trade , vsed any gaming , béene in Taverne or Alehouse , or otherwise imployed ?

17 Whether are there in your Parish by common fame and report , any Adulterers , Fornicators , Incestuous persons , Bawdes , receiuers , close fauourers , c●●…iueyers away , or which suffer to depart any incontinent persons vnpunished ? and blasphemers , common swearers , drunkards , riba●●…s , vsurers , malicious slanderers , scolds , or sowers of discord , or any defamed of the said crimes ?

18 Whether doe any in your Parish administer the goods of the dead without authority , or suppresse their will and testament ?

19 Whether doe any refuse to pay to the reparations , ornaments , and other things required in your Church , as they are indifferently sessed , or any other dwelling out of your parish , which hold land in your parish ?

20 Whether hath any person excommunicated , béene suffered to heare diuine Seruice or Sermon , to receiue the Sacraments , to be maried or churched : or haue any excommunicate been buried in Christian buriall ? doe any frequent their company , who be they ?

21 Whether hath any in your parish béen christned , churched , buryed , or receiued the Communion , or béen maried out of your Church without licence both parties dwelling in your parish ?

22 Whether haue all women in your Parish deliuered of child , come at conuenient time after to Church to giue thankes , and haue they béen churched according to the booke of common prayer ?

23 Whether hath the perambulation of the circuit of the parish béene obserued once euery yéere : if not whose default is it ?

24 Whether haue any in your parish giuen she church-wardens , or Side-men , or any of them ; euill words , for doing their duty according to their oath and conscience ?

Touching Church-wardens and Sworne-men .

WHether doe any in your Parish take vpon them to be Church-warden or Sideman , which are not lawfully chosen by the Minister and parishioners according to the canon , or doe any continue that office longer then one yeere , except he be chosen againe , and are all such officers chosen yeerly in Easter wéeke ?

2 Whether doe your Church-wardens within one moneth at most , after their yeare ended , before the Minister and parishioners , giue vp a iust account of all such money , and other things , as they haue receiued , and bestowed ? haue they deliuered all remaining in their hands belonging to the Church or parish , by bill indented , to the next Churchwarden ?

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

4 Whether doe the Church-wardens and Sworne-men before euery Uisitation and at other times , when there is iust occasion , méet and confer about their presentments and the answering of their Articles ? and who hath ( after notice giuen him of the time and place ) carelesly absented himselfe ?

5 Whether the forfeiture of twelue pence for absence from Church , appointed by statute for the vse of the poore , be taken & leauied by the churchwardens and imployed according to the said statute : and whether is the same forfeiture taken of all persons which stand wilfully suspended or excommunicated ?

6 Whether haue any Church-wardens lost , sold , or detained any goods , Ornaments , Bels , Rents , or implements of the Church ?

7 Whether doe the Church-wardens and Side-men , suffer any to say diuine Seruice , or preach , being not lawfully allowed ? & doe they , about the midst of Diuine Seruice , vsually walke out of the Church , and sée who are abroad in any Alehouse , or elsewhere absent , or euill imployed , and whether haue they presented all such to the Ordinary ?

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

9 Whether hath any part of your Church béen lately altered , new built , or any addition made thereunto , the wals pulled downe , new doores made into the Church , or any sollaries built there by any , without allowance of the Ordinary ?

10 Whether is any part of your Church imployed to any prophane vse , is your Church-porch , Church walls , and Church-yard , cleanly kept without any annoyance , in whose default is such annoyance ?

11 Finally , doe you know of any matter or cause , which is a breach of the lawes Ecclesiasticall , here not expressed ?