against the same, were lawfully cited, mo- Exhibeat Electionem, Confirmationem, et 15. Item; What Rule the Master of this Professed? 17. Item; Whether ye do use to profess your Novices in due time, and within what time and space after they have taken the Habit upon them? 18. Item; Whether the Brethren of this House do know the Rule that they have professed, and whether they keep their Profession according to that their Rule, and Custom of this House; and in especial, the three substantial and principal Vows, that is to say, Poverty, Chastity, and Obedience? 19. Item; Whether any of the Brethren use any propriety of Mony, or of Plate, in their Chambers; or of any other manner thing unwarre of the Master, and without his know ledg and license, or by his sufferance and knowledg? and for what cause? 20. liem; Whether ye do keep Chastity, not using the company of any suspect Woman within this Monastery, or without? And whether the Master, or any Brother of this House be suspected upon Incontinency, or defamed for that he is much conversant with Women? 21. Item; Whether Women useth and resorteth much to this Monastery by back-ways, or otherwise? and whether they be accustomably, or at any time lodged within the Pre cinct thereof? 22. Item; Whether the Master, or any Brother of this House, useth to have any Boys or young Men laying with him? 23. Item; Whether the Brethren of this House keep their Obedience, being ready at their Master's Commandment, in all things honest, lawful, and reasonable? Sequuntur Regulæ Cæremoniales. 24. Item; Whether ye do keep silence in the Church, Cloister, Fraitrie, and Dormitorie, at the hours and time specified in your Rule? 25. Item; Whether ye de keep Fastings and Abstinence, according to your Rules, Statutes, Ordinances, and laudable Customs of this House? 26. Item; Whether ye abstain from Flesh, in time of Advent, and other times declared and specified by the Law, Rules, and laud able Customs of this House? 27. Item; Whether ye wear Shirts and Sheets of Woollen, or that ye have any Constitution, Ordinance, or Dispensation, granted or made to the contrary, by sufficient and lawful Authority? Profitentes Regulam Benedicti quam arctissime tenentur ad prædicta Cæremonialia obser vanda. 28. Item, Whether ye do sleep altogether in the Dormitorie, under one Roof, or not? 29. Item; Whether ye have all separate Beds, or any one of you doth lay with an other? 30. Item; Whether ye do keep the Fraitry at Meals, so that two parts, or the least, the two part of the whole Covent be always there, unless the Master at every one time dispense with you to the contrary? 31. Item; Whether ye do wear your Religious habit continually, and never leave it off but when ye go to bed? 32. Item; Whether every Brethren of this House have lightly departed hence, and hath gone to any other House of like order and Profession, without special Letters and License of their Master? 33. Item; Whether the Master and Brethren of this House have received and admitted any Brother of another House, without special License and Letters of his Master and Head? 34. Item; Whether any of you, sithence the time of your Profession, hath gone out of this House to his Friends, or otherwise? 35. Item; How oftimes he did so, and how long at every time ye tarried forth? 36. Item; Whether ye had special license of your Master so to go forth, or not? 37. Item; Whether at every time of your being forth, ye changed or left off your habit, or every part thereof? 38. Item; Whether ye, or any of you be, or hath been, in manifest Apostasy, that is to say, Fugitives or Vagabonds? 39. Item; For what cause or occasion ye have so gone forth and been in Apostasy? and whether the cause of your going forth was by reason of the great cruelty of your Master, or by his negligence, not calling you home to your Cloister? 40. Item; Whether ye be weekly shaven, and do not nourish or suffer your Hair to be long? and whether ye wear your Apparel according to the Rule, not too excessive, nor tor exquisite; and in like wise the trappo's of your Horses, and other your bearing Beasts? 41. Item; Whether the Master and Head of this House do use his Brethren charitably, without partiality, malice, envy, grudg, or displeasure more shewed to one than to another? 42. Item; Whether he do use his Disciplines, Corrections, and Punishments upon his Brethren, with mercy, pity, and charity, without cruelty, rigorousness, and enormous hurt, no more favouring one than another? 43. Item; Whether any Brother, or Religious Person of this House, be incorrigible? 44. Item; Whether the Master of this House do use his Brethren charitably when they be sick and diseased? and whether in time of their sickness he do procure unto them Physicians, and all other necessaries? 45. Item; Whether he make his Accompts (as he ought to do) once every year before his Brethren, and chiefly the Seniors and officers, to the intent they may be made privy to the state and condition of the House, and know perfectly the due administration thereof? 46. Item; Whether the Prior, Subprior, Sellerar, Kitchener, Terrure, Sacristen, or any such-like Officer, having Administration of every manner Revenues of this House, do make his whole and true Accompt, according as he is bound to do, not applying any thing by him received to his own proper use or commodity? 47. Itein; Whether any Religious Person of this House do bear, occupy, or exercise more Offices than one, for, and to his own singular commodity, advantage, or profit, by the partial dealing of the Master? 48. Item; Whether all and singular the Revenues and Profits of this House be converted and employed to the behove and use thereof, and of the Brethren, and according to the Founder's mind and Giver? 49. Item; Whether the Master do make sufficient reparations upon his Monastery, as the Church and all other housing thereto adjoined, and also upon all other the Lands, Granges, Farms, and Tenements belonging to the same, and whether he suffer any dilapidation, decay, or ruine in any part of them? 50. Item; Whether there be any Inventory made of all and singular the Moveables, Goods, which from time to time have been, and yet be in this House, as of Jewels, Reliques, Ornaments, Vestiments, ready Mony, Plate, Bedding, with other Utensils; also of Corn, Chattels, and other Commodities, to the intent the state and condition of this House may be always known? 51. Item; That ye express truly and sincerely the whole state and condition of this House, as Mony, Plate, Cattel, Corn, and other Goods? 52. Item; Whether this Monastery be indebted to whom? and for what cause? 53. Item; Whether any of the Lands be sold, or mortgaged? and for what Sums? 54. Item; Whether any be lett to Farm by the Master of this House for term of years, and for how many years? and specially whether they be letten for small Sums, or for less Sums than they were wont to be letten for, to the intent to have great sums of ready Mony before hand? 55. Item; Whether he do enforce, compel, or constrain his Brethren, or any of them, to consent to the sealing of any Leases, Grants, Farm-Holds, Annuities, Corrodies, or any other Alienations? 56. Item; Whether the Plate and Jewels, or any part or parcel thereof, or of any other moveable Goods of this House be laid to pledg, sold, or alienated for a time, or for ever? for what cause, and to whom? or other wise imbezle, or consumed? 57. Item; Whether the Master of this House be wont to give under his Seal of Office, or Covent-Seal, Farms, Corrodies, Annuities, or Offices, to his Kinsfolk, Alliances, Friends, or Acquaintance, for term of years, or otherwise, to the hurt, hindrance, dammage, and impoverishment of this House? 58. Item; Whether he be wont to grant any Patent, or Covent-Seal, without the consent of his Brethren? 59. Item; Whether the Covent-Seal of this House be surely and safely kept under three Keys; that is to say, one remaining and being in the custody of the Master, and other two in the custody of two Seniours? 60. Item; Whether the Muniments and Evidences of the Lands, Rents, and Revenues of this House, be safely kept from Vermine and Moistness? 61. Item; Whether the Master do keep Hospitality according to the ability of his House, and in like manner as other Fathers hereof have done heretofore? 62. Item; Whether the Master of this House, in receiving any Novice, being of willing and toward mind to enter into Religion, hath demanded or received, or convented to receive any Mony, Rewards, or any other temporal Commodities of him so entring, or willing to enter, or of any other his Friends? and whether for not promising, granting, or giving such Rewards or Gifts, any hath been repelled and not received? 63. Item; Whether the Novices, and other received into Religion, have a Preceptor and Master deputed unto them to teach them Grammar and good Letters ? 64. Item; Whether any Seniour of this House be deputed to declare, inform, and instruct them their Rules, and whereunto they shall be bounden to observe and keep, after their Profession? 65. Item; Whether any of you have taken upon him the Habit and Profession of your Religion, chiefly for the intent, hope, or trust to be made Head and Master of this House ? 66. Item; Whether the Master of this House, in giving any Advocation, Nomination, Presentation, or Collation of any Parsonage, Vicarage, Chapel, or Benefice of the Patronage and Gift this House, do take, or use to take any manner Pension, Portion, or other Commodity or Gains; or else doth make any Convention or Compaction, whereby any lucre may ensue to him in that behalf?' 67. Item; Whether he do receive, or use to receive, the Fruits and Revenues of every such Benefice vacant, or use to borrow any Mony of him to whom he intendeth to give such Benefice unto, expresly covenanting or intending, that he so obtaining the said Benefice, shall freely and clearly remit the said Mony so borrowed? 68. Item; What, and how many Benefices the Master of this House doth occupy and keep in his own hands? 69. Item; Whether the same Benefices be appropriate and united to this House by sufficient authority? 70. Item; Whether the Master of this House doth make distributions amongst the Parishioners of the Benefices appropriate, and doth keep and observe all and singular other Provisions and Ordinances specified aud expressed in the Appropriations of the same Benefices? Exhibeant omnes et singulas Appropriationes, una cum Ordinationibus et Dotationibus Vicari atuum. 71. Item; Whether he do promote unto such Benefices as be of his Gift, sufficient and able Persons in Learning, Manners, and Vertue? 72. Item; Whether any Brother of this House do serve any Parish Church, being appropriate and united to the same, and how many Churches appropriate be so served? 73. Item; Whether the Master of this House hath and possesseth any Benefice with Cure, or any other Dignity with his Abbey ? Si aliquod tale habet, Dispensationem exhibeut. 74. Item; Whether the Master of this House at any time since he was first made Abbot, or Master, did know or believe that he was Suspended, or Excommunicate, either by the Law, or by any Judg; and whether he knowing or supposing himself so to be, did sing Mass in the mean time, and before he was absolved? In Visitatione Monialium ad Præmissa 75. Item; Whether this Monastery hath good and sufficient Enclosure, and whether the Doors and Windows be diligently kept shut, so that no Man can have any entry into the same, or any part thereof, at inconvenient times? Propter quod necessarium erit Visitatori circumire Monasterium, ac videre et rimare disposi tionem ædificiorum, et un sint aliqua loca pervia per quæ secrete intrari possit; et una secum habeat Abbatissam cum duabus aut tribus senioribus Monialibus, a quibus tum interroget, an ostia Monasterii singulis quibusque noctibus sub clavibus clausa teneantur, et que earum Monialium senio confectarum, vel an Abbas ipsa clavium custodiam tempore nocturno habeant et teneant: nam non est tutun clavium custodiam Junioribus com millere. 76. Item; Whether Strangers, both Men and Women, useth commonly to have communication with the Sisters of this House, without license of the Abbess or Prioress, specially in secret places, and in the absence of their Sisters ? 77. Item; Whether any Sister of this House were professed for any manner of compalsion of her Friends and Kinsfolks, or by the Abbess or Prioress? 78. Item; Whether any of the Sisters of this House useth to go forth any whither out of the Precinct thereof, withou. special license of their Abbess or Prioress? 79. Item; Whether any Sister doth use her Habit continually out of her Cell? 80. Item; Wherein every one of you occupieth herself, beside the time of Divine Service? 81. Item; Whether any Sister of this House hath any familiarity with Religious Men, Secular Priests, or Lay men, being not near of kin unto them? 82. Item; Whether any Sister of this House hath been taken and found with any such accustomably so communicating, and could not shew any reasonable cause why they so did? 83. Item; Whether any of you doth use to write any Letters of Love, or lascivious fashion to any Person, or receive any such, or have any privy Messengers coming and resorting unto you, or any of you, with Token or Gifts, from any manner secular Person or other? II.-General Injunctions to be given on the King's Highness's behalf, in all Monastries and other Houses, of whatsoever Order or Religion they be. [Cotton Libr. Cleop. E. 4.] FIRST; That the Abbot, Prior, or Presi dent, and all other Brethren of the Place that is visited, shall faithfully, truly, and heartily, keep and observe, and cause teach, and procure to be kept and observed of oath, as much as in them may lie, all and singular Contents, as well in the oath of the King's Highness Succession, given heretofore by them as in a certain Profession lately sealed with the Common Seal, and subscribed and Signed with their own hands: Also that they shall observe and fulfil, by all the means that they best may, the Statutes of this Realm, made, or to be made, for the suppression and taking away of the usurped and pretensel Jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome within this Realm and for the assertion and confirmation of the Authority, Jurisdiction and Prerogative of our most noble Sovereign Lord the King, and his Successors; and that they shall diligently instruct their Juniors and Youngers, and all other committed to their Cure, That the King's Power is by the Laws of God most excellent of all under God in Earth; and that we ought to obey him afore all other Powers, by God's Prescript; and that the Bishop of Rome's Jurisdiction or Authority heretofore usurped, by no means is founded or established by Holy Scripture: but that the same, partly by the craft and deceit of the same Bishop of Rome, and by his evil and ambitious Canons and Decretals; and partly by the toleration and permission of Princes, by little and little hath grown up; and therefore now, of most right and equity, is taken away and clean expelled out of this Realm. Also, that the Abbot, Prior, or President and Brethren, may be declared, by the King's Supream Power and Authority Ecclesiastical, to be absolved and loosed from all manner Obedience, Oath, and Profession by them here tofore perchance promised, or made, to the said Bishop of Rome, or to any other in his stead, or occupying his Authority; or to any other Forreign Prince, or Person: And nevertheless let it be enjoined to them, that they shall not promise or give such Oath or Profession to any such Forreign Potentate hereafter. And if the Statutes of the said Order Religious, or Place, seem to bind them to Obedience, or Subjection, or any other Recognizance of Superiority to the said Bishop of Rome, or to any other Forreign Power, Po tentate, Person or Place, by any ways; such Statutes, by the King's Graces Visitors, be utterly annihilate, broken, and declared void and of none effect; and that they be in no case bounden or obligate to the same, and such statutes to be forthwith utterly put forth and abolished out of the Books, or Muniments of that Religion, Order or Place, by the President and his Brethren. Also, that no Monk, or Brother of this Monastery, by any means go forth of the Precinct of the same. Also, that Women, of what state or degree soever they be, be utterly excluded from entering into the Limits or Circuit of this Monastery, or place, unless they first obtain license of the King's Highness, or his Visitor. Also, that there be no entering into this Monastery but one, and that by the great fore-gate of the same, which diligently shall be watched and kept by some Porter specially appointed for that purpose, and shall be shut and opened by the same both day and night, at convenient and accustomed hours; which Porter shall repel all manner Women from entrance into the said Monastry.. Also, that all and singular Brethren, and Monks of this Monastery, take their refections altogether in a place called the Miseri corde, such days as they eat Flesh, and all other days in their Refectory; and that at every Mess there sit four of them, not of duty demanding to them any certain, usual, or accustomed duty or portion of Meat as they were wont to do; but that they be content with such Victuals as is set before them, and there take their Refections soberly, without excess, with giving due thanks to God; and that at every such Refection, some Chapter of the New Testament, or Old, by some of the said Brethren, be read and recited to the other, keeping silence, and giving audience to the sanie. Also, that the Abbot and President do daily prepare one Table for himself and his Guests thither resorting, and that not over sumptuous, and full of delicate and strange Dishes, but honestly furnished with common Meats; At which Table, the said Abbot, or some Senior in his stead, shall sit to receive, and gently entertain the strangers, the Guests. Also, that none of the Brethren send any part of his Meat, or the leavings thereof to any Person, but that there be assigned an Almoner, which shall gather the Leavings, both of the Covent and Strangers Tables, after that the Servants of the House have had their convenient Refections, and distribute the same to poor people; amongst whom special consideration be had of such, before other, as be Kinsfolk to any of the said Brethren, if they be of like power and debility as other be; and also of those which endeavour themselves, with all their will and labour, to get their liv ing with their hands, and yet cannot fully help themselves for their chargeable House hold, and multitude of Children: yet let not them be so cherished, that they shall leave labour and fall to idleness; with consideration also especially to be had of them, which by weakness of their Limbs and Body be so impotent that they cannot labour; and by no means let such Alms be given to valiant mighty and idle Beggars and Vagabonds, as commonly use to resort about such places; which rather, as drove-Beasts and Mychers, should be driven away and compelled to labour, than in their idleness and lewdness, against the form of the King's Graces Statute in this behalf made, cherished, and maintained, to the great hindrance and damage of the CommonWeal. Also, that all other Almses or Destributions due, or accustomed to be made, by reason of the Foundation, Statutes, or customes of this place, be made and given, as largely and as liberally as ever they were at any time heretofore. Also, that the Abbot, Prior, or President, shall find Wood and Fewel sufficient to make Fire in the Refectory, from Allhallow-even to Good-Friday. Also, that all the Brethren of this House, except the Abbot, and such as be sick, or evil at ease, and those that have fulfilled their Jubilee, lie together in the Dormitory, every one by himself, in several Beds. Also, that no Brother, or Monk, of this House, have any Child, or Boy laying, or privily accompanying with him, or otherwise haunting unto him, other than to help him to Ma-s. Also, that the Brethren of this House, when they be sick, or evil at ease, be seen unto, and be kept in the infirmary duly, as well for their sustenance of Meat and Drink, as for their good keeping. Also, that the Abbot, or President, keep and find in some University, one or two of his Brothers, according to the Ability and Possessions of this House; which Brethren, after they be learned in good and holy Letters, when they return home, may instruct and teach their Brethren, and diligently preach the Word of God. Also, that every day, by the space of one hour, a Lesson of Holy Scripture be kept in this Covent, to which all, under pain by this said President to be moderated, shall resort; which President shall have Authority to dispense with them, that they with a low and treatable voice, say their long hours, which were wont to be sung. Also, that the Brethren of this House, after Divine Service done, read or hear somewhat of Holy Scripture, or occupy themself in some such like honest and laudable exercise. and Observances, as tho they had perfectly fulfilled the chief and outmost of the whole true Religion; but that when they have once passed such things, they endeavour themselves to higher things, and convert their minds from such external Matters, to more inward and deeper Considerations, as the Law of God and Christian Religion doth teach and show. And that they assure not themselves of any Reward or Commodity any wise, by reason of such Ceremonies and Observances, except they refer all such to Christ, and for his sake observe them; and for that they might thereby the more easily keep such things as he hath commanded, as well to them as to all Christian People. Also, that the Abbot and President of this Place shall make a full and true reckoning and accompt of his Administration every year to his Brethren, as well of his Receipts as Expences; and that the said Accompt be written in a great Book remaining with the Covent. Also, that the Abbot and President of this House shall make no waste of the Woods pertaining to this House, nor shall set out unadvisedly any Farmes or Reversions, without the consent of the more part of the Convent. Also, that there be assigned a Book and a Register that may copy out into that Book all such Writings, word by word, as shall pass under the Covent-Seal of this House. Also, that no Man be suffered to profess, or to wear the Habit of Religion in this House e're he be 24 years of Age compleat; And that they entice nor allure no Man with suasions and blandyments to take the Religion upon him. Item, that they shall not shew no Reliques, or feigned Miracles, for encrease of Lucre, but that they exhort Pilgrims and Strangers to give that to the Poor, that they thought to offer to their Images or Reliques. Also, that they shall suffer no Fairs, or Markets, to be kept or used within the limits of this House. Also, that every Brother of this House that is a Priest, shall every day in his Mass, pray for the most happy and most prosperous estate of our Sovereign Lord the King, and his most noble and lawful Wife Queen Ann. Also, that all and every Brethren of this House shall observe the Rule, Statutes, and laudable Customs of this Religion, as far as they do agree with Holy Scripture and the Word of God. And that the Abbot, Prior, or President of this Monastery, every day shall expound to his Brethren, as plainly as may be, in English, a certain part of the Rule that they have professed, and apply the same always to the Doctrine of Christ, and not contrariwise; and he shall teach them, that the said Rule, and other their Principles of Religion (so far as they be laudable) be taken out of Holy Scripture; and he shall show them the places from whence they were derived; and that their Ceremonies, and other observances of Religion, be none other things than as the first Letters or Principles, and certain Introductions to true Christianity, or to observe an order in the Church. And that true Religion is not contained in Apparel, manner of going, shaven leads, and such other marks; nor in silence, fasting, up-rising in the night, singing, and such other kind of Ceremonies, but in cleanness of mind, pureness of living, Christ's Faith not feigned, and brotherly Charity, and true honouring of God in Spirit and Verity: And that those abovesaid things were instituted and begun, that Other Spiritual Injunctions may be added they being first exercised in these, in processy the Visitor, as the place and nature of the of time might ascend to those as by certain steps, that is to say, to the chief point and end of Religion and therefore let them be diligently exhorted, that they do not continually stick and surcease in such Ceremonies : Also, that if either the Master, or any Brother of this House, do infringe any of the said Injunctions, any of them shall denounce the same, or procure to be denounced, as soon as may be, to the King's Majesty, or to his Visitor-General, or his Deputy. And the Abbot, or Master, shall minister spending Mony, and other Necessaries, for the way to him that shall so denounce. Comperts shall require, after his discretion. Reserving Power to give more Injunctions, and to examine and discuss the Comperts, to punish and reform them that be convict of any notable Crime, to search and try the |