and fhall examine them at times convenient, after their return, what they have borne away of fuch Sermon. Upon other days, and at other times, they fhall train them up with fuch fentences of holy Scripture, as fhall be moft expedient to induce them to all godlinefs: and they fhalf teach the Grammar fet forth by King Henry the Eighth, and continued in the times of King Edward the Sixth, and Queen Elizabeth of noble memory, and none other. And if any Schoolmaster, being licenfed, and having fubfcribed as aforefaid, fhall offend in any of the premiffes, or either fpeak, write, or teach against any thing whereunto he hath formerly fubfcribed, (if upon admonition by the Ordinary he do not amend and reform himself) let him be fufpended from teaching School any longer.

Things appertaining to Churches.

80. The great Bible, and Book of Common Prayer, to be bad in every Church.

THE Church-wardens or Queft-men of every Church and Chapel fhall, at the charge of the parish, provide the Book of Common Prayer, lately explained in fome few points by his Majefty's authority, according to the laws and his Highness's prerogative in that behalf, and that with all convenient fpeed, but at the furtheft within two months after the publishing of thefe our Conftitutions. And if any parishes be yet unfurnished of the Bible of the largeft volume, or of the Books of Homilies allowed by authority, the faid Church-wardens fhall within convenient time provide the fame at the like charge of the parish.

81.1 Font of Stone for Baptifm in every Church.

ACCORDING to a former Conftitution, too much neglected in many places, we appoint, that there fhall be a Font of Stone in every Church and Chapel where Baptifm is to be miniftered; the fame to be fet in the ancient ufual places in which only Font the Minister shall baptize publicly.

82. A decent Communion-table in every Church.

WHEREAS we have no doubt, but that in all Churches

within the realm of England, convenient and decent Tables are provided and placed for the celebration of the

holy

holy Communion, we appoint, that the fame Tables fhall. from time to time be kept and repaired in fufficient and feemly manner, and covered, in time of Divine Service,, with a carpet of filk or other decent fiuff, thought meet by the Ordinary of the place, if any queftion be made of it, and with a fair linen cloth at the time of the Miniftration, as becometh that Table, and fo ftand, faving when the faid holy Communion is to be adminiftered at which, time the fame fhall be placed in fo good fort within the Church or Chancel, as thereby the Minifter may be more conveniently heard of the Communicants in his Prayer and Miniftration, and the Communicants alfo more conveniently, and in more number, may communicate with the faid Minifter; and that the Ten Commandments be fet up on the Eaft end of every Church and Chapel, where the people may beft fee and read the fame, and other chofen fentences written upon the walls of the faid Churches and Chapels, in places convenient; and likewife that a convenient feat be made for the Minifter to read fervice in. All thefe to be done at the charge of the parish.

THE

83. A Pulpit to be provided in every Church.

HE Church-wardens or Queft-men, at the common charge of the Parishioners in every Church, fhall provide a comely and decent Pulpit, to be fet in a convenient place within the fame, by the difcretion of the Ordinary of the place, if any queftion do arife, and to be there feemly kept for the preaching of God's Word.

THE Church-wardens fhall provide and have, within three months after the publishing of thefe Conftitutions, a ftrong Cheft, with a hole in the upper part thereof, to be provided at the charge of the parish, (if there be none fuch already provided) having three keys; of which one fhall remain in the cuftody of the Parfon, Vicar, or Curate, and the other two in the cuftody of the Church-wardens for the time being: which Cheft they fhall fet and faften in the most convenient place, to the intent the Parishioners may put into it their alms for their poor neighbours. And the Parfon, Vicar, or Curate fhall diligently, from time to time, and efpecially when men make their tefta

ments,

ments, call upon, exhort, and move their neighbours to confer and give, as they may well spare, to the faid Cheft; declaring unto them, that whereas heretofore they have been diligent to beftow much fubftance otherwife than God commanded, upon fuperftitious ufes, now they ought at this time to be much more ready to help the poor and needy, knowing that to relieve the poor is a facrifice which pleaseth God: and that alfo whatsoever is given for their comfort is given to Chrift himself, and is fo accepted of him, that he will mercifully reward the fame. The which alms and devotion of the people, the keepers of the keys fhall yearly, quarterly, or oftener (as need requireth) take out of the Cheft, and diftribute the fame in the prefence of moft of the parish, or fix of the chief of them, to be truly and faithfully delivered to their most poor and needy neighbours.

85. Churches to be kept in fufficient Reparations.

THE Church-wardens or Queft-men fhall take care and provide that the Churches be well and fufficiently repaired, and fo from time to time kept and maintained, that the windows be well glazed, and that the floors be kept paved, plain, and even, and all things there in fuch an orderly and decent fort, without duft, or any thing that may be either noifome or unfeemly, as beft becometh the House of God, and is prefcribed in an Homily to that effect. The like care they fhall take, that the Church-yards be well and fufficiently repaired, fenced, and maintained with walls, rails, or pales, as have been in each place accustomed, at their charges unto whom by law the fame appertaineth: but efpecially they fhall fee that in every meeting of the congregation peace be well kept; and that all perfons excommunicated, and fo denounced, be kept out of the Church.

86. Churches to be furveyed, and the Decays certified to the bigh Commiffioners.

E

VERY Dean, Dean and Chapter, Archdeacon, and others which have authority to hold Ecclefiaftical Vifitations by compofition, law, or prefcription, fhall furvey the Churches of his or their jurifdiction once in every three years in his own perfon, or caufe the fame to be done; and fhall from time to time within the faid three years

certify

certify the high Commiffioners for Caufes Ecclefiaftical, every year, of fuch defects in any the faid Churches, as he or they do find to remain unrepaired, and the names and furnames of the parties faulty therein. Upon which certificate, we defire that the faid high Commiflioners will er officio mero fend for fuch parties, and compel them to obey the juft and lawful decrees of fuch Ecclefiaftical Ordinaries, making fuch certificates.

87. A Terrier of Glebe-lands, and other Poffeffions belonging to Churches.

WE E ordain, that the Archbishops, and all Bifhops within their feveral diocefes, fhall procure (as much as in them lieth) that a true note and terrier of all the glebes, lands, meadows, gardens, orchards, houfes, ftocks, implements, tenements, and portions of tithes lying out of their parishes (which belong to any Parfonage, or Vicarage, or rural Prebend) be taken by the view of honeft men in every parish, by the appointment of the Bishop, (where of the Minister to be one) and be laid up in the Bishop's Registry, there to be for a perpetual memory thereof.

THE

88. Churches not to be profaned.

HE Church-wardens or Queft-men, and their Affiftants, shall suffer no plays, feafts, banquets, fuppers, church-ales, drinkings, temporal courts, or lects, layjuries, mufters, or any other profane ufage, to be kept in the Church, Chapel, or Church-yard, neither the bells to be rung fuperftitioufly upon Holy-days or Eves abrogated by the Book of Common Prayer, nor at any other times, without good caufe to be allowed by the Minifter of the place, and by themselves.

Church-wardens or Queft-men, and Side-men or Afliftants.

89. The Choice of Church-wardens, and their Account.

ALL Church-wardens or Queft-men in every parish shall

be chofen by the joint confent of the Minifter and the Parishioners, if it may be; but if they cannot agree upon fuch a choice, then the Minifter fhall choose one, and the Parishioners another: and without fuch a joint

ог

:

or feveral choice none fhall take upon them to be Churchwardens neither fhall they continue any longer than one year in that office, except perhaps they be chofen again in like manner. And all Church-wardens at the end of their year, or within a month after at the most, fhall before the Minifter and the Parishioners give up a juft account of fuch money as they have received, and alfo what particularly they have beftowed in reparations, and otherwife, for the ufe of the Church. And laft of all, going out of their office, they fhall truly deliver up to the Parishioners whatfoever money or other things of right belonging to the Church or Parish, which remaineth in their hands, that it may be delivered over by them to the next Church-wardens by bill indented.

90. The Choice of Side-men, and their joint Office with Churchwardens.

THE Church-wardens or Queft-men of every parish, and two or three or more difcreet perfons in every parish, to be chofen for Side-men or Affiftants by the Minifter and Parishioners, if they can agree, (otherwife to be appointed by the Ordinary of the diocefe) fhall diligently fee that all the Parishioners duly refort to their Church upon all Sundays and Holy-days, and there continue the whole time of Divine Service; and none to walk or to ftand idle or talking in the Church, or in the Church-yard, or the Church-porch, during that time. And all fuch as fhall be found flack or negligent in reforting to the Church (having no great or urgent caufe of abfence) they shall carneftly call upon them; and after due monition (if they amend not) they fhall prefent them to the Ordinary of the place. The choice of which perfons, viz. Church-wardens or Queft-men, Side-men or Affiftants, fhall be yearly made in Eafter-week.

No

Parish-Clerks.

91. Parifb-Clerks to be chofen by the Minifter. Parish-Clerk upon any vacation fhall be chofen, within the city of London, or elsewhere within the province of Canterbury, but by the Parfon or 'Vicar; or, where there is no Parion or Vicar, by the Minifter of that place for the time being: which choice fhall be fignified by the faid Minifter, Vicar, or Parfon, to the Parishioners

the