ARTICLES TO BE INQVIRED of by the CHURCH-WARDENS and Questmen of every Parish in the Lord Primates Visitation metropolitical.  
DUBLIN, Imprinted by the Society of Stationers, Printers to the Kings most excellent majesty. 1640.   

The form of the Oath to be taken by the Churchwardens and Questmen in every Parish in●●●diately before their presentmen●●  
you, and every of you shall swear, that you shall due inquiry and true presentment make according to the Articles given you in charge, of all such crimes, faults, and defaults, as have been committed in your Parish: And of all such persons, as are or have been vehemently suspected, or defamed to have committed any such crimes, faults, or defaults. You shall neither present any for hatred, malice, or any other sinister respect, nor spare any for fear, favour, or reward, but discharge your Consciences, as men fearing God, for the reformation of sin and wickedness, and the advancement of godliness and virtue. So help you God.   


I. Concerning Religion and Church-governement.  
INprimis. do you know any that do refuse to receive or approve the Articles of Religion agreed upon in the Convocation holden at Londen, Anno Domini 1562. and received here in the Convocation begun at Dublin, ●●o Domini 1634? or have you heard of any, who have traduced or ●●●n against the same?  
●. also do you know or have you heard of any person vnthin your ●●●ish, that doth aclowledge any manner of obedience or subiecti●●● be due to any foreign power in causes ecclesiastical? or that ●●●er by word or writing hath maintained, that the Kings power ●●●n this realm of Ireland and all other his dominions and ●●●ies is not the highest power under God, to whom all men by 〈◇〉 laws owe all loyalty and obedience; and to no other power ●●tentate upon earth?  
●. Are there in your Parish any, who have traduced or spoken ●●●nst the prescript form of Divine Service contained in the Book Common-Prayer? or against the form of consecrating and or●●ng our Bishops and other Ministers? or have maintained that 〈◇〉 Churches established under this government be not true Chur●●●, or one refuse to join with them in Christian profession?  
4. Is the Lords-day, and other holidays appointed by the orders of this Church duly kept and observed? And are any other holidays observed, beside those which are appointed by the book of Common-Prayer?   

II. Concerning Parish Churches and Ch●pp.  
5. Is your Parish Church or chapel kept in due separation; the windows well glazed, and the floozes kept p●●ne, no ●●●n? and is your Church-yard well and sufficiently s●●●●, 〈◇〉 intained with walls, rails or pales, as hath been heref●●●, 〈◇〉 accustomend?  
6. Have you in your said Church or chapel 〈◇〉 sit seat for the Minister to read Divine Service in, a decent Pulpit forth a comely Pulpit-Cloth and Cushion, a Font-stone with a cover, a fane Communion Table with a decent Carpet and a faire saith for the covering of the same, a Silver Cup with a cover, and a Stoop● or Flagon of Pewter( if not of purer mettall) for the celebration of the holy Communion?  
7. Have you in your Church or chapel two books of Common-prayer( one for the Minister, and another for the clerk) a B●●ble of the last Translation, the book of Canons agra● upon in th● Convocation begun at Dublin Auno 1634. and a Table of the degrees of Marriage prohibited by the laws of God:  
8. Have you a sure Coffer, with three locks and keys( where of one remaineth with the Minister, the other two with the Churchwardens) and a Parchment-booke therein to be kept ●●●th. eg●● string of every Christening, Wedding and burial within you Parish? And doth the Minister every Sabbathday, in the presence of the Church-wardens record in the said Book the wa●●● a surnames of all persons christened in the said Parish ●●●the● wi●● the names of all persons married or b●●ied the wo●ke 〈◇〉 ●●●ther with the day and year of every such Marriage, christening, and burial?  
9. Have you a strong Chest, with a hole in the upper pa●t thereof( having three Reyes, to be kept as aforesaid) fastened in the most covement place, that the Parishioners way put thereinto their alms for their poor neighbours?  
10 d'ye you know of any that hath  shed blood, or strike, or quar●●lled with any person in your Church or Church-yard?  
11. Are all monuments of idolatry and superstition a bolished in your Church or Church-yard? Hath there been any profane usage kept therein; either plays, feasts, banquet●, Church-Ales, or●nk●●gs, exposing any wears to sale, temporal Courts or Léet●, Lay●●ies, Musters, Commissions( other than for causes ecclesiastical) playing at Ball, or any other unséemly actions or misbehavior?   

III. Concerning Ministers.  
12. Is the bnfice within your Parish a Parsonage, Vicarage, or Prebend? who i● the Incumbent there? What tithes, Glebelands, or other rights or possessions are thereunto belonging? You are to bring a true note, or Terrier of the same into the Bishops Registry, there to be safely preserved?  
13. Doth your Person or Vicar keep his Manse-heuse, with all the buildings thereunto belonging in due reparation? Doth he reside, and keep hospitality therein? If not, where doth he reside? and how, and by whom is the charge supplied?  
14. Doth your Person, Vicar or Curate duly every Sunday, and holiday, and other times appointed do his dnty, in reading distinctly Divine Service, and( as occasion requireth) administing the Sacraments; according to the form prescribed in the book of Common-Prayer?  
15. Doth your Minister begin and end Divine Service at due an● convenient houres? and doth he examine and instruct the youth of th● Parish every Sunday in the catechism set forth in the book of Common-Prayer, for half an hour before Evening Praye●  
16. Doth he, for the fuller information of the people in the body of Christian Religion, divide the heads thereof into so many p●●●es there are sundays in the year? and in the hantling and ●●●●ning thereof doth he use such moderation, that he doth not ●unne in●o curious questions and unnecessary controversies, but shortly declare and confirm the doctrine proposed, and make application thereof to the behoof of the hearers?  
17. How many benefice or ecclesiastical promo●ions hath your Person or Vicar; and how far distant are they the one from the other? What chapels hath he to his Cures belonging? by what names are they called? and how and by whom are they served?  
18. Doth your Minister preach every Sunday in that Church where he is resident? and if not; do you know that he hath any just impediment for the same?  
19. Doth your Minister teach any vain opinions, Heresies, or Popish errors, disagreeing from the Articles of Religion generally received in the Churches of England and Ireland? And do you know, or have you heard any Preacher in the Pulpit particularly impugn or confute any doctrine delivered by any other Preacher in the same Church, or in any other near adjoining; or otherwise make any public opposition unto him? And have you acquainted the Bishop of the Diocese therewith?  
20. Doth your Minister, or Proprietary( if the bnfice be impropriate) allow a competent maintenance to the Curate, who supplieth that charge? and what doth he allow him? Is the Curate licenced by the Bishop? And how many Churches or chapels doth he serve in one day; and how far distant are they one from the other?  
21. Hath your Minister denied or neglected to visit the sick, or to Christen or bury any, when he hath been lawfully and conveniently required thereunto?  
22. Hath he married any in any other place, save in the face of the Church, and at any other time, then between the houres of eight and twelve in the forenoon?  
23. Doth your Minister give warning publicly in the Church at Morning Prayer the Sunday before the Communion is to be administered; to the end the Communicants may the better prepare themselves thereunto? or hath he admitted any known impenitent notorious offenders to the participation of the same? And doth he celebrate the holy Communion so often, that every Parishioner may receive thrice in the year at the least?  
24. Hath he admitted any to be married, or to be Godfather or Godmother at the baptism of any child, or to receive the holy Communion; before they can say the Articles of the belief, the Lords Prayer, and the Ten commandements in such a Language as they understand?  
25. Doth your Minister confer with Recusants within his Parish, to seek to recall them from their ignorance and errors? Is he of a good and sober conversation? Or otherwise doth he give himself to any base or servile labour, to playing at Dice, Cards or Tables, or any other game unbeséeming his function? Is he a common resorter to taverns or Alehouses, a great drinker, a simoniacal person, a known usurer, a quartellous or contentious person, or otherwise defamed? Doth he also go gravely and decently in his apparel; according as the Canons do prescribe?   

IIII. Concerning Cathedrall Churches, deans & Prebendaries.  
26. Whether the Cathedrall Church be in good repair? what ●ithes or rents do belong unto it? who is the yearly receiver thereof; and how is the same bestowed?  
27. Doth your dean reside in the Cathedrall Church fourscore and ten dayes at the least in every year? Hath he any house, or ground to build an house upon, belonging to his Church? and doth he keep good hospitality, during the time of his residence?  
28. do your dean and Prebendaries preach in their own persons( or by their substitutes, when they are lawfully absen● as often as by the ordinance and custom of their Church they are required? and in those other places and Churches also, whence they or the Cathedrall to which they belong do receive any yearly ●en●s or profits?  
29. Do the Prebendaries, after the daies of their ●es●ding in the Cathedrall( appointed by their local statutes or custome●) presently repair to their benefice; there to discharge their duties, according to the Law in that case provided?   

V. Concerning the Parishioners.  
30. Are there any in your Parish, who are suspe●●ed to be of no Religion, mere Atheists, not adhering to any Church? or any that do wilfully maintain and defend any heresy, error or opinion contrary to the Word of God? and have any gone about to seduce others from the truth of Religion taught & professed in our Church:  
31. Are there in your Parish any, who seem to profess the Faith and Religion of our Church, and formerly did frequent the Church and hear Divine service according to the Book of common-prayer, that do now refuse or neglect diligently to frequent their Parish Church, and there reverently and devoutly to attend Gods. Service, and receive the holy Communion thrice in the year at the least, as it is required? Especially, you are to present the names of those, who have not communicated at Easter last?  
32. Are there in your Parish any, that( in contempt of their own Parish-church) do resort any other Church or chapel?  
33. Are there in your Parish any, who upon the Sunday, or other allowed holidays, do use their manual labour? or any that Buy ●r Sell, or frequent taverns and Ale-houses in time of Di●●●e Service and preaching upon those dayes, and at those times?  
34. Is there in your Parish any, that hath disturbed or hindered the Minister in the time of Divine Service or Sermon, or other wise effended the people by walking, talking, laughing, or any other noise or clamour? Or that bring to the Church with them hawks with ●●ls, or ill nurtured children which cannot be kept quiet in their Seats without running up and down?  
35. Have there any Bastards or base begotten children been born, ●●are nursed within your Parish since the last Visitation? Present the names of the reputed Parents?  
36. Are there any in your Parish that live together as Man and Wife, and yet are vehemently suspected not so be married, or to ●●ve another Husband or Wife?  
37. Are there any in your Parish, who being under the government of their Parents or others, have made privy Contracts of Ma●●mony; not calling thereunto two or more witnesses, nor having the consent of their Parents, or such others under whose government they are?  
38. Are there any in your Parish married within the degrees prohibited? or without their Bannes thrice solemnly published in their Parish Church, upon three several sundays or holidays; ●r a licence first had from the Ordinary? or at any other time, then between the houres of eight and twelve in the forenoon?  
39. What married persons in your Parish have been divorced, and since married with others, for these three years last past? By whose sentence were they divorced; and by whose licence, and by whom were they so married? Declare your knowledge in the premises, and what you have credibly heard?  
40. Are there any in your Parish which are excommunicated? and how long have they stood so? Are there any who are reputed, or known to be common Drunkards, Swearers, Blasphemers, Incestuous persons, Adulterers, Fornicators, bawds, Per●●●ed persons, Extortioners, or Oppressors, Common scolds, Brawlers, Slanderers, Make = bates, Sowers of discord between party and parley, especially between Man and Wife? Or that have used Cha●●●es, spells, Sorcery or Witchcraft, or are guilty of any other notorious offence belonging to ecclesiastical cognisance, or are suspected 〈◇〉 defamed to be guilty of the same?  
41. Hath any person within your Parish contemner 〈…〉 by word or deed, any Minister of the Church?  
42. do any in your Parish deny or detain their pay●●●●●●●●ly ranted towards the reparation and furnishing of the Ch●●●●● 〈…〉 other necessary pious use?  
43. What persons in your Parish, having good or Chattels, have died since the last Visitation?  
44. Have any within your Parish meddled with the Goods or Chattels of parties deceased, without licence first had by le●t●s of administration or otherwise from the Ordinary?  
45. do you know in your Parish any Executors of the goods of persons deceased, that have detained any Orphans goods, or Legacies bequeathed or appointed for the repairing of Churches or highways, finding of poor Schollers, marrying of poor M●●dens, or such other charitable deeds; and not employed the said Goods or Legacies according to their authority given and charge e●●oyned.   

V, Concerning Parish-Clearks, Church-wardens, and whoremasters.  
16. Is your Parish-Clearke of competent age and ek●●l for the ●●●cuting of his office? Is he resident, and doth he diligently per●●me his duty in his own person? ●s he conformable to the Orders 〈◇〉 the Church, and of honest life and sober conversation?  
47. Were your Church-wardens and Side men duly chosen at the time, and after the manner appointed; namely upon Monday 〈◇〉 Tuesday in Easter week, by the joint consent of the Minister and Parishioners? or otherwise, the one by the Minister, and the ●●her by the Parishioners? And were they sworn the next Censi●●y day after their election before the Bishop or his chancel? Or 〈◇〉 there any so chosen, who have refused to undertake that Office?  
48. Have the former Church-wardens, at the going forth out of 〈◇〉 Office, given up a true account of what moneys they have re●●ved and disbursed? Have they brought in a Register of all Chri●●●ings, Marriages and burials, within the year of their office; ●●●t the same may faithfully be preserved in the Bishops Regestry?  
49. do the Church-wardens, with the advice and direction of the ●●●●ster, provide against every Communion a sufficient quantity 〈◇〉 fi●e white Bread, and of good and wholesome Wine, for the number of the Communicants that shall from time to time receive? And 〈◇〉 they perform all other duties as well in the Church as without, ●●●uired of them by the Canons and Constitutions of this Church?  
50. What whoremasters or ushers have you in your Parish, ●ho teach school either publicly or privately without Licence; 〈◇〉 by whom are they harboured?   

VII. Concerning ecclesiastical Courts and their Officers.  
51. Is your chancellor, Commissary, official, or Surr●gate ●●●sonably well practised in the course of the ecclesiastical and C●●ll laws; and such an one as is twenty si● yeares old at least, and ●●●ching whose life and conversation no evil report hath gone? And doth he give any yearly Rent, sum or sums of money, or other consideration for his exercising of the ecclesiastical Im●●e●●●●● to any person or persons whats●ever?  
52. Do such as exercise ecclesiastical jurisdiction deliver to the Churchwardens of every Parish such books of Articles as any of them shall require for the year following; to ground th●● presentiments upon, at such times as they are to exhibit them?  
53. Doth any ecclesiastical judge suffer any general Preces 〈◇〉 Quorum nomina to be sent out of his Count; wherein the ●●●●es o● all such as are thereby to be cited are not first entred by the hand o● the Register or his deputy? and are such Processes also names first subscribed by the judge or his deputy, & his seal affixed thereunto?  
54. Do you know any person appearing upon a ●●●ation, that hat● not been dismissed with his costs; if the next Court day a●●●● the●● have not been Articles or a libel put in against him? And der 〈◇〉 know of any, that hath been excommunicated upon the first citation?  
55. Hath any person executing ecclesiastical jurisdiction expedited any judicial Act, without the Register of the Court or his law full deputy, or( in their absence) in the presence of such perious as 〈◇〉 Law are thereunto allowed?  
56. Do you know or have heard of any exercising ecclesiastical Iutisdiction, that useth more then one seal, for the sealing of all matters incident to his Office?  
57. Do those that exercise ecclesiastical jurisdiction appoint suc● meet places for the keeping of their Courts( by the assignment o● approbation of the Bishop of the Diocese) as shall be convement for entertainment of those who are to make their appearance there, and most indifferent for their travel? And do they keep and end their Courts in such convenient time, as every man may return homeward, in as due season as may be?  
58. Hath any judge ecclesiastical, or his Surrogate yeèlded 〈◇〉 〈◇〉 probation of any Testament, or to the granting of an Admini●●tion of the good●s of any person dying intestate; before the Execu●●●● or suitor for such administration hath first in his own person( and 〈◇〉 by Proctor) taken the Oath accustomend in these cases?  
59. Do you know or have you heard, that any Register or his de●●●y hath received any certificate without the consent of the judge ●●●e Court? or willingly omitted to cause any persons( cited to ●●●●are upon any Court day) to be called? or unduly deferred the ●●●●mation of witnesses to bee examined by a day assigned by the ●●age? or hath falsified any acts or records; or hath done any other ●●●ng whereby the judge of the Court or his proceeding may be de●●●ed?  
60. Do you know or have you heard, that any Proctor doth retain ●●●●es without lawful assignment of the parties? or doth refuse to 〈◇〉 the Oath De Calumnia, wheresoever in the svit the same shall ●●●dred before sentence?  
61. Hath any Apparitor cited any within your Parish to appear 〈◇〉 any ecclesiastical Court without lawful process? Or hath mole●●● any without just cause and ground; upon bare suspicion, without ●●●entment made or public same preceding? Hath he exacted more ●●●ess then his due? Or hath he taken Bribes to defeat the Court, and ●●●lease any delinquents?  
62. Hath any Officer or Substitute in any ecclesiastical Court ●●dulently delayed or betrayed any cause brought before them? or ●●●●ed more fees then were due? or have taken any Bribes or Mo●●● under-hand, to wink at, and to suffer offences to escape unpuni●ed?  
63. Is there in your Parish any other matter or cause of the Cognizance of the Church, above not expressed, worthy presentment in your iugdement? If any such matter or cause there be; you are charged likewise to present the same, as you are the rest, by virtue of your Oath?  
FINIS.