IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN. In the yere of our lord god a thouſand fyue hūdreth .XXXVI. and of the moſte noble reigne of our ſoueraigne lorde Henry the .viii. kinge of England and of Fraunce, defenſour of the faythe, lorde of Irelande, and in erthe Supreme heed of the churche of Englande, the .XXVIII. yere and the _____ day of _____ I Thomas Crumwell knyght, lorde Crumwell keper of the priuie ſeale of our ſayd ſoueraigne lorde the kynge, and vicegerent to the ſame, for and concernynge all his iurisdiction eccleſiaſticall within this realme, viſitinge by the kynges hyghnes ſupreme auctoritie eccleſiaſtical, the people and clergie of this deanry of _____ by my truſty commiſſarye _____ lawefully deputed and conſtitute for this parte, haue to the glory of almyghty god, to the kynges highnes honour, the publyke weale of this his realme, and encreaſe of vertue in the ſame, appoynted and aſſigned theſe iniunctions inſuinge, to be kept and obſerued of the deane, perſons, vicars, curates, and ſtipendiaries, reſtant or hauing cure of ſoule, or any other ſpiritual adminiſtration within this deanry, vnder the peynes hereafter lymitted and appoynted.

¶ The firſt is, that the deane, perſons, vicars, and other hauynge cure of ſoule any where within this deanrie, ſhall faithfully kepe and obſerue, and as farre as in them may lye, ſhall cauſe to be kepte and obſerued of other, al and ſyngular lawes and ſtatutes of this realme, made for the abolyſſhynge and extirpation of the byſſhop of Romes pretenſed and vſurped power and iurisdiction within this realme: and for the eſtablyſhement and confirmation of the kynges auctoritie and iurisdiction within the ſame, as of the ſupreme heed of the churche of Englande: And ſhall to thuttermoſte of theyr wytte knowledge and lernynge, purely, ſyncerely, and without any colour or diſſimulation, declare, manyfeſt, and open for the ſpace of one quarter of a yere nowe next enſuyng, ones euery ſonday, and after that at the leaſt wiſe twiſe euery quarter of a yere, in their ſermons and other collatiōs, that the biſhop of Romes vſurped power and iurisdiction, hauynge no eſtablyſhement nor grounde by the lawe of god, was of moſt iuſte cauſes taken away and abolyſhed, and that therfore they owe vnto hym no maner of obedience or ſubiection, and that the kynges power is within his dominion the higheſt potentate and power vnder god, to whome all men within the ſame dominion by goddis commaundement owe moſte loyalte and obedience, afore and aboue all other powers and potentates in erthe.

¶ ITEM where as certayne articles were lately deuiſed and put forth by the kynges highnes auctoritie, and condeſcended vpon by the preiates and clergy of this his realme in conuocation, wherof part are neceſſary to be holden and beleued for our ſaluation: and thother part do concerne and touche certayne laudable ceremonies, rites, and vſages of the churche, mete and cōuenient to be kept and vſed for a decent and politike order in the ſame, the ſaid deane, perſons, vicars, and other curates, ſhall ſo open and declare in their ſayd ſermons and other collations, the ſayde artycles vnto them that be vnder theyr cure, that they may playnly knowe and diſcerne, whiche of theym be neceſſary to be beleued and obſerued for theyr ſaluation, and which be not neceſſary, but onely doo concerne the decent and polityke order of the ſayde churche accordyng to ſuche commaundement and admonytion as hath ben giuē vnto them heretofore by auctorite of the kinges highnes in that behalf.

¶ MORE OVER that they ſhall declare vnto all ſuche as be vnder their cure, tharticles likewyſe deuyſed, put forthe, and authoriſed of late, for and concernynge thabrogation of certayne ſuperfluous holy dayes, accordynge to theffecte and purporte of the ſame articles, and perſwade theyr paryſſhioners to kepe and obſerue the ſame inuiolably, as thynges holſomely prouided, decreed, and eſtablyſhed, by common concent and publyke auctorite, for the weale commoditie and profyte of all this realme.

¶ Beſides this, to thintent that al ſuperſtition, and hipocriſy, crept into diuers mens hartes, may vanyſhe awaye, they ſhall not ſet forth, or extoll any ymages, relyques, or myracles, for any ſuperſtytion or lucre, nor allure the people by any inticementes to the pilgremages of any ſainct, otherwiſe than is permitted in the articles, lately put forth by thauctorite of the kinges maieſtie, and condeſcended vpon by the prelates and clergie of this his realme, in conuocaiton, as thoughe it were propre or peculyar to that ſaynct, to giue this commoditie or that, Seinge all goodnes, helth, and grace, ought to be both aſked and loked for, only of god, as of the very author of the ſame, and of none other: For without hym it can not be gyuen. But they ſhall exhorte as wel theyr pariſhoners as other pilgrimes, that they do rather apply them ſelfe to the keping of goddes commaundementes, and fulfilling of his workes of charitie, perſwadinge them, that they ſhal pleaſe god more by the true exercyſynge of theyr bodyly labour, trauayle, or occupation, and prouiding for their families, than if they went about to the ſayd pilgrimages, and that it ſhal profyte more theyr ſoule helth, if they do beſtowe that on the poore and nedy, whiche they wolde haue beſtowed vpon the ſaid ymages or relyques.

¶ ALSO in the ſame theyr ſermons and other collations, the perſons, vycars, and other curates aforeſaid, ſhal diligently admoniſhe the fathers and mothers, maiſters, and gouernours of youthe, beynge within theyr cure, to teche or cauſe to be taught theyr chyldren and ſeruantes, euen from theyr infancy, theyr Pater noſter, tharticles of our fayth, and the tenne commandementes in theyr mother tonge: And the ſame ſo taught, ſhall cauſe the ſayd youthe ofte to repete and vnderſtande. And to thintent this may be the more eaſily done, the ſayde curates ſhal in theyr ſermons deliberately and plainly recite of the ſaid pater noſter, articles, or commandementes, one clauſe or artycle one daye, and an other an other daye, tyll the hole be taught and lerned by lyttell and lyttell (And ſhall delyuer the ſame in writinge, or ſhewe where printed bokes conteyninge the ſame be to be folde, to them that can reede, or wyll deſyre the ſame) And therto that the ſayd fathers and mothers, maiſters and gouernours, do beſtowe theyr children and ſeruauntes, euen from their childehode, other to lernyng, or to ſome other honeſt exercyſe, occupation, or husbandry, exhortinge, counſayling, and by at the wayes and meanes they may, as well in theyr ſayd ſermons and collations, as other wayes, perſwadynge the ſayde fathers, mothers, mayſters, and other gouernours, beynge vnder their cure & charge, diligently to prouide & forſee, that the ſaide youth be in no maner wyſe kepte or broughte vp in ydelnes, leſte at any tyme after warde they be dryuen for lacke of ſomme myſtery or occupation to lyue by, to fall to beggyng, ſtealynge, or ſome other vnthriftynes. For as moche as we may dayly ſee, through ſlouth and ydelnes, dyuers valiant men fal, ſome to beggynge, and ſome to thefte and murder, which after brought to calamitie and myſery, impute a great parte therof to theyr frendes and gouernours, whiche ſuffred them to be brought vp ſo idelly in theyr youthe, where if they had ben wel educated and brought vp in ſome good litterature, occupation, or miſterye, they ſhulde (beinge rulers of theyr owne familie) haue profyted as well them ſelfe, as dyuers other perſons, to the great commoditie and ornamentes of the common weale.

¶ ALSO that the ſayde perſones, vicars, and other curates ſhal diligently prouide, that the ſacramentes and ſacramentalles, be duely and reuerently miniſtred in their pariſhes. And if at any time it happen them other in any of the caſes expreſſed in the ſtatutes of this realme, or of ſpeciall lycence giuen by the kinges maieſtie, to be abſent from theyr benefices, they ſhal leaue theyr cure not to a rude and vnlerned perſon, but to an honeſt, wel lerned and experte curate, that may teache the rude and vnlerned of theyr cure, holſome doctrine, and reduce them to the ryght way that do erre. And alwayes lett • them ſe, that nother they nor theyr vycars do ſeke more theyr owne profyte, promotion, or aduantage, than the profyte of the ſoules, that they haue vnder theyr cure, or the glory of God.

¶ ITEM that euery perſone or proprietary of any paryſſhe churche within this realme, ſhal on thiſſide the feaſt of ſaint Peter ad vincula next coming, prouide a boke of the hole Byble, bothe in Latin, and alſo in Englyſhe, and laye the ſame in the quiere for euery man that wyll, to loke and rede theron, and ſhal diſcourage no man from the reding of any part of the Bible, either in Latin or in Engliſhe, but rather comforte exhorte, and admoniſhe euery man to rede the ſame, as the very worde of God, and the ſpirituall foode of mans ſowle, wherby they maye the better knowe the dueties to god, to theyr ſoueraygne lorde the kynge, and theyr neyghbour. Euer gentylly and charitably exhortynge them, that vſynge a ſobre and a modeſte hauiour in the redynge and inquyſition of the trewe ſenſe of the ſame, they doo in no wyſe ſtyffely or eygrely contende or ſtryue one with an other about the ſame, but referre the declaration of thoſe places, that be in controuerſie, to the iudgement of them that be better lerned.

¶ ALSO the ſayd deane, perſons, vicars, curates, and other prieſtes, ſhal in no wiſe, at any vnlaufulle time, nor for any other cauſe, than for their honeſt neceſſitie, haunte or reſorte to any tauernes or alehouſes, and after their dyner and ſupper, they ſhall not gyue them ſelfe to drinkynge or riot, ſpending their tyme idelly by day or by nighte, at tables or cardes playenge, or any other vnlaufull game: But at ſuche tymes, as they ſhall haue ſuche leyſure, they ſhall rede or here ſomewhat of holy ſcripture, or ſhall occupie them ſelfe with ſome other honeſt exerciſe. And that they alwayes doo thoſe thynges, which apperteyne to good congruence and honeſtie, with profite of the common weale: hauinge alwayes in mynde, that they ought to excell all other in puritie of lyfe, and ſhulde be example to all other to lyue wel and chriſtenly.

¶ Furthermore, bycauſe the goodes of the churche are called the goodes of the poore, and at theſe days nothyng is leſſe ſene, than the poore to be ſuſteined with the ſame, all perſones, vycars, penſionaries, prebendaries, and other beneficed men within this deanrie, not beinge reſident vppon their benefices, whiche may diſpende yerely .xx.li. or aboue, other within this deanrie, or elles where, ſhall diſtribute hereafter yerely amonges their poore pariſheners, or other inhabitantes there, in the preſence of the church wardens, or ſome other honeſt men of the paryſhe, the .xl. parte of the fruictes and reuenues of their ſayd benefices, leſte they be worthily noted of ingratitude, whiche reſeruing ſo many partes to them ſelfe, can nat vouchſafe to empart the .xl. portion therof amonges the poore people of that paryſhe, that is ſo fruictfull and profitable to them.

¶ AND to thintent that lerned men may hereafter ſprynge the more for the executiō of the premiſſes, euery perſon, vicar, clerke, or beneficed man within this deanrie, hauynge yerely to diſpende in benefices and other promotions of the churche an hundreth poundes, ſhal gyue competent exhibition to one ſcholer, and for as many hundreth poundes more, as he may diſpende, to ſo many ſcholers more, ſhal giue like exhibition, in the vniuerſitie of Oxenford or Cambrige, or ſome grāmer ſchole, whiche after they haue profited in good lernynge, may be parteners of their patrones cure & charge, aſwell in preachyng as otherwiſe in thexecution of theyr offices, or may whan nede ſhalbe otherwiſe profite the common welthe, with theyr counſayle and wyſedome.

¶ ALSO that all perſons, vicars, and clerkes, hauynge churches, chapels, or manſions, within this deanrie, ſhall beſtowe yerelye hereafter vppon the fame manſions, or chauncels of theyr churches, beinge in decay, the .v. part of that theyr benefices, tyll they be fully repayred, and the ſame ſo repayred, ſhall alwayes kepe and maynteyne in good ſtate.

¶ ALL which and ſingular iniunctions, ſhalbe inuiolably obſerued of the ſayd deane, perſons, vicars, curates, ſtipendiaries, and other clerkes and benefyced men, vnder the peyne of ſuſpention and ſequeſtration of the fruictes of theyr benefices, vntylle they haue done their duetie, accordynge to theſe iniunctions.