The parson's vade mecum containing choice observations about the accounts of the year, ecclesiastical censures, of the primitive fathers and their writings, a catalogue of the arch-bishops, bishops and deans in England and Wales, their election, consecration, instalment, with the clergies tenths, and their valuation in the King's book ...

CHAP. III. Of Bishops and Deans, Election, Consecration, Installation, &c.

NEXT to the two Arch: bishops are the Bishops of London, Durham and Winchester, the order of the rest being by no other rule, than the Priority of their Consecration.

The manner of making a Bishop is thus.

When a Bishops Sea becomes va∣cant, the Dean and Chapter give notice of it to the King, and re∣quest him to give them leave to chuse another; whereupon the King grants them his Conge D'eslire, i. e. leave to Elect, and usually recommends one. Then the Dean summons a Chapter, and they Elect; and they certifie the Party Elected, who having ac∣cepted it, it is certified to the King and the Arch-bishop of the Province; whereupon the King gives his Royal Assent under the great Seal of England, which is exhibited to the Arch-bishop of that Province, with command to Confirm and Consecrate him; then the Arch-bishop Subscribes Fiat Confirmatio, and gives com∣mission under his Episcopal Seal

to his Vicar general, to perform all Acts thereto required; after which the Bishop elect takes the Oaths of Supremacy, Simony and Canonical Obedience.

Sometime after this follows the Consecration, which in the infe∣riour Clergy is called Ordinati∣on, which is performed by the Arch-bishop of the Province, or some other Bishop commissioned by him, with the assistance of two other Bishops in the Arch-bishops Chappel, upon a Sunday, or an Holyday after Morning Service.

Next follows his Installation by vertue of a Mandate from the Arch-bishop, to the Arch deacon of his Province. This is per∣formed in the Cathedral Church in the presence of a publick nota∣ry, and the Arch deacon, with the Petty Canons, accompany the Bishop to the Quire, and there place him in a Seat prepared for

him, and Te Deum is Sung, and then the Bishop is conducted into the Chapter-house; after this he is introduced into the King's Pre¦sence to do his Homage for his Temporalities, or Barony; and then he compounds for the first Fruits of his Bishoprick.

The Bishops write Divinae Per∣missione, the Arch-bishop writes himself Divina Providentia.

The inferiour Bishops are stiled right reverend Fathers in God, the Arch-bishops most reverend.

Deans, Arch-deacon and Pre∣bendaries are the Dignified Cler∣gy.

Deans of the Old Foundations which were before the Suppres∣sion of Monasteries, are brought to their Dignities much like Bi∣shops: Whereas the Deans of the New Foundations (upon suppressi∣on of Abbies are installed a much shorter way by ve••tue of

the King's Letters Patents, with∣out either Election or Confirma∣tion. The chief of the Preben∣daries is the Subdean, who sup∣plies the Deans Place in his Ab∣sence.

The Archdeacons upon the Bi∣shops Mandate are to induct Clerks into their Benefices.

Vicars properly Officiate in those Livings which are called Impropriations, of which there are in England no less than 3845. For above a third part of the best Benefices of England being an∣ciently by the Popes Grant Ap∣propiated to Monasteries towards their Maintenance, were upon the dissolution of the Monasteries made Lay-Fees.