ARTICLES TO BE ENQVIRED OF IN THE ORDINARY VISITATION OF THE RIGHT WORSHIPFUL MASTER DOCTOR PEARSON, Archdeacon of Suffolk, Anno Domini 1637. insignia with two snakes entwined around a scepter and two hands clasping F K PAX OPULENTIAM SAPIENTIA PACEM LONDON, Imprinted by Felix Kingston. 1627. The Tenor of the Oath of the Churchwardens and Sworne-men. YOu shall swear, that after due consideration had of these articles given you now in charge, that you will diligently inquire, and true presentment make of all and every such Person of or within your Parish, which you shall know to have committed any offence, or omitted any duty mentioned in the said Articles; or which are publicly defamed or vehemently suspected of any such offence or negligence. So help you God, by the Contents of the holy Gospel. Answer distinctly and severally to every Article. The Minister (be he Parson, Vicar, Lecturer, Preacher or Curate) may join with the Sworne-men in their Presentments, and he is to inform the Ordinary under his hand, of such faults as the Sworne-men shall leave unpresented. It is lawful for the Minister alone, or for the Sworn Officers, to present as often as occasion requireth: and it is meet that notorious offences should in due time be presented and punished. ARTICLES TO BE ENQVIRED OF BY THE CHURCHWARDENS AND QUESTMEN IN THE ordinary Visitation of the right Worshipful M. ROBERT PEARSON, Doctor of Divinity, and Archdeacon of Suffolk, or his Official. Anno Dom. 1637 Articles concerning the Church, the Ornaments thereof, and the Church's Possessions. Tit. 1. FIrst, whether have you in your Church or Chapel, the whole Bible of the largest Volume, and of the last Translation, the Book of Common Prayer lately set forth by his Majesty's authority, the two Books of Homilies, and Bishop jewels Apology, all well and fairly bound: a Font of stone set up in the antientusuall place, with a hole in the bottom of it to convey away the water: a convenient and decent Communion Table, with a Carpet of silk, or some other decent stuff continually laid upon the Table at time of Divine Service, and a fair linen cloth, at the time of administering the holy Communion: and whether is the same Table placed conveniently as it ought: and whether is it so used, in, or out of the time of Divine Service or Sermon, as is not agreeable to the holy use of it, as by sitting on it, or throwing hats thereon: or is it abused by any other profane uses? Are the ten Commandments set up on the East end of your parish Church, with other sentences of Scripture about them? 2, Item, whether have you in your Church or Chapel, a convenient feat for your Minister to read Divine Service in, together with a comely pulpit, set up in a convenient place, with a decent Cloth or Cushion for the same, a comely, large and fair Surplice, a fair Communion cup, a Flagon of Silver or pewter, with all other things and ornaments fit and necessary for the celebration of Divine Service, and administration of the sacraments? And whether have you a Chest for alms, with the locks and keys, and another chest for keeping the Books and ornaments of the Church, & the register Book, and have you a Register Book in Parchment, for Christen, Weddings, and Burials, and is the same kept in all points according to the Canons; and have you a Table set in your Church of the degrees wherein by Law men are prohibited to marry? 3. Item, whether is your Church or Chapel, with the Chancel thereof, and all your Parsonage or Vicarage houses in good reparations, and are they employed to godly and their right holy uses? if any of them be ruinated and wasted, in whom is the default? Is your Church or Chapel, or Chancel decently and comely kept, as well within as without; and are the seats well maintained, the windows well glazed, the floor kept paved, plain and even, and all things in decent sort, without dust, or any thing that is either noisome, or unseemly for the house of God, as is prescribed in a Homily to that effect, and the 85. Canon. 4. Item, whether be your Churchyard, well fenced and kept without abuse? If not, whose default is it? Hath any person encroached upon the ground of the Churchyard: have any used a place consecrated to holy use profanely or wickedly; have any quarrelled or stricken another in the Church, or Churchyard: have any annoyed your Churchyard, or the fence thereof, by putting in of cattles, by hanging of clothes, or by laying there any dust, dung or other filthiness? 5. Item, what Legacies have been given to the use and benefit of your Church, how they have been bestowed, who received them, and detaineth them without due employment? Doth any detain or embezzle any of the Church goods, or any other gifts given to charitable uses? 6. Item, whether is there any erecting of pues, or minuating of seats in your Church, by any private man of his own authority, and what seats have been so built, and by whose procurement, and by what authority? 7. Item, whether hath any popish Recusant, being lawfully excommunicated, been interred or buried in the Church or Church-yard, before absolution of the censure and excommunication? if yea, then by whom, & when? Articles touching the Steeple. Tit. 2. FIrst have you a Steeple belonging unto your Church, and is it well covered with lead, or some other good and sufficient tecture, & are the walls thereof in sufficient reparations? 2. Item, how many Bells have you in your Steeple, and of what weight are they, and are they all well hanged up in frames in the Steeple; have they good ropes belonging to them, wherewith to ring them, and are they tuneable? 3. Item, are the frames and wheels of the said Bells sound and strong, & are the planchers of your steeple good, & not broken, and are there a good pair of stairs or good ladders, wherewith to go up readily into the said steeple? 4. Item, whether have any of your Bells within this twenty years, or more last past, been alienated or sold? If yea, by whom, and to whom, and of what weight were the said Bells, and of what value by common estimation? 5. Item, have your Bells or any of them been made less upon the last yoating of them? If yea, by whose default, and what is become of the metal that was so saved out of them? Articles concerning Religion and Doctrine. Tit. 3. FIrst, whether there be any abiding in, or resorting to your parish, that have, or do maintain or defend any heresies, errors, or false opinions, contrary to the faith of Christ and the holy Scripture? 2. Item, whether doth any in your parish being sixteen years of age and upwards, or others lodging, or commonly resorting to any house in your parish, absent themselves from the parish Church, chapel, or Oratory upon Sundays and Holy days, and other days appointed, at morning and Evening prayer? Or what person doth usually come late to Church, or departed from Church before Divine Service & Sermon be ended? Or whether be there any that persuade others to forbear and abstain coming to their parish Church to hear Divine Service, and to receive the holy Communion, according to his Majesty's Law in that behalf enacted? 3. Item, whether be there any in your parish, that hath been or is vehemently suspected to have been present at any unlawful assemblies, conventicles or meetings under colour or pretence of any exercise of Religion, or doth any affirm or maintain such meetings to be lawful? 4. Item, whether be there any within your parish, that deny or persuade any to deny or impugn the King's Majesty's authority and supremacy in causes Ecclesiastical? 5. Item, whether be there any abiding or resorting to your parish, that be, or are commonly reputed or taken to be ill affected in matters of Religion professed in our Church, or taken to be Recusant papists, refusing to repair to Church to hear Divine Service, and receive the holy Communion, and disobedient to his Highness' laws in that behalf established? present their names, qualities and conditions. Doth any papist keep a Schoolmaster in his house which repaireth not to your parish Church as is required, what is his name, and how long hath he so taught there, or elsewhere? 6. Item, is there any in your parish, who in the manner of preaching hath taken upon him to repeat any Sermon in any private house, in any assembling or meeting together of people? Articles concerning public Prayer, and administration of the Sacraments. Tit. 4. FIrst, whether any of your parish hath spoken or declared anything in derogation or depraving of the form of God's Worship in the Church of England, and administration of the Sacraments, rites & ceremonies set forth and prescribed in the Book of Common prayer, by the King's Majesty authorized and confirmed? Do any preach, speak or declare that it containeth any thing which is not agreeable to the holy Scriptures? 2. Item, whether hath any in your parish caused, procured, or maintained any Minister to say any common or public prayer, or to administer either of the Sacraments, of Baptism and the Lords Supper, otherwise or in any other manner and form than is mentioned in the said Book of Common prayer? or whether hath any interrupted, hindered, let, or disturbed the Minister to read divine service, & administer the Sacraments, in such manner and form as is mentioned in the said book, or interrupted him in his sermons? 3. Item, whether is the Sacrament of Baptism rightly and duly administered, according to the prescript form expressed in the Book of Common Prayer, with due observation of all rites and Ceremonies prescribed in the administration of the same, without adding or altering any part or parcel of any prayers, interrogatories, or not using the sign of the Cross in the administration of the same? 4. Item, whether is the administration of the Sacrament of Baptism deferred longer than the next Sunday or Holiday immediately following the birth of the child? 5. Item, whether is the Sacrament of Baptism refused to be administered to any children borne in, or out of Wedlock, their birth being made known to the Minister of the parish, and offered unto him to be baptised; or have any such children died unbaptised? 6. Item, whether be the parents of any child to be baptised, admitted to be Godfathers and Godmothers to the same? 7. Item, whether have there any children been baptised in private houses by any Lay person, or Midwife, or popish Priest, or by any other Minister, without urgent occasion, when the child was in danger of death? 8. Item, whether have the children which have been borne to any popish Recusants, or begotten by them, been publicly baptised in your Parish Church, by your Parson, Vicar or Curate, or by whom were they so baptised, or where, to your knowledge? 9 Item, whether hath the blessed Sacrament of the Lords Supper been duly and reverently administered every month, or thrice every year at least; whereof once at Easter, within your Parish Church to every Parishioner, being of the age of 16 years, or upwards? 10. Item, whether is the said holy Sacrament delivered unto, or received by any of the Communicants within your Parish, that unreverently sit or stand, and do not devoutly and humbly kneel upon their knees at the time of the administration of the same? 11. Item, whether have any excommunicate persons or schismatics, common and notorious depravers of the Religion and government of this Realm, without unfeigned sorrow shown for their impiety and wickedness, been admitted to receive the holy Communion within your Parish? present their names. 12. Item, whether hath any of your Parish been debarred from receiving the said holy Communion without just cause, and without intimation first given to the Ordinary, viz. the Bishop of the Diocese, Chancellor, or Commissary, and by whose default? 13. Item, whether hath any affirmed, that any of the 39 Articles agreed upon by the Archbishop and Bishops in the year of our Lord God, 1562. for the avoiding of diversities of opinions, are in any part superstitious or erroneous, or such as he may not with a good conscience subscribe unto? Articles concerning Ministers and Preachers. Tit. ● FIrst, whether doth your Minister distinctly and reverently say Divine service upon Sundays and Holidays, and other days appointed to be observed by the Book of Common Prayers, at fit and usual hours of the day: and doth your Minister duly observe the Orders, Rites, and Ceremonies prescribed in the Book of Common Prayer, as well in reading all public Prayers & the Litany, as also in administering of the Sacraments, solemnisation of Matrimony, visitation of the sick, burying the dead, churching of women, and all other like Rites and Offices of the Church, in such manner and form, as in the said Book of Common Prayer is enjoined, without any omission or addition of any thing. 2. Item, whether doth your Minister always, viz. every Sunday and Holiday, both Morning and Evening reading Divine Service, & administering the Sacraments, and other Rites of the Church, wear the Surplice, according to the Canons, and doth he never omit the wearing thereof at the times aforesaid? if at any time he have omitted, specify the times. 3. Item, whether doth your Minister bid Holidays, and fasting days, as is appointed? Doth he administer the holy communion every month, or thrice in the year at least, whereof once at Easter, to every parishioner? doth he receive the same himself on every day that he doth administer the same to others, and doth he use the words of institution, according to the Book of Common Prayer, without alteration at every time that the Bread & Wine is renewed; doth he use and never omit the Sign of the Cross in Baptism, or doth he ever baptise in any basin or any other thing but the usual Font? If yea, then is the basin set within the Font, and doth he baptise out of the same basin standing in the Font? Doth he marry any couple without a ring; or in times prohibited, or without the Banes three times published, without a special licence from the Archbishop, or the Bishop of the Diocese, or his Chancellor or Commissary, first had and attained? 4. Item, whether doth your Minister, being learned & sufficient, confer with the popish Recusants of your parish (if any there be) & endeavour to reclaim them from their errors, and present them being obstinate, for their recusancy. 5. Item, whether doth your Minister in the Rogation week go the perambulation of the circuit and bounds of your Parish, saying and using the prayers and suffrages, & thanksgiving to God, appointed by law, according to his duty? And did he give warning the Sunday before, when the Parishioners should meet to go? 6. Item, hath your Minister, or any other Preacher within your parish made any Sermons in any private house, administered the Sacraments, or churched women in any private houses, otherwise than by law is allowed? 7. Item, what Preachers and Curates do read prayers, or administer the Sacraments within your parish, without lawful licence from the Bishop of the diocese, his chancellor or commissary? or doth any Lay man (not having holy Orders) presume to read public prayers in the Church? 8. Item, whether have you any Preacher or Lecturer in your parish? If yea, whether doth he twice at the least every year read himself Divine Service both Morning and Evening two several Sundays publicly in his Surplice, and also twice in every year administer both the Sacraments, with such rites and ceremonies as are prescribed in the Book of Common Prayer, according to the 46. Canon? 9 Item, whether is your Parson, Vicar, Curate, or Preacher given to drunkenness, or idleness of life, a hunter of Taverns, Alehouses, or suspected places, a Dicer, Carder, Tabler, Swearer, given to base and servile labour, or otherwise giveth any ill example of life? 10. Item, whether is the Parson, Vicar, Curate or Preacher of any other Parish, known to be a frequenter of Taverns, Inns, Alehouses which are situated within your own, or any other Parish? Or is he publicly defamed of such resorting and frequenting, as is aforesaid? 11. Item, whether doth your Parson, Vicar, or Curate, upon every Sunday and Holy day, before Evening Prayer half an hour or more, examine and instruct the youth, and ignorant persons of his parish, in the Commandments, the Articles of Belief, and in the Lord's prayer? And doth he usually upon the said days diligently hear, instruct & teach them the Catechism, set forth in the Book of Common prayer and none other? 12. Item, whether have your Preachers & Readers of Divinity Lectures declared four times at the least every year in their Sermons or other collations and Lectures, that all usurped and foreign power is, for most just causes taken away and abolished, & that therefore no manner of obedience or subjection within his Majesty's Realms, is due unto any foreign power? 13. Item, whether have your Ministers used continually before their Sermons and Lectures, the form of prayer prescribed in the 55. Canon, especially in praying for the King's Majesty, and the Archbishops and Bishops, and in ending with the Lords prayer? 14. Item, whether hath your Minister, after that he had received any letters of Excommunication, under the seal of an Ecclesiastical judge, suffered the party excommunicated to abide in the Church or Chancel, in the time of Divine Service or Sermon? 15. Item, whether hath your Minister in any of his sermons or Lectures preached against any of the ceremonies commanded to be used by the Church of England, or hath so preached against ceremonies in general, that by common acceptation at the least of the weaker, his words might be taken to tend to the depraving of the ceremonies established by the Church of England? 16. Item, whether hath any one in his Sermon or Lecture, declared, limited, or bounded out, by way of positive Doctrine, the power, prerogative, authority, and duties of Sovereign princes, or otherwise intermeddled with matters of State? 17. Item, whether hath any Preacher in his Sermon used any undecent railing speeches, or bitter invectives against the person of either Papist or Puritans? 18. Item, whether hath your Minister when a dead body is brought to be buried, met the corpse at the Church door; and when the corpse was making ready to be laid into the earth, Hath he stood by the grave, or hath he read the Prayers or Psalms appointed to be read by the Book of Common prayer, standing or sitting in his Desk? 19 Item, whether hath your Minister churched any woman but when he himself stood by the Communion Table, and she kneeled down by the said Table or near unto it? Articles concerning Matrimony. Tit. 6. FIrst, whether be there any in your Parish, that have married within the degrees of Consanguinity or Affinity, by the Law of God forbidden, and what be their names? 2. Item, whether have any within your Parish been married secretly in private houses, or without their parents or governors consent signified, being under the age of 21. years? 3. Item, whether do any married Couples live asunder unlawfully, and do not cohabit together, as becometh Man and wife? And if yea, what be their names, and in whom is the default? 4. Item, whether any persons (the banes not thrice published in the Church) have been married without licence, who were present at such Marriage, and what Minister married them? 5. Item, what popish Recusants or their children have been married within your parish, in what sort was their matrimony solemnised, when & by whom 6. Item, whether have there been any persons married in your Church in the times prohibited by the Laws, viz. from Advent Sunday, until eight days after the Epiphany, from Septuagesima until eight days after Easter day, from three days before the Ascension until Trinity Sunday, without a lawful licence or dispensation first obtained from the Bishop of the diocese, his Chancellor or Commissary? 7. Item, whether hath the Minister said all the Prayers & Psalms appointed to be said by the Book of Common Prayer at the time of the solemnisation of Marriage, and hath the Minister standing by the Lord's Table (& the married couple kneeling) before the same, said those prayers which follow next after the Psalm, Deus miserere: and hath he omitted any part of them? if yea, then specify the parties between whom marriage was solemnised, and the time when the minister did omit any part of his said duty therein. Articles concerning the keeping of Christen, Weddings, and Burials. Tit, 7. FIrst, is there in your parish Church or Chapel, a parchment Book, for the Registering of Christen, Weddings and Burials? 2. Item, hath the said book been kept in your parish Church or Chapel in a Coffer with three locks and keys, and hath one of the said keys been kept by the Minister, and the other two with the Churchwardens severally? 3. Item, hath the Minister without the Churchwardens, or have the Churchwardens without the Minister, at any time taken out the said Book out of the said Coffer, or hath the Minister kept the said Book in his private house? 4. Item, hath your Minister, in the presence of the Churchwardens upon every Sabbath day, immediately after Morning or Evening Prayer, written and recorded in the said Book the names of all persons Christened, together with the names and surnames of their parents, and also the names of all persons married and buried in that parish in the week before? Articles concerning Schoolmasters. Tit. 8. FIrst, doth any in your parish openly or privately take upon him to teach school without licence of the Ordinary, and is he conformable to the religion now established? and doth he bring his Scholars to the Church to hear Divine Service and Sermons? and doth he instruct his Scholars in the grounds of the Religion now established in the Church of England, and is he careful and diligent to benefit his Scholars in learning? 2. Item, doth your Schoolmaster teach and instruct his youth in any Catechism than is allowed by public Authority, and what Catechism it is that he so teacheth? 3. Item, doth any keep School in the Chancel or Church, by which means that holy place, and the Communion Table are many ways profaned and the windows broken? Articles concerning the Parishioners? Tit. 9 FIrst, whether do any of your Parish or any other, that hath resorted, or doth resort to your parish, profane the Sabbath day, or Holidays, by drinking and tippling in junes, or Alehouses, or by playing at unlawful games? 2. Item, is there any in your parish that do impugn or speak against the Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England, or the lawful use of them, and the government of this Church under his Majesty, by Archbishops, Bishops and other Ecclesiastical Officers? 3. Item, who in your parish do come to the Sermon only, and not to divine Service, and who do not reverently behave themselves during the time of Divine Service, kneeling when the general confession of sins, the Litany, the ten Commandments, and all prayers and Collects are read, and using all due and lowly reverence when the blessed name of the Lord jesus is mentioned in the time of Divine Service, & standing up when the Articles of the belief and the Gospel are read? And who do cover their heads in time of Divine service, unless it be in case of necessity, in which case they may wear a night cap? And who do give themselves to babbling, talking, or walking, and are not attentive to hear the Word read and preached? 4. Item, is there any in your parish that refuse to have their children baptised; or themselves to receive the Communion of your Minister, taking exception against him, because he is no preacher? Or have any wives refused to come to Church, to give thankes to God for their safe deliverance, in a decent habit, with a rail, as hath been anciently accustomed? 5. Item, have any of your parish spoken slanderous and reproachful words against your Minister, to the scandal of his vocation, or against their marriage or wives, or defaming him, touching any crime of Ecclesiastical cognizance? 6. Item, whether do any in your parish exercise any trade or labour, buy, or sell, or keep open their shops, or set out any wares to be sold upon Sundays and Holidays, by themselves, their servants or apprentices, or have otherwise profaned the Sunday, or Holidays? 7. Item, is there any in your parish that be, or are commonly known, or reputed to be blasphemers of Gods holy Name, or accustomed swearers, or to use any ribaldry in their talk, or be drunkards, adulterers, fornicators, incestuous persons? And have any been detected of any such notorious crimes and offences; and whether have they done penance for the same? 8. Item, is there any in your parish who is publicly defamed, or vehemently suspected of getting his, or their wives with child before Marriage? 9 Item, whether have any persons died within your parish; whose Will and Testament (if any were made) is not proved, or administration of their goods taken, according to law; and whether is there any in your parish, who do administer the goods of any person deceased, without lawful authority, and before he or they have proved the Will and Testament of the party deceased, or have obtained Commission from the Ordinary, viz. the Bishop's Chancellor or Commissary, to dispose the said movable goods? 10. Item, what excommunicate persons be within your parish, and for what causes are they excommunicate, to your knowledge? And whether do any such excommunicate persons repair to your parish Church in time of Divine service or sermon, not being absolved? 11. Item, if there be any persons excommunicate within your parish, which is made notorious by denouncing them excommunicate in the face of the Church: who, and what person and persons do keep or frequent their company, eat or drink, or have any thing to do with any such excommunicate person? present their names, for it is not lawful for them so to do, so long as they remain under the sentence of excommunication. 12. Item, whether do all Fathers, Mothers, Masters and Mistresses, cause their Children, Servants and Apprentices, both males & females, which have not learned their Catechism to come to the Church upon Sundays and Holidays, before Evening Prayer, obediently to hear, and to be ordered by the Minister, until they have learned the same? 13. Item, is there any Householder within your parish, that doth not duly go in perambulation with the Minister, and the rest of the parishioners, the circuit and bounds of your parish? What are the names of such as made, or suffered default to be made therein? 14. Item, do the old Churchwardens, or any other persons, that were Churchwardens, retain any goods belonging to the Church, and have not made the just account of their receipts and expenses about the executing of their office? 15. Item, what person or persons is, or are chosen Chuch-warden, or Churchwardens of your parish for this year, 1637 and when were they so chosen, and by whom? 16. Item, whether is there a Book in your Parish, wherein the name of every strange Preacher that preacheth in your parish, should subscribe his name, the day when he preached, and the name of the Bishop of whom he had licence to preach? & whether hath every Preacher that was a stranger, so subscribed before he preached in your Church? 17. Item, whether doth not every one dwelling within your Parish, observe all those days for fasting days, which are appointed by a statute made in the fifth and sixth year of Edw. 6. or shall eat flesh upon those days? 18. Item, whether you the Churchwardens and Assistants have according to the 28. Canon, marked whether all and every of your parishioners in your parish come so often every year to the holy Communion, as the law and his Majesty's Constitutions Ecclesiastical do require? And whether any stranger have come often & commonly from other parishes to your church, and whether have you shown your Minister of them, lest they should be admitted there to the Lords table? and whether such person or persons have been forbidden and remitted home to his or their own parish church, there to receive the communion? or hath he or they notwithstanding received the same in your Church? Declare their names, and who admitted them thereunto. 19 Item, whether do the people say audibly with the Minister the Confession, the Lords Prayer, and the Creed, and make such other answers to the public Prayers as are appointed in the Book of Common Prayers? or who faileth therein? 20. Item, whether hath any one in your Parish answered as Godfather for his own child? Or hath any been a Godfather or Godmother, before he or she have received the holy Communion? Declare their names. 21. Item, whether there be any married women in your parish who after Childbirth have refused to come to the Church to give God thanks for their safe deliverance, and to have the prayers publicly appointed on that behalf by the Book of Common prayer, to be used? 22. Item, whether hath any woman been churched sitting in her seat, and not kneeling down in some convenient place nigh unto the place where the Communion Table standeth? 23. Item, How many have you in your parish that do practise as Physicians or Chirurgeons, and by what authority? specify their several names. FINIS.