ARTICLES to be inquired of, In the Diocesan Visitation, of the most Reverend Father in GOD, Toby by the providence of GOD L. Archbishop of York, Primate of England, and Metropolitan.  
Begun and continued in the years of our LORD GOD 1622. and 1623. And in the 17. year of his Grace's Translation.  
LONDON, Printed by George Purslowe. Anno 1623.   

The tenor of the Oath to be ministered to the Churchwardens and Sworne-men.  
YOU and every of you shall swear by Almighty God, that (all affection and respect set aside) upon due & deliberate consideration of these Articles given in charge, you shall make a true, full and particular answer in writing, to the same Articles and every of them, presenting all and singular offences, and offenders therein mentioned: wherein you shall deal faithfully, and uprightly, as before God. So help you God in jesus Christ.   

Articles to be inquired of, by the Churchwardens and Sworne-men in the said visitation of the Lord Archbishop of York. Anno Dom. 1623.  

For the Clergy.  
INprimis, Whether your Parson, Vicar, Curate, or Minister be a Preacher of God's Word, and a maintainer and furtherer of Religion now established by public authority within this Realm of England, or no?  
Item 2 Whether he do in his Sermons, Lectures, & other exercises, move the people to join with him in Prayer for the King's Majesty, the Noble Prince Charles, Frederick the Prince Elector Palatine, the Lady Elizabeth his wife, and their Royal issue; with addition of such style and title as of right doth appertain to his Majesty, and whether any, since the 25. of September 1605. have refused, or willingly omitted, or neglected so to do?  
Item 3 Whether he be a Preacher lawfully admitted, and by what authority? And whether your Minister or Churchwardens have, since the time aforesaid, suffered any man to preach in your Church, but such as have first showed their licenses to preach, either from the Lord Archbishop of York, or Bishop of the Diocese, where he dwelleth, or one of the Universities, under their Seal?  
Jtem 4 Whether he be painful & diligent in preaching, as also in Catechising the youth of your Parish, upon Sundays & Holidays, according to his Majesty's late directions in that behalf signified and registered in the Consistory office at York? And how many Sermons hath your Parson, Vicar, or Minister preached in his own Church within this year last passed? And if he be not a Preacher, how many Sermons by his procurement or otherwise have there been preached this last year, and by whom? And whether were they that preached the same, licenced or no, and by whom?  
Jtem 5 Whether any lectures be read, or Exercises used within your Parish, either publicly in the Church, or privately in any house by any not licenced as aforesaid: or being licenced, do refuse to conform themselves to the Laws, Ordinances, and Rites Ecclesiastical of the Church of England? And whether any such so reading or exercising, do teach or profess any doctrine of Innovation, inclining to Papistry, Brownism, or any other Heresy or Schismatical error, whereby themselves or others may be drawn from their true obedience in causes Ecclesiastical?  
Item 6 Whether your Minister not being a Preacher, do every Sunday, when there is no Sermon, read some part of the Homilies set forth and appointed by public authority?  
Item 7 Whether your Common Prayer and Sacraments be by your Minister in your Church or Chapel, distinctly and reverently administered and read, as is prescribed in or by the book of Common Prayer, without any innovation or omission, and at due and convenient hours? And whether doth your Minister so celebrating the same, usually wear the Surplice whilst he is saying the public Prayers, and ministering the Sacraments? And if he be a graduate, whether doth he also upon his Surplice wear such a Hood, as is agreeable to his degree, and such decent apparel, as by the late Constitutions are appointed?  
Item 8 Whether doth your Minister in the administration of the Sacrament of Baptism, use the sign of the Cross, according to the Book of Common Prayer? And whether hath he deferred or refused to baptise any Infant being in danger of death, having notice of the weakness thereof? And whether in his default hath any died without Baptism?  
Item 9 Whether hath your Parson, Vicar or Curate admitted any to the holy Communion, or to be Godfather or Godmother at Baptism, being a person excommunicate, any known or notorious offenders, any not instructed in the principles of Religion, or any to the Communion which then were not of your Parish? And whether hath he so often and at such times administered the same, as every Parishioner may receive the same at the least every year thrice, whereof once at Easter, as by the Book of Common Prayer is appointed?  
Jtem 10 Whether hath he admitted any excommunicate person to be Godfather or Godmother, or any which hath not received the holy Communion?  
Item 11 Whether hath he churched any woman after the birth of her child begotten in Incest, Adultery, Fornication, or married any woman so begotten with child, without public confession of their faults at their churching or marriages in the presence of the Congregation, upon some Sabbath or Festival day at morning Prayer time, leaving their further punishment to the Ordinary, or other competent judge?  
Jtem 12 Whether hath your Parson, Vicar, or Curate, since the 25. of Sept. 1605. celebrated Matrimony without licence granted by such as have Episcopal authority, except the banes of Matrimony were formerly published three Sundays or holidays in the time of divine service, in the Parish Church or Chapel where the said parties dwelled and at any other time then between the hours of eight and twelve of the clock in the forenoon, or in any other place, then in the Church or Chapel, where one of the parties dwelled? And whether without consent of Parents, or other Governors?  
Item 13 Whether hath your Parson, Vicar or Curate, more Benefices or Ecclesiastical promotions than one, and what be their names, and where is he most resiant? And if he have more, how is he qualified and dispensed withal to hold the same? And how doth he supply his absence, whether by a Curate or Minister licenced to preach, or not? And if he be, then by whom is he licenced? And what distribution doth he make thereby to the poor, where he is not resident?  
Item 14 Whether doth your Minister or Curate serve any more Cures than one; and if so, then what other Cure doth he serve?  
Item 15 Whether doth your Parson, Vicar or Curate, according to an act of Parliament in that behalf made, call upon and require the people of his Parish to solemnize and keep holy the Fift day of November, and that day to come to the Church to join in Prayers and thanksgiving for the happy deliverance of his Majesty, the Queen, Prince, and States of Parliament from the most traitorous and bloody intended massare by Gunpowder? and whether do the people of your parish accordingly repair to the Church, or do any refuse or neglect so to do? present their names & Sur-names.  
Item 16 Whether doth he carefully visit the sick of his Parish, by exhorting and ministering unto them, as by the Book of Common Prayer is appointed. And whether doth he attend the burial of the dead, by meeting the Corpses at the Church-stile, and so accompany the same to the Church or Grave, saying or singing such places of Scripture as are appointed by the said Book?  
Jtem 17 Whether is your Minister suspected or defamed to have obtained his Benefice by Simony, or reputed to be an incontinent person, or keepeth any woman in his house suspected of incontinency, or given to excessive drinking; or a common gamester or player at Dice, or doth keep or suffer to be kept any Alehouse in his parsonage, or Vicarage-house, or faulty in any other crime punishable by the Ecclesiastical censures, whereby he is offensive to his Ministry and calling?  
Item 18 Whether your Minister, Churchwardens and others, for the retaining of the circuit of your Parish by perambulations, as hath been prescribed, do use the same without superstition, or popish Ceremony?  
Item 19 Whether doth your Parson or Vicar maintain and keep in due reparations the mansion-houses and other Edifices belonging to their Ecclesiastical livings, without suffering them to fall into ruin and decay?  
Jtem 20 Whether doth your Minister every Sunday, according to the Book of Common Prayer, make known to the people what Holidays and fasting days are in the week following?  
Item 21 Whether doth your Minister being a Preacher, offer quiet and temperate conference to Popish Recusants: and endeavour diligently to reclaim them from their errors? And whether they or any of them refuse such conference offered unto them by your said Minister, or other Preacher, and what be their names and surnames?  
Jtem 22 Whether any Bishop, Chancellor, , Commissary, Official, or other judge or Officer Ecclesiastical, for any composition, agreement or payment of any sum of money, have suppressed and concealed the excommunication or other Ecclesiastical censure, of or against any Popish recusant or other offender? And what sum of money or other consideration hath been promised or received in that behalf to your knowledge, or as you have heard reported?  
Jtem 23 Whether doth your Minister every half year once denounce in your Parish, all such Parishioners as do remain excommunicate and seek not to be absolved? And how long hath any excommunicate person continued under the censure thereof, and admitted into the Church without a Certificate of his absolution from the Ordinary?  
Item 24 Whether hath your Minister publicly in your Parish Church or Chapel once every year read over the Constitutions and Canons Ecclesiastical, agreed upon by the Clergy of both Provinces, Anno Domini 1603. according to his Majesty's commandment?   

For the Laity.  
ITem 25 Whether you have in your Parish Church or Chapel all things necessary and requisite for Common Prayer, and administration of the Sacraments: As the Book of Common Prayer with the new Calendar: The English Bible of the new Translation in the largest volume: Two Psalters: Two books of Homilies: A decent Baptistery or Font: A Table of the 10. Commandments: A convenient seat for the Minister to read service in: A comely and decent Pulpit with Cloth and Cushion for the same: A comely Communion Table, with a fair linen cloth to lay upon the same, and some covering of silk, or other decent stuff for the clean keeping thereof: A fair and comely Communion cup of silver, with a silver cover, such as may serve for ministration of the holy Communion: A decent large Surplice with sleeves: A Chest or box for the poor: And the said book of Constitutions and Canons Ecclesiastical?  
Item 26 Whether the body of your Church and Chapel, with the Chancel be well and sufficiently repaired, and kept without profanation or abuse any way? And if decayed or profaned, through whose default? And whether your bells and stalls in the same be well maintained, your Churchyard well walled or fenced, and decently kept? and if the same in any part be decayed, through whose default?  
Jtem 27 Whether any Almshouse, Hospital, School or Spittle within your Parish be well and godly used, according to the foundation and true intent of the Founders thereof? And whether any pension or stipend due to any of them be detained, and by whom?  
Item 28 Whether the Baptistery or Font be removed from the usual place; or whether any persons leaving the use thereof, do baptise children in basons or other vessels not used in the Church, or whether any children be baptised or christened in private houses, otherwise then in cases of necessity, and by a lawful Minister: and if yea, than whose children were they, and by whom were they baptised? And whether such so baptised, were afterwards brought to the Church for further manifestation and approbation thereof, according to the Book of Common Prayer?  
Item 29 Whether are there any person or persons inhabiting or sojourning within your Parish or Chappelrie, that be notorious Recusants, or which negligently or seldom come to your Church or Chapel, upon Sabbaths or Festival days, and who be they, and what be their names and surnames, and with whom have they sojourned, & how long have they so continued, & of what estate, age, condition or degree they are of, & whether there be any within your said parish or chappelry, above the age of 16. years which do not yearly communicate thrice at the least, whereof once at Easter, & who be they?  
Item 30 Whether are there any resiant within our parish, who have been convicted of recusancy, which have conformed themselves, & not received the Sacrament of the Lords Supper within one whole year after the conformity, and for how many years have they not received the same, and what be their names and surnames?  
Jtem 31 Whether are there within your parish any Popish Recusants, of bold, insolent, & offensive behaviour, which presume to seduce and withdraw others, either in or of their own families or elsewhere, from the true Religion now established, or from due obedience to his Majesty; or which make special choice of Recusants to be their servants?  
Jtem 32 Whether do your Minister, Churchwardens, Quest-men and Assistants yearly within forty days after Easter exhibit to the Bishop or his Chancellor, according to the 112. Canon, the names and surnames of all the Parishioners as well men as women, which being of the age of 16. years, received not the Communion at Easter before.  
Item 33 Whether the youth of your parish do diligently repair to your Church or Chapel upon Sabbaths, and Holidays to be Catechised. And if not in whose default, Canon 59  
Item 34 Whether any do go out of the Church or Chapel, or do use talking, walking, or sleeping, or any other unseemly offence, or other unreverend behaviour in the time of public Prayer, Preaching, celebration of the Sacrament, or catechising? and who are they?  
Item 35 Whether there be any which privately or publicly by speech, or otherwise deprave any part of the true Religion established within this Realm, or the Ministers or Professors thereof: or whether any Lectures, conventicles, or private exercises be read or used within your Parish either in the Church, or in any house? And whether any such Reader do teach any doctrine of Innovation, to withdraw the people from their due obedience to the ordinances of the Church set forth by public authority, or to cause them to forbear to participate in Prayers, or Sacraments with our Church?  
Jtem 36 Whether have you any Schoolmaster, who teacheth either publicly or privately within your said Parish or Chappelrie, not being lawfully licenced thereunto by writing under seal, and how long hath he there taught? And whether doth he teach the Book entitled, God and the King, according to his Majesty's Proclamation?  
Jtem 37 Whether any within your Parish or Chappelry do suffer to eat, drink, play, jangle, or talk in their house or yard? Or any Butcher or Trades-man their shop-windows to be kept open to sell meat, drink, or wares on Sundays in time of morning and evening Prayers, Sermons, Lectures, or Catechising: or any that labour or work on the Sabbaths, or other commanded Festival days, to the hindrance of Prayers, Sermons, or other godly exercises?  
Item 38 Whether any within your Parish do chide, brawl, quarrel, or fight within your Church or Church-yard, what are their names and surnames, and who be the same? And whether any of them have drawn any weapon there, with purpose to strike with the same?  
Jtem 39 Whether are there within your said parish or chapelry, any Rush-bearing, Bull-baitings, Bear-baitings, May-games, Morice-dances Ails, or any such like profane pastimes or assemblies on the Sabbath, to the hindrance of Prayers, Sermons, or other go●ly exercises?  
Item 40 Whether there be any within your parish of turbulent conversation behaving themselves rudely or disorderly in your Church or Chapel, or which by untimely ringing of Bells, by walking, talking, or otherwise have hindered the Minister or Preacher?  
Item 41 Whether be there any within your parish or chapelry, that use to ring the Bells superstitiously upon any abrogated Holidays, or the Eavens thereof? And whether is the Passing Bell tolled when any Christian body is sick and like to die, as it ought to be? And after the death of any, whether there be any superstitious ringing, superstitious burning of candles over the corpse in the day time, after it be light: Or praying for the dead at crosses, or places where crosses have been, in the way to the Church, or any other superstitious use of crosses, with towels, palms metwands, or other memories of Idolatries at burials, or superstitiously do go on Pilgrimages, or any places dedicated to our Lady, or any Saints, or otherwise?  
Item 42 Whether are you provided of a Parchment Book, in which have been and are written the names of all children, men, and women baptised, married, or buried within your parish contained in your former Register Book, and since the beginning of the Reign of the late Queen Elizabeth? And whether the day and year of every christening, wedding, and burial, which have been in your parish, hath been duly written in the book? And whether you have a sure coffer, with three locks and keys for the safe custody thereof? And whether are the names of all such so christened, married, or buried, transmitted yearly within this Diocese, to the Lord Archbishop or his Chancellor, to be preserved in the registry of the said Lord Archbishop, according to the seventieth Canon and Constitution Ecclesiastical?  
Item 43 Whether is there placed by your Register, two tables, containing the several rates and sums of all fees due to the judge and other Officers of your Court, one in the usual place or Consistory where the Court is kept, and the other in his Regestrie in such sort, as every man may come to view the same without difficulty? And whether your Chancellor, , or any other Officer or Minister, do exact or extort any greater fees or sums of money, then in the said Tables are contained and if so, let the same be expressed?  
Item 44 Whether are there, or have been since his Majesty's most happy reign over this Kingdom, within your Parish or Chappelrie any incestuous persons, adulterers or fornicators? Or since the 25. of September 1605. any Usurers, Drunkards, Swearers, or any other who are vehemently suspected or defamed of any such crime, and who be they?  
Jtem 45 Whether within your Parish or Chappelrie are there, or have been since his Majesties so happy reign, any persons having two wives, or any women two husbands, or any married within the degrees forbidden, or without Banes three several Sundays or Holidays first published, without lawful licence thereunto by such as have Episcopal authority, or any who have had carnal knowledge together before their marriage, or that are vehemently suspected thereof, and who they be?  
Jten, 46 Whether any within your Parish or Chappelry, not being licenced or dispensed withal, as aforesaid, have been married within the time by law prohibited, that is to say, between Advent Sunday, and the 13. day of january, being Hilary day, or between Septuagesima Sunday, and the Sunday next after Easter, or between the Sunday next before the Ascension day, and Trinity Sunday next ensuing? let their names be expressed, as well of the Minister so marrying any, as of the parties so married.  
Jtem 47 Whether have any been privately married together within your Parish, by any unknown Priest or Minister, or any who have not procured their children to be publicly baptised in your said Church or Chappel, according to Book of Common Prayer, and who they be?  
Jtem 48 Whether any within your Parish or Chappelry have harboured any women begotten with child forth of lawful Matrimony, & have suffered them to departed away unpunished? Or any who do harbour or relieve any obstinate Recusants or excommunicated persons, and what, and how many Recusants or persons excommunicate be there within your said Parish or Chappelrie, and how long have they so remained, and for what causes they were so excommunicate?  
Item 49 Whether any of your Parish do refuse to contribute towards the reparations of your Church or Chappel, or towards the provision of any necessary ornaments therein, or that refuse to pay your Curate or Parish Clerke his wages, or other usual duties, and who they be?  
Item 50 Whether the Churchwardens and Sidemen be chosen according to the 89. and 90. Canons; and during their time, have faithfully and dutifully discharged their office, and at or before their going out of the same, made a just account of their receipts and proceed to the use of the Church? And whether any part of your Church stock, or any other thing given to any godly public use be delivered to any, or otherwise employed, then appertaineth?  
Item 51 Whether your Parish Clerk be dutiful and diligent in attending the Minister, and of sufficiency to discharge his place or not?  
Item 52 Whether any within your Parish or Chappelrie, do occupy or intermeddle with the goods or cattles of any deceased person whatsoever, whose will, if any such be not lawfully approved, or dying Intestate, the Administration thereof not lawfully granted, and who they be?  
Jtem 53 Whether your , his Official or Depie, or any other exercising Ecclesiastical jurisdiction, within this Diocese in places exempt or not exempt, other than the Chancellor of the said Diocese, especially since the 25. of September 1605. have taken upon them to grant any licence for marriages within your parish? And how many licenses have been so granted, and what be the names of them that have been married by virtue of any such licence, and by what Minister have the same been celebrated?  
Item 54 Whether the said  or others, as aforesaid, have since the 25. day of September 1605. censured, or absolved any person or persons, which have by law incurred the sentence of Excommunication ipso facto, either for solemnising or being present at any marriages, the banes not asked, nor any lawful licence obtained, or for fight, quarrelling, or brawling, or drawing any weapon with purpose to strike in any Church or Church-yard?  
Item 55 Whether the said  or others, as aforesaid, have since the said 25. day of September 1605. granted any admissions for Curates, licences for Schoolmasters or Parish Clerks, sequestrations of vacant Benefices, by their supposed authority, and how many, and to whom, and what be their names?  
Jtem 56 Whether have they, or any of them, commuted any corporal punishment for any sum of money, and what be their names whose punishment have been commuted, for what offence, by whom, and for what sum of money, and how hath the said money been employed?  
And lastly, Whether is there within your said Parish or Chappelrie, any offendor or offenders in any other crime against the said Canons and Constitutions, and other Laws Ecclesiastical, not expressly contained in any of these Articles, whose reformation may be had by Ecclesiastical authority, and who, and what the same are?   
FINIS.