ARTICLES OF VISITATION & ENQVIRY Concerning Matters ECCLESIASTICAL, Exhibited to the Ministers, Churchwardens, and Sidemen, Of the DIOCESE of Bath and Wells, At the Triennial Visitation of the Right Reverend Father in GOD, PETER, Lord Bishop of that Diocese, Anno Dom. 16 Printed in the Year 1679. YOU shall swear, That you shall well and truly execute the Office of a Churchwarden. And that upon due Consideration had of these Articles given you in charge, you shall diligenty Inquire, and make true Presentment, so far as by Law you ought, of every Person inhabiting or resident within your Parish, who hath committed any Offence, or omitted any Duty therein mentioned enquirable into, or punishable by the Ecclesiastical Laws of this Kingdom: And this you shall do as in the sight of God, uprightly and truly, without favour or malice, hope of reward, or fear of displeasure. So help you God. ARTICLES OF VISITATION & ENQUIRY Within the DIOCESE of BATH and WELLS. TIT. I. Concerning Churches and Chapels, with the Ornaments and Furniture thereunto belonging. IS your Parish Church or Chappel kept in good and sufficient repair? Canon 85. Are the Roofs thereof well covered with Lead, Tile, or Slat; the Windows well glazed, the Floors well paid, the Seats well fastened, and conveniently placed, and all things so decently ordered as becometh the House of God? II. Hath the Steeple or Tower of your Church or Chappel, or any part thereof, been pulled down, or any of the Lead, or Bells, formerly belonging thereunto, been embezzled, sold, or made away? In whose hands or custody doth the same, or part thereof, remain? Declare what you know or have heard herein. III. Is there a Font of Stone, Injunct. Eliz with a good Cover thereunto, standing in a convenient place toward the lower part of your Church, for the Administration of Baptism? And is there in your Chancel a decent Communion-Table for the Administration of the Lords Supper, with a Carpet of Silk, Can. 81. Can. 82. Stuff, or fine Woollen Cloth; and another covering of white and pure Linen to spread thereupon? Rub. Com. Can. 20. And have you a fair Communion Cup or Chalice, with a cover of Silver; and one or more Flagons of Silver or Pewter thereunto belonging? iv Can. 82. Have you in your Church or Chappel a convenient Seat or Pew for your Minister to read Divine Service in, a Pulpit with a comely Cloth or Cussion for the same, a Bible of the last Translation in a large Volume, Can. 83. and two Books of Common Prayer established by Act of Parliament Anno 1662. Can. 8●. well and substantially bound? Have you likewise the Book of Homilies set forth by Authority, a Book of Canons and Constitutions Ecclesiastical, and a printed Table of such Degrees wherein Marriage is prohibited? V Can. ●●. Have you a comely large Surplice for the Minister to wear at all times of his public Ministration in the Church, provided, and to be duly washed at the charge of the Parish? VI Can. 72. Have you a Register Book of Parchment, wherein to Register the Names, and Surnames of all such Persons as are Married, Christened or Buried within your Parish; together with the Names and Surnames of both the Parents of the Children that are Christened, expressing the Day, Month, and Year of all such Christen, Marriages, and Burials? And is the Transcript thereof yearly within one month next after the 23 of March brought into the Bishop's Registry? VII. Can. 52. Can. 85. Have you likewise another Book of Paper, wherein to record the Names and Licences of all such Strangers as are at any time admitted to Preach in your Church or Chappel? As also a third Book, wherein to write down the Churchwardens Accounts; together with a strong Chest with Locks and Keys, Can. 89. wherein to keep the aforesaid Books, and all other the aforementioned Furniture in safe custody? And lastly, have you a Bier with a black Hearse cloth for the Burial of the dead? TIT. II. Concerning the Churchyard, the Houses, Glebe and Tithes belonging to the Church. I. Can. 83. IS your Churchyard sufficiently fenced with Walls, Rails, or Pales, and decently kept from the annoyance of Swine, Horses, and other Cattle, or any other abuse whatsoever? Hath any person encroached upon the same, or made any door into it out of his own ground or habitation without allowance from the Ordinary? Have any Trees there growing been cut down, how long since, by whom, to whose use and benefit? II. Is the House of your Parson, Vicar, or Curate, with all the Outhouses thereunto belonging, kept in good and sufficient repair, or have any of the said Houses or Outhouses been defaced or pulled down without Licence from the Ordinary, and by whom? Hath any Person encroached upon any Garden, Yard or Close, belonging to your Parsonage or Vicarage-house, or cut up any Trees growing thereon, or changed or removed the ancient Marks and Bounds of the same? Declare what you know, or have credibly heard thereof. III. Have you a true and perfect Terrier of all the Glebe-lands, Gardens, Orchards, Can. 87. Tenements or Cottages belonging to your Parsonage or Vicarage; as also a note of such Pensions, Rate-tithes, or portions of tithes, or other yearly profits either within or without your Parishes, as belong thereunto? Hath any of the same been withheld from your Minister, and by whom, as you know, or have heard? iv Have any of the ancient Glebe-lands belonging to your Parsonage or Vicarage been taken away, or exchanged for other, without the free consent of the Incumbent, and Patron, and Licence from the Ordinary? TIT. III. Concerning Ministers. I. IS your Minister a Priest, Act Unifor. Injunct. Episcopally ordained according to the Laws of England? II. Is he defamed or suspected to have obtained either his Benefice or Orders by any Simoniacal compact? Eliz. 26. III. Hath he been legally Instituted and Inducted into his Benefice? 13 Eliz. cap. 12. and did he within two Months after his Induction publicly in the Church, upon some Sunday or Holiday, in the time of Divine Service, read the 39 Articles of the Church of England, established by Authority, Act Unifor. and there publicly declare his assent thereunto? And hath he likewise read the Declaration enjoined by the Act of Uniformity? iv Hath he any other Ecclesiastical Benefice, 14 Caroli 2. Prebend or Dignity? Is he constantly resident upon his Benefice amongst you? How many weeks in one year hath he been absent from you without urgent necessity? V Hath your Minister a Curate to assist him? Is the said Curate in Holy Orders, an able and discreet Person, and conformable to the Laws and Orders of the Church of England? Is he allowed by the Bishop to serve in your Church or Chappel? and doth he serve in any other Church besides? And what yearly Stipend doth your Minister allow him? VI Can. 14.21.68. Rub. Matr. Visitat. Burial. Comminat. Doth your Parson, Vicar, or Curate, in reading the Morning and Evening Service, Administration of the holy Sacraments, Celebration of Marriage, Churching of Women after Childbirth, Visitation of the Sick, Barial of the Dead, and pronouncing God's Commination against Impenitent Sinners, use the form and words prescribed in the Book of Common-prayer, without any addition, omission, or alteration of the same? And doth he use all such Rites and Ceremonies in all parts of Divine Service, as are appointed in the said Book, so far as you have observed? VII. Can. 58. Rub. Doth your Minister at the reading or celebrating any Divine Office wear the Surplice, together with such other Scholastical Habit as is suitable to his Degree? VIII. Can. 64. Rub. Com. Pr. Injuct. Eliz. 19 Doth he observe the holidays, and Fasting-days, as also the Ember Weeks, and the yearly Perambulation in Rogation Week, as in the Common-Prayer-Book, or by the Ecclesiastical Canons is appointed, giving notice to the Parishioners of every of the same, in the Church in the time of Divine Service, upon the Sunday next before? IX. Can. 48, 49. Rub. Com. Can. 45, 46. Hath your Ministor been Licenced to Preach by the Bishop, or either of the two Universities? If so, doth he then constantly (unless in case of Sickness, necessary absence, or other reasonable impediment) himself Preach in your Church or Chappel one Sermon every Sunday? Or if he be not a licenced Preacher, or being so licenced, be hindered by Sickness, or otherwise as aforesaid, doth he procure a Sermon to be Preached by some other Minister, a licenced Preacher? Or is one of the Homilies set forth by Authority, there read by a Priest on Deacon lawfully ordained? X. Can, 59.61. Can. 66. Injuct. Eliz. 44. Doth your Minister diligently instruct the Youth of your Parish in the Church-Catechism, and doth he prepare and present them being so instructed, to be confirmed by the Bishop? And doth he endeavour to reclaim all Popish Recusants, and Sectaries (if any such be inhabiting within your Parish) to the true Religion established in the Church of England, and to their bounden Duty in obeying the Laws, and submitting to the Government thereof? XI. Doth he neglect to visit the Sick, Can. 67, 68, 69. Rub. Com. Pra. Can. 29. or delay the Baptism of any Infant that is in danger of death? Is there any Child in your parish past Infancy, or other Person of more years through your Minister's default yet remaining unbaptised? Doth he baptise any without Godfathers and Godmothers, or admit either of the Parents to be Godfather or Godmother to their own Children? XII. Doth he in his Sermons at any time (as you know or have heard) Preach any False, Heretical, 13. Eliz. 12. Injunct. Eliz. 31. Seditious or Schismatical Doctrine, thereby to seduce the People into parties and factions, to the disturbance of the public Peace, and Unity of the Church or State? XIII. Hath he presumed to Marry any Persons in Private Houses, or such as being under age, Can. 16. Rub. Mat. have not the consent of their Parents, or without the Banes first published on three Sundays or holidays in the Church, unless he had Licence or Dispensation so to do, or at any other hours then between Eight and Twelve in the Morning, who are the Persons so Married, and when were they so Married? XIV. Doth any person Preach in your Parish as a Lecturer? Act. Uniform. Hath he allowance from the Bishop for so doing? Doth he before his Lecture read Divine Service, according to the Book of Common Prayer, and is he in all respects conformable to the Laws and Orders of the Church of England? XV. Can. 72, 75 Hath your Minister taken upon him to appoint any public or private Fasts, Prophecying or Exercises, not appointed by Authority, or doth he or any other, either Minister or Lay person, hold any Conventicles or meetings in private Houses within your Parish for people of several Families to resort unto, under the pretence of Preaching, Praying, Thanksgiving or Humiliation, contrary to the Laws and Canons in that case provided? XVI. Is your Parson Vicar, Can. 75. Curate or Lecturer a man of sober, unblamable, and exemplary life? Doth he familiarly converse with ungodly, vicious, excommunicate persons, otherwise then to instruct or reform them? Is he a frequenter of Taverns or Alehouses, a common Gamester, a profane or obscene Jester, Swearer, a Railer, Scoffer, or Quarrel? Doth he set neighbours at variance one with another? or encourage them to suits and contention? Is he noted to be an intemperate Drinker, or vehemently suspected of Incontinence with any person, either within your Parish or without? Is his Apparel grave and decent both for fashion and colour, as the Canons of the Church require? Or is his carriage and conversation in any kind whatsoever disorderly or scandalous, and unbeseeming a Minister of Jesus Christ? XVII. Hath any person presumed to execute the Office of a Priest or a Deacon in your Parish-Church, and to say, read or celebrate Divine Service there, Act Unifor. or to serve the Cure of your Parish, not being a Deacon, or to do any other Ministerial Office in your Church belonging to a Priest or Deacon? If so, you are to present what his name is, where he dwelleth, and how oft he hath offended therein. XVIII. Doth your Minister use before his Sermon to Pray for the King's Majesty, King Charles, His Royal Consort Queen Catharine, Can. 55. James Duke of York, and the Royal Progeny, giving unto His Majesty such Style and Title of Supreme Governor in all Causes, and over all Persons, as well Ecclesiastical as Temporal, as are due unto His Majesty? Act. Uniform. Hath your Parson, Vicar, Curate, or Lecturer a Certificate under the Hand and Seal of the Archbishop, Bishop; or Ordinary, of his Subscription to the Declaration appointed by the Act of Uniformity, and hath he publicly and openly read the same, together with the Declaration upon some Lord's day within three months after the date of the said Certificate, in your Parish Church, in the presence of the Congregation in time of Divine Service? TIT. IU. Concerning the Parishioners. I. Can. 110. IS there in your Parish any person, reputed Heretic or Schismatic, any Papist, Familist, Anabaptist, Quaker, or other Sectary, that refuse to come into the public Assemblies, Prayers, Services of the Church, or that make profession of any other Religion than that is established in the Church of England: And if there be any such what are their Names? II. Is there any person in your Parish, on whom there is a common Fame, or vehement suspicion of Adultery, Can. 109. Fornication or Incest committed by him or her? Are there any common Drunkards within your Parish, or common Swearers, or Blasphemers of God's name, or any that are noted to be unclean, lewd or obscene Talkers, or such who are sowers of Sedition, Faction, and Discord amongst their neighbours? III. Injunct. Eliz. 34. Do any of your Parish upon Sundays or Holy days follow their bodily and ordinary labour, or permit their Servants so to do? Are any Shops kept open, or Wares sold? Or do any Vintners, Inn, keepers, or other Victuallers and sellers of Beer, Ale, or Cider, suffer any person to tipple or game in their houses on those days? iv Injunct. Eliz. 33. 1 Eliz. 12. Injunct. Eliz. 46. Injunct. Eliz, 52. Doth every person inhabiting or sojourning within your Parish, duly resort unto your Church or Chappel, upon every Sunday and Holiday to Divine Service? Do they then and there abide quietly, with reverence, order, and decency, during all the whole time of Common-Prayer or Preaching? And are there any among you that come only to the Sermon, and not to the Common Prayers of the Church? V Rub. Ba. Are there any in your Parish that refuse to send their Infant-childrens to be baptised publicly in the Church, unless in case of urgent danger, in which case the Child may be baptised at home by a lawful Minister, after the form and rites appointed in the Liturgy? Or do they send them to be baptised in any other Parishes, or after other form than is appointed? Or do they keep them unbaptised any longer time than the Church alloweth? And are there any Infants, or more aged persons in your Parish, yet unbaptised, or any that have been privately baptised, that are not afterward brought to the Church as is appointed? VI Do all Householders in your Parish, Can. 50. cause their children and servants to learn their Catechism, and to give an account thereof unto your Minister, as he shall require it of them openly in Church upon Sundays and Holidays, as in the Book of Common-Prayer is appointed, that when they are well instructed in the same, they may be confirmed by the Bishop? VII. Is there any person in your Parish who being sixteen years of age, Can. 1.21. Rub. Can. Rub. Fra. and well instructed in Religion, doth not receive the Sacrament of the Lords Supper at least three times in the year, of which Easter is always to be one? Doth any in your Parish refuse to receive the same kneeling, or from the hands of your own Minister, repairing for it to other Parishes and Ministers abroad? Or are there any strangers not of your parish, that forsake their own Churches, and usually repair to yours for it? VIII. Have you any among you that be denounced and declared excommunicated for any crime committed? Can. 65. How long have they been so excommunicated? And do any of your parish keep society with them before they be reconciled to the Church and absolved? IX. Are there any living in your parish as Man and Wife, Can. 99 who are within the degrees prohibited? Or any that being lawfully divorced have married again? Or any that being lawfully married, and not separated or divorced by course of Law, do not cohabit together. X. Are there any married Women in your Parish, Rub. who after their Delivery from the peril of Childbirth, refuse to make their public Thanksgiving to God in the Church, in such manner, as by the Law and Book of Common-Prayer is required? XI. Are there any belonging to your Parish, Rub. Com. Act Unifor. who refuse to pay their Duty for Easter Offerings to your Minister, or any that refuse to pay the Rate Assessed upon them for the repair of your Church or Chappel, and for the providing of Bread and Wine for the Communion, and such Books, Furniture and Ornaments as be requisite for the performance of all Divine Offices there? Can. 81.82. And what is each persons particular Rate who refuseth so to pay? XII. Do any refuse to bury their Dead according to the Rites of the Church of England? Rub. Com. And are there any Wills or Testaments of Persons dead in your Parish that yet be unproved; or any Goods Administered without a due Grant from the Ordinary? Can. 92. Did any dying in your parish, or elsewhere, leave any legacy to your Church or Chappel, or to the use of the Poor, or to any other Pious and Charitable purposes; what were those Legacies, and how have they been bestowed? XIII. Is there any strife and contention among any of your Parish for their Pews or Seats in your Church? Have any new Pews been erected in your Chancel, or in the Body of your Church or Chappel, without leave from the Ordinary? XIV. Is the Fifth Day of November observed and kept in your Parish? and also the Thirtieth of January, and the Nine and Twentieth day of May, every of them yearly according to the several Acts of Parliament, and in such form, as by public Authority is appointed for the same? XV. Are there any in your Parish who have depraved, Can. 4.6. vilified, or spoken against the Book of Common-Prayer now established in the Church of England, or any part thereof, or against the Government of the Church under His Majesty, by Archbishops, Bishops, and other Ecclesiastical Officers, or have spoken disgracefully of the Courts Ecclesiastical? XVI. Do you know of any that have abused the Churchwardens of your Parish, or given them evil words for executing their Office, or to dishearten and deter them from executing it as by Oath and Duty they are bound? TIT. V. Concerning Parish Clarks and Sextons. I. HAve you belonging to your Church or Chappel a Parish Clark, Can. 91. aged one and twenty years at the least? Is he of honest Life and Conversation, and sufficient and able to perform his duty in Reading, Writing, and Singing? Is he chosen by your Minister, and doth he duly attend him in all Divine Offices? Are his due Wages justly paid unto him? Or who withholdeth the same from him? II. Doth he or your Sexton (if there be any such appointed in your Parish) diligently look to the Doors of your Church that they be locked and opened at due time? Can. 97. And doth he keep your Church or Chappel clean from Dust, Cobwebs, and other annoyance? Doth he Toll or Ring the Bells at the due accustomed hours before the beginning of Divine Service, Morning and Evening, that the People may be warned to come unto the Church? And when any person is passing out of this life, doth he (upon notice given him thereof) Toll a Bell as hath been accustomed, that the Neighbours may thereby be warned to recommend the dying person to the grace and favour of Almighty God? TIT. VI Concerning Hospitals, Schools, Schoolmasters, Physicians, Chirurgeons and Midwives. I. IS there in your Parish any Hospital, Alms-house, or Free-School, not of the King's Foundation or Patronage? Who was the Founder, or is now the Patron thereof? And what is the yearly Revenue, or Stipend, belonging to the Governors or Masters of the same? Is the same ordered and governed in every respect as it ought to be? And are the Revenues thereof rightly employed, according to the intention of the Founder, and of such Grants and Ordinances as have been made concerning the same? II. Doth any man keep a public or private School in your Parish, or is there any Tutor or Schoolmaster in any private Family, who is not allowed thereunto by the Ordinary? Doth he teach his Scholars the Catechism of Religion, set forth by Authority? Doth he himself repair, and also cause his Scholars upon Sundays and holidays orderly to repair to your Church or Chappel, and see that they behave themselves quietly and reverently during the time of Divine Service and Sermon? III. Doth any in your Parish practice Physic or Chirurgery? or any Woman take upon her the Office of a Midwife, without Licence from the Ordinary? Queries to be put to the Ministers. TIT. VII. Concerning the Churchwardens and Sidemen. I. ARe the Churchwardens of your Parish yearly and duly chosen? Can. 69. II. Have the former and last Churchwardens given up their due Accounts to the Parish, Can. 89. and delivered up to the succeeding Churchwardens the Moneys remaining in their hand, together with all other things belonging to your Church or Chappel? III. Doth the Churchwardens and Sidemen take diligent care, 1 Eliz. 2. and see who of your Parishioners are absent from the Divine Service and Sermon in your Church or Chappel, upon Sundays and holidays? And if they find any to have absented themselves without a sufficient cause, do they, by Warrant from some of the Justices of the Peace, Levy of them by way of Distress upon their Goods the Sum of Twelve Pence for every such day of their absence, according to the Act of Parliament in that case provided? And do they distribute the several Sums so levied among the Poor of your Parish according to the Law? iv Do they note them that come late to Church after Divine Service is begun, Can. 90. 19●. or departed before it be ended? Do they suffer none to stand idle, or talk together in the Church-porch, or to walk in the Church or Church-yard, during the time of Prayers, Preaching, and Sacred Offices? V Do they suffer any misbehaviour, Can. 18. or disorder to be done by Men, Women, or Children, in your Church or Chappel? Are they careful that none of them sit, lean, or lay their Hats upon the Communion-Table? Do they permit any Dogs, or Hawks, to be brought or come into your Church to the disturbance of the Congregation? VI Do they against every Communion appointed in your Church or Chappel, Rub. Can. 20. provide a sufficient quantity of sine White Bread, and good Wine, according to the Number of Communicants? VII. Do they cause all Strangers that Preach in your Church, Can. 5●. or Chapel, to subscribe their Names the same day in a Book provided for that purpose, together with the Name of the Bishop that Licenced them to Preach in this Diocese? And do they permit no other to Preach? VIII. Have they (the Churchwardens and Sidemen) now Sworn to give in a true answer unto all these Articles of Inquiry in all their several Titles, Can. 219. taken sufficient time to draw up their Presentments, and therein consulted with you their Minister for your faithful assistance? You the Churchwardens are duly to consider these Articles, and well and faithfully to perform your duty in all the Premises, and to consult with your Minister (as the case requires) for his assistance to you in making your Presentments thereupon. For know you assuredly, that as the true discharging of your Office, is the chief means whereby public Disorders, Sins and Offences in your Parish may be reform and punished: so if you wilful refuse to present such crimes and faults, as either you know to have been committed, or otherwise have heard of by public fame; that in such cases, the Ordinary and his Officers are to proceed against you in their Ecclesiastical Courts, as in case of wilful omission and perjury. The Ministers of every parish are desired to give in the Names of such of their younger sort in their several Parishes, as they judge fit to receive Confirmation from the Bishop, and to present them to be Confirmed; especially such as, having competently learned their Catechism, have not yet received the Holy Communion. FINIS.