Bishop Wake’s Questions to his Clergy

1706

Reverend Brethren,

Having discharged what I was commanded to do, I take this opportunity to desire you when you come to the Visitation, to bring with you in writing the best account you can of your several parishes in the following particulars:

I What is the name of your Parish, and in what Deanery doth it ly?

II Who is the Patron of it? Is it a Rectory or Vicarage? Of what extent? How many familys are there reputed to be in it?

III What Dissenters have you from the Church of England? Of what kinds are they? Have they any Meeting-house within your parish?

IV Is your Living under £80 p. ann.? And what is the usual value of it?

V Is there any Lecture, School, Alms-house, or Hospital endowed within your Parish? And what is the Endowment of it?

VI Doth any Person of Quality or any Gentleman of Estate live, or hath any Seat or house within your Parish?

VII Are there any Monuments of Note in your Parish Church or Chappell?

Or what other Antiquities do you know of within your Parish?

The more fully and particularly you answer to these Querys, or any other Matters that may serve to give me a full knowledge of the state of my Diocese, the more you will oblige, My Reverend Brethren,

Your faithfull Friend and Brother,

W. Lincoln

1709

Good Brother:

Having reduced my last Visitation Articles, which did in effect contain a compleat Summary of the Establish’d Orders and Discipline of the Church of England, to such of them as I esteem most proper for my present Enquiry, I cannot but take this Opportunity to recommend it to you, to assist and excite your Churchwardens, to make such a full and impartial Return to them, and Presentment upon them, as both their Oath requires, and in Duty they ought to do.