ARTICLES TO BE ENQUIRED of AND ANSWERED unto BY THE Churchwardens and Sidemen, IN THE PRIMARY VISITATION OF THE Right Reverend Father in God, NICOLAS Lord Bishop of Chester. M.DC.XCI. Chester, Printed in the Year, MDCXCI. The Oath to be administered to the Churchwardens and Sidemen of each Parish. YOU shall Swear truly and faithfully to execute the Office of Churchwardens and Sidemen within your Parish, and shall diligently inquire, and make true Presentment of such Things and Persons, as you know to be presentable, by the Ecclesiastical Laws of this Realm. So help you God. ARTICLES TO BE ENQUIRED of AND ANSWERED unto BY THE Churchwardens or Sidemen, in the DIOCESE of CHESTER. TIT. I. Concerning Churches, and Chapels, with the things thereunto belonging. I. IS your Parish-Church or Chapel, Can. 85. in good and sufficient repair, both for the Roof, Windows, Floor and Seats; and are all things therein kept in such decent sort as becometh the House of God? II. Can. 81. Is there a Font of Stone in your Church or Chappel, standing in the ancient usual place? Doth your Minister Baptise publicly in the Font? Can. 82. Is there a decent Communion-Table in your Chancel, Rubric before the Communion. covered in time of Divine Service with a decent Carpet; and when the Lord's Supper is administered, with a fair white Linen Cloth? Have you a Rubr. before the Prayer for the whole state of Christ's Church. Can. 82. Can. 83. Can. 80. Can. 99 Can. 58. Can. 70. decent Basin to receive the Alms for the Poor? And have you a Chalice or Communion-Cup, with a Cover; and one or more Flagons? III. Have you a convenient Seat or Pew, wherein to read Divine Service; a comely and decent Pulpit set in a convenient place; a large Bible of the last Translation; a Book of Common-prayer lately published, Anno 1662. the Book of Homilies set forth by Authority; a Printed Table of the Degrees wherein Marriages are prohibited; a Book of Canons and Constitutions Ecclesiastical, and a decent Surplice? iv Have you a Register Book in Parchment, for all who are Christened, Married, or Buried in your Parish? And is the same kept in all points according to the Canon in that behalf? And is the Transcript thereof yearly; within one month next after the 25th of March, brought into the Bishop's Registry? V Can. 52. Have you a Paper Book, in which the names of Strangers who preach in your Church or Chappel are set down? And another Book for the Churchwardens Accounts? Can. 70. As also a Chest with three Locks and Keys wherein to keep the said Books, and the Furniture? Can. 84. And have you a Chest with three Keys for Alms? TIT. II. Concerning the Churchyard, Houses, Glebes, and Tithes belonging to the Church. I. Can. 85.1. IS your Churchyard sufficiently fenced, and decently kept? Hath any person encroached upon the same, or made any door into it? And how long since? II. Is the House of your Parson, Vicar or Curate, and the Outhouses in good repair? Have any of them been defaced or pulied down without Licence? Have there been any encroachments made upon the same? Or any of the Ancient marks or bounds removed or changed? And by whom? III. Can. 87. Have you a true and perfect Terrier of all the Glebe-lands, Gardens, Orchards, Tenements or Cottages belonging to your Parsonage or Vicarage? As also a note of such Pensions, Rate-Tithes, & Portions of Tithes, or other yearly profits (either within or without your Parish) as belong thereunto? Have any of the same been withheld from your Minister? And by whom as you know, or have heard? And is your Terrier laid up in the Bishop's Registry? TIT. III. Concerning Ministers. I. Act of Uniformity. Can. 48. IS your Minister Vicar or Curate Episcopally ordained, and duly qualified according to the Laws of this Realm? Hath your Minister been legally inducted? Hath he read the 39 Articles within two Months after his Induction upon some Sunday or Holiday in the time of Divine Service, Stat. 13. Eliz. c. 12. and declared his Assent thereto? Is he defamed, or suspected to have obtained either his Benefice or Orders by any Simoniacal Compact? II. Can. 45. Can. 47. Can An. 1571. Hath your Minister any other Ecclesiastical Benefice? Is he constantly resident among you, and doth he preach every Lord's day, having no lawful impediment? How long in one year hath he been absent from his Cure? III. Can. 47. Can. 48. Hath your Minister a Curate to assist him? Is the said Curate a man of able parts, of a pious and discreet Conversation and Conformable to the Laws of the Church of England? Doth he serve any other Cure besides? What yearly Stipend doth your Minister allow him? iv Act of Unifor mity. Doth your Person, Vicar or Curate, in reading the Morning and Evening Service, Administration of the Holy Sacraments, and other Religious Offices, use the Forms prescribed in the book of Common prayer, & all such Rites and Ceremonies as are appointed Can. 58. in that Book, so far as you have observed? Doth he wear the Surplice, together with such other Habit as is suitable to his Degree? V Rubr. after Communion Can. 21. Rubr. before communion. Can. 26. Can. 22. Rubric Com, Can. 59 Rubr. after Catechism. Can. 61. Can. 66. Doth your Minister celebrate the Lord's Supper so often in every Year, that every Parishioner may receive thrice at least? And doth he keep back those who (according to the Rubric and Canons) ought not to be admitted, giving an Account of them to the Bishop? And doth he on the Sunday or Holiday before the Communion, give notice thereof in the Church, and read one of the Exhortations fitted for that purpose in the Common-Prayer Book? VI 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 contirmed by the Bishop? And doth he endeavour to reclaim all Popish Recusants (if any such be inhabiting within your Parish) to the true Religion established in the Church of England? VII. Can. 67. Can. 68 Can. 69. Doth he neglect or refuse to visit the Sick, or bury the Dead, or delay the Baptism of any Infant in danger of Death? Is there any Child past Infancy, or other Person grown up through your Minister's default, yet remaining unbaptised in your Parish? Rubr. before Pub. Baptism. Can. 62, 63. Can An. 1397. Doth he use to Baptise any without Godfathers or Godmothers. VIII. Hath he presumed to marry any Persons in private Houses; or such as being under age have not the consent of their Parents or Guardians; or without Banns first published on three Sundays or holidays in the Church, unless he had a Licence so to do; or at any other hours, than between Eight and Twelve in the Morning? IX. Can. 64. Doth your Minister declare to the People every Sunday at the time appointed in the Communion Book, the several holidays and Fasting days in the Week following? And is he an Example to others in observing them? X. Can. 75. Is your Minister or Curate, a man of a studious, unblamable and exemplary Life? Or is he a frequenter of Taverns, or Alehouses, a common Gamester, a Swearer, Railer or Quarrel? Is he noted to be an intemperate Drinker, or vehemently suspected of Incontinency with any Person? Is his Apparel grave and decent, Can. 74. as the Canons of the Church require? And doth he in all his behaviour so carry himself, as that he may adorn the Gospel, whereof he is a Minister? TIT. IU. Concerning the Parishioners. I. Can. 109. IS there any Person in your Parish, that liveth under a Common fame, or suspicion of Adultery, Fornication, or Incest? Are there any common Drunkards within your Parish, or common Swearers, or Blasphemers of God's name, or any that are noted to be Railers, or Filthy Talkers; or sowers of Sedition, Faction and Discord amongst their Neighbours? II. Do any of your Parish profane the Lordsday; Stat. 29. Car. 2. c 7. Can. 1571 by working in their ordinary Callings; by setting forth, and exposing to sale any Wares, Fruits, Herbs, or Goods on that day, or by Loitering, Tippling, or any other practices. III. Can. 18. Doth every Parishioner in your Church or Chappel, as well during Divine Service, as preaching the Word of God; behave himself with such Reverence, Decency and Attention, as the nature of such Holy Duties, and the Order of the Church doth require? iv Can. 85. Are there any in your Parish, that refuse to pay their duty for Easter Offerings; or refuse to contribute to the Rates made for the Repair of your Church or Chappel, or any thing thereunto belonging? V. Did any by their last Wills or Testaments, leave any Legacy to your Church or Chappel, or to the use of the Poor, or to any other pious and charitable purposes? Which hath been misspent and imbezzelled, and by whom? VI Act for Exempting their Majesty's Protestant Subjects from the Penalty, etc. Ace there any Persons living in your Parish, who under pretence of Liberty of Conscience, wholly neglect all public Worship of God; neither going to the Church, nor to any Assembly that meet together, according to the late Act? VII. Have you any such Assembly of Dissenters in your Parish? Have they certified their place of meeting to the Bishop, or such others as that Act appoints? Have their Preachers subscribed the Articles of Religion, except those excepted in the Act, and taken the Oaths, and subscribed the Declaration therein required? VIII. Is there any public Chapel in your Parish, for which your Minister hath provided no supply? Hath any such public Chapel been lately Usurped by and sort of Dissenters? IX. Can. 112. Are there any who profess to live in the Communion of the Church of England, who neglect to come to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, being of age fit to receive it? X. Rubr. after Catechism. Can. 59 Can. An. 1571. Can. 99 Doth every Houshoulder who lives in Communion with the Church of England, cause their Children and Servants to come to the Church to learn their Catechism, and to give an account thereof to their Minister? XI. Are there any living in your Parish, as Man and Wife, who are within the Degrees prohibited? XII. Do you know, or have you heard of any in your Parish, who having the presentation of an Ecclesiastical Living, hath made any Simoniacal compact or gain thereby; either in Money, or by reserve of any part of the Tithes, or Glebe belonging to the Benefice? TIT. V. Concerning Parish-Clerks, and Sextons. I. Can 91. HAve you belonging to your Church or Chappel, a Parish-Clerk, aged twenty years at the least? Is he of honest Life and Conversation? And sufficient or able to perform his Duty, in Reading, Writing and Singing? Doth he duly attend your Minister in all Divine Services in the Church? Are his Wages duly paid unto him? Or who withholdeth the same from him? II. Doth your Sexton diligently do his Duty, in opening and locking the Doors of the Church at due times; in keeping the Church clean and decent; in Tolling and Ringing the Bells before Divine Service? TIT. VI Concerning Hospitals, Schoolmasters, and Schools. I. WHat Hospital, Almshouses, or Free-school hath been founded in your Parish? Are they so ordered in their Revenue and Use, as the Founders appointed, and the Law of the Land allows? II. Can. 77, 78, 79. What Schoolmaster private or public, is there in your Parish? Is he Licenced by the Bishop? Is he of sober and honest Conversation? Doth he teach his Scholars the Church Catechism? Can. An. 1571. And doth he cause them upon Sundays and holidays, to repair orderly to the Church; and there see that they quietly and reverently behave themselves during the time of Divine Service and Sermon? And doth he at other times train them up with such Sentences of Holy Scriptures, as shall be most expedient to induce them to all Godliness? III. Do any in your Parish practice Physic, Chyturgery or Mid-wifery, without Licence from the Ordinary? TIT. VII. Concerning Churchwardens, and Sidemen. I. Can. 89. ARe the Churchwardens of your Parish yearly and duly chosen by the joint consent of your Minister and Parishioners? Or one of them by your Minister, and the other by the Parishioners? II. Ibid. Have the former and last Churchwardens given up their Accounts to the Parish, & delivered up to the succeeding Churchwardens the money remaining in their hands; together with all other things belonging to your Church or Chappel? III. You are further to understand; that according to your Office, you are to provide against every Communion appointed in your Church or Chappel, a sufficient quantity of fine white Bread, and good Wine, according to the number of Communicants, at the Charges of the Parish. TIT. VIII. Concerning the Officers in the Ecclesiastical Courts. I Can. 178 DOth the Chancellor or Commissary, substitute any person in his absence to keep Courts for him, who is not either a grave Minister, and a Graduate, or a Licenced public Preacher, and a Beneficed man near the place where the Courts are kept; or a Bachelor of Law, or a Master of Arts at the least? II. Can. An. 1571. Doth the Chancellor or Commissary (not being in Holy Orders) pronounce the Sentence of Excommunication? Or is the same pronounced only by the Bishop, or by some grave man of his appointment, which is in the Ministry? III. Can. 134 Do you know, or have you heard of any Payment, Composition or Promise, made to any Ecclesiastical Officer for conmving at any Foult committed? Hath the Register received any Reward in any Cause whatsoever, in favour of any party? Or hath he been of Counsel directly or indirectly, with either of the parties in Suit? iv Can. 135 Hath any Register, or any other Ecclesiastical Officer, or any Clerk under them, exacted, or taken extraordinary, or greater Fees, than those contained in the Table of Fees, for that purpose made? Can. 136 V Are there two Tables containing the several rates of Fees due to each Officer; the one publicly proposed in the Consistory, the other in the Registry, that every Person whom it concerneth may without difficulty come to the view and perusal thereof? VI Can An. 1571. & 1597. Can. 133 What money hath been given for commutation of Penance? By whom? To whom? For what Offence? How hath it been employed? VII. Is there any Proctor who doth not behave himself modestly in the Court, and is not presently silent when the judge or Advocate speaks? VIII. Can. An. 1597. Can. 138 Is there any Apparitor who executes his Office by a Deputy? Doth any Apparitor exact more or greater Fees than are prescribed? Let these, and all other Abuses and Offences, which any Officer belenging to the Ecclesiastical Courts is chargeable with, since the 16th day of May, 1690. be carefully presented to the Bishop. The Churchwardens and Sidemen, are required to advise with their Ministers, concerning their Presentments; and conscionably to discharge their Office, duly considering the Obligation of their Oath, and the danger of Perjury; and that those Sins and Offences will lie at their Doors, which through their unfaithfulness in not Presenting them, remain un-reformed in their Parishes. If any Minister thing fit to Present, let his Presentment be distinct from that of the Churchwardens. TO MY BRETHREN OF THE CLERGY. YOU are desired to prepare the Young people of your Parishes for Confirmation. And to the end it may be Administered to the greater Edification of those who shall receive it. I desire you to take notice, that I intent to Confirm none but those who are of the age of Fourteen Years at the least, and whose Names shall be delivered to me, by the Ministers of the respective Parishes from which they come, with a Certificate under their Hands that they have Examined them (unless they be Persons of Ripe age) and find them not only capable of repeating the words of the Catechism, but that they understand the meaning of that Solemn Vow, that was made in their Name at their Baptism, and declare themselves resolved, by the Grace of God, to live answerable to it. For the better regulateing of Ordinations, I desire you to observe. First, That I will admit none to Holy Orders, but such as be presented to some Ecclesiastical Preferment in this Diocese, or have some other Title specified and allowed in the 33 Canon; amongst which a Curacy under a Parson or Vicar is not to be accounted as one, unless such Parson or Vicar doth under his Hand and Seal, oblige himself to the Bishop, both to accept that Person bona fide (when he shall be Ordained and Licenced by the Bishop) to serve under him, and allow him such a Salary as the Bishop shall approve of, so long as he shall continue to do his Duty there. Secondly, I desire you to signify to all such as you find desirous to enter into Holy Orders; that I expect they send to me in writing, a Month at least before Ordination-Sunday, their Names and the places of their abode, that I may order Notice to be given of their intentions at the Parish-Churches where they live; that so any who have any impediment to object, why they should not be admitted, may signify it to me. And I expect, that they all personally repair to me, and bring with them such Testimonial of their Behaviour for the three years' last passed, as the Canon requires; on Wednesday in Ember-week, or on Thursday morning at the latest; that I may have sufficient time for the strict and careful examination of every one of them; remembering those dreadful words of St. Paul, Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men's Sins, keep thyself pure. FINIS.