Articles to be enquired of by the church-wardens in the visitation of the Right Worshipfull, Master Robert Iohnson, batchelor in diuinitie, and Arch-deacon of Leicester, in the yeare of our Lord God. 1622..

ARTICLES TO BE ENQVIRED OF BY THE CHVRCHwardens in the Visitation of the Right Worshipfull , Master ROBERT IOHNSON , Batchelor in Diuinitie , and Arch-deacon of Leicester , In the yeare of our Lord God . 1622.

LONDON , Printed for IOHN GRISMAND . 1622.

The Tenour of the Oath ministred to all and euery the Church-wardens and Sworne-men , chosen for this present yeere .

YOu , and euery of you shall sweare by Almightie GOD , that all affection set aside , you shall , vpon due consideration of these Articles giuen you in charge , present vnto Master Robert Iohnson aforesaid , and his Officiall , euery such person and persons , of , or within your Parish , as hath committed any offence , or made any default mentioned in the same Articles , or which are vehemently suspected , or otherwise defamed of any such offence , fault , or default ; wherein you and euery of you shall deale vprightly , as before God . So helpe you God .

A short Admonition to the Church-wardens , and Side-men .

YOu which shall bee sworne consider well of this Oath , and make your Presentments in writing , vnder your hands , to euery Article seuerally in this Booke , bringing the same with you to Master Archdeacon of Leicester his Visitation , there to bee deliuered vpon your Oathes .

Articles concerning Church-men , as Parsons , Vicars , Curats , &c.

INprimis , Whether your Parson , Vicar , A Preacher . or Curate be a Preacher of Gods word , a fauourer and furthered of true Religion now established in this Realme of England by publike authoritie , or not ?

2 Whether your Parson or Vicar haue preached , or caused to be preached in your Church , In preaching monethly Sermons , &c. ●o many Sermons as by the late Canons are required : and whether before all Sermons , Lectures , & Homilies , vseth that form of Prayer which is set downe in the late Canon , and what be the names of them , who haue preached for him , and whether he hath admitted any man to preach not hauing sufficient licence .

3 Whether any person or persons , Say Seruice vnordered . not being ordered at the least for a Deacon , doe say Common Prayer openly in your Church or Chappell ?

4 Whether the Parson , Vicar , Serue vnlicensed . or Farmer of your Benefice , doe cause or suffer any Curate or Minister to serue your Church , before he be examined and admitted by the Ordinary , or his Deputie , in writing , and doe shew his Licence to the Church wardens : and whether any Curate doe serue two Cures Two Cures . at one time , or not ?

5 Whether any Parson , Vicar , or Curate , Read Homilies doe euery Sunday , when there is no Sermon , read distingly and plainly some part of the Homilies , as is prescribed by the Canons : and whether any Minister , not admitted by lawfull authoritie , doe expound any scripture , or matter of doctrine by the way of exhortation , or otherwise , and thereby omit and leaue off the reading of the Homilies , contrary to the Canons ?

6 Whether any Lectures , Conuenticles , Priuate Conuenticles . or priuate Meetings be read or vsed within your parish , either publikely in the church , or priuat in the house , or in any other place whatsoeuer , by any person not sufficiently licensed thereunto by the Ordinary , or whether any Ecclesiastical person do teach any doctrine of Innouation , to withdraw the people from due obedience to the ordinances of the Church , set foorth by publike authoritie , or cause them to forbeare participating in Prayer and Sacraments with our Church ?

Catechise . 7 Whether your Parson , Vicar , or Curate , do euery Sunday and Holyday , openly in the Church , call for , heare , and instruct all children , apprentices , and seruants of both sexes , that be of conuenient age within your parish , or at the least so many of them by course as the time will serue , & as he may wel heare and instruct , for one houre at the least , before or after Euening prayer , in the ten Commandements , the Articles of the beléefe , and the Lordes prayer , and diligently examine and teach them the Catechisme , as is now allowed , and set forth in the Booke of Common prayer , or M. Nowels Catechisme , with the vnderstanding thereof : and faile not to present the offender heerein , together with such as are negligent commers to the said Catechisme ?

8 Whether your Parson , Vicar , or Curate , or other Minister in your Church or chappell hath admitted to the holy Communion any open and notorious fornicator , adulterer , or euill liuer , by whom publike offence is giuen , without due Penance first done , to the satisfaction of the congregation , inioyned him by his Ordinary : or any other malicious person , notoriously known and detected to be out of charity , or hath done any open wrong to his neighbour by word or déed , without due reconciliation first made to the party that is wronged ?

Communion with ordinary bread . 9 Whether your Parson , Vicar , or Curate , doe administer the holy Communion with any other then common bread , appoynted in the Booke of Common Prayer ?

Ignorant persons admitted to the Communion . 10 Whether your Parson , Vicar , Curate or Minister , hath admitted to the holy Communion any of his parish that cannot say the ten Commandements , the Articles of the Faith , the Lords Prayer in English , and whether he marry any persons which were single before , and cannot say the Catechisme , and whether hee vseth to examine his Parishioners at conuenient times , before he administer the Sacrament vnto them , to the intent hee may know whether they can say by heart the same which is required in that behalfe , or no ?

11 Whether your Preachers & Ministers be peace-makers , Ministers disturbers . no brawlers , no sowers of discord : whether they be diligent in visiting the sicke , and comforting them , and doe moue them earnestly ( specially when they make their Testaments ) to consider the necessity of the poore , and to giue to their boxe , or Church their charitable deuotion and almes ?

12 Whether any doe preach , declare or speake any thing in derogation of the Booke of Common prayer , Impugne the Booke of Common prayer . set foorth by the Lawes of this Realme , dispraising the same , or any thing therin contained , or against the Preachers or Ministers of the Word and Sacraments ?

13 Whether your Parsons , Vicars , Curates , Register Book or Ministers , keepe well their Registers of all Weddings , Burials , and Christenings within your Parish , according the Order published lately ?

14 Whether they or any of them , Ministers offend in any thing . keepe any suspected woman in their houses , or bee incontinent persons , giuen to drunkennesse , idlenesse , or to be haunters of Tauernes , Ale-houses , or suspected places , or be Hunters , Hawkers , Dicers , Carders , Table-players , Swearers , Liars , False dissemblers , Dauncers or otherwise suspected of any notorious crime , or giue any euill example of life , or vse disordered or vnseemly apparell , either in colours , gards , or light fashion : or doe not obserue the order prescribed in the seuentie fourth Canon , touching decencie in Apparell ?

15 Whether your Parson , Vicar , or Curate haue married any person within the times prohibited contrary to the Canon lately published in that behalfe ?

16 Whether any contention hath growen among the Preachers in these parts for any matter of Doctrine or ceremonies , Contention of Doctrine , or Pewes . and what , & who was the cause thereof : and whether any strife hath growen about pewes or seats in the Church , and betwéen whom it was ; and whether any new pewes haue been built in your Church , and by whom , and what authoritie ?

●ester Booke . 17 Whether your Parson , Vicar , or Curat , do kéepe a iust and perfect note of all such as doe communicate in their seuerall Parishes ?

Strangers communicate 18 Item , Whether your Parson , Vicar , or Curate , doe admit to the holy Communion any stranger , or any of the next , or any other néere parish , without licence of the Ordinary , & leaue of his Minister that is so admitted , or any that do not reuerently knéele vpon their knées . Can. 23. or any notorious drunkard , adulterer , and publike offender , or any Churchwarden that haue omitted to present such offenders . Can. 109.

19 Item , Whether any of your parishioners hauing beene formerly admitted a Minister or Deacon , doth now relinquish his calling , vsing and carrying himselfe in the course of his life as a lay man . Can. 76.

¶ Articles concerning the Church .

All books and ornaments of the Church . WHether you haue in your parish Churches & Chappels all things necessary and requisit for Common prayer , and administration of the Sacraments , specially the Booke of Common prayer , published since his Maiesties time that now is , the English Bible in the largest volume , the two Tomes of Homilies , the Table of the Commandements , the Booke lately set forth by his Maiesty , the Booke called God and the King , the works of the right reuerend Father in God , Iohn Iewell , late Bishop of Sarisbury , a conuenient Pulpit well placed , a comely and decent table standing on a frame for the holy Communion , with a faire linnen cloth to lay vpon the same , & some couering of silke , buckram , or other such like , for the cleane kéeping thereof , a faire and comely cup of siluer , & a couer of siluer for the same , which may serue also for the ministration of the Communion bread , a decent large Surplice with sléeues , a sure Coffer with two lockes and keyes , for the kéeping of the Register booke , a strong Chest or box for the almes of the poore , with thrée locks and keyes to the same , and all other things necessary in and to the premisses ?

Church and Church-yard in reparations . 2 Whether your Churches and chappels , with the Chancell therof , be wel and sufficiently repaired , and kept without abuse of any thing : and whether your Church-yards be well fenced , and cleanly kept ; and if any part be in decay , through whose default it is so ?

3 Whether any man haue pulled downe or vncouered any Church , Chancell , or Chappell , or any part of any of them , Sell Church goods . any Church-porch , Vestry , or Stéeple , Almes-house , or such like , or haue pulled downe the Bels , Chimes , Clocks , or haue felled or spoyled any wood or timber in any Church-yard .

¶ Articles concerning Schoolemasters .

WHether the Schoolmasters which teach within your parish , openly or priuately , Teach vnlicensed . in any Noble or Gentlemans house , or in any other place , be of good and sincere Religion , life & conuersation , and be diligent in teaching and bringing vp of Youth : and whether they haue been examined , allowed , and licenced for Schoolemasters in such order , as is required by the Statutes and Canons in this behalfe ?

2 Whether your Schoolemasters doe themselues come to the Church , and receiue the holy Communion as oft as they ought : and whether they bring with them so many of their Schollers , as are of knowledge , and age sufficient , to receiue the Lords Supper ?

3 Whether the Schoolemasters , either priuate or publike , Teach Nowels Catechisme . do teach their Schollers M. Nowels Catechisme or some other publikely authorized , at the least once euery wéeke ?

4 Whether any of your Schoolemasters , Teach Popery , or Seditions . be knowne or suspected to read to their Schollers in priuat any vnlawful books , priuatly to instruct them in their young yéeres , either in Popery , superstition , disobedience , or contempt to his Maiestie and his lawes , either Ecclesiasticall or Temporall ?

5 Item , whether any Schoolemasters doe teach and instruct children in the Booke called God and the King ?

¶ Articles concerning Executors , and Administrators .

IN primis , What children vnder the age of 21. yéeres , or other persons haue died in your Parish since Michaelmas last , that had any goods , rights , chattels or legacies belonging vnto them at the time of their death , and whether administration be takers of the said goods , yea or no ; and what be the names of such persons as are so deceased ?

2 Item , whether any in your Parish doe meddle with any goods of any person deceased before the will be proued , or administration be granted by the Ordinary ?

3 Item , whether any person in your parish haue administred or medled with the goods of any deceased , by colour of proouing the Wil , or obtaining administration elswhere , hauing not also first taken administration from the Ordinary of the Dioces of Lincolne , for all the goods of the said deceased being within the said Diocesse , and whose will hath been so prooued , or administration granted , and by whom ?

Articles concerning Ecclesiasticall Officers .

IN primis , whether hath any Ecclesiasticall Iudge , Register , Procurator , Apparitor , or other Minister belonging to any Ecclesiasticall Courts within this Countrey , extorted or taken ( by colour of his or their Offices ) any greater fees for probate of wils , and granting Letters of Administration , or otherwise then héeretofore hath been accustomed to bee taken , or then are allowed by the lawes of this Realme ?

2 Item , whether any of the said Officers belonging to such Ecclesiasticall Courts , doe take vpon them the office of Informers and Promoters ? Can. 138.

3 Item , whether do you know or haue heard , that any person of your parish hath paid , or promised to pay any summe of money , or other reward directly or indirectly , by himselfe or others to any Officer of the said Ecclesiasticall Courts for the auoyding of punishment for Incest , adultery , fornication , or other crime punishable in the said courts , if so , declare to whom , when and what summes , &c.

4 Item , whether any Apparator , or other Messenger haue summoned any person to appeare in any Ecclesiasticall Court without a lawfull processe , hauing the name of euery person so summoned to appeare expressely entred in the said Processe subscribed and sealed by the Iudge or his Deputy . Can. 120.

¶ Articles concerning Church-wardens .

IN primis , whether were you the Churchwardens and Side-men chosen by the consent of the Minister and Parishioners : and whether do you serue in your owne right , or as Deputies to others ? Can. 90.

2 Item , whether haue the Churchwardens before you giuen vp a iust and true account of their time , and deliuered vnto you whatsoeuer money , or other goods or stocke belonging to your Church , which was in their hands ? Can. 89.

3 Item , whether haue you a terrar of the Gleabe lands belonging to your Church , eyther such as concerneth the Ministers right , or such as hath been giuen to any Schoole , or other religious vses ?

4 Item , whether any part of such Gleabe lands be encroached by any of the neighbours , and by them detayned from the Church , and right vses ?

5 Item , whether your Parsonage , or Vicarage houses , or any part thereof be suffered to fall to decay , or be vsed and conuerted to common Innes , Alehouses , or tipling houses ?

6 Item , whether haue you suffered any strange Preacher to preach in your parish Church , or Chappel , but such as are licenced by lawfull authority , and whether haue you a booke to enter the names of such Preachers , according to the 52. Canon ?

¶ Articles concerning the Parishioners , and others of the Laitie .

WHether all fathers and mothers , Receiuing the Communion . and gouernours of youth within your Parish , cause their children , seruants , and apprentises , both mankind and womankinde ( aboue 7. yéeres of age , and vnder twenty ) which haue not learned the Catechisme , to come to the Church on Sundayes & Holydayes at the times appoynted , & there diligently and obediently heare and be ordered by the Minister , till such time as they haue learned the same Catechisme : and what be the names of those that cause not their children , seruants and apprentises , so to come to Church to be instructed and examined ?

2 Whether you your selues , Whores depart vnpunished . or the Churchwardens in the yéeres before you , haue suffered any vnmaryed woman , gotten with child , to go out of the parish before she hath done penance appoynted by the Ordinary , and out of whose houses they haue gone away with child vnpunished : & how many vnmaried women haue bin deliuered of child within your parish these 3. yéers last past , hauing gone away without doing penance ; and whether any maried couples within your parish doe liue asunder ?

Papists . 3 Whether there be any man or woman in your parish , that resorteth to any Popish priest for shrift , or auricular confession , or receiueth instructions from them for any the like cause ?

4 Whether there bee any person or persons , Ecclesiasticall or temporall , Popish Bookes within your parish , or elswhere within this Archdeaconry , that haue retained , or kept in their custody , or that read , sell , vtter , disperse , carry , or deliuer to others , any English Bookes , set foorth of late yéeres in any other place beyond the seas , by Papists , Iesuites , or Seminary Priests , either against the Kings Maiesties supremacy in matters Ecclesiasticall , or against the true Religion and Catholike doctrine , now receiued and established by common Authority within this Realme , and what their names , and surnames are ?

Papists . 5 Whether there be any in your Parish that vseth to pray in English , or in Latine vpon Beades , or any such like thing , or vpon any superstitious Popish Primer , or other such like Booke ?

Absent from Sermon . 6 Whether any of your parishioners , having a Preacher to their Parson , Vicar , or Curate , do absent themselues from his Sermons , and resort to any other place , to learne or follow after such innouasions as are there taught ?

7 Whether the people of your parish , especially housholders hauing no lawfull excuse to bee absent , Resort to Church . doe faithfully and diligently endeuour themselues to resort with their children and seruants to their parish Church or Chappell on the Holidayes , and chiefly on the Sundayes , to Morning & Euening Prayer , at the beginning , and not depart vntill the end thereof , without vrgent occasion ?

12. d. for absents leuied . 8 Whether the forfeiture of twelue pence for euery such offence , appoynted by a statute made in the first yéere of the late Quéenes Maiesties reigne , bee leuyed and taken according to the same Statute , by the Church-wardens , of euery person that offendeth , and by them be put to the vse of the poore of the parish : if it be not , by whose default it is not leuied ?

Baptized in other Parishes . 9 Whether any children that be borne in your Parish , bee carried foorth of the Parish to be baptized elsewhere , or with any Popish Ceremony , or otherwise then is appoynted by the Booke of Common Prayer , or whether any haue not beene baptized at all , or in places vnknowne ?

10 Whether there be any Inne-kéepers , Ale-wiues , Sell in Seruice time . Victuallers or Tiplers , that suffer , or do admit any person or persons in their houses , to eate , drinke or play at Dice , Cards , Tables , Tennis , Bowles , or such like Games , in the time of Common prayer , or Sermon on Sundayes or holydayes : or any Butcher or other that commonly vse to sell meate , or other things in the time of Common prayer , preaching , or reading of Homilies : and whether in any Faires , or common Markets , falling vpon the Sunday , there bee any shewing of wares before Morning prayer be done : and whether any Markets or selling of wares be vsed or suffered in any Church-yards , by common packmen , or Pedlers going about , to any such people either of your Parish , or not of the same Parish ?

11 Whether the late Church-wardens and Sworne-men haue concealed any crime or disorder in their time done in your parish , & haue not presented the same , Concealed offences . and whether they or any of them , at any such time as they should haue béen at diuine seruice on sundayes or holydayes , and should there haue obserued others that were obsent , haue been away themselues , at home , or in some Tauerne , or Alehouse , or else about some worldly businesse , or at bowles , cardes , tables , dice , or other gaming , without regard of their office and duty in that behalfe ?

12 Whether any of your Parish , being of conuenient age , Receiue the Communion . hath not receiued the holy Communion thrice this last yeere at the least , and namely at Easter day last , or thereabout for once , and what their names are , or which receiuing , haue not signified the same before to your Parson , Vicar , or Curate , that hee might conueniently examine them , and who haue refused to come to him to bee examined : and héerein you shall exhibite a scedule from your Minister , containing all the names of the offenders within your Parish ?

13 Whether there be any in your Parish that administer the goods of those that bee dead without lawfull Authority , Willes . or any that suppresse the last will of the dead , or any Executors that haue not fulfilled their Testators will , especially in paying Legacies giuen to the Church , or any other good and godly vses , as the reléefe of Orphanes , or poore Schollers , Maydens mariages , mariages , Highwayes , Schooles , and such like , and by whom they are so deteined ?

Married after Popish orders . 14 Whether any couples that haue bin maried within these two yéeres last , haue béene knowen or suspected to haue béene maried without the ring , or after the Popish order , or any other order then is appoynted by the Church of England , by reason that the one party or the other are noted to be such as refuse to come to the Church ?

Swearers , Bawdes , &c. 15 Whether there be among you any Blasphemers of the name of God , great or often swearers , adulterers , fornicators , incestuous persons , bawds , or receiuers of naughty and incontinent persons , or harbourers of women with child , which be vnmaried , conueying or suffring them to go away before they doe any penance , or make satisfaction to the congregation : or any that be vehemently suspected of any such faults , or that bee not of good name & fame touching any such crime & fault , any drunkards or ribauds , or any that bee malicious , contentious , or vncharitable persons , common slanderers of their neighbors , raylers , scolds , or sowers of discord betwéene neighbors , and specially raylers against Ministers , and against their mariages ?

Marry within degrees . 16 Whether there be any in these parts that haue married within the degrées of affinity , or consanguinity , by the lawes of God forbidden , set out in an admonition in a table appointed to be fixed in euery parish Church within this Archdeconry , whether you haue the said table so fixed in your Church , or any that being diuorced or separated from the same , doe yet notwithstanding cohabit and kéepe company still together , or any that being married without those degrées , haue vnlawfully forsaken their wiues or husbands , and that being diuorced & separated asunder , haue maried againe , and that haue maried and contracted themselues without the consent of their parents , tutors , or gouernors : any that haue maried without banes thrise solemnely asked , and out of their owne parish Church .

Marry fornicators . 17 Item , whether your Parson , Vicar or Curate , haue wittingly maried together any couples , whereof the woman hath beene begot with child , or carnally knowen before mariage : or whether the man for money or reward hath maried any woman that hath committed adultery with another man , without publike acknowledgement of their offences , & reconciliation to the parish : what are the names of all such as haue bin so maried in any such case & when , & by whom they were so maried together ?

18 Item , whether there be any in your parish that doth and hath stood fortie dayes excommunicate : Excommunicants . whether any doth kéepe company , eat or drink , buy , sell , or contract with any excommunicate person , and who they be that doe so ?

19 Item , whether any dying excommunicate , Dead excommunicants buried . hath béen buried in Christian buriall for this last yéere past , and who they be that were so buried , who buried them , and who were present at their buriall ?

20 Whether your Register book of Christnings , Register booke Weddings and Burials , be orderly and duly kept : and whether , according to the late Canon in that behalfe made , it bee put into Parchment , containing the names and surnames of all such as haue béene christened , maried , and buried ?

21 Whether doe the Minister & Churchwardens subscribe their names , or their seueral marks to the end of euery page of the said Register booke : and whether is the said booke kept vnder thrée locks , and thrée keyes , as by the Canon it is required ?

22 Whether all the Canons & Constitutions lately published be duly and respectiuely obserued on the part of the Cleargy or Laity , as is in them required , All Canons obserued . and whether you haue the said Booke of Canons in your Church ?

23 Whether any of your parish do practise Phisick or Chirurgery without license , and what be their names ?

24 Whether any woman in your parish execute the office of a Midwife , without licence from the Ordinary ?

25 Whether any in your parish doe vse Sorcery , or Witchcraft , and Charming , or such like bad practises , taking vpon them to cast out deuils , or any that resort vnto them for their helpe , and counsell ?

26 Whether your Parson , Vicar , or Curate haue two Benefices in this Diocesse , or one in this Diocesse , and another in another ?

27 Whether you haue any Recusants in your Parish , and what they be ?

FINIS .