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Articles sent from the Queene vnto the Ordinary, and by him and his Officers by her commaundement to be put in execution in the whole dioces.
FIrst, that euery Byshop and his Officers, with all o∣ther hauing Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction, shall with all speede and diligence, and all maner of waies to them pos∣sible, put in execution all such Canons and Ecclesiasticall Lawes, heeretofore in the time of King Henry the eyght vsed within this Realme of England, and the dominions of the same, nor being directly and expresly contrary to the lawes and statutes of this Realme.
Item, that no B. or any his Officer, or other person a∣foresayd, heereafter in any of their ecclesiasticall writings, in processe or other extraiuditiall actes, doe vse to put in this clause or sentence, Regia authoritate fulcitus.
Item, that no Byshop or any his officers or other per∣son aforesaid, do hereafter exact or demaund in the admis∣sion of any person to any ecclesiasticall promotion, order or office, any oth touching the primacy or succession, as of late in few yeares passed hath bene accustomed and vsed.
Item, that euery B. and his officers, with all other per∣sons aforesayd, haue a vigilant eie, and vse speciall diligēce and foresight, that no person be admitted or receiued to any ecclesiasticall function, benefice or office being a sacramen∣tary infected or defamed with any notable kinde of heresie or other great crime, and that the said B. do stay and cause to be stayed, as much as lieth in him, that benefices and Ecclesiasticall promotions do not notably decay or take hinderāce by passing, or cōfirming of vnreasonable leases.
Item, that euery Bishop and all other persons afore∣sayde, do diligently trauaile for the repressing of heresies and notable crimes, especially in the Cleargie, duely cor∣recting and punishing the same.
Item, that euery B. and all the other persons aforesayd, do likewise trauell for the condemning and repressing of corrupt and naughty opinions, vnlawfull bookes, bal∣lades, and other pernitious and hurtfull deuices, engen∣dring hatred amongst the people, and discord amongst the same: And the Scholemaisters, Preachers, and Teachers, do exercise and vse their offices and duties without tea∣ching, preaching, or setting foorth any euill and corrupt do∣ctrine, and that doing the contrary, they may be by the Bi∣shop and his said officers punished and remoued.
Item, that euery B. and all the other persons aforesayd, proceding summarely & with all celerity & speed, may and shall depriue or declare depriued and amoue, according to their learning & discretion, all such persons frō their bene∣fices & ecclesiasticall promotiōs, who cōtrary to the state of their order, & the laudable custome of the church, haue mar∣ried & vsed women as their wiues, or otherwise notably, and slaunderously disordered or abused themselues: seque∣string also, during the said proces, the fruites and profites of the said benefices and Ecclesiasticall promotions.
Item, that the said B. and all other persons aforesayd, do vse more lenity and clemency with such as haue marri∣ed, whose wiues be dead, then with other whose women do yet remayne aliue. And likewise such Priestes, as with the consents of their wiues or women openly in the pre∣sence of the B. do professe to abstaine, to be vsed more fa∣uourably. In which case after penaunce effectually done, the Bishop according to his discretion and wisedome, may vpon iust consideration, receiue and admit them agayne to their former administration, so it be not in the same place, appointing them such a portion to liue vpon, to be payde out of their benefice, whereof they be depriued, by discreti∣on of the said Bishop, or his Officer as he shall thinke may be spared of the said Benefice.
Item, that euery Byshop, and all other persons afore∣said, do foresee that they suffer not any religious man, ha∣uing solemnely professed chastitie, to continue with hys woman, or wife, but that all such persons, after depriuati∣on of their benefice or Ecclesiasticall promotion, be also di∣uorced euery one from his saide woman, and due punish∣ment otherwise taken for the offence therein.
Item, that euery Bishop and all other persons afore∣said, do take order and direction with the Parishioners of euery Benefice where Priests do want, to repayre to the next Parish for diuine seruice, or to appoint for a conueni∣ent time, till other better prouision may be made, one Cu∣rate to serue, Alienis vicibus, in diuers Parishes, and to al∣lot to the saide Curate for his labour some portion of the Benefice that he so serueth.
Item, that all and all maner of processions of ye Church, be vsed, frequented, and continued after the old order of the Church in the latine tongue.
Item, that all such holydaies and fasting daies be obser∣ued and kept, as were obserued and kept in the latter time of king Henry the eight.
Item, that the laudable & honest ceremonies which wer wont to be vsed, frequented and obserued in the Churche, be also hereafter frequented, vsed and obserued.
Item that children be christened by the Priest, and con∣firmed by the Bishop, as heretofore hath bene accustomed and vsed.
Item, touching such persons as were heretofore pro∣moted to anye orders after the new sorte and fashion of or∣ders: considering they were not ordered in very deede, the bishop of the Dioces finding otherwise sufficiency and ha∣bilitie in those men, may supply that thing which wanted in them before, and then according to his discretion admit them to minister.
Item, that by the bishop of the Dioces an vniforme do∣ctrine be set foorth by Homelies, or otherwise for the good instruction & teaching of al people: And that the sayd bish. and other persons aforesaid, doe compell the parishioners to come to their seuerall Churches, and there deuoutly to heare deuine seruice, as of reason they ought.
Item, that they examine all Scholemaisters & teachers of children, & finding them suspect, in any wise to remoue them and place Catholicke men in theyr rowmes, with a speciall commaundement to instructe their children, so as they may be able to aunswere the priest at the masse, and so helpe the priest to masse, as hath bene accustomed.
Item, that the sayd Bishop, and all other the persons a¦foresaid, haue such regard, respect, and consideration of and for the setting forth of the premisses with all kind of vertue godly liuing, and good example, with repressing also and keping vnder of vice and vnthriftines as they and euerich of them may be seene to fauour the restitution of true Re∣ligion, and also to make an honest accompt and reckening of their office and cure, to the honor of God, our good con∣tentation, and the profite of this our Realme: and the do∣minions of the same.
A like prescript also with Articles, was sent from the said Queene Mary to the Lord Mayor of London, the 4. day of March, in the yeare abouesayd, which Lord Mayor vpon the same directed his commandement to the Alder∣men, euerye one seuerally in his warde, conteing as fol∣loweth.