ARTICLES TO BEE ENQVIRED of, throughout the Whole Diocese of Chichester, ministered and given in charge to the Churchwardens and Sidemen within the same Diocese, by the Reverend Father in God Richard by God's providence Bishop of Chichester, In his first general Visitation. Holden Anno Dom. 1628.  
Anno Consecrationis suae primo.  
LONDON, Printed by T. P. for Tho: Bourne.   

The form of the Oath which according to the 119. Canon, is to be administered unto the Churchwardens and Sidemen.  
YOu shall swear, that you, and every of you shall duly consider, and diligently inquire of all & every of these Articles given you in charge, and that all affection, favour, hope of reward, and gain, all fear of displeasure, or offending any, all malice, envy, & like sinister affections set apart, you shall present all and every such person, of, or within your Parish, as have committed any offence, or made any default mentioned in these or any of these Articles, wherein you shall deal uprightly, sincerely, plainly, and fully: neither presenting, nor sparing to present any contrary to truth: having God before your eyes, with an earnest zeal to maintain truth & virtue, & to suppress error and vice: So help you God, and the holy contents of this Book.   


Articles concerning Religion and Doctrine.  
WHETHER be there any one, or more residing, lodging or abiding in your Parish, that hold, defend, set forth, or propose any Heresy, errors, or false opinions, contrary to holy Scripture, the Three creeds, the book of Thirty nine Articles, the book of Common Prayer, the book of Consecrating and ordaining Bishopps, Priests, and Deacons?  
2 Whether there be any in your Parish, that oppose, deny, or otherwise traduce the King's Majesty's lawful, and established supremacy over all persons, in all causes as well Ecclesiastical as Temporal within his Highness Realmens and Dominions?  
3 Whether there be any that affirm, or maintain that the Church of England is not a true Church, but Heretical, or Schismatical, and there Refuse to come into the public Service, to receive the Sacraments, to participate in other Divine Rites and ceremonies with the Church of England, either as Popish Recusants, or Puritanical separatistes and schismatics.  
4 Whether there be any in your Parish that do or hath frequented, celebrated, or used any unlawful Assemblies, private meetings, or conventicles, under colour, or pretext of Religion, repeating of Sermons, expounding of Scripture in private houses, or that holdeth such meetings to be lawful, or such as may challenge the name of a Church.  
5 Whether any in your Parish do publish, sell, disperse, or communicate to others, any superstitious or Popish books, or writings, any Schismatical, and Puritanical, Libels, treatises, or papers Derogatory from, or contrary to the Religion, State, Church Government of this Kingdom of England, the Laws and Canons of the same, the Ministry and Priesthood therein? Present their names, qualities, and conditions.   

Articles concerning divine Service and administration of the Sacraments.  
1 HAth any of, or in your Parish spoken, or declared any thing to disgrace, deprave, contemn or Derogate from the form of Divine Service, in the Book of common Prayer.  
2 Been there any in your Parish that either absolutely refuse to come into Church and be present at Prayer, or ordinarily walk abroad, come not from home, or not into the Church till Sermon begin.  
3 Doth your Minister read divine service according to the Injunctions in the book of common Prayer; doth he diminish, altar, exchange the form prescribed, in part, or in all, using Prayers in steed thereof of his own devising, and conceiving.  
4 Whether doth he read the Confession, and absolution thereupon to be pronounced, or doth he change the words thereof to make it a Prayer, doth he in reading the first, and second lessons, expound the Chapters, as he readeth: doth he stand at the Gospel and creed, and observe the form prescribed in the Book, or not.  
5 Whether is the Sacrament of Baptism rightly and dilly administered according to the prescript form expressed in the Book of common Prayer, without adding, altering, or Detracting from any part, or point therein: Doth he rufuse to use the Interrogatories prescribed, the sign of the Cross commanded: Doth he use the words, and not do the Act, hath he admitted the Fathers, or Mothers in public, or in private Baptism to be Godfathers, and Godmothers, whether doth he use to baptise the child at the Font, or in some Basin at his seat where he readeth Prayer, or is the Font translated and placed there, or near thereto from the Church-door, where it should stand, signifying that Baptism is our entry into the Church of God.  
6 Whether hath he refused in case of necessity to baptise Children at home; have any so died unbaptized, or will he not Baptism the children of Papists being offered to baptism: such as be borne out of wedlock, Bastards, or unless the Father will affirm it is his own child.  
7 Whether is the blessed Sacrament of the Lords Supper so administered as is prescribed, viz. once every Month, or thrice at the least in the year.  
8 Item in time of administration are any suffered to be present, that do not communicate: Doth your Minister in administering it use the garments, and vestments prescribed, Doth he consecrate the Bread and Wine, with those words that are set down, if not, how and in what manner.  
9 Doth he first reverently upon his knees receive himself, and then severally, and distinctly give it to the communicants, they meekly kneeling, and not standing or sitting either at the Table, or upon some bench: Whether is the Bread wholesome and sweet? is the wine as it should be, representing blood, not Sack, White-wine, Water, or some other Liquor., And if more bread and wine be afterwards brought, the first not sufficing which was consecrated, doth he first use the words of consecration upon it before he give it to the Communicants, as is prescribed Can. xxj.  
10 Whether in solemnising of Marriage, visitation of the sick, Burial of the dead, churching of women, Doth your Minister use such manner & form, such words, rights, and ceremonies, as are prescribed: and if not, then in what manner doth he perform them.   

Articles concerning the Church, the Ornaments, sacred utensils, and possessions of the same.  
1 Whether have you in your Church, the whole Bible of the largest volume, and last Translation, the Book of common Prayer: the two Books of Homilies?  
2 Have you a Font of Stone, for the administration of Baptism, set up in the usual place near the Church door, with a cover to keep it from dust and soil?  
3 Have you a convenient, and decent Communion Table placed conveniently as it ought, with a Carpet of silk, or some other comely stuff to be laid upon it in time of divine Service, and a clean linen  for the time of Communion?  
4 Is it profaned at any time, by sitting on it, casting hats, or cloaks upon it, writing, or casting up accounts, or any other indecent usage?  
5 Have you in your Church a convenient seat for your Minister to read Divine Service, and to preach in, a comely large, and fine Surplice, a Communion Cup and flagon of silver or pewter; a Chest for Alms with three locks and keys, another chest for keeping the books, ornaments, and utensils of the Church: Have you a Register book in parchment for Christen, Burials, Marriages, and are these duly and faithfully written and recorded therein or not, and is the same safely kept in a chest with three locks and keys according to the Canon?  
6 Whether is your Church, chapel, Chancel, sufficiently repaired, decently and comely kept, as well within as without, be the seats maintained, the Steeple and bells preserved, the windows glazed, the floor paved, and all things in such sort as may well beseem the house of God?  
7 Whether is your Churchyard well mounded, and fenced, kept clean without Nuisance, or soil cast into it: is it encroached upon, and by whom? do any offensively keep doors, outletts, or passages into your Churchyard: do any use to quarrel, fight, play, or make meetings, banquets, Church-ales there, do any keep Courts, Léetes, Lawdays, Musters there, or otherwise use it being a consecrated place, profanely contrary to the 88 Canon?   

Articles concerning Ministers and Preachers of God's word.  
1 Whether is your Minister a Preacher or not: of what degree is he in the University, is he a licenced Preacher, doth he personally reside upon his benefice: if not, how long doth he use to absent himself, how doth he take order for serving of his Cure: whether by a sufficient and honest man: what allowance doth he make him according to the proportion of his Benefice?  
2 Whether is your Minister or Curate a man of honest life, fame and reputation; a quarrel, makebate, sour of strife, sedition, dissension, or doth he commonly use Alehouses, or unlawful games, is he defamed or detected for drunkenness, swearing, swaggering, or any indecent misbehaviour, to the disgrace of his holy function and calling?  
3 Doth your Minister catechise the youth of the Parish upon Sundays in the aftermone, half an hour before evening prayer, in that Catechism authorised in the common book, and no other, and if any Parishioners refuse to send their Children, or Servants to be Catechised, let them be presented?  
4 Whether doth your Minister admit to preach in his Cure any stranger without requiring his Licence, or any inconformeable man, or suspended from Preaching, and if yea, how often, and whom hath he so admitted?  
5 Hath your Minister preached against, or confuted any Doctrine delivered by any other minister, in the same, or any other Church within the Diocese, before he hath acquainted the Bishop therewith, and been directed by him what to do: to the disturbance of the Church's peace, or the scandal, or offence of others?  
6 Hath your Minister preached or taught any new, and strange Doctrine, contrary unto, or disagreeing from the book of Articles, and the literal sense thereof?  
7 Doth your Minister use in his prayer, to pray for the King, the Queen, Clergy, Counsel, etc. and conclude with the Lords prayer according to the 55. Canon.  
8 Have you any superinducted Preacher, or Lecturer in your Parish: doth he twice in the year at least, read Divine Service, both morning and evening two several Sundays, days, publicly in his surplice: doth he twice a year administer the Sacraments with such Rites and Ceremonies as be prescribed in the Communion book, according to the 56. Canon?  
9 Doth your Minister solemnly bid holidays, and fasting days in the week following, doth he marry any without ask the banes thrice, doth he of his own head and voluntatarie motion, appoint or keep any solemn fasts, publicly or in private houses, other than such as by law are, or by authority shall be apppointed, or is he present at any such, in, or out of his Parish: Doth he hold, or frequent any meetings for Sermons, commonly called Prophesyings, or Exercises in market towns or other places: Doth he upon any pretence whatsoever by Fasting and Prayer take upon him to cast out any Devil, or Devils in any obsessed, or possessed person:  
10 Doth your Minister upon every Sunday when there is no sermon, read an Homily, or some part thereof, doth he once in the year read over the book of Canons, upon some Sundays, or Holidays, before evening prayer, according to the Injunction from his Majesty?  
11 Doth your Minister upon every Wenseday and Friday, read the Litany in your Parish Church, or Chapel, according to the 15. Canon?  
12 Doth your Minister always, and at every time both morning and evening, reading divine service, and administering the Sacraments, and other Rites of the Church, ware the Surplice according to the Canons, and doth he never omit wearing of the same at such times?  
13 Doth your Minister use in his common course of life, that decent apparel, answerable to his calling and degree, both abroad and at home, in iournyes and otherwise, as is ordained by the 74. Canon.  
14 Hath any man residing in your Parish being a Deacon, or Priest, relinquished his Function, and betaken himself, to a lay man's life, or vocation?  
15 Doth any Person of what degree or calling soever, keep or retain in his house any Chaplyn, or Minister, to read Prayers, Preach, instruct his Family, who are they; how many, of what condition or degree?  
16 Doth your Minister reside, and dwell upon his Parsonage, and Vicarage house, or elsewhere, doth he keep it in good and sufficient reparations or not?  
17 Doth your Minister yearly in Rogation week, for the knowing and distinguishing of the bounds of Parishes, & for obtaining God's blessing upon the fruits of the ground, walk the Perambulation, and say, or sing in English, the Gospels, Epistles, Litany, and other devout prayers, together with the Litany, the hundred and third, and hundred and fourth Psalms?  
18 Whether your Minister be known to be, or is vehemently suspected to be, an Usurer, regrator, or to use any other scandalous and difamed trade, and course of life?  
19 Doth your Minister before the several times of administering the holy Communion, especially before Easter, admonish and exhort his Parishioners, if they have their consciences troubled, to resort unto him, or some other learned and discreet Minister, to reveal, and open his grief, and disquietmentes, that so he may receive such Ghostly counsel and comfort, that his conscience may be quieted, and himself receive the benefit of Absolution?  
20 If any man confess his secret and hidden sins to the Minister, for the disburthening of his conscience and receiving consolation, doth, or hath the Minister at any time revealed that thing committed to his trust and secrisie, contrary to the 113. Canon?   

Articles concerning Matrimony.  
1 Have any been married within your Parish, that were within the degrees of affinity, or consanguinity by the law of God forbidden; if any, present their names?  
2 Have any within your Parish, been married secretly in private houses, or without their parents, or governors consent signified, being under the age of One and Twenty years?  
3 Do any person lawfully married, live asunder, unlawfully, and in whom is the default?  
4 Have any persons (there banes being not thrice published in the Church) been married without Licence, who were present at such Marriages, and what Minister married them?  
5 What Popish Recusants, or their children have been married in your Parish, in what sort was that Matrimony solemnised, when, and by whom?   

Articles concerning the Churchwardens.  
1 BEE the Churchwardens chosen by the Minister and Parishioners, according to the 89. Canon, and whether hath any taken upon him to be Churchwarden, being not chosen, or hath any continued one year in his office without a new choice?  
2 Have any Churchwardens retained any of the Church goods, and not made a just account of what they have received, and expended?  
3 Have your Churchwardens, and Sidemen been, and are they diligent in their office, to see decency kept in the Church; and order in the time of Common prayer, and administration of the Sacraments, and that there be no disturbance, but soberness and quietness in the Church. And do the Churchwardens keep a book in your parish, wherein the Names of every strange Preacher in your parish is set down, and have the Churchwardens suffered any to preach not showing or having no Licence?   

Articles concerning the Parishioners.  
Do any in your Parish profane the Sunday by unlawful games, drinking, or tippling in the time of common prayer or Sermon; and by working and doing the ordinary works of their vocation and trades?  
2 Are there any in your parish that do impugn or speak against the Rites and ceremonies of the Church of England, or the lawful use of them; And the government of this Church under his Majesty by Archbishops, Bishops and other ecclesiastical officers?  
3 Who in your Parish do come to Sermon only, and not to divine Service, And who do not reverently behave themselves during the time of divine service, devoutly kneeling, when the general confessinn of Sins, the Litany, the Ten Commandments, and all Prayers and Collects are read, and using all duly, and lowly reverence, when the blessed Name of the Lord jesus is mentiened, and standing up when the Articles of the Belief, The Magnificat, Nunc dimittis, Te Deum, Benedictus, & Gloria Patri, etc. are read, who do cover their heads heads in the Church during the whole time of Divine service unless it be in ease of necessity, in which case they may wear a nightcap, or who do give themselves to babbling, talking, or walking, and are not attentive to hear the word read and Preached?  
4 Is there any of your parish having a Preacher to their Minister, that do absent themselves from his sermons, and resort to other places, to hear other preachers: Or do any in your parish communicate or baptise their children in any other parish?  
5 Are there any in your parish that refuse to have their children baptised, or themselves to receive the Communion of your Minister, taking exception against him: or have any wives that refuse to come to Church according to the book of common Prayer, to give thanks to God for their safe deliverance, in a decent habit, as hath been anciently accustomed?  
6 Hath any in your Parish spoken slanderous and reproachful words against your Minister, to the scandal of his vocation, or against his Neighbour, defaming them touching any crime of Ecclesiastical cognizance?  
7 Whether do any in your parish exercise any trade, or labour; buy, or sell or keep open shops, or set out any wares to be sold upon Sundays, or Holidays by themselves, their Servants, or Apprentices, or have otherwise profaned the said days?  
8 Is the Fift of November kept holy, and thanks giving made to God, according to the order set forth in that behalf.  
9 Is there any in your Parish that be, or are commonly known, or reputed to be blasphemers of Gods holy name, Drunkards, Adulterers, Fornicators, incestuous persons, concealors, or harbourers, of Fornicators, or Adulterers: Have any been defected or vehemently suspected of such notorious crimes, & what penance have they done for the same?  
10 What person, or persons have died, and departed this mortal life since the Second day of February last passed, and whether did they make any last wills, or Testaments, and who were their Executors, or whether died they intestate, and who hath the administration of their Goods; and what be the names of such deceased, and Executors, and administrators.  
11 Whether have any in your parish administered the goods of any person deceased without lawful authority; and before he or they have proved the will or Testament of the party deceased, or have obtained commission from the Ordinary to dispose the said movable goods; or are there any Wills unproved, or goods not administered.  
12 What persons be Excommunicate within your parish and for what cause to your knowledge, and do any of them repair to the Church, in time of prayer unabsolued?  
13 Whether have any in your parish given to the Churchwardens or Sidemen, or to any of them, any evil words for doing their duties according to their Oaths and conscience, in making presentment for any fault?  
14 Whether have any within your Parish harboured any woman unlawfully begotten with child, and have suffered her to departed away unpunished.   

Articles concerning Schoolmasters, Physicians, and Surgeons and Parish Clerks.  
1 Is there any Schoolmaster in your Parish that teacheth publicly or privately, not licenced by the Ordinary, the Bishop of the Diocese. Doth he teach any Papists, or sectuaries children that come not to Church. And doth he instruct all his Scholars to learn the short Catechism, by Law established, contained in the book of common Prayer. Is he a graduate, and sufficient to teach.  
2 What Physician or Chirurgeon is in your parish-unlicensed, and being not a Doctor of Physic, in either of the Universities, doth practise physic. And what ignorant persons have left their trade, and taken upon them to profess physic, or Chirurgery; and who be they that so abuse the people?  
3 Have you a fit parish clerk aged Twenty years at least, of honest life, able to read and write. Are his and the Sexton's wages paid without fraud; if not, than whose default is it. By whom is he chosen: is he diligent in his Office, and serviceable to the Minister; Doth he meddle with any thing above his Office, doth he keep the Church clean, the Doors locked. Is any thing lost or spoilt by his default, and doth he execute his Office duly?   

Articles concerning Ecclesiastical officers.  
1 HAth any Chancellor Deputy, or Surrogate or any other exercising Ecclesiastical jurisdiction within his Diocese, or any Register, Apparitor or other Officer belonging to the Ecclesiastical Court, exacted any extraordivary or greater Fees, than heretofore of late hath been accustomed, or then are expressed in the table of fees set up in the Consistory? declaring what fees are due?  
2 Lastly do you know any other matter worthy of presentment, or any other person or persons, which have committed any fault, or offence contrary to his Majesty's Eccleasticall Laws, or hereof vehemently suspected, not set down or expressed in these Articles, by virtue of your Oaths present the said faults, and the names of the persons which have committed, or are vehemently suspected for committing the same offences?   

THere must be a full, and several presentment, or answer made, to every several Article.   
FJNJS.   

MEmorandum, it is lawful for every Minister (be he Parson, Vicar, or Curate) to present any enormity, or common fame of any enormous crime that shall arise within his Parish. And whereas it seemeth by the Canon, that the Officers are not to present oftener than twice a year: it is to be understood, as in that Canon appeareth, of presentments in general. But it is lawful and meet for every Minister, Churchwardens, and Sidemen to make notorious offenders known to their Ordinaries, as often as occasion is offered, to the end that such offences may in due time be punished and reform.