ARTICLES OF INQUIRY Concerning certain Matters ECCLESIASTICAL: Exhibited to the Churchwardens and Sidemen of every Parish WITHIN THE ARCH-DEACONRY OF LEICESTER: FOR THEIR Better Direction in their Presentments IN THE VISITATION OF WILLIAM OWTRAM, D.D. Archdeacon of LEICESTER.  
London, Printed in the Year, 1676.   

The Tenor of the Oath of the Churchwardens and Sidemen of every Parish.  
YOU shall well and faithfully execute the Office of Churchwardens (or Sidemen) in the Parish of N. and true Presentment make of such Defaults and Offences, as you know or believe to be enquirable by the Laws Ecclesiastical of this Land.  
So God you help.   

Articles of Enquiry within the Arch-Deaconry of LEICESTER.  

TIT. I. Concerning Churches, and their Possessions, with the Furniture and Ornaments, thereunto belonging.  
IS your Church or Chapel with the Chancel and Steeple thereof in good and sufficient repair both within and without?  
2. Are all things therein cleanly kept, free from anything that may be noisome or unséemly?  
3. Hath any part thereof been demolished or pulled down? Have any of the Bells, Led, Timber, or utensils, heretofore belonging to the same, been embezzled, or converted to private uses during, or since the late War?  
4. Have you in your Church or Chappel, a large Bible of the last Translation, the Book of Common Prayer lately established, the Book of Homilies allowed by Authority, the Table of Degrees wherein Marriages are prohibited, as also a Register Book in Parchment, for Christen, Marriages, and Burials; and is the same kept in all points as is required? Have you a Paper-Book to record the Names, Surnames and Licenses of such strangers as are admitted to Preach in your Church or Chappel, and do such strangers subscribe their Names thereunto?  
5. Have you a Font of stone standing in the usual place for Public Baptism, and doth your Minister therein only Baptise Publicly?  
6. Have you a decent Communion Table with a Carpet, and another covering of white linen to be spread thereon, at the time of Administration of the Lords Supper? What Cup, Chalice, Patten or Flagons have you belonging to that Service?  
7. Have you a convenient Seat or Pew for your Minister to read Service in, a comely Pulpit set in a convenient place to Preach the Word in, with a decent Cloth or Cushion for the same? Have you also a large Surplice for the use of your Minister in his public Administrations.  
8. Have you a Book for the Churchwardens accounts, a Box for the alms for the Poor, a strong Chest with Locks and Keys wherein may be safely kept the Plate, Vessels, Carpets, Vestments, and Books belonging to the Church, and have you a Bier with a Hearse-cloth for decent Burial of the dead?  
9 Is there any strife or contention among any of your Parish about the Pews or Seats in your Church or Chappel? Have any new Pews or Monuments been erected there without Licence, or any old Monuments or Ornaments of your Church or Chappel been defaced contrary to Law, and by whom?  
10. Is your Churchyard well and sufficiently fenced, and decently kept without abuse or nuisances? Have any encroached upon the ground thereof; or cut down any trees growing therein, unless for necessary reparation of the Church or Chappel?  
11. Have you in your Parish a House for your Minister to dwell in? Is the same, with the outhouses thereunto belonging, in good and sufficient repair? Have any of them been defaced or pulled down without licence?  
12. Have you a true perfect Terriar of all the Glebe-lands and Tenements belonging to your Parsonage or Vicarage, taken by the view of your Minister, and other honest men of your Parish? As also a note of such Pensions, rate-tithes, and portions of tithes both within and without your Parish, as belong thereunto? And is a Copy thereof delivered in the Bishop's Registry?  
13. Is there any Alms-house, Hospital, or Frèe-School (being not of the King's foundation) in your Parish, and are they and their endowments preserved and employed to the right use?  
14. Have any dying in your Parish given any legacy to the Church, or Poor, which hath been misemployed and disposed of to other uses?  
15. Are there any Wills or Testaments of persons dead in your Parish that are yet unproved, or any goods Administered without a due grant from the Ordinary?   

TIT. II. Concerning Ministers.  
1. HAve you a settled Minister in your Parish? If not, how long have you been destitute? What is the living yearly worth, and who is the Patron thereof? By whom are the fruits received and how are they disposed of? If you have a Minister lately settled, out of what Diocese, and from what place came he?  
2. Is your Minister (so far as you know or believe) in holy Orders according to the Laws of the Church of England?  
3. Doth he diligently attend upon his Ministry, in reading the Lessons and Prayers, Preaching the Word, Administering the Sacraments, Catechissing the Youth, visiting the sick, and in all other the offices of his Ministerial Function, in such manner and form as is directed by the Book of Common Prayer lately established, and the Act of Uniformity therewith published? And doth he in the reading or celebrating every office in your Church or Chappel wear the Surplice?  
4. Doth he give notice of the Holidays, and of the Ember weeks, that the people may be minded to pray for such as are to be solemnly called to the work of the Ministry? As also of the yearly Perambulation in Rogation week for preserving the bounds of the Parish, and for desiring God's blessing upon the fruits of the Earth? Doth he also observe the fifth of November, the thirtieth of January, and the twenty ninth of May, according to the Statutes and Orders set forth in that behalf?  
5. Is his Doctrine (so far as you can judge) agreeable to the Word of God, and the 39 Articles agreed upon, and published Anno Dom. 1562.  
6. Hath he at any time, that you know of, publicly or otherwise spoken against the Order and Government of the Church of England as is now by Law established?  
7. Doth he administer the Sacraments in private houses otherwise than is by Law allowed?  
8. Doth he every year publish in your Church or Chappel, the Statute against profane swearing, and cursing, according as it is thereby enacted? 21 Jac. cap. 20.  
9 Doth he permit any strange Minister to preach in your Church or Chappel, who is not sufficiently authorized thereunto?  
10. Doth he serve more than one Church or Chapel in distinct Parishes upon one day? If so, how far distant are those Churches or Chapels which he so serveth, and what wages and salary hath he for his pains?  
11. Is your Minister a man of godly, sober, and peaceable conversation? Or on the contrary, is he a frequenter of Taverns or Alehouses, or doth he board therein? Is he a common Gamester? A profane Swearer, an obscene jester, or an intemperate Drinker? Is he vehemently suspected of incontinency? Is he a fomenter of suits and contention among neighbours? Doth he give himself to any base or servile labour, or secular Trade, unbefitting the duty and dignity of his office? Is his apparel grave and decent both for fashion and colour, as the Canons of the Church require? Or is his carriage and conversation in any kind disorderly, scandalous or unbeséeming a Minister of jesus Christ?   

TIT. III. Concerning Parishioners.  
1. DO any of your Parish make profession of any other Religion, than what is professed and established in the Church of England? Do any reproach the same Religion, or seduce others from it, or endeavour to alienate the hearts of the People from their Loyalty and obedience to the King? Or are there any Conventicles or Religious Meetings for people of several Families held in your Parish contrary to the Laws in that case provided? And who are the persons that go to those Meetings?  
2. Do any absent themselves from the public assemblies & Services of the Church? or not come in due time as well to Service as Sermons; or not behave themselves when they are there with such Reverence, order decency & attention, as is required; or depart thence, before the Service and Sermon be ended and the blessing pronounced?  
3. Do any refuse to send their Infant-childrens to be baptised in your Church or Chappel, unless in case of extreme danger? or are any Children kept unbaptised longer than is allowed? or are there any more aged persons yet unbaptised? or are any Children not Communicants admitted to be Godfathers or Godmothers in Baptism?  
4. Do the Householders of your Parish take care to send their Children & Servants to your Church or Chappel there to be instructed in the Church Catechism, that so they may be brought to understand and take upon them their Baptismal covenant, and be confirmed and admitted Communicants?  
5. Do all Communicants of your Parish, upon timely notice given by the Minister thrice at the least every Year (once whereof at Easter) kneeling in that meek and reverend manner which is required, partake of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper? and do such signify their names and purpose to communicate, unto the Minister, at least the day before the Celebration thereof?  
6. Are there any living in your Parish, who have been Married contrary to the Laws of God? Or any who being lawfully divorced have Married again? Or any who being lawfully Married and not separated or divorced by due course of Law, do not cohabit together?  
7. Have any been clancularly Married in private houses, or in the Church without licence, the Banes not being thrice published, or by Licence, or without, neither of the Persons so Married dwelling at that time in your Town?  
8. Do any Married Women in your Parish, after their delivery from the danger of Childbirth, refuse in due time to make their public thanksgiving in your Church for so great a mercy? or to pay their accustomed duties as is required?  
9 Are such as die in the Parish (who are not denied Christian Burial) decently buried according to the order of the Church?  
10. Do any profane the Lords Day by working in their ordinary callings, by tippling, gaming, or any other unlawful exercises or pastimes?  
11. Do any walk, talk, or stand idle in the Churchyard or Church-porch during the time of Divine Service, or Sermons?  
12. Is there any of your Parish who hath lately or heretofore paid any sum of money to any Ecclesiastical Officer for Commutation of Penance? What was that sum? To whom was it paid? And to what use hath it been employed?  
13. Have any irreverently used your Minister, or spoken flanderous or reproachful words against him to the scandal of his Vocation? Or interrupted him in his Administration?  
14. Do any refuse to pay the Rates assessed upon them, for the repair of the Church or Chappel and the providing of Books, Utensils, and other necessary Ornaments for the same?  
15. Are there any in your Parish Blasphemers of Gods Holy Name? Any common Drunkards or Swearers? Any commonly known, or suspected to be guilty of Fornication, Adultery, Incest, or any other notorious Crime of Ecclesiastical Cognizance; Declare who they are, that they may be punished according to their deserts.   

TIT. IU. Concerning Churchwardens.  
ARe the Churchwardens of your Parish yearly and duly chosen? Have the former, and last Churchwardens given up their accounts to the Minister and Parishioners, and also delivered up to their Successors the moneys remaining in their hands, together with all things else, belonging to your Church or Chappel?   

TIT. V. Concerning Schoolmasters.  
DOth any man keep a public or private School in your Parish, who is not licenced by his Ordinary? Doth your Schoolmaster teach his Scholars the Catechism of Religion set forth by Authority? Doth he cause them upon the Lord's day, and holidays to repair to your Church or Chappel, and see that they behave themselves there quietly and reverently during the time of Divine Service, and Sermon? And doth every woman that keepeth a School in your Parish do the like?   

TIT. VI Concerning Parish-Clerks.  
HAve you a Parish-Clerk, chosen by your Minister of twenty years of age at least? Is he of ability to perform his duty, and doth he perform the same in all respects as is required of him? Are his accustomed wages duly paid unto him, or do any withhold the same from him?  
IF you know any other default or crime of Ecclesiastical Cognizance not expressed in these Articles, you are likewise to present the same, and therein to take the assistance of your Minister; and you are to know assuredly, that as the true discharging of your Office is the chief means whereby public Disorders, Sins, and Offences in your Parish may be reform and Punished, so if you wilfully refuse to present such Crimes and Faults, as either you know to have been committed or otherwise have heard of by public fame, that in such cases you are to be proceeded against in this Court as in cases of wilful Omission and Perjury.  
The Minister of every Parish may join in Presentment with the Churchwardens and Sidemen: and if they will not present such enormities as require Reformation, the Minister himself (being the Person that should have the chief care for the suppressing of Sin and Impiety in the Parish) may present the same.    
FINIS.