XV. That all communicants come up severally, and kneel before the rail to receive the holy communion; and that the minister repeat to every communicant severally all the words, that are appointed to be said at the 5 distribution of the holy sacrament.

XVI. That no wicker bottles or tavern pots be brought unto the communion table, and that the bread be brought in a clean cloth or napkin; and that the words of consecration be audibly repeated again, if any bread or wine To be to be used, which was not at first consecrated.

XVII. That the minister and churchwardens of great parishes, to avoid confusion and over long wearying of the minister and of the parishioners, do take order, that there may not come above 300 or at the most 400 com15 municants to one communion; for which occasion they are warned to have communions the oftener.

XVIII. That the holy oblations in such places, where it pleaseth God at any time to put into the hearts of his people by that holy action to acknowledge his gift of all 20 they have to them, and their tenure of all from him, and their debt of all to him, be received by the minister standing before the table at their coming up to make the said oblation, and then by him to be reverently presented before the Lord, and set upon the table till the service 25 be ended.

XIX. That the minister do catechise in the afternoon half an hour at least immediately after the last ringing or tolling of the bell for the evening prayer, according to the questions of the church catechism only, and standing 30 in the reading desk.

XX. That the minister's reading desk do not stand with the back towards the chancel, nor too remote or far from it.

XXI. That the chancels and alleys in the church be 35 not encroached upon by building of seats; and if any be so built, the same to be removed and taken away; and

that no pews be made over high, so that they, which be in them, cannot be seen how they behave themselves, or the prospect of the church or chancel be hindered; and therefore that all pews, which within do much exceed a yard in height, be taken down near to that scantling, 5 unless the bishop by his own inspection, or by the view of some special commissioners, shall otherwise allow.

XXII. That none of what rank soever do keep any chaplains, schoolmasters, ministers, or scholars in their houses to read prayers and expound scriptures, or to ro instruct their family, unless they be thereunto enabled by law.

XXIII. That whereas sermons are required by the church of England only upon Sundays and holy-days in the forenoon, and at marriages, and are permitted at 15 funerals, none presume to take upon them to use any preaching or expounding, or to have any such lecturing at any other time without express allowance from the bishop.

XXIV. That every one allowed to be a lecturer, do 20 read the divine service fully in his surplice and hood before every lecture, in the same manner as is appointed on Sundays; and that all lecturers behave themselves modestly in their sermons, preaching faith, obedience, and good works, in all things observing his majesty's 25 declaration prefixed before the thirty-nine articles, and his majesty's injunctions, without meddling with matters of state, news, or questions late in difference, nor favouring or abetting any schismatics or separatists, either by special prayer for them or otherwise approving of them. 30

XXV. That the churchwardens suffer no man but their own parson, vicar, or curate to preach upon any occasion in their church, till he shew his license, and subscribe his name in their paper book for that purpose appointed, and the name of the bishop who licensed him. 35 XXVI. That there be the same manner of ringing and

tolling of bells to church on holy-days, as is used on Sundays, and that there be no difference of ringing to church, when there is a sermon, more than when there is none'; excepting the knells for funerals.

5 XXVII. That no church windows nor chancel windows be stopped up in any part; nor the floor in any part unpaved, or uncleanly kept, nor the churchyard any ways abused, annoyed, or profaned.

XXVIII. That all defaults contrary to the premises 10 be faithfully inquired into by the officials from time to time at their generals, of whom the bishop will require an account concerning the same.

CXLIV.

Archiepisc. Cant.
GUIL. LAUD 4.

Anno Christi
1637.

Reg. Angliæ
CAROL. I. 13.

Litera patentes pro visitatione locorum exemptorum.
Ibid. fol. 85. b.

CAROLUS, Dei gratia Angliæ, Scotia, Franciæ, et

Hiberniæ rex, fidei defensor, etc. reverendissimo in 15 Christo patri Willielmo, providentia divina archiepiscopo Cant. totius Angliæ primati et metropolitano, Johanni, eadem providentia Roffen. episcopo, Nathanieli Brent, militi, legum doctori, vicario ejusdem archiepiscopi in

Litera patentes] Among the improvements projected by the arch20 bishop one was, as he himself expressed it, "To settle the statutes of all the cathedral churches of the new foundations, whose statutes are imperfect and not confirmed. Done for Canterbury." After completing this work for his own cathedral, and obtaining the king's letters of confirmation, dated Jan. 3, 1637, (Rymer, vol. xx. p. 99.) he then 25 applied for general letters patent to enable him to carry the whole of

his great undertaking into effect, including schools, hospitals, and other

spiritualibus generali, Thomæ Reeves, legum etiam doctori, advocato nostro, Isaaco Bargrave, S. T. P. decano ecclesiæ cathedralis metropoliticæ Christi Cantuar. Johanni Warner, et Thomæ Jackson, sacræ theologiæ etiam respective professoribus, Richardo Clark, sacræ theologiæ 5 professori, Arthuro Ducke, et Roberto Aylet, legum respective doctoribus, salutem. Cum vos prædict. archiepiscopus ex solicitudine pastorali gregis dominici vobis commissi, tam civitatem, dioec. et ecclesiam vestram Cant. cæterasque dioec. et ecclesias tam cathedrales, 10 quam collegiatas et parochiales, hospitalia item, et scholas publicas seu liberas, aliaque loca ecclesiastica infra provinciam vestram Cant. constituta, tam in capite, quam in membris, clerumque et populum residentem in eisdem diœc. et provincia, jure vestro metropolitico propediem 15 visitare, et negotiis præpediti munus illud prædict. episcopo, Nathanieli, Thomæ, Isaaco, Johanni, Thomæ, Richardo, Arthuro, et Roberto (inter alios) conjunctim et divisim committend. proposuistis; ac tam infra diœcesim, quam alibi infra provinciam vestram Cant. diversæ ec- 20 clesiæ cathedrales, cum episcopis, decanis, capitulis, cæterisque ministris et officiariis in eisdem, ac decani et capitulum cum præbendariis, aliisque ministris et officiariis in diversis ecclesiis nuper citra annum regni domini Henrici, nuper regis Angliæ octavi, vicesimum sextum, 25 ac tam citra annum illum, quam antea nonnulla hospitalia et domus ad pauperum sustentationem, ac scholæ quædam publicæ et liberæ per antecessores nostros fundata, erecta,

eleemosynary houses. These letters were issued on the 1st of March in the same year; but owing to the insurrection in Scotland, and the 30 rebellion that followed soon afterwards, no further progress was made in the matter. The "cathedrals of the new foundation" were those that were founded in the reign of Henry VIII. after the dissolution of the monasteries: viz. Canterbury, Winchester, Ely, Worcester, Norwich, Rochester, Durham and Carlisle, together with those of the five 35 bishoprics, of Oxford, Gloucester, Bristol, Peterborough and Chester,

et stabilita extiterunt et existunt; et æquum est, ut qui unitatem religionis amplexi sunt, eadem disciplina ad cultum divinum externum et morum probitatem dirigantur; nos auctoritatem nostram regiam ad fidem Christia5 nam vere catholicam, cujus sumus defensores, et morum probitatem conservand. nobis a Deo optimo maximo commissam agnoscentes, utque (amputatis malorum vepribus) sincera religio et canonica recte vivendi forma tam in ecclesiis et locis antedictis, quam in cæteris ecclesiis, ac 10 in locis universis provinciæ vestræ florescat et augeatur, cupientes; ad visitand. igitur tam in capite, quam in membris, tam ecclesias cathedrales et collegiatas prædict. ac præfata hospitalia, domus, scholas, et singula loca ecclesiæ infra dicc. et provinciam prædict. de fundatione 15 vel patronatu nostri vel progenitorum nostrorum (tam exempta et immediate nobis subjecta, quam non exempta) quam episcopos, decanos, et capitulum, præbendarios, officiarios, et ministros, aliosque degentes vel ministrantes in eisdem (ecclesia collegiata beati Petri Westm. et 20 decano, capitulo, et ministris in eadem except.) ac de statu ecclesiarum, hospitalium, domorum, et scholarum illarum, ac eorundem episcoporum, decanorum, et capitulorum, ac canonicorum, præbendariorum, ministrorum, et officiariorum, et aliorum quorumcunque in eisdem degen25 tium vel ministrantium, modis omnibus, quibus melius et efficacius poteritis, inquirend. et investigand. ac delinquentes irregularitatis macula irretit. vel officia seu ministeria sua negligentes, aliterve culpabiles pœnis pro ratione et modo criminum, excessuum, negligentiarum, et

which were created at the same period. The rest were of old founda30 tion, and their statutes required no alteration, except in the case of Hereford; for which the archbishop had already provided. (Hist. of Troubles, &c. p. 68.) For an account of subsequent doubts and disputes arising out of the unsettled condition of these statutes, and the final adjustment of them by the act, 6 Anne, c. 21. see Burn, 35 Eccl. Law, art. Deans and Chapters. Comp. Gibs. Cod. pp. 203-208.