ARTICLES To be inquired of by the Churchwardens and Sworne-men within the Archdeaconry of Barnestaple, in the Diocese of Exeter, in the Visitation there holden in the year of our Lord God. 1617.  
AT LONDON, ❧ Printed by Thomas Purfoot. An. Dom. 1617. (* ⁎ *)   

THE Churchwardens and their Assistants are straightly required to read, or hear red, all these Articles, and diligently to consider of them between the time of the delivery hereof unto them, and the making of their presentments, for the better discharge of the Oath which they shall receive.   

❧ The Oath to be ministered unto the Churchwardens, and their Assistants.  
YOu and every of you shall make diligent Inquisition and true presentment of all such crimes, offences and enormtties, which are to be reform and corrected by authority of the Kings M. Ecclesiastical laws of this Realm, and which by confession of the party or party's notoriety of the facts, or by common fame, have been committed within your parish or hamlet, by any person or persons, and have not yet been duly reform, presented and punished according to the said Ecclesiastical Laws: and you shall present the names and Surmames of every of the said offenders, as you shall be directed by the Articles now delivered unto you. So help you God in Christ jesus.   


Articles concerning the Clergy.  
WHETHER your Minister hath said and used in your Church or Chapel, upon all Sundays and holidays and their Eves, and other days prescribed by public authority, common and open Morning and Evening prayer, and hath administered the Sacraments in such order and form, as is prescribed in the book of Common prayer established by public authority, and that, plainly, distinctly, and reverently, as by the said Book is appointed, and at due and convenient hours, without any innovation or change of any part thereof?  
2 Item, whether your Minister upon all Wednesdays and Fridays, not being holidays, hath said in your Church at the accustomed hours of service the Litany prescribed in the book of Common prayer?  
3 Item, whether your Minister hath administered the holy Communion in your Church twice a year at the least in his own person, and so often, and at such times as every parishioner might communicate at the least thrice in the year (whereof once at the Feast of Easter) according as by the book of Common prayer is appointed? And whether as often as he so administered the Communion, he reverently kneeling, did first receive the Sacrament himself? And whether he hath used any Bread or Wine newly brought, not first rehearsing the words of Institution, when the said bread and wine is set upon the Communion Table? And whether he hath delivered the bread and wine to every Communicant severally?  
4 Item, whether your Minister hath given warning to his Parishioners publicly in the Church at Morning prayer the Sunday before every time of administering that holy Sacrament, for their better preparation of themselves, and for all holy days and fasting days?  
5 Item, whether your Minister hath admitted to receive the holy Communion, any of his Cure, who have been openly known to live in notorious sin, or any who have maliciously & openly contended with their neighbours, until they were reconciled? Or any Churchwardens or sworn-men, who wittingly and ignorantly refused or neglected to present to their Ordinary all such public offences as they themselves did know to have been committed in their Parish, or to have been notoriously offensive to the congregation there?  
6 Item, whether your Minister, when he hath celebrated the Communion in your Church, hath wittingly administered the same to any person not kneeling, or to any that then refused to be present at public prayers, according to the order of the Church of England, or to any that then were common and notorious Adulterers, fornicators, blasphemers, excommunicate or suspected persons of incontinency, common swearers, common gammesters or suchlike?  
7 Item, whether your Minister hath adminitted any parent to answer as Godfather for his own child? or hath admitted any person to be Godfather or Godmother to any child at christening, before the said person so undertaking, hath received the holy communion, or doth not use the sign of the cross in baptism, or baptizeth in any Basin, any child not borne in the parish?  
8 Item, whether your Parson or Vicar (not being allowed to be a Preacher) hath procured sermons to be preached in his Cure once in every month at the least, by preachers lawfully licenced? and whether upon every Sunday when there hath not been a sermon, he or his Curate hath read some one of the Homilies prescribed by authority?  
9 Item, whether your Parson or Vicar, being licenced by the laws of this Realm not to reside upon his Benefice, hath not in his absence caused his Cure from time to time to be supplied by a Curate that is a sufficient and licenced Preacher?  
10 Item, whether the Minister or Churchwardens have suffered any man to preach in your Church, but such as have first showed their Licences to preach, viz. from the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, or from the Lord Bishop of Exeter, or one of the Universities in writing under their seal?  
11 Item, whether in the beginning of all Sermons, Lectures, and Homilies, your Preacher or Lecturer hath wittingly omitted to move the people to join with them in prayer, for Christ's holy Catholic Church, and therein for the Kings most excellent Majesty, our gracious Queen, the Noble Prince Charles, and the rest of the King and queens Royal Issue, in the form, or to the effect of the 55 Canon Ecclesiastical, agreed upon in the Convocation, Anno, 1603.  
12 Item, whether your Parson or Vicar, stipendiary Preacher, or Lecturer in your Church (though chief he attend to preaching) hath twice at the least every year, read himself the divine service in your Church upon the several Sundays publicly, and at the usual times, both in the forenoon and afternoon, and hath likewise as often in every year administered the Sacraments of baptize (if there have been any to have been baptized) and of the Lords Supper, in such manner and form and with the observation of all such Rites and Ceremonies, as are prescribed by the Book of Common prayer in that behalf?  
13 Item, whether your Parson, Vicar, or Curate hath either received to the Communion any person or persons, which have not been of your Church & Parish, or any child died without Baptism through his default?  
14 Item, whether your Parson, Vicar or Minister, saying the publiks' prayers, or ministering the sacraments or other rites of the Church, hath wittingly omitted or neglected to wear a decent & comely Surplice with sléeus, provided at the charge of the Parish? And further whether such of them as are graduates have omitted to wear upon their Surplices at such times, such hoods as by the orders of the Universities are agreeable to their degree?  
15 Item, whether your Minister hath neglected upon every Sunday and Holiday before evening prayer by the space of half an hour, or more, to examine & instruct the youth and ignorant persons of your parish in the ten commandments, the Articles of the belief, & in the Lord's prayer, and diligently instructed and taught them the Catechime set forth in the book of Common prayer?  
16 Item, whether your Parson, Vicar, Curate, or Minister, hath celebrated Matrimony between any persons without any faculty or licence granted by such as have Episcopal authority, or by the Commissary for faculties, or by the Vicar's general of the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, or the Lord Bishop of Exeter, except the Banes of Matrimony have been first published three several Sundays, or holida's in the time of divine service in the parish Church or Chapel where the said parties then dwelled, according to the book of Common prayer, or at any other time, then between the hours of eight and twelve in the forenoon, or any other place, then in the Church or Chapel where one of the parties dwelled, or at at any time when Banes have been so thrice asked, before the parents or governors of the parties to be married being under the age of 21 years have signified their consent, or married any Adulterer, fornicator, or incontinent person, or any womankind with child before marriage?  
17 Item, whether your Parson, Vicar or curate, hath in his cure neglected to declare to the people every sunday at the time appointed in the communion book, such Holidays & fasting days as have been in the week following?  
18 Item, whether when any person hath been dangerously sick in your Parish, your Minister (having knowledge thereof) hath not resorted to every of them (if the disease were not probably suspected to be infectious) to instruct and comfort them in their distress according to the manner and form appinted in the Communion Book if he were no Preacher, and if he were a Preacher, then as he thought most needful and convenient?  
19 Item, whether your Minister hath at any time refused or delayed to christian according to the book of Common prayer, any Child that hath been brought to the Church to him upon Sundays or Holidays to be christened or to bury any corpse that hath been brought to the Church or Churchyard, (convenient warning having been given him thereof before) in such manner and form as is prescribed in the book of Common prayer.  
20 Item, whether your Minister hath preached, and administered the holy Communion in any private house, except it hath been in times of necessity, when any of your parish by reason of impotency could not come to Church, or being very dangerously sick, were desirous to be partakers of that holy Sacrament in their house? And in that case, whether without a convenient number of three, four, or more, to communicate with the sick person?  
21 Item, whether your Minister without licence of his Diocesan first obtained under his hand and seal, hath appointed or kept any solemn fasts either publicly, or in any private houses, other than such as by public authority have been appointed? Or hath been present at any such?  
22 Item, whether your Minister hath at any time (other then for honest necessity) resorted to any Tavern or Alehouse, or hath boarded or lodged in any such place, or hath given himself to any servile or base labour, or to drinking or riot, spending his time idly by day or by night, at Dice, Cards, Tables, or any other unlawful games? Or hath been suspected of any notorious crime, or hath given any evil example of life?  
23 Item, whether your Minister hath from time to time diligently called upon his parishioners, especially when they make their testaments, and earnestly moved and exhorted them to confer and give somewhat as they may spare, to the necessity of the poor?  
24 Item, whether your Minister hath once in this last year read in your Church and Chapel all the Canons, Orders, Ordinances, and Constitutions Ecclesiastical agreed upon with his majesties licence, in the Synod holden at London An. Dom. 1603. according to the King's majesties commandment?  
25 Item, whether any Parson not being ordered at the least a Deacon, hath said or read common prayer openly in your Church or Chapel, or hath solemnized Matrimony, or administered the Sacrament of Baptism?  
26 Item, whether your Minister hath rejected any married woman, which hath come to Church to give thanks after childbirth, according to the order set down in the book of Common prayer, or useth not the prayers appointed for the visitation of the sick, burying the dead, and churching of women?  
27 Item, whether the Chancel, Mansion house, and other edifices belonging to your Parsonage or Vicarage, be in any ruin or decay, and how long they have remained so decayed or ruinated? and to what value, as you are verily persuaded in your consciences?  
28 Item, whether any Curate or Minister have served your Church before he was examined and admitted by the Bishop of Exeter, or his Chancellor in writing, and did show his, or his Chancellor's licence under seal unto the Churchwardens, and whether any Curate hath served Two Cures in one day?  
29 Item, whether for the retaining of the perambulation of the circuit of your parish, the Minister, Churchwardens, and certain substantial men of the parish in the days of the Rogations (commonly called Gang days) have walked the accustomed bounds of your parish? whether in the same they have used any superstitious or popish ceremony?   

Articles concerning the Churchwardens and their Assistants.  
ITem, whether they have suffered any idle persons to abide either in the Churchyard, or in the Church porch upon any Sundays or Holidays during the time of divine Service or Preaching, and have not either caused them to come into the Church at that time, or to departed thence?  
2 Item, whether against the time of every Communion, they have neglected or omitted at any time to provide a sufficient quantity of fine white bread, and of good and wholesome wine for the number of Communicants, and the same brought to the Communion Table in a clean and sweet standing pot or stoop of pewter, if not of purer metal?  
3 Item, whether all and every of the parishioners of your parish, being of the age of Eighteen years or above, have come so often to the holy communion, as the Laws and constitutions Ecclesiastical do require: viz. Thrice a year at the least, whereof once at, or about the feast of Easter? And whether any strangers have come from other parishes to your Church to receive the communion? And whether the Churchwardens have observed such access of strangers, and thereof advertised the Minister, to the intent he should not admit them to the Communion?  
4 Item, whether they have caused the names of all Preachers which have in the time aforesaid preached in their Church, coming from any other place, to be noted in a book provided by them for that purpose; and every preacher to subscribe his name, and the day when he preached, and the name of the Bishop of whom he had licence to preach?  
5 Item, whether there be any person or persons within your parish, that hath refused to have his or their children baptized with the sign of the cross by your Minister, because he is no preacher, or to receive the holy Communion at his hands in the same respect?  
6 Item, whether there be provided in your Church a parchment book, and therein have been and are written the names of all the children, Men, and women, baptized, married, or buried within your parish, contained in your former Register books, and especially since the beginning of the Reign of the late Queen Elizabeth?  
7 Item, whether you have in your parish a sure Coffer with three locks and keys for the safe custody of that book? And whether the day & year of every Christening, Wedding, and Burial, which hath been in your parish, hath been weekly written in the said book?  
8 Item, whether there be provided in your Church the book entitled, Constitutions and Canons ecclesiastial, agreed upon by the Clergy of the province of Canterbury, with the King's majesties licence in their Synod at London, in the year of our Lord 1603.  
9 Item, whether there be provided in your Church a fair Bible, the book of Common prayer lately ordained to be used, a Font of stone within your Church or Chapel, standing or set up in the ancient & usual place, a convenient and decent Table for the celebration of the holy Communion, a carpet of silk, or other decent stuff with a fair linen cloth, at the time of the ministration of the Lords Supper for the same table, and a fair and comely communion cup of silver, and a cover for the same; the Ten Commandments set upon the East end of your Church of Chapel, where the people may best see and read the same, a convenient seat for your Minister to read Service in, and a comely and decent Pulpit set in a convenient place, and the same seemly kept for the preaching of God's word, a Pulpit cloth and cushion, a strong Chest with a hole in the upper part thereof, with three locks and keys set and fastened in some convenient place of the Church for the Alms of the poor?  
10 Item, whether your Church or Chapel be well and sufficiently repaired and so kept and maintained, the windows well glazed, the floares kept paved plain and even in decent sort, without offence or lo thsownesse of dust, or any other unseemly thing, as best becometh the house of God, your Churchyards well and sufficiently repaired, fenced, and maintained with Walls, Rails, or Pales, as have been in your parish accustomed, without encrochment upon the same, or any profanation used in them?  
11 Item, whether for the avoiding of incestuous and ungodly marriages, you have in your Church publicly set up and fixed in some fit place a table, expressing, that no persons shall marry within the degrees prohibited by the Laws of God?  
12 Item, whether you do know, or by any common fame and report you have heard of any person or persons, who within these two years last passed, or at any time before (being not presented and punished) have committed the grievous sins of Incest, Adultery, or whoredom, within your parish? Or have been bawds, or receivers of any such lewd & incontinent persons, or have been receivers or harbourers of women with child, who have been unmarried, or who have conveyed any such out of your parish before they gave notice thereof to the Ordinary, or before they did public penance for such offence? Or whether any person within your parish in the time aforesaid, hath been vehemently suspected of any such crime? Or hath been a blasphemer of the name of God, or a great and often swearer, and what is the name and surname of every such offender?  
13 Item, whether any offender in any of the crimes afore mentioned within your parish, hath not yet been presented, and detected to the Ordinary for the same offence? and what is the name of every of them not yet so presented, or not punished for the same?  
14 Item, whether any of your Parishioners have behaved themselves rudely and disorderly in the Church in time of divine Service or Sermon, or by untimely ringing of Bells, walking, talking, or any other disordered noise, hath hindered the Minister, or Preacher, or frequent the company of excommunicate persons?  
15 Item, whether any Church-ales, Drink, temporal Courts of leets, Lay juries, Musters or any other profane usage have been kept in your Church, chapel, or Churchyard, without good cause allowed by the Laws and Canons Ecclesiastical?  
16 Item, whether the Churchwardens of any of the former years, did at or within a month after the end of every year before the Minister and Parishioners give up a just account of such money as they in their year received, and what particularly they bestowed in reparations or otherwise for the use of your Church of Chapel, and going out of their Office delivered up to the Parishioners whatsoever money or other things of right belonged to your Church or Parish which remained in their hands to be delived over unto the Churchwardens of the year following?  
17 Item, whether any man, woman, child, or servant, or any other person or persons, who have dwelled, remained, or sojourned within your parish, or have often repaired thither and remained there by the space of any one month, being of the age of sixteen years or above, hath willingly or purposedly forborn to come to your Church or Chapel, and to be present at divine Service, and common prayer therein celebrated, by the space of any one month together within one year last passed, and what be their Christian names and Surnames?  
18 Item, whether any of your parishioners have within this year last passed neglected to resort to your Church upon any Sundays of Holidays, and to continue the whole time of divine Service, or have used to walk up and down in the Church, or to stand idle, or talking in the Churchyard or Church porch during that time, or have used any gaming, or pastime abroad or in any house, or have sitten idly in the street or in any Tavern or Alehouse upon the Saboth or Holiday in the time of common prayer, Sermon, or reading of the Homilies either before or afternoon, or any brawlers or quarrelers in Church or Church-yard, or users of filthy or profane talk?  
19 Item, whether the Almshouses, Hospitals, and Spitals for poor people that are in your Parish, be well and godly used according to the foundation, and ancient ordinances of the same, and whether there be any other placed in them then poor, impotent, and needy persons that have not wherewith or whereby to live?  
20 Item, whether the Schoolmasters within your Parish, openly, or privately in any man's house, be lawfully licenced, and of good and sincere Religion, life and conversation, and have been diligent in teaching & bringing up of their youth? And whether with their Scholars they have resorted orderly on Sundays and Holidays to Church, and received the holy communion so oft as they ought to do? and so many of their Scholars as be of sufficient age and capacity have received the holy communion?  
21 Item, whether all householders in your Parish have caused their children, servants and Apprentices, both mankind and womankind, (which have not learned the Catechism) to come to the Church on Sundays and Holidays, at the times appointed for Catechizing, and there diligently and obediently to hear? and what be the names of those that have not caused their Children, servants, and apprentices so to come to the Church to be instructed and examined, being thereto appointed by the Minster?  
22 Item, whether have any of your parish wrought, or kept any shop, or any part of their Shop open upon the Sabbath days or upon any Holidays, (appointed by the Laws of the Realm to be kept holiday) or have used to do any unnecessary work, or labour, upon those days, especially in time of divine Service?  
23 Item, whether there be within your parish any innkeepers, Alewives, Victuallers, or tipplers, that have suffered or admitted any person or persons in their house to eat, drink, or play at Cards, Tables, or such like games in the time of common prayer or Sermon on the Sundays or Holidays? And whether any Butchers or others that commonly use to sell meat or other things, have made sale thereof in the time of Common prayer, preaching, or reading of Homilies? And whether in any Fairs or common Markets (falling upon the Sunday) there have been any showing of any wares before Morning prayer were done? And whether any Markets and selling of wares have been used, or suffered in your Churchyard by any common packmen, or peddlers going about, or any such people either of your Parish, or not?  
24 Item, whether there be any in your Parish that take upon them to administer the goods of those that be dead, without lawful authority? Or any that have supressed the last Will of the dead? Or any Executors that have not fulfilled the Testators will, especially in paying of Legacies given to the Church, or to other good and godly uses, as the relief of poverty, helpless Orphans, poor Scholars, poor maidens marriages, highways, and such like: and by whom they are so withdrawn?  
25 Item, whether there be any in your Parish noted to be common drunkards, swearers, suspected persons of bad life, contentious with their neighbours, slack comers to Church, haunters of Alehouses, or any that hath taken unlawful usury against the laws of God; and of this Realm, since the last visitation? And what be the names of such offenders?  
26 Item, whether your Minister or any of the Parish, without the consent of the Ordinary have in their vestries or meetings, or otherwise caused any to do penance, or pay any money, or be punished, either openly or otherwise, for any crime punishable by the Ecclesiastical Laws only: and what be the names of the parties that have so been punished, and in what manner, and for what cause?  
27 Item, whether there be any in your Parish, that have used sorcery, or witchcraft, punishable by the Ecclesiastical Laws of this Realm, or that be suspected of the same; And used any charms, or unlawful prayers: or have resorted to any forcerers or witches for help and counsel, and what be the names both of such as use it, and of such as resort unto them for help?  
28 Item, whether any Inhabitant do detain the Clarks wages, or live apart from husband or wife without order of Law, or carry their children out of the Parish to be christened?  
29 Item, whether any within your Parish have resorted unto barns, fields, woods, or private houses, for any extraordinary expositions of the Scriptures, or conferences together, and so have (as it were) made a several Church or Sect unto themselves, to be drawers or persuaders of others to any such schismatical Sects, and in whose houses, or in what places have you heard of any such meetings?  
30 Item, whether there be any of your Parish known or suspected to conceal, or to keep hidden in their house any Masse-books, or other books of Popery and superstition, or any chalices, copes, vestments, or other like superstitious ornaments in their form and fashion undefaced, for some exercise of their superstition: or whether any be known or suspected to receive any such books, or like trumpery from beyond the Seas, and to diperse and carry them abroad to others?  
31 Item, whether there be any in your Parish, married in any private houses, since the last Visitation, or be known, or suspected to have been married by any Popish Priest, or in any other order than is appointed by the Church of England?  
32 Item, whether any Children borne in your Parish, do remain unbaptized, or be suspected to be baptied by any Popish Priest, Seminary, or jesuit: and whether any Recusant live together as man and wife, who are not known to be married accord to the Laws of this Ream? what Physicians or Chirurgeons have you, of what skill are they reputed in their profession?  
33 Item, whether any of the Stocks appertaing to the Church, be subtracted by any person, and to what value, and by whom, and whether your Parish Clerk and other Church-officer demean themselves according to their several duties?  
Generally, what faults soever 〈◊〉 know to be within your Parishes, not specified, or mentioned in these articles, and punishable by the King's majesties Ecclesiastical Laws of this Reamle, you shall by virtue of your Oath aforesaid duly and truly present them to your Ordinary, when and as often as occasion is offered, that reformation may be had accordingly, wherein your Minister may join in Patent?  
And to all and every of these Articles you shall present expressly and articulately, the full truth of your knowledges, or what by common fame you have heard therein. (* ⁎ *)   
FINIS.