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Item, Whether be in your parishes any inn-keepers or BOOK ale-wives, that admit any resort to their houses in time of common prayer: any that commonly absent themselves from their own church, or otherwise idly or leudly profaneth the Sabboth-day: any that keep any secret conventicles, preachings, lectures, or readings, contrary to the laws: any suspected of heresy, or that maintain any erroneous opinions contrary to the laws of Almighty God and good religion, by public authority in this realm set forth. Item, Whether there be in these parties any executors 20 that have not fulfilled their testators wil; especially in ing of legacies, given to good and godly uses; as to the relief of poverty, to poor scholars, orphans, high-ways, mariage of poor maidens, and such like. Whether your hospitals and almes-houses be justly used, according to the foundation and antient ordinances of the same. Whether be any other placed in them, than poor, impotent, and needy persons, and that hath not otherwise wherewith or wherby to live.

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Item, Whether there be any of late hath bequeathed in their testament, or otherwise there be appointed by Ordinaries, any sums of mony, jewels, plate, ornaments, or annuities for the erection of any obits, diriges, trentals, or any such like use, now by the laws of this realm not permitted. And if there be, that you present the names of such executors, the quantity and quality of the gift, that order may be taken therin accordingly.

Item, Whether there be any mony or stock appertaining to any parish church in any mans hands, that refuseth or deferreth to pay the same; or that useth fraud, deceit, or delay, to make any account in the presence of the honesty of the parish for the same. Whether your church-wardens, or others afore time, have given the year accounts, according unto the custome as it hath been aforetime used. Whether the store of the poor mans box be openly and indifferently given where need is, without partial affection. Whether any stock of cattel or grain appertaining to your

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BOOK churches be decayed: by whose negligence, and in whose hands.

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Item, Whether your school-masters be of sincere religion, and diligent in teaching and bringing up of youth. Whether they teach any other grammar than such as is appointed by the Queens Majesties Injunctions, annexed unto the same.

Item, Whether there be any among you that use witchcraft, sorcery, or inchantment; magick, incantation, or negromancy; or that be suspected of the same.

Item, Whether there be any in these parties that have maried within degrees of affinity or consanguinity, by the laws of God forbidden: any man that hath two wives, or any woman that hath two husbands: any maryed that have made precontracts, and that have made privy and secret contracts: any that have maryed without banes thrice solemnly asked: any couples maryed that live not together, but slanderously live apart: any that have maryed in times by the laws prohibited, or out of the parish church, where they ought to have the same solemnized.

Generally, Whether there be any il livers, or offenders of the laws of Almighty God: any suspected of any notorious sin, fault, or crime, to the offence of Christian people, committed: any that giveth occasion of the breach of Christian love and charity among you: any that stubbornly refuse to conform themselves to unity and good religion: any that bruiteth abroad rumours of the alteration of the same, or otherwise that disturbeth good orders, and the quietnes of Christs Church and Christian congregation.

MSS. Eccl.

Number XII.

Archbishop Parker's statutes for the government and settlement of the Hospitals of St. John the Baptist in Canterbury, and St. Nicolas in Harboldown.

MATTHEW, by the sufferance of God, Archbishop of N. Christ. Canterbury, Primate and Metropolitan of England; to all

Cant.

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Christian people sendeth greeting in our Lord. Whereas BOOK amongst other things that do concern our pastoral office, wee have before our eyes the charitable affection and godly zeal that was in divers our predecessors, Archbishops of Canterbury, who founded and erected two several hospitals; 21 th'one of St. John's in Northgate, in the suburbs of Canterbury, and the other of St. Nicholas of Harboldown, nigh unto our see, the city of Canterbury; for poor, sick, impotent, and needy people, to be relieved and succoured in the same; wee, knowing the provision for the poor to be a thing very acceptable to God in this world, have for the discharge of our conscience thought it our duty unto God to see, as nigh as wee can, and the law of God doth suffer, that the said hospitals be used and ordered according to the minds of the founders, our predecessors.

Wherefore wee ordain and appoint, That, according to the first foundation, there be in our hospital of St. John's in Northgate xxx men, whom (after the ancient custome) wee will to be called bretheren; that by this name they may be the rather put in mind of their duty to live together like bretheren in unity, concord, godly agreement, and brotherly love: and xxx women, whom after the like manner wee will to be called sisters, which all shall be bound to make their abode, and to dwell within our said hospital, except they have for their absence a special grant and dispensation by writing from us or our successors, Archbishops of Canterbury, for the time being. Providing, and allwayes foreseeing, that there dwell not out of the house above the number of x bretheren and x sisters at any time.

Also wee ordain, That upon every vacation or avoydance of any of the rooms of the bretheren or sisters, whither it be by death, deprivation, cession, voluntary departing, expulsion, or by any other lawful means; the Elder or the Prior, so commonly called for the time being, with three of his bretheren, within 10 dayes next after such avoidance, if the brother dwelt in the house, or in the city of Canterbury, and of others that are further off, (so soone as he or they have certain knowledge thereof,) shall intimate and give in

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BOOK writing unto us and our successors, Archbishops of Canterbury, or else to the Dean and Chapter, (sede vacante,) as well the person's name and manner of departing, as also the day, month, and year of such departing, that wee may eftsones appoint some other to the said roome.

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Also we ordain, That henceforth none be admitted brother or sister, but such as shall be named by some certificate from us or our successors under our signet, else shall personally exhibit to the Prior for the time being, and to his bretheren, or unto four of them at the least, a grant of a corrody, under seal from us or our successors, or under the seal of the Dean and Chapter (sede vacante): and the Elder or Prior, upon sight of every such grant, shall, within 2 dayes next following, in the presence of four of his bretheren at the least, admit every such brother and sister without further delay, 'til there be the full number of xxx bretheren and xxx sisters. And every brother and sister, at his or her admission, shall pay towards the maintaining and repairing of the church and other houses, 6s. 8d. and have their names written in the table appointed for the same purpose. And the Prior shall cause these statutes to be read to every brother and sister, at his or her admission to dwell within the hospital: and also to be read yearly on Midsummer-day, before all the bretheren and sisters.

Also wee ordain, That every brother and sister, at his or her admission to dwell in the house, shall take a corporal oath upon a book in manner and form following: "I, A. B. brother or sister of St. John's in Northgate, shall "bear true faith and due allegeance unto the Queen's High66 ness, her heirs and successors; and shall observe and "keep all such statutes and orders and rules which now be, "or hereafter may be made and given by Lord Matthew,

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Archbishop of Canterbury, or by his successors, concern❝ing the state of the hospital, not repugnant to the laws of "God, nor to the laws of this realm. And I shall obey "the Elder or Prior for the time being, in all things lawfull "and honest; and I shall not consent nor agree to sell, to

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give, to change, to pledge, or by any kind of wayes to

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" alienate any lands, tenements, buildings, pastures, woods, BOOK "cattle, utensils, stock of money, deeds, charters, or other "writings, or any other thing appertaining or belonging to "the said hospital, without the consent and assent of the " said Lord Matthew or his successors, Archbishops of Can- 22 terbury, first had and obteined; so God me help, and by “the contents of this book."

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Also wee ordain, That none (having the use of reason and speech) be admitted brother or sister, but such as can say the Lord's Prayer, the Articles of the Faith, and the X Commandments of God in the English tongue: and that after admission, within a convenient time, they endeavour themselves to learn by heart the brief Catechisme inserted in the Book of Common Prayer.

Also wee ordain, That all the bretheren and sisters, dwelling within the said hospital, shall diligently come to the church twise in the day, morning and evening, (except there be lawfull cause to be absent, and allowed by the Prior,) there to offer up their common prayers unto Almighty God, and attentively to hear God's holy Scripture read; and if any be absent, (not having sufficient cause,) or be slack and negligent in coming to the church; or being there, do use to jangle, to talk, or to sleep in the time of common prayer, the administration of the sacraments, reading of the holy Scriptures or the Homilyes; if, after two admonitions given by the Prior to amend that fault, the party eftsoones commit the like offense, that brother or sister, whither it be, shall be punished in the stocks one half day or more, at the discretion of the Prior, for his or her correction. And if that brother or sister, after such punishment, will not amend, but continue still that lewd behaviour and example, wee will, that the Prior, with the assent of four of his bretheren, do give knowledge unto us, our successors or lawfull deputyes, of the evil qualityes of that brother or sister, that wee, following the example of a good surgeon, may eftsoones cut off that member, which is not only unprofitable, but also hurtfull to the whole body.

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Also wee ordain, That no brother dwelling within the 7.