Articles concerning Ministers and Preachers of Gods holy Word . Titul . 2

FIrst , Observation of the forme of Common-Prayer . whether doth your Minister say or sing divine Service ( according to the prescript forme confirmed by his Maiesties Authority ) distinctly and reverently on Sundaies and Holi-dayes , Wednesdayes & Fridayes , and the Eves of every Sunday and holiday , and at convenient & usefull times of those dayes , and in such place as is méetest for the hearing of the people : and whether your Minister doe observe the Orders , Rites , and Ceremonies , prescribed in the Book of Common prayer , as well in reading of the holy Scripture , and Prayers , as in administration of the Sacraments , without either adding or diminishing to or from the Booke of Common Prayer ?

Diligent in execution of his office . 2 Item , Whether he be diligent , and carefull , faithfully to execute his Pastorall Office and Function by reading of the holy Scriptures : and ( in case he be an allowed Preacher ) whether having no lawfull impediment , he doth preach ordinarily : And being not allowed , doth procure Sermons in his Cure , once in every moneth at the least ?

Residence of the Minister . 3 Item , Is he a licened Preacher and by whom ; is he resident upon his Benefice or not : if not , then by whom is the cure served , is your Curate licensed to serve the said Cure , if yea , then by whom : doth your Curate preach , if yea , then by whom is he licensed so to preach ?

Prayer for his Maiesty . 4 Item , whether your Minister before his Sermon , Lecture , or Homily , doe pray for his Maiestie , giving him his lawfull title , as in his iust stile , and commend his Highnesse , and our Royall Quéene & Prince , in his prayers to Almighty God ?

5 Item , Whether doth your Minister admit any to the holy Communion , Notorious offenders not Communicants . Sober conversation in Ministers . that are knowne to be notorious offenders , or any malicious or openly contentious persons , untill they be reconciled ?

6 Item , Whether your Parson , Vicar , or Curate , do kéep any suspected woman in his house , or be an incontinent person , given to drunkennesse , or idlenesse , a haunter of Tavernes , Ale-houses , or suspected places , or one that doth board or lodge in any such place ; a dicer , carder , tabler , swearer , or given to base or servile labour , or otherwise doth give any evill example of life , and whether his apparell be comely and grave , as becommeth his function and calling ?

A Register of Christnings . Weddings and Burials . Ministers hants . 7 Item , Whether your Minister and Church-wardens kéep a Register of the Christinings , weddings , and Burialls , according to the prescript forme ?

8 Item , Whether your Minister in time of Divine service or ministring the Sacraments ( being a Graduate ) doth wear a decent and comely surplice with sléeves , and upon it a Hood sutable to his Degrée in the Vniversity : and if he be no Graduate , then doth he weare at such times such a surplice , as is above mentioned ? Perambulations .

9 Whether doe your Minister and parishioners yearely in Rogation wéeke , walke the bounds of your parish , according to the accident custome ?

10 Whether he doth Catechise duely , according to the order set downe in the booke of Common Prayer , and whether your parishioners doe duely send their children and servants ( especially such as be no Communicants ) to the catechizing : if not , to certifie the Parents and Masters names of such children and servants , that a reformation may be had of the great defect in that Religious exercise ?

11 Whether all such houses , out-houses , barnes , stables , and other buildings belonging to your Parson , Vicar , or curate , be kept in sufficient reparations or no ? if not , what are the decayes and defects hereof ?

Articles concerning the Church .

FIrst , whether have you in your Church or Chappell , Bookes and other implements of the Church . the Titul . 3 book of Common Prayer , by the Kings Maiestie confirmed , according to the Lawes of this Realme ; a Bible of the largest Volume and last translation ; the booke of Homilies allowed by authority ; a decent Communion Table with a decent cloath and cover for the sme , a comely pulpit , a cloath and cushion for the same : a faire Communion Cup , a decent font-stone , wherein Baptisme onely is administred ; a fine large surplice , a coffer with two lockes , and keyes , for the Register booke to be safely kept ? and whether one key be kept by the Minister , and the other by the Church-wardens ?

2 Item , Whether your Church-yard be kept swéete and cleane , and swine and other cattle kept out of the same , and whether it be well and sufficiently repaired , fenced and maintained with walles , Railes , or Pales , as hath béene in each place accustomed ?

3 Item , Whether your Church or Chappel , Church to be repared . with all parts belonging thereunto be decently kept in good and sufficient Reparation as becommeth the House of God , and are the decayes thereof prevented , so much as may be : if not , by whose default is the same hindred , or not done ?

Articles concerning the Church-wardens and Side-men .

Titul . 4 The choise of Church-wardens , and their accounts . FIrst , whether your Church-wardens and Side-men be chosen yearely in some day of the Easter wéeke , according to the Canon , and whether the Church-wardens and Side-men , at the end of the yeare , or within one moneth after , doe give a iust and true account ( before the Minister and the parishioners ) of such money , and other things , as they have received and disbursed ?

2 Item , Whether have the Church-wardens and Sidemen béene diligent and carefull in the execution of their office , to sée decency and comelinesse observed in the Church , in the time of common Prayer , and administration of the Sacraments , and that every parishioner behave himselfe orderly and soberly in the Church without disturbing the Minister and Preacher : and suffered no idle person to abide in the Church-yard , or the porch , during the time of divine Service or Sermon ?

Legacies given to godly uses , by whom detained . 3 Item , Whether , do you know of any Legacies given in the last Will and Testament of any person deceased , out of his moveable goods , to the use of the poore , or reparations of the Chu●ch , or to either of the Vniversities , Oxford and Cambridge , or Schooles of Learning , or Colledges for increase of vertue and knowledge , or to any other charitable end ? what be those bequests ? by whom were they given ? and whether they have béene paid ( to the use aforesaid ) by the Executors of any Testators deceased ? If not , in whose possession or charge they be now remaining ?

Titul . 5 Articles concerning Matrimony .

Marriage within the Leviticall Degrees forbidden Marriagge in private . Mariage without Banes or Licence . FIrst , Whether be there any in your parish that have married within the degrées of affinity or consanguinity , by the Lawes of God forbidden ?

2 Item , Whether have any Matrimony béen secretly celebrated or solemnized within any private house , the banes being not thrée severall Sundayes or holidaies ( in the time of divine service ) asked ? or in the Parish Church , or any private house in time prohibited , without licence in that behalfe obtained , who so married them , and what are their names that were so maried ?

Married persons living apart without Divorce . 3 Item , Whether be there any persons coupled together in lawfull manner , that doe kéepe apart ? and live asunder without lawfull divorce ?

Articles concerning Schoole-masters and Curates . Titul . 6 ,

FIrst , Schoolemasters not repaiing to church , by whom is your Schoolemaster ( if you haue any ) licenced to teach , doth he repaire to his parish Church in time of Common Prayer , and instruct and teach his schollers in the Principles of true Religion ?

2 Item , Schoolemasters not to be Popish , or contemners of orders . Whether doth your Schoolemaster teach or is he suspected to teach any of his schollers , in Popery , superstition , disobedience , or contempt of the truth and Christian Religion , now established-within this Realme , or to contemne the orders Ecclesiasticall ? and is he carefull to sée that his schollers doe duely and orderly frequent the Church ?

Articles concerning the Parishioners , and others of the Laitie . Diligence of Churchwardens and Side-men .

FIrst , whether be there any in your parish which do affirme , that the forme of Gods worship in the Church of England , established by the Law , and contained in the Booke of Common Prayer , is corrupt , superstitious , or unlawfull , or contemneth any thing in it , and what be their names ?

2 Item , Whether be there any that mislike of the Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England , Impugners of Rites and Ceremonies . by authority confirmed , or doe affirme them to be wicked , Antichristian , superstitious , or such as godly and zealous men may not with a good conscience aproue ?

3 Item , whether be there any that haue used themselves unreverent towards your Minister , or any other of the Clergie , either by unreverent spéeches , or other unséemely behaviour to your knowledge , as you have credibly heard ?

4 Item , Whether be there any in your Parish , Contention , Drunkennesse , Vncleannesse . that be malicious , contentious , or uncharitable persons , séeking the uniust vexation of their neighbours , common swearers , or blasphemers of the name of God , fornicators , adulterers , incestuous persons , bawds , or receivers of such incontinent persons , or harbourers of women with childe unmarried , drunkards , ribaulds , or any that be not of good name and fame touching crimes or faults ?

5 Item , Whether be there any man or woman in your parish that useth witch-crafts , sorceries Sorcerie . charmes , or unlawfull prayer , or invocation , in Latine or English , or otherwise , or any that resorteth to such persons for counsell or for helpe , and what be their names , and who doth practise Physicke or Chyrurgerie in the parish unlicensed thereunto ?

6 Is there any of your Parish having a preacher to their Minister , that doe absent themselves from his sermons and resort to other places , to heare other Preachers , or doe any dwelling in your Parish communicate or baptize their children in any other Parish ?

7 Have any in your Parish administred the goods of any person dying intestate , without lawfull authority to them granted by the Ordinary , or before they have proved the Will or Testament of any person deseased that made any Will or Testament ? Are there any Wills unproved , or goods not administred in your Parish ?

8 What persons be communicate in your Parish , for what cause were they so excommunicate , how long have they so stood excommunicate ? and doe any of them repaire to your parish Church , or to any other parish Church ( to your knowledge ) in time of Prayer unabsolved ?

9 Have any excommunicate person or persons béene buried in your Church or Chappell , or Church-yard , if yea , what were their names so buried , by whom were they so buried , and who were present at the same burials ?

10 Doe you know of any other matter worthy of presentment , or any person or persons that have committed any fault or offence contrary to any other his Maiesties Ecclesiasticall lawes , not set downe or expressed in these Articles ? or doe you know of any person or persons that are vehemently suspected for committing any such fault or offence , by vertue of your oathes present the said faults , and the names of the persons that have committed , or are vehemently suspected for committing the same offences ?

There must be a full and severall answer made to every particular Article and branch thereof .

MEmorandum , it is lawfull for every Minister ( be he Parson , Vicar or Curate ) to present any enormity , or common Fame of any enormious crime that shall arise within his Parish . And whereas it seemed by the Canon , that the Officers are not to present oftner than twice a yeare : it is to be understood as in that Canon appeareth ; of presentments in generall . But it is lawfull & meet for every Minister , Church-wardens , and Side-men , to make notorious Offenders knowne to their Ordinaries , as often as occasion is offered , to the end that such offences may in due time be punished and reformed .