Bishop Edmund Gibson’s Visitation of 1720

Summary

Bishop Gibson’s Questions to his Clergy

GOOD BROTHER

Bugden, July 23, 1720.

THE time drawing on for the holding my Second Visitation, I transmit to you the Paper of QUERIES which hath been usually sent before, in order to receive the Answers of the Clergy at the time that I Visit. And I must repeat, on this occasion, one request which I made before; namely, That your Answers may be more especially distinct and particular, upon those Heads which relate to the Place of your ordinary Residence, and to the Times of performing Divine Service in the Church, as being Heads of greatest Importance, and which it more especially concerns me to be acquainted with.

As to the PRESENTMENTS of the Church-wardens; I earnestly intreat you, as I did before, that you will not think your selves unconcern’d in them, but that you will urge them to a serious Perusal, and Consideration, not only of the Articles of Enquiry upon which they are to ground their Presentments, but also of the Oath which they are to take, and of the CANONS of the Church for making them regularly and conscientiously, which I have printed at length for their direction therein: And further, that you will assist them in framing their Presentments, and point out to them (if need be) the particular Persons and Things in your Church and Parish, which you observe to fall under the respective Articles, and which they in consequence are bound to Present.

If any Presentments which were made in my last Visitation, have either not been prosecuted at all, or not in a due and effectual manner, I desire to be inform’d of it at the conclusion of this Paper; where you are invited to communicate to me, among other things, any Neglects or Abuses which you have observ’d in the Officers of the Ecclesiastical Court; to the end, I may make due enquiry into the Cause and Occasion of such Omission or Neglect.

The Promise which I made you, to come to you on purpose for the work of CONFIRMATION, hath been perform’d by me; I hope, very effectually. And, considering at how many Places I have held Confirmations, and what great Numbers have been Confirm’d; there can be no present need, any where, of a General Confirmation.