The Convocation Of 26 July 1683

Summary

At a convocation of the clergy of this isle before the reverend father in God John, by divine permission lord bishop of Sodor and Man,251 in Kirk Michael church the twenty-sixth day of July in the year of our Lord God 1683 and in the first year of his consecration, it is ordered, ordained and decreed as followeth:

1. First, whereas general complaint is made by the whole clergy that most of their respective parishioners are very remiss and backward in attending divine service upon Sundays in the afternoon, as also upon holy days and such other days as are set apart for the service of God by the rubric of our church, which thing (if not seasonably reclaimed) may redound to the great decay of Christian piety amongst us, and to the end that such neglect may be redressed for the future and God the better glorified and honoured in his holy worship and religion the better propagated and established amongst us, it is therefore ordered, ordained and decreed that publication be made in the several parish churches throughout this isle, that all and singular the respective inhabitants and parishioners thereof (or one person out of each family at least) shall for the future repair to their parish churches to hear divine service every Sunday in the afternoon, as well as the forenoon, and upon all holy days and other days of prayer, duly and frequently under the penalty of forfeiting four pence from every person that shall neglect his duty in this nature, which the churchwardens are hereby ordered to levy and collect from time to time, as the same shall fall out to be distributed to some pious use, according to the ordinary's pleasure and appointment.