ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 



his time a chapel was provided at Armley, to serve the needs of that 

 part of the parish of Leeds. It was built in 1630, but was not con- 



isecrated till 1674."-" On Harsnett's death a fit successor was found in 

 Richard Neile, Bishop of Winchester. Neile, who apparently little relished 

 the translation for his own sake," was a faithful partisan of Laud,*' and 

 endeavoured to secure strict conformity to Anglican usage. Before 

 visiting his province in 1633, he issued ninety-seven articles of inquiry 

 which follow closely in most respects the requirements of 1559. The first 

 two concern the repair of the church, vicarage, and churchyard, the profana- 

 tion of the churchyard, and superstitious bell-ringing on holydays or their 

 eves. As necessaries for common prayer are named a Bible of the largest 



• volume ; a prayer book and book of homilies ; a convenient pulpit ; a 

 decent seat for the minister to read service in. There should be a chest for 

 the registers, and a poor man's box with three locks. The ' decent table ' 

 should be conveniently placed, with cover of silk or ' other decent stufFe,' 

 and a fair linen cloth at communion. A silver communion cup with a 

 cover is required, and ' a fayre standing pot or two of pewter or purer 

 metall ' for the wine. The minister should wear in church ' a comely 

 surplesse with sleeves ' and a hood : in j?ublic, a coat, cassock, or cloak 

 over doublet and hose ; light-coloured clothes and stockings should be 

 avoided. Prayer should be said or sung every Sunday and holyday, and 

 on eves ; the litany on Wednesdays and Fridays. Care is to be taken to instruct 

 children on Sundays before evening prayer. Excommunicated persons are to be 

 denounced every six months. Communicants must receive the sacrament 

 kneeling. The wardens should be admonished, after the second lesson at 

 morning and evening prayer, to look after absentees from church : they are 

 to walk out of church during service, to see who are abroad in any ale- 

 house or elsewhere. Other articles concern pluralities, lack of curates in 

 parishes, and licences to preach. Unlicensed lectures and exercises, public 

 fasts not appointed by authority, and unauthorized exorcisms are also to be 

 reported.** 



These inquiries point to a desire for decency and reverence, without 

 prescribing any very advanced standard of ritual. Neile, like Laud, regarded 

 Popery and Nonconformity as the Scylla and Charybdis of Church and State, 

 and his articles inquire strictly into any suspicion of Popery or Papist 

 parishioners.** His certificate of this visitation refers chiefly to the dioceses 

 of Chester and Carlisle.** In January 1636-7 he sent in a certificate of 

 visitation for his own diocese. He comments on his clemency to ' un- 

 conformable ministers' : while holding himself ' bound in conscience and 

 duty to God, his Majesty, and the most happy established church ' to oppose 



"■" Lawton, op. cit. 93 (wrong date of consecration). 



" Heylyn, Cyfrianus Angl. 214. ' Neile's known sufficiencies had pointed him unto the place, but he was 

 warm at Winton, and perhaps might not be perswaded to move toward the North, from whence he came not 

 long before with so great contentment.' Neile had been Bishop of Durham 1617-28. 



"Ibid. 165. 



" Articles to be Inquired of, in the Metropoliticall Visitation, &C.1633. London,i633;i6pp. 



« Ibid. ; article 14 (pt. ii, no. 5) relates to unbaptized children in the parish, or children suspected of 

 papist christening ; article 20 (ibid. no. 1 1) asks for information as to popish priests in the parish ; and article 

 21 (ibid, no. 12) asks whether the clergyman of the parish is suspected of popish inchnations. 



" Cal. S.P. Dom. 1633-4, PP- 443» 444- 



3 57 ^ 



