Belonging to the Church .

FIrst , whether your Church or Chappell , with the Chancell thereof , and euerie part of eyther of them , be well and sufficiently repaired ?

2 Whether haue you in your Church , or Chappell , 1 The booke of Common praier . 2 The Psalmes . 3 The Bible in the largest volum . 4 The two tomes of Homilies . 5 The Paraphrases of Erasmus . 6 A table of the ten Commaundements . 7 The table of the degrees of Marriage prohibited . 8 A conuenient Pulpit . 9 A decent Communion Table . 10 A comely couering for it . 11 A faire linnen cloath to lay vpon it . 12 A Communion cup of siluer with a couer . 13 A conuenient seat for the Minister to read Seruice in . 14 A decent Font. 15 A comely Surplesse . 16 A chest or boxe for the Almes of the poore conueniently placed . 17 A Register booke for Christnings , Marriages , and Burials , kept in a Chest , hauing two lockes and keyes .

3 Whether is your Churchyard well fenced and ●●eanly kept , and whether hath there beene any trées felled therein had for what vse ?

4 Whether hath there béene any fighting , 〈◊〉 , brawling , or quarrelling in your Church , or Churchyard , and by whom , or hath any interlude béene played in your Church , or wares sold by chapmen in your Churchyard on the sabbaoth and holydaies or otherwise ?

5 Whether the mansion house of your Parson or Vicar with all the buildings thereunto belonging be well and sufficiently repayred are and maintayned ?

6 Whether your Parish Almes house , and Church-house , if you haue 〈◊〉 , be kept in sufficient reparations , and to what vses they implo●●●

7 Whether are there belonging to your Church-house any implements and vtensils , and in whose custodie are they : and whether any haue beene sold or alienated from their ancient vse and by whom .

Touching the Ministrie .

1 WHether publike praier be said in your Church both Morning and Euening , euerie Sunday and holiday , distinctly reuerently , and in due time , and in such order as is by the booke of common prayer prescribed . And whether vpon Wednesdaies and Fridaies not being holydaies , the Letany and other praiers are said ?

2 Whether hath your Parson or Vicar preached , or caused to be preached the monthly and quarterly Sermons , by the Kings Iniunctions required . And whether hath there béene any admitted to preach or read any Lecture , or the diuine Seruice , not hauing licence ?

3 Whether doth your Minister euery Sunday and Holyday , when there is no Sermon , read distinctly and plainly some part of the Homilies , as by authority is prescribed ?

4 Whether is your Minister resident vpon his benefice , if he be absent , how long hath he béene so , and whom hath he placed to serue the Cure in his stead ?

5 Whether doth your Minister vsually vpon the Sabbaoth or Holydaies , in the Church openly call for , heare , and instruct in the Catechisme , the children and sruants , which are of conuenient age within your Parish ?

6 Whether is your Minister a Preacher , or contrariwise is hee a sower of discord , a haunter of Tauernes , or Alehouses , a common hunter , hawker , t●●●er , carder , swearer , or dancer , or is suspected to liue incontinently , or doth frequent any suspected places , or giue euill example of life ?

7 Whether doth your Minister vpon the Sunday , about the middest of diuine Seruice , openly signifie , what holy daies and fasting daies are to be obserued the same weeke following ?

8 Whether hath your Minister baptised any children , married any persons , churched any woman , buried any dead , or administred the holy Communion in any other-sort then is prescribed by the booke of common prayer , or hath he refused to reforme any of these duties according in the same ?

9 Whether doth your Minister vse to examine the Parishioners , before they come to the holy Communion , to know whether they be fit to be admitted thereunto ?

10 Whether hath your Minster admitted to the holy communion or into the Church any open and notorious euill liuer before penance done by appointment of the Ordinary ?

11 Whether is your Minister diligent in visiting the sicke , & comforting them with the holy Scriptures , and doth he then moue such as bee of abilitie , especially when they make their testaments , to consider the necessitie of the poore , and to giue to their boxe or chest , their charitable deuotion , or almes ?

12 Whether doth your Minister quarterly read in the Church the Kings Iniunctions publikely , as is required ?

13 Whether hath your Minister conferred with , and perswaded all persons within your Parish suspended or excommunicated , to submit themselues to the Ecclesiasticall censure , and to seeke their restitution from the Ordinary , and whether doth he vse it in the presence of one of the Churchwardens at the least ?

14 Whether doth your Minister kéepe a note of all excommunicants in your Parish , and the first Sunda euery moneth about the middest of Morning prayer recite their names , and admonish the Churchwardens to remoue them out of the Church ?

Cocerning Parishioners .

1 WHether haue you in your parish any dweller , or soiourner which is a fauourer to the Romish or forraine power a maintainer of popish doctrine , or any that haue said or heard Masse , or which haue in their Custody , any popish or schismaticall bookes , or are any way suspected to maintain heresies , errors , or false doctrine ?

2 Whether there be any in your Parish that vse sorcery or witchcraft , or be vehemently suspected for the same , or that vse soothsaying , charmes , vnlawfull prayer , or inuocations , and whether any do resort to such for helpe and counsaile , and who be the offenders therein ?

3 Whether your parishioners do diligently resort with their children and seruants to your parish Church on the sabboth day and holidaies , both morning and Euening , and there remaine the time of common prayer , preaching or reading of Homilies , catechising , and other seruice of God there vsed , reuerently and deuoutly hearing the same ,

4 Whether haue you any common resorters vnto your Church ? which are not of your Parish , nor licensed by the Ordinary vsually to repaire thither , and what be their names that so resort , and of what Parishes are they ?

5 Whether any of your Parish , while they are in the Church , in the time of diuine Seruice , vse to walke , or spend the time in talking , or whispering together , or doe sleepe in the Church , or haue their heads couered vndecently in the time of prayer , or doe make any noise or disturbance in the time of Seruice .

6 Whether any of your Parish absenting themselues from the Church , haue in the meane time vsed any gaming abroad , or sitting in the stréete , or Churchyard , or in any Tauerne or Alehouse , in the time of any part of diuine Seruice , or exercise of Religion , and by name in whose house .

Whether there be in your Parish any shops open , of any artificers and tradesmen , and buying and selling vsed by them vpon the Sundaies , and holydaies in the time of diuine Seruice .

8 Whether any of your parishioners do worke vpon Sundaies at any time of the day , or any Butchers kill any flesh on the Sunday , or any Millers set their Milles to worke on the Sabboth or holydaies , in the time of Seruice or Sermon , or whether any man hath gone with Cart , or occupied himselfe in worldly labours vpon those daies .

9 Whether there be any in your Parish that receiue the holy Communion in any other sort then knéeling , or doe there vse any vnséemely or vnreuerent behauiour .

10 Whether there by any of your Parish , or soiourning in your Parish , being of conuenient age , that haue not receiued the holy Communion thrise this last yeare at the least , and namely at Easter last , or thereabout for once .

11 Whether any young persons of your Parish haue contracted themselues , and married without the consent of their Parents , or gouernours .

12 Whether there be any in your Parish that be married within the degrées of consanguinitie forbidden , or that haue married two wiues , or two husbands both liuing , or are famed or suspected so to haue done : or whether any being diuorced or separated , yet doe notwithstanding cohabite and company together , or marry againe , the former wife or husband yet liuing .

13 Whether any couple being lawfully married , haue the one forsaken the other , of their owne willes , without authoritie of the Ordinary of the place , and doe liue a sunder , to the offence and euill example of others , and who do so offend ?

14 Whether there be in your Parish any adulterers , fornicators , incestuous persons , bawds , receiuers , or close fauorers of naughtie and incontinent persons , or such as harbor any woman with child vnmarried , or haue conueyed away the said woman , or suffered her to be conueyed , or to goe away , before that she hath made satisfaction to the congregation by order of the Ordinarie .

15 Whether there be in your Parish any blasphemers of the name of God , common swearers , or such as haue taken vp a custome of any vaine oath , and what be their names that so offend .

16 Whether are there any in your Parish , that are common drunkerds , or are common haunters of Tauernes or Alehouses , to the offending of others , and euill example , & who are they that so offend .

17 Whether there be in your parish any malitious , contentious , or vncharitable persons , common slaundeoers of their neighbors , raylers , scoulders , or such as be sowers of discord betwéene neighbors , and what are theyr names that offend therein ?

18 Whether theyr are in your Parish , any that haue vncharitably contemned , or by any means in word or déed vnreuerently abused your Minister , & in what sort or manner the same was done , & by whom .

19 Whether any in your Parish giue the Churchwardens and Swornemen , or any of them euil words , for doing theyr duty according to theyr oath , and conscience , in making presentment of any fault .

20 Whether do you know or haue heard say that within your parish there is any person that offendeth in letting mony to vsury , contrary to the lawes & rules of charity & christianity , and who offendeth therein .

21 Whether there be in your Parish that do administer theyr goods of the dead without any authoritie , and whether any suppresse the last will of the dead or be there any Executors that haue not fulfilled their Testators will , especially in paying of legacies giuen to the Church , or to the reliefe of the poore , to Orphans , poore Scholles , poore Maidens marriages , high waies , Schooles and such like , and by whom they are so detained .

22 Whether any of your Parish doe see ay secret conuenticles , or haue any Preaching or Lectures in any priuate house , or either of the Sacraments administred , or any prayer there vsed , and what they be that offend .

23 Whether do any of your Parish refuse to pay , to the reparations of your Church , as they are seuerally seassed , at at a lawful vestry or do any other which hold any land in your parish refuse to pay , which are not of your parish , and what be their names that so refuse to pay ?

24 Whether any youth in your Parish , doe neglect to come to Church to be catechised , hauing had notice of the daies and times appointed for them by your Minister , and what be the names of such youth , and of their gouernours ?

25 Whether any person suspended or excommunicated , be suffered to heare diuine seruice , or the Sermon , to receiue the Sacrament , to be married , churched , or buried in Christian buriall , or to be partaker of any of the rites or benefits of the Church ?

26 Whether any woman knowne or suspected to be unlawfully begotten with child , haue béene married , or churched in your Parish , before she and the partie with her offending haue béene ordered for their offence by the Ordinary ?

27 Whether any haue béene married without banes thrise publikely asked vpon thrée seuerall sabboth or festiuall daies , in time of diuine Seruice , or haue any béene married in the time of Lent , or within the other times wherein marriage is by law restrained , or in any other place , then in the Church without sufficient licence ?

28 Whether haue any of your Parish béene Christned , married , Churched , or buried out of your Parish , or haue any receiued the communion out of the same ?

29 Whether hath the Perambulation of the circuite of your Parish , béene obserued once euery yeare or not , according to the kings Maiesties Iniunctions .

30 Whether haue all women in your Parish that haue béene deliuered of child , come at conuenient time after to the Church to giue thanks , and whether haue they béene churched according to the forme in the booke of common prayer ?

31 Whether any in your parish refuse to be examined by your Minister how he is prepared before he commeth to receiue the communion ?

32 Whether haue you in your Parish any Schoolemasters , and whether do they together with their Schollers frequent your Parish Church on the sabbaoth and holydaies , do they giue any offence or euill example of life , and whether are they licensed to teach .

33 Whether is your Parish Clarke dutifull and seruiceable to your Minister , doth he read plainly and distinctly , doth he liue soberly and honestly as becommeth him .

34 Whether doth your Clarke or Sexten kéepe your Church cleane , and whether doth he kéepe the dores thereof safely locked , or is there by his default any thing lost or spoyled in the Church , or doth suffer vnreasonable ringing , or any prophane exercise in your Church , or doth liue offensiuely amongst you ?

35 Whether haue you any in your Parish , which practise Phisicke or Surgery , and whether are they licenced by the Ordinarie or not ?

Of Churchwardens and Swornemen .

1 WHether the Churchwardens of the last yeare haue giuen to your Parish a iust account of the Church goods and rents , together with the Collections , Seasments , and Summes of money committed to their charge , according to the ancient custome of the Parish , and whether they haue disposed the Church goods : and laid forth the Church money to the profit of the Church or no ?

2 Whether all Churchwardens and swornemen of your Parish , doe at the end of euerie quarter méete and conferre about the answering of these Articles , and who hath after intelligence giuen to the time and place of méeting , negligently or carelesly absented himselfe ?

3 Whether forfeiture of twelue pence for absence from Church , appointed by a statute to be taken to the vse of the poore , be leuied , takin and imployyd , according to the same statute , by the Churchwardens of your Parish , of euery person that offendeth ?

4 Whether the said forfeiture be in speciall , leuied and taken of such as wilfully stand suspended or excommunicated , & so are absent from the Church , for euery day that they so do , according to the statute ?

5 Whether the Churchwardens and swornemen of your Parish do diligently confer with your Minister at Easter & Michaelmas yéerely , and giue in their presentments to master Archdeacon or his Officiall , for intelligence of those things which by his helpe and information , they may the more truly & directly present according to these articles ?

6 Whether doe you the Churchwardens , Constables or Officers vsually about the midst of diuine seruice walke forth of the Church , and sée who are in any Alehouse , or other house , or abroad elsewhere absent , or euil imployed , in the time of common Prayer or the Sermon , & haue presented to the Ordinarie all such as you shall finde so to offend ?

7 Whether do you the Churchwardens kéepe a true Inuentorie of all the ornaments , goods , rents , lands , and leases of the Church , as also an Inuentorie of all the implements , and vtensiles of your Church house , and whether do you deliuer the same together with your accounts to the Churchwardens which do succéed you ?

8 Whether if any more be giuen to your Church , or Church-house , then are entred into the said Inuentorie , and if any be lost , sould , or detained , haue you presented the same to the Ordinarie ?

9 Whether haue you the Churchwardens , or one of you at the least , béene present with your Minister , and haue heard him conferre with , and perswade euerie person standing wilfully suspended , or excommunicated within your Parish to submit themselues to their Ordinaries .

10 Whether do you know of any offence committed , or dutie omitted , by any of your Parish before your time , and heretofore presented to the Ordinarie , or as yet not reformed , and you shall present the same ?

11 Finally , whether you know or vnderstand of any matter or cause being a breach to his Maiesties Iniunctions of Canons and Lawes Ecclesiasticall héere not expressed , and you shall present them ?

Certaine directions and orders giuen to the Ministers .

INPRIMIS , It is inioyned to the Ministers of this Archdeaconrie , that euerie of them , for the better procéeding in Catechising of the youth of his Parish , shall take a note in writing of the names of all such youth , of both sexes ▪ as are of sufficient age to be catechised , and shall assigne them their seuerall daies and times on the Sabbaoth and holy daies , to come to the Church to be instructed in the Catechisme , set downe in the booke of common Prayer , with the additions of late set forth by authoritie , and if any of the said youth shall neglect so to do , that then the ministers shall deliuer the names of such youth , with the names of their parents or gouernours , to the Churchwardens to be presented in their quarter billes .

2 It is enioyned to the Ministers , that they shall kéepe euerie one a booke conteyning the names of all such as are méete to receiue the Communion in euery family within their seuerall Parishes , that thereby they may be able to deliuer a true note to the Churchwardens , of the names of all those which shall not receiue the holy Communion thrise in the yeare , and especially at the time of Easter for ance , as is by authoritie required . And for the better obseruation héereof , they shall giue publikely warning in the Church , that all the Parishioners do giue sufficient knowledge before time of their comming to the Communion , and shall not admit any thereunto , which haue not giuen such sufficient notice of their comming .

3 It is enioyned that the Ministers shall performe these offices , both with the suspended and excommunicated , first priuately , and after in the presence of one of the two Churchwardens , if his former labour take not effect , that both the diligence of the Minister may the better appeare , and the parties wilfull disobedience be more sufficiently testified , when they shall be iustly puunished by his Maiesties high Commissioners .

4 It is enioyned the said Ministers , that for their better procéeding in the premises , they shall kéepe a note in writing of the names of such persons as shall be excommunicated , and shall wilfully so continue , and the same note they shall publikely read in the Church the first Sabbaoth day euery moneth , about the midst of Morning prayer , vt magis pudefiant , with admonition to the Churchwardens , that they then remoue such persons out of the Church .

FINIS .