servants and children to be grossly wanting in their du ty, in not instructing them, shall be severely punished. And the minister and wardens shall keep a catalogue of such as are not confirmed, and present those that are absent without urgent cause, who shall be fined two pence the first Sunday they absent, four pence the second, and six pence the third: in which case the parents and masters are answerable for the children and servants, unless it appears to be the servants own fault.

And all persons shall send their children as soon as they are capable of receiving instruction, to some petty school, to continue there until they can read English distinctly, unless the parents give a just cause to excuse themselves, approved of by the ordinary in open court. And parents neglecting so to do, shall, upon presentment by the minister and church wardens, or chapter quest, be fined one shilling per quarter to the use of the schoolmaster; who may refuse to teach the children that do not come constantly to school, unless for such cause as shall be approved of by the minister of the parish; and then the parents shall be fined as if they did altogether refuse to send the said children to school. And the schoolmasters shall have over and above their salaries already allowed, sixpence quarterly from the parents of every child that shall be taught to read English, and ninepence quarterly from such as are taught to write which sums being refused, the sumner shall be ordered to require punctual payment within fourteen days: and upon default hereof they are to be committed till they submit to law. But when the parents or relations are poor, and not able to pay as aforesaid, and this certified by the minister and churchwardens to the ordinary, such children to be taught gratis. And whereas some of the poorer sort may have just cause to keep their children at home for several weeks in the summer and harvest, such shall not be li able to the penalties aforesaid, provided they do, and they are hereby required to send such children, during

such their absence from school, every third Sunday to the parish church, at least an hour before evening service, there to be taught by the schoolmaster, to prevent losing their learning. And if schoolmaster any neglect his duty, and complaint be made and proved, he shall be discharged, and another placed in his stead at the discretion of the ordinary. And every rector, vicar, or curate, shall the first week of every quarter visit the petty school, and take an account of the improve ment of every child, to be produced as often as the or dinary shall call for it.

The minister, church wardens, and chapter quest shall, the last Sunday in every month, after evening prayers, set down the names of all such as without just cause absent from church; and of parents and masters who neglect to send their children and servants to be catechised, and of parents and guardians who send not their children to school, and all other matters, they are by their oaths bound to present: the articles of visitation are to be read to them at every such meeting; and this to be done under pain of ecclesiastical censures *.

Church.

THE parishioners are bound to keep up and maintain the body of the church within and without, with all or naments, books, and other necessaries; and the parson is bound to keep in good order the chancel.

If any parson, vicar of third, or pension, do depart, and no other be installed within six months, from Easter next ensuing his departure, the bishop or ordinary shall take it in his lapse, if it be not in the gift of the lord of the island †.

* A. T. 1704.

+ Sp. Cust. Laws.

Church Censures.

If any person shall incur the censures of the church, and having done penance, shall afterwards incur the same censures, he shall not be admitted to do penance again (as has been formerly accustomed,) until the church be fully satisfied of his sincere repentance, during which time he shall not presume to come within the church, but be obliged to stand in a decent manner at the church door every Sunday and holiday, the whole time of morning and evening service, until by his penitent behaviour, and other instances of sober living, he deserves and procures a certificate from the minister, church wardens, and some of the soberest men in the parish, to the satisfaction of the ordinary, which if he does not so deserve and procure within three months, the church shall proceed to excommunication. And during these proceedings the governor shall be applied to, not to permit him to leave the island: and this being a matter of very great importance, the minister and church wardens shall see it performed under penalty of the severest ecclesiastical censures. And whenever any daring offender shall be and continue so obstinate as to incur excommunication, the pastor shall affectionately exhort his parishioners not to converse with him on peril of being partaker with him in his sin and punishment *.

Clergy.

If the executors or assigns of the bishop, archdeacon, or any parson, vicar, curate, or clerk, do sow any of the glebe land before Easter day, they shall have all

* A. T. 1704.

K

such corn as is sown, with the profit thereof, and shall be at liberty to reap the said corn and carry it away.

And if either bishop, archdeacon, farmer, parson, or vicar having leases, do depart this life after twelve o'clock on Easter day, their executors or assigns, have ever been accustomed to have and enjoy all the profits of that year until Easter day next ensuing, and shall find and see the cure served and discharged *.

Articles delivered 24th June 1594, at the Tynwald then holden, to the vicars-general, by the captain of this isle; which articles are to be inquired of at next consistory court.

First. That they impannel in the several sheadings, jurors to inquire into all offences committed against the spiritual laws; and the same jurors to be chosen of such as be of best ability to discharge the same. That they inquire and present all adulterers, fornicators, blasphemers, drunkards, and such like.

That they inquire and present all such as carry bells or banners before the dead; or pray upon the graves of the dead and all such as keep any market upon the Sabbath day, or otherwise profane the same. Also any person or persons that refuse to come to the church to hear divine service, or to receive the sacrament of the Lord's suppert.

Every rector, vicar, and curate, shall first privately, and then publickly admonish such persons as he shall observe to be disorderly livers, that such as will not by this means be reclaimed, may be hindered from coming to the lord's table, and being presented, may be excommunicated; and if any minister knowingly admit such persons to the holy sacrament, whose lives are blemished with the vices of drunkenness, tipling, swearing, profaning the lord's day, quarrelling, fornication, or any other crime by which the Christian religion is dishonoured, before such persons have publickly acknow

* Sp. cus. Laws,

† 1594.

ledged their faults, and solemnly promised amendment, the minister so offending shall be liable to severe ecclesiastical censure *.

Any rector or vicar who shall hereafter erect or build, or make any addition to, or repair any dwelling house or out house, upon any church glebe, to be fit, convenient, and durable for himself and successors, such rector, or vicar, or his executors, or administrators, shall be entitled to have and receive from his next immediate successor, or his executors or administrators, two third parts of whatever sums shall be really and truly expended by him on such buildings and improvements (necessary yearly reparations excepted,) provided he give a just and fair account of the money so disbursed by him, upon oath, to a jury of four sufficient men, to be appointed by process from the bishop, or archdeacon, and sworn on the premises for that purpose: and their return upon the same, with the bill of disbursements so given upon oath, to be registered for the satisfaction of all persons concerned and such successor, or his executor, so paying the two thirds of such disburseme ents, shall be entitled to receive a moiety thereof, viz. a third part of the whole disbursements from his next successor or his executors, or administrators, who shall also be obliged to pay the same within one year, to be accounted from Easter, after the death or removal of such predecessor. And the said sums shall be recoverable in the ecclesiastical courts, and a moiety of the rents and profits of the benefice to be laid under sequestration so as to be responsible for the same. And to prevent dilapidations, if any person shall afterwards suffer such buildings to go to decay for want of necessary repairs, he shall be accountable for the same to his successors, and liable to make satisfaction at the estimation of our sworn men, to be appointed in manner aforesaid, and

A. T. 1704.