ARTICLES To be inquired of by the Churchwardens and Sworne-men, within the Diocese of Winchester in the Visitation of the reverend Father in God, Thomas Bishop of Winton, in his Triennall Visitation, holden 1603.  
In the first year of the reign of our most gracious Sovereign Lord, james by the grace of God King of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, defender of the Faith, etc.  
Printed at London by Thomas Purfoot. 1603.   

THe Churchwardens and their assistants are straightly required to read or hear all these Articles read over unto them, and diligently to consider and inquire thereof, between the time of the delivery hereof unto them, and the making of their presentments.   

Articles to be inquired of, by the Churchwardens and Sworne-men, within the Diocese of Winchester, and the truth thereof to be by them, upon their oaths, certainly presented to the Bishop or his Deputy, with particular answer to every Article.  

Articles concerning the Clergy.  

WHether your common prayer be read by your Minister in your Churches or Chapels plainly and reverently upon all Sundays and Holidays, and other days prescribed, in such order as is set forth in the Book of common prayer, authorized by the Laws of this Realm, without any innovation, or change of any part thereof at due and convenient hours? And whether the holy Sacraments be likewise ministered reverently in such manner, as by the Book of common prayer is appointed.  
2 Item, whether any person, not being ordered, at the least a Deacon, hath attempted to say common prayer openly in your Church or Chapel, or to solemnize matrimony, or administer the Sacrament of Baptism.  
3 Item, whether the Churchwardens have permitted or do suffer any Curator Minister to serve your Church before he be admitted and examined by the Ordinary in writing, and do show his licence under seal unto the Churchwardens: and whether any Curate do serve two Cures in one day.  
4 Item, whether your Minister not being a Preacher, do every Sunday when there is no Sermon, read distinctly and plainly, some part of the Homilies prescribed and set forth by the Queen's authority to be read: and whether any Minister, not admitted by the Ordinary, or by other lawful authority, do expound any scripture or manner of doctrine, and thereby omit and leave off the reading of Homilies: or whether any in your Parish do deprave or speak against the Homilies, and the use of them in the Church?  
5 Item, whether your Minister do at the administration of the Lords Supper, reverently kneel when himself receiveth it, according to the Book of common prayer: and whether the communicants themselves in like sort do reverently kneel upon their knees at the time of the receiving thereof: or whether he do administer it confusedly, to some kneeling, to some sitting, and to some standing.  
6 Item, whether your preacher, in his prayer made in his Sermon, whether it be at the beginning, middle, or end thereof, do use or omit at any time the prayer for his Majesty, with his whole title given him as King of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, defender of the faith, etc. of all causes, and over all persons within his majesties Dominion, as well ecclesiastical as temporal, next and immediately under God supreme Governor? and for our most gracious Queen, the Prince of Wales their eldest Son, and all their royal Progeny.  
7 Item, whether any Lectures. Cenuenticles, or private meetings, be read or used within your Parishes, either public in the Church, or privately in any house, by any not licensed thereto by the Ordinary? Or whether any such Reader do teach any doctrine of innovation, to withdraw the people from due obedience to the ordinances of the Church, set forth by public authority, or to cause them to forbear participating in prayer and sacraments with our Church?  
8 Item, how many sermons hath your Parson or vicar preached in his own Church within this year past. And if your Parson or vicar be not a preacher, how many sermons hath he procured to be preached there in this year past: and who hath preached them, and whether were they that did preach them, licenced or no? and by whom?  
9 Item, whether your Minister hath received to the holy communion, any persons which be not of his own Parish, without testimony from the minister of the place where they dwell what they be, that it may appear they be not persons excommunicate, or otherwise notorious offenders?  
10 Item, whether your Minister do every Sunday or holiday, openly in the Church, call for, hear, and instruct all the children, apprentices and servants that be of convenient age within your Parish, or at the least, so many of them( by course) as the time will serve, and as he may well hear and instruct for one half hour,( at the least) before or after Evening prayer; in the ten commandments, the articles of the belief, the Lords prayer, and the sacraments, and diligently examine and teach them the Catechism, as it is now allowed, and set forth in the Book of common prayer: and whether( to that purpose) he hath taken the names of them all, and by course call certain of them( by name) every Sunday and Holiday to come to the teaching of this Catechism: and if the Parents & Master be slack in sending them, whether he hath called upon the churchwardens to present them?  
11 Item, whether your Parson, vicar, or Curate, or other Minister in your Church or Chapel, hath admitted to the holy communion any public excommunicate person, or any open or notorious fornicator, adulterer, or evil liver, by whom public offence is given, without due penance first done, to the satisfaction of the congregation, enjoined him by his Ordinary.  
12 Item, whether your Preachers or Ministers be peacemakers, and exhort their Parishioners to obedience towards their Prince, and all other that be in authority, and to the government ecclesiastical now established, and to charity and mutual love among themselves: whether they be diligent in visiting the sick, and comforting them?  
13 Item, whether any person hath preached, declared, or spoken any thing in derogation of the Book of common prayer, which is set forth by the Laws of this Realm, dispraising or depraving the same, or any thing therein contained; or against the Preachers or Ministers of the word and sacraments?  
14 Item, whether there be provided in your Parish one convenient parchment Book? And whether therein are written the names of all persons, which have been christened, married, or buried in that Parish since the beginning of the reign of our late most gracious Sovereign Lady Queen Elizabeth? And whether every page of that Book being filled with the inscription of those names be subscribed by the Minister and Churchwardens? And whether every Sunday after morning or evening prayer, the Minister in the presence of the Churchwardens, do write into that parchment book, the names of all persons that have been christeneed, married, or buried in the Parish the week before? And immediately after the writing of all the said names, whether the Minister hath openly and distinctly read in the Church all the said names of that precedent week, and the day and month of the christening, marriage, or burial of every such person. And whether there be provided in the Church a convenient coffer with three locks and keys, for the sure keeping of that Register parchment book? And whether the Minister and both the Churchwardens, having every of them one of the said keys in their custody, do safely keep the said Register Book in the said coffer, according as hath been by the Canons of this Church of England provided.  
15 Item, whether your Ministers do keep any man or woman in their houses, suspected to be incontinent persons, or be themselves given to drunkenness, haunters of Taverns, alehouses, or suspected places, or otherwise suspected of any notorious crime, or light disordered behaviour, or have given any evil example of life, or use unseemly apparel in colours, guards, or light fashions.  
16 Item, whether for the retaining of the perambulation of the circuit of your Parish, the Minister, Churchwardens, and certain substantial men of the Parish, in the dates of the Rogations( commonly called Gang-days) walk the accustomed bounds of your parish? whether in the same they use any superstitious or popish ceremony, but only meditate of God's mercy, give him thanks for blessing of the earth, as is by the law of the Church set down.  
17 Item, whether there be any in your Parish that readeth any private lectures, or useth expositions of the Scriptures in any private man's house whatsoever, contrary to law? and whether any preach, and do not at certain times in the year minister the Sacraments in their own persons, and in such Church where he readeth his Lecture.  
18 Item, whether any Parson, vicar, or Minister hath procured himself to be admitted into sacred orders by any corrupt means of money, reward, gift, or promise of reward, or by any simonical compact hath procured his benefice, directly or indirectly, or be thereof by common same suspected or defamed.  
19 Item, whether your Minister do reject those women( being married) which do come to the Church to give thanks after child birth, according to the order set down in the book of common prayer.  
20 Item, whether your Minister have married any person, not being three sever all sundays lawfully asked in their Parish churches, according to the book of common prayer, or not being sufficiently licenced thereunto, by licence from the L. Bishop of Winchester his officers.  
21 Item, whether your Parsons and Vicars do maintain and keep in due reparations, their mansion houses and other edifices belonging to their ecclesiastical livings, and not suffer them to fall into ruin and decay: and whether your almshouses, hospitals, and spitals, be well and godly used, according to the foundation and ancient ordinances of the same: and whether there be any other placed in them than poor, impotent, and needy persons, that have not wherewith, or whereby to live?    

Articles concerning the Churchwardens and their assistants.  

ITem, whether you have in your Parish Churches and Chapels, 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 Table of the ten commandments, a convenient Pulpit well placed, a comely and decent Table standing on a frame, for the holy communion, with a fair linen clothe to lay upon the same, and some covering of silk, buckram, 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, which may serve also for the ministration of the communion bread, and a decent large surplice with sleeves.  
2 Item, whether your Churches, and Chapels, with the chancel, be well and sufficiently repaired and kept, without abuse of any thing: and whether your churchyards be well fenced and cleanly kept: and if any part thereof be in decay, through whose default it is so, and whether any strife hath grown amongst your neighbours, about pews or seats in the Church?  
3 Item, whether those decays of your Chancels and Churches which were lately upon special inquisition presented: have been and are sufficiently repaired since that time according to former commandment given to that purpose, or how much thereof do yet remain undecent, ruinous, or in any decay, and to what value, & by whose fault?  
4 Item, whether your Font or Baptisteries be removed from the place where they were wont to stand: or whether any persons( leaving the use of them) do christian or baptise in basins, or other profane vessels, not accustomably used in the Church before time.  
5 Item, whether the Schoolmasters within your Parish, openly or privately in any man's house, be of good and sincere religion, life and conversation, and be diligent in teaching and bringing up of youth, and whether with their Scholars they do resort orderly on Sundays and Holidays to church: and whether your Schoolmasters do receive the holy communion so oft as they ought to do, and so many of their scholars as be of sufficient age and capacity to receive: and whether they have been examined, allowed, and licenced for schoolmasters by the Ordinary or his officers in that behalf?  
6 Item, whether all Householders in your Parish have caused their children, servants, and apprentices, both mankind and womankind,( being above seven years of age) which have not learned the Catechism, to come to the church on Sundays and Holidays at the times appointed for catechizing, and there diligently and obediently to hear: and what be the names of those that have not caused their children, servants, and apprentices, so to come to the Church to be instructed and examined?  
7 Item, whether do any work or keep any shop, or any part of their shop open upon the Sabbath days, or upon any Holidays,( appointed by the laws of the Realm to be kept holiday, or do use any work or labour upon those days.  
8 Item, whether you yourselves, or the Churchwardens in the years before, have suffered any unmarried woman( being begotten with child) to go out of the Parish before she hath done penance: or any man defamed of whoredom, to depart unpunished: and forth of whose houses they have gone away with unpunished.  
9 Item, whether there be any in your Parish, which for any cause whatsoever, wilfully forbear to come to Church, to public prayer, or to hear God's word preached, pretending it unlawful to come to our assemblies, as the church of England now standeth: and how many months they and every of them have so absented themselves by the space of one year last passed.  
10 Item, whether any do refuse to receive the holy communion at their own Ministers hand, either because he is not a preacher, or because he duly observeth the order of ministration, appointed by the book, and who they be that do go from their own Parish to receive at any other Ministers hands: and whether any of your Parishioners( having a preacher to their Minister) do absent themselves from his sermons, and resort to other places to hear other Preachers?  
11 Item, whether the people of your Parish( especially householders, having not lawful excuse to be absent) do diligently themselves resort with their children and servants, to the Parish Church or Chapel on holidays, and chiefly on the sundays, to Morning and Evening prayer, or 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, Sermons, and other service of God there used, reverently and devoutly giving themselves to the hearing thereof, and who they be that negligently absent themselves, or come very late to the Church, or use any gaming or pastime abroad, or in any house, or sit in the street, Churchyard, or in any tavern or alehouse upon the Saboth or holiday, in the time of common prayer, Sermon, or reading of the Homilies, either before or after noon?  
12 Item, whether there be within your Parish any innkeepers, alewives, victuallers or tipplers, that suffer or do admit any person or persons in their houses to eat, drink, or play at cards, tables, or such like games in the time of common prayer or Sermon on the Sundays or Holidays: and whether any Butchers or others that commonly use to sell meat or other things, do make sale in the time of common prayer, preaching or reading of Homilies: and whether in any Fairs or common Markets( falling upon the Sunday) there be any showing of any wares before Morning prayer be done: and whether any Markets and selling of wares be used or suffered in any churchyards, by common packemen or peddlers going about, or any such people either of your parish, or not?  
13 Item, whether the Churchwardens of the last year have given to the Parish a just account of the Church goods and rents that were committed to their charge, according to the custom that hath been afore time used: and what Church goods they or any other have sold, and to whom: and whether to the profit of your Church, or no? and what hath been done with the money thereof coming?  
14 Item, whether any of your parish( being of convenient age) have not received the holy communion thrice in evarie year at the least, and namely at Easter, or thereabouts for once: and what their names are, or which( at their receiving) have not signified the same before to your Parson, vicar, or Curate, that he might conveniently examine them: and who have refused to come to him to be examined?  
15 Item, Whether there be any in your Parish, that administer the goods of those that be dead without lawful authority, or any that suppress the last will of the dead, or any Executors that have not fulfilled their Testators Will, especially in paying of Legacies given to the Church, or to other good and godly uses, as to the reliefs of poverty, to helpless Orphans, poor Scholars, poor Maidens marriages, high ways, and such like: and by whom they are so detained?  
16 Item, whether there be any in your parish that hath or doth offend contrary to the Statute made in the 37. year of the Reign of King Henry the eight for the reformation of Usury, and revived by an Act made the thirteenth year of the reign of the late Queen Elizabeth, taking above the rate of ten pounds for the lending of an hundred pounds by the year: and what be the names of such offenders?  
17 Item, whether your Minister, or any of the Parish, without the consent of the Ordinary, have caused any to do penance or be punished, either openly or otherwise, for any crime punishable by the Ecclesiastical laws only, and what be the names of the parties that have been so punished, and in what manner?  
18 Item, whether there be amongst you any that use sorcery or witchcraft, punishable by the Ecclesiastical laws, or that be suspected of the same, and whether any use any charms, or unlawful prayers: and whether any do resort to any such for help and counsel, and what be the names both of such as use it, and of such as resort unto them for help?  
19 Item, whether there be among you, any blasphemer of the name of God great or often swearers, adulterers, fornicators, incestuous persons, bawds or receivers of incontinent persons, or harbourers of women with child which be unmarried, conveving or suffering them to go away before they do any penance, or make satisfaction to the congregation, or any that be vehemently suspected of any such fault: any drunkards, or ribawdes, or any that be malicious, contentious, or uncharitable persons, common slanderers of their neighbours, railers, scolders, or sowers of discord between neighbours, and especially railers against Ministers, and against their marriage.  
20 Item, whether there be any in these parts that have married within the degrees of affinity or consanguinity, by the laws of God forbidden, or any, that being divorced or separated for the same, do yet notwithstanding cohabit and keep company still together, or any that being married without those degrees, have unlawfully forsaken their wives or husbands and married others, any man that hath two wives, or woman that hath two husbands, any that being divorced or separated asunder have married again, any that have married and contracted themselves without the consent of their parents, tutors, and governors, any that have married without banes thrice solemnly asked, any couples married that live not together, but slanderously live apart.  
21 Item, whether your Minister and Churchwardens have suffered any lord of misrule or summer Lords or ladies, or any disguised persons, or May-games, or morris dancers, at any time to come unreverently into the church or churchyard, and there to dance or pl●y, in the time of common Prayer, Service, or Sermon upon the Sabbath day?  
22 Item, whether any within your Parishes do resort unto barns, fields, woo●●, or private houses for any extraordinary expositions of scriptures, or conferences together, and so do( as it were ●make a several Church or sect unto themselves, or be drawers, or persuaders of others to any such schismatical sect, and in whose houses, or in what places have you heard of any such meetings.  
23 Item, whethe● there be any of your parish known or suspected to conc●●le o● keep hidden in their house, any Mass books or other books of Popery & superstision, or any chalices, copes, vestments, or other like superstitious ornaments in their form and fashion undefacet, for some exercise of their superstition, as may be suspected, if they may have time or opportunity thereto: or whether any be known or suspected to receive any such books or like trumpery from beyond the seas, and so disperse and carry them abroad to others.  
24 Iten, whether any in your parish, married in any private houses since the last visitation, have been known or suspected to have been married by any popish priest, or in any other order than is appointed by the church of England.  
25 Item, whether any children borne within your parish do remain unbaptized, or be suspected to be baptised by any popish priest, Seminary, or jesuit: or whether any Recusants live together as man and wife, who are not known to be married according to the laws of this Realm.  
26 Item, whether you know any notorious Recusant, who obstinately refuseth to be partaker, with the church of England in public prayer & hearing the word of God preached, being for his disobedience and contempt excommunicated, and so dying excommunicate, to be buried in christian burial, not having before his death sought to be absolved.  
27 Item, whether any of the stocks appertaining to the church, be substracted by any person, and to what value, and by whom.   
Generally, what faults soever you know to be within your parishes not specified or mentioned in these Articles, & punishable by the Ecclesiastical laws, you shall by virtue of your oath aforesaid duly and truly present them to your Ordinary, that reformation may be had accordingly.   

These subscribed Articles, are specially enjoined and commanded by the said Reverend father, to be from time to time observed by the Minister and Churchwardens of every church.  

1 THat henceforth the Churchwardens shall not permit any Minister to serve the cure of their church until the minister do first show forth unto the said churchwardens his licence thereto, under the hand and seal of the said Bishop of Winchester, or of his Chancellor, upon pain of contempt.  
2 Item, that from henceforth they do not admit any minister to preach in their cures, but only such as already be, or henceforth first shall be allowed thereto, under the hand or seal of the L. Archbishop of Canterbury his Grace, or of the said Bishop of Winchester.  
3 Item, that a true copy of the names, days, and month of the christening, marrying, and burial of all persons in every parish yearly subscribed under the hands of the minister and churchwardens, testifying their collation and agreement of the said copy with the said parchment book, shall be yearly exhibited into the Registry of the Bishopric of Winchester, in the yearly visitations of the Bishop or his Chancellor.  
4 Item, that in this triennall visitation, the names of all lay men presuming, or which by any favour are tolerated to read divine service in any church, be diligently inquired & presented: & that henceforth the churchwardens upon pain of law, do not permit any lay man to read divine service in the church, without the special licence of the bishop of Winchester or of his chancellor under their hand & seal, of which licenses there shall remain record in the registry of the said Bishop.  
5 Item, that the churchwardens do upon the Sabbath days diligently observe the careless & negligent comers to divine service, & after admonition given by the minister and church wardens, do at the least at every visitation, present the names of such negligent persons, & the several days of their absence.  
6 Item, that every beneficed man, not being a preacher allowed by public authority, and the farmers of beneficed men not being resident, shall every Visitation deliver to the Register a note in writing of all Sermons preached in their Cures from one Visitation to another, subscribed with the preachers hand, which notes the Register shall( after the visitation ended) certify unto the said reverend father.  
7 Item, if the Churchwardens & sidemen at this visitation, or any other henceforth, shall wilfully or negligently omit to present any crime or offence worthy of presentment and reformation, whereof the Minister, then or after, may have knowledge, that then the Minister shall give advertizement thereof to the said reverend father or his Chancellor.    
FINIS.  
God save the King.