ARTICLES TO BE ENQUIRED of AND ANSWERED unto BY THE Churchwardens and Sworn Men IN THE PRIMARY VISITATION OF THE Right Reverend Father in God, SYMON Lord Bishop of Chichester, MDCXC.

LONDON, Printed for Richard Chiswell, at the Rose and Crown in St. Paul's Church-Yard, MDCXC.

The Oath to be administred to the Church­wardens of each Parish.

YOU shall swear truly and faithfully to execute the Office of a Church-Warden within your Parish, and shall diligently enquire and make true Presentment of such Things and Persons as you know to be presentable by the Ecclesiastial Laws of this Realm.
So help you God.

ARTICLES OF ENQUIRY, Unto which The Churchwardens or Side-men are to answer in the Diocess of Chichester.

TIT. I. Concerning Churches, Chappels, with the things belonging thereunto.
  • I. IS your Parish-Church or Chappel,
    Can. 85.
    both in the Roof and Windows, Floor and Seats, in good and suffi­cient repair; and are all things therein kept in an orderly and decent sort?
  • II. Is there a Font of Stone in your Church or Chappel,
    Can. 81, 82.
    with a Cover to it; standing in the ancient usual place? Doth your Minister there Baptize publickly? Is there a de­cent Communion-Table in your Chancel; covered in time of Divine Service with a Carpet, and when the Communion is administered, with a fair Linnen Cloath?
    Can. 64.
    And have you a Chalice or Communion-Cup, with a Cover, and one or more Flaggons? Have any of these been profaned by com­mon use?
  • III. Have you a convenient Seat or Pew wherein to read Divine Service; a Pulpit;
    Can. 74, 75.83
    a large Bible of the last Tran­slation; a Book of Common Prayer published 1662; the Book of Homilies set forth by Authority; a Printed Table of [Page 2] the Degrees wherein Marriages are prohibited; a Book of Canons; and a decent Surplice?
  • IV. Have you a Parchment Book for the Registring of the Day and Year of every Christning, Wedding and Bu­rial in your Parish; and is it kept in all points, according to the Canon in that behalf?
    Can. 70.
TIT. II. Concerning the Church-yard, Houses, Glebes and Tythes belonging to the Church.
  • I. IS your Church-yard well fenced, and decently kept? Hath any person encroached upon it, or made any door into it? And how long since?
  • II. Is the House of your Parson, Vicar, or Curate, and the Out-houses in good repair? Have any of them been de­faced or pulled down without Licence? Have there been any encroachments made upon the same, and by whom?
  • III. Have you a true Terrier of all the Glebelands,
    Can. 87.
    Mea­dows, Gardens, Orchards Tenements or Cottages belong­ing to your Parsonage or Vicarage? As also a Note of such Pensions, Rate-Tithes, and Portions of Tithes, or other yearly profits (either within or without your Parish) as be­long thereunto? Have any of them been withheld from your Minister, and by whom, as you know or have heard? And is your Terrier laid up in the Bishop's Registry?
TIT. III. Concerning Ministers.
  • I. IS your Minister licensed by the Bishop?
    8.
    Hath he been legally inducted? And read the 39. Articles within the time by Law appointed, and declared his Assent thereto? Is he defamed or suspected to have obtained either his Benefice or Orders by any Simoniacal compact?
  • II. Is your Minister constantly resident among you and doth he preach every Lord's Day, unless hindred by Sickness or reasonable Absence? How long in any one year hath he been absent from his Cure? who supplies it, during his [Page 3] absence? Doth he serve any other Cure besides, or hath he any other Ecclesiastical Benefice?
  • Act of Unifor­mity.
    III. Doth your Parson, Vicar, or Curate, in reading the daily Morning and Evening Service, Administration of the Holy Sacraments, Celebration of Marriage, Churching of Women after Childbirth Visitation of the Sick, Burial of the Dead, use the Form and Words prescribed in the Book of Common Prayer: and all such Rites and Ceremonies, as are appointed in that Book, so far as you have ob­served?
  • IV. Doth your Minister at the Reading and Celebrating Divine Offices in your Church or Chappel,
    Can. 58.
    wear the Sur­plice; togethe [...] with such other habit as is suiteable to his Degree?
  • V. Doth he celebrate the Sacrament of the Lord's Sup­per so often,
    Can. 21, 22, 26. Rubrick be­fore the Com­munion. Can. 59. Rubrick be­fore Confirm. Can. 61.
    that every Parishioner may receive it thrice at least in every year? And doth he keep back such as ought not to be admitted, giving an Account of them to the Bishop?
  • VI. Doth your Minister diligently instruct the Youth of your Parish in the Church Catechism? And doth he prepare and present them, being so instructed, to be confirmed by the Bishop?
  • VII. Doth he refuse or neglect to visit the Sick;
    Can. 67, 69.
    or delay the Baptism of any Infant in danger of death? Is there any Child past infancy, or other Persons grown up, who, through your Minister's default, yet remains unbaptized in your Parish?
  • VIII. Hath he married any Persons in private Houses;
    Can. 62, 63.
    or such as being under Age have not the consent of their Pa­rents or Guardians, or without Banns first published in the Church on three Sundays or Holy-days; or at any other Hours than between Eight and Twelve in the Morning, unless he had a Licence so to do?
  • IX Doth your Minister declare to the People every Sun­day,
    Can. 64.
    at the time appointed in the Communion Book, the several Holy, days and Fasting days in the Week following? And doth he observe them?
  • X. Is he a Man of a sober, studious,
    Can. 74, 75.
    peaceable and ex­emplary life? Is he grave, modest and regular in his outward Demeanour and Apparel? Is he, in any kind, disorderly and scandalous?
TIT. IV. Concerning the Parishioners.
  • [Page 4] I. DOth every Parishioner demean themselves Reve­rently in your Church or Chappel during Divine Service and preaching the Word of God;
    Can. 18.
    kneeling at the Prayers and Sacrament; standing up when the Creed and Gospel are Read; saying audibly, with the Minister, the Confession, Lord's Prayer and Creed; And making such other Answers to the publick P [...]ayers as are appointed in the Book of Common Hrayer?
  • II. Is there any Person in your Parish who lieth-under a Common fame or suspition,
    Can. 109.
    of Adultery, Fornication, or Incest? Are there any Common Drunkards▪ Swear­ers, or Blasphemers of God's Name? Or any that are noted to be filthy Talkers, Railers, sowers of Sedition, Faction and Discord among their Neighbours?
  • III. Are there any that refuse to pay their duty for Easter Offerings;
    Can. 85.
    or to contribute to the Rates made for repair of your Church or Chappel, or any thing thereunto belonging?
  • IV. Hath any Legacy been left by the last Will or Testament of any Persons, to your Church or Chappel, or to the Poor, or any other pious and charitable use? Which hath been mis- [...]pent or embezzelled, and by whom?
  • V. Are there any in your Parish, who under pretence of Liberty of Conscience, wholly neglect all publick Wor­ship of God; neither going to Church, nor to any As­sembly that meet together according to the late Act for exempting Their Majesties Protestant Subjects dissent­ing from the Church of England, from the Penalties of certain Laws?
  • Act for ex­empting, &c.
    VI. Have you any such Assembly of Dissenters in your Parish? Have they certified the place of their meet­ing to the Bishop, or such others as that Act appoints? Do they meet with their Doors locked, barred or bolted during the time of their meeting? Have their Preach­ers subscribed the Articles of our Religion, except those [Page 5] excepted in the Act, and taken the Oaths, and subscri­bed the Declaration therein required?
  • VII. Are there any who profess to live in the Com­munion of the Church of England,
    Can. 112.
    who neglect to come to the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, being of Age fit to receive it?
  • VIII. Are there any living within your Parish,
    Can. 99.
    as Man and Wife, who are within the Degrees prohibited?
  • IX. Do you know, or have you heard of any in your Parish, who having the Presentation of an Ecclesiasti­cal Living, hath made any Simoniacal compact or gain thereby; either in Mony, or by reserve of any part of the Tithes or Glebe belonging to the Benefice?
  • X. Have any Pews or Seats been erected in your Church or Chappel, without leave from the Ordinary? Is there any strife or contention about Seats in the Church? Have any occasioned Riot, Clamor or Distur­bance in the Church at any time?
TIT. V. Concerning Parish-Clerks and Sextons.
  • I. HAve you a Parish-Clerk; Aged Twenty one years at least?
    Can. 91.
    Is he of an honest life and conversa­tion? Able to perform his duty in Reading, Writing and Singing? Is he chosen by your Minister? Doth he duly attend him in all Divine Services in the Church? Are his Wages duly paid him? Or who withholds the same from him?
  • II. Doth your Sexton perform his duty diligently, in keeping the Church clean and decent, in tolling and ring­ing the Bells before Divine Service?
TIT. VI. Concerning Schoolmasters, Schools and Hospitals.
  • [Page] I. WHat Schoolmaster private or publick is there in your Parish?
    Can. 77, 78, 79.
    Is he licensed by the Bishop? Doth he teach his Scholars the Church Catechism? Doth he cause them to repair orderly to the Church or Chappel on Sundays and Holy days, and there sée that they behave themselves quietly and reverently during the time of Divine Service and Sermon?
  • II. What Hospital, Alms-house, or Free-School hath been founded in your Parish? Are they so ordered in their Revenue and Vse, as the Founders appointed, and the Law of the Land allows?
  • III. Do any in your Parish practise Physick, Chirur­gery, Midwifery, without licence from the Ordinary?
TIT. VII. Concerning Churchwardens and Sidemen.
  • I. ARE the Churchwardens of your Parish yearly and duly chosen by the joint consent of your Minister and Parishioners?
    Can. 89.
    Or one of them by your Minister, and the other by the Parishioners?
  • II. Have the former and last Churchwardens given up a just account of the Mony they have received and laid out for the use of the Church?
    Ibid.
    And have they delivered up the Mony remaining in their hands to the succeding Churchwardens, together with all other things belonging to your Church or Chappel?
  • Rubrick after Commun.
    III. Do they provide against every Communion appointed in your Church or Chappel, a sufficient quantity of fine white Bread, and good Wine, according to the number of Communitants, at the Charges of the Parish?
FINIS.

This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Text Creation Partnership. Searching, reading, printing, or downloading EEBO-TCP texts is reserved for the authorized users of these project partner institutions. Permission must be granted for subsequent distribution, in print or electronically, of this EEBO-TCP Phase II text, in whole or in part.