the Seas or on the other side because the diversity of them is great and that there needeth good consideration to be had of the particularities thereof her Majesty referreth the prohibition or remission thereof to the order which her said Commissioners within the City of London shall take and notifie According to the which her Majesty straightly chargeth and commandeth all manner of her Subjects and especially the Wardens and Company of Stationers to be obedient Provided that these orders do not extend to any prophane Authors and Workes in any Language that have been heretofore commonly received or allowed in any of the Vniversities and Schools but the same may be printed and used as by good order they were accustomed 52. Item Reverence of Prayers Although Almighty God is al times to be honoured withal manner of reverence that may be devised yet of all other times in time of Common prayer the same is most to be regarded Therefore it is to be necessarily received that in time of the Letanie and all other Collects and common Supplications to Almighty God all manner of people shall devoutly and humbly kneel upon their knees and give ear thereunto and that whensoever the name of Iesus shall be in any Lesson Sermon Honour to the name of Iesus or other wise in the Church pronounced that due reverence be made of all persons young and old with lownesse of courtesie and uncovering of heads of the menkinde as thereunto doth necessarily belong and heretofore hath been accustomed 53. Item That all Ministers and Readers of publick Prayers Curates to read distinctly Chapters and Homilies shall be charged to read leasurely plainly and distinctly and also such as are but mean Readers shall peruse over before once or twice the Chapters and homilies to the intent they may read to the better understanding of the people and the more encouragement of godlinesse An Admonition to simple men deceived by malitious THE Queens Majesty being informed that in certain places of the Realm sundry of her native Subjects being called to Ecclesiastical Ministery of the Church be by sinister perswasion and perverse construction induced to finde some scruple in the form of an Oath which by an Act of the last Parliament is prescribed to be required of divers persons for the recognition of their Allegeance to her Majesty which certainly never was ever meant nor by any equity of words or good sense can be thereof gathered would that all her loving Subjects should understand that nothing was is or shall be meant or intended by the same Oath to have any other duty allegeance or bond required by the same Oath then was acknowledged to be due to the most noble Kings of famous memory K. Henry the 8. her Majesties Father or K. Edward the sixt her Majesties Brother And further her Majesty forbiddeth all manner her Subjects to give ear or credit to such perverse and malicious persons which most sinisterly and maliciously labour to notifie to her loving Subjects how by words of the said Oath it may be collected that the Kings or Queens of this Realm possessors of the Crown may challenge authority and power of Ministery of divine service in the Church wherein her said Subjects be much abused by such evil disposed persons For certainly her Majesty â—…n either doth nor ever will challenge any authority then that was challenged and lately used by the said noble Kings of famous memory K. Henry the 8. and K. Edward the sixt which is and was of ancient time due to the Imperial Crown of this Realm that is under God to have the Soveraignty and rule over all manner of persons born within these her Realms Dominions and Countries of what estate either Ecclesiastical or Temporal soever they be so as no other forraign power shall or ought to have any superiority over them And if any person that hath conceived any other sence of the form of the said Oath shall accept the same Oath with this interpretation sense or meaning her Majesty is well pleased to accept every such in that behalf as her good and obedient Subjects and shall acquit them of all manner of penalties contained in the said Act against such as shall peremptorily or obstinately take the same Oath For Tables in the Church WHereas her Majesty understandeth that in many and sundry parts of the Realm the Altars of the Churches be removed and Tables placed for the administration of the holy Sacrament according to the form of the Law therefore provided And in some other places the Altars be not yet removed upon opinion conceived of some other order therein to be taken by her Majesties Visitors In the other whereof saving for an uniformity there seemeth no matter of great moment so that the Sacrament be duely and reverently ministred Yet for observation of one uniformity through the whole Realm and for the better imitation of the Law in that behalf it is ordered that no Altar be taken down but by oversight of the Curate of the Church and the Church-wardens or one of them at the least wherein no riotous or disordered manner to be used And that the holy Table in every Church he decently made and set in the place where the Altar stood and there commonly Covered as thereto belongeth and as shall vs appointed by the Visitors and so to stand saving when the Communion of the Sacrament is to be distributed at which time the same shall be so placed in good sort within the Chancel as whereby the Minister may be more conveniently heard of the Communicants in his prayer and ministration and the Communicants also more conveniently and in more number Communicate with the said Minister And after the Communion done from time to time the same holy Table to be placed where it stood before Item The Sacramental bread Where also it was in the time of K. Edward the sixt used to have the Sacramental bread of common fine bread it is ordered for the more reverence to be given to this holy Mysteries being the Sacraments of the body and Blood of our Saviour Iesus Christ that the same Sacramental bread be made and formed plain without any figure thereupon of the same finenesse and fashion round though somewhat bigger in compasse and thicknesse as the usuall bread and water heretofore named singing Cakes which served for the use of the private Masse The form of bidding the prayers to be used generally in this uniform sort YE shall pray for Christs holy Catholick Church that is for the whole Congregation of Christian people dispersed throughout the whole world and specially for the Church of England and Ireland And herein I require you most specially to pray for the Queens most excellent Majesty our soveraign Lady Elizabeth Queen of England France and Ireland defender of the Faith and Supreme governour of this Realm as well in Causes Ecclesiastical as Temporal You shall also pray for the Ministers of Gods holy word and
also of the Churches determining controversies of doctrines and matters of belief in a full Council Act. 15. and requiring submission to those determinations from inferiour members The like did the Church afterwards in her general Councils of NICE CONSTANTINOPLE EPHESUS and CHALCEDON And not onely the General Councils have exercised this Authority but particular Churches also in National Councils in the Council of ORANGE MILEVIS and others have used the same power over their children whom they were bound to teach and govern and for whose souls they were to account to God and they did no more then was their right so long as they did it with submission to the general Church to whom they are subject Christ said to the Apostles and by this to all the guides of soules that should succeed them in a lawful Ordination He that heares you heares me and he that despises you despises me St. Cypr. ep 69 From these premises it plainly follows that our dear Mother the Church of England in making these Canons and Articles for determining of controversies in matters of belief which you may see in the ensuing Collection did no more then what was both her right and her duty to do both for the preservation of her peace and the guidance and conduct of the souls committed to her charge and what her care hath been in the exercise of this power for the good of her members ever since the Reformation will evidently to her honour appear by this following Collection made up not without great care and industry of the Publisher By which he hath done our Mother this farther right that now whosoever will may easily see the notorious slander which some of the Roman perswasion have endeavourd to cast upon her That her Reformation hath been altogether Lay and Parliamentary for by the Canons and articles following which were formerly scattered and hard to be seen by every one now gathered together into a body it easily appears to any that will but open their eyes and read that the Reformation of this Church was orderly and Synodical by the Guides and Governours of souls and confirmed by Supream Authority and so in every particular as legal as any reformation could or ought to be Anth. Sparrow Books sold by T. Garthwait THe Works of that Profound Divine Dr. Tho. Jackson president of Corp. Chr. Coll. Oxon. in Folio 3. Volumes The Scholastical History of the Canon of the Scripture by Dr. Cofin Ld. Bp. Duresme in 4o. An Introduction to the Oriental Languages by Dr. Walton Ld. Bp. of Chester in 12o. The English Case exactly set down by Hezekiahs Reformation in a Serm. at Paris before His Majesty by Dr. Steward Dean of Westminster in 12o. A Rationale upon the Book of Com. Prayer by Dr. Sparrow in 12o. A Defence of the Liturgy in answer to the Exceptions of divers Ministers in 12o. The Form of Consecration of a Church by Bp. Andrews Golden Remains of Mr. John Hales of Eton Colledge with His Letters touching rhe Synod of Dort in 4o. Dr. Pierce of the Positive being of sin with a Postscript touching Mr. Baxter in 4o. A Sermon of Lent preacht before his Majesty by Dr. Gunning c. in 4o. Bp. Andrews his Sermons in fol. INJUNCTIONS given by the most excellent Prince EDWARD the Sixt By the grace of God King of England France and Ireland Defender of the Faith and in earth under Christ of the Church of England and Ireland the supreme head To all and singular his loving subjects as well of the Clergy as of the Laitie Imprinted at LONDON by Richard Grafton 1547. Injunctions given by the most excellent Prince Edward the sixt by the grace of God King of England France and Ireland defender of the Faith and in earth under Christ of the Church of England and of Ireland the supreme head To all and singular his loving subjects as well of the Clergy as of the Laity THE Kings most Royal Majestie by the advice of his most dear uncle the Duke of Somerset Lord Protector of all his Realms Dominions and Subiects and Governour of his most royal person and the residue of his most honourable counsel intending the advancement of the true honour of almighty God the suppression of Idolatry and Superstition throughout all his Realms and Dominions and to plant true Religion to the extirpation of all hypocrisy enormities and abuses as to his duty appertaineth doth minister unto his loving subjects these godly Injunctions hereafter following Whereof part were given unto them heretofore by the authority of his most dear beloved father King Henry the viii of most famous memory and part are now ministred and given by his Majesty All which Injunctions his highnesse willeth and commandeth his said loving subjects by his supreme authority obediently to receive and truely to observe and keep every man in their offices degrees and states as they will avoyd his displeasure and the pains in the same Injunctions hereafter expressed 1. The first is that all Deans Archdeacons Parsons Vicars and other Ecclesiastical persons shall faithfully keep and observe and as far as in them may lye shall cause to be observed and kept of other all and singular laws and statutes made as well for the abolishing and extirpation of the Bishop of Rome his pretensed and usurped power and jurisdiction as for the establishment and confirmation of the Kings authority jurisdiction and supremacy of the Church of England and Ireland And furthermore all Ecclesiasticall persons having cure of souls shall to the uttermost of their wit knowledge and learning purely sincerely and without any colour or dissimulation declare manifest and open iiii times every year at the least in their Sermons ond other collations that the Bishop of Romes usurped power and jurisdiction having no establishment nor ground by the laws of God was of most just causes taken away and abolished and that therefore no manner of obedience or subjection whithin his Realms and Dominions is due unto him And that the Kings power within his Realms and Dominions is the highest power under God to whom all men within the same Realms and Dominions by Gods laws owe most loyalty and obedience afore and above all other powers and Potentates in earth Besides this to the intent that all superstition and hypocrisy crept into divers mens hearts may vanish away They shall not set forth or extol any Images Relicks or Miracles for any superstition or lucre nor allure the people by any inticements to the Pilgrimage of any Saint or Image but reproving the same they shall teach that all goodness health and grace ought to be both asked and looked for onely of God as of the very author and giver of the same and of none other Item that they the persons above rehersed shall make or cause to be made in their Churches and every other Cure they have one Sermon every quarter of the year at the least wherein they shall purely and sincerely declare the word
should receive the blessed Sacrament of the Altar and admonish them to learn the said necessary things more perfectly or else they ought not to presume to come to Gods board without a perfect knowledge and will to observe the same and if they do it is to the great peril of their souls and also to the worldly rebuke that they might incur hereafter by the same Also that they shall admit no man to preach within any their Cures but such as shall appear unto them to be sufficiently licensed thereunto by the Kings Majeste the Lord Protectors grace the Archbishop of Canterbury the Archbishop of York in his Province or the Bishop of the Diocesse and such as shall be so licensed they shall gladly receive to declare the word of God without any resistence or contradiction Also if they have heretofore declared to their parishioners any thing to the extolling or setting forth of pilgrimages relicks or Images or lighting of Candels kissing kneeling decking of the same Images or any such superstition they shall now openly before the same recant and reprove the same shewing them as the truth is that they did the same upon no ground of scripture but were led and seduced by a common errour and abuse crept into the Church through the sufference and avarice of such as felt profit by the same Also if they do or shall know any man within their parish or elsewhere that is a letter of the word of God to be read in English or sincerely preached or of the execution of these the Kings Majesties Injunctions or a fautor of the Bishop of Romes pretensed power now by the laws of this Realm justly reiected extirpated and taken away utterly they shall detect and present the same to the King or his Council or to the Iustice of peace next adjoyning Also that the Parson Vicar or Curate and parishioners of every parish within this Realm shall in their Churches and Chapels keep one Book or Register wherein they shall write the day and year of every wedding Christning and Burial made within their Parish for their time and so every man succeeding them likewise And therein shall write every persons name that shall be so Wedded Christned or Buried And for the safe keeping of the same book the parish shall be bound to provide of their common charges one sure cofer with two locks and keyes whereof the one to remain with the Parson Vicar or Curate the other with the Wardens of every Parish church or chapel wherein the said book shall be laid up which book they shall every Sunday take forth and in the presence of the said Wardens or one of them write and record in the same all the Weddings Christnings and Burials made the whole week before and that done to lay up the book in the said cofer as afore And for every time that the same shall be omitted the party that shall be in the fault thereof shall forfeit to the said Church iii. s. iiii d. to be employed to the poor mens box of that parish Furthermore because the goods of the Church are called the goods of the poor and at these dayes nothing is less seen then the poor to be sustained with the same all Parsons Vicars Pencionaries Prebendaries and other beneficed men within this Deanery not being resident upon their benefices which may dispend yearly xx.l. or above either within this Deanery or elsewhere shall distribute hereafter among their poor parishioners or other inhabitants there in the presence of the Church-wardens or some other honest men of the parish the xl part of the fruits and revenues of their said benefices lest they be worthily noted of ingratitude which reserving so many parts to themselves cannot vouchsafe to impart the xl portion thereof among the poor people of that parish that is so fruitful and profitable unto them And to the intent that learned men may hereafter spring the more for the execution of the premisses ever Parson Vicar Clerk or beneficed man within this Deanery having yearly to dispend in benefices and other promotions of the Church an C.l. shall give competent exhibition to one Scholar and for so many C.l. more as he may dispend to so many Scholars more shall he give like exhibition in the Vniversity of Oxford or Cambridge or some Grammar schole which after they have profited in good learning may be partners of their patrons cure and charge as well in preaching as otherwise in the execution of their offices or may when need shall be otherwise profit the Common weale with their counsail and wisdom Also that the proprietaries Parsons Vicars and Clerks having Churches Chapels or Mansions within this Deanery shall bestow yearly hereafter upon the same Mansions or Chancels of their Churches being in decay the fift part of that their benefices till they be fully repaired and the same so repaired shall alwayes keep and maintain in good estate Also that the said Parsons Vicars and Clerks shall once every quarter of the year read these Injunctions given unto them openly and deliberately before all their parishioners to the intent that both they may be the better admonished of their duty and their said Parishioners the more moved to follow the same for their part Also for as much as by a law established every man is bound to pay his tithes no man shall by colour of duty omitted by their Curates detain their tithes and so redubbe and requite one wrong with another or be his own judge but shall truely pay the same as he hath been accustomed to their Parsons Vicars and Curates without any restraint or diminution And such lack and default as they can justly finde in their Parsons and Curates to call for reformation thereof at their ordinaries and other superiours hands who upon complaint and due proof thereof shall reform the same accordingly Also that no person shall from hence forth alter or change the order and manner of any fasting day that is commanded or of Common prayer or divine service otherwise then is specified in these Injunctions until such time as the same shall be otherwise ordered and transposed by the Kings authority Also that every Parson Vicar Curate Chauntery priest and Stipendary being under the degree of a Bacheler of Divinity shall provide and have of his own within three moneths after this visitation the New Testament both in Latine and in English with the Paraphrase upon the same of Erasmus and diligently study the same conferring the one with the other And the Bishops and other ordinaries by themselves or their officers in their Synods and visitations shall examine the said Ecclesiastical persons how they have profited in the studie of holy Scripture Also in the time of high Masse within every Church he that saith or singeth the same shall read or cause to be read the Epistle and Gospel of that Masse in English and not in Latine in the Pulpit or in such convenient place as the people
Majesty hath appointed for the due execution of the same shall be seen convenient charging and commanding them to see these Injunctions observed and kept of all persons being under their jurisdiction as they will answer to his Majesty for the contrary and his Majesties pleasure is that every Iustice of peace being required shall assist the Ordinaries and every of them for the due execution of the said Injunctions THE ORDER OF THE COMMUNION Imprinted at LONDON by Richard Grafton 1547. The Proclamation EDward by the grace of God King of England France and Ireland defender of the faith and of the Church of England and Ireland in earth the supreme head To all and singular our loving subjects Greeting For so much as in our high Court of Parliament lately holden at Westminster it was by us with the consent of the Lords spiritual and temporal and Commons there assembled most godly and agreeably to Christs holy institution enacted that the most blessed Sacrament of the body and blood of our Saviour Christ should from thenceforth be commonly delivered and ministred unto all persons within our Realm of England and Ireland and other our dominions under both kinds that is to say of bread and wine except necessity other wayes require least any man phansying and devising a sundry way by himself in the use of this most blessed Sacrament of unity there might thereby arise any unseemly and ungodly diversity Our pleasure is by the advice of our most deare Vncle the Duke of Somerset governour of our person and Protector of all our Realms Dominions and Subjects and other of our privie Councel that the said blessed Sacrament be ministred unto our people onely after such form and manner as hereafter by our authority with the advice before mentioned is set forth and declared willing every man with due reverence and Christian behaviour to come to this holy Sacrament and most blessed Communion lest by the unworthy receiving of so high mysteries they become guilty of the body and blood of the Lord and so eat and drink their own damnation but rather diligently trying themselves that they may so come to this holy table of Christ so be partakers of this holy Communion that they may dwell in Christ and have Christ dwelling in them And allso with such obedience and conformity to receive this our ordinance and most godly direction that we may be encouraged from time to time further to travel for the reformation and setting forth of such godly orders as may be most to Gods glory the edifying of our subjects and for the advancement of true Religion Which thing we by the help of God most earnestly intend to bring to effect willing all our loving subjects in the mean time to stay and quiet themselves with this our direction as men content to follow authority according to the bounden duty of subjects and not enterprising to run afore and so by their rashnesse become the greatest hinderers of such things as they more arrogantly then godly would seem by their own private authority most hotly to set forward We would not have our subjects so much to mislike our Iudgement so much to mistrust our zeal as though we either could not discern what were to be done or would not do all things in due time God be praised we know both what by his word is meet to be redressed and have an earnest minde by the advice of our most dear uncle and other of our privie Councel with all diligence and convenient speed so to set forth the same as it may most stand with Gods glory and edifying quietness of our people which we doubt not but all our obedient and loving subjects will quietly and reverently tarry for God save the KING The Order of the Communion First the Parson Vicar or Curate the next Sunday or holy day or at the least one day before he shall minister the Communion shall give warning to his parishioners or those which be present that they prepare themselves thereto saying to them openly and plainly as hereafter followeth or such like DEar friends and you especially upon whose souls I have cure charge upon day next I do intend by Gods grace to offer to all such as shall be there Godly disposed the most comfortable Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ to be taken of them in the remembrance of his most fruitful and glorious passion By the which passion we have obtained remission of our sins and be made partakers of the kingdom of heaven wherof we be assured and ascertained if we come to the said Sacrament with hearty repentance for our offences stedfast faith in Gods mercy and earnest minds to obey Gods will and to offend no more wherefore our duty is to come to these holy mysteries with most hearty thanks to be given to Almighty God for his infinite mercy and benefits given and bestowed upon us his unworthy servants for whom he hath not onely given his body to death and shed his blood but also doth vouchsafe in a Sacrament and mystery to give us his said body and blood spiritually to feed and drink upon The which Sacrament being so divine and holy a thing and so comfortable to them which receive it worthily and so dangerous to them that will presume to take the same unworthily my duty is to exhort you in the mean season to consider the greatness of the thing and to search and examine your own consciences and that not lightly nor after the manner of dissemblers with God But as they which should come to a most godly and heavenly banket not to come but in the marriage garment required of God in Scripture that you may so much as lyeth in you be found worthy to come to such a table the wayes and means thereto is First that you be truly repentant of your former evil life and that you confesse with an unfeigned heart to almighty God your sins and unkindnesse towards his Majesty committed either by will word or deed infirmity or ignorance and that with inward sorrow and tears you bewaile your offences and require of almighty God mercy and pardon promising to him from the bottom of your hearts the amendment of your former life And amongst all others I am commanded of God especially to move and exhort you to reconcile your selves to your neighbours whom you have offended or who hath offended you putting out of your hearts all hatred and malice against them to be in love charity with all the world and to forgive other as you would that God should forgive you And if there be any of you whose conscience is troubled and grieved at any thing lacking comfort or counsel let him come to me or to some other discreet and learned Priest taught in the law of God and confess and open his sin and grief secretly that he may receive such ghostly counsel advice and comfort that his conscience may be relieved that of us as
Soveraign Lady Queen ELIZABETH London Printed 1559. INJUNCTIONS Given by the QUEENS MAJESTY Aswell To the Clergy as to the Laity of this Realm The QUEENS most Royal Majesty by the advice of her most honourable Councel intending the advancement of the true honour of Almighty God the suppression of superstition throughout all her Highness Realms and Dominions and to plant true Religion to the extirpation of all Hypocrisie enormities and abuses as to her duty appertaineth doth minister unto her loving Subjects these Godly Injunctions hereafter following All which Injunctions her Highness willeth and commandeth her loving Subjects obediently to receive and truly to observe and keep every man in their Offices degrees and states as they will avoid her Highnesse displeasure and the pains of the same hereafter expressed 1. THe first is That all Deans Archdeacons Usurped and forraign authority Parsons Vicars and all other Ecclesiastical persons shall faithfully keep and observe and as far as in them may lye shall cause to be observed and kept of other All and singular Lawes and Statutes made for the restoring of the Crown the antient jurisdiction over the state Ecclesiastical and abolishing of all forraigne power repugnant to the same And furthermore all Ecclesiastical persons having cure of Souls shall to the uttermost of their wit knowledge and learning purely and sincerely and without any colour or dissimulation declare manifest and open foure times every year at the least in their Sermons and other Collations that all usurped and forraigne power having no establishment nor ground by the law of God is for most just causes taken away and abolished and that therefore no manner of obedience and subjection within her Highnesse Realms and Dominions is due unto any such forraigne power And that the Queens power within her Realms and Dominions is the highest power under God to whom all men within the same Realms and Dominions by Gods laws owe most loyalty and obedience afore and above all other powers and Potentates in earth 2. Besides this to the intent that all superstition and Hypocrisie crept into divers mens hearts Images may vanish away they shall not set forth or extol the dignity of any Images Relicks or Miracles but declaring the abuse of the same they shall teach that all goodness health and grace ought to be both asked and looked for only of God as of the very author and giver of the same and of none other 3. Item That they the Parsons above rehearsed shall preach in their Churches A Sermon every Moneth and every other cure they have one Sermon every moneth of the year at the least wherein they shall purely and sincerely declare the word of God and in the same exhort their hearers to the works of faith Works of faith as mercy and charity especially prescribed and commanded in Scripture and that the works devised by mans fantasies besides Scripture as wandring of Pilgrimages setting up of Candles Works of mans device praying upon Beads or such like superstition have not only no promise of reward in Scripture for doing of them but contrariwise great threatnings and maledictions of God for that they be things tending to Idolatry and Superstition which of all other offences God Almighty doth most detest and abhor for that the same diminish most his honour and glory Quarter Sermon or Homily 4. Item That they the Parsons above rehearsed shall preach in their own persons once in every quarter of the year at least one Sermon being licenced especially thereunto as is specified hereafter or else shall read some Homily prescribed to be used by the Queens authority every Sunday at the least unless some other Preacher sufficiently licenced as hereafter chance to come to the Parish for the same purpose of Preaching 5. Item That every Holiday through the year when they have no Sermon The Pater Noster they shall immediately after the Gospel openly and plainly recite to their Parishioners in the Pulpit the Pater Noster the Creed and the Ten Commandements in English Creed and Ten Commandements to the intent the people may learn the same by heart exhorting all Parents and Housholders to teach their Children and Servants the same as they are bound by the Law of God and conscience to do Also that they shall provide within three moneths next after this visitation at the charges of the Parish one book of the whole Bible of the largest volume in English and within one twelve moneths next after the said visitation the Paraphrases of Erasmus also in English upon the gospel and the same set up in some convenient place within the said Church that they have cure of whereas the Parishioners may most commodiously resort unto the same and read the same out of the time of common Service The charges of the Paraphrases shall be by the Parson or Propriatory and Parishioners born by equal portions and they shall discourage no man from the reading of any part of the Bible either in Latine or in English but shall rather exhort every person to read the same with great humility and reverence as the very lively word of God and the especial food of mans Soul which all Christian persons are bound to embrace believe and follow if they look to be saved whereby they may the better know their duties to God to their Soveraign Lady the Queen and their neighbour ever gently and charitably exhorting them and in her Majesties name straightly charging and commanding them that in the reading thereof no man to reason or contend but quietly to hear the Reader 7. Also Haunting of Ale houses by Ecclesiastical persons the said Ecclesiastical persons shall in no wise at any unlawful time nor for any other cause then for their honest necessities haunt or resort to any Taverns or Ale-houses And after their meats they shall not give themselues to drinking or ryot spending their time idly by day and by night at Dice Cards or Tables-playing or any other unlawful game but at all times as they shall have leasure they shall hear or read somewhat of the holy Scripture or shall busie themselues with some other honest study or exercise and that they alwayes do the things which appertain to honesty and endeavour to profit the Commonwealth having alwayes in minde that they ought to excell all other in purity of life and should be examples to the people to live well and christianly 8. Also Preachers not licenced that they shall admit no man to preach within any their cures but such as shall appear unto them to be sufficiently liceaced thereunto by the Queens Majesty or the Archbishop of Canterbury or the Archbishop of York in either their Provinces or the Bishop of the Diocess or by the Queens Majesties Visitors And such as shall be so licensed they shall gladly receive to declare the word of God at convenient times without any resistence or contradiction And that no other be
Preach or Administer the Sacraments being under the age of four and twenty years nor unlesse he first bring to the Bishop of that Diocess from men known to the Bishop to be of sound Religion a testimonial both of his honest life and of his professing the Doctrine expressed in the said Articles nor unless he be able to answer and render to the Ordinary an account of his faith in Latine accord-to the said Articles or have special gift and ability to be a Preacher nor shall be admitted to the Order of Deacon or Ministry unless he shall first subscribe to the said Articles And that none hereafter Who may have a Benefice of the yearly value of xxxl All Admissions Inductions Tolerations No Lapse upon deprivation but after notice Dyer fo 377. 346. 369. Cok. li. 6. fol 29. shall be admitted to any Benefice with Cure of or above the value of thirty pounds yearly in the Queens books unlesse he shall then be a Batchellour of Divinity or Preacher lawfully allowed by some Bishop within this Realm or by one of the Vniversities of Cambridge or Oxford And that all Admissions to Benefices Institutions and Inductions to be made of any person contrary to the form or any Provision of this Act and all tolerations dispensations qualifications and licences whatsoever to be made to the contrary hereof shall be meerly void in Law as if they never were Provided alway That no title to confer or present by a Lapse shall accrue upon any deprivation ipso facto but after six moneths notice of such deprivation given by the Ordinary to the Patron ADVERTISMENTS partly for due order IN THE PUBLICK ADMINISTRATION OF THE HOLY SACRAMENTS AND Partly for the apparel of all persons Ecclesiastical by vertue of the Queens Majesties letters commanding the same the 25. day of January in the seventh year of the reign of our Soveraign Lady ELIZABETH by the grace of God of England France and Ireland Queen defender of the Faith c. LONDINI Cum privilegio ad imprimendum solum Anno Dom. 1564. Anno 7. Eliz. R. The Preface THe Queens Majesty of her godly Zeal calling to remembrance how necessary it is to the advancement of Gods glory and to the establishment of Christs pure Religion for all her loving subjects especially the state Ecclesiastical to be knit together in one perfect unity of doctrine and to be conjoyned in one uniformity of Rites and manners in the ministration of Gods holy word in open prayer and ministration of Sacraments as also to be of one decent behaviour in their outward apparel to be known partly by their distinct habits to be of that vocation who should be reverenced the rather in their offices as Ministers of the holy things whereto they be called hath by her letters directed unto the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and metropolitane required enjoyned and straightly charged that with assistence and conference had with other Bishops namely such as be in commission for causes Ecclesiastical some orders might be taken whereby all diversities and varieties among them of the Clergy and the people as breeding nothing but contention offence and breach of common charity and he against the laws good usage and ordinances of the Realm might be reformed and repressed and brought to one manner of uniformity throughout the whole Realm that the people may thereby quietly honour and serve almighty God in truth concord unity peace and quietness as by her Majesties said letters more at large doth appeare Whereupon by diligent conference and communication in the same and at last by assent and consent of the persons beforesaid these orders and rules ensuing have been thought meet and convenient to be used and followed not yet prescribing these rules as laws equivalent with the eternal word of God and as of necessity to binde the consciences of her subjects in the nature of them considered in themselves Or as they should adde any efficacy or more holinesse to the vertue of publick prayer and to the Sacraments but as temporal orders meer Ecclesiastical without any vain superstition and as rules in some part of discipline concerning decency distinction and order for the time Articles for Doctrine and preaching FIrst that all they which shall be admitted to preach shall be diligently examined for their conformity in unity of doctrine established by publick authority and admonished to use sobriety and discretion in teaching the people namely in matters of controversie and to consider the gravity of their office and to foresee with diligence the matters which they will speak to utter them to the edification of the audience Item That they set out in their preaching the reverent estimation of the holy Sacraments of Baptisme and the Lords Supper exciting the people to the often and devout receiving of the holy Communion of the body and blood of Christ in such form as is already prescribed in the book of Common Prayer and as it is further declared in an Homily concerning the vertue and efficacy of the said Sacraments Item That they move the people to all obedience as well in observation of the orders appointed in the book of Common service as in the Queens Majesties injunctions as also of all other civil duties due for subjects to do Item That all licences for preaching granted out by the Arch-Bishop and Bishops within the province of Canterbury bearing date before the first day of March 1564 be void of none effect and neverthelesse all such as shall be thought meet for the office to be admitted again without difficulty or charge paying no more but iiii pence for the writing parchment and wax Item If any Preacher or Parson Vicar or Curate so licensed shall fortune to preach any matter tending to dissention or to the derogation of the Religion and Doctrine received that the hearers denounce the same to the Ordinaries or the next Bishop of the same place but no man openly to contrary or to impugne the same speech so disorderly uttered whereby may grow offence and disquiet of the people but shall be convinced and reproved by the Ordinary after such agreeable order as shall be seen to him according to the gravity of the offence And that it be presented within one moneth after the words spoken Item That they use not to exact or receive unreasonable rewards or stipends of the poor Pastors coming to their Cures to preach whereby they might be noted as followers of filthy lucre rather then use the office of preaching of charity and good zeal to the salvation of mens souls Item If the Parson be able he shall preach in his own person every three moneths or else shall preach by an other so that his absence be approved by the Ordinary of the Dioces in respect of sickness service or study at the Vniversities Neverthelesse yet for want of able Preachers and Parsons to tolerate them without penalty so that they preach in their own persons or by a Learned substitute once in