Chap. V. fheHISTORYof thePURIrANS. 591 felicity of the times, and the indulgence of the crown, which at another K. Charles I. time might have involved them in a premunire. 1636. Though the articles of vifitation differed in the feveral diocefes, the wv church-wardens oath was generally the fame, (viz.) "VOU fhall (wear, that you, and every of you, fhall duly confiderChurch- g and diligently enquire of all and every of thefe articles given you in wardens " charge; and that, all affection favour hope of reward and gain, or oath. " fear of difpleafure or malice fet afide, you fhall prefent all and every " Inch perfon that now is, or of late was within your parifh, or hath corn- " mitted any offence, or made any default mentioned in any of thefe ar- " titles, or which are vehemently fufpeéted, or defamed of any filch of- fence or default, wherein you fhall deal uprightly and fully, neither " prefenting nor daring to prefent any contrary to truth, having in this " aétion God before your eyes, with an earneft zeal to maintain truth, and to fupprefs vice. So help you God, and the holy contents of this " book." By virtue of this oath, fome out of confcience thought themfelves ob- liged to prefent their minifters, their neighbours, and their near relations, not for immorality, or negleft of the worfhip of God, but for omitting Tome fuperftitious injunklìon. Others aéted from revenge, having an op- portunity put into their hands to ruin their confcientious neighbours. Many church.wardens refuted to take the oath, and were imprifoned, and forced to do penance. But to prevent this for the future, it was declared, That¡i/it. art. if any man affirmed, it was not lawful to take the oath of a church-warden ; Chap. VI: or that it was not lawfully adminßered; or that the oath did not bind; or Sea IX. that the church- wardens neednot enquire; or after inquiryneed not anfiver; or might leave out part of their anfwers ; fuch perlons fhould be prefented and punifhed. Several of the bithops publifhed their primary articlesof vifitation about Ab/irac7 of this time ;. as the archbifhop of York, the bithops of Winchefler and BathhOopWren's and. Wells; but the moft remarkable and curious were Dr. Wren's bifhoplaw: ofNorwich, entitled Articles to be enquired of within the diocefe of Nor- part ad, wich, in thefarfi vifatation of Matthew lord bifhopof Norwich. The book p. 353. contains one hundred and thirty-nine articles, in which are eight hundred Prynne, and ninety-fevers queftions, tome very infignificant, others highly fuper- Rapñ;. ftitious, and feveral impoflible tobe antwered. To give the reader a fpe- p. 270. cimen of them : ----Have you the book of conftitutions or canons eccle- fiaftical; and a parchment regifter book, book of common prayer, and book of homilies ?Is your communion table fo placed within the chancel as the canon direfis ? .-..both your minifter read the canons once every
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