Articles for doctrine, & preaching.

First, that al they which shalbe admitted to preache, shalbe diligentlie examined for their cōformytie in vnitie of doctri­ne, establisshed by publique authoritie: and admonisshed to vse sobriety and dis­cretion in teachinge the people, namlye in matters of controuersy, and to consider the grauity of theire office, & to foresee with diligence the matters which they will speake, to vtter them to the edification of the audience.

Item, that they sett owte in theire preaching the reuerent estimation of the holie Sacramentes of Baptisme and the Lordes supper, excitinge the peo­ple to thoften and deuoute receauing of the holy cō ­munion of the bodie and bloude of Christ, in suche forme as is already prescribed in the booke of Common praier, and as it is further declared in an Ho­melye concernynge the vertue and efficacie of the said Sacramentes.

Item, that they move the people to all obedience, aswell in obseruation of the orders appointed in the booke of Common seruice, as in the Queenes Ma­gesties iniunctions, as also of all other ciuil duetyes due for subiectes to doe.

Item, that allycences for preaching, graunted out by the archebyshop & byshopes within the prouince of Canterbury, bearing date before the firste day of [Page] marche 1564 be voyde and of none effect: and neuer­thelesse all such as shalbe thought meete for the of­fice, to be admitted againe without difficultye or charge, paing no more but iiii. pens for the writing, parchement and waxe.

Item, yf anye Preacher or parson, vicar or curate so licensed, shall fortune to Preache any matter tendinge to dissention, or to the derogation of the religion and doctrine receiuid, that the hearers de­nounce the same to the Ordinaries, or the nexte bys­shope of the same place: but no man openly to con­trary or to impugne y ^e same speache so disorderly vt­tered: wherebye may growe offence and disquiet of the people, but shalbe conuinced and reproued by the ordinarye after suche agreable order, as shall be seene to him according to the grauitie of the offen­ce. And that it be presentid within one moneth af­ter the wordes spoken.

Item, that they vse not to exact or receaue vnre­sonable rewardes or stipendes of the poore Pa­stors, comminge to theyre Cures to preache, wherbye they might be noted as folowers of filthi lucre, rather then vse thoffice of preaching of Cha­ritie and good zeale, to the saluation of mens sou­les.

Item, if the Parson be able, he shall preache in his own person euery thre monethes, or els shal preache by an other, so that his absence be approued by the Ordinarie of y ^e dioces in respecte of sickenes, seruice [Page] or studie at the Vniuersities. Neuerthelesse yet for wante of able Preachers and Parsons, to tolerate them without penaltye, so that they preache in theyre owne persons, or by a Learned substitute, once in euerie thre monethes of the yeare.

¶ Articles for administration of prayer and Sacramentes.

FIrst, that the Common praier be said or song decently and distinctly, in suche place as the Ordinarie shall thinke meete for the largenesse and streightnes of the Churche & quire, so that the people maye be moste edified.

Item, that no Parson or curate, not admitted by the bysshoppe of the dioces to preache, do expoun­de in his owne Cure or other where, anye scripture or matter of doctrine or by the way of exhortacion, but onlye studie to reade grauelie and aptlye, with­oute any glosing of the same, or anye additions, the homylies al readye sett owte, or other suche necessa­rie doctrine as is or shalbe prescribed for the quiet instruction and edification of the people.

Item, that in Cathedrall churches & colledges y ^t holye Communion be ministred vpon the first or se­conde sunday of euery monethe at the leaste. So that both Deane, prebendaries, preistes and clerkes do receyue: and al other of discretion of the funda­tion, do receaue foure times in the yeare at the least.

[Page] Item, in the ministration of the holy Communi­on in cathedrall and collegiat churches, the princi­pal minister shall vse a cope, with gospeller and epis­toler agreablye, and at all other praiers to be said at that Communion table, to vse no Copes but surplesses.

Item, that the Deane and Prebendaries weare a surples with a silke hoode in the quier: and when they preache in the Cathedrall or collegiate church, to weare theyre hoode.

Item, that everie minister sayeng anye publique praiers or ministring the Sacramentes or other rites of the churche, shall weare a comely surples with sleues, to be prouided at the charges of the pa­rishe: and that the Parishe prouide a decent table standinge on a frame, for the Communion table.

Item, they shall decentlie couer with Carpet, silke or other decent coueringe, and withe a fayre ly­nen cloth at the tyme of the ministration, the com­munyon table, and to sett the tenne Commaunde­mentes vppon the East wall ouer the said table.

Item, that all communicates do receaue kneeling, and as is appointed by the lawes of the Realme, and the Quenes magestyes Iniunctions.

Item, that the fonte be not remoued, nor that the Curate do baptise in parishe Churches in any Ba­sons, nor in anye other forme then is alreadie pre­scribed, [Page] without charginge the parent to be present or absent at the Christening of his childe, although the parent may bee present or absent, but not to an­swere as Godfather for his childe.

Item, that no childe bee admitted to answer as Godfather or godmother, except the childe hath re­ceaued the Communion.

Item, that there be none other holidayes obserued besides the Sundayes, but onely suche as be set out for holidayes, as in the Statute Anno quinto & sexto Edwardi sexti, & in the new kalender autho­rysed by the Queenes maiesty.

Item, that when any Christian bodye is in pas­sing, that the bell be tolled, and that the Curate be specially called for to comforte the sicke person: and after the tyme of his passinge, to ringe no more but one shorte peale: and one before the buriall, and an other shorte peale after the buriall.

Item, that on Sundaies there be no shoppes opē, nor artificers commonlye goinge aboute theire af­faires worldly. And that in all Faires and common markets, fallinge vppon the sunday, there be no she­wing of any wares before the Seruice be done.

Item, that in the Rogation dayes of procession, they singe or saye in Englishe the twoo Psalmes beginninge, Benedic anima mea. &c. with the Letanye and Suffrages there vnto, with one Ho­melye of thankes geuinge to God, already deuised and diuided into foure partes, without addition of any superstitiouse ceremonyes heretofore vsed.

Articles for certayne orders in ec­clesiasticall policy.

FIrst, againste the day of giuing of orders ap­poynted, the Bysshoppe shall geue open moni­tions to all men, to except agaynste suche as they knowe not to be worthy, either for life or con­uersation. And there to giue notice that none shall sewe for orders, but within theire owne Dioces where they weare borne, or had theire longe tyme of dwellinge, except suche, as shall bee of degree in the Vniuersitees.

Item, that younge Preistes or Ministers, made or to be made, be so instructed, that they bee able to make apte aunsweres concerninge the forme of the Catechisme prescribed.

Item, that no Curate or Minister bee permitted to serue without examination and admission of y ^e Ordinary or his deputy, in writing, hauing respect to the greatnes of the Cure, and the meetenes of the party: and that the sayde Ministers if they re­mooue from one Dioces to an nother, bee by no meanes admitted to serue, without testimonye of the Diocesan from whence they come, in writing, of theyre honesty, and ability.

Item, that the Bysshop doe call home once in the yeare any Prebendary in his Churche, or beneficed in the Dioces whiche studieth at the Vniuersities, to knowe how hee profiteth in learninge: and that he be not suffered to bee a seruinge or a waytinge man dissolutely.

[Page] Item, that at the Archedeacons visitation, the Archedeacon shall appoynte the Curates to cer­tayne taxes of the newe Testamente, to bee conde without booke. And at theire nexte Synode to ex­acte a rehearsall of them.

Item, that the Churchewardens once in y ^e quar­ter declare by theyre Curates in billes subscribed with their handes to the Ordinarye or to the nexte officer vnder him, who they bee whiche will not readyly paye theire penalties for not comminge to Goddes diuine seruice accordingly.

Item, that the Ordinaries doe vse good diligente examination, to foresee all Simoniacall pactes or couenaunts with the Patrons or presenters, for the spoyle of their glebe, tithes, or mansion houses.

Item, that no persons be suffered to marye with­in the Leuiticall degrees mentioned in a Table set forthe by the Archebysshoppe of Caunterburye in that behalfe, Anno Domini 1563. and if any suche bee, to be separated by order of lawe.

Articles for outwarde apparrell of persons Ecclesiasticall.

FIrste, that all Archebyshoppes & Byshoppes do vse and cōtineue their accustomed apparrell.

Item, that all Deanes of cathedrall churches, Masters of Colledges, all Archedeacons, and other dignities in Cathedral churches: doctors, bachelers of Diuinitye and Lawe, hauing any Ecclesiasticall liuinge, shall weare in their common apparrell a­brode, a syde gowne with sleeues streyght at the hande, without any cuttes in the same. And that al­so without any fallinge cape: and to weare typpets of sarcenet, as is lawfull for them by thact of parli­ament, Anno 24. Henrici octaui.

Item, that all doctors of Physick, or of any other facultye, hauinge any liuinge ecclesiasticall, or any other that may dispende by the churche one hūdred markes, so to bee estemed by the fruites or tenthes of their promotions: and all Prebendaries, whose promotions be valued at twēty pound or vpward, weare the like apparrell.

Item, that they and all ecclesiasticall persons, or other hauinge any ecclesiasticall liuinge, doe weare the cappe appointed by the Iniunctions. And they to weare no hattes but in their iourneinge.

Item, that they in their iourneinge do weare theire clokes with sleeues put on, and lyke in fasshi­on to their gownes, without gards, welts, or cuts.

[Page] Item, that in their priuate howses and Studies, they vse their owne liberty of comely apparrell.

Item, that all inferiour Ecclesiasticall persons shall weare longe gownes of the fasshion afore­sayde, and cappes as afore is prescribed.

Item, that all poore Parsons, vicars and curates do endeuor themselues to conforme their apparrell in like sorte, so soone and as conuenientlye as theire abilitye will serue to the same. Prouided that their abilitye bee iudged by the Bysshop of the Dioces. And yf theire abilitye will not suffer to buye them longe gownes of the forme afore prescribed, that then they shall weare their shorte gownes, agrea­ble to the forme before expressed.

Item, that al suche persons as haue ben or be Ec­clesiasticall, and serue not the minysterie, or haue not accepted or shall refuse to accepte the othe of o­bedience to the Queenes Maiesty, doe from hence­fourth abrode weare none of the sayde apparrell of the forme & fasshion aforesayde, but to go as mere laye men, till they bee reconciled to obedience: and who shall obstinately refuse to do the same, y ^t they bee presented by the Ordinarye to the Commissio­ners in causes Ecclesiasticall, and by them to be re­formed accordingly.

Protestations to be made, promised and subscribed by them that shall hereafter bee ad­mitted to any office, roome or cure in any Churche, or other place Ecclesiasticall.

IN primis, I shall not preache or publiquely in­terprete, but onelye reade that whiche is appoin­ted by publique authoritye, without speciall license of the Bysshoppe vnder his seale.

I shall reade the seruice appoynted, plainly, distin­ctly and audibly, that all the people may heare and vnderstande.

I shall keepe the Register booke accordinge to the Queenes Maiesties Iniunctions.

I shall vse sobrietye in apparrell, and specially in the Churche at Common prayers, accordinge to order appoynted.

I shall moue the parishioners to quiet and con­corde, and not geue them cause of offence, and shall helpe to reconcile them whiche be at variaunce, to my vttermoste power.

I shall reade dayly at the leaste one chapter of the Olde Testament, and an other of the Newe with good aduisement, to thincrease of my knowledge.

I do also faithfully promise in my person, to vse & exercise my office and place to the honor of God, to the quiet of y ^e Qeenes subiects within my charge, in truth, concorde and vnitye. And also to obserue, [Page] keepe and mentayne suche order and vniformity in all externall policye, Rites and Ceremonies of the Church, as by the lawes, good vsuages and orders are allready well prouided and established.

I shall not openlye intermedle with any artificers occupacions, as couetouslye to seeke a gayne there­by, hauinge in Ecclesiasticall lyuinge to the somme of twenty Nobles or aboue by yeare.