ARTICLES TO BE ENQVIRED OF IN THE VISITATIon of the Right Reverend Father, JOHN, by the Providence of God, Bishop of Worcester.  
In the year of our Lord God, 1632.  
LONDON, Printed for John Grismond, 1632.   

The Advertisement.  
THe Minister and Churchwardens are to call unto them the Neighbours of the Parish, and out of them to make choice (according to the custom of the place) of two of the discreetest Parishioners to be Sidemen; and they altogether are to read over these Articles diverse times.  
Then, after they have duly considered of them, they are to write their answer or presentment unto every Article particularly, and truly, according to their consciences.  
Lastly, they are all of them to bring their presentments to the Visitation, and there the Churchwardens and Sidemen upon their oaths; but the Minister according to the Canon in that behalf; are to deliver them up under their hands:   

The Oath ministered to the Churchwardens and Sworne-men.  
YOu shall swear, that all affection, favour, hatred, hope of reward and gain, or fear of displeasure or malice set aside: You shall upon due consideration of the Articles given you in charge, present all and every such person of, or within your Parish, as hath committed any offence or fault; or made any default mentioned in these, or any of these Articles, or which are vehemently suspected and defamed of any such offence, fault or default, wherein you shall deliver uprightly, and according to truth; neither of malice presenting any contrary to truth, nor of corrupt affection sparing to present any, and so conceal the truth: Having in this action, God before your eyes, with an earnest zeal to maintain truth, and to suppress vice: So help you God, and the Contents of this Book.  
God save the King.   


Concerning Church and Church-yard.  
WHether is your Church and Chancel in all respects well and sufficiently repaired, and kept sweet and clean, if not, in whose default? Have you therein the ten Commandments, the Articles of the Belief, and other godly sentences fairly written: the Bible of the largest volume, the Books of Common prayer, the two volumes of Homilies, the book entitled God and the King, and all other books requisite: a seemly Pulpit, a convenient seat for the Minister at prayers, a large and comely Surplice, whole and untorne?  
2 Have you in your Church a strong Chest for Alms, with a hole in the top, and three locks and keys thereto: Is the money therein put, employed to the use of the poor?  
3 Have you a Register of Christen, Weddings, and Burials, in a book of Parchment duly kept in a Chest with three locks and keys?  
4 Hath any man pulled down or uncovered, or suffered to decay any Parsonage or Vicarage houses, or any Church, Chancel, Chapel, Vestry, or Church houses, in part or in all, or employed them, or any of them to any profane uses?  
5 Whether is your Parsonage, Vicarage, or Minister's house, or any part thereof converted, made, used, or employed, to or for any common passage, entry, thorough fare, or common way for people, or cattles usually to pass thorough, forth of the Churchyard into or unto any Alehouse, Tippling, or victualling house, common Inn or Winetaverne. And by whom, and by whose sufferance and permission, and how long hath the same been so made, enjoined, used, employed, or rather misused and misemployed as aforesaid?  
6 Whether are the pales, fences, enclosures, and marks of ancient bounds and limits of your Parsonage, Vicarage, or Ministers houses, or of the courts, entries, gardens, backsides, or other appurtenances belonging to the same, or any part thereof, removed or altered, or taken away from their ancient places, bounds, and limits thereof, and laid and used to and with any victualling-house, common Inn, or Winetaverne? And by ●hom when, and by whose sufferance, and how long time hath the same ●●ene so done and suffered? And whether by the continuance of the use of ●he premises as aforesaid, may not the same in short time grow out of knowledge, and by some prescription to become prejudicial to the Church or succeeding Incumbent thereof?  
7 Are your Bells, Bell-ropes, and Clock in good repair, and well ordered? Is your Churchyard well fenced and decently kept? Is it not profaned with fight, brawling, chiding, gaming, dancing, playing, or with unlawful cattles, or otherwise, and how, and by whom, and by whose default?   

Ministers and Curates.  
8 Doth your Minister read or say the whole divine Service every Sunday and Holiday, and administer the holy Sacraments according to the book of Common Prayer. Is your Minister a licenced Preacher, doth he diligently preach sound doctrine, and for matters of government seriously teach and maintain the King's supremacy under God within his Majesty's dominions over all persons, and in all causes as well Ecclesiastical as Civil, and the abolishing of all foreign power?  
9 Hath your Minister more Benefices than one, if two, or more, doth he reside upon one of them himself, and maintain a licenced Preacher, on the other? If he have but one, is he resident and dwelling thereupon, is he painful in his vocation, of sober and good conversation, and given to hospitality?  
10 Doth your Minister use decency of Apparel as well in the Church as elsewhere. And in the time of Divine Prayers and administration of the Sacraments, doth he use to wear the Surplice? and if he be a Graduate, such a Hood as is agreeable to his calling?  
11 Is your Minister a peacemaker, and no sour of discord, or is he suspected, famed or noted of any notorious crime, or giveth he any ill example, in his carriage or demeanour?  
12 Doth any preach in your Parish, that refuseth to conform himself to the laws, ordinances, and rites of the Church of England?  
13 Hath your Minister a Curate, and how is he licenced? doth he serve two Cures, and doth he give notice of the fasting days and Holidays commanded and allowed? and amongst others of the fifth of November?  
14 If your Minister be not a Preacher allowed, doth he procure monthly Sermons? and when there is no Sermon, doth he read an H●mily, doth he take upon him to expound any text of Scriptures?  
15 What Preachers have come from any other place, and Preach in your Parish: have you their names written in a book kept for th●● purpose? hath such a Preacher subscribed his name thereto, and set dow● the day when he preached, and by whom licenced?  
16 Hath your Minister obtained his Benefice by any Symontacall compact, either directly, or indirectly?  
17 Hath any of your parish, or of any other parish, unreverently used your Minister, laid violent hands on him, or disgraced his office and function, by word, or deed?   

Divine Service.  
18 Is divine Service in due time on Sundays, Holidays, & their Eves, and at other times appointed, reverently said or sung in your Church or Chapel, with the Litany on Wednesdays and Fridays, and all other rites and ceremonies, according to the prescript form of Common prayer in the Communion book?  
19 Whether doth any not being licenced (or any not ordered, at least for a Deacon) say Common prayer openly in your Church or Chapel?  
20 do any men, young or old, use to wear their hats in the Church or Chapel in time of divine Service, or are there any that behave themselves disorderly in the Church, chapel, or Churchyard, or any disturbers of divine Service or Sermons?  
21 Whether do any Victuallers (or others in your Parish) suffer any drinking or gaming in their houses on Sundays or Holidays, especially in time of divine Service or Sermons?  
22 Whether any in your parish, upon Sabbath days or Holidays, do use their Trade, or do any other work or labour, as Brewing, Baking, Washing, Barbing, or such like, or do any Mercers, Drapers, Shoemakers, Butchers, or others whatsoever, open their shops for sale of Wares upon those days, or do hedge, ditch, dig, carry, or draw burdens by themselves, their servants, horses, or other cattles whatsoever on such days? And is the fifth day of November observed, according as is ordained in that behalf?   

The holy Communion.  
23 Have you a decent Communion Table on a frame, with a seemly carpet and a cloth of Linen, a Communion cup and cover of silver, a fair Flagon of pewter or purer mettle for the Wine, a plate for the Bread, and a Towel to lay over it?  
24 Whether is there any in your parish, which being full sixteen years of age and upward, hath not received the holy Communion three several times in the year passed at least, in his or her parish Church, whereof Easter to be one of the three times?  
25 Doth your Minister instruct or examine his Parishioners concerning the Sacraments at convenient times before he administer the Communion? And doth he admit any thereto that cannot say at least the Lords Prayer, the Articles of the Christian Faith, and the ten Commandments?  
26 Is your Communion ministered with Bread and Wine▪ consecrated in such order, as in the book of Common prayer is appointed? And doth your Minister deliver both kinds to every several Communicant, with the blessing prescribed in the book of Common prayer?  
27 Doth any receive the holy Communion either sitting, standing, or otherwise than kneeling as is prescribed in the book of common prayer? or do any refuse to receive the same kneeling: and doth your Minister admit any to receive the Communion, otherwise than kneeling?  
28 Doth your Minister admit any notorious offenders, or any Schismatics to the holy Communion, before due penance enjoined by the Ordinary be duly performed by them, or doth he admit any notoriously known to be out of charity?  
29 Whether doth your Minister appoint and observe so many Communions in one year, as that the Parishioners may conveniently receive all of them three several times in the year. And doth he use to give public notice thereof in the Church, the Sabbath day next going before every such Communions, that the Parishioners may prepare themselves to be partakers thereof?   

Baptism.  
30 Have you in your Church a convenient Font of stone, well kept and covered, standing in the ancient place: doth your Minister Baptise therein, or in any Basin, or other thing, or with any other ceremonies than such as are allowed in the book of common prayer: or doth he omit, neglect, or not use all the ceremonies therein prescribed, and doth he use the sign of the Cross in Baptism?  
31 Doth your Minister refuse to Baptise any children of Christian Parents that are brought to the Church unbaptized?  
32 Are Parents urged to be present at the baptising of their children: or be any admitted to be Godfathers or Godmothers, that have not received the holy Communion: or do any Parents refuse to have their children signed with the sign of the Cross in Baptism.  
33 Have any children that were borne in your Parish been carried ou● of the Parish to be baptised else, where: or have any not been baptised all, or in places, or by parties unknown.  
34 Whether hath your Minister refused, deferred, or delayed to c●r● unto, and to christian any child being in weakness, or in danger of deat● being thereunto required, by reason whereof such a child hath (throng, his negligence, or by his default) died unbaptized.   

Catechism.  
35 Doth your Minister or his Curate, duly Catechise according to the late Canons every Sunday, such children and servants of both sexes as are of convenient age, or at least so many of them by course, as the time will serve?  
56 Do Parents and Householders bring, or send their children and servants to the Church every Sunday duly to be catechised, according as the Canons require, and who are negligent therein?   

Matrimony.  
37 Whether is Matrimony solemnised in your Church or Chapel, according to the book of Common Prayer?  
38 Have you in your Church a Table of the degrees of Marriage? are any married within the degrees of consanguinity or affinity therein forbidden: or do any children under the age of twenty one years, contract themselves, or marry without consent of their Parents or Guardians?  
39 Have any been married without the Banes thrice asked in the Church three several Sundays or Holidays (unless by Licence of the Ordinary granted under seal) or at any time of the day, than betwixt the hours of eight and twelve in the forenoon, or at any time prohibited, that is to say, from Advent Sunday to the Octanes of Epiphanie, from Septuagesima Sunday, to the Octanes of Easter, from Rogation Sunday, to Trinity Sunday?  
40 Have any that dwell in your Parish, been married in any other Parish, or any of another Parish been married in your Parish? Or have any been married privately out of the Church or face of the Congregation: when, where, by whom, and who were present at such marriages?  
41 Have any women not well known to be married, been delivered of any child in your Parish, and in whose house? Or hath any woman in your Parish been carnally known, or begotten with child before marriage, and by whom?  
42 Have any forsaken their Wives or husbands, and married others? Have any married again after they have been divorced: Or do any which have been divozced, keep company still together?  
43 Do any married couples live asunder and not together, and do either of them keep in their house, or secretly resort to any other, to the ●●ising of suspicion or fame of incontinency?  
44 Hath any in your Parish, for money or reward, married any Woman that committed Fornication or Adultery with another man? Or ●ath any unmarried Woman begotten with child, gone out of your Parish before she hath done penance enjoined by the Ordinary, where was she or is she received or harboured, at whose charge, and who conveyed her away?   

Visitation of the sick.  
42 Doth your Minister or Curate visit the sick, doth he admonish them to repentance, comfort the penitent, and exhort them to charitable Almesdéeds?   

Burial of the dead.  
45 Are your dead buried according to the form of burial set down in the Book of Common prayer: or have any been buried secretly or in the night, who, and by whom, and who were present thereat?  
47 Do the Executors or Administrators, or other friends of them that are buried in Church or Chancel, repair again the pavement, and give any thing to the Church, or in whose default is the same neglected and not repaired?   

Churching of women.  
48 Doth any woman refuse to give God thanks openly in the Church, or (as we term it) to be churched at convenient times after Childbirth, or doth any Minister refuse to church them, or church them any otherwise then is prescribed in the book of Common prayer?  
49 Hath any woman unlawfully begotten with child, been admitted to public thanksgiving in the Church, before she hath performed such penance as was enjoined her by the Ordinary, or at least been Churched in a white shéet, and confessed her fault penitently before sufficient witnesses, and undertaken to stand to the censure of her Ordinary for her said offence?   

Parish Clerks.  
50 Have you a Parish Clerk chosen by the Minister, is he of honest conversation, hath he a competent skill, in reading, writing, and singing: And doth any withhold or detain his Wages or duties from him?   

Scoolemasters.  
51 Have you any Schoole-house, and how is it repaired? And have you any Schoolmaster in your Parish that teacheth publicly, or privately, is he lawfully licenced? doth he come duly to the Church and receive the holy Communion? doth he instruct his Scholars in the Catechisms allowed, and in the book entitled God and the King? causeth he them to repair to divine Prayers in the Church, and to hear and note S●●mons? Teacheth he any other Grammar than that which is allowed▪  
52 Is any Schoolmaster known or suspected publicly or privately to read to his Scholars, or suffer them to read any book that 〈◊〉 confirm them in Popery, superstition, or disobedience to the King's Majesty, or to his laws Ecclesiastical or civil, & how many either men or women, do teach children in your Parish, and what be their names?   

Schismatics and Recusants of all sorts:  
53 Do you know any that teach or maintain any doctrine contrary to the Articles agreed upon in the convocation, Anno Dom. 1562.  
54 Doth any preach, minister the Communion, baptise children, or church women in private houses, or other where then in the Church, except it be in cases of necessity?  
55 Know you any that absent themselves from the Church negligently, or wilfully, how long have they so done? And of them that are absent without a sufficient and lawful cause, is the forfeiture of twelve pence taken every Sunday, and converted to the use of the poor, according to the Statute, Eliza. 1.  
56 In your Parish where there is a Preacher, do any use to absent themselves from his Sermon, and resort to any other?  
57 Know you any that forbear to participate with the Church of England in prayer, or Sacraments, either denying the Church to be Apostolical, or condemning the ceremonies thereof as superstitious?  
58 Have you in your parish any Popish Recusants, and half Papists that come to the Church, and receive not the Communion, any Church Papists that come and receive themselves, but either persuade others, or maintain their wives, children, family, or friends, not to come?  
59 Doth any Seminary Priest or jesuite, resort to any place within this Diocese, or suspect you any such: Or do you know any that resort to any popish Priest or jesuite?  
60 Know you any that by writing, talk, or argument, impugn the King's Supremacy, or any that have kept in their custody▪ that sell, disperse, carry, or deliver unto others any unlawful Books against the Religion and government established, or in defence of any foreign power, or domestical Consistory?   

Excommunicated persons:  
61 Are all excommunicated persons kept out of the Church from divine prayers, and receiving the holy Communion, until they be lawfully absolved: And are there any in your parish which have stood excommunicated forty days and upwards, are such persons as stand excommunicated, once in every six months denounced in your Church in time of divine Service upon some Sunday?  
62 Hath any Excommunicated person not absolved (at least in his extremity) not giving any testimony of his repentance before his departure, been burled in Christian burial, who buried him, her, or them? where and when, and who were present at such burials?  
63 Do any retain or keep in their house or service, any person denounced excommunicate, or do any way encourage them therein, or converse with them in buying, selling, eating drinking, or otherwise, keep company with them in any sort.   

Wills, Testaments, and Administrations.  
64 Do any in your Parish administer the goods of the dead, or any way intermeddle therewith, without lawful authority committed unto them under the Ordinaries seal.  
65 Know you any in your Parish that suppress the last will of the Dead, or any that forge or alter any Wills, or any Executors that fulfil not the testators Will: or any that detain Legacies given to any charitable uses?   

Several Articles.  
66 Do any in your Parish profane the sabbath-days: or not duly observe the Holidays appointed? Are Ember Fasts orderly observed at the four times of the year appointed?  
67 Are the days and orders of Perambulation duly observed in the Rogation week, if not, in whose default?  
68 Are the Canons, Constitutions, and Orders made and agreed upon in the Convocation-house Anno Dom. 1603. read over once every year in your Church upon Sundays or Holidays, according to his Majesty's Commandment in that behalf?  
69 Doth your Minister yearly present, and give up in writing to the Ordinary, the names of all Recusants, and half Recusants men and women, as well sosourners as Parishioners, and common guests in your Parish, above the age of thirteen, according to the 114, Canon or not?  
70 Do any in your Parish take upon them to practise Physic or Chirurgery, not being lawfully licenced?  
71 Are any in your Parish (or which were of your parish, and are now departed) known, suspected, famed, or reported to have offended in Fornication, Adultery, Incest, Witchcraft, Sorcery, Charming, Usury, Swearing, drunkenness, common slandering, sowing of discord, brawling, scolding, or any other uncleanness of life or had manners?  
72 Are any Householders in your Parish (in whose house there is any one that can read) which have not the book entitled, God and the King, and who be they which want the same?  
73 Have any Apparators, or others, taken any reward to compound or conceals any offence presentable, or punishable in the Ecclesiastical Court, if so, let the same be presented.  
74 You shall further present whether any in your Parish upon Sundays or Holidays, do use any dancing, plays, or other sports or pastimes whatsoever, before all Service on those days be fully ended? And are the same used by any of another parish, or any which have not the same day been at divine prayers in their own parish Church, who be they which have offended in any of the premises?   

Church wardens and Sidemen.  
75 Are your Church wardens and Sidemen chosen yearly in the Easter week, according to the Canons: And do the Churchwardens yearly, truly make and deliver up in writing, their account of all their receipts and disbursements whatsoever, by them received and laid out for the parish, and of all the Church goods, Books, and other things as the Canons require?  
76 Do your Churchwardens themselves come duly to the Church to divine Prayers and Sermons, & do they their best endeavours especially upon Sundays and Holidays to cause all parishioners to do the like?  
77 Whether is there a transcript or copy of the Register book of the Church, or christen, weddings, and burials, yearly exhibited and delivered up into the Registry of the Ordinary, or not?  
78 Whether is there a sufficient terriar of the gléebe land and other rites belonging to your Parsonage or Vicarage, truly taken and exhibited into the Registers office, as by the law it ought.  
79 Have the late Churchwardens concealed any crime, offence, or disorder in their times, and not presented the same: what be the matters so concealed? or doth any trouble, molest vex, or abuse, in words or otherwise, the Ministers, Church-wa●rdens, or Sidemen for doing their office according to their Oath and duty: and who be they that so do? And have your Churchwardens continued in that office above one year, without a new Election?   

Articles concerning the order and injunctions lately enjoined by his Majesty.  
81 Have you any Lecturer or preaching Minister in your Parish, doth he preach in the afternoon on Sabbath days, and doth he then use a catechistical form by Question and answer?  
82 Whether doth your Lecturer or preaching Minister in your Parish before his Sermon reade-divine prayers in a Surplice, and if he be a Graovate, in a Hood answerable to his Degree, and doth he Preach in a Gown, and not in a Cloak.  
83 Have you any in your parish either Rerusants or others, which refuse or do not come to Divine prayers, Lectures, Sermons, and Catechiz●ngs in your Church, or do negligently absent themselves and not frequent the same, or any of them, present the names, and true additions of every offe●●●r herein.  
84 Whether is there any in your parish, which keepeth any private Chaplain in his house, and who by name?  
85 Have you advisedly and diligently perused, read, or heard others read and peruse this book of Articles, and every particular Article and branch thereof, and have you framed your answers or Presentments to the same accordingly?  
86 Generally, whether do you know any of the Canons broken, or any other Ecclesiastical matter worthy to be presented, or not, and if you do, you shall truly present the same (by the Oath you have taken) as well now as hereafter, when it shall come to your knowledge.   
FINIS.