ARTICLES OF ENQUIRY CONCERNING Matters Ecclesiastical Within the DIOCESE of CHESTER, IN THE Primary EPISCOPAL VISITATION OF THE Right Reverend Father in God JOHN Lord Bishop of CHESTER, Anno Dom. 1674.  
LONDON, Printed for JOH. WILLIAMS Junior, M.DC.LXXIV.   

The Tenor of the Oath to be Tendered to the Churchwardens and Sidemen.  
YOU shall Swear, diligently to inquire, and true Presentment make, of all Defaults and Offences against the Laws Ecclesiastical of this Realm. In which you are to take Direction from these Articles. And that you will not Present any Person out of Malice or Illwill, nor spare any out of Fear or Favour. So help you God.   

ARTICLES OF ENQUIRY Within the DIOCESE of CHESTER.  

TIT. I. Concerning Churches or Chapels, with the Ornaments, Furniture and Possessions belonging to them.  
I. IS the Fabric of your Church (or Chapel) with all things appertaining to it, kept in good repair within and without, in such order and decency, as becometh the House of God?  
II. IS there in the Church (or Chapel) a Font of Stone standing in the usual ancient place, with a Cover to it, for the Administration of Baptism? Is there also a convenient Communion Table, with a fair Carpet of Silk, or other decent stuff, in the time of Divine Service; and with a fair Linen Cloth at the time of Administering the Sacrament? What Cup, Chalice, Patin or Flagons, have you belonging to that Service?  
III. HAVE you in your Church (or Chapel) a convenient seat for the Minister to read Divine Service in? And a Pulpit with a decent Cloth or Cushion for the same?  
IU. HAVE you a large Folio Bible of the last Translation, with two Books of Common Prayer well bound, one for the Minister, the other for the Clerk? Have you the Book of Homilies set forth by Authority, the Book of Canons, and the Table of Degrees prohibited in Marriage?  
V HAVE you a Register-Book of Parchment for all who are Christened, Married or Buried in the Parish? Doth your Minister every Lordsday in the Presence of your Churchwardens set down the Names of Parties, with the Day, Month, and Year of each Christening, Marriage, or Burial? Is the Transcripts thereof every Year, within one Month after the Twenty fifth of March, carried into the Bishop's Registry?  
VI HAVE you a Paper-Book in which the Names of Strangers who preach or officiate in the Church (or Chapel) are set down; and another Book for the Churchwardens Accounts?  
VII. HAVE you a fair Surplice for the Minister to wear at the times of his public Ministration provided at the Charge of the Parish?  
VIII. HAVE you a Chest with three Locks and Keys to keep the Books and Ornaments of the Church? Have you a Bier with a black Hearse-cloth for the Burial of the Dead?  
IX. IS the Churchyard sufficiently fenced with Walls, Pales, or Rails, and decently kept from all Annoyance or Encroachments? Are the Trees therein preserved?  
X. IS the Mansion-House of your Minister, with all other Houses thereto belonging, kept in good repair? Have any of them been pulled down, or defaced? Have any Encroached upon the Land thereto belonging, or felled the Trees thereon growing?  
XI. HAVE you a perfect Terrier of all Glebe-Lands, Gardens, Orchards and Tenements belonging to your Parsonage or Vicarage; as also an Account of such Pensions, Rate-Tyths, and Portions of Tithes, or other yearly Profits (either within or without the Parish) as belong thereunto? Have any of the same been withheld from your Minister? And by whom, as you know, or have heard?  
XII. 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 Licence from the Ordinary? Have any Enclosures been made in your Parish, to the detriment of the Church, by the decay of Tillage, and converting Arable-Land into Pasture? By whom hath the same been made? And how many years since? and how much is your Parsonage or Vicarage damnified thereby in the yearly value thereof; as you know, believe or have heard?  
XIII. HAVE any new Pews or Seats been erected in your Chancel or in the Body of the Church (or Chapel) without leave from the Ordinary?   

TIT. II. Concerning Ministers.  
I. IS your Minister, Curate, or Lecturer, Episcopally Ordained?  
II. HATH he been Licenced to Preach by the Bishop or either of the Universities?  
III. IS he defamed or suspected to have obtained his Orders or Benefice by any Simoniacal Compact?  
iv DOTH your Minister diligently read Divine Service, and preach every Lordsday in the Church, unless hindered by sickness, or reasonable absence? And in such cases doth, he procure some lawful Minister to read Prayers, to Preach, and perform other Ministerial Duties?  
V DOTH your Minister in the Morning and Evening Service, in the Administration of the Sacraments, and in performing other Religious Offices appointed by the Church of England, use the respective Forms in the Book of Common Prayer, together with all those Rites and Ceremonies which are enjoined in this Church? And doth he make use of the Surplice when he reads Divine Service, or Administers the Sacraments.  
VI DOTH your Minister diligently Catechise the Youth of his Parish? Doth he prepare and procure them (as occasion is offered) to come and be confirmed by the Bishop? And doth he endeavour to reclaim all Popish Recusants, and all Sectaries in your Parish, to the true Religion and Worship of God, as it is established by Law?  
VII. IS your Minister a man of a sober, unblamable and exemplary life? Is he grave, modest, and regular in his outward demeanour and apparel, according to the Constitutions of the Church? Or is his carriage, conversation, or company in any kind whatsoever disorderly, or scandalous, and unbeséeming his Calling and Charge?  
VIII. IS your Minister ready to visit the Sick, and to Baptise Infants in danger of death, being so desired? Is any Infant or more aged person in the Parish yet Unbaptised by his default? Doth he duly Administer the Blessed Sacrament of the Lords Supper, Three times every year, at the least, whereof Easter to be one? Doth he baptise with Sureties?  
IX. DOTH your Minister Marry any persons at uncanonical Hours, not between eight and twelve, or in private, or such as are under Age, not having the Consent of their Parents and Guardians? Doth he Mary any either without Banes first published Three Sundays or Holidays in the Church; or without Licence so to do; or with the Licence of any other than the Archbishop, Bishop of this Diocese, or his Chancellor?  
X. DOTH your Minister duly bid and observe Holidays and Fasting-days, as is appointed? And doth he then use the Forms of Prayer prescribed by the Church? Hath he taken upon him to appoint any private Fasts, or Religious Exercises without lawful Authority? Doth he or any other Minister or Lay-person in your Parish hold any unlawful Conventicles, or Meetings, under pretence of any exercise of Religion?  
XI. IS your Minister constantly Resident among you? Hath he a Curate conforming to assist him in his absence or presence? Doth he carry himself in all things, as an able and discreet Minister, and conformable to the Church of England? Doth he serve any more Cures besides that of your Parish, on the same day? what is the name of your Curate, and what yearly Stipend doth your Minister allow him?  
XII. IS there in your Parish any Lecturer; what is his name? Doth he read Divine Service before his Lecture, as by Law is required; and is he Conformable to the Discipline of the Church of England?   

TIT. III. Concerning Parishioners.  
I. ARE there any in your Parish who are reputed Heretics or Schismatics refusing Communion with the Church of England? Any impugners of the Religion established, of his Majesty's Supremacy or of any the Laws, Rites, and Ceremonies Ecclesiastical? Have any spoken or declared any thing in derogation, or to the depraving of the Form of God's Worship in the Church of England, and Administration of the Sacraments, Rites and Ceremonies prescribed in the Book of Common-Prayer as it is now established by Law?  
II. ARE there any in your Parish, who lie under a common fame, or vehement suspicion of Adultery, Fornication or Incest? Are there any common Drunkards, Swearers or Blasphemers of Gods holy Name and Word?  
III. ARE there any Excommunicate persons, or any who countenance, or keep company with them?  
iv DO any of your Parish profane the Lordsday by neglecting of public Holy Duties, or by doing the works of their ordinary Calling, or using unlawful Recreations, or permitting their Children or Servants so to do? Do they duly observe other Holidays, Festivals and Fasts appointed by Authority.  
V DO all those who inhabit in your Parish duly resort to your Church (or Chapel) and continue there during Divine Service, Sermon, and other Holy Duties, with that Reverence, Order, and Decency, as befits devout Christians? Or, have any occasioned Riot, Clamour or Fight in the Church at any time? Are there any Recusant Papists, or Sectaries in your Parish? Do they, or any of them keep any Schoolmaster in their House which cometh not to Church to hear Divine Service, and receive the Holy Communion?  
VI ARE there any in your Parish who refuse to have their Infant-childrens Baptised by your Minister? Or do they keep them unbaptised longer than the Church allows? And what Infants, or more aged persons, are there in your Parish unbaptised.  
VII. DO all your Householders duly send their children Apprentices and Servants to be chatechized? And do they take care (when occasion is offered) they should be confirmed by the Bishop?  
VIII. IS there any person in your Parish being Sixteen years of age, who refuseth to receive the Blessed Sacrament of the Lords Supper, at least three times every Year? whereof Easter to be one? And do all receive this Sacred Mystery with that outward gesture of Humility and Reverence as becomes them, meekly kneeling upon their Knees?  
IX. ARE there any in your Parish who are known or suspected to be unlawfully Married, contrary to the Laws of God and this Church? Are there any (who being lawfully Married and never divorced) do yet live asunder? Or any who being lawfully Divorced, do live together again? Or being separated for Adultery, have afterwards Enter-married with any other, during the life of their First Consort?  
X. ARE there any Married Women in your Parish who after their safe Delivery from Child birth, neglect to make their humble and public Thanksgivings to God, decently apparelled, according to the appointment of the Church? Or refuse to pay the Offerings according to custom.  
XI. ARE there any of your Parish who refuse to pay their Easter Offerings, and other Duties to your Minister? Or to pay the Rates assessed on them, for the Repair and provisions of the Church?  
XII. DO you know, or have you heard of any Patron, or other person in your Parish, who having the gift of an Ecclesiastical Benefice, hath made gain thereby upon any Bargain, either for Money, Pension, Lease, Reserve of Tithes, or Glebe, or other Simoniacal Compact whatsoever?  
XIII. DO any among you refuse to Bury their Dead, according to the Rites of the Church of England? Are there any Wills of Deceased persons unproved, or Goods not administered? Do you know of any Legacies given to your Church, not yet received by you, or detained from you, or not applied to the uses appointed?   

TIT. IU. Concerning the Officers belonging to the Church.  
I. ARE the Churchwardens of your Parish, yearly chosen according to Law? And are there Sidemen appointed to assist them, for the due ordering of the Church?  
II. HAVE the former and last Churchwardens given up their Accounts to those that succeed them, together with all moneys and other things belonging to your Church (or Chapel?)  
III. HAVE you a Parish Clark, aged one and twenty years at least, who is of sober life and good report? Is he chosen by your Minister, and approved by the Parish; and is he able for Reading, Writing, and Singing as a Clerk? Are his Wages duly paid him?  
iv DOTH he or your Sexton take care of your Church, to keep it locked, and clean, to open the Doors, and ring the Bells in due times to call the Inhabitants to the Worship of God? Also to admonish them by Tolling of a Passing-Bell for any that are dying, thereby to meditate of their own Death, and to commend the others weak condition to the mercy of God;   

TIT. V. Concerning Almshouses, Schools, and Schoolmasters, Physicians, Surgeons, and Midwives.  
I. IS there any Hospital, Alms-house, or Free-School founded in your Parish not of the King's Foundation? Are they so governed and ordered in the use and Revenue as the Founders appointed, according to haet Ordinances and Statutes which have been made concerning the same?  
II. DOTH any man keep a public or private School in your Parish? Is he or they licenced and allowed thereunto by the Bishop? Is he of sober, religious and exemplary Conversation? Doth he instruct his Scholars in the Catechism and Religion of the Church of England? Is there any Woman that taketh upon her to instruct and educate any young Maidens? Doth she resort duly, and bring with her to Divine Service, upon the Lordsday and Holidays, all such Young Maidens as are committed to her Care?  
III. DO any in Your Parish practise Physic, chirurgery, or Midwifery, without Licence from the Ordinary?  

THe Minister of every Parish may join in Presentments with the Churchwardens and Sidemen, and if they will not present, than the Ministers themselves (being the Persons that have the chief care of the suppressing of Sin and Impiety in their Parishes) may present the Crimes aforesaid, and such things as shall want due Reformation. Can. 113.  
JOH. CESTRIENS.    

THe Ministers of every Parish are desired to give in the Names of such of the younger sort, in their several Parishes, as they judge fit to receive Confirmation from the Bishop.   
FINIS.