Book of Edward VI. First Prayer by Parliament, and the Act of Uniformity1 ordered the administration of each of the two sacraments, and all other common and open prayer, to be said and used2 only in such order and form as was there set forth, from and after the Feast of Pentecost (June 9).3 4 The objects of the compilers of this first English 1 Stat. 2 and 3 Ed. VI. c. 1 (Jan. 15, 1549). Fuller (Ch. Hist. bk. vII. p. 386) adds concerning the persons employed about the Book of Common Prayer (1549), 'We meet not with their particular names, but may pro. bably conceive they were the same with the former for the main, though some might be superadded by royal minster, Dr. May, dean of St. Paul's, John Taylor, dean (afterwards bishop) 2 Some qualifications were ap- of Lincoln, Dr. Haines, dean of pended to the Act for the benefit of Exeter, Dr. Robertson (afterwards scholars that persons understand- dean of Durham), Dr. John Redman, ing Greek, Latin, Hebrew, or other Master of Trinity College, Camstrange tongue, might say privately bridge, Dr. Richard Cox, almoner the prayers of Matins and Evensong to the king (afterwards bishop of in such tongue as they understood: Ely). and for the further encouraging of learning in the tongues in the Universities of Cambridge and Oxford, that those Universities might use and exercise in their common and open prayer in their chapels, being no parish-churches, the Matins, Evensong, Litany, and all other prayers (the Holy Communion, commonly appointment.' called the Mass, excepted), prescribed in the said book, in Greek, Latin, or Hebrew:-and that all men might, as well in churches, chapels and oratories, as in other places, use openly any psalms or prayer taken out of the Bible, at any due time, not let ting or omitting thereby the service mentioned in the said book, §§ 6, 7. Clay, P. B. Illustr. p. 192. 3 This was a long delay, since the books were ready in March. It seems to imply a desire of the compilers of our Prayer-Book to dedicate their work to the especial service of God the Holy Ghost. See Clay, Histor. Sketch, $$ 10, 11; Lathbury, Hist. of Convoc. pp. 138 sqq. Burnet (Hist. Ref. II. bk. i. vol. II. p. 98, ed. Nares) mentions, in addition to the above names, the archbishop of York (Holgate), the bishops of London (Bonner), Durham (Tonstal), Worcester (Hethe), Norwich (Reps), St. Asaph (Parfew), Salisbury (Salcot or Capon), Coventry and Lichfield (Sampson), Carlisle (Aldrich), Bristol (Bush), and St. David's (Farrar). Cardwell (The Two Liturgies of Edw. VI. compared, Pref. p. xiii) and Todd (Life of Cranmer, II. 64) consider that the larger number were appointed in the first instance in 1547, to draw up 'The Order of the Communion,' but that afterwards the smaller number only were appointed; or at all events they only acted in the business of composing the Book of Common Prayer. 4 The notable learned men' associated with Cranmer about the 'Order of Communion' (1548), were, George Day, bishop of Chichester, All subscribed their names unto it Tho. Goodryke, of Ely, John Skyp, but Day, of Chichester,' says Heylin of Hereford, Hen. Holbeach, of (Hist. Ref. 2 Ed. VI. § 20), from the Lincoln, Nicholas Ridley, of Ro- register-book of the parish of Petchester, Tho. Thirleby, of West- worth. But the bishops of West Book of Common Prayer are stated in 'the Preface:' that the whole realm should now have but one 'Use' in Divine Service; that the rubrical directions, 'the number and hardness of the rules called the Pie,' should be simplified; that the Psalms should be all repeated in their order, instead of a few being 'said daily, and the rest utterly omitted;', that the Lessons should include 'the whole Bible, or the greatest part thereof,' in a continuous course, and the reading of the chapters should not be interrupted by 'Anthems, Responds, and Invitatories;' that nothing should be read but 'the very pure Word of God, the holy Scriptures, or that which is evidently grounded upon the same;' and that all should be 'in the English tongue.' First Prayer. differing from the resent Book. The principal differences between the first Prayer-Book Wherein of Edward VI. and that now in use are as follow: Matins and Evensong began with the Lord's Prayer, and Prayer ended with the third Collect: the Litany was placed after the Communion Office; in some early editions it was added as a separate sheet at the end of the volume; there was no rubric to direct its use; it did not form a part of the Morning Prayer; the address to the Virgin Mary, which had been retained in Henry's Litany, was omitted, together with the similar invocations of the angels and patriarchs. The Communion Service began with an Introit, or Psalm sung as the minister was proceeding to the altar; the Commandments were not read; the prayers differed from our present form, but chiefly in their arrangement; the name of the Virgin was espe minster and Hereford joined with him in protesting against the Act of Uniformity when the Bill was before the House of Lords: and probably Robertson and Redman liked it as little: Strype, Eccl. Mem. Ed. VI. bk. I. ch. II. The persons actually engaged in the work were probably 1 Cf. Collier, Eccl. Hist. v. 273. Bc ok of Edward VI. First Prayer cially mentioned in the praise offered for the saints; prayer was offered for the dead; the Consecration included a verbal oblation, and a prayer for the sanctification of the elements with the Holy Spirit and the Word; water was mixed with the wine; the words used in delivering the elements to the communicants were only the first clause of those now used. The sign of the cross was retained twice in the consecration of the elements; as it was also in Confirmation, and Matrimony, and in the Visitation of the Sick, if the sick person desired to be anointed: a form of exorcism, and anointing, and the trine immersion were still used in Baptism; the water in the font was ordered to be changed, and consecrated, once a month at least: in the Burial Service prayer was offered for the deceased person; and an introit, collect, epistle, and gospel, were appointed for a communion at a burial. Reformed In introducing a more continuous reading of Scripture into the Daily Service, instead of the numerous short and interrupted lections of the Breviary, our reformers had before them the example of the reformed Breviary of Cardinal Quignon.1 The Cardinal's great object being to promote the knowledge of Scripture, his work furnished some hints to the compilers of our Book of Service, whose object was so far the same; and the Preface was taken almost entirely from it. The reformed Prayer-Book, however, was distinctly Anglican, being, in fact, a revision of the old Service-Books of the English Church. Some features of the mediaval offices, the doctrine of transubstantiation, and that of the intercession of the saints, were rejected; the Office of Baptism was very much changed. But the English Book of Common Prayer was formed, not by a composition of 1 Above, p. 18. Book of new materials, but with a careful observance of the order First Prayerof the several elements or parts of the earlier Services,1 of which large portions were translated.2 Hence the book was received with greater readiness than might have been expected.3 Learned men among the Romanizing party could conform to it, as containing the primitive elements of Christian worship, freed from the innovations of later times. Some, indeed, called it a parliamentary religion, and some of the more extreme section of the reformers found fault with it, on the ground that it was tinged with Lutheranism.5 It was immediately turned into Latin, that the continental reformers might know how matters were advancing." Prayer Book gene rally well received; objected to by some reformers. tation. To enforce the proper use of the book, a royal Visita- Royal Visıtion was ordered after Midsummer. The articles and instructions given to the visitors may be considered as subsidiary to the rubrics by which the Public Service was now directed; showing the intention of the compilers with regard to certain ceremonies. They especially directed that no minister should counterfeit the popish mass; and that there should not be more than one 1 See Freeman, Principles of Div. Service, I. PP. 8 sqq. 2 So the Message to the Devonshire rebels states:-'It seemeth to you a new service, and indeed is none other but the old; the self-same words in English, which were in Latin, saving a few things taken out . . .' Foxe, Acts and Mon. v. p. 734. 3 Heylin, Hist. Ref. 3 Ed. VI. § 10. 4 Strype, Eccl. Mem. Ed. VI. bk. I. ch. II. 5 Hilles to Bullinger (June 4, 1549), Orig. Lett. CXXI. (Park. Soc.): habemus communionem eucharistiæ uniformem per totum regnum, more autem Nurembergensium ecclesiarumque aliquot Saxonicarum:, episcopi et magistratus. . Lutheranis 6 See Appendix to chap. III. § I. Book of Edward VL First Prayer Communion1 in a church upon any day, except Christmas and Easter, when Collects, Epistles, and Gospels were provided for two communions. It might naturally be expected that some would cling to the old forms, and watch for some turn of affairs in the political world which would restore the old books of Service to their place in the churches. The fall of the Duke of Somerset was thought to be such an event; and upon his being sent to the Tower in the autumn of this year (1549) it was rumoured that the Latin Service, with its ceremonies, would be restored, 'as though the setting forth of the Book of Common Prayer had been the only act of the said duke.' Therefore, to prevent the possiDestruction bility of a return to the old Service, a King's Letter3 was issued (Dec. 25) to call in, and burn, or deface and destroy, all the old church-books, 'the keeping whereof should be a let to the usage of the said Book of Common of the old Church Books. ing of sacrying bells; or setting any 1 This order was aimed especially plis horas ac alios hymnos qui ad cœnam spectant, tamen nostra lingua. Et ne pereat papatus, sacrificuli etsi Latinum idioma abrogare coguntur, tonum eundem ac musicam semper diligentissime observant, quem hactenus in papatu solebant.' A letter was sent to Bonner from the Council (June 24, 1549) commanding that the Communion should be ministered only at the high altar of the church, and only at the usual time of high mass, except some number of people desired (for their necessary business) to have a communion in the morning, and yet the same to be executed in the chancel at the high altar. Cardwell, Doc. Ann. xvI. 2 Hooper's Letter, ubi sup.: 'Magnus ceperat nos timor, magnus metus mentes piorum invaserat, qualem successum Christi religio adhuc herbescens in Anglia esset acceptura post lapsum ducis Somersetiæ... See Hardwick, Reformation, p. 207. 3 Cardwell, Doc. Ann. xx. |