The tenor of the oath of the Churchwardens and Sworne-men.  
TAking Almighty God to witness, you shall duly consider of all the Articles here given you in charge: And (all affection set aside) you shall faithfully present every offence and defect: and also every such person and persons, as you shall know, or hear by common fame to have committed any offence, or omitted any duty, mentioned in any of these Articles: Or which are publicly defamed, or vehemently suspected of any such offence, default, or negligence: So God help you, and the holy contents of his Gospel.   

ARTICLES TO BE INQVIRED OF, AND ANSWERED UNTO BY The Churchwardens and Inquirers, in the ordinary Visitation of the right Worsh. M. Archdeacon of Norwich.  
Anno Dom. 1618.  
1 WHether be there in your parish any receivers of jesuits, Seminaries, or Mass Priests, or any other persons reconciled to the Church of Rome: and what be the names of all Recusants, or half Recusants, that come not to Church to divine service; or if they do, yet do not receive the holy communion, as by Law they ought?  
2 Whether be there any in your Parish, which do affirm that the form of God's worship in the Church of England established by Law, & contained in the book of Common prayer, is corrupt, superstitious, or unlawful, or containeth any thing in it, that is repugnant to the holy Scriptures?  
3 Whether your Church be well and sufficiently repaired, the windows well glazed, the floares decently paved, seats fit and convenient, the steeple and bells kept in repair, and all things in your Church and Chapel in comely sort without dust or any thing that is noisome or unseemly?  
4 Whether have you in your Church or Chappel, the Book of common prayer by the King's Majesty confirmed, a Bible of the largest volume, two Psalters, the Book of Homilies allowed by authority, a fine large surplice with sleeves, a coffer with three locks and three keys, for the safe keeping of the Register book, and the like chest (with an hole in the upper part thereof) for the alms of the poor?  
5 Whether have you a decent pew for the Minister to read service in, and a comely Pulpit, both of them conveniently placed; A fair communion table covered with silk, or other like stuff in time of divine service, and a fair linen cloth over it at the administration of the Communion: A fair Communion cup of silver with a cover, and a fair standing pot or stoop of pewter or purer metal for the wine to be set upon the said table; A font of stone, and that only to be used for baptism; And a comely hearse?  
6 Whether have you a register book in parchment, of them that be Christened, married, and buried? And whether every Sabbath day next after such Christening, marriage, or burial, the Minister (in the presence of the churchwardens) do therein write the names of the parties, and also the day and year; of such christening, marriage, and burial had the week before? And whether do the Minister and Churchwardens subscribe their names to the end of every page being full?  
7 Whether is the said register book laid up again, and kept in a sure chest, under three locks and three keys? And who do keep the said keys?  
8 Whether be the walls of your Church whited, and fair written with chosen sentences of holy Scripture?  
9 Whether have you the book of Canons lastly published by his highness authority? And doth your Minister use to read the same openly in your Church, so often as is required by the Canons?  
10 Whether be your parishioners conveniently placed in your Church? And whether do any contend touching their places? And do any servants or youth prevent the householders of their seats?  
11 Whether is your Churchyard well and sufficiently repaired, fenced, and maintained with walls, rails, hedges, or pales, as hath been in each place accustomed?  
12 Whether have any brawled, quarreled, stricken, or laid violent hands (one upon another) in Church or churchyard?  
13 Whether have any built or encroached upon any part of the churchyard, without sufficient authority from the Ordinary?  
14 Whether have any annoyed your churchyard, or the fence thereof by putting in of cattle, by hanging of clothes, or by laying there any dust, dung, rubbish, filth, or otherwise?  
15 Whether your Chancel (as well for glazing, paving, and seats, as also for all other reparations) & likewise the building belonging to your parsonage, and vicarage, Almesse-house, and church-house, be in good and sufficient repair: Or ruinated, wasted, and gone?  
16 Whether do any refuse or delay to pay their church duties, or levies rated towards the repair, or ornaments, or other charges of the Church?  
17 Whether have you in your Church, Chappel, or churchyard, any plays, gaming at bowls, Tennis, or football, or any other playing; Either any feasts, church-ales, temporal courts, leets, Musters, or any other profane usage there? And by whom?  
18 Whether your Parson, Vicar, or Curate do live any way scandalously, and unbeseeming the holiness and gravity of his calling? And whether his apparel be grave and comely, beseeming his function and calling?  
19 Whether doth your Minister say or sing divine service (according to the prescript form established by his majesties authority) distinctly and reverently, (and that in due time) upon Sundays and holy days, and their eves, and in such place of the Church, as is fittest for the people to hear? And whether doth he observe all the orders, rites, and ceremonies prescribed in the book of Common prayer, as well in reading of holy Scriptures, as in administration of the Sacraments, without adding or diminishing?  
20 Whether is your Parson or Vicar resident upon his benefice? if not, whether have you a sufficient Curate? and whether is he lawfully admitted to holy orders, and licenced by the Ordinary under his hand and seal, to serve the cure in that place? and have ye seen such licence?  
21 Whether is your Minister diligent to execute his office, by reading of the holy Scriptures: and (if he be an allowed Preacher, and having no lawful impediment) do preach once every Sunday: and (being not allowed) do procure sermons in his cure every month? and when there be no sermons, whether doth he read one of the Homilies appointed by authority?  
22 What strangers have preached in your Church this last half year: and by whom were they authorized as preachers? And whether have they written their names in your book for that purpose?  
23 Whether was your accustomed perambulation observed by your Minister, with the better sort of your parishioners in rogation week: If not, by whose fault was it neglected?  
24 Whether your minister, before his sermon, lecture, or homily, do pray for his Majesty, giving him his lawful title and just style; And commend his highness, her Majesty, the young Prince, and the King's royal issue, in his prayers to Almighty God; following that form of prayer prescribed in the 55. Canon, and do exhort the people to obedience to his Majesty, and other Magistrates in authority under him?  
25 Whether your Minister in time of divine service or ministering the Sacraments, doth wear a decent and comely surplice with sleeves, and upon it (if he be a graduate) an hood suitable to his degree in the University?  
26 Whether doth he perform his duty, in visiting the sick, and burying of the dead, if the sickness be not infectious; As also using no frustratory delay to christian any child, according to the form appointed by the book of Common-prayer?  
27 Whether doth your Minister upon every Sunday, and holy day, for half an hour before Evensong, instruct and examine the children, servants, and youth of your parish in some part of the Catechism? And whether do Parents, Masters, and Dames send their youth thereunto? And whether doth the Minister every Sunday give open warning in the Church to that effect?  
28 Whether doth he commonly upon Sundays, and holy days (after the reading of the second lesson at morning and evening prayer) admonish the Churchwardens, to note such as (without just cause) do absent themselves from divine service?  
29 Whether have your people observed the Sabbath day in all Christian and godly conversation? Or be there any which have profaned the same, either by working or by using any unlawful games, or sports upon that day.  
30 Whether all and singular dwellers and sojourners within your parish, do diligently resort to your parish Church, (with their servants and children) to morning and evening prayer, upon every Sunday and holy day? And there (with due attention) do orderly abide during the whole time of common prayer, service, and sermon, reverently behaving themselves, as well inwardly as also by outward gesture of their bodies, in keeping their heads uncovered, in kneeling, standing, and other decent behaviour?  
31 Whether have any rudely behaved themselves in the church, by walking, talking, laughing; sleeping, or keeping their hats on their heads, in time of divine service?  
32 Whether any (without just cause) have departed out of the Church in time of divine service, sermon, or celebration of baptism?  
33 Whether every one in your parish (being above sixteen years of age and of discretion) have received the holy communion at your parish-church, thrice as the least every year (as they ought to do) and specially at or about Easter yearly for once, and with such due and humble reverence, as becometh true Christians?  
34 Whether doth your Minister give public warning openly in the Church at morning prayer, the Sunday before every communion, for better preparing of the communicants thereunto?  
35 Whether do the Churchwardens (with the advise of the Minister) provide a sufficient quantity of fine white bread, and also of wholesome wine for the number of the Communicants, and that to be brought in a fair pot or stoop of pewter or purer metal?  
36 Whether hath your Minister admitted to the holy Communion, any open notorious evil liver, adulteres, fornicator, common drunkard, perjured or malicious person, before they be reconciled by the Ordinary: Or any Churchwardens which (without regard of their oath) have wilfully omitted to present notorious defects or offences: Or hath he put back any parishioner from the communion of malice, or for any light or frivolous occasion? Whether they which intent to be partakers of the holy Communion, do signify their names to the Minister (or to the parish clerk) according to the rule in that behalf in the book of Common prayer?  
37 Whether have any deferred the baptizing of their child any longer than until the next Sabbath or holiday after the birth thereof?  
38 Whether any child have died unbaptized within your parish? and by whose default was that Sacrament not administered?  
39 Whether hath your Minister admitted any to be a godfather or godmother to any child at christening, before such person so undertaking, have received the holy communion? And whether he doth use the cross in baptism?  
40 Whether have you any woman, which hath not decently and orderly come to the Church with a vail, or other grave attire thereby discerned from the rest of the company (to give God thanks after childbirth) giving the Minister notice thereof before?  
42 Whether is your parish clerk sufficient for his place, and of honest conversation? can he write, read, and sing? is he diligent in his office, dutiful to your Minister, and no drunkard?  
43 Whether doth he meddle with any thing above his office, as churching of women, burying of the dead, reading of prayers, or such like?  
43 Whether doth he keep the Church clean, and the doors safe locked? is any thing lost by his default: and doth he suffer excessive ringing?  
44 Whether do any refuse to pay and allow to the clerk and Sexton, accustomed wages and duties?  
45 Whether be the Churdwardens chosen yearly in Easter week according to the Canon? And whether do they (at the end of their year, or within a month after) give a true account before the Minister and Parishioners, of such money and things as they have received?  
46 Whether do the Churchwardens or questmen every Sunday and holiday look unto the seats, and take note of all such as (without just cause) be absent from divine service?  
47 Whether have any Churchwarden lost, sold, or detained any ornaments, bells, or implements of the Church, or any legacies bequeathed thereunto?  
48 Whether have any married within the degrees of affinity or consanguinity, by the laws of God forbidden?  
49 Whether have any persons been married either secretly in any private house, or openly in the Church, without sufficient licence, or bands thrice published in time of divine service, three several Sundays or holy days, before the Congregation? who were present at such marriage? and what Minister did marry them?  
50 Whether have any persons been married within your parish, within any of the times prohibited: and by whom were such persons married, and who was present at such marriages?  
51 Whether be there any couples, which being lawfully married, do live asunder without lawful divorce: or any divorced which (both being alive) do marry again?  
52 Whether have any contracted Matrimony (upon your knowledge, or by fame) and do not proceed to the solemnisation thereof?  
53 Whether have you in your parish, any that teach publicly or privately? is he licensed by the Ordinary of the place under his hand and seal?  
54 Whether doth he teach, or is suspected to teach any of his scholars in Popery, superstition, disobedience, or contempt of the truth, and Christian religion now established within this Realm, or to contemn orders Ecclesiastical?  
55 Whether have you any, which (to your knowledge, or by common fame) have committed incest, adultery, or fornication; Either any malicious and uncharitable persons, bawds, common drunkards, usurers, brawlers, slanderers, swearers, cursers, blasphemers, common scolds, ribbalds, perjured persons, or such like?  
56 Whether have any conveyed, received, or harboured any light or lewd woman, or any unlawfully begotten with child, or vehemently suspected thereof, and have suffered them to departed before they have performed penance enjoined by the Ordinary?  
57 Whether be there any in your parish which live incontinently, or any woman unlawfully begotten with child before their marriage? Or which be thereof vehemently suspected?  
58 Whether have any unreverently abused your Minister, or laid violent hands upon him, or otherwise disgraced his office and calling by word or deed?  
59 Whether have any miscalled or railed upon any of the Churchwardens, or Questmen, for doing of their duties according to their oaths?  
60 Whether do you know or hear of any, which (without authority) do administer the goods of the dead, or conceal any testament, or neglect to pay legacies bequeathed to the Church, or poor, or to the repair of high ways, or to other charitable uses?  
61 Whether have you any, which to your knowledge or (by common fame) use witchcraft, sorcery, charms, unlawful prayer of invocation in Latin or English? Or any that resort to such for counsel or help?  
62 Whether have any Innkeepers, alewives, victuallers, or tipplers received, harboured, or suffered any persons to eat, drink, stay, or play in their houses, in time of common prayer, sermon, or homily on Sundays or holy days? And what persons were so received, harboured, or suffered? And have they set open their shop-windows, or sold forth any drink or victuals at the like time? And have any of your parish loitered or been gaming abroad at the same time?  
63 Whether have any laboured, wrought, or gone to cart on the Sunday or holy day? And have any artificers or others set open their shop windows, or used their trade or any manuel occupation upon any of those days? And hath any mill been set to grind upon the Sabbath day or any holy day?  
64 What persons stand excommunicated, and how long have they so stood?  
65 Whether do you know or hear by common fame, of any other matter (to be presented) belonging unto the Ecclesiastical jurisdiction, although not in these Articles contained?  
Make your answer severally and distinctly to every Article.  
The Minister (who by the Canon hath authority to present) shall inform the Ordinary under his hand, of such notorious faults as the sworn-men leave unpresented: And also shall exhibit the names of those, which being of sufficient years, can not say (or do neglect to learn) the Lord's prayer, the Articles of belief, and the ten Commandments in English.  
And although it seem by the Canon, that only two bills shall be exacted in the year; yet it is lawful for the Minister alone, or for the sworn Officers to present as often as occasion requireth.  
FINIS.