ARTICLES OF Instruction for Enquiry, Exhibited to the Churchwardens and Sidemen Within the peculiar Jurisdiction of the King's Free Chapel OF S. MARY'S in SALOP.  
LONDON: Printed in the YEAR 1690.   

Canon CXIX. Convenient time to be assigned for framing Presentments.  
FOR the avoiding of such Inconveniences as heretofore have happened by the hasty making of Bills of Presentments, upon the Days of the Visitation and Synods, it is ordered, That always hereafter, every Chancellor, Archdeacon, Commissary, and Official, and every other Person having Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction, at the ordinary time when the Churchwardens are sworn, and the Archbishop and Bishops, when he or they do summon their Visitation, shall deliver, or cause to be delivered to the Churchwardens, Quest-Men, and Sidemen of every Parish, or to some of them, such Books of Articles, as they or any of them shall require for the Year following, the said Churchwardens, Quest-Men, and Sidemen, to ground their Presentments upon, at such times as they are to exhibit them, in which Book shall be contained the Form of the Oath, which must be taken immediately before every such Presentment, to the intent, that having beforehand time sufficient not only to peruse and consider what their said Oath shall be, but the Articles also whereupon they are to ground their Presentments, they may frame them at home both advisedly and truly, to the Discharge of their own Consciences, after they are sworn, as becometh honest and godly Men.  

The Tenor of the OATH to be administered to the Churchwardens and Sidemen of every Parish.  
YOU shall swear truly and faithfully to Execute the Office of a Churchwarden within your Parish, and according to the best of your Skill and Knowledge, present such things and Persons, as you know to be presentable by the Laws Ecclesiastical of this Realm. So help you God, and the Contents of this Book.    

ARTICLES OF INSTRUCTION FOR ENQUIRY, etc.  

TIT. I.  
Concerning Churches and Chapels, with the Ornaments and Furniture thereunto belonging.  
I. IS your Church or Chappel, with the Chancel, in good Repair, and decently kept, as becomes the House of God?  
II. Is the Furniture of your Church or Chappel, as Bells, Communion-Plate and clothes, Minister's Surplice, Pulpit-Cloth, Hearse-Cloth, with other usual Ornaments duly provided and looked after.  
III. Have you a fair Bible, Book of Common-Prayer, Books of Homilies, and Canons, Register of Births, Burials, and Marriages, and is the said Register duly kept, and the Transcript returned every Year into the Official's Registry? Have you also a Registry of such Strangers as are admitted to Preach, and a Book for the Entry of the Churchwardens Accounts? And are the said Books carefully looked to, and made use of?  
IV. Is the Churchyard sufficiently fenced and preserved from Annoyance, Encroachments, and Waste?   

'tis II.  
Concerning Ministers and Parishioners.  
I. DOes your Parson or Curate, constantly, reverently and regularly officiate on the Lord's-day Holidays and the Eves of them, as also read the Litany upon all Wednesdays and Fridays weekly; and observe Rogation and Ember days according to the Order of the Church; and so perform all Offices, without Addition or Diminution?  
II. Are there in the Parish any Persons known or reputed to be Jew's, Heretics, Papists or Schismatics, and are they studious to pervert the Orthodox, or insolent towards them for doing there Duty?  
III. If there be any Assemblies for Religious Worship in your Parish, besides the Parish-Church or Chapel; Have the Places of such Meetings been certified according to the Statute? Do any upon that pretence, and who, wholly abstain on Sundays from coming to any public Place where there are Prayers or Sermons, but spend their time in Alehouses or Houshold-Affairs  
IU. Are any of your Parish known or suspected to be guilty of Incest, Adultery, Fornication, or any other enormous Crimes? Do any profane the Lord's Day, or other great holidays, or the Name of God, or are irreverent in the Church, or neglect the respective Duties incumbent on them in reference to the Sacraments of Baptism and the Lord's Supper, and other Rites as of Catechising, Confirmation, Marriage, Thanksgiving after Childbirth, Burial of the Dead, or the Censures of the Church?  
V. Are the Wills and Testaments of the Dead in your Parish, or the Administration of their Goods duly taken out and executed? Have any Lands, Legacies, or charitable Gifts bestowed on your Parish, or any other good uses, been embezzled, or unduly bestowed? Has any Money belonging to the Fabric of your Church, or other charitable purposes, been employed to other uses?   

TIT. III.  
Concerning Parish-Clerks and Sextons, Schools, Schoolmasters, Physicians, Chirurgeons and Midwives.  
I. HAVE you belonging to your Church or Chappelry a sufficient Clerk, or Sexton, and doth he faithfully and diligently execute his Office?  
II. Does any one within your Parish or Chappelry keep School without Licence from the Official; or if Licenced, neglect to teach the Youth committed to him the Catechism of the Church, and to bring them to the Service of the Church?  
III. Doth any within your Parish or Chappelry practise Physic or Chirurgery, or do the Office of a Midwife, without Approbation and Licence from the Official?    

Advertisement.  
THE Curate of every Church or Chappel may join in Presentment with the Churchwardens and Sidemen, and if they fail to present, the Ministers themselves (who have the highest Obligation to endeavour the suppressing of Impiety and Disorder) may and aught to do it.  JOHN HARWOOD, L, L. D. Official. 
FINIS.