Articles to be enquired of in the ordinary visitation of the right worshipfull, Iames Marsh, Dr. of Divinity, Arch-Deacon of Chichester. Holden Anno Dom. 1640..

Articles concerning Consecrated places , Churches , Church-yards , Chappels of Ease .

1 WHat Church haue you for Divine Servine Service ? what Chappels of ease belonging to them ? is any part of such Church or Chappell demolished or put to any prophane vse ?

2 In what repaire is your Church and Chappels , and every part of them ? are the walls and roofe firme , the windowes fairely glazed and vnbroken ? the floores decently paved ?

3 What kind of covering hath the Church or Chappell , is it of lead or tiles ? or how else defended from the weather ? Hath lead béene taken from any part of it , and slats , Tiles , or something else vsed in the place of it : if so , by whom ?

4 Is your Steeple furnished with Bels , or haue any of them béene taken downe , or sold away ?

5 Is your Church swept and cleansed , at least once a weeke ? the walls whited ▪ the windowes and roofe kept cleane from Cobwebs , the doores kept locked , the Portall not made a Lodging for Beggers ?

6 What Galleries or Scaffolds haue you in your Church or to what vse ? whether there be not conveniency of roome for the Parishioners to be present at Sermons , or diuine Seruice without them ?

7 In what manner are your Pewes built ? are they decent and vniforme ? are not some so much higher then others , as may hinder their neighbours in hearing diuine Service without them ?

8 Is your Chancell seuered with a Partition from the body of the Church , is it decently kept , not encombred with Pewes or any other lumber ?

9 What quantity of ground haue you consecrated for a place of Buriall ? how is it fenced or mounded ? hath there béen encrochment made upon any part of it ?

10 Is the Church yard kept cleane from féeding and dunging of cattell ? especially from swine rooting vp the graues of dead bodies ? or what other nusances are there from any houses that abutt vpon it ?

11 Haue there béene kept in the Church or Chappell , or Church-yard , any Playes , Feastes , Suppers , Church ales , temporall Courte , or Léet Lay , Iuries , Musters méeting , for rates , taxations , levies , especially at the Communion Table by the Parishioners ?

Of Church Ornaments , Vtensils , Possessions .

1 HAue you a strong Chest or boxe for almes for the poore , with thrée lockes and keyes , one for the Rector , or Vicar , the other for the Church-wardens ?

2 What Font haue you for the Sacrament of Baptisme , of what materials is it made , where placed , whether towards the entrance of the Church or no , is it fixt or moueable , is it decently couered , cleanely kept , or is there any Bason , or vessell vsed instead of it ?

3 Haue you a conuenient pew for him that officiates to read diuine seruice in a Bible of the largest Volume , a Common Prayer Booke in folio , the Bookes of Homilies allowed by Authority ? a faire Surplice or two to be vsed by the Minister and him that shall assist him in the administration of the Sacrament ?

4 Haue you a Pulpit so conueniently placed , as the Auditory may best heare : is it decently made and accomodated with a faire cloth and Cushion ?

5 Haue you a Register Booke in Parchment for Christnings , Weddings , Burials , is the same kept in all points according to the Canons , is a true transcript thereof brought in yearely to the Bishops Registry within a Moneth after our Lady day in March ?

6 Is your Communion Table , or Altar , strong , faire , and decent : is it set according to the practise of the ancient Church , vpon an ascent at the East end of the Chancell , with the ends of it North and South : is it compassed in with an hansome Raile to kéepe it from profanation , according to the Order made in the Metropoliticall Visitation ?

7 What Coverings haue you for the holy Table ? haue you one of silke or some good stuffe to cover it at all times , another of faire cleane linnen for the time of celebration of the Sacrament ?

8 Haue you a faire Communion Cup and Flagon , with a dish for the Bread , of what met all are they , pewter , tin , or silver ?

9 Are the ten Commandements set vpon the East end of your Church or Chappell , where the people may best sée to reade them , with other well chosen sentences of Scripture vpon the wals ?

10 Haue any ancient monuments in your Church béene defaced , the Brasse pull's off , the stones taken away , or the Inscriptions raised , as also what Historicall representations in windowes haue béene defaced or broken ?

12 Is there adwelling house and Glebe belonging to the Parsonage or Vicarage ? Is the House kept in good repaire , with all Barnes , stables , out-houses belonging to it ? Is there an exact Terrier made of all the Glebe Lands , Meadowes , Gardens , Orchards , houses , stockes , Tenements , pensions or portion of Tithes belonging to it ? Is this Terrier made in Parchment , and returned into the Bishops Registry ?

13 What timber trées grow in the Church-yard , or vpon the Glebe ? Hath any boone fell'd , or by whom ?

Concerning the Clergie .

1 IS your Minister a Parson , Vicar , or Curate : or haue you besides him any Preacher or Lecturer ? and how authoriz'd ?

2 If Parson or Vicar , doth he reside vpon his Benefice ? If not , what reliefe doth he giue to the poore : how long in the yeare is he absent : how dispensed withall : by whom is the place supplyed ?

3 If he be a Curate , is he allowed by the Bishop vnder his hand and seale ? hath he an honest and sufficient salary ? or doth he serue more then one Church or Chappell in one day ?

4 Is your Minister of honest , sober , exemplary life : a maintainer and procurer of peace among those that are committed to his charge : or doth he giue any just scandall or offence by haunting of Taverus , Innes , Ale houses , by vsing going any other irregular way which may be a staine to his profession , and is punishable by the censures of the Church ?

5 Doth your Minister or Curate vse such decent and comely apparell , as becommeth the gravity of his calling , and may distinguish him from the Laity : or doth he weare long haire , déepe ruffes , falling bands downe to his shoulders , or any other vnséemely garments not proper to his Ministery ?

6 Doth your Minister vse such servile bodily labour as is not fit for one set apart by Imposition of hands for Divine Imployments ? Is he a defamed Vsurer or Broker , a Chopper of Church-Liuings , a frader in Faires or Markets , doth he idely vague vp and downs , a fault so often censured in ancient Councels : or doth he any way else so entangle himselfe in secular affaires , as to neglect the duties of his calling ?

7 Is your Minister so zealous of the good of his Flock , as diligently to labour the reclaiming of Recusants of all sorts within their charge , whether they be such as with periil of their soules superstitiously adhere to the Church of Rome , or such in the other extreame , who having perversly relinquish'd our Communion , find nothing to adhere to but their owne private fancies ?

8 Is Divine Service orderly perform'd in your Church by your Minister or Curate vpon appointed times as the Booke of Common Prayer prescribeth , without any kind of alteration , addition , or omission ? particularly doth he read the Letany on Wednesdays and Fridayes ?

9 Is he entirely conformable to all Orders , Rites , Ceremonies of the Church , or vsing them onely for a shew , doth he privately or publikely speake any thing in derogation of them ?

10 Doth he in celebration of divine Service vse such vestments as are enjoyned by authority , doth he constantly in performing that Duty weare a Surplice , and an Hood ( if he be a Graduate ) sutable to his degrée ?

11 Doth he before his Sermon vse such forme of Prayers as is prescribed by the Ecclesiasticall Canon , for the prevention of the indiscréet flying out of some in their extemporary Prayers ?

12 Doth he preach in such a solemne habit as becomes him , in a long Gowne and Cassocke , not in a riding or ambulatory Cloake ?

13 Doth he in his Sermons preach Christ , and him crucified , abstaining from those high points of speculation which haue in severall ages raised combustion in Christian Churches ; and therefore to preserue peace among vs , forbidden by his sacred Majesty in his late Declaration ?

14 Doth he sometimes take occasion in his Sermons to teach obedience to the King as supreme , to all Magistrates substituted vnder him , to all Lawes of the State , all Canons and Constitutions of the Church , which being lawfully enioyn'd , we are to obey , not onely for feare , but for conscience sake ?

15 Hath your Minister at any time reveal'd the Confession of any made to him in secret , contrary to the 113. Canon , and so hath brought a scandall vpon that ancient Remedy of sinne and sinners ?

16 Doth he at any time from the Pulpit point out particular men damning some and saving others ; and in his inuectiues against vice doth he fall from the generall , and particularly designe such as hée thinkes delinquents ?

17 Doth your Preacher or Lecturer read divine Service before his Sermon or Lecture ? doth he besides twice a yeare at least administer the Sacraments in his owne person ?

18 Doth he in Rogation wéeke yearely vse the accustomed perambulation , informing his Parishioners not onely of the cill vse of that custome , but also of the religious , to pray to God for his blessing on the fruits of the earth , and to deprecate his anger ?

19 Hath your Minister taken vpon him to appoint any publike or private Fasts , Prophesies , or exercises not approved by Law or publike Authority : or hath he béene present at any Conventicle where either the Doctrine or Discipline of the Church hath béene traduced ?

20 Doth he in the time of divine Service vse due and lowly reverence at the mention of the blessed name of JESUS , instructing others to doe the like , not as an adoration of the bare sound of the word , but as an humble acknowledgement that there is not either in heauen or earth any name by which we shall be saved , but that alone ?

21 Is your Minister a Preacher licenced by lawfull Authorityor not : if he be , having no lawfull impediment , doth he preach ordinarily in his Cure ? If he be not , doth he procure Sermons once a moneth at least to be preached by such as are lawfully licensed ?

22 Doth your Minister vpon every Sunday when there is no Sermon , read on Homily out of the Booke appointed ?

23 Doth he once in the yeare vpon some Sundayes or Holidayes read over the Booke of Canons before Evening Prayer , that euery one may the better know what the Church requires of them ?

Of the Sacrament of Baptisme .

DOth your Minister or Curate in their Sermons , or otherwise , or any other , teach or maintaine that Baptisme , in Gods ordinary dispensation with man is not the doore that lets vs into the Church , nor any way necessary to salvation ? doth he not admonish you that are his Parishioners not to deferre it beyond the accustomed time , least some suddaine sicknesse should take away the infant without the seale of the new couenant ?

2 Doth your Minister baptize the child at the Font the place assign'd for it , doth he doe it in cleane pure water ? Doth he take it in his armes , signe it with the sign of the Crosse asking such Questions , and vsing such Prayers as are enjoyned ?

3 Doth he baptize any without any Godfathers or Godmothers to answer for them : Or doth he not giue to them such directions as are prescribed in the Rituall for the education of the child in true Religion ?

4 In case of necessity where the child is in danger of death , doth the Minister being sent for , refuse or delay to come to giue it private Baptisme ; or doth he privately baptize where there is no necessity ?

5 Haue any children in your Parish died vnbaptized , how long remained they so before they died , and by whose default was it that they were deprived of that holy Sacrament ?

Of Confirmation and Chatechisme preparatory to it .

1 IS your Minister carefull in examining and instructing the youth and ignorant persons of the Parish , by teaching them Principles and grounds of Christian Religion delivered in that short Catechisme , approved by the Church , and insorted in the Common Prayer Booke ?

2 Doth he , according to his Majesties Instructions , convert the popular afternoone Sermons on the Sunday into catechizing by Question and Answer ?

3 When children by the benefit of thus catechizing are able to giue an account of their faith , doth he admonish their Parents to bring them to the Bishop to receiue by Prayer such confirmation as may strengthen them in Captismall Grace received ?

Of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper .

1 IS this blessed Sacrament administred in the Church every moneth vpon the first Sunday , or at least thrice in the yeare , whereof Easter to be one ?

2 Is it administred in that reverend and decent manner as becomes so high a mystery : are the words of Consecration solemnly pronounced : the Elements reverently touched and handled ?

3 Doth your Minister deliver this Sacrament to any standing , or sitting , or in any other posture than vpon the knée : doth he first receiue it himselfe , and after deliver it to the Communicants , not in grosse , but one by one , vsing all the words enjoyned seuerally to each of them ?

4 Doth he admit to this blessed Sacrament any person excommunicated , or any publike , notorius , scandalous offender , without satisfaction made vnto the Church , or doth he admit any vnder age who are not yet able to render an account of their faith ?

5 Are the names of such as intend to receive given in to the Minister ouer night , that he may before hand know who , and how many they are , & that the bread and wine may be proportionably prepared ?

6 Is the Bread and Wine of the best sort , is a sufficient quantity of each provided : or if either faile , are the words of Consecration renewed over them before they de distributed ?

Of Marriage .

1 ARe the Banes of Marriage asked thrée seuerall times openly in the Church vpon thrée seuerall Sundayes at such time when the Church is fullest ? or if not , hath there béen dispensation not only obtained , but presented to the Minister before Marriage ?

2 Is Marriage solemnized openly in the Church , not in private roomes , or chambers , at due times not prohibited , and due hours betwéene eight and twelue in the fore noone ?

3 Doth your Minister vse in Marriage the ordinary Rites of the Church with the vsuall prayers , and blessing : and doth he performe this solemnity with a Ring , and joyning of hands ?

4 Haue you a Table set vp in your Church or Chancell of the forbidden degrées , that incestuous Marriages may not haue the plea of ignorance ?

5 Be there any in your Parish who are married within the degrées of affinity , or consanguinity by Law prohibited ?

6 Are there any in your Parish being lawfully married who liue apart one from another without due separation by law , or who being legally diuorced kéepe company with any other at bed or at boord ?

Of Visitation of the Sicke .

1 IS your Minister diligent in visiting the sicke , especially such as being vpon their death beds , stand most in néed of the work of his Ministery ? Doth he pray with them the prayers of the Church , adding such devotions of his owne as the necessity of the party doth require ?

2 Doth he over-rigorously and vnseasonably presse to them at that time the heauy judgements of the Law , without intermingling such words of comfort as may set forth the mercy of God to a departing soule ?

3 Doth he exhort them at that time not to let any bainous sinne lye heauy on their conscience , but to disburthen themselues of it ? Doth he vpon confession made , and all the signes of true repentance shown , pronounce the words of absolution prescribed by the Church ?

4 Doth he excite the sicke party to lay vp treasure for himselfe in heaven , by doing here charitable workes , and disposing some part of his goods to the honour of him who hath given him all ?

5 Doth he last of all seasonably administer to him the holy Sacrament of the Body and Bloud of Christ , while he is yet sensible of the comforts of it , and before the extremity of his disease hath rendred him lesse capable ?

6 In the meane time is there a passing bell tolled , that they who are within the hearing of it , may be moved in their private devotions to recommend the state of the departing soule into the hands of their Redéemer , a duty which all Christians are bound to , out of a fellow féeling of their common Mortality ?

Of Burials .

1 HAth the Minister refused to bury any dying within the bosome of the Church , being required ?

2 Hath he buried any in consecrated ground who haue béene murtherers of themselues , or cast out of the Church by excommunication ?

3 Doth he méet the corps at the Church-stile , conduct it to the Church , go before it to the graue , and vsing such prayers as are prescribed , commit it to the ground as becommeth the body of a Christian ?

4 Are so many buried in the Church or Chancell , as may occasion digging vp of dead bodies not yet fully consumed , or as may bréed annoyance to the living ?

5 Are the graues digged déepe enough , and is the ground broken vp covered againe with stone or bricke ?

Of Churching of women after Child bed .

1 DOth your Minister observe the order of the Church in Churching of women ? doth he do it in private houses when there is no vrgent necessity , or publikely in the Church ?

2 Doth he goe vp into the Chancell , the woman also repairing thither , knéeling as neare the Communion Table as may be , and if there be a Communion , doth she communicate in acknowledgement of the great blessing received by her safe delivery ?

3 Doth the woman who is to be churched vse the ancient accustomed habit in such cases , with a white vaile or kerchiefe vpon her head ?

Of Schoole-masters .

WHat Schoole haue you in your Parish : is it a frée Schoole endowed : what maintenance hath it : is any part of the maintenance kept backe , or otherwise imployed : if so , how , or by whom ?

2 Doth any openly or privately in your Parish , teach without Licence of the Ordinary : is he conformable to the Religion established in the Church of England : and doth he endeavour to render his Schollers so ?

3 Doth he to this end teach and instruct his youth in no other Catechisme then such as is allowed by authority ?

4 Is there any who kéepe Schoole in the Chancell or Church , by which meanes that holy place is many wayes profaned ?

Of Physitians and Chyrurgions .

WHat Physitians or Chyrurgions haue you in your Parish : haue they béene train'd vp in the study of Physicke or Chyrurgery : at home or abroad , and by what licensed doe they practise ?

Of Parish Clarkes and Sextons .

HAue you a fit Parish Clarke aged twenty yeares at least , of honest conversation , able to read and write , diligent in his office , seruiceable to his Minister : is he approued by the Ordinary : hath he taken his Oath as is required ?

2 What wages hath your Clarke and Sexton according to the ancient Custome of the Parish : are the wages duly payed , or by whom kept backe ?

3 Doth your Clarke and Sexton doe their duty in kéeping the Church cleane , the doores locked , or is any thing lost of spoil'd in his Church through his default : doth he suffer any vnseasonable ringing , or any prophane exercise in your Church ?

4 Hath your Parish Clarke or Sexton taken vpon him to meddle with any thing aboue his office , as Churching of women , burying of the dead , or such like ?

Of Church-wardens .

ARe you the Church-wardens lawfully chosen according to the Canon : haue you taken your Oath for performing the duties of your place ?

2 Haue any who haue borne the same office before you fail'd in exhibiting their presentments to the Ordinary at the times appointed : haue they retained any of the Church goods without making a just account : or haue they not faithfully distributed the Almes of the Church to the vse of the poore ?

3 Is there decency and order kept in your Church in time of divine Service : doe you take notice of such as absent themselues on Sundayes , Holidayes , times of Letany ? Doe you diligently enquire of such as remaine in Tavernes , Innes , Ale houses in the time of Prayers or Sermons : as also such as forbeare comming to the holy Sacrament thrice in the yeare , being aboue sixtéene years of age ?

4 Haue you suffered any strange Preacher to preach in your Church , without séeing his licence , by which you might know how he is authorized : doe you note the names of such strangers as doe preach in a Booke for that purpose , and by whom they are licensed ?

5 Is any Legacy withholden being given to the Church or the poore , for the mending of high-wayes , or otherwise by the Testators ?

6 Doth any man trouble , threaten , or revile you for doing your duty ? Hath any gone about to tempt you to leaue vnpresented any offences committed contrary to the Articles given you in charge , or to perswade you that you may dispense with your oathes by vsing equivocation , mentall reservation , or double meaning in making your presentments ?

7 Doe you know of any thing complained of that is not yet redressed ?

Concerning the Parishioners .

DOe your Parishioners frequent the Church in all times of divine Service ? doe they behaue themselues reverently in that holy place , doe they kéepe their Hats off : doe they devoutely knéele , when the Confession , the ten Commandements , and all Prayers and Collects are read ? doe they stand vp at the reading of the Créeds and the holy Gospell ? and doe they vse due , and lowly reverence , when they heare the blessed name of JESUS ?

2 Doe all the Parishioners aboue sixtéene yeares of age receiue the blessed Sacrament of the Lords Supper in your Church thrice every yeare , whereof once at Easter , and doe they all ( none expected ) devoutly knéele at the receiving thereof ?

3 Doe any of the Parishioners , being admonished thereof , neglect , or refuse to send their Children , Servants , Apprentises to the Minister to be catechized on Sundayes and Holidays at such times as are appointed ? Doe any so sent refuss to come , or being come , refuse to be catechized ?

4 Doe any of your Parish entertaine within their house any sojourner , common guest , or other persons who refuse to frequent divine Service , or receiue the holy Communion as aforesaid : present their names , their quality , or condition ?

5 What Popish Recusants are there in your Parish , or other Sectaries ? how long haue they abstain'd from the divine Service or Communion ? present their names and their quality , and whether they be excommunicate , or not ?

6 Whether any of the said Recusants doe labour to seduce , or withdraw others from the Religion professed in the Church of England : doe they instruct their families or children in their owne errours : or haue any of them at any time being called to it , refused to take the Oath of Allegiance ?

7 Are there any in your Parish who hold or frequent private conventicles ? or who publikely or privately speake against the Book of Common Prayer , against the Rites and Ceremonies , against the Articles published and maintained by the Church of England : against the Church government vnder his Majesty by the Hierarchy of Bishops ? Are there any Authors , maintainers , or favourers of heresie or schisme , or that be suspected probably to be Anabaptists , Libertines , Brownists , of the Family of Loue , or of any other heresie or schisme : present their names ?

8 Are there any in your Parish who retaine , sell vtter or disperse any Popish bookes or writings , or other bookes , writings , defamatory Libels of any Sectaries touching the Religion , State and Government either Ecclesiasticall or Ciuill of this Kingdome of England ?

9 Doe any of your Parishioners vsually goe to any other Churches to heare divine Service or Sermons , or to receiue the holy Communion : doe any of them procure their children to be baptized in another Parish : or doe any strangers resort to your Church in divine Service , to heare Sermons , or to receiue the holy Communion ?

10 Are there any in your Parish who will come to Church to heare the Sermon , but will not heare the publike Service appointed in the Booke of Common Prayer , making a schisme or division betwéene the vse of publike Prayer and Preaching ?

11 What persons within your Parish for any offence , contumacy , or crime of Ecclesiasticall cognisance to stand excommunicate ? how long haue they so stood : doe they presume not withstanding that censure to be present with you in time of diuine Seruice : and what persons doe wittingly and vsually kéepe them company ?

12 Hath any in your Parish exercised any trade , or labor , bought or sold , or kept open shops vpon any Sunday or Holiday , by themselues or their servants , or haue otherwise profaned the said day by gaming , drinking or dancing in time of divine Service : you are to present the names of such delinquents , with the names of the parties in whose house the offence hath béene committed ?

13 Is the fift of November kept holy according to the ordinance in that behalfe , that the memory may never dye of the great mercy shewed to this State and Church in that wonderfull deliverance ?

14 Hath any of your Parish strucken or laid violent hands either vpon your Minister or vpon any other in your Church or Church-yard : Hath any quarrelled or given oppobrious spéeches within those precincts : hath any slandered your Minister to the scandall of his vocation ▪ or defamed any of his neighbours touching any crime of Ecclesiasticall cognisance ?

15 Are there any who not being in Orders doe exercise any Priestly or Ministeriall Office in the Church , Chappell , or Church-yard : or on the other side are there any who having taken vpon them the order of Priesthood , or Deacon , haue since relinquished the same , vsing any other kind of life ?

16 Haue any of your Parish suppressed the lost will of the dead , or administred the goods of the dead without lawfull authority ? Are there any goods not administred , or any Wils vnproved ? Faile not to present the Executors , with all others faulty therein ?

17 Haue any in your Parish harboured any woman vnlawfully begotten with child , and suffered her to depart away before she hath béene punished for her offence .

18 Are there any in your Parish to your knowledge , or by common fame or report , which haue committed incest , adultery , or fornication , or that haue attempted or sollicited the chastity of any woman , or which are reputed to be common Drunkards , Swearers , Blasphemers , Bawdes : or are there any in your Parish vehemently suspected for any of these crimes ?

There must be a full and severall answer made to every one of these Articles , else the presentment will be returned backe againe and the Church-wardens compelled to make a better .

Memorandum , It is lawfull for every Minister , be hee Parson Vicar or Curate , to presentany enormity or common fame of any enormous crime that shall arise within his Parish : And whereas it seemeth by the Canon that the Church officers are not to present oftner then twise a yeere , It is to be understood as in that Canon Appeareth of presentments in generall . But it is lawfull and meet for every Minister , Church-wardens , and Sidemen to make notorious offenders knowne to their Ordinaries as often as occasion is offered , to the end that such offences may be punished and reformed .

FINIS .