Source.—Quarto (title as below), British Museum (Huth Bequest, 33).

Interrogatories,

upon which and everye part of the same, aswell the Churchwardens now being, as also all other hereafter to be appointed, shalbe charged withal, set foorth by the kyng and Quenes Majesties Commissioners for searche, inquiry, and certificat to be had of al such things as now be, or hereafter shalbe amysse in anye wyse concernyng the Commission to them geven, upon whych certificat duelye made, reformation and redresse shall be had thereof wyth all convenient speede and diligence. Anno 1558. Mense Aprilis.

First if there be within theyr parishe a Parson, Vicar or Curat, resident continuallie upon his benefice and cure, doyng his dutye there as he is bound to do in al things, especially in preaching, saying Matins, Masse, and Evensonge at due tyme....

ii. Item whether the said Parson, Vicar, or Curat, have been heretofore maried or no, and if he continue with his woman or either of them suspiciouslye doo resorte to other.

iii. Item whether within the said parish there be openly or secretly any maried priest, or any woman heretofore maried to a priest, and whether they be suspected of any evell rule and evel conversation or no....

iv. Item whether there be within the said parish any that doth maintayne or uphold the opinion that priestes and religious persones may lawfullye be maryed and continue together.

v. Item whether there be within your parish any prieste that taketh upon hym to serve the cure, not being before examined and allowed thereto by th’ordinary, and whether the said priest hath in the tyme of the late scisme here in the realme preached heresy or evil doctrine, and not recanted the same, or doth not now preache and sette forth the true doctrine of the catholike church, and also pray for the three estates of the catholike churche, and especiallye for the Kynge and Quenes Majesties, and also whether, prayinge for the thyrd estate, they do name Purgatorye or no.

vi. Item whether there be within the sayde parishe any that do obstinately persist and stande in any heresie or hereticall opinion, or be suspected of erronious and false doctrine, or a favorer, mainteiner or aider of any erronious or hereticall person or persones, or of any heresies or hereticall opinions or noughty doctrine.

vii. Item whether you know or have heard say of any person or persones within your said parish that hath kept, or at this present doth kepe, any hereticall, noughtye, or sedicious erronious booke or bookes, especially english testamentes or Bibles falsely translated, secretlye or otherwise, and whether ye have any suspectes thereof.

viii. Item whether ye knowe or have hearde of anye Prynters or Bookesellers wythin youre Parishe that hath solde, or now doth sell or keepe anye the sayde hereticall, nawghtye, or sedicious booke or bookes, letters or wrytynges, and whether ye have any suspectes thereof.

ix. Item whether ye knowe or have hearde saye of anye person or persones within your Parishe, that wyllynglye or obstinatelye dothe neglecte or refuse to make theyr confession to the Priest, and to receyve absolution and penaunce at hys hande for hys offences, or obstinatelye or wyllynglye do refuse to receyve the Sacramente of the Aultare, or extreme Unction, in extreme daunger of syckenesse, or to heare Masse, or to come to hys Paryshe Churche, or refuse to go on Procession, or to take Holywater, or otherwyse doo mysuse them selves in breaking the Rytes and Ceremonyes of the Catholyque Churche, speciallye in fastynge on the Ember dayes and other dayes by the Churche speciallye appoynted, or in prayinge, or other suche lyke.

x. Item whether ye knowe or have hearde of anye person or persones wythin your Paryshe that have murmured, grudged, or spoken directlye or indirectlye agaynste the Masse, or ... holye breade, holy water, ashes, palmes, creping to the crosse, holye Oyle and Chrisme, bearyng of Palmes or Candelles, buryinge of the deade, or praying for them, speciallye in sayinge of Diriges and Commendations, or in usinge anye other laudable or Godlye Ceremonye or usage of the Churche.

xi. Item whether there be within your Paryshe anye that dothe favoure, or is suspected to ... receyve any noughty person or persones, especiallye to rede the english service used in the time of King Edwarde the sixte, or the booke of Communion, or anye booke prohibited or forbydden to be redde or taught, or to set forth any noughtye opinion or doctrine.

xii. Item whether there be within the sayde parish any privie lectures or sermons, or other devises, or anye unlawfull conventicles or assembles.

xiii. Item whether there be within the sayde parishe any that at the sacring time of the Masse dothe hange downe theyr heades, or hyde them selves behinde pillers, or turneth away their faces, or departeth out of the church, because they woulde not looke upon the blessed sacrament of the Aultare.

xiv. Item whether ye knowe or have hearde saye of any person or persones within your parishe that have committed Lollardie, as in eatynge of fleshe at dayes and times forbydden, or otherwise practising or allowinge anye the opinions of the Lollardes.

xv. Item whether there be within the sayde parish any person, man, woman or childe, being of sufficient age and discretion, that can not saye theyr Pater noster, Ave Maria, and the Crede.

xvi. Item whether there be within your parish any schole master or scolemastresse ... not beyng first examined and admitted thereunto by th’ordinarie or his sufficiet deputie, and whether the said scolemaster and scolemaistresse be sound in religion, and of honest lyving and discrete behaviour, causing theyr scholers to fast, to praye, to come to the church, and to do theyr duties there, specially in hearing Masse and other divine service, and whether they teache them to helpe the Priest to Masse, and to saye their Pater noster, the Ave Maria, and the Crede with De profundis for all Christen soules, and whether the scholes, especially being commen,[12] be faithfully and diligently kept or no.

xvii. Item whether there be within the sayde Parish any that do absent themselves willynglie from the churche....

xviii. Item whether you knowe or have hearde of any in your parishe, that have bene, or is, a scold or a slaunderous person of his neighbours, or a sower of discorde and debate betwene partye and partie....

* * * * *

xx. Item whether ye knowe or have heard saye of any concelementes, contempts, conspiracies, false rumors, tales, sedicions, misbehaviours, slaunderous woordes, bruited or spred by anye person or persones against the King and Quenes Majesties, or either of them, or agaynst the quiet rule and governaunce of theyr subjectes or realmes.

xxi. Item whether the Patrones and other having advowsons of benefices have sincerly, truly, and justly presented in due time....

xxii. Item whether you know of anye Patrones or other having advowsons, that have ... covenanted or agreed ... to have anye summe of money for the same....

xxiii. Item whether ye know any Patrones or other having such advowsons, or any other persone that of his owne private authoritie and pleasure have pulled downe any church, chappel, or other ecclesiastical buildinge, or have taken away the lead, belles, ornaments, goodes, or landes of the said places, or anye of them, or spoyled anye of the same, or have converted the tithes profites, commodities, revenues and possessions of anye of the same to his owne private and prophane use.

* * * * *

xxvi. Item whether within the saide parishe there be any woman that doth exercise th’ office or room of a Midwyfe, not beyng before examined and admitted thereto by th’ ordinary or his sufficient deputy....

xxvii. Item whether the said Midwife have heretofore bene, and now is, catholike, faithfull, discrete, sober and diligent....

xxviii. Item whether the saide woman ... do use any Witchecraft ... or do omit or alter the laudable rytes and ceremonies accustomed and used of antiquitie.

xxix. Item whether the said midwife or other woman denieth or letteth the newe borne childe to be brought to the church....

* * * * *

xxxii. Item whether within your said parishe there be a roode and a roode loft, having the images of Mary and John, and lightes before the same, and whether in the Lente season there be a covering for the saide Crucifixe[13] decentlye provided, and whether there be any lightes upon the high Aultare, and whether there be an image of the patrone of the church or no.

xxxiii. Item whether there be any inventory made and kept of the church goodes, and a book concerning the registringe of those that are baptized, maried, or buryed.

xxxiv. Item whether the vestimentes for the priests and other ministers, and al the ornamentes for and about the altar, be kept clene and sufficiently repayred and maintained ... and whether there be a comely pixe to kepe the blessed sacrament in and upon the high Aultar ... and whether the blessed sacrament be caryed decentlye and devoutlye to the sicke, the Clerke goynge before the Prieste in a surplesse with lighte in his hand, and a little sacring bell ringing.

xxxv. Item whether the church or chauncel of your parish be in ruine or decay....

xxxvi. Item whether there have bene or be anye legacies or gyftes made for the repayringe and mayntenaunce of your church, or of highwaies, finding of the poore, marying of poore Maydens, or anye suche like, and the same not payde and aunswered accordingly.

* * * * *

xxxviii. Item whether ye knowe of anye man that hath two wives living, or of anye woman that hath two husbandes lyving, no lawfull divorce beyng made betwene them.

xxxix. Item whether you know of any usurers....

* * * * *

xlii. Item whether suche as can not reade upon the booke have everye one of them a payre of beades, and doo use the same devoutlye and accordingly.

xliii. Item whether anye Minstrels or anye other persons do use to syng or say any songes or ditties that be uncleane or vile, especiallye against any of the vii Sacraments, or against any the rites and ceremonies of this Churche of Englande, whyche is a notable member of Christes catholike Churche.

xliv. Item whether any do deprave or contempne the auctoritie or jurisdiction of the Popes holynes or the see of Rome....

xlv. Item whether any playes or interludes not beyng first examined, allowed, and approved by th’ordinary, are used at any tyme, especiallye in the Lent, or upon Sondaies or holydaies....

xlvi. Item whether there be any that doth use to buy and sel upon the sundayes or holydayes....

xlvii. Item whether ye have procured or consented in any wyse that duryng anye part of the Sermon made at Paules Crosse there shoulde be ryngyng of belles, playing of Children, cryinge or making lowde noyse, ryding of horses, or otherwyse, so that the Preacher there or his audience was troubled thereby....

xlviii. Item whether ye do know, or crediblye have heard that within any part of the citye of London there hath bene any set tables kept for such as woulde thyther resorte to eate and drynke, and whether it be not used at the said tables to have Diner and supper upon the Fryday and Embryng dayes, and all other dayes, as well within the Lent time as without, or whether there be at the saide tables any flesh eaten at times prohibited.

Finis.
Imprinted at
London by Robart Caly, wythin
the precinct of Christes Hospitall.
The vi. day of Aprill.
MDLVIII.
Cum privilegio ad imprimendum
solum.