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selves with the king's directions, as men content to follow authority."

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But these proclamations, and all efforts of government, were insufficient to stop the progress of reform. "Even in cathedrals, as well as other parish churches, various different ways of service were used, as well in the morning and evening prayers, as in the office of the communion, and in the administration of the other sacraments." To remedy this great evil, as the state reformers regarded it, the archbishop of Canterbury and several other bishops and learned men were appointed by the council to examine all the offices of the church, and consider how far any of them needed amendment, and "to draw out a convenient order, rite, and fashion of common prayer, and administration of the sacraments."

This committee of bishops and divines was in continuance of one appointed by Henry, for the same general purpose, and who had made considerable progress before the king's death. The winter of 1547-48 was devoted to this work of reform; ‡ and as the first-fruits of the committee's labors, a new office for the communion was drawn up, and set forth early in March, with the king's

* Wilkins' Concilia, v. 18, 19, 21; Burnet, vol. 11. pt. 1. bk. 11. p. 122, and pt. 11. Records, No. 22; Strype's Ecc. Mems., vol. 11. pt. 1. bk. I. ch. 11, p. 131.

† Strype's Mems., ut sup. ; Burnet, vol. 11. pt. 1. bk. 11. pp. 126, 147. Lathbury says of the Book of Common Prayer: "It was no hasty performance of unlearned men; more than two years were occupied in its preparation." - P. 25.

proclamation, commanding it to be used in all the churches; and at the same time books containing this new order of service were printed March 8th, and on the 13th sent to all the bishops to be distributed to all their curates. This order for the administration of the sacrament of the Lord's supper was not essentially different from what is now used by the church of England, except that the commissioners "left the office of the mass as it was, only adding to it that which made it a communion"; and the people were left at liberty to make general confession, or auricular confession, as they preferred.* During the same year was published "A Catechism, or Large Instruction of Young Persons in the Grounds of the Christian Religion." It was prepared by Cranmer, and dedicated to the king. Next came from the committee of bishops and divines, the great work of Edward's reign, the English Book of Common Prayer; or the reformed service of the church, set forth in the English language. The first edition was published March 7th, 1548-49. This was not an original work, but a compilation from various Romish service-books and primers, which had long been used in different sections of the kingdom. From these, selections were made and a compilation effected which constituted the Book of Common Prayer of the church of England.†

* Burnet, ut sup. ; Lathbury, 16–18.
† Burnet, ut sup. p. 192; Neal, 1. 96.

The first parliament of Edward VI. was prorogued from December 24th, 1547, to April 20th, 1548, at which time it assembled, but was immediately prorogued, on account of the war with Scotland, to October 15th; when it was again prorogued, on account of the plague then raging in London, to November 24th, at which time it met and proceeded to business; though little or nothing was done until after January 2d, 1548-49.

Among the earliest acts of this session was one, read the third time January 15th, entitled: "An Acte for the Uniformytie of Service and Administration of the Sacrament throughout the Realme." * The preamble to this act sets forth, "That there had been several forms of service, and that of late there had been great difference in the administration of the sacraments and other parts of divine worship, and that the most effectual endeavors could not stop the inclinations of many to depart from the former customs, which the king had not punished, believing they flowed from a good zeal. But, that there might be an uniform way over the kingdom, the king, by the advice of the lord protector and his council, had appointed the archbishop of Canterbury, with other learned and discreet bishops and divines, to draw up an order of divine worship, having respect to the pure religion of Christ taught in the Scripture, and to the prac

* Statutes, 2 and 3 Edward VI. ch. 1; Burnet, vol. 11. pt. 1. bk. 1. p. 192; Parl. Hist., 111. 232-35.

tice of the primitive church, which they, by the aid of the Holy Ghost, had with one uniform agreement concluded on; wherefore the parliament having considered the book, and the things that were altered or retained in it, they gave their most humble thanks to the king for his care about it; and did pray that all who had formerly offended in these matters, except such as were in the Tower of London, or the prison of the Fleet, should be pardoned and did enact, that from the feast of Whitsunday next, all divine offices should be performed according to it; and that such of the clergy as should refuse to do it, or continue to officiate in any other manner, should, upon the first conviction, be imprisoned six months and forfeit a year's profit of their benefice; for the second offence, forfeit all their church preferments and suffer a year's imprisonment; and for the third offence, should be imprisoned during life. And all that should write, or put out things in print against it, or threaten any clergyman for using it, were to be fined ten pounds for the first offence, twenty pounds for the second, and to forfeit all their goods and be imprisoned for life upon a third offence: only at the universities they might use it in Latin and Greek, excepting the office of the communion. It was lawful to use other psalms or prayers taken out of the Bible, so these in the book were not omitted.” *

* Statutes, 2 and 3 Edward VI. ch. 1; Parl. Hist., 111. 234, 235; Lathbury, 18-23. There is still in existence a book entitled

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This important act was to become the law of the land, from and after Whitsuntide, or the feast of Pentecost, June 9th, 1549.* It passed, however, as Strype tells us, not without "some struggling and opposition made against it by the old papalins"; though only four lords are known to have protested against it. Before it was enacted by parliament, it was presented to the convocation of the clergy and there debated. The opinion of the popish priests was probably correctly represented in the remark of one of their number, who styled the English Common Prayer Book "the most devilish thing that ever was devised." It was, nevertheless, the great and finishing stroke of the English Reformation. Beyond it the church of England never really went; and on it that church still

"The Order of Matrimony," printed, as Lathbury thinks, in 1547, or early in 1548, intended, apparently, to be used as an addition to the old "Marriage Service" of the church, as the "Order of Communion " was to the mass. Though not expressly sanctioned by government, it was evidently used to some extent in the churches. Another book, which seems to have had some currency in the churches at this time, was "A Psalter." It contained all the psalms, several canticles from different parts of the Bible, "the Songs of Augustin and Ambrose, the Crede of Doctor Athanasius," and "the Letani and Suffrages the litany of 1544. Lathbury, 19-21.

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* In point of fact, the new book was in general use as early as Easter-day, April 21st, 1549. Lathbury, 27, 28. Whitsuntide, a contraction of White Sunday tide (time), so called from the white vestments worn by the candidates for baptism on that day.

† Strype's Mems., vol. 11. pt. 1. bk. 1. pp. 136, 137. "The parson of Grampnal, in Lancashire."

p. 132.

Strype, ut. sup.

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