ARTICLES TO BE ENQVIRED OF BY THE CHURCHWARDENS AND SWORNE-MEN within the Archdeaconry of Excester in the visitation of the Right Worshipful Thomas Barret, Archdeacon of the said Archdeaconry of EXCESTER. Anno Domini. 1612.  
LONDON Printed by William Stansby. 161●.   

The tenor of the Oath ministered to the Churchwardens and sworn-men.  
Ye shall swear, that upon due consideration of these Articles given you in charge, Ye 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 vehemently suspected, famed, or defamed of any such offence, or negligence. So help you God, by the contents of his Holy Gospel.   

Articles to be inquired of within the Archdeaconry of Excester.  

Belonging to the Church.  
FIrst, whether your Church or Chapel, with the Chancel thereof, and every part of either of them, be well and sufficiently repaired?  
2 Whether have you in your Church, or Chapel, 

1 The book of Common prayer.  
2 The Psalms.  
3 The Bible in the largest volume.  
4 The two tomes of Homilies.  
5 The Paraphrases of Erasmus.  
6 A table of the ten Commandments.  
7 The table of the degrees of Marriage prohibited.  
8 A convenient Pulpit.  
9 A decent Communion Table.  
10 A comely covering for it.  
11 A fair linen  to lay upon it.  
12 A Communion cup of silver with a cover.  
13 A convenient seat for the Minister to read Service in.  
14 A decent Font.  
15 A comely Surplice.  
16 A chest or box for the Alms of the poor conveniently placed.  
17 A Register book for christenings, Marriages, and Burials, kept in a Chest, having two locks and keys.    
3 Whether is your Churchyard well fenced and cleanly kept, and whether hath there been any trees felled therein had for what use?  
4 Whether hath there been any fight, 〈◊〉, brawling, or quarreling in your Church, or Churchyard, and by whom, or hath any interlude been played in your Church, or wares sold by chapmen in your Churchyard on the sabbaoth and holidays or otherwise?  
5 Whether the mansion house of your Parson or Vicar with all the buildings thereunto belonging be well and sufficiently repaired are and maintained?  
6 Whether your Parish Alms house, and Church-house, if you have 〈◊〉, be kept in sufficient reparations, and to what uses they implo●●●  
7 Whether are there belonging to your Church-house any implements and utensils, and in whose custody are they: and whether any have been sold or alienated from their ancient use and by whom.   

Touching the Ministry.  
1 whether public prayer be said in your Church both Morning and Evening, every Sunday and holiday, distinctly reverently, and in due time, and in such order as is by the book of common prayer prescribed. And whether upon Wednesdays and Fridays not being holidays, the Litany and other prayers are said?  
2 Whether hath your Parson or Vicar preached, or caused to be preached the monthly and quarterly Sermons, by the King's Injunctions required. And whether hath there been any admitted to preach or read any Lecture, or the divine Service, not having licence?  
3 Whether doth your Minister every Sunday and Holiday, when there is no Sermon, read distinctly and plainly some part of the Homilies, as by authority is prescribed?  
4 Whether is your Minister resident upon his benefice, if he be absent, how long hath he been so, and whom hath he placed to serve the Cure in his stead?  
5 Whether doth your Minister usually upon the Sabbaoth or Holidays, in the Church openly call for, hear, and instruct in the Catechism, the children and servants, which are of convenient age within your Parish?  
6 Whether is your Minister a Preacher, or contrariwise is he a sour of discord, a haunter of Taverns, or Alehouses, a common hunter, hawker, t●●●er, carder, swearer, or dancer, or is suspected to live incontinently, or doth frequent any suspected places, or give evil example of life?  
7 Whether doth your Minister upon the Sunday, about the midst of divine Service, openly signify, what holy days and fasting days are to be observed the same week following?  
8 Whether hath your Minister baptized any children, married any persons, churched any woman, buried any dead, or administered the holy Communion in any othersort than is prescribed by the book of common prayer, or hath he refused to reform any of these duties according in the same?  
9 Whether doth your Minister use to examine the Parishioners, before they come to the holy Communion, to know whether they be fit to be admitted thereunto?  
10 Whether hath your Minster admitted to the holy communion or into the Church any open and notorious evil liver before penance done by appointment of the Ordinary?  
11 Whether is your Minister diligent in visiting the sick, & comforting them with the holy Scriptures, and doth he then move such as be of ability, especially when they make their testaments, to consider the necessity of the poor, and to give to their box or chest, their charitable devotion, or alms?  
12 Whether doth your Minister quarterly read in the Church the King's Injunctions publicly, as is required?  
13 Whether hath your Minister conferred with, and persuaded all persons within your Parish suspended or excommunicated, to submit themselves to the Ecclesiastical censure, and to seek their restitution from the Ordinary, and whether doth he use it in the presence of one of the Churchwardens at the least?  
14 Whether doth your Minister keep a note of all excommunicants in your Parish, and the first Sunda every month about the midst of Morning prayer recite their names, and admonish the Churchwardens to remove them out of the Church?   

Cocerning Parishioners.  
1 whether have you in your parish any dweller, or sojourner which is a favourer to the Romish or foreign power a maintainer of popish doctrine, or any that have said or heard Mass, or which have in their Custody, any popish or schismatical books, or are any way suspected to maintain heresies, errors, or false doctrine?  
2 Whether there be any in your Parish that use sorcery or witchcraft, or be vehemently suspected for the same, or that use soothsaying, charms, unlawful prayer, or invocations, and whether any do resort to such for help and counsel, and who be the offenders therein?  
3 Whether your parishioners do diligently resort with their children and servants to your parish Church on the sabbath day and holidays, both morning and Evening, and there remain the time of common prayer, preaching or reading of Homilies, catechizing, and other service of God there used, reverently and devoutly hearing the same,  
4 Whether have you any common resorters unto your Church? which are not of your Parish, nor licenced by the Ordinary usually to repair thither, and what be their names that so resort, and of what Parishes are they?  
5 Whether any of your Parish, while they are in the Church, in the time of divine Service, use to walk, or spend the time in talking, or whispering together, or do sleep in the Church, or have their heads covered undecently in the time of prayer, or do make any noise or disturbance in the time of Service.  
6 Whether any of your Parish absenting themselves from the Church, have in the mean time used any gaming abroad, or sitting in the street, or Churchyard, or in any Tavern or Alehouse, in the time of any part of divine Service, or exercise of Religion, and by name in whose house.  
Whether there be in your Parish any shops open, of any artificers and tradesmen, and buying and selling used by them upon the Sundays, and holidays in the time of divine Service.  
8 Whether any of your parishioners do work upon Sundays at any time of the day, or any Butchers kill any flesh on the Sunday, or any Millers set their Milles to work on the Sabbath or holidays, in the time of Service or Sermon, or whether any man hath gone with Cart, or occupied himself in worldly labours upon those days.  
9 Whether there be any in your Parish that receive the holy Communion in any other sort then kneeling, or do there use any unseemly or unreverent behaviour.  
10 Whether there by any of your Parish, or sojourning in your Parish, being of convenient age, that have not received the holy Communion thrice this last year at the least, and namely at Easter last, or thereabout for once.  
11 Whether any young persons of your Parish have contracted themselves, and married without the consent of their Parents, or governors.  
12 Whether there be any in your Parish that be married within the degrees of consanguinity forbidden, or that have married two wives, or two husbands both living, or are famed or suspected so to have done: or whether any being divorced or separated, yet do notwithstanding cohabit and company together, or marry again, the former wife or husband yet living.  
13 Whether any couple being lawfully married, have the one forsaken the other, of their own wills, without authority of the Ordinary of the place, and do live a sunder, to the offence and evil example of others, and who do so offend?  
14 Whether there be in your Parish any adulterers, fornicators, incestuous persons, bawds, receivers, or close favourers of naughty and incontinent persons, or such as harbour any woman with child unmarried, or have conveyed away the said woman, or suffered her to be conveyed, or to go away, before that she hath made satisfaction to the congregation by order of the Ordinary.  
15 Whether there be in your Parish any blasphemers of the name of God, common swearers, or such as have taken up a custom of any vain oath, and what be their names that so offend.  
16 Whether are there any in your Parish, that are common drunkards, or are common haunters of Taverns or Alehouses, to the offending of others, and evil example, & who are they that so offend.  
17 Whether there be in your parish any malicious, contentious, or uncharitable persons, common slaundeoers of their neighbours, railers, scoulders, or such as be sowers of discord between neighbours, and what are their names that offend therein?  
18 Whether their are in your Parish, any that have uncharitably contemned, or by any means in word or deed unreverently abused your Minister, & in what sort or manner the same was done, & by whom.  
19 Whether any in your Parish give the Churchwardens and Swornemen, or any of them evil words, for doing their duty according to their oath, and conscience, in making presentment of any fault.  
20 Whether do you know or have heard say that within your parish there is any person that offendeth in letting money to usury, contrary to the laws & rules of charity & christianity, and who offendeth therein.  
21 Whether there be in your Parish that do administer their goods of the dead without any authority, and whether any suppress the last will of the dead or be there any Executors that have not fulfilled their Testators will, especially in paying of legacies given to the Church, or to the relief of the poor, to Orphans, poor Scholles, poor Maidens marriages, high ways, Schools and such like, and by whom they are so detained.  
22 Whether any of your Parish do see ay secret conventicles, or have any Preaching or Lectures in any private house, or either of the Sacraments administered, or any prayer there used, and what they be that offend.  
23 Whether do any of your Parish refuse to pay, to the reparations of your Church, as they are severally seized, at at a lawful vestry or do any other which hold any land in your parish refuse to pay, which are not of your parish, and what be their names that so refuse to pay?  
24 Whether any youth in your Parish, do neglect to come to Church to be catechized, having had notice of the days and times appointed for them by your Minister, and what be the names of such youth, and of their governors?  
25 Whether any person suspended or excommunicated, be suffered to hear divine service, or the Sermon, to receive the Sacrament, to be married, churched, or buried in Christian burial, or to be partaker of any of the rites or benefits of the Church?  
26 Whether any woman known or suspected to be unlawfully begotten with child, have been married, or churched in your Parish, before she and the party with her offending have been ordered for their offence by the Ordinary?  
27 Whether any have been married without banes thrice publicly asked upon three several sabbath or festival days, in time of divine Service, or have any been married in the time of Lent, or within the other times wherein marriage is by law restrained, or in any other place, then in the Church without sufficient licence?  
28 Whether have any of your Parish been Christened, married, Churched, or buried out of your Parish, or have any received the communion out of the same?  
29 Whether hath the Perambulation of the circuit of your Parish, been observed once every year or not, according to the king's majesties Injunctions.  
30 Whether have all women in your Parish that have been delivered of child, come at convenient time after to the Church to give thanks, and whether have they been churched according to the form in the book of common prayer?  
31 Whether any in your parish refuse to be examined by your Minister how he is prepared before he cometh to receive the communion?  
32 Whether have you in your Parish any Schoolmasters, and whether do they together with their Scholars frequent your Parish Church on the sabbaoth and holidays, do they give any offence or evil example of life, and whether are they licenced to teach.  
33 Whether is your Parish Clerk dutiful and serviceable to your Minister, doth he read plainly and distinctly, doth he live soberly and honestly as becometh him.  
34 Whether doth your Clerk or Sexton keep your Church clean, and whether doth he keep the doors thereof safely locked, or is there by his default any thing lost or spoiled in the Church, or doth suffer unreasonable ringing, or any profane exercise in your Church, or doth live offensively amongst you?  
35 Whether have you any in your Parish, which practice Physic or Surgery, and whether are they licensed by the Ordinary or not?   

Of Churchwardens and Swornemen.  
1 whether the Churchwardens of the last year have given to your Parish a just account of the Church goods and rents, together with the Collections, Seasments, and Sums of money committed to their charge, according to the ancient custom of the Parish, and whether they have disposed the Church goods: and laid forth the Church money to the profit of the Church or no?  
2 Whether all Churchwardens and sworn-men of your Parish, do at the end of every quarter meet and confer about the answering of these Articles, and who hath after intelligence given to the time and place of meeting, negligently or carelessly absented himself?  
3 Whether forfeiture of twelve pence for absence from Church, appointed by a statute to be taken to the use of the poor, be levied, taken and imployyd, according to the same statute, by the Churchwardens of your Parish, of every person that offendeth?  
4 Whether the said forfeiture be in special, levied and taken of such as wilfully stand suspended or excommunicated, & so are absent from the Church, for every day that they so do, according to the statute?  
5 Whether the Churchwardens and sworn-men of your Parish do diligently confer with your Minister at Easter & Michaelmas yearly, and give in their presentments to master Archdeacon or his Official, for intelligence of those things which by his help and information, they may the more truly & directly present according to these articles?  
6 Whether do you the Churchwardens, Constables or Officers usually about the midst of divine service walk forth of the Church, and see who are in any Alehouse, or other house, or abroad elsewhere absent, or evil employed, in the time of common Prayer or the Sermon, & have presented to the Ordinary all such as you shall find so to offend?  
7 Whether do you the Churchwardens keep a true Inventory of all the ornaments, goods, rents, lands, and leases of the Church, as also an Inventory of all the implements, and utensils of your Church house, and whether do you deliver the same together with your accounts to the Churchwardens which do succeed you?  
8 Whether if any more be given to your Church, or Church-house, then are entered into the said Inventory, and if any be lost, sold, or detained, have you presented the same to the Ordinary?  
9 Whether have you the Churchwardens, or one of you at the least, been present with your Minister, and have heard him confer with, and persuade every person standing wilfully suspended, or excommunicated within your Parish to submit themselves to their Ordinaries.  
10 Whether do you know of any offence committed, or duty omitted, by any of your Parish before your time, and heretofore presented to the Ordinary, or as yet not reform, and you shall present the same?  
11 Finally, whether you know or understand of any matter or cause being a breach to his majesties Injunctions of Canons and Laws Ecclesiastical here not expressed, and you shall present them?   

Certain directions and orders given to the Ministers.  
INPRIMIS, It is enjoined to the Ministers of this Archdeaconry, that every of them, for the better proceeding in catechizing of the youth of his Parish, shall take a note in writing of the names of all such youth, of both sexes▪ as are of sufficient age to be catechized, and shall assign them their several days and times on the Sabbaoth and holy days, to come to the Church to be instructed in the Catechism, set down in the book of common Prayer, with the additions of late set forth by authority, and if any of the said youth shall neglect so to do, that then the ministers shall deliver the names of such youth, with the names of their parents or governors, to the Churchwardens to be presented in their quarter bills.  
2 It is enjoined to the Ministers, that they shall keep every one a book containing the names of all such as are meet to receive the Communion in every family within their several Parishes, that thereby they may be able to deliver a true note to the Churchwardens, of the names of all those which shall not receive the holy Communion thrice in the year, and especially at the time of Easter for ance, as is by authority required. And for the better observation hereof, they shall give publicly warning in the Church, that all the Parishioners do give sufficient knowledge before time of their coming to the Communion, and shall not admit any thereunto, which have not given such sufficient notice of their coming.  
3 It is enjoined that the Ministers shall perform these offices, both with the suspended and excommunicated, first privately, and after in the presence of one of the two Churchwardens, if his former labour take not effect, that both the diligence of the Minister may the better appear, and the parties wilful disobedience be more sufficiently testified, when they shall be justly puunished by his majesties high Commissioners.  
4 It is enjoined the said Ministers, that for their better proceeding in the premises, they shall keep a note in writing of the names of such persons as shall be excommunicated, and shall wilfully so continue, and the same note they shall publicly read in the Church the first Sabbaoth day every month, about the midst of Morning prayer, ut magis pudefiant, with admonition to the Churchwardens, that they then remove such persons out of the Church.  
FINIS.