¶ Iniunctions to bee obserued and kept, within the Dioces of Saincte Dauides, exhibited in the Visitation, of the right Reuerend Father in God, Marmaduke Bishop of Saincte Dauides aforesaied, in the 25. yere of the reigne of our moste gracious souereigne Ladie Elizabeth by the grace of God Quene of Englande &c.
BEcause I dnderstande, there is vsed in moste partes of my Dioces, an infinite nōber of Popishe Ceremonies and other thynges, contrarie to the Lawes of God, and the Quenes maiesties moste godlie proceedynges: I thought good, for the auoiding of the same to sette doune these Iniunctions followyng: Requiryng you, and euery of you (for that it tendeth to the glorie of almightie God and y e benefite of those people cōmitted to my charge) to haue a speciall care, within y e limites of your charge, for the speedie obseruation, and fulfilling of the same: In doing whereof, you shall not onely obeie Gods Commaundementes, obserue her highnesse lawes, and discharge your owne dueties. But shall also greatly benefite the common weale, increase true Religion, and maintaine the Countrie in all vertue and godlinesse; where heretofore it hath been (for the moste parte) trained vp in erronious opinions, Idolitious amitie, and wicked Superstition.
Iniunctions to be obserued, aswell of the Cleargie, as Laitie: within the Dioces of Sainct Dauies, &c.
FIrst, whereas heretofore in sondrie places, it hath been a foolishe vse emongest a sort of ignorant, blinde Priestes and Ministers, that at the saiyng of these woordes, imediatly goyng before the distributiō of the Sacramentall Bread and Wine: Who in the same night he was betraied, tooke bread, and whē he had giuen thankes &c. Likewise after supper he tooke the cup &c. Thei would take the bread and wine in their handes, lift it vp and shewe it vnto the people: wherevpon hath ensued, horrible Idolatries, and religious adoration of the Sacramentes thē selues, or rather of the bread and wine, as by kneelyng, knockyng of the breast, liftyng vp of handes, closyng of their eyes, with the finger and the thumbe. For the auoidyng whereof it is decreed, that no Persone, Vicare, or Curate, whatsoeuer, hereafter shall handle, lifte vp, or shewe vnto the people, the bread and wine, but shall let it lie still vpon the Table, vntill the distribution thereof, and then to breake it, receiue it hymself, and distribute it vnto others, accordyng to the orders of the booke, without any addition or detraction.
2 Item, for the better edefiyng and hearyng of the people in the ordinarie Seruice, the Minister shall alwaies stande, either in the bodie of the Churche, or at the least, in the lower ende of the Chauncell, (where commonly the seate of the Minister is) with his face alwaies tourned doune vnto the people, and thence reuerently, distinctly, and with a loude voice, reade the saied Seruice.
3 Item, that no notorious offendour, wrong doer, malicious persone, Infant vnder fourtene yeres of age, Idiot, Frē ticke, or others, ignorant of the principles of the Christian religion, and the doctrine of the Sacramentes, shalbe admitted by any Minister to communicate.
[Page] 4 Item, that there bee no recourse by the Minister, to the Communion Table, to saie any parte of seruice there, sauyng onely when there is a Communion to bee ministred: for is doeth retaine a memorie, of the Idolatrous Masse: For the auoidyng whereof, all the Seruice shalbe saied by the Minister, in his owne seate or Pulpit, with his face turned downe towardes the people: sauyng that when there is any thyng extraordinarily to be doen: as Baptisme, Buriall, Mariage, or thankes giuyng for women deliuered: then he maie vse the accustomed place thereof.
5 Item, that there be no Linnen cloth laid vpon the Communion Table, sauyng that when there is a Communion to be ministred.
6 Item, when there is a Communiō to be ministred, that the Communion Table bee placed at the lower ende of the Chauncell, as nere vnto the people as maie bee conuenient, and when the Ministration is doen, remoue it to the vpper ende of the saied Chauncell.
7 Item, that when there is a Communion, that al the people whiche will not communicate beyng called therevnto, be commaunded to departe for that tyme out of the Churche: after the generall Confession made, in the name of the communicantes, and if any be so stubborne, that thei will no departe, then the Minister to proceede no further in the Communion, but in the next consistorie courte, complaine of them, as interrupters and troublers of Gods diuine seruice.
8 Item, that no Minister, dooe presume to minister any more Cōmunions but onely one, in one Churche in one daie.
9 Item, that there bee no Communion ministred in any Churche, or otherwise priuate, excepte there bee at the leaste, three for euery score communicantes that bee in the Parishe, to communicate with the Minister.
10 Item, that none be admitted to receiue the holy Communion, but suche as the Minister (by due examination) shall knowe, can perfectly saie the Articles of their faithe, the ten Commaundementes, and the Lordes Praier, at the least, yea, the yonger sort must saie the whole Cathechisme.
[Page] 11 Item, that euery man and woman doe receiue the holie Communion thrise in euery yere at the least.
12 Item, that no Minister doe admitt any of an other Parishe, to communicate in his Parishe Churche.
Baptisme.
FIrst, that no laie man or woman doe presume to minister Baptisme, but (if the child be weake) that thei sende for the Minister of the Parishe, and the Midwife not to meddle with it at all, otherwise thē is in the booke of Common Praier.
2 Item, (to take awaie Superstition) the Minister shall not dippe the childe that is to bee baptised in water, but once onely, and that discreetly, or els poore water vpon hym, once onely, in the name of the Father, the Sonne, and of the holie Ghost.
3 Item, that no Minister or Priest, doe put on, or suffer others to put on the childes head that is baptised, the Chrisom (as it is supersticiously called) wherein hath beene greate superstition, and yet is in sondrie places.
4 Item, that none be admitted to be Gossippes whiche bee vnder 14. yeres of age, and thei to make an open confession at the Font, of the Articles of their faithe, yea, the yonger sorte must saie the whole Cathechisme.
5 Item, that the father of the childe that is to bee baptised, be present at the baptizing of his said childe, during the whole action of Baptisme.
6 Item, that the Minister shall not meete and receiue the childe that is to be baptized, at the Churche doore or Porche, nor shall there saie any peece of Seruice for that purpose, whiche heretofore supersticiously hath been vsed.
7 Item, the Minister shall not suffer the suerties or Gossippes, to put their handes vpon the head of the childe, immediatly after it is named, and baptised, as if there were some vertue or hidden misterie therein.
Buriall.
FIrst, that there bee no Crosses of wood made & erected in sondrie places, where thei vse to rest with the corpes: and especially that no woodden Crosses, be set vpon the Crosse in the Church yarde, or vpon, or about his graue.
2 Item, that the Clark nór his deputie, do carie about the Towne, a little bell called the Sainctes bell before the Buriall, after the vse of Popishe superstition.
3 Item, that there be no offerynges at Burialles, whether directly or indirectly: their Monethes mindes, or twelue Monethes mindes, as sustpersticiously thei haue been termed and vsed.
4 Item, that there bee no praiers made for the dead, either in the house or vpon the waie, or els where: whiche thyng supersticiously hath been frequented and tollerated by the Ministers.
5 Item, that the Clarke and one or twoo with hym at the most, shall cast the earth vpon the corpes, and none but thei.
6 Item, that there bee no Candles vsed vppon the corpes, whilest it is in the Churche.
7 Item, that no Ministers, when thei resorte to Burials, to any other Churches then their owne, shal weare any Surplesse, or suche like attire more then vsuall.
8 Item, that there be no ringyng of Belles at Burialles, sauing one shorte peale before the Buriall, and an other after.
¶ At the thankes giuyng for the deliueraunce of Women.
FIrst, the Minister shall not meete the Woman at the Church doore, or Porche, there takyng her by the hand, and leadyng her into the Churche, mumblyng to hym self I knowe not what, and that namely in Latine, as heretofore amongest them hath been vsed.
2 Item, that the Midwife goe not before the woman, that is to yeeld her thanks into the Church, and so vp to the Communion Table: for these two foolishe and supersticious customes, the one by the Priest, and the other by the Midwife hath baedd and hatched, aswell supersticious tearmes, as also act of [Page]Churchyng of womē: as if for that conceiuyng and bringyng a childe into the worlde (and that in lawfull Wedlock) a woman should be vncleane and prophane.
3 Item, that the woman that is to giue her thanks, either els the Midwife, shal not kisse the Communion Table, when thei offer the accustomed dueties.
ITem, that Images, Pictures, and al Monumentes of fained miracles, aswell in walles, as in glasse windowes, be defaced, and namely the Image of the Crucifixe, and the two Maries in the Chauncell windowes.
2 Item, that the Paraphrase maie bee prouided in euery Churche, or rather Bullingers Decadies in Englishe, for it is muche more profitable.
3 Item, that the quarter Sermons maie be prouided for.
4 Item, that the Ministers shall buy for their studie in Deuinitie, all suche Bookes as shall concerne the same, and bee nominated by me: and that within two monethes after the denomination and receipt of these Iniunctions.
5 Item, that Alters and Rood loftes, may be pulled doune and vtterly defaced, and the timber thereof, either solde, or els put to some good vses: for as yet, thei stand in most Churches little or nothyng blemished.
6 Item, that the Lordes daie, and other lawfull Holidaies be spent in the diuine seruice of almightie God, and that olde supersticious holdaies, bee iustly abrogated and put downe: yet, bidden to be obserued by the Minister in the Churches.
7 Item, that the twelue pence forfaited for absence from the Church, beleuied and taken accordyng to the Statutes.
8 Item, that no Ministers receiue common Whores and wicked women, to giue their thankes aswell as honest Women, without first thei bee examined by the Ordinarie, and allowed therevnto vnder his seale.
9 Item, that the Minister done vsually teache the Cathechisme, to the youthe of their Parishe, whiche now is altogether neglected.
10 Item, that the Minister shall reade the Queenes Maiesties [Page]Iniunctions, openly to their Parishoners, fower tymes in the yere at the least, and that thei (vsually in the Rogation weeke) doe by perambulation, compasse in the vttermost boundes of their Parish.
11 Item, that no Minister shall plaie at Dice, Cardes, Tables, Boules, or any other vnlawfull game.
12 Item, that no Minister shall sell any Ale, or Beers, or keepe any victuallyng house, or haunte any other Alehouse, or Tauerne.
13 Item, that the Minister solemnise no Matrimonie in priuate houses, Gardins, prophane Chappelles, or in any other place, otherwise then the lawe doeth permit them.
14 Item, that the Minister dooe weare suche decent and comely apparell, as dooeth belong to their vocation, and (so many as be able) to prouide clokes with slecues.
15 Item, that euery Parsone, or Vicare, be resident vpon his benifice, or otherwise (hauyng a sufficient Dispensation) doe substitute a fitt persone in the place, allowed by the Ordinarie, and the same to be alwaies there resident.
16 Item, that euery Parsone, Vicar, or Curate, doe from tyme to tyme, vse good persuasions, to all their Parishoners, liyng on their death beddes, to giue by their Testament, or otherwise, some thyng towardes the repairyng of the decaied Churche of Sainct Dauides.
17 Item, that no Parsone, Vicar, or Curate, doe Marrie any persone within the degrees prohibited nor that h [...]e any more wiues, or housbandes then one.
18 Item, that the Churchwardens of euery Parishe, haue an especiall care, that no Curate bee permitted, to serue in their Parishes, except he doe first she we vnto them, his licence from the Ordinarie so to doe, and thei to keepe the same safely, for their owne discharge.
These Iniunctions aboue written, and euery parte and percell of them, I straightly charge and commaunde euery man (to whom thei doe appertain) fullie to obserue, maintain, and keepe, vpon paine of the Lawes, for that cause made and prouided.