Acts and Monuments Volume 2 Part 2, Book 12 · Account 7
Anno 1556. February·¶Here folow the articles set forth by Cardinall Poole, to be inquired in his ordinary visitation, within his Dioces of Caunterbury.
❧ Touching the Clergy.
1 FIrste, whether the Diuine Seruice in the Churche at times,Articles of the Cardinall to be enquired in his visitation of Kent. dayes, houres, be obserued and kept duly, or no.
2 Item, whether the Parsons, Uicars, and Curates do comely and decently in theyr maners and doinges behaue themselues or no.
3 Item, whether they do reuerently and duely minister the sacraments or sacramentals or no.
4 Item, whether any of theyr parishioners do die without ministration of the sacraments, through the negligēce of theyr Curates or no.
5 Item, whether the sayd parsons, vicars, or curates, do haunt Tauernes or Alehouses, increasing thereby infamy and sclaunder, or no.
6 Item, whether they be diligent in teaching the Mydwiues how to christen children in time of necessity, according to the Canons of the Church or no.
7 Item, whether they see that the Font be comely kept, and hauehave holy water alwaies ready for children to be christened.
8 Item, if they do keepe a book of all the names of them that be reconciled to the duety of the Church.
9 Item, whether there be any Priestes, that late vnlawfully had women vnderunder pretensed maryage, and hytherto are not recōciled, and to declare theyr names and dwelling places.
10 Item, whether they doe diligently teach theyr Parishioners, the articles of the fayth, and the ten commaundementes.
11 Item, whether they do decently obserue those thinges that do concerne the seruice of the church, & al those things that tend to a good and Christian life, according to the Canons of the Church.
12 Item, whether they do deuoutly in theyr prayers pray for the prosperous estate of the Kyng and Queenes Maiestyes.
13 Item, whether the sayd Parsons and Uicars do sufficiently repayre theyr Chauncels, Rectoryes, and vicarages, and do keep and mayntein them sufficiently repayred and amended.
14 Item, whether any of them do preach or teach any erroneous doctrine, contrary to the catholicke fayth & vnity of the church.
15 Item, whether any of them do say the diuine seruice, or do minister the sacraments in the English tongue, contrary to the vsuall order of the church.
16 Item, whether any of them do suspiciously keepe any women in theyr houses, or do keepe cōpany with men suspected of heresies, or of euill opinions.
17 Item, whether any of thē that were vnderunder pretence of lawfull matrimony maried, and now reconciled, do priuily resort to theyr presented wiues, or that the sayd women do priuily resort vntounto them.
18 Item, whether they do goe decently apparelled, as it becommeth sad, sober, and discreet ministers, and whether they hauehave theyr crownes and beardes shauen.
19 Itē, whether any of thē do vse any vnlawfull games as di…e, cardes, & other like, wherby they grow to sclaunder and euill report.
20 Item, whether they do keepe residence and hospitality vponupon theyr Benefices, and do make charitable cōtributions, according to all the lawes Ecclesiasticall.
21 Item, whether they do keepe the booke or Register of Christening, Burying, and Mariages, with the names of the godfathers and godmothers.
❧ Touching the lay people.
1 FIrst, whether any maner of person, of what estate, degree,Articles of Cardinall Poole to be inquired vpō touching the Laitye. or condition so euer he be, do hold, maintein, or affirme any heresies, errors, or erroneous opinions, cō trary to the lawes Ecclesiasticall, and the vnity of the Catholicke Church.
2 Item, whether any person doe holde, affirme, or saye that in the blessed Sacrament of the Aultar there is not cō teined the reall and substantiall presence of Christ: or that by any maner of meanes do contemne and despite the sayd blessed Sacrament, or do refuse to do reuerēce or worship thereunto.
3 Item, whether they doe contemne or despise by anye maner of meanes any other of the Sacramentes, Rites or Ceremonies of the Church, or do refuse or deny auricular confession.
4 Item, whether any do absent or refrayne, without vrgent and lawfull impedement, to come to the Church, and reuerently to heare the diuine seruice vponupon Sondaies and holy dayes.
5 Item, whether being in the Church, they do not apply themselues to heare the diuine seruice, and to be contemplatiue in holy prayer, and not to walke, iangle, or talk, in the time of the diuine seruice.
6 Item, whether any be fornicatours, adulterers, or doe commit incest, or be baudes, and receiuers of euill persons or be vehemently suspected of any of them.
7 Item, whether any do blaspheme and take the name of God in vayne, or be common swearers.
8 Item, whether any be periured, or hauehave cōmitted Simony or vsury, or do still remayne in the same.
9 Item, whether the Churches & churchyardes be well and honestly repared and inclosed.
10 Item, whether the Churches be sufficiently garnished and adorned with all ornaments and bookes necessary, and whether they hauehave a Roode in theyr church of a decent stature, with Mary and Iohn, and an Image of the Patrone of the same church.
11 Item, whether any do withholde, or doth draw from the church any maner of mony or goodes, or that do withhold theyr due and accustomed tithes frō theyr Parsons & Uicars.
12 Item, whether any be common drunkardes, ribalds, or mē of euill liuing, or do exercise any lew pastimes, especially in the time of diuine seruice.
13 Item, if there be any that doe practise or exercise any artes of Magike, or Necromancy or do vse or practise any Incantations, Sorceries, or witchcraft, or be vehemently suspected therof.
14 Item, whether any be maried in the degrees of affinity, or consanguinitye, prohibited by the Lawes of holye church or that do mary, the banes not asked, or do make any priuy contractes.
15 Item, whether in the time of Easter last, any were not confessed, or did not receiue the blessed sacrament of the aultar, or did reuerētly behaue themselues in the receiuing thereof.
16 Item, whether any do keepe any secret conuenticles, preachinges, lectures, or readinges, in matters of religion contrary to the lawes.
17 Item, whether any do now not duly keep the fasting and embring dayes.
18 Item, whether the aultars in the Churches be consecrated or no.
19 Item, whether the Sacrament be caryed deuoutly to them that fall sicke, with light and with a little Sacring Bell.
20 Item, whether the common scholes be well kept, and that the scholemaisters be diligent in teathing, and be also Catholicke, and men of good and vpright iudgemēt, & that they be examined and approued by the Ordinary.
21 Item, whether any do take vponupon them to minister the goodes of those that be dead, without authority from the Ordinary.
22 Itē, whether the poore people in eueryevery parish be charitably prouided for.
23 Item, whether there do burne a Lampe or a Candle before the sacramēt. And if ther do not, that then it be prouided for, with expedition.
24 Item, whether infantes & children be brought to be confirmed in conuenient time.
25 Item, whether any do keepe or hauehave in theyr custody any erroneous or vnlawfull bookes.
26 Item, whether any do withhold any mony or goodes bequeathed to the amending of the high wayes, or any other charitable deede.
27 Item, whether any hauehave put away theyr wyues, or any wiues do withdraw thēselues from theyr husbandes, being not lawfully diuorced.
28 Item, whether any do violate or breake the sondaies and holy dayes, doing theyr daily labors & exercises vponupon the same.
29 Item, whether the Tauernes or Alehouses, vponupon the sondayes and holy dayes, in the time of Masse, matins and Euensong, do keepe open theyr doores, and do receiue people into theyr houses to drink and eat, and therby neglect theyr dueties in comming to the church.
30 Item, whether any hauehave, or do depraue or contemne the authority or Iurisdiction of the Popes holynes, or the See of Rome.
31 Item, whether any Minstrels, or any other persons do vse to sing any songes against the holy sacramēts, or any other the rites and ceremonies of the church.Anno. 1557. Ianuary.
32 Itē, whether there be any hospitals within your parishes, & whether the foundations of them be duely & truly obserued and kept. And whether the charitable contributions of the same be done accordingly.
33 Item, whether any goodes, plate, iewels, or possessions be taken away, or withholden from the sayd Hospitals, and by whom.