ARTICLES To be inquired of by the Churchwardens and sworn-men, in the ordinary visitation of the Reverend Father in God, LANCELOT Lord Bishop of ELIE, within the Diocese of Elie. Ann. 1610.  
AT CAMBRIDGE Printed by Cantrell Leg. 1610.   

The tenor of the Oath of the Church- wardens and sworn-men.  
YOu shall swear, that upon due consideration of these Articles given you in charge, you shall present every such person of or within your Parish, as you shall know to have committed any offence, or omitted any duty mentioned in any of these Articles, or which are publicly defamed, or vehemently suspected of any such offence or negligence. So help you God by the contents of his holy Gospel.   

Articles.  

Touching the Church.  
WHETHER is your Church or Chapel, with the Chancel thereof, and every part of either of them, well and sufficiently repaired, the windows well glazed, the floares paved plain and even, without dust, or any thing noisome or unseemly?  
2. Whether is your Churchyard well fenced with walls, rails, pales, as hath been accustomed: if not, whose default is it?  
3. Whether hath there been any fight, chiding, brawling, or quarreling, any plays, feasts, temporal Courts or Leets, lay juries, musters, or other profane usage in your Church or Churchyard, any bells superstitiously rung on holy days or their Eves, or at any other time, without good cause allowed by the Minister and Churchwardens: have any trees been felled in your churchyard, and by whom.  
4. Whether is the mansion house of your Parson, Vicar, or Curate, with all the buildings thereunto belonging, your Parish Alms house, and Church house sufficiently repaired, maintained, and to godly and their right uses employed.  
5. Whether have you in your church the Bible in the largest volume, the book of common prayer lately authorized by his Majesty, the books of Homilies allowed, the two Psalters, a convenient pulpit for the preaching, a decent seat for the Minister to say service in conveniently placed, a strong chest with an hole in the lid, and three locks and keys, one for the Ministèr, the other for the Churchwardens, for the Alms of the poor; and the keeping of the Register book of the Christen, marriages, and burials.  
6. Whether have you in your Church a Font of stone for baptism, set in the ancient usual place, a decent table for the Communion conveniently placed, covered with silk or other decent stuff in time of divine service, and with a fair linen  over that at the administration of the Communion.  
7. Whether have you all such bells, ornaments, and other utensils as have anciently belonged to your Church, a Communion cup of silver with a cover, a fair standing pot or stoop of pewter or purer metal, for the wine upon the communion table, a comely surplice with sleeves, a Register book of parchment for christenings, marriages, and burials, a book for the names of all strange preachers, subscribed with their names, and the name of the Bishop or others where they had licence?  
8. Whether is the alms for your poor quarterly at the least distributed by you the Churchwardens and the Minister in the presence of six of the chief Parishioners to your poor? And are weekly the names and surnames of all persons married, christened, and buried, and of their Parents, with the day and year, entered in your said parchment book, and is every leaf being full, subscribed by you the Minister and Churchwardens?  
9 Whether are the ten commandments set up in the east end of the Church, and other chosen sentences of holy Scripture upon the walls in convenient places, are all your seats in your Church in good repair, cleanly kept, conveniently placed, and the Parishioners in them, or elsewhere orderly set, and is there no contention or striving for any seat or place among them?   

Touching the Ministry, Service, and Sacraments.  
whether is the common prayer said or sung by your Minister both morning and evening distinctly and reverently, every sunday and holiday and on their eves, and at convenient and usual times of those days, and in most convenient place of the Church for the edifying of the people?  
2. Whether doth your Minister observe the orders, rites, and ceremonies prescribed in the book of common prayer, in reading the holy Scriptures, prayers, and administration of the Sacraments, without diminishing, in regard of preaching or any other respect, or adding any thing in the matter or form thereof?  
3. Whether doth your Minister on wednesdays and fridays, not being holy days, at the accustomed hours of service resort to the church and say the Litany prescribed, and doth your clerk or Sexton give warning before by tolling of a bell on those days?  
4. Whether doth your Minister as oft as he administereth the communion, first receive it himself. Whether doth he use any bread or wine newly brought, before the words of institution be rehearsed, and the bread and wine present on the table, doth he not deliver the bread and wine to every communicant severally?  
5. Whether doth your Minister give warning publicly in the church at morning prayer the Sunday before he administereth the communion for the better preparation of the parishioners?  
6. Whether hath your Minister admitted to the Communion any notorious sinner openly known or defamed, or any who hath openly and maliciously contended with his Neighbour, before repentance and reconciliation made and done by appointment of the Ordinary?  
7. Whether hath your Minister admitted to the Communion any Churchwarden or Side-man, who hath wittingly and willingly neglected, contrary to his oath, to present any public offence or scandal, being moved to present either by some of his neighbours, the Minister, or his Ordinary?  
8. Whether hath your Minister administered the Communion to any but such as kneel, or do any refuse to kneel: hath he administered to any who refuseth to be present at Public prayer: or who hath depraved the Book of common prayer: administration of the Sacraments, or the Rites and Ceremonies prescribed, or the Articles of Religion agreed upon, or the Book of ordering Priests and Bishops: or against his majesties Supremacy: or have any been for these causes repelled, and have they repent in writing, or otherwise, and what be their names?  
9 Whether hath your Minister more Benefices than one, if he have, how far distant are they, how often is he absent in the year: when he is absent, hath he an allowed preacher for his Curate.  
10. Whether is your Minister an allowed Preacher, if he be, doth he every Sunday in your Church, or some other near adjoining, where no Preacher is, preach one Sermon every Sunday?  
11. Whether doth your Minister being no Preacher allowed, presume to expound the Scripture in his own Cure, or else where doth he procure every month a Sermon to be preached in his Cure by Preachers lawfully licenced, and on every Sunday when there is no sermon, doth he or his Curate read some one of the homilies prescribed?  
12. Whether is your Curate allowed by the Ordinary, under his hand and seal, to serve for your Cure, and whether doth he serve two churches or chapels in one day?  
13. Whether doth your Minister in saying the public prayers and administering the Sacraments, wear a decent surplice with fleeves, and being a graduate, doth he wear therewith a hood, by the order of the Universities, agreeable to his degree?  
14. Whether hath your Minister or any other Preacher in your Church, preached any thing to confute and impugn any Doctrine delivered by any other Preacher, and hath he and they prayed for Christ's catholic Church, as is prescribed by the Canon?  
15. Whether hath or doth any preach in your Church, which refuseth to conform himself to the Laws, Rites, and ordinances established, or which hath not first showed a sufficient licence?  
16. Whether doth your Minister in his sermons, four times in the year at the least, teach and declare the King's majesties power within his Realms to be the highest power under God, to whom, all within the same own most loyalty and obedience, and that all foreign power is justly taken away?  
17. Whether doth your Minister every Sunday and Holiday, half an hour before Evening prayer or more, examine and instruct the youth in the ten Commandments, the Belief, the Lords prayer, and the catechism set forth in the Book of common Prayer?  
18. Whether hath your Minister married any which have not been three several Sundays or Holidays asked in your Church in the time of Divine service without licence, and hath he with licence or without married any, whereof neither dwelled in your Parish, or with any licence but only from the Bishop of Elie, or his chancellors, or from his grace of Canterbury?  
19 Whether hath your Minister with licence or without, married any at any other times then between the hours of Eight and Twelve in the forenoon, or in any private house, or when there is no licence, before their Parents and Governors (the parties being under the age of 21. years) have testified their consents?  
20. Whether doth your Minister declare to the people every Sunday at the time appointed, what Holidays and fasting-days be the week following? doth he being a Preacher, confer with all Recusants and persons Excommunicate or suspended? being no Preacher, doth he procure a sufficient Preacher to reclaim them thereby?  
21. Whether doth your Minister keep a Note of all persons excommunicate, and once every six months doth be denounce them which have not obtained their absolution, on some Sunday in service time, that others may be admonished to refrain their company?  
22. Whether doth your Minister having notice given him, diligently visit the sick (the Disease not being infectious,) doth he instruct and comfort them, doth he then move them to make their Testaments, and remember the poor, and other works of charity, and the passing Bell tolling, doth he then neglect his last duty?  
23. Whether hath your Minister refused to baptise any Child brought to the Church upon any Sunday or holiday, or to bury any Corpse brought into the Church or churchyard, or to church any women having had convenient warning thereof?  
24. Whether hath your Minister being truly informed of the danger of death of any Infant unbaptized, and being desired to go to the place where the child is, to baptise it, neglected to go, by means whereof the child died unbaptized?  
25. Whether doth your Minister at any time preach or administer the Communion in any private house, except when any are so impotent that they cannot go to Church, or very dangerously sick?  
26. Whether hath your Minister held or appointed any public fast, or been present at such, doth he or any other in your Parish hold any lecture or exercise, or attempt by fasting or prayer, or otherwise, to east out any Devils, without the licence of the Bishop under his hand and seal?  
27. Whether hath there been any secret conventicles or meetings in your parish by any Priests, Ministers, or others, tending to the depraving of the form of prayer, doctrine, government of the Church?  
28. Whether doth your Minister in his journey, wear a cloak with sleeves called a priest's cloak, without guards, welts, long buttons, or cuts?  
29. Whether doth your Minister wear a wrought nightcap abroad, or doth he wear any cut or pinked apparel, doth he in public go in hi● Doublet and Hose, without a coat or cassock, and doth he wear any light coloured slockings?  
30. Whether doth your Minister resort to any Taverns or Alehouses, except for his honest necessities, or doth he board or lodge in any such place, doth he use any base or servile labour, drinking, riot, dice, cards, tables, or any other unlawful games? is he contentious, a hunter, hawker, swearer, dancer, suspected of incontinency, or give evil example of life?  
31. Whether is there in your parish any Minister or Deacon, who hath forsaken his calling, using himself in his course of life as a gentleman or other lay man?   

Touching Schoolmasters.  
whether have you in your Parish any Schoolmaster, who teacheth either in public School, or private house, doth he give any evil example of life, is he allowed by the Ordinary, or doth your Minister or Curate teach, and is he allowed in like manner?  
2. Whether doth your Minister or Schoolmaster, who teacheth, teach the catechism by authority set forth, doth he when there is any sermon or divine service, bring his Scholars to Church, & see them quietly and soberly ordered, doth he examine them after their return what they have learned of the sermon?  
3. Whether doth he at other times teach them such sentences of holy Scripture as may induce them to godliness, doth he teach the Grammar set forth by King Henry the eight, continued by King Edward the sixth, and Queen Elizabeth.  
4. Whether hath he spoken, writ, or taught against any thing whereunto he formerly subscribed, as the King's supremacy, the Articles of religion, Book of common prayer, or any thing therein contained?   

Touching the Parish Clarke and Sexton.  
whether have you a Parish Clarke sufficient for his place, of the age of 20. years at the least, is he of honest conversation, can he read, writ, and sing, is he diligent in his office, and serviceable to his Minister and not given to overmuch drink?  
2. Whether doth your Clerk meddle with any thing above his Office, as churching of women, burying of the dead, reading of Prayers, or such like.  
Whether doth your Clerk or Sexton keep your church clean, the doors safe locked, is any thing by his default lost or spoiled in the church, doth he suffer unseasonable ringing, or any profane exercise in your Church?  
4. Whether doth your Clerk or Sexton, when one is passing out of this life, neglect to toll a Bell having notice thereof: or the party being dead, doth he suffer any more than one short peal, and before his burial one, and after the same another?  
5. Whether doth any of your Parish, refuse to pay unto the Parish-Clarke or Sexton such wages as are unto them due, and have been accustomably paid?   

Touching Parishioners.  
whether hath any in your Parish spoken against, or any way impugned the King's majesties supremacy in causes Ecclesiastical, the Truth and Doctrine of the Church of England, the form of God's worship contained in the book of common prayer, and administration of the Sacraments?  
2. Whether hath any in your Parish spoken against or impugned the Articles of religion agreed upon in An. 1602. the Rites, and ceremonies establisned in the Church, the government by Archbishop's Bishops, Deans, Archdeacon's, and others that bear office in the same?  
3. Whether hath any in your parish spoken against or impugned the form of making and consecrating Bishops, Priests, or Deacons, or have any separated themselves from the society of the congregation, and combined in a new Brotherhood, or depraved the Synod lately held by the King's authority?  
4. Whether hath any in your Parish maintained or defended any such Ministers or Schoolmasters as refuse to subscribe to the order of the Church, have they affirmed that such Ministers, and their adherents may make rules and orders in causes Ecclesiastical, without the King's authority?  
5. Whether doth any in your parish profane, violate, or misspend the Sabbath, or holy day, or any part of them, using any offensive conversation, or worldly labour in those days, or any of them?  
6. Whether hath any in your Parish in the time of divine service covered his head, albeit he hath an infirmity, in which case a cap or night-quoife is allowed, or is there any who hath not reverently kneeled when the general confession, Litany, and other prayers are read, and which have not stood up at the saying of the belief?  
7. Whether hath any in your Parish disturbed the service or Sermon by walking, talking, or any other way, or departed out of the Church during the service or Sermon without some urgent cause, or loitered about the church or church porch?  
8. Whether do all parishioners receive the holy Communion thrice every year at the least, whereof the feast of Easter to be one, and have all being of the age of 16. years, duly received, or not?  
9 Whether hath any Parent been urged to be present or admitted to answer as God father for his own child, or hath any Godfather or Godmother made any other answer or speech than is prescribed by the Book, or have any been admitted for such at Baptism, who have not first received the Communion?  
10. Whether do all Fathers, Mothers, Masters, Mistresses come, and cause their children, servants, and apprentices to come duly to the church, and according to the Ministers direction to be instructed and catechized, or who be they that have not obeyed the Minister herein?  
11. Whether have any persons married together within the degrees of consanguinity or affinity prohibited, set forth in a table, appointed to be placed in every Church, or have any married or contracted themselves under the age of 21. years, without the consent of their Parents or Governors, if their Parents be dead?  
12. Whether have any persons, once lawfully married, forsaken each other, or do lie asunder without the authority of the Ordinary, or do any being divorced or separated, marry again, the former wife or husband yet living?  
13. Whether have any been married in the times wherein marriage is by law restrained, without lawful licence, viz. From the Saturday next before Advent Sunday, until the Fourteenth of januarie: and from the Saturday next before Septuages●ma Sunday, until the Monday next after low Sunday: and from the Sunday before the Rogation week, until Trinity Sunday?  
14. Whether hath any of your Parish unreverently used your Minister, or have any laid violent hands upon him, or disgraced his Office and calling, by word or deed?  
15. Whether have you in your Parish any dweller or soiournour, a maintainer of Popish Doctrine, or suspected to keep schismatical Books, or to favour any heresy or error?  
16. Whether have you any common resorters to your Church, which are not of your Paeish, or do any such receive the Communion amongst you what be their names, and of what parishes are they?  
17. Whether have any in the time of service opened their shops, exercised their trade, used any gaming, been in any Tavern, or Alehouse, or otherwise ill employed?  
18. Whether are there in your parish any Adulterers, Fornicators, incestuous persons, bawds, receivers, close favourers, conveyors away, or which suffer to departed any incontinent person unpunished, any blasphemers, common swearers, drunkards, ribauds, usurers, malicious slanderers, scolds, or sowers of discord, or any defamed of the said crimes?  
19 Whether do any in your parish administer the goods of the dead without authority, or suppress their will or Testament, have any Executors neglected to perform their Wills, especially in paying of Legacies given to the church, to the poor, or to any other charitable, or godly uses?  
20. Whether do any refuse to pay to the reparations, ornaments, and other things required in your church, as they are ceased by a lawful vestry, or any dwelling out of your Parish, which hold land in your Parish?  
21. Whether hath any person suspended or excommunicated, been suffered to hear divine service, or the Sermon, to teceive the Sacraments ments, to be matied or churched, or have any Excommunicants been buried in christian burial?  
22. Whether have any in your Parish been christened, churched, buried, or received the communion, or been married out of your church, both parties dwelling in your parish?  
23. Whether have all women in your Parish delivered of child, come at convenient time after to Church to give thanks, and have they been churched according to the form of the Book of common prayer?  
24. Whether hath the preambulation of the circuit of your Parish been observed once every year, if not, whose default is it?  
25. Whether have any in your parish given the Churchwardens, or Sidemen, or any of them evil words for doing their duty, according to their oath and conscience in making presentment for any fault?   

Touching Churchwardens and Swornemen.  
whether do any in your Parish take upon them to be churchwarden or side-man, which is not lawfully chosen by the Minister, and Parishioners according to the canon, or do any continue that 〈…〉 ●●●ger then one year, except they be chosen again, and are all su●● 〈…〉 choose yearly in Easter week?  
2. Whether do your churchwardens within one Mon● 〈…〉 most after their year ended, before the Minister and Parishio●●● 〈…〉 a just account of all such money, and other things, as they have received and bestowed, have they delivered all remaining in their hands belonging to their Church or Parish, by bill intended, to be delivered to the next churchwarden?  
3. Whether have the Churchwardens with the advise of the Minister, from time to time provided a sufficient quantity of fine white bread and wholesome wine for the number of Communicants?  
4. Whether do the Churchwardens and Swornemem, before every Visitation, and at other times when there is just occasion, meet and confer about their presentments, and the answering of these Articles, and who hath (after notice given him of the time and place) carelessly absented himself?  
5. Whether the forfeiture of twelve pence for absence from Church, appointed by statute for the use of the poor, be taken and levied by the Churchwardens, and employed according to the said Statute: and whether is the same forfeiture taken of all persons which 〈◊〉 and wilfully suspended or Excommunicated?  
6. Whether have any Churchwardens have sold or detained any goods, ornaments, Bells, Rents, or implements of the Church?  
7. Whether do you the Churchwardens and Sidesmen about the midst of Divine Service, usually walk out of the church, and see who are abroad in any alehouse, or elsewhere absent, or evil employed, and have you presented all such to the Ordinance?  
8. Whether do you know, or have heard a fame of any offence, committed, or duty omitted by any of your Parish before your time, and heretofore not presented to the Ordinary or as yet not reform, and have you presented the same?  
9 Finally, do you know of any matter or cause which is a breach of the laws Ecclesiastical here not expressed, and have you presented the same?  
FINIS