A booke of certaine canons, concernyng some parte of the discipline of the Churche of England In the yeare of our Lord. 1571.

Of Byshoppes.

¶ Here foloweth in this booke some certayne ar∣ticles of the holy ministerie, and of the offices of the Church, fully agreed vpon by Matthew Archbyshoppe of Caunterburie, Primate of all England, and Metropolitane, and all other By∣shops of the same Prouince, which were part∣ly present in person, and partly subscribed by the handes of their Proctors, in a Synode be∣gonne at London in the Church of S. Paule, the thirde day of April. 1571.

ALl Byshoppes shall diligently teach the Gospell, not one∣ly in their Cathedrall Churches which they •…•…uerne, but also in∣differently in all the Churches of euery of their Dioces, where they shall thynke it most needfull.

〈◊…〉〈◊…〉 ••…••…pally they shall exhort their peo∣ple 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the reading & hearing of the holy scrip∣tures, and that they come together in times ap∣poynted, euery man to his owne Church, and that they geue eare diligently to the preachers of the Gospell, and that both they do heare re∣uerently the godly prayers, which shall be spo∣ken by the Minister, and also pray them selues with hym, and that they be partakers of the heauenly misteries, as they be now godly or∣deined

and lawfully in our churches by the au∣thoritie and commaundemente of the whole Realme.

Euery Byshop before the fyrst day of Sep∣tember next, shall call vnto him the publique preachers, such as shall be in his owne diocesse, and shall require againe of them, their licences of preaching, which they haue signed with any autenticall seale, which they shall retaine with themselues, or els abolish. After prudent choise made of them, he shall geue readilye agayne new licences to them whom he shall finde able to that great office, in respect of they ••••••res, doctrine, iudgement, honestie of lyfe▪ •••…•••…ie, and grauitie: and yet so that they 〈◊…〉〈◊…〉he to the articles of Christian religion, ••••…••••…ly approued in the Synode, and that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…ake promise willingly to mayntayne 〈◊…〉〈◊…〉 ••hat doctrine, which is contayned in the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 most agreeable to the veritie of Gods w•••…•••…

The Bishop must very diligently 〈◊…〉〈◊…〉 what maner of men he do admit into hys housholde: for it chaunceth sometymes where thys fore∣sight is not vsed, that wicked men, & enemies to the true religion, vicious men, and corrupte in all theyr life, yea, and men voyde of grace, be admitted. Whereby the aduersary wyll soone take occasion to speake euill.

The Byshops seruauntes shal so modestly & orderly apparel thēselues, in euery part of their garments, that they do not offend their brethrē whom Paule calleth of the housholde of fayth.

The Byshop shall lay his handes on none henceforward, but such as haue bene trayned vp in good letters, eyther in the vniuersitie, or some other inferior schole, or that doth vnder∣stande the Latine tongue competently, and hath bene well exercised in the holy scriptures: nor yet on any, except he be of that lawfull age which is appoynted by the statute and lawe: nor except hys lyfe & honest behauiour, be com∣mended by the testimony of graue and godly men, and such as are well knowne vnto the byshop: nor on any that hath bene brought vp in husbandrie, or some other base and handi∣craft labour: nor on any, but such as haue some title (as they call it) whereby he may liue, if by Gods sufferaunce, he become blinde, or fall into greeuous sicknesse of the body, or into a continuall & languishing disease: nor except he will exercise the holy ministery wythin hys owne diocesse: nor at any other time, but when it shal chaunce, that some place of ministration is voyde in the same diocesse. And he shall ad∣mitte no straunger, nor any that he knoweth not, eyther to the profites of any benifice, or to ecclesiasticall ministerie, except he bring wyth him that Byshops letters of commendations, which they cal letters dimissories, out of whose diocesse he came.

The byshop shal not graunt vnto any man the next, or second, or thirde aduouson (as they cal it) of any prebend or benefice belonging vn∣to him: for those aduousons are far from good

doynges and christian charitie: neyther shall he ratifie and confirme the leases of any pro∣fites or reuenewes of any parsonage, or eccle∣siasticall benefice, for terme of many yeares, in any wise.

The Byshop shall suffer no man to be occu∣pyed in the ministration of the Church, which calleth himselfe by the idle name of a Reader, not hauing receiued imposition of handes.

Euery Archbishop and Bishop shal haue in hys house The holy Bible in the largest volume, as it was lately printed at London, and also that full and perfect history, which is intituled Monumentes of Martyres, and other such lyke bokes, fit for the setting forth of religion. These bookes must be placed eyther in the hall, or in the great chamber, that they may serue to the vse of their seruauntes, and of straingers.