Articles to be inquired of, by the churchwardens and sworne men within the Archdea[c]onrie of Worcester in the visitation of the R. Worshipful M. Iohn Iohnson Doctor of Divinitie, Archdeacon of the Archdeaconry of Worcester aforesaide, in this present yeare of our Lorde God, 1609.

❧Mattters enquirable, concerning the Clergie,

1 VVHether any do ſerue as Miniſter, or Curat, in your Church or Chappel, not being lawfully Ordered according to the Lawes of this Realme of Englande: And Whether your Miniſter hath obteyned his Benefice, by any Simonicall Compact, eyther directly, or indirectly.

2 Whether your Parſon or Vicar be not reſident vpon his Benefice (and being alowed to preach) and doth he not preach in his owne perſon, one Sermon euery Sunday: And if hee bee not him-ſealfe a Preacher allowed: Doth he not procure one Sermon euery Moneth at the leaſt, to be preached in your Church, and thoſe alſo, by Preachers lawfully lycenced. And if your Parſon or Vicar reſide not continually with you, is the cure ſupplyed by a ſufficient Curat yt is learned and a licenſed Preacher? And how many Sermons haue you had in your Church or Chappell within thieſe twelue moneths laſt paſt, and by whom preached?

3 Whether your Miniſter be negligent in the ſtudy of holy Scriptures, or workes of his calling, or vſeth he to play at any vn-lawfull games? I • he an Ale-houſe hunter, or a ſower of diſcord, and not a peace-maker, or is hee Noted. Famed or Suſpected, of any notorious Crime? Doth he not vſe the Surplice in time of diuine prayers, and in adminiſtring of the holy Sacraments, and alſo, ſuch comly attire, as well in the Church, as elſe where, agreeable to his Calling, as is preſcribed by the Canons of the Cōuocation lately ſet foorth by ye Kings Aucthority: Or hath he admitted any vnlawfully begotten wt Childe to her publique Thankes-giuing in the Church after her Deliuery: otherwiſe, then in a white ſhéets, in forme of a penitent perſon: Or hath he receiued to ye holy Communion, any excommunicat perſon, or Sciſmatike, or any knowne to be notorious Offenders, without apparant ſignes of Repentance: Or hath hee reiected or put backe any from ye Communion, without good & iuſt cauſe therein.

4 Whether doth not your miniſter euery Sunday, when there is no Sermon, reade ſome part of an Homilie? Doth he not in ye church before Evening prayer, teach▪ inſtruct & exammin the Youth of Conuenient age, in ye Cathechiſme & principles of Religion. And whether vppon Wednſdayes & Fridayes, the Letante, and other prayers be not read in the Church as to inioyned. And doth not your miniſter vſe the dayes of per-ambulation accuſtomed, and in ſuch manner alſo, as is allowable▪ and no otherwiſe.

5 Whether doth your miniſter ſerue two cures, or doth any ſerue as Curat in your pariſh, or preach, or any teach ſchoole publiquely, or in any priuat houſe not licenſed vnder yt Ordinaries Seale.

6 Whether hath your miniſter made any waſt or ſpoyle of his benefice, or ſuffreth be his Chauncell, or houſes, or any part thereof, • be vn-repayred, or to fall into ruin or decay.

7 Whether hath your Miniſter neglected the publique reading •• the late Canons and Conſtitutions in the Church, as is required •• the Intimating of holidaies and faſting daies appointed to be kept or the ſetting downe in the Church Regiſtrie, and publiſhing openli in the Church vppon the Saboth daies: the names of all ſuch as we •• Baptized Maried and Buried the whole weeke before. And hath & not one Key of the Coffer where the Regiſter booke concerning to premiſſes is kept.

8 Whether your Miniſter, hath admitted any of another pariſh • receiue the hofte Communion in dispariſh Church, or hath adminiſtred the holy Communion to any which doe 〈◊〉 kneele at the re • y • ing 〈◊〉 ▪ 〈…〉 excomunicate perſons publiquelie in the Church, till he receiue a warrant to the Contrarie, or a Certificate of their Abſolutions from the office where they were excommunicate. Hath he maried any within the Degrees of Conſanguinitie, or affinitie forbidden, or in time prohibited or without banes of Matrimony thrice ſolemlie, aſked in the Church three ſeuerall ſundaies or holidaies vnles it be by licence of the ordinarie vnder ſeale: or at any other time of the daie • then betwixt the howers of eight and Twelue of the Clocke in the forenone, or that your miniſter admitted any to be God fathers or God mothers to any Child in your pariſh before he or ſhe ſuch god father or godmother hath bin partaker of the holie Communion.

• Matters enquirable concerning the laytie.

9 WHether haue you not in your Chucrh or Chappell, The booke of common prayer lately ſet foorth by the Kings Authoritie, the great Engliſh Bible, of the trāſlations Authoriſed, ye two volumes, and all other bookes commaunded, a table of the Ten Commaundements, and a Table of the degrées forbidding mariag, a conueneint Pulpit, a Comelis Communion table on a frame, A recent Linnen Cloath to couer the ſaid Table, with ſome other Couering or Carpet of ſilke or ſuch like, A Communion Cuppe and Couer of ſiluer. A faire ſtanding pot of Pewter or purer me ••• l for the Communion wine, A decent Surpleſſe wt ſléeues, A Font of ſtone for Baptiſing of Children A Cheſt for the almes Box and another for the Regiſter booke with three locks and Keyes a péecs, And to there a tranſcript yearely giuen vp to the ordinarie of all Chriſtnings weddings and burialls as the Lawes requier.

10 Whether is your Church and Chauncell in the roofe walles, windowes ſeates and pauement, and in euery other part thereof well and ſufficientlie repaired. And the Churchyard well and ſufficientlie with good ra • les and ſufficient p • les, or ſtone wall, fenced and kept ſwéet and cleane, if not, in whoſe default, and are your bells and bellropes & all other apurtenantes thereto belonging in good order or not.

11 Whether haue not your Churchw, from time, to time, truelie leuied xij d for euerie ſunday, of thoſe which abſent themſelues from their pariſh Church to the vſe of the poore or deteyne they any of the common •• ocke or • a • e they not made and deliuered vp a iuſt accompt to the pariſhioners of all their receipts and burſements, Whether is the poore-mans Box orderlie kept, and ſuch Somes of Money as are giuen diſtributed too the poore accordingly, or haue your Churchwardens continued in that office aboue one yeare without a new election. And were your churchwardens elected in the Eaſter weeke as by the late canons Authoriſed by his Maieſtie, is required.

12 Whether is there any in your pariſh that doe refuſe to come to their pariſh church or chappell to diuine prayers and Sermones vpon the Lords days commonly called Sundaies or vppon al other feſtiual or holidaies, appointed by his Maieſties authoritie, or any that doe not orderlie frequent the ſame, and doe not reſort to their ſaid church, or chappell vpon ſuch daies to diuine praiers and Sermons: and there behaue not themſelues ſoblery and diſcreetlie in hearing attentiuely the Scriptures reade and in ioyning with the Miniſter and people, in prayers as becometh, or doe not reuerently remaine with their heads vncouered at ſuch times and places aforeſaid. And whether the ſaid pariſhioners eſpeciallie one of euery houſe at leaſt doe not frequent their ſaid church or chappell to diuine prayers vppon wedneſdaies and Fridaies.

13 Whether any in your pariſh being of the Age of xvj yeares or aboue, haue not receiued the holy communion in your pariſh church or chappel, and that humbly kneeling, three ſeverall times in this laſt yeare at the leaſt, of which Eaſter to be one, or any that haue not brought or ſeat their children Seruants and youth to the church vpon Sundaies aud holidaies in the afternoone to be catechiſed according to the order latelie appointed by the canons. And whether any doe not humblie kneele at the generall confeſſions and praiers and at their receiuing the holy communion or any that vſe any talking walking or other vnſeemly behauiour in the church or churchyard in time of deuine Seruice and Sacrament or doe any way diſturbs common praiers Preaching or other exerciſes of religion.

14 Whether▪ any Dauncers players of Enterludes or ſuch like, or any other doe Daunce play or vſe any vnſeemly parts or games, or ſell any victualls or other Marchandiſe in the church or churchyard or doe vſe to ſit in the ſtreet, tauernes, Alehowſes or at home during ſeruice time and exerciſes of gods Worſhip▪ and is there any that ſuffer any ſuch in their Houſes at ſeruice time, and who be they: or be there any feaſtes drinckings, Churchales, temporall Courtes, laye Iuries muſters, or other prophane vſage in the Church or churchyard or any ſuperſtitious ringing of belles: vppon holidaies or Eues abrogated by authoritye.

15 Whether any in your pariſh vppon the Saboth daies or holidaies doe vſe their Trade, or doe any other woorke or labour as brewing baking, waſhing, or ſuch like, or doe open their ſhoppes for ſale of wares vppon thoſe daies.

16 Whether is there any in your pariſh knowen or ſuſpected to reſort or to go to any Maſſe▪ or to any other ſuch ſecret meetings any maynteyners of ſuperſtition, or falſe Opinions, contrarie to the booke of common praier or Articles of religion or any that ſpeake againſt the Eſtabliſhed gouerment of the church in this Realme.

17 Whether is there in your Pariſh, any Childe or Children which haue bin Baptized by any midwife, or other laye perſon, whoe they be that haue ſee donne, and what and who bee the parents of ſuch childe or children and whether any childe hath not bin brought to the church to be Baptized, or doth any perſon take vpon him or her to be godfather or godmother to any child before he or ſhe hath receiued the holie communion.

18 Whether haue you a Parriſh clarke in your church or chappell, was he choſen by the Miniſter, is he dutifull and dilligent to the Miniſter, and learned, and ſufficient to diſcharge his place. And doth he orderly Demeane himſelfe and diſcharge his ſaid office accordingly as he ought, and is there any that with-hold his accuſtomed duties from him.

19 Whether are ther any in your pariſh who are known ſuſpected or famed, to be of euil life, to be inceſtuous perſons Adulterers, fornicators, • au • s, or barhorers of incontinent perſōs in their houſes, or who haue conueyed them away before they haue made ſatiſfaction to the congregation offended. Any drunkards, Ribands, Kailers, common ſlaunderers makers of libels, ſcoulds or ſowers of diſcord, any ſwearors, Blaſphemers of Gods name, or prophaners of his Saboth, or any that haue fought, or ſtricken, or brawled in the Church, or churchyarde.

20 Whether is ther any in your pariſh which hath, or hath had, at one time two wiues, or any woeman two Huſbandes any maryed with in the Degrees of Conſanguinitie or affinitie forbidden. Any diuerced keeping companie ſtil together. Any maried which without order of lawe liue a ſunder and not together as man and wife, Any married which haue made precontracts to others or any maried without banes thrice ſolemly aſked in the Church three ſeueral ſundaies or holidaies in the ſeuerall places of their aboade, otherwiſe then by licence of the ordinarie, or anie that marry foorth of the pariſh Church where they dwell, or that marry without Conſent of their parents or gardians or at anie other time of the daie then betwixt the howers of eight and twelue in the forenoone.

21. Whether is there any in your pariſh that haue or doe take any Vſurie or intereſt aboue Ten in the hundred for a yeare for Lending their Money Corne &c. or by any indirect meanes and Colourable practiſes in bargaining, doe vſe that Deteſtable Crime, to the pinching and eating by of the Poore: by their Exceſſiue gaine.

22 Whether is there any in your Pariſh that doe preſume to entermeddle or Deale with the goods of any Deceaſed before the will (if he made any) be Lawfuly proued, or before Adminſtration (if he died inteſtate) be duly committed vnto him vnder ſeale, or is there any hinderers of the Performans of ſuch will or Adminiſtration. Any forgets or Changers of teſtaments or any Executors that haue not fullfilled the Teſtators will, Eſpeciallie in not paieing Legacies giuen to the Church, to the poore, to amend High waies or to ſuch like good and Godly vſes.

23 Whether haue your Churchwardens and ſidemen trulie Noted and ſet downe in writing in a paper booke for that purpoſe, the names of all Preachers which come to them from any other place, and hath euery ſuch Preacher Subſcribed his name therto with the day when he preached, and the name of the Buſhop of whom he had Licence to preach according to the 52 Canon.

24 Generallie Whether doe you know any other Eccleſiaſticall matter, worthy of preſenting or no. And if you do, by the oathes you haue Taken you ſhall trulie preſent the ſame, aſwell now as heereafter, when it ſhall come to your knowledg.

FINIS.