The Form of the Oath to be given unto the Churchwardens and

Swornmen.

You shall swear by the holy Name of GOD that you, and every of you, shall duly consider and diligently inquire of all and every of those Articles given you in charge; and that all affection, favour and hatred, all hope of reward or fear of displeasure set aside, you shall make a full and true answer in writing unto every one of them, presenting every such person of or within your parish as hath committed any offence, or omitted any duty mentioned, in any of these Articles, or which are publicly defamed, or vehemently suspected, of any such offence or negligence. Wherein you shall deal faithfully, truly and plainly, neither presenting nor sparing to present any contrary to truth; having in this action the fear of God before your eyes, the danger and peril of your consciences in hiding or altering the truth, with an earnest zeal to maintain GoD's true religion and virtue, and to suppress wickedness and vice. So help you GOD, by the contents of His Holy Gospel.

ARTICLES TO BE INQUIRED OF,

&c.

CHAP. I.

CONCERNING the churCH, THE HONOUR, THE BOOKS AND POSSESSIONS,

ORNAMENTS, AND UTENSILS THEREOF.

tions and

churches,

FIRST, whether is the body of your church or chapel, and Reparathe chancel thereof, in good reparations, decently kept as well keeping within as without; the roof sufficiently maintained with clean of timber and lead, (or with other materials, where there is no &c. lead at all,) so that it rains not in; the windows well and seemly glazed, without disorderly patching; the floors plain and clean paved; the pews and seats orderly set and well maintained; the walls, floors, pews and all other places clean, and sweet kept, in comely and decent sort, without dust, or any thing that may be either noisome or unseemly for the house of God, as is prescribed in a sermon or homilyb set forth to that effect, and in the eighty-fifth and eighty-sixth© canon?

Is there a partition between the body of the church and the chancel? and if not, when, and by whom, and by what authority was it taken down?

Is the steeple in good repair, and the ancient number of bells still kept without diminishing?

[Are there any new pews erected in places where none were before, or old altered? By whom, and by what authority? And is there any striving or contention for sitting in pews? and by whom?]

b Namely, that 'Of repairing and keeping clean of churches.'

c Can. 85. Ecclesiæ sartæ tectæ conservandæ. Can. 86. Ecclesiæ de tertio in tertium annum perlustrandæ,

et earum defectus regiis commissariis
intimandi. Sparrow's Collect., p. 308.

d Struck through as if for omission;
see number 4, p. 5.

CHAP.

I.

Books.

Chests.

Orna

ments.

[i. e. at a valuation.]

2. Whether have you in your church or chapel the whole Bible of the ancient translation called The Bishops' Bible, whereunto the Book of Common Prayer doth refer for Lessons and Psalms, or at the least the whole Bible in the largest volume, and of the translation authorized by his late majesty of blessed memory; the Book of Common Prayer, and other rites and ceremonies of the Church; two Psalters; the book of Homilies; bishop Jewell's works; the book of Constitutions and Canons; a Register-book of parchment for the ornaments belonging to the Church, for christenings, marriages, and burials, kept in all points according to the canons in that behalf provided; another book wherein strange preachers are to subscribe their names, and the name of the bishop by whom they were licensed, before they be suffered to preach? Are all these books well and fairly bound? A chest, as well for the safe keeping of the books and ornaments of the church, as the said register; another strong chest, with a hole in the lid for the alms, and with three locks and keys, one for the minister, the other two for the churchwardens ?

A table set up of the degrees wherein by law men and women are prohibited to marry?

3. Whether have you a font of stone, with a comely cover, set in the ancient usual place; a little faldstool, or desk, with some decent carpet over it, in the middle aley of the church, whereat the Litany may be said; a lower pulpit to say service in, a higher for preaching, both decently framed and adorned?

Have you a fair and comely table for the holy Communion; and what is it worth to be prized? Is this communiontable placed according to the injunctions?

[Is it not at any time abused by sitting or leaning upon it; by throwing hats on it, writing on it, or otherwise, as is not agreeable to the reverent estimation and holy use thereof e?]

Have you a large carpet of silk, or other decent cloth or stuff, continually lying upon it in the time of divine service, with a fair linen cloth at the time of communion; and what might either of them be worth?

This passage is struck through for omission.