doe abstayne from the companie of such excommunicate person, under payne of excommunication themselves.

Table of Fees

7. That the Table conteyninge the particular fees of euery office, be placed in the Consistorie, and Registerie in suche sort, as every suiter maye convenientlie viewe and reade the same. And that euerye Bishopp geve Streite charge to suche as are under him not to take any other ffees then are sett down in the saide Table.

Orders and Lycences

8. That Ordenaries take carefull heede in orderinge deacons and Mynisters, and in admytting to benefices and in lycencinge to preach or teache suche persons onelie as shall geve good declaracon of theire conformitie and consent to the Religion and orders of the Church of England nowe established.

Absolution of the Poore ex Officio

9. That in matters of mere office for th' avoydinge of the offence that is conceyved by the multitude of poore persons formerly excommunicated, it may be observed by euery ordinarie and Judge ecclesiastical exercysing Jurisdiction, that suche poore persons as nowe stand excommunicated and shalbe certyfied by the minister, Churchwardens and Sydemen of any particular parishe to be unable through pouertie to paye theire fees, and which shall shewe theire conformitie in appearinge or satisfyinge the order of the Courte (for breache whereof they stand excommunicate) shalbe absolued with out payinge any fees.

A NOTE OF DIVERSE THINGES CONSIDERABLE ABOUT THE EXECUTION OF THE LATE CANONS, ETC.

(Cotton MSS. Cleopatra, F, II, f. 201.)

I

About thadmitting of ministers. Cap. I.

(1) The Church is greved with manie wanderinge and insufficient Ministers, therefore it is requisite that more care be had of the canon in that behalf.

(2) It is thought meet that accordinge to the Canon the names and qualities of all the ministers ordeyned or instituted be everie yeare dulie transmitted to the Archbushopp, and therewithall a note of their subscriptions to the Articles under the Bishopps hand. (3) Item that the booke of ordination of ministers be duelie obserued and namelie in the presentinge and examininge of the parties to be ordeyned by the Archdeacons or their deputies, which is omitted in manie places, and maye breed some inconvenience to the parties ordayned.

II

Commutation of penaunce. Cap. II

It is thought that the order for commutation is not dulie obserued in diverse places.

III

Licenses to Marrie. Cap. III

(1) It is wished that one forme of condition be nowe agreed upon and obserued in all bondes for marriages without Bannes, accordinge to the Cautions sett downe in the Canon and that these wordes, publice ac tempestiue in facie ecclie may be interpreted (in the Church at the usual tyme of divine service.

(2) Item. That great care be had of the surties, that they be able, honest and knowen sufficient men.

(3) Item that noe license be graunted to anie child or servant without the expresse consent first had of the maisters, parentes or gouernors in writing, sufficientlie testified, under their and the ministers hand of the parishe.

IV

Excommunication. Cap. IV

(1) ffor amendment of hastie excommunication, It is wished that the course of lawe be dulie obserued in the execution of the processe, viz. ffirst that noe Citacon vijs et modis, be awarded unlesse a primarie hath gone before, and that the Apparitor doe make fayth before the Judges in open Court, that he hath faythfullie and diligentlie sought the partie.

(2) Item, that the Citation (vijs et modis) be solemlie affixed

upon the dore of the parishe churche or Chapell where the parties dwelling or most usuall aboade is, duringe all the tyme of morneinge or eveninge prayer, upon some sundaye or holliedaye.

(3) Item that the minister in the tyme of the most frequence of the people there, shall signifie publiquelie, that the partie is by aucthoritie of such a Judge sommoned and warned to appear in such a place and at such a tyme as is conteyned in the said CitaAnd the Apparitor shall returne the said Citacon indorsed with the ministers certificate of the execution thereof in forme aforesaid.

con upon paine, etc.

(4)

Item. it is to be considered, whether it be not also meete, that the Iudge doe expect some one court daye after the returne of this Certificate, before he doe excommunicate the partie for not appearinge.

(5) ffor avoydinge of the offence that groweth by the multitude of poore persons, that now stand excommunicated beinge not able to paye the fees, ye may please your LLS: to consider,1 whether it be not meete to take order ymediatelie after the ende of this Parliament, that such as by certificate of the ministers, Church-wardens and sidemen are found to be soe poore, as that they doe lyve upon the releefe of the parishe, and stand excommunicate onelie for not appearinge, or not payeinge fees, shall upon such certificate and their apparance be forthwith absolued without anie fees payeinge. And yf they stand excommunicate for not doeinge penaunce, or not satisfyinge the order of the Judge, then in case they shall doe their penaunce, and satisfie the order, and certifie the same ymediately upon such certificate they shalbe absolued without anie fees.

(6) Item that yf anie such persons doe hereafter thorough their wilfull obstinacie deserue to be excommunicated warninge be geuen publiquelie by the minister at the denunciation of their excommunication, that all men doe absteyne from their companie, (sub pena Iuris) that thereby they maye be kept in better obedience.

(7) Item yt is thought consonant to the Canon and reason that the minister to be associated with the laye Judge, for pronoun

1 This may be a petition or list of suggestions drawn up by the Lower House of Convocation, or possibly a

report of a committee of bishops to the House of Bishops.

einge of excommunication ought to be a verie grave and lerned man aucthorized by Commission to sitt as assistant with the Judge, whereby he might be acquainted with the merites of the cause before he pronounce the sentence and not to haue the same deliuered over the Judges shoulder to be pronounced behind his backe.

V

Pluralities. Cap. V

Concerninge pluralities of benefices, it is to be wished that anie publique preacher licensed, (though under the degree of a Master of Art) maye be permitted to hold two benefices, beinge under value and within compasse of myles.

VI

ffees. Cap. VI

It is complained that the fees of orderinge ministers, of licenses to preach, and of Institutions are grown verie excessive and scandalous in diverse places. It is thought that farmeinge of Iurisdiction is cause of excessive fees.

Item. in other matters the table of fees is either not sett upp at all or soe sett, as men cannot easilie read them.

It is generalie desired that none be ordered deacon or minister, or admitted to anie cure or benefice, or licensed to preache or to teache anie schollers publiquelie or privatlie, unlesse he doe first subscribe and take the oath of the supremacie.

Item it is to be considered, whether it be not needfull for the necessarie supplie of Peticannons in Cathedrall and Collegiat Churches to admitt some singinge men of honest conversation and tollerable knowledge in the Scriptures unto the Ministerie, though they understand not the lattin tongue, tyinge them by bond or otherwise to the servinge in those churches for the which they are first ordeyned.

Item. yt may please your Lordshippes to haue care that none be licensed preachers inhabled to receyve benefices of XXX£ but such as ar maisters of art of fowre yeares of standing at the least or have byn preachers publiquely Licensed for 4 yeares before.

(Additional MSS. 28571, f. 187-192.)

The three first points concerninge explanations of some thinges in the Common booke are already finished.

The fourth which towcheth the translation of the Bible hath not as yett ben dealt in.

The fifthe was sett downe by the LL. in these wordes: consideration to be had what nomber of ministers there are: where placed: howe qualified: and howe provided for already to the intent that better provision may be where they are wantinge and further cure taken for those which haue not competente maynte

naunce.

ffor the first and second point (sic) of this proposition, viz: the nomber of ministers and the places where they remayne, there are as many mynisters as there are parishes in England, besides those which remayne in bothe University es: which serve cures under other Ministers, and which remayne in divers noblemen and gentlemens houses: the nomber whereof is greate but the certainty of it as yett is not knowne.

Touchinge theire qualities and how they are provided for; very many are Preachers and many are no Preachers. Many beinge no Preachers haue ecclesiasticall liuings and many that are preachers doe want; viz: suche as remayne in the Universities. serve cures under other ministers and remayne in noble and gentlemens houses.

ffor those parishes where the Incumbents are no preachers these may be the remedies. I° that as muche may be allotted out of the