ARTICLES OF VISITATION AND ENQUIRY Concerning Matters Ecclesiastical, according to the Laws and Canons of the Church of ENGLAND. EXHIBITED To the Churchwardens and Sidemen of every Parish within the Diocese of ROCHESTER.  
By the Right Reverend Father in God, JOHN Lord Bishop of ROCHESTER, at his Visitation in the year of our Lord God, 1666.  
LONDON, Printed by Andrew Coe, 1666.   

The Oath of the Churchwardens and Sidemen.  
YOu shall swear that you shall diligently inquire, and faithfully present all such persons that of late have been, and now are within your Parish, that have offended against any of these Articles given you in charge, without favour or affection to any person whatsoever. So help you God and the Contents of the holy Gospel.   

Articles of Visitation and Inquiries exhibited to the Church wardens and Sidemen in the several Parishes of the Diocese of Rochester, by the R●ght Reverend Father in God, John Lord Bishop of Roches●er, at his Visitation in the Year of our Lord, 1666.  

Inquiries about the Church and Churchyard.  
1. IS your Parish Church and Chancel decently kept for God honour? Are the Roofs, Walls, Pavements, and Windows well repaired? Are the ten Commandments, Lords Prayer, and the Creed drawn out in fair Letters in convenient places: and are the King's Arms set up.  
2. Have you made levies for the reparation of the Church, and other holy uses? And are there any that refuse to pay the proportion laid upon them.  
3. Have you a Font of Stone decently covered, standing towards the lower end of the Church for the Administration of Baptism? Have you a comely Table placed conveniently in Church, or Chancel for the use of the Lords Supper? Have you a comely Carpet of Silk, or good Stuff, for that holy Table; with a fair linen Cloth to spread upon it in the time of Administration: And have you a handsome Cup of Silver for your Wine, and a cover of Silver to the same to put the Bread on? And have you one or more Flagons of Pewter, or better metal for that use.  
4. Are your Reading-Desk and Pulpit conveniently set up and placed for the use of public Prayer and Sermons? And hath your Pulpit a Cushion and comely covering before it.  
5. Have you in your Church the Common-Prayer Books in folio, last set forth by Authority? and have you a Bible in folio fairly bound of King James' Translation? Have you also a decent Surplice (one or more) for your Parson, or Vicar, Curate, or Lecturer, to wear in the time of all public Ministrations? and have you the Book of Homilies, and a Table of Marriage?  
6. Are the Tombs, Monuments, Grave-stones of the Dead in your Church or Church-yard preserved; and not suffered to be broken, taken down, or removed?  
7. Have you a Book of Parchment, wherein be Registered the Christen, Marriages, and Burials in your Parish? Have you a strong Chest with three Locks, wherein to preserve your Church Furniture, and a Box for Alms placed in a fit place for the Relief of the Poor.  
8. Is the House and Outhouses of your Minister in good and sufficient repair? Doth he preserve the Gardens, Orchards, and Glebe belonging to him, without imbezling, changing, or any way damnifying them?  
9 Is the Churchyard decently kept, and well fenced to keep out Beasts?  
10. Have you a Terrier of your Glebe Lands belonging to your Minister? Have any of the Glebe land's been changed for other lands; Or by whom is the said Terrier brought into the Registry as the Law requires?  
11. Is your Church and Church-yard kept from profane or Lay use, free from Meetings of people for having any civil Courts or Military Employments; or keeping of Wakes about the same, according as the Canon in that case prescribes?   

Inquiries about the Parson, Vicar, Curate, Lecturer.  
1. HAve the  received Episcopal Ordination according to the Laws of the Kingdom?  
2. Can you tell who did present your Parson or Vicar to his Benefice? Have you heard or known that he came Symoniacally? Was he iuducted into his Benefice before sufficient witness? And did he read the nine and thirty Articles before or at Morning or Evening Prayer? And did he give his consent to them within one month after his Induction into the Benefice?  
3. Hath he read the Book of Common Prayer as it is enjoined by the late Act of Uniformity for public Prayer, Administration of the Sacrament, etc. on some Sunday before the four and twentieth of August, 1662., or in case of impediment allowed by the Ordinary, hath he since performed the same? And did and doth he wear the Surplice while he performed that Office, & other Offices mentioned in that Common-Prayer-book?  
4. Hath he published his consent unto the said book on some Sunday before the four and twentieth of August above named, or within the time limited b● the said Act openly in time of Divine Service? And hath he subscribed to the Decla●ation as it is expressed in the 77th page of the abovenamed Statute, and manifested it to the Congregation openly?  
5. Doth he preach a Sermon on every Sunday, or procure a Sermon then to be preached: or else sometime read one of the Homilies which the Church hath appointed?  
6. Doth he read the Service appointed for the Fifth of November, thirtieth of january, twenty ninth of May? and doth he keep the yearly Perambulation and Rogation days before the Feast of our Lords Ascension.  
7. If your Parson or Vicar keep a Curate? Is he of a godly Life, and sufficient Learning? Is he allowed by the Bishop? And can you tell whether the said Curate have a competent allowance according to the value of the Living.  
8. Doth your Parish maintain a Lecturer? Is he a virtuous and Orthodox Divine? Is he Licenced by the Bishop? Doth he read the full Divine Service of Common Prayer once a month as the least, wearing a Surplioe?  
9 Do you observe to your best understanding, that your Parson, Vicar, Lecturer, or Cure te do preach the true word of God? or do they to their Judgement, having consulted with other grave Parishioners, vent dangerous opinions, derogating to the glory of God, and a pious life? Do they teach sedition, directly against his Majesty? his Laws and Government? or do you note that indirectly they cast out seditious glances against the Civil State or Government Ecclesiastical?  
10. Doth your Minister celebrate the Lords Supper in the Church according to the Service of the Common-Prayer-book often every year? Doth he repulse them from it, that are scandalous by the sentence of the Laws? Doth he Baptise the Infants of his Parish according to the Service of the Common-Prayer, using the Cross; and upon warning given before, are they brought on Sundays or Holydays to the Church, with Godfathers & Godmothers; and upon lawful Summons doth he Baptise them at home in case of danger and necessity.  
11. Doth he visit the sick at their houses when he is required upon lawful Summons? Doth he pray with them, exhort them to faith and repentance, and comfort them? Doth he give them the holy Communion, professing faith in Christ, and sorrow for their sins, if they require it? & doth he exhort them to Brotherly love, and works of Charity, if they be able to bequeath a Portion to pious uses?  
12. Doth he prepare the youngmen and Maidens of the Parish to be confirmed by the Bishops? Doth he marry none clandestinely, but at due hours in the Church, and that upon Banes thrice published on Sundays and Holidays, or Licence obtained from the Ordinary? And doth he bury the dead according to the book of Common-Prayer?  
13. Is your Minister, Lecturer, Curate, a man of sober, chaste, just, unblameable life? And spare not to present him or them that are not every way examples of Godliness.  
14. Doth your Minister with the Churchwardens, take care duly every year to send in the names of all such in his Parish as have been Baptised, Married, Buried▪ Excommunicated, that they may be enrolled in the Bishop's Registry.  
15. Doth your Minister maintain peace with his Neighbours, and study to keep them in peace as much as in him lies? Doth he take diligent care to reduce all Sectaries, Separatists, and Refractory persons, to the obedience of the Doctrine and Government of this Church? And doth he offer himself, being an able learned man, to confer with Popish Recusants, to convert them, and to bring them into the bosom of this Church?  
16. Doth your Minister Catechise young people each Sunday in the afternoon, as the Canon requires? Doth the Parents and Masters of Families within your Parish send their Children and Servants to be Catechised by him. Present those that refuse to do the same.  
17. Doth your Minister give notice each Sunday before, what holiday doth ensue the week after, that the Parishioners having notice, may resort to Church upon those days? Doth he also Read the book of Canons twice every year openly in the Church upon Sundays, as the Law requires?  
18. Is your Minister a non-Resident in his Benefice, and how long hath he been so? hath he more Benefices than one? And doth he maintain an able Curate, Licenced, in the one, as the Law prescribes.   

Inquiries about the Parishioners.  
DO all your Parishioners of due age, resort the Divine Service and Sermons in your Church on Sundays and Holidays, and on Wednesdays and Fridays in Lent, according to Law?  
2. Do they, or any of their Servants occupy them in bodily labours on Sundays or Holidays? Do they open their Shops, and sell Wares on those days? Or do Vintners, Victuallers, Innkeepers or others, receive any into their houses to tipple and waste time idly on those days, except they be travellers, that are upon a journey in necessary occasions?  
3. Do your Parishioners in time of Divine Service; Sermon, or Homilies, behave themselves reverently: Men and Youths with their Hats off, both Sexes giving due attention, none disturbing holy Duties by talking, walking, removing, going out, or using any other offence? And do they kneel, stand up, make answers in time of Divine Service, as you find it appointed in the Rubrics of the Common-Prayer-book?  
4. Are there any above the age of sixteen years in your Parish, and especially that have been examined by your Master in the Catechism before, that do not come to the Lords Supper to partake it reverently upon their knees three times in the year at the least; the Feast of Easter, or the time thereabouts being one?  
5. Are there any in your Parish that keep their Children unbaptised? Inquire diligently, and return the Parents or Governors names, the list of those Children by such names as you can learn.  
6. Do all Women as have been safely delivered, come to the Church in due time to partake of the office of Thanksgiving, after the Orders of the Common-Prayer, and do such women pay their accustomed Duries?  
7. Do your Parishioners bring their dead to be decently buried after the Service of the Church, in their own Parish grounds? Or if they carry the Dead away to be buried in some other place, whethat they be Lodgers or other strangers? Do they first obtain leave of the Minister of the Parish usually frequent other Parish-Churches, and absent themselves from their own.  
9 Are there any that keep private Conventicles in their houses or abroad, which are resorted to by those that are known or suspected for Sectaries, or any way disaffected to the present Government of the Church of England?  
10. Do your Parishioners pay their Tithes, Easter-Offerings and accustomed duties, called Vicarage-Tythes, or by any other name, to their Minister?  
11. Are there any Wills or Testaments of parson's dead in your Parish that are not provided by a lawful Judge? Or do you know or hear of any goods administered without due grant from the Ordinary?  
12. What Legacies have been given to Pious uses in your Parish, wh●ch are utterly defrauded or not employed to the right use according to the Will of the Donor?  
13. Are your Seats and Pews in the Church decently kept? And are the Parishioners placed in them without offence and contention? have any built any Seat within the Church, without licence of the Ordinary. Present their names.  
14 Are there any incestuous persons, or married persons within the degrees prohibited by Law? Are any Adulteres, Fornicators, either in Fact, or by common fame or report within your Parish? Any blasphemers, common swearers, Drunkards or Sorcerers, or Resorters to Witches or Sorcerers. Present the same.   

Inquiries about Church-Officers and other Persons.  
1. IF any Stranger come to preach in your Parish-Church or Chapel, on Sundays or Holidays, at Christen, Funerals, Marriages, or any other occasion? Do the Churchwardens demand to see his Orders and Licence to preach, which he had from the Bishop: and if he can ●hew none, do you inhabit him from preaching, and enter the said ●●cense into the Registry, as the Law requires?  
2. Do you suffer Excommunicated persons to be buried in any part of your Church or Church-yard?  
3. Doth your Parish-Clerk or Sexton, (if you have any such) do their Duties obediently and diligently? Are they of honest life and conversation? Is your Parish-Clerk duly chosen by the Minister? And is he allowed by the Ordinary? Can he write and read? Doth he make Responsions to the Hymns and other Suffrages of the Liturgy.  
4. Is there a School Public or private in your Parish? Is the Schoolmaster and Usher (if he have one) allowed by the Bishop of his Chancellor? Doth he breed his Schoolars Religiously? and doth he teach them the Church Carechisme?  
5. Have you any Physician, Chirurgeon, or Midwise in your Parish that practice without Licence?  
6. Are your Churchwardens duly chosen in the week after Easter-day, and after the custom and manner of the Parish? Do they take upon them the execution of their Office without being first sworn by the Ordinary, as the Law requires?  
7. Have the Church wardens who are to surrender their places upon the Election of New ones, given up their Accounts to the Parishioners? and aae their Accounts allowed by the ordinary? Or have they salsifyed their trust; wherein and how much, present the same.  
8. Also have your Churchwardens been diligent to repair the Church, to keep it decent and comely? Have they preserved the Font for Baptism, sit and handsome for that use? Likewise have they looked carefully to the Cummunion-Table, to the Plates and all Utensils belonging to it? And have they provided such sine whit● Bread & good Wine as was fit for the Sacrament, according ●y advice taken with the Minister.  
Let the Churchwardens and Sidemen diligently, with the advice of their Minister, what answers they will, and can give to all these particulars; setting the fear of God, and the good of his Church before their eyes.   
FINIS.