ARTICLES to be inquired of within the Diocese of Norwiche, in the Metropolitical visitation of the most Reverend father in God, MATHEW, by the providence of God, archbishop of Canterbury, Primate of all England, and Metropolitan, In the year of our Lord GOD, M. D. LXVII.  
M. C.  
Imprinted at London by Reginalde Wolf.  
Anno Domini M. D. LXVII.   

Instructions to the Commissioners for the diocese of Norwiche.  
1 first, that you do with all diligence travel to reduce the state of the clergy unto one uniform order in their ministration and preaching: and that without any partial respect you will put in due execution the Queen's majesties Ecclesiastical laws, Statutes, Injunctions, and her highness other commandments given and published in that behalf.  
2 Item, that in all places in your circuit, you give in charge not only unto the curates and ministers, but also unto the Churchwardens of every church & chapel, that they do not admit and suffer any person to preach or minister in their several church or chapel, before they shall first see their several licences under seal in due form, under the pain that may follow thereof.  
3 Item, you shall take diligent heed, that no fees but due & of old accustomed, be exacted or taken of any of that people by any register, clerk, sumner, or any other your ministers or attendants.  
4 Item, for the better certainty & knowledge of all duties and fees unto such as should pay the same, you shall note the certain some thereof with one of your hands at the least in some part of every Instrument or writing that shall pass your seal or grant.  
5 Item, that you foresee that no greater price be taken for the Articles which you shall inquire of, together bound with the Advertisements then iiij. d. & for the table of the degrees ij. d.  
6 Item, when you have finished your visitation & circuit, (the charges of your viage being borne and discharged) if any part of the due procurations by you received of the clergy, do remain unspent, all the same you shall distribute to the most poor and needy of the clergy that be residentes, and keep hospitality upon their benefices in the said diocese   

Articles to be inquired of.  
IN primis, whether Divine service be said or long by your Minister or Ministers in your several Churches, duly and reverently, as it is set forth by the laws of this realm, with out any kind of variation. And whether the holy Sacraments be likewise ministered reverently, in such manner as by the laws of this Realm and by the queens majesties injunctions, and by thadvertisements set forth by public authority, is appointed and prescribed.  
Item, whether you have in your parish churches all things necessary & requisite for Common prayer and administration of the Sacraments, specially the book of Common prayer, the Bible in the largest volume, the Homilies, with the Paraphrases of Erasmus: A convenient Pulpit well placed: A comely and decent table for the holy Communion, covered decently, & set in place prescribed by the queens majesties Injunctions. The Chest or box for the poor men, and all other things necessary in and to the premises. And whether your Altars be taken down, according to the commandment in that behalf given.  
Item, whether your priests, Curates, or ministers do use in the time of the celebration of divine service to wear a surplice, prescribed by the queens majesties Injunctions and the book of Common prayer. And whether they do celebrate the same divine service in the chancel or in the Church, and do use all Rites and orders prescribed in the book of Common prayer, etc. and none other.  
Item, whether your Curates or ministers do publicly in their open Churches read in manner appointed, the Queen's majesties Injunctions an● Homilies: The advertisements lately set forth by public authority. And whether the same in all points be duly observed.  
Item, whether your Curates or ministers or ●ny of them do use to minister the Sacrament of Baptism in basins, or else in the font standing in the place accustomed. And whether the same font be decently kept. ¶ And whether they do use to minister the holy Communion in wafer bread according to the Queen's majesties Injunctions, or else in common bread. ¶ And also whether they do minister in any profane Cups, Bowls, dishes, or Chalices heretofore used at Mass, or else in a decent Communion Cup provided and kept for the same purpose only. And whether the communicants do use to receive the holy Communion standing, sitting, or else knealinge.  
Item, whether images and all other monuments of idolatry and superstition be destroyed and abolished in your several parishes: And whether your Churches and Chancels be well adorned and conveniently kept without waste, destruction, or abuse of any thing. Whether the rood loft be pulled down, according to the order prescribed: and of the partition between the Chancel and the Church be kept. Whether your Churchyards be well fen said and cleanly kept. Whether any sale have been made of your Church goods, by whom and to whom, and what hath been done with the money thereof coming. Whether your Chancels and Parsonages be well and sufficiently repaired: Whether any man have pulled down or discovered any 〈◊〉, Chancel, Chapel, Alms house, or such ●●e, or have plucked down the bells, or have felled or ●●yled any wood or timber in any Church yard.  
●●em, whether there be any Parsons that intrude ●●m self, and presume to exercise any kind of my●●stery in the church of God, without imposition of hands & ordinary authority. Whether their Church or Chapel be served with any readers. Or whether any Minister do remove from any other diocese to serve in this, without letters testimonial of th'ordinary from whom he came, to testify the cause of his departing thence, and of his behaviour. Or any being once priest or Minister, that doth not minister, or frequent and resort to the Common prayer now used, and at times appointed communicate. And whether any such do go and boast himself like a lay man.  
Item, whether your Parsons and Vicars be resident continually upon their benefices: Whether they give themselves to devout prayer, discreet reading of the Scripture, and godly contemplation, & relieve the poor charitably to their ability, according to the Queen's Injunctions. Whether they pray for the prosperous estate of the queens Majesty, as is prescribed in her grace's Injunctions.  
Item, whether any of your ministers doth or hath admitted any notorious sinner or malicious person out of Charity, without just penance done and reconciliation had, to receive the holy Communion: or any that hath not received the same according as to a Christian appertaineth, and by 〈◊〉 laws it is appointed. And whether you do hea●● or know any that doth use to say or hear the private Mass, or do use any other service than is prescribed by the laws of this Realm.  
Item, whether your ministers do call upon fathers, mothers, and masters of youth, to bring them up in the fear of almighty God, in obedience and in convenient occupations. Whether they be peacemakers, and exhort the people to obedience to their Prince, & to all other that be in authority, to charity and mutual love among themselves. Whether they give themselves to superstition, and be maintainers of the unlearned people in ignorance.  
Item, whether your Persons, vicars, & Curates be common gameners, hunters, haunters of taverns or alehouses: Suspected of any notable crime: Fauters of foreign pours, letters of good religion, preachers of corrupt doctrine: stubborn or disobedient to laws and orders. Whether they be given to filthy lucre. Whether they be light either in example of life, or in unwont and unseemly apparel.  
Item, whether any of your benefices be vacant, how long they have been vacant: who is Patron. Whether there be any lay or temporal men, (not being within orders) or children, or any other (with in age) that hath or enjoyeth any benefice or spiritual promotion: any Patron that suffereth any benefice to be vacant, and taketh the tithes and other fruits to himself.  
Item, whether your Ministers keep their registers well, and do present the copy of them once every year by Indenture, to the Ordinary or his officers. And teach the Articles of the faith, and the Ten commandments, and the lords prayer. as is prescribed them in the Catechism.  
Item, whether your Parsons and Vicars have any other or more benefices, where & in what Country they be: Whether they came by them by Simony, or other unlawful means. Whether they do let their benefice to farm, or else keep them in their own hands. Whether they keep hospitality or not. Whether in their absence they leave their cures to honest, learned, or expert Curates. Whether they make their ordinary Sermons, according to the Queen's majesty's Injunctions. Whether they ad mitte any to preach unlicensed, or put by any that hath licence. Whether they read the Queens ma iesties' Injunctions as they ought to do, and say their Service sensibly and distinctly.  
Item, whether the lay people be diligent in coming to the Church on the holy days, and with all humbleness, reverently and devoutly do give themselves to the hearing of Commune prayer in the time thereof, and otherwise occupy themselves in private prayers, reading of Scriptures, or other virtuous exercise. If any be negligent or wilful. Whether the forfeiture be left on their goods to the use of the poor, according to the laws of this Realm in that behalf provided. And what money hath nen gathered by the Churchewardens of the forfeits.  
Item, whether there be in your quarters any that openly or privily use or frequent any kind of divine service or common prayer, other than is set forth by the laws of this Realm: and disturbers of common prayers, or letters of the word of God to be read, preached or heard: Any that by covert or crafty means deprave or contemn the same: or that speak to the derogation of the Queen's majesties authority & power, or of the laws set out by public authority.  
Item, whether, there be among you any blasphemers of the name of almighty God, adulterers, fornicators, bawds, or receivers of such persons. Any suspected of incest or any other notorious fault, sin or crime. Any drunkards, ribalds, common slanderers of their neighbours, railers or scolders, sowers of discord between neighbours, by plays, times, famous libels, or otherwise.  
Item, whether there be in your parishes any innkeepers or Alewives, that admit any resort to their houses in time of Commone prayer. Any that commonly absent themselves from their own Church: or otherwise idly or lewdly profaneth the Sabbath day. Any that keep any secret conventicles, preachings, lectures or readings, contrary to the laws. Any suspected of heresy, or that maintain any erroneous opinions contrary to the laws of almighty God and good religion, by public authority in this Realm set forth.  
Item, whether there be in these parties which minister the goods of those which be dead, without authority: any executors that have not fulfilled their testators will, specially in paying of legacies given to good and godly uses, as to the relief of poverty, to poor scholars, orphans, high ways, marriage of poor maidens, and such like. Whether your Hospitals & Alms houses be justly used, according to the foundation and ancient ordinances of the same. Whether there be any other placed in them then poor impotent & needy persons, that hath not other wise where with or whereby to live.  
Item, whether there be any which of late have bequeathed in their testaments, or other ways there be appointed by ordinaries, any sums of money, jewels, Plate, Ornaments, or annuities for the erection of any obites, diriges, trentals, or any such like use, now by the laws of this Realm not permitted: and if there be, that you present the names of such executors, the quantity and quality of the gift, that order may be taken therein accordingly.  
Item, whether there be any money or stoke appertaining to any parish church, in any man's hands, that refuse or differreth to pay the same: or that useth fraud, deceit or delay to make any account in the prelence of the Honesty in the parish, for the same. Whether your Church wardens & others, afore time, have given the yearly account, according unto the custom as it hath been aforetime used. whether the store of the poor men's box be openly and indifferently given where need is, without partial affection. whether any stock of cattle or grain appertaining to your churches, be decayed: by whose negligence, and in whose hands.  
Item, whether your schoolmasters be of a sincere religion, and be diligent in teaching and bringing up of youth. Whether they teach any other Grammar, than such as is appointed by the Queen's Majesties Injunction annexed to the same, or not.  
Item, whether there be any among you that use sorcerte or enchantment, magic, incantations, or necromancy, or that be suspected of the same.  
Item, whether there be any in these parts, that have married within degrees of affinity or consanguinity, by the laws of God forbidden, so set out in a table for an Admonition. Any man that hath two wives, or any woman that hath two husbands. Any that being divorced or separated aside, hath married again. Any married that have made precontracts. Any that have made privy or secret contracts. Any that have married without banes thrice solemnly asked. Any couples married that live not together, but slanderously live a part: Any that have married out of the parish church, where they ought to have the same solemnized.  
Item, whether any your Ordinaries within this diocese, their Chancellor, officials, Commissaries, Registrers, & all & singular others that have or do exercise any visitation or jurisdiction ecclesiastical within any part of this diocese, have uprightly, faithfully and unfeignedly to the uttermost of their powers observed in their own persons and towards all other, put in due execution the Queen's majesty's ecclesiastical laws, Statutes, Injunctions, and all her highness other Commandments published for uniformity of doctrine, and due order of the public ministration of God's holy word and sacraments, and have commended and favoured all such as sought the same, & condignly punished all such as sought the contrary.  
Item, whether have any of them at any time wittingly suffered faults & transgressions to remain unpunished, for money, gain, pleasure, friendship, or any other affectionate respect, or if any of them be or have been burdensome to the Subjects of their several jurisdictions, by exacting or taking excessive fees, procurations, any rewards or Commodities by the way of promotion, gift, contribution, help, loan, redemption of penance, omission of quarter Sermons, obtaining of any benefice or office, or any other like ways or means.  
Generally, whether there be any evil livers or offenders of the laws of almighty God: Any suspected of any notorious sin, fault or crime, to the offence of Christian people committed: Any that stubbornly refuse to conform themself to unity & good religion: Any that bruiteth abroad rumours of the alteration of the same, or otherwise that disturbeth good orders, and the quietness of Christ's Church and Christian congregation.   

Imprinted at London by Reginald Wolf.  
Anno Domini. M. D. LX VII.