The prayers which accompanied the King's Letter were the first body of public prayers for general use in English published with authority. They may perhaps be regarded as the original of the Book of Common Prayer. Writers on the history of the Reformation, and on the history of the Book of Common Prayer, have expressed their regret that no copy of them has been preserved. There was, however, a copy in the library of the Earl of Clarendon, of which the title is thus given in the Catalogue :—“ An Exhortation unto Prayer, thought meet by the King's Majesty and his Clergy to be read to the people in every church afore processions; also a Litany with suffrages to be said or sung in the said Processions," 1544 at least it seems from the date and title that this was the book. See the Sale Catalogue of the Library of Edward Earl of Clarendon, 1756, p. 54. The two prelates are Cranmer and Bonner, two eminent names in the ecclesiastical history of the time; and as we are now arrived at the threshold of the Reformation, we have a convenient period at which to close the present selection. INDEX TO THE FIRST PORTION. Adelburgh, the wife of Ina the King, 12. Alba, 16. Alexander the Third, Pope, confirms a Alsie detains Winesham from the See, Alwynus, the Bishop, 14. Arsere, sells Combe to the Bishop, 18. Banwell, given to the See, 15. Brithtum, the Bishop, 15. Brithwin, the Bishop, 15. Buildings at Wells erected by Bishop Gyso, 19; at Bath by Bishop Ro- Burthwold, the Bishop, 14. Canons of Wells, their first institution Capitulum, ad, 26. Cideston, an ancient name of Wells, 14. Daniel, the last of an ancient series of Bishops whose names are lost, 10; Stephen the King favours Bishop Ro- T. R. E. of Domesday, a limitation of Thomas, the Archdeacon, 27. Tideston, not Cideston, as in this MS. Wedmore given to the See by King Ed- Wells becomes the seat of the Bishop, William the Conqueror favours the See, Worcester, Simon Bishop of, concerned |