VI. rites and ceremonies of the church, after the use of the church of Edward England." Which his highness receiving, with great comfort and quietness of mind, did forthwith exhibit unto the lords and commons A. D. of the parliament then assembled at Westminster, about the 4th of 1549. November, in the second year of his reign, and in the year of our Lord 1548, and continuing unto the 14th day of Marchi, then next ensuing. ment as Whereupon the lords spiritual and temporal, and the commons of A parliathe said parliament assembled, well and thoroughly considering, as sembled. well the most godly travail of the king's highness, of the lord protector, and others of his majesty's council, in gathering together the said archbishop, bishops, and other learned men, as the godly prayers, orders, rites, and ceremonies in the said book mentioned, with the consideration of altering those things which were altered, and retaining those things which were retained in the same book; as also the honour of God, and great quietness, which, by the grace of God, should ensue upon that one and uniform rite and order in such One common prayer, rites, and extern ceremonies, to be used throughout order of England, Wales, Calais, and the marches of the same, did first give Prayer. unto his highness most lowly and hearty thanks for the same, and then most humbly prayed him that it might be ordained and enacted by his majesty, with the assent of the lords and commons in that parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as followeth : Substance of the Petition of the Lords and Commons, in Parliament assembled, to the King. That not only all and singular person and persons that had hitherto offended concerning the premises (other than such as were then remaining in ward in the Tower of London, or in the Fleet) might be pardoned thereof; but also, that all and singular ministers in any cathedral or parish churches, or other places, within the realm of England, Wales, Calais, and the marches of the same, or other the king's dominions, should, from and after the feast of Pentecost next coming, be bound to say and use the matins, evensong, celebration of the Lord's supper, and administration of each of the sacraments, and all other common and open prayer, in such order and form as were mentioned in the said book, and none other or otherwise. And, albeit that they were so godly and good that they gave occasion unto every honest and comformable man most willingly to embrace them, yet, lest any obstinate persons, who willingly would disturb so godly an order and quiet in this realm, should go unpunished, they further requested, that it might be ordained and enacted, by the authority aforesaid, that if any manner of parson, vicar, or whatsoever other minister that ought or should say or sing Common Prayer (mentioned in the said book), or minister the sacraments, should, after the said feast of Pentecost then next coming, refuse to use the said Common Prayer, or to minister the sacraments in such cathedral or parish churches, or other places, as he should use or minister the same, in such order and form as they were mentioned, and set forth in the said book; or should use wilfully, and obstinately standing in the same, any other rite, ceremony, form, or manner of mass, openly or privily, or matins, evensong, administration of the sacraments, or other open prayer than was mentioned and set forth in the said book: or should preach, declare, or speak, any thing in derogation or depraving of the said book, or any thing therein contained, or of any part thereof, and should be thereof lawfully convicted according to the laws of this realm by verdict of twelve men, or by his own confession, or by the notorious evidence of the fact, (1) Stat. An. 2, 3 Reg. Edw. cap. 1. [For these Acts, see 'Actes made in the session of this present parliament, holden the 4th Nov. in the second year of Edward VI. cap. 1. fol. 2. Lond. fol. 1553.-ED.] uniform Common 1519. Edward should lose and forfeit unto the king's highness, his heirs and successors, for VI. his first offence, one whole year's profit of such one of his benefices or spiritual A.D. promotions, as it should please the king's highness to assign and appoint; and also, for the same offence, should suffer imprisonment by the space of six months, without bail or mainprize. But, if any such person, after his first conviction, should eftsoons offend again, and be thereof, in form aforesaid, lawfully convicted, then he should, for his second offence, suffer imprisonment by the space of one whole year; and should also be deprived, ipso facto,' of all his Penalty. spiritual promotions for ever, so that it should be lawful for the patrons and donors thereof, to give the same again unto any other learned man, in like manner as if the said party so offending were dead. And if any the said person or persons should again the third time offend, and be thereof, in form aforesaid, lawfully convicted, then he should, for the same third offence, suffer imprisonment during his life. If any such person or persons aforesaid, so offending, had not any benefice or spiritual promotion, that then he should, for his first offence, suffer imprisonment by the space of six months without bail or main›rize, and, for his second offence, imprisonment during his life. Laws and This request, or rather actual agreement, of the lords and commons of the parliament, being once understood by the king, was also soon ratified and confirmed by his regal consent and authority; and thereupon the said book of Common Prayer was presently imprinted, and commanded to be exercised throughout the whole realm and dominions thereof, according to the tenor and effect of the said statute. Moreover, in the same session of the said parliament it was enacted and established by the authority thereof, as followeth: That forasmuch as great, horrible, and not to be rehearsed inconveniences, constitu had, from time to time, risen amongst the priests, ministers, and other officers against of the clergy, through their compelled chastity, and by such laws as prohibited them the godly and lawful use of marriage; that therefore all and every law debarred. and laws positive, canons, constitutions, and ordinances theretofore made by the authority of man only, which did prohibit or forbid marriage to any ecclesiastical or spiritual person or persons, of what estate, condition, or degree soever they were, or by what name or names they were called, who, by God's law, may lawfully marry; in all and every article, branch and sentence, concerning only the prohibition of the marriage of the persons aforesaid, should be utterly void and of none offect. And that all manner of forfeitures, pains, penalties, crimes, or actions, which were in the said laws contained, and of the same did follow, of priests concerning the prohibition of the marriage of the said ecclesiastical persons, set free. should also be thenceforth clearly and utterly void, frustrate and of none effect. tions priests' marriage Marriage By occasion hereof, it was, thence after, right lawful for any ecclesiastical person, not having the gift of chastity, most godly to live in the pure and holy estate of matrimony, according to the laws and word of God. But, if the first injunctions, statutes, and decrees of the prince were, by many, but slenderly regarded, with much less good affection were these, especially the book of Common Prayer, by divers now received; yea, and that by some of them, who had always before, in outward show, willingly allowed the former doings, as appeareth most plainly, amongst others, by Bonner the bishop of London; who, although, by his former letters and other mandates, he seemed hitherto to favour all the king's proceedings, yet did he, at that present (notwithstanding both the first statute for the establishing of the communion and the abolishing of all private masses, and also this statute of the ratifying and confirming of the book of Common Prayer), still suffer sundry idolatrous private masses of peculiar names, as the Apostles' VI. Mass, the Lady's Mass, and such like, to be daily solemnly sung within Edward certain peculiar chapels of the cathedral church of Paul's, cloking them with the names of the Apostles' Communion, and Our Lady's A. D. Communion; not once finding any fault therewith, until such time as 1549. the lords of the council, having intelligence thereof, were fain, by their letters, to command and charge him to look better thereunto. And then, being therewith somewhat pricked forwards (perhaps by fear), he was content to direct his letters unto the dean and chapter of his cathedral church of Paul's, thereby requesting them forthwith to take such order therein, as the tenor of the council's said letters, therewithal sent unto them, did import; both which letters I have, for the more credit, here following inserted. A Letter directed from the King's Council to Edmund Bonner, Bishop of London, for abrogating of Private Masses; especially the Apostles' Mass, within the Church of St. Paul, used under the name of the Apostles' Communion.1 Mass put After hearty commendations; having very credible notice that within that The your cathedral church there be as yet the Apostles' Mass, and Our Lady's Mass, Apostles' and other masses of such peculiar names, under the defence and nomination of down in Our Lady's Communion, and the Apostles' Communion, used in private chapels, Paul's. and other remote places of the same, and not in the chancel: contrary unto the king's majesty's proceedings, the same being, for the misuse, displeasing to God; for the place, Paul's, in example not tolerable; for the fondness of the name, a scorn to the reverence of the communion of the Lord's body and blood: we, for the augmentation of God's honour and glory, and the consonance of his majesty's laws, and the avoiding of murmur, have thought good to will and command you, that, from henceforth, no such masses in this manner be in your church any longer used; but that the holy blessed communion, according to the act of parliament, be ministered at the high altar of the church, and in no other places of the same; and only at such time as your high masses were wont to be used, except some number of people desire, 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, as it is appointed in the book of the public service, without cautel or digression from the common order. And herein you shall not only satisfy our expectation of your conformity in all lawful things, but also avoid the murmur of sundry that be therewith justly offended. And so we bid your lordship heartily farewell. From Richmond, the 24th of June, anno 1549. A Letter of Edmund Bonner to the Dean and Chapter of Paul's, Το sent with the Order in Council. my right worshipful friends, and most loving good brethren, master dean Right worshipful, with most hearty commendations. So it is, this Wednesday, the 26th of June, going to dinner, I received letters from the king's council by a poursuivant, and the same I do send now herewith unto you, to the intent you may peruse them well, and proceed accordingly;2 praying you, in case all be (1) See Heylin's History of the Reformation, p. 74.-ED. (2) Bonner, with his own hand, consenteth to the abrogation of the mass! If he did it of fear, where was then his conscience? If he did it of conscience, why is he now afraid?' See Edition 1563, p. 691-ED. VI. Edward not present, yet those that be now resident, and supplying the places, may, in their absence, call the company together of the church, and make declaration hereof unto them. Thus committing you to God, right well to fare. Written with speed this 26th of June, at one of the clock. Your loving brother, A. D. 1549. Justices slack in furthering Edmund London. Over and besides all this, the lord protector, with the residue of the king's privy and learned council assembling together in the Star Chamber, about the same matter; that is, for the advancement and setting forward of the king's so godly proceedings, called before them all the justices of the peace, where was uttered unto them, by the lord Rich, then lord chancellor, an eloquent and learned admonition, the tenor whereof ensueth. An Admonition addressed by the Lord Chancellor Rich to Justices of the Peace. It hath been used and accustomed before this time, to call, at certain times, the justices of peace before the king's majesty's council, to give unto them admonition or warning, diligently (as is their duty) to look to the observing of such things as be committed to their charges, according to the trust which the king's majesty hath in them. Howbeit now, at this time, we call you before us, not only of custom, but rather of necessity: for hearing daily, and perceiving of necessity, as we do, the great negligence, and the little heed which is taken and given, to the observing of the good and wholesome laws and orders in this realm, whereupon much disorder doth daily ensue, and the king's majesty's proclamations and orders, taken by the council (as we are advertised) not executed, the people are brought to disobedience, and in a manner all his majesty's study and ours, in setting a good and most godly stay to the honour of God and the quiet of the realm, is spent in vain, and come to nothing: which, as we have great hope and trust not to be altogether so, yet, so much as it is, and so much as it lacketh of the keeping of the realm in a most godly order and stay, we must needs impute and lay the fault thereof in you, who are the justices of the peace in every shire; to whom we are wont to direct our writings, and to whose trust and charge the king's majesty hath committed the execution of all his proclamations, of his acts of parliament, and of his laws. We are informed that many of you are so negligent and so slack herein, that it doth appear you do look rather, as it were, through your fingers, than diligently see to the execution of the said laws and proclamations. For, if you religion. would, according to your duties, to your oath, to the trust which the king's majesty hath in you, give your diligence and care toward the execution of the same most godly statutes and injunctions; there should no disobedience, nor disorder, nor evil rule, be begun or arise in any part of the realm, but it should, by and by, be repressed, kept down, and reformed. But it is feared, and the thing itself giveth occasion thereto, that divers of you do not only not set forth, but rather hinder, so much as lieth in you, the king's majesty's proceedings; and are content that there should arise some disobedience, and that men should repine against godly orders, set forth by his majesty (you do so slackly look to the execution of the same); so that in some shires, which be further off, it may appear that the people have never heard of divers of his majesty's proclamations; or, if they have heard, you are content to wink at it, and to neglect it, so that it is all one as though it were never commanded. But if you do consider and remember your duties, first to Almighty God, and then to the king's majesty, the wealth of the whole realm, and the safeguard of your own selves, you must needs see, that except such orders as the king's majesty hath set, and hereafter shall appoint, be kept, neither can the realm be defended, if the enemy should invade, nor can it in peace stand; but, upon the contempt of good and wholesome laws, all disorder and inconveniences will come, the people will be wild and savage, and no man sure of his own. If, at any time, there was occasion and cause to be circumspect and diligent 1549. about the same, there was never more time than now. How we stand in Scot- Edward land you know, and that other foreign power maketh great preparation to aid VIS them, and indeed doth come to their aid; whereof we are surely informed and A. D. certified. Wherefore, if there should not be good order and obedience kept in the realm, the realm were like utterly to be destroyed. Never foreign power could yet hurt, or in any part prevail in this realm, but by disobedience and The fruit misorder within ourselves. That is the way wherewith God will plague us, if ence in a he mind to punish us. And so long as we do agree among ourselves, and be realm. obedient to our prince, and to his godly orders and laws, we may be sure that God is with us, and that foreign powers shall not prevail against us, nor hurt us. of obedi justices. Wherefore, once again, and still we must and do lay this charge upon you, Orders that are the better of the shire, and justices of the peace, that with so conve- taken for nient speed as you can, you do repair down into your countries; and you shall give warning to the gentlemen of the shire, who have not necessary business here, that they repair down each man to his country; and there, both you and they, who be reckoned the stay of every shire, to see good order and rule kept: you, that your sessions of gaol-delivery and quarter-sessions be well kept, and that therein your meetings be such that justice may be well and truly ministered, the offenders and malefactors punished according to the laws of this realm, without any fear of any man, or that for favour you should suffer those to escape, who, with their evil example, might bring others to the like mishap; and that all vagabonds, and lewd and light tale-tellers, and seditious bearers of false news of the king's majesty, or of his council, or such as will preach without license, be immediately by you repressed and punished. privy con lion. And if there should chance any lewd or light fellows to make any routs or Provision riots, or unlawful assemblies, any seditious meetings, uproars, or uprisings, in against any place, by the seditious and devilish motion of some private traitors, that spiracy you and they appease them at the first, and apprehend the first authors and and rebelcausers thereof, and certify us with speed. The lightness of the rude and igno ́rant people must be suppressed and ordered by your gravity and wisdom. And here you may not (if any such thing chance) dissemble with those such lewd men, and hide yourselves; for it shall be required of you, if such misorder be: and surely, without your aid and help, or your dissembling, such misorder cannot be. Nor do we say, that we fear any such thing, or that there is any such thing likely to chance; but we give you warning before, lest it should chance. We have too much experience in this realm, what inconvenience cometh of such matters. And though some light persons, in their rage, do not consider it, yet we do not doubt but you weigh it, and know it well enough. And if it should chance our enemies (who are maintained by other foreign Provision power, and the bishop of Rome) should suddenly arrive in some place in Eng- against foreign land, either driven by tempest, or of purpose to do hurt, ye should see such power. order kept by firing of the beacons, as hath already been written unto you by our letters, to repulse the same in as good array as you can; as we do not doubt but you will, for the safeguard of your country, so that the enemy shall have little joy of his coming: and, for that purpose, you shall see diligently that men have horse, harness, and other furniture of weapon ready, according to the statutes and good orders of the realm, and the king's majesty's commandments. And so for this time ye may depart. zeal of uncle, in religion. What zealous care was in this young king, and in the lord pro- Singular tector his uncle, concerning reformation of Christ's church, and sincere the king religion, by these injunctions, letters, precepts, and exhortations, as and his well to the bishops, as to the justices of the realm above premised, reforming it may right well appear. Whereby we have to note, not so much Slackness the careful diligence of the king and his learned council; as the lin- of popish gering slackness, and drawing back, on the other side, of divers of in furthe said justices and lawyers, but especially of bishops, and old popish curates, by whose cloaked contempt, wilful winking, and stub- ceedings. born disobedience, the book of the Common Prayer was, long after the publishing thereof, either not known at all, or else very irreve curates, thering' these pro |