Articles to be inquired of, in the first Metropolitical Visitation, of the most Reverend Father: Richard by God's providence Archbushop of Canterbury, and Primate of all ENGLAND, in, and for the Diocese of PETERBOROUGH, in the year of our Lord God 1607. and in the third year of his Grace's Translation.   printer's device of Ralph Blower, of a fleur-de-lis with two cherubs, McKerrow 298 IN DOMINO CONFIDO 
At London printed by Ralph Blower, ANNO DOMINI, 1607.   

THE Tenor of the Oath, to be ministered to the Churchwardens and Sworne-men.  
YOU shall swear, that all affection, favour, hatred, hope of reward and gain, or fear of displeasure or malice set aside: You shall upon due consideration of the Articles given you in charge: present all and every such person, of, or within your Parish: as hath committed any offence or fault: or made any default mentioned in thief, or any of thief Articles: or which are vehemently suspected and defamed of any such offence: fault or default: wherein you shall deliver uprightly, and according to truth: neither of malice: presenting any contrary to truth: nor of corrupt affection sparing to present any, and so conceal the truth: Having in this action God before your Eyes: with an earnest zeal to maintain truth, and so suppress vice: So help you God, and the Contents of this book.  
God save the King.   

❧ ARTICLES To be inquired of, by the Churchwardens and Sworne-men: in the Visitation of the Lord Archbushop of Canterbury: within the Diocese of PETERBOROUGH. Anno Dom. 1607.  
INPRIMIS, Whether have you in your several Churches and Chapels, the book of Constitutions or Cannons Ecclesiastical, ready to be read by your Minister, according to his majesties pleasure, published by his highness Authority, under the great Seal of England, and whether hath your Minister read the same or any part thereof upon Sundays and Holidays, in the afternoon before divine service accordingly, yea or no?  
2 Item, Whether is there any within your parish, that hath or doth impugn, the King's majesties supremacy, and authority in causes Ecclesiastical: or do any way or in any part impeach the same, being restored to the Crown by the Laws of this Realm established in that behalf?  
3 Item, Whether is there any in your parish, that denieth the Church of England, by Law established under the Kings most excellent Majesty, to be a true and an Apostolical church, teaching and maintaining the Doctrine of the Apostles?  
4 Item Whether is there any in your parish, that doth impagne any of the Articles of Religion, agreed upon in Anno, 1562, and established in the Church of England.  
5 Item, Whether doth your minister use to pray for the King's Majesty King james, and for the queens Majesty, the Prince and all their Royal Progeny, with addition of such Style and Titles, as are due and appertaining to his Majesty, and exhort the people to obedience, to his Highness, and other Magistrates being in authority under him?  
6 Item, Whether is there any in your parish, that do impugn, or speak against the Rites and Ceremonies, established in the Church of England, or the lawful use of them, you shall present their names.  
7 Item, Are there any in your parish, that do impugn the government of the Church of England, under the Kings most excellent Majesty by Arch-bushops, bishops, Deans, archdeacons, and the rest that bear office in the same: Affirming that the same is Ante-christian, or repugnant to the word of God.  
8 Item, Is there any in your Parish, that doth impugn the form of consecrating and ordaining of Arch-bushops, bishops, Priests or Deacons, affirming that the same is repugnant to the word of God, or that they who are so ordered in that form are not lawfully made.  
9 Item, Is there any in your parish, that doth hold or frequent any conventicles, or private congregations, or any that do either make or maintain any Constitutions, agreed upon in any such private Conventicles or assemblies?  
10. Item Whether any persons have lurked and tippled in Taverns or Alehouses, on sundays or other holidays, or used his or their manual craft or trade, upon the said days or any of them, and especially in the time of divine service.  
11 Item Are there any in your parish, that do or have profaned (since his majesties last general pardon) the Lord's day called sunday, or other holidays contrary to the orders of the Church of England, prescribed in that behalf?  
12 Item, Whether is the prescript form of divine service, used by your Minister, upon Sundays and Holidays, according to the book of common prayer? And whether doth your Minister duly observe all the Orders, Rites and Ceremonies, prescribed in the said book of common prayer, as well in reading puplique prayers, the Litany, as also in administering the Sacraments, in such manner and form as in the book of common prayer is enjoined?  
13 Item, Whether hath any person in your parish quarreled or fricken, or used any violence unto or with your Minister, or any other in the church or churchyard, or used himself disorderly in the church by filthy and profane talk, or any other rude and immodest behaviour?  
14 Item Whether is that due reverence, and humble submission used within your Church or Chapel, in the time of Divine service, as by the 18. constitution is prescribed, whether each one in the Church or Chapel do apply and order himself there in time of divine Service, as by the latter part of the same Constitution is most commendably enjoined?  
15 Item, Whether the Churchwardens and Questmen, from time to time do their diligence, in not suffering any idle persons or loiterers, to abide either in the Churchyard or Church-porch in Service or Sermon time, but causing them either to come into the Church to hear Divine service, or to departed, and not to disturb such as are hearers there.  
16 Item Whether the Churchwardens do provide against every Communion with the advice of the Minister, a sufficient quantity of fine white Bread, and of good and wholesome Wine for the number of the Communicants that shall receive, and that to be brought in a clean and sweet standing pot of pewter or of other pure mettle.  
17 Item, Whether doth your Minister administer the holy Communion so often, and at such times as that every parishioner may receive the same at least thrice in every year, whereof once at Easter, as by the book of common prayer is appointed? And whether doth your Minister receive the same himself, on every day that he administereth it to others, and use the words of the Institution according to the book at every time that the Bread or Wine is turned in such manner and form as by the Proviso of the 21. Common is directed, or wherein is he faulty? and whether is warning given by him before hand for the Communion, as the 22. Cannon requireth?  
18 Item, Whether hath your Minister admitted any Notorious ●●●●dors, or Skismatickes to the Communion: contrary to the 26. and 27. constitutions.  
19 Item Whether the Minister together with the Churchwardens & Questmen, do take diligent heed and care: not only that all and every of your own parishioners, do receive thrice in every year as aforesaid: but also, that no strangers of any other parish do come often, and commonly to your church from their own parish church: and you are now to present the names of all those, who being 16. years of age or upwards, and have not in their own parish received the Communion, at or since Easter last?  
20 Item, Have any in your parish been Godfathers or Godmothers to their own children: or whether your Minister, or any Godfathers or Godmothers have used, or do use any other form, answer or speech in Baptism: then is in the book of common prayer appointed? or whether any which have not communicated, be admitted to be Godfathers or Godmothers?  
21 Item, Whether doth your Minister use to sign the children with the sign of the cross, when they are baptized: according to the book of common prayer? and whether he hath defected, or wilfully refused, to baptize any Infant in his parish being in danger, having been duly informed of the weakness thereof: and whether the child hath died in his default without Baptism?  
22 Item, whether is your Minister continually resident with you upon his benefice, or for how long time hath he been absent? And where is he restant for the most part, and what other benefice hath he?  
23 Item, Whether doth your Minister preach usually, according to the constitutions, either in his own cure with you, or else in some other church or chapel near adjoining, where no preacher is? or how often hath he been negligent in that behalf?  
24 Item, Whether is your Minister a preacher allowed, if yea: then by whom? if not, whether doth he procure Sermons to be preached among you once in every month at the least, by such as are lawfully licenced?  
25 Item, Whether hath your minister an other benefice, and whether doth he supply his absence by a Curate that is sufficiently licenced to preach in that cure of his, whereon he himself is not resident? or otherwise in case he doth not find a preaching minister there by reason of the smallness thereof? whether doth he preach at both of his benefices usually himself?  
26. Item, Whether is your curate licenced to serve by the Bushop of this Diocese, or by any other, and by whom?  
27 Item, Whether doth your Minister or Curate serve any more cures than one? if yea, then what other cure doth he also serve?  
28 Item, If your minister be not licenced to preach as aforesaid, whether doth he take upon him to expound the Scriptures either in his own cure or else where? if yea, than you are to present him, and specify the place where he so hath preached?  
29 Item Whether hath any person been admitted to preach within your church or chapel, but such as you have well known to be sufficiently licenced? whom have you so admitted, you shall present their names: & how often have any such been so admitted to preach, and by whose procurement? And whether have you caused every strange preacher, licenced, or not licenced, to subscribe his name together with the day when he preached: & if he were licenced, then by whom was he licenced? And whether have they or any other preached in your church not being soberly & decently appareled?  
30 Item, Whether doth your Lectorer and preacher read divine service, and administer the Sacraments in his own person, twice every year: observing all the Ceremonies in the book of common prayer established?  
31 Item, Is there any in your parish, that do refuse to have their children baptized: or themselves to receive the Communion at the hands of your Minister, because he is no preacher. You shall present their names. And if your minister since the publishing of the said book of Canons, hath received any such persons (being not of his own cure) to the Communion, or baptized any of their children: you shall likewise present him?  
32 Item, Whether doth your minister wear the surplice, whilst he is saying the public prayers, and ministering the Sacraments? And if he be any Graduate, whether then doth he also wear upon his surplice during the times aforesaid, such a Hood as by the orders of his University is agreeable to his degree?  
33 Item, Whether doth your Minister every Sunday and holiday before Evening prayer, for half an hour or more, examine and instruct the youth and ignorant persons of his parish, in the x. commandments, Articles of belief, and in the Lord's prayer, as also in the Catechism, set forth in the book of common prayer? And whether do all fathers, mothers, masters and mistresses, cause their children, servants and apprenstises, to come thither to bear and to be instructed and taught therein, and those that do not their duties herein, you shall present their names?  
34 Item, Whether hath your ministers without licence from the Archbushop, the Bushop of this Diocese or his Chancellor, solemnized marriage betwixt any parties, the banes not being three several sundays or holidays first published, in time of divine service, in the several churches or chapels, of their several abode according to the book of common prayer, and that also betwixt the hours of eight and twelve in the forenoon. And furthermore, whether hath your minister since the last Cannons published, solemnized any marriage betwixt any persons being under the age of 21. years, although the banes be thrice asked, before such time as the parents have made known unto him their consent thereunto, and whether hath he married any of another Diocese, who are they? and by what authority, and when?  
35 Item, Whether doth your minister every sunday, bid holidays and fasting days, as by the book of common prayer is appointed?  
36 Iten whether doth your minister every 6 months, denounce in his parish, all such of his parish as do persever in the sentence of excommunication, not seeking to be absolved, and whether hath he admitted into the church any person excommunicate, without a certificate of his absolution from the ordinary or other competent judge?  
37 Item, Whether doth your minister being a preacher, endeavour and labour diligently, to reclaim the popish recusants, in his parish from their errors: if there be any such abiding? and whether is he painful in visiting the sick according to the book of common prayer?  
38 Item, Whether is your parson vicar or curate, to frequent or to be over-conuersant with, or a favourer of recusants, whereby he is suspected not to be sincere in religion.  
39 Item Whether do you know or have heard of any payment, composition or agreement, to, or with the Bushop, Chancellor, or any inferior officer Ecclesiastical, for suppressing or concealing of excommunication, or other Ecclesiastical censure, of, or against any recusant? what sum of money, or other consideration hath been received or promised? by, or to any of them in the respect, by whom? and with whom? and for what sum or other consideration?  
40 Item, Whether is there in your Church or Chapel one parchment Register book, provided for christenings, Marriages, and Burials, and whether is the same duly and exactly kept according to the Constitutions in that behalf provided?  
41 Item, whether hath your minister or any other preacher baptized children, solemnized Marriage, churched any woman, or ministered the holy Communion in any private house or houses, otherwise than as by law is allowed yea or no? if yea, then where? whom? when and how often hath he offended in any of the Premises?  
42 Item, Whether hath your minister taken upon him to appoint any publicque or private Fasts, prophecies, or exercises not approved and established by Law or public authority, or hath he attempted upon any pretence either of possession or obsession, by fasting and prayer to cast out devils yea or no?  
43 Item, Whether hath your minister or any other person or persons: within your parish used to meet in any private house or other place, there to consult together, how to impeach or deprave the book of common prayer, or the doctrine or discipline of the church of England, if yea, than you shall present them all?  
44 Item, Whether doth your minister use such decency and comeliness in his apparel, as by the 74 constitution is enjoined?  
45 Item, Whether do you know any in your parish that having heretofore taken upon him or them, the order of Priesthood or of a Deacon hath since relinquished the same, and betaken himself in the course of his life as a lay-man neglecting his vocation, if yea, than you shall present his name, and the place of his abode?  
46 Item, Doth any take upon him to teach School in your parish without special licence of his ordinary? and whether doth your Schoolmaster bring his Scholars to the church to hear divine service and sermons?  
47 Item, Whether is your minister noted or defamed to have obtained his benefice by simony, or reputed to be an incontinent person, a common drunkard, a common gamester, or player at dice, or faulty in any other crime punishable by the Ecclesiastical censures, whereby he is offensive and scandalous to his function or ministry.  
48 Item, Whether have you provided the book of common prayer lately set forth by his majesties authority, and the book of Homilies, and whether have you in your Church or chapel a Fonts of stone set up in the ancient usual place, a convenient and decent Communion table with a carpet of silk, or some other decents stuff, and a taire linen cloth to lay thereon at the Communion time: and whether is the same Table then placed in such convenient sort within the Chancel or church, as that the minister may be best heard in his prayer and administration, and that the greater number may communicate: And whether are the x. commandments set upon the East end of your Church or Chapel, where the people may best see and read them, and other sentences of holy scripture written on the walls likewise for that purpose?  
49 Item, Whether have you a convenient seat for your minister to read service in, together with a comely Pulpit set up in a convenient place, with a decent cloth or cushion for the same: a comely large surplice, a fair Communion cup of gold, silver, or other pure mettle, and a cover agreeable for the same, with all other things and ornaments necessary for the celebration of Divine service and administration of the Sacraments?  
50 Item, Whether are your church or chapels with the Chancels thereof, and your parsonage or vickeredge house and all other housing thereto belonging in good reparations, and decent and comely kept as well within as without, the seats well maintained, a sure coffer with three locks and keys for the safe keeping of your Register book, your churchyards well fenced & kept without abuse, if not, then through whose default and what defects are?  
51 Item, Whether have you or your predecessors Churchwardens there suffered since the last pardon, any plays, feasts, banquets, church-ales, drink, or any other profane usages, to be kept in your church chapels or churchyard, or bells to be rung superstitiously upon holidays or days abrogated by Law?  
52 Item, How many inhabitants within your parish, men or women above th'age of 16 years, do refuse to frequent divine service established by public authority of this realm, or to receive the holy Communion, what be their names, and of what degree state or trade of life are they, you are to present then all of both sorts?  
53 Item, Whether do any of the inhabitants of your said parish entertain within their house any soiorners, lodgers, or any common resorters and guests, who refuse to frequent divine service, or receive the holy Communion as aforesaid, what be their names? of what quality or condition they are?  
54 Item, Whether are any of the said popish recusants of insolent behaviour not without public offence, or do boldly busy themselves in seducing & withdrawing others, either abroad or in their own families by instructing their children in popish religion, or by refusing to entertain any especially in place of greatest service or trust, but such as concur with them in opinion of religion?  
55 Item, How long the said popish Recusants have obstinately abstained, either from divine service or from the Communion as is aforesaid: Whether of any long time, or only since his majesties reign?  
56 Item, Whether is your Minister a preacher sufficiently qualified and if he be, whether doth he from time to time offer quiet and temperate conference to reclaim the said popish Recusants from their errors: and whether they or any of them do refuse such conference with your Minister or any other Preacher, who shall present unto them his diligence in that behalf?  
57 Item, What persons aforesaid within your parish either for th'offence aforesaid, or for any other Contumacy, or crime, do remain excommunicate, what be their names and for what cause, and how long they have so stood excommunicate?  
58 Item, Whether were you the Churchwardens and Questmen chosen by the consent of the Minister and parishioners: and whether have the churchwardens before you, given up a just account for their time and delivered to you their successors whatsoever money or other things of right belonging to the Church, which was in their hands, and whether do you and every of you diligently see that all the Parishioners do duly resort to their church every sunday and holiday, and there continue the whole time of divine service, and none to walk or stand idle, or talking in church or churchportch, or churchyard during that time: and whether do all the parishioners and their families accordingly frequent their parish church, and there behave themselves soberly, attentively and decently, all the time of divine service, yea or no? if no, than you shall present their names?  
59 Item, Whether do all persons above th'age of 16 years, usually resort to hear divine service upon sundays and holidays approved, and whether hath each one of your parishioners, (being above th'age of 16. years aforesaid) received the holy Communion thrice this last year, chiefly once at Easter in your parish church kneeling, if no, than you shall present their names which have not so done?  
60 Item, Whether have you a fit parish Clarke aged twenty years at least of honest conversation, and sufficient for reading and writing, and whether he be paid his wages without frauds according to the most ancient custom of your parish, if not, then by whom is be so defrauded and denied? and whether he be chosen by the parson or vicar or by whom?  
61 Item, Whether have any in your parish been married within the prohibited degrees, forbidden by the Law of God, and expressed in a certain table published by authority in Anno, 1563 if yea, than you shall present their names, and whether have you the said Table publicly set up in your church, and fastened to some convenient place there?  
62 Item, Whether doth any heretofore divorced keep company with any other at bed and at board? what be their names? When and where were they married?  
63 Item, Doth your minister use the form of thanksgiving to women after Childbirth, and whether hath he admitted any thereunto, that was begotten with child in adultery or fornication without licence of his ordinary, and whether have any married wives refused to come to church according to the book of common prayer, to give God thanks after childbirth, if any be faulty herein you shall present their names?  
64 Item Whether have you any in your parish which heretofore being popish recusants or sectuaries, have since conformed themselves and come to church to hear divine service and receive the Sacraments if yea, than who they are, and how long si'thences have they so conformed themselves, and whether do they still remain and abide in that conformity?  
65 Item, What recusant papists are there in your parish, and whether do they or any of them keep any Schoolmaster in their house, which cometh not to church to hear divine service and receive the Communion? what is his name, and how long hath be taught?  
66 Item, Whether have you any in your parish to your knowledge or by common fame and report, any which have committed adultery fornication or incest, which have not been publicly punished to your knowledge? if yea, then with whom? Are there any which are or by common fame and report are reputed and taken to be common drunkards, blasphemers of Gods holy name, common and usual swearers, filthy speakers, Usurers, simonical persons, Fighters, Brawlers, or quarrelers in church, or churchyard, you shall not fail to present their names?  
67 Item, Whether have any in your parish received or harboured any woman gotten with child out of Wedlock, and suffered them to departed again without punishment first inflicted on them by their ordinary, you shall truly present as well the party harbouring as harboured, and who is suspected to be father of her child?  
68 Item, Whether hath any person within your parish promised or paid any sum of money or other reward directly or indirectly by himself or any other, or committed his or her penance for any incest, adultery, fornication, or any other Ecclesiastical crime, if so, then with whom? when? and for what? and how hath the same been employed?  
69 Item, Whether is your Chancellor, and every other inferior Ecclesiastical judge a master of Arts, or Bachelor of Laws at the least, and learned and practised in the civil and Ecclesiastical Laws, a man of good life and conversation and zealously affected in Religion?  
70 Item, Whether any person or persons suspected or detected heretofore of incontinency, and therefore departing out of your parish for a season is now returned again, or in what place else is he or she now abiding to your knowledge or as you have heard? you shall not fail to present the whole truth in that behalf?  
71 Item, Whether are there in your parish any Wills not yet proved, or goods of the dead dying intestate left unadministred by authority of the ordinary in that behalf? you shall not fail to present the Executors, and all other faulty and culpable therein?  
72 Item, Hath any Chancellor, Commissary, archdeacon, official, or any other exercising Ecclesiastical juris-diction within this your Diocese, or any Register, Apparator, or Minister belonging to the same Ecclesiastical courts, exacted extra-ordinary or greater sees then heretofore of late have been accustomed, and whether is there a table of the rates of all fees set up in their several Courts and Offices or whether they or any of them have taken upon them th'office of Informers or promoters to the courts, or any other way abused themselves in their Offices contrary to the Law and Cannons in that case provided?  
73 Item, Do any, of, or within your Parish affirm, or have any affirmed that the sacred synod of this nation assembled by the King's authority, is not the true church of England by representation: or hath or doth any of your parish affirm, that no persons either of the Clergy or Laity, that were not pertinently present in the said late Synod, are subject to the decrees thereof in causes Ecclesiastical, made and ratified by the King's supreme authority: because they gave not up their voices unto them, ye shall present their names?  
74 Item, Is there any among you, that have or do deprave the foresaid late Synod, saying or affirming, that the same was a company of such persons as did conspire together against godly and religious professors of the Gospel, and that therefore both they and their proceed in that behalf are and aught to be despised and contemned or words to the like effect, you shall not fail to present their names?  
75 Item, What number of Apparators hath every several judge Ecclesiastical, and wherein, and in what manner is the country overburdened and grieved by the said Apparators?  
76 Item, Whether do you know of any other matter of Ecclesiastical cognisance, worthy the presentment in your judgement above not expressed, which you hold fit to be reform, and if you do, you shall likewise present the same by virtue of your Oaths?  
FINIS.