ARTICLES TO BE Enquired of, AND ANSWERED UNTO, BY THE CHURCHWARDENS and SIDES-MEN, IN THE VISITATION OF THE REVEREND the ARCHDEACON of Essex. Anno Dom. 1683 OXFORD, Printed in the Year, 1683 The Tenor of the OATH of the Churchwardens and Sidemen. YOU shall Swear, That you and every of you, shall faithfully execute your several Offices of Churchwardens and Sidemen, according to the King's Ecclesiastical Laws: So help you God, and the Contents of His Holy Gospel. ARTICLES to be Enquired of, and Answered unto, by the Church wardens and Sidemen, in the Visitation of the Reverend the Arch Deacon of Essex, Anno Dom. 168 TIT. I Concerning Churches and Chapels, with the Ornaments and Furniture thereunto belonging. I. Canon 8●. IS your Parish Church or Chapel in good and sufficient repair, both for the Roof, Window, Floor, and Seats? II. Hath any part of your Church, Chappel, or Steeple, been demolished or pulled down? what part, and how long since? or any of the Lead, Timber or Bells thereunto formerly belonging, any way embezzled or sold, and by whom? III. Is there a decent Font of Stone, with a Cover? Can. 81. and doth the same stand at or near the neither end of your Church in such manner as anciently and usually Fonts have stood, for the Baptising of Children? Doth the Minister baptise publicly only in the Font? Is there a decent Communion-Table in your Chancel, with a decent Carpet, and an other covering of white Linen to be spread thereon? at the time of Administration of the Lords Supper? And have you a fair Chalice, or Communion Cup, with a cover, and one or more Flagons? have they been profaned by common use? iv Have you a convenient Seat or Pew, 8●. 20. 82. 83. 80. Stat. wherein to read Divine Service; a Pulpit, with a decent cloth or cushion; a large Bible of the last Translation, and a book of Common Prayer lately published, Anno 1662. the book of Homilies set forth by Authority, and a printed Table of the degrees wherein Marriages are prohibited, and a Book of Canons and Constitutions Ecclesiastical? And a decent Surplice and Hood? 99 58. 87. 70. V Have you a Register Book in Parchment of Christen Burials, and Marriages? and is the same kept in all points according to the ancient use? VI 52. Have you a book of Paper to record the Names and Licences of such Strangers as are admitted to Preach in your Church or Chappel? and do such strangers subscribe their names? as also a third book for the Churchwardens Accounts, as also a Chest with Locks and keys, wherein to keep the said Books, 70. and the afore mentioned Furniture? TIT. II. Concerning the Church yard, the Houses, Glebes, and Tithes, belonging to the Church. I. 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 pulled down without Licence? Can. 87. have there been any encroachments made upon the same, or any of the ancient marks or bounds removed or changed and by whom? III. 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, and 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? TIT. III. Concerning Ministers. I. IS your Minister a Priest or Deacon, Episcopally ordained according to the Laws of the Church of England? II. Hath he been legally Instituted and Inducted into his Benefice? and did he within two Months after his Induction Publicly in the Church upon some Sunday or Holiday, in the time of Divine Service, read the 39 Articles of the Church of England, established by Authority; and there Publicly declare his assent thereunto? III. Is he resident among you? how many weeks hath he been absent from you without urgent necessity? iv C●●. 47. Hath your Minister a Curate? is he in holy Orders and conformable to the Laws of the Church? is he allowed by the Ordinary? V Doth your Parson, Vicar, Curate or Lecturer, if you have any, perform his Office in all things according to the Rubric of the book of common Prayer, lately established, and the Act of Conformity published therewith, without either diminishing in regard of preaching or in any other respect or adding any thing in the matter or form? VI Doth your Minister at the reading of Divine Service wear a Surplice and Hood? VII. Doth he observe the Holidays, and Fasting-days, the Ember-weeks, 14. 58. and the yearly Perambulation in Rogation-week, as is appointed by the Rubric? VIII. Is your Minister Licenced to Preach? If so, doth he constantly (not having a reasonable Impediment) Preach one Sermon in your Church or Chappel every Sunday? Or if he be not Licenced, or be hindered, doth he procure, one to supply his Office by Preaching or reading one of the Homilies? IX. 45. 46. 47. Doth your Minister instruct the Youths in your Parish in the Church-Catechism,? And prepare and present them to be confirmed by the Bishop? X. Doth he neglect or delay to visit the Sick, or to Baptise any Infant that is in danger of death? Doth he baptise any with out Godfathers or God mothers, or admit either of the Parents to be God father or God mother to their own Children? Can. 57 Rubr. before confirm. XI. Hath your Minister Married any Persons without publishing the Banes on three Sundays or Holidays? or hath he Married any in Private houses, or not between the hours of Eight and Twelve in the Morning unless he had a Licence and Dispensation so to do? XII. 67. 69. 62. 72. 73. Hath your Minister taken upon him to appoint any Public or private Fasts, Prophesying or Exercises, not appointed by Authority? or doth he or any other either Minister or Lay-person, hold any Conventicles or Meetings in private Houses within your Parish for People of several Families to resort unto, under pretence of Preaching, Praying, Thanksgiving or Humiliation, contrary to the Laws and Canons in that case provided? XIII. Is your Parson, Vicar, Curate, or Lecturer, a man of a sober life and conversation? or is his Carriage in any kind disorderly or scandalous, and unbeseeming a Minister? TIT. IU. Concerning the Parishioners. I. IS there any in your Parish that makes profession of any other Religion than what is established in the Church of England, Act for uniformity. 1. Q Elizab. C. 109. and that refuse to come to the public Assemblies, Prayers or Service of the Church? if there be any what are their Names? II. Is there any person in your Parish, that lieth 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, unclean, of filthy Talkers, or sowers of Sedition, Faction, and Discord amongst their neighbours? III. Do any of your Parish upon Sundays or Holidays follow their bodily and ordinary labour, or permit their Servants so to do? Are any Shops kept open, or Wares sold? Or do any Vintners, Innkeepers, or other Victuallers and sellers of Beer, and Ale, suffer any persons to tipple or game in their houses upon those days? iv Doth every person in your Parish, duly resort to your Church or Chappel, Can. 13. upon Sundays and Holi-days and as well during Divine Service, as preaching the word of God demean themselves reverently, 18. uncovering their heads kneeling at prayers, standing up when the Creed and Gospel are read? V Rubr. Rub. of Bapt. Is there any in your Parish that refuse to send their Infant-childrens to be baptised in the Church, unless in case of urgent danger? Or do they send them to be baptised in other Parishes? or are they baptised after other Form than is appointed? Or are they kept unbaptised longer than is allowed? or are there any Infants, or more aged Persons as yet unbaptised? VI Is there any person in your Parish of sixteen years of age who doth not receive the Sacrament three times in the year, of which Easter is always to be one? doth any refuse to receive it kneeling, 112. Rub. after Commu●, 27. 28. 65. or resort to other Parishes? or do any strangers come to your Parish Church to receive it? VII. Are there any in your Parish that be denounced and declared excommunicate for any crime committed? how long have they been so excommunicated? and do any of your Parish keep society with them before they be reconciled to the Church, and absolved? VIII. Are there any in your parish, who have been unlawfully Married contrary to the Laws of God? or any that being lawfully divorced, have married again? Expressed in a Table set forth by Authority An. Dom. 1563. 99 107. Rubr. Can. 85 Or any that being lawfully married, and not separated or divorced by course of Law, do not cohabit together. IX. Are there any married Women in your Parish, who after their Delivery from the peril of Childbirth refuse to make their public Thanksgiving to God in the Church? and when they come so to do, do they come decently apparelled, and make their Offerings according to Custom? X. Are there any that refuse to pay their Duty for Easter Offerings, or refuse to contribute to the Rates made for the repair of your Church of Chapel, or any thing thereunto belonging? Rubr. b. XI. Do any refuse to bury their Dead according to the Rites of the Church of England? And are there any Wills or Testaments of Persons dead in your Parish, that be yet unproved? or any Goods Administered without a due Grant from the Ordinary? Did any dying in your parish, or elsewhere, leave any Legacy to your Church or Chappel, or to the use of the poor, or to any other pious and charitable purposes? What were those Legacies, and how have they been bestowed? XII. Is there any strife and contention among any of your Parish, for their pews or seats in your Church? have any new pews been erected in your Chancel, or in the body of your Church or Chappel, without leave from the Ordinary. XIII. Do all and every householder of your Parish, Fathers, Can. 59 Masters, Mothers and Mistresses, cause their Children, Servants and Apprentices, which have not yet learned their Catechism, to come unto Church on Sundays and holidays in the Afternoon; obediently to hear, and to be ordered by the Master till they have learned the same. TIT. V. Concerning Parish Clarks and Sextons. I. HAve you belonging to your Church or Chappel a Parish Clark, aged one and twenty years at the least? Is he of honest Life and Conversation, and sufficiently able to perform his duty in Reading, Writing, and Singing? Is he chosen by your Minister, and doth he duly attend him in all Divine Services at the Church: Can. 91. Are his Wages du●y paid unto him? Or who withholdeth the same from him? II. Doth he diligently do his duty, in keeping the Church clean and decent, in Tolling and Ringing the Bells before Divine Service? And when any person is passing out of this life doth he upon notice Toll a Bell that the Neighbours may thereby be warned to recommend the dying person to the grace and favour of God? Concerning Schoolmasters, Schools, Physicians, Chirurgeons and Midwives. I. DOth any man keep a public or private School in your Parish, Can. 77 ●9 who is not allowed thereunto by his Ordinary? Doth he teach the Scholars the Catechism of Religion set forth by Authority? Doth he cause his Scholars upon Sundays and holidays orderly to repair to your Church or Chappel? And see that they behave themselves quietly and reverently, during the time of Divine Service and Sermon? II. Doth any in your Parish practice Physic or Chirurgery, or any Woman take upon her to exercise the Office of a Midwife, without Licence from the Ordinary? TIT. VII. Concerning Churchwardens and Sidemen I. Can. 89 ARe the Church Wardens 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. Have the former and last Churchwardens given up their Accounts to the Parish, and delivered up to the succeeding Church Wardens the moneys 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 of good Wine, according to the number of Communicants. Rubr. at Commun. YOU also are to Exhibit a Bill of Presentment to this Court, of all and every the Offenders in any of the matters mentioned in the preceaent Articles, and therein to take the assistance of your Minister. FINIS.