ARTICLES TO BE ENQVIRED OF, BY THE Church Wardens and sworn-men within the Archdeaconry of Middlesex;  
And the truth thereof to be by them upon their oaths certainly presented to M. Doctor squire Archdeacon there or to his officials, with particular answer to every Article.  
1582.  
¶ VBIQVE FLORESCIT.  
LONDON Imprinted by john Wolf, dwelling at the Sign of the Fox in Old Fishstreate near the Sign of the Swan.   

ARTICLES TO BE ENQVIRED OF, BY THE CHURCHWARDENS and sworn-men within the Archdeaconry of Middlesex: and the truth thereof to be by them upon their oaths, certainly presented to M. Doctor SQVIER Archdeacon there, or to his Officials, with particular answer to every Article. Anno Domini 1582.  
FIRST, whether Common Prayer be said in your Church or Chapel upon the Sundays and Holy days at convenient hours reverently and distinctly in such order, without any kind of alteration, as is appointed by the Book of Common Prayer, and the Laws of this Realm? and whether your Minister so turn himself, and stand in such place of your Church or Chancel, as the people may best hear the same? Whether the Holy Sacraments be likewise ministered reverently, in such manner as by the Laws of this Realm is appointed? And, whether upon Wednisdayes and Fridays, not being Holy days, the tyranny and other Prayers appointed for the day, be said accordingly, and the Excommunication against sinners, read thrice yearly?  
2 Whether you have in your Church or Chapel all things necessary and requisite for common prayer and administration of the Sacraments, specially, the book of Common Prayer with the new Calendar, two Psalters, the English Bible in the largest volume, the two Tomes of the Homilies, the Paraphrasis of Erasmus translated into English, the Table of the Ten Commandments, the Table for the degrees of Matrimony, a convenient Pulpit well placed: a comely and decent Table standing on a frame, for the Holy Communion, with a fair linen cloth to lay upon the same, and some covering of Silk, Buckerame, or other such like, for the clean keeping thereof, a fair and comely Communion Cup of Silver and a cover of silver for the same, a sure coffer with two locks for the keeping of the Register Book, and a strong Chest or box for the Alms of the poor?  
3 Whether any person or persons be admitted to answer as Godfathers or Godmothers at the Christening of any Child, except he or she have before received the Holy Communion, and can give account of their Faith, and will recite the same before the Minister, if he or she be thereunto required?  
4 Whether any person or persons, not being ordered at the least for a Deacon, do either say Common Prayer openly in your church, solemnize Matrimony, or administer the Sacrament of Baptism, or deliver to the Communicantes the Lords Cup, at the celebration of the Holy Communion, or do bury the dead, or give Thanks for Women after their Childbirth, and what he or they be that so do?  
5 Whether your Parson, Vicar, or Farmer of your Benefice, do cause any Curate to serve in your Church before he be examined and admitted by the Ordinary, or his Deputy in writing, and your Minister have his sufficient letter of Orders or no?  
6 Whether your Minister or you have suffered any Interludes to be played in your Church or Chapel, where God's Word and Prayer are to be used, or there be any in your Parish that doth violate or break the lords Day by any kind of work or pastime whatsoever, or any Minstrels that use any playing upon their Instruments in your Church or Chapel, or your Churchyard, or other that hath made any fray, or used any brawling or unseemly noise there, or any that use any dancing or other kind of vain pastime in the foresaid places at any time, And whether there be any Dancing, Rifling, or gameplaying, or any bodily labour, as ploughing, carting, or any handy craft used in your Parish upon the solemn Feasts, or Festival days?  
7 Whether the people of your Parish, especially householders having no lawful excuse to be absent, do faithfully and diligently endeavour themselves to resort with their children and servants to their Parish Church or Chapel on the Holy days, and chief upon the Sundays, to Morning and evening Prayer, and upon reasonable let thereof, to some usual place where Common Prayer is used, and then and there abide orderly, and soberly, during the time of Common Prayer, Homilies, preachings, and other Service of God's word there used, reverently and devoutly giving themselves to the hearing thereof, and who they be that either negligently or wilfully absent themselves, or come very late to Church upon the Sundays especially, or that walk, talk, or otherwise unreverently behave themselves in the Church, or use any gaming abroad or in any house, or sit in the streets or churchyard, or in any Tavern, or Alehouse upon the Sunday or other Holy day, in the time of Common Prayer, Sermons or reading of the Homilies, either before noon or after noon, or else resort to Fairs, Plays, or games, in the same time?  
8 Whether the forfeiture of twelve pence for every such offence appointed by a Statute made in the first year of the Queen's majesties reign be levied, and taken by the Church Wardens of every person that offendeth, and by them be put to the use of the poor of the Parish, and if it be not, by whose default it is not levied, and what particular sums of money have been forfeited that way, & by whom since the Annunciation of our Lady in the year of our Lord 1581. until the day of giving up the presentment concerning these articles, and to whom such forfeitures have been delivered?  
9 Whether there be any Innkeepers, Alewives, Vittaylers, or tipplers that suffer or admit any person or persons in their houses to eat or drink, or play at Cards, Tables or such like games in time of Common Prayer or Sermon on Sundays or Holy days, and whether there be any shops open on Sundays or Holy days, or any Butchers or others that commonly use to sell meat or other things in the time of Common Prayer, Preaching, or reading of the Homilies. And whether in any Fairs or common markets falling upon the Holy days, there be any showing of any wares before the divine service be done.  
10 Whether for the putting of the Churchwardens and sworn-men the better in remembrance of their duty in observing and noting such as offend in not coming to divine service, your Minister do openly every Sunday, after he have read the second Lesson at Morning and Evening Prayer, monish and warn the Churchwardens and sworn-men to look to their charge in this behalf, and to observe who contrary to the said Statute, offend in absenting themselves from their Parish Church, or unreverently as is aforesaid use themselves in the time of divine service?  
11 Whether your Minister do exercise himself in godly study of Holy Scriptures, and virtuous bringing up of youth, as in teaching of the Catechism lastly set foorth by authority, and other godly exercises from time to time?  
12 Whether your Minister do at the least every Sunday and Holy day, openly in the Church call for, hear and instruct, all the Children, Apprentices and servants of both the sexes, that be of convenient age within your Parish, or at the least so many of them, as the time will serve, and as he may well hear and instruct, for half an hour at the least before, or at the evening Prayer, in the X. Commandments, the Articles of the belief, and the lords Prayer, and diligently examine and teach them the said Catechism?  
13 Whether all Fathers, Mothers, Masters and Dames of your Parish, cause their Children, Servants, and Apprentices, both mankind and womankind, being above six years of age, to come to the Church on the Sundays and Holy days, at the time to them appointed, or at the least such and so many of them as your Minister shall appoint, and obediently to hear and be ordered by the Minister until such time as they have learned the same Catechism? And what be the names of these that do not cause their Children, Servants and Apprentices so to come to the Church to be instructed and examined? And how many of the said Children, Servants, and Apprentices be in your Parish, which being above seven years old, do not answer to the said Catechism, and what be their names and age, and with whom they dwell? And whether do you which are the Church Wardens diligently observe the offenders in the premises, that you may quarterly make true presentment of them?  
14 Whether your Minister, or any man or woman in your Parish do wilfully maintain or defend any Heresy, false opinions, Popish errors, contrary to the laws of Almighty God, and true doctrine, by public authority in this Realm now set foorth? And whether any keep any 〈◊〉 secret Conventicles, contrary to the Laws, or any within your Parish be suspected to be Papists, anabaptists, Libertines, or of the detestable sect of the Family of Love, or of any other notable heresy, and what be their names?  
15 Whether, doth your Parson, Vicar, Curate, or Minister keep any suspected woman in his house, or be an incontinent person, given to drunkenness, idleness, or be a haunter of Taverns, Alehouses, or suspected places, or be a Hunter, Hawker, Dicer, Carder, Tabler, Swearer, False dissembler, or otherwise suspected of any notorious crime, or give any evil example of life?  
16 Whether your Church be void of an Incumbent, how long it hath been so void, by whom, and at whose order the fruits are gathered, and bestowed, by whom and at whose appointment the cure is served?  
17 Whether your Minister use to pray for the queens most excellent Majesty (Queen Elizabeth) in your Church: and whether he exhort the people to obedience of her Highness, and other Magistrates being in authority under her, or no?  
18 Whether your Parson or Vicar hath preached or caused to be preached in your Church his quarterly or monthly Sermons, as by the queens Injunctions he is bound, and what be the names of him or them, that so did preach, and whether he admitted any to preach, not being lawfully licensed, or have letted or inhibited those that were licensed, and whether if there be no Sermon, your Minister do read every Sunday distinctly and plainly some part of the Homilies appointed by the queens authority to be read? And whether doth he Quarterly read the Injunctions?  
19 Whether your Parson, Vicar, or Curate, have publicly, or secretly taught any doctrine tending to the discredit of the received order, for government or public Prayer, in the Church, or make any innovation? and whether they have permitted any man so teaching or making any such innovation, who they be and what be their names, that so did teach?  
20 Whether your Parson, Vicar, or Curate, after the Gospel, have read openly in your Church twice this year plainly without addition or change the declaration of certain principal Articles of Religion setforth by both the Archbishops & the Bishops of this Realm, for unity of doctrine, being appointed to be read upon some Sunday within one month next after Michaelmas and Easter yearly?  
21 Whether your Minister hath admitted to the receiving of the holy Communion any open and notorious sinner or evil liver, by whom the Congregation is offended, or any malicious person that is out of charity, or that hath done any open wrong to his neighbours, by word or deed, without due penance, first done, or reconciliation had, to the satisfaction of the congregation?  
22 Whether your Minister hath admitted to the holy Communion any of his Parish either mankind or womankind, that cannot say by heart the X. Commandments, the Articles of the Faith, and the lords Prayer, and that cannot say by heart the Catechism authorized, or are not diligent to learn, to render a reason of their Faith, and whether he marry any persons which were single before, that cannot say the said catechism, and whether he useth to examine his Parishners at convenient times, to the intent he may know whether they can say the same which is required, and whether there be any that do refuse so to be examined or no?  
23 Whether there be any in your Parish man or woman being of convenient age, that hath not received, the holy Communion thrice at the least this last year, and namely at Easter last or there about, and what their names are? And whether yearly before Easter or at such convenient times as your Minister shall think meet, and require his Parishioners to recite unto him the Catechism by heart in English, if any do wilfully and stubbornly refuse to recite the same, the Church Wardens and sworn-men or any of them do assist and aid the Minister therein, that such stubborn persons may be rebuked and repelled, from the Communion at that time?  
24 Whether there be in your Parish any that are known or suspected to be malicious, contentious or uncharitable persons, any swearer, or blasphemers of the name of God, any fornicators, adulterers, incestuous persons, bawds, or any that receive such incontinente persons, or any that harbour women with child which be unmarried, conveying or suffering them to go away before they have done any penance, or make satisfaction to the Congregation, or any persons that are vehemently suspected of any of these or such like faults, or that be not of good name and fame touching such crimes, whether there be in your Parish any drunkards, common slanderers of their neighbours, railers, skoldes, or sowers of discord between neighbours, either bawds or any other evil or suspected livers of incontinente life, who they be?  
25 Whether the Schoolmasters or Schoolmistresses that teach in your Parish, either openly or privately in any gentleman's house or others be of good and sincere Religion and conversation, and be diligent in the teaching of youth in the Catechism lastly set foorth by authority, as also in other godly and necessary documents of learning, whether they be examined, allowed and licensed to teach by the Ordinary or his deputy, and what be their names that be not licensed?  
26 Whether there be any that be married in degrees forbidden, or that have married two wives or two husbands both living, or that live not together with their wives, and what be their names?  
27 Whether there be any man or woman in your Parish that useth witchcraft, conjuring, soothsaying, charms, or unlawful Prayers or invocations in Latin or English for or upon any Christian body, or beast, and what be their names, or any that do go or seek for help at such sorcerers hands?  
28 Whether you do know, or have heard say, that within your Parish there is, or are any person or persons notoriously known or suspected, to offend contrary to the Statute made in the seven and thirty year of the reign of King Henrye the eight for reformation of usury, and revived by an Act made in the thirteenth year of the reign of the queens Majesty?  
29 Whether your Minister do Church any unmarried women, after they have been delivered of their children begotten unlawfully, before they have acknowledged their faults openly, according to the order prescribed by the Ordinary or his deputy?  
30 Whether your Fontes or Baptisteries be removed from the place where they were wont to stand, or any persons leaving the use of them, do Christian or Baptize in Basins, or other profane vessels, not accustomably used in the Church before time? And whether any Christian without Godfathers and Godmothers, or after any other order than is prescribed, by the book of Common Prayer?  
31 Whether your Church, Chappel, or Chancel, and every part thereof be all in good and sufficient reparations, and cleanly kept, and the mansion house of your Parson and Vicar with the buildings thereunto belonging, likewise repaired, and your Churchyard well fenced and cleanly kept, and if any of the same be ruinous and in decay, thorough whose default it is so? And whether the Church Wardens of the last year were enjoined to have repaired any part of the Church or fenced the Church yard and did neglect to do the same?  
32 Whether the Church Wardens of the last year have given to the Parish a just account of the Church goods, that were committed to their charge, and what Church goods they have sold, and whether to the profit of the Church or no, or any that do withhold any stock or money belonging to the Church? And whether any person suppress the last will of the dead, and perform not Legacies bequeathed to the Church or to Orphans, poor maids marriages, high ways, schools, or any other godly use?  
33 Whether when any christian body is in passing, the Bell be tolled, especially in great Towns where they be near the Church or Chapel, so that the people may be moved thereby to pray for the sick person, and whether there be any other vain ringing but one short peal before the burial and an other after?  
34 Whether your Minister do keep well and orderly your Register book of Weddings, Christeninges, and Burials within your Parish, and do present a copy of them once every year, by Indenture to the Ordinary or his Officers?  
35 Whether there be within your Parish any evil disposed persons which have by any means unreverently abused your Minister, either by word or deed?  
36 Whether there be any within your Parish, that have been presented as offenders heretofore, which have not done their penance prescribed unto them, or that stand wilfully excommunicated, and who they be?  
37 Whether you know or have heard that the Church Wardens and Sworn men of your Parish the last year have left any person or persons punishable for any offence by the Laws Ecclesiastical unpresented, whereby they have escaped unreformed, and by whose default, and what are the parties names that have so offended, and wherein have they offended?  
38 Finally, whether you know or understand of any other matter or cause Ecclesiastical worthy of presentment, herein not expressed, and you shall present the same?  
FINIS.