Search York

laying aside the old rites and orders, and had brought in

new ones, according to their own judgments and opinions,

conformable, I suppose, to the practice of the foreign re-

formed churches; but diff*erent from and beyond the in-

junctions lately sent abroad from the King. He therefore

issued out a proclamation, dated Feb. 6, therein charging

these men with pride and arrogancy, and commanding that

no person should omit or change or innovate any orders or

ceremonies commonly used in the Church of England, and

not commanded to be left off* in his father King Henry's

reign ; or than such as the present King, by his visitors

and injunctions, had already, or hereafter should command

to be omitted. And this he was moved to enjoin upon this

consideration, as the said proclamation imports, that no-

thing tended so much to the disquieting of the realm as di-

versity of opinions, and variety of rites and ceremonies in

religion and the worship of God : declaring, how he had

studied all ways and means to direct the Church and cure

OF KING EDWARD VI. 131

committed to his charge, in one most true doctrine and CHAP,

usage. And by virtue of the same proclamation none were

to preach without hcence from the King, or his visitors, or Anno 1 548

the Archbishop of Canterbury, or the Bishop of the dio-

cese, (except it were a Bishop, a Parson, a Vicar, a Curate,

a Dean, or a Provost in their own cure,) upon pain of im-

prisonment and other punishments. This proclamation also

will be found in the Repository. ^•
Likewise, March 8. following, when the Communion Forbid

Book was published, the King in his proclamation before A'nd the

it, to satisfy those that thirsted so much for a reformation, ^"^s pro-

" advised them to stay and quiet themselves with the formation.

" King'*s directions, as men content to follow authority,

" and not enterprising to run afore : and so by that rash-

" ness become the greatest hinderers of such things, as they,

*' more arrogantly than godly, would seem by their own

" private authority most hotly to set forward. And by

'' these means he might be encouraged from time to time

" further to travail for the reformation, and setting forth

" such godly orders, as might be to God's glory, and the

" edifying of his subjects, and advancement of true reli-

^' gion. Nor would he have his subjects so much to mislike

" his judgment, nor mistrust his zeal, as though he could 84

" not discern what were to be done, or would not do all

" things in due time.""*
But notwithstanding these proclamations, and that heNotwith-

had divers other times before and since endeavoured to stop ta^r?ous^'

the use of other forms and rites in the worship of God, for«Js

3^et these his commands and endeavours would not prevail,

but even in cathedral, as well as other parish churches, va-

rious different ways of service were used, as well in the

morning and evening prayers, as in the office of the Com-

munion, and in the administration of the other sacraments.

At length the King bore with this, which he could not well

remedy ; calling it, " the frailty and weakness of his sub-

^' jects :'"* and he abstained from punishing those that of-

fended in that behalf. Because his Highness took, (as is

are

used.

132 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL

BOOK expressed in his act of Uniformity,) that they did it of a

good zeal. But for the preventing the evil that might en-

Anno 1548. sue of these varieties, he appointed the Archbishop of Can-

An. 2.Ed. terbury, and certain other Bishops and learned men, to

consider the premises, and with respect to the Scriptures

and to the usages of the primitive Church, to draw out a

convenient order, rite, and fashion of common prayer and

administration of the Sacraments. Which was accordingly

done by them at Windsor, and prepared to be confirmed

and enacted by the Parliament that sat Nov. 24, 1548.

when the use of it was by law enjoined, and to commence

at Whitsuntide following, which was in the year 1549-

And by that act all those who had of their own wills used

other forms or innovations were pardoned.

The rapists Yet it passed not without some struffp-linff and opposition

regret the , . . & rr
Common made against it by the old Papalins. How illy they di-

Prayer. gested it may be seen by this passage : while in the days of

Queen Mary, George Marsh of the north (afterwards mar-

tyred for the Gospel) was in examination before the Earl of

Darby and divers others, and having said, that, as he had

ministered under King Edward, so, if the laws would have

suffered him to minister after that sort, (that is, by the Book

of Common Prayer,) he would minister again ; presently

one who was the Parson of Grampnal in Lancashire threw

Fox, in this word, " This last Communion was the most devilish

p. 1499. u thing that ever was devised."
Four Lords To the establishment of this book but four Lords pro-

against it. tested. Of wliich I have this passage to relate. When the

said Marsh had told the Earl of Darby, that he hoped he

would not condemn him for that reformation, which he

was one of the makers and establishers of under Kino; Ed-

ward, saying, " that his trust was of that his Lordship,

" being one of the honourable Council of the late King

" Edward, and agreeing to his actions concerning faith to-

" wards God and religion, would not so soon after consent

" to put poor men to death for embracing the same;"

he answered, " That he, with the Lord Winsor and the

OF KING EDWARD VI. 133

" Lord Dacres, and one more, did not consent to those ac- CHAP.

" tions, and that the nay of them four would be to be '__

" seen as long as the Parhament house stood." Anno 1548.

This act, being the greatest stroke struck against Po- The Com-

pery, and for throwing out the mass, may deserve some^^^jj""

particular observation. It was called, An act for the uni-

formity of service and administration of the sacraments

throughout the realm. The book confirmed by this act was

the second office in English that came forth in this reign,

the Communion Book being the first. Which was com- 85

posed in pursuance of an act in the year 1547, enjoining

the receiving of the Lord'*s Supper in both kinds, and that

the people should receive with the priest, as most agreeable

to the first institution of the Lord's Supper, and more con-

formable to the practice of the Church for the first five

hundred years. For the drawing up of the exhortations,

and other prayers to be used on that occasion, the King

appointed certain Bishops and other learned Divines with

the Archbishop of Canterbury. And this being finished in

English was called the Communion Book. Which was

printed by Grafton, and published 1547, as was shewn

before.
The same Bishops and Divines, as it seems, were soon The Book

after appointed by the King to draw up a general public pra^en '"^^

office in English, in the room of the Latin mass-book. Who

accordingly met in May 1548, and in the latter end of the

year it was confirmed by Parliament, as above was said ;

being entitled. The Boole of Common Prayer and Admini-

stration of the Sacraments^ and other Rites and Ceremonies

of the Church of England. From the act which was made

for the use of it, I gather divers matters historical concern-

ing it.
First, That before this book came forth, there was no

uniform service in this Church, but a great variety of forms

of prayer and communion; some of older date, and some

more lately followed. For example, there was a form ac-

cording to the use of Sarum, which some churches fol-

lowed; and another form according to the use of York,
k3

134 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL

BOOK York, which other churches followed; and another accord-

^' ing to the use of Bangor, and another of Lincoln, followed

Anno 1548. by Other churches. And those that liked not any of these

popish forms and Latin prayers, used other English forms,

according as their own fancies led them.

Secondly, That those who used these latter forms, (the

old ones yet remaining in force,) the King and the Protec-

tor forbad ; calling them innovations and new rites, and

divers times assayed to stay the using of them, but could

not. Wherefore afterwards they thought fit to connive at

them for a while.

Thirdly, For the preventing of this different serving of

God, (for by it great divisions and contentions happened,)

the King resolved to have one form of prayer composed to

be only used, and none other, throughout his realm. And

that this might be drawn up after the best manner, he, the

Protector, and divers of his Council, nominated and culled

out certain Bishops and other learned men, to be em-

ployed in this business ; men of that eminency in learning

and piety, that they were called in the act, " the most

" learned and discreet Bishops and Divines."* Whereof the

Archbishop of Canterbury is mentioned, but none else.

But the rest of them (if we may give credit to Fuller's

Church History, and what is commonly taken up and re-

ported in our histories) were. Day, Bishop of Chichester;

Goodrich, Bishop of Ely ; Skyp, of Hereford ; Holbeach,

of Lincoln; Ridley, of Rochester; Thirleby, of Westmin-

ster ; May, Dean of St. Paul's ; Taylor, Dean of Lincoln ;

Haines, Dean of Exeter ; Robertson, Archdeacon of Lei-

cester, and Prebendary of Sarum ; Redman, Master of

Trinity college, Cambridge, and Prebendary of Westmin-

ster ; and Cox, Almoner to the King, and Dean of West-

minster and Christ Church, Oxon. Though I conjecture

the main of the work went through some few of these

86 men's hands. For three of those Bishops, Thirleby, Skyp,

and Day, protested against the bill for this liturgy, when it

passed their house. And I believe Robertson and Redman

liked it as little.

OF KING EDWARD VI. 1B5

Fourthly, The rules they went by in this work was, the CHAP.

having an eye and respect unto the most sincere and pure

Christian religion taught by the holy Scriptures, and also Anno 1 548.

to the usage of the primitive Church.
Fifthly, The book being finished, they delivered it to

the King, which is said to be " to the great comfort and

*' quietness of his mind."*"*
Sixthly, As for the work itself, as it is said to be done

by one uniform agreement, so also " by the aid of the Holy

" Ghost :'' such was the high and venerable esteem then

had of it.

Lastly, The Parhament, both Lords and Commons, the

representatives of the whole kingdom, had such a value for

the whole composure, " that they gave unto the King most

" hearty and lowly thanks for it, and for his most godly

" travail in collecting and gathering together the said

" Archbishop, Bishops, and learned men, and for the godly

" prayers, orders, rites, and ceremonies in the said book ;

" and considered the honour of God and the great quiet-

" ness, which by the grace of God would ensue upon it :

*' and finally, concluded the book such, that it would give

" occasion to every honest man most willingly to em-

" brace it.''

Let me moreover take notice of a proviso in this act Singing of

concerning singing of Psalms in public, used then custom- authorized.

arily, and probably some good while before this, by the

gospellers, according as the reformed in other countries

used to do ; yet without any authority. This practice was

now authorized by virtue of the said proviso^ which ran in

this tenor ; " Provided also, That it shall be lawful for all

" men, as well in churches, chapels, oratories, or other

" places, to use openly any psalm or prayer taken out of

" the Bible, at any due time ; not letting or omitting there-

" by the service, or any part thereof, mentioned in the said

'* book.'' From hence it is, that the title-page of our pre-

sent books, the hymns and psalms in metre, carry these

words, " Set forth and allowed to be sung in all churches

" of all the people together, before and after morning and
K 4

136 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL

BOOK " evening prayer, and also before and after sermons; and

^' " moreover in private houses, for their godly solace and

Anno 1548." comfort.'' Which may serve to explain to us what the

ordinary times of their singing together these psalms were ;

namely, before they began the morning service, and after

it was done. Likewise, when there was a sermon, before it

began, and after it was finished. As for the psalms or hymns

thus allowed, they seem to be those that are yet set before

and after our present singing psalms, done by Dr. Cox, W.

Whittingham, Robert Wisdom, eminent divines in those

times, and others ; and some of David's psalms, done by

Sternhold, Hopkins, and others. It is certain that Stern-

hold composed several at first for his own solace. For he

set and sung them to his organ. Which music King Ed-

ward VI. sometime hearing, (for he was a gentleman of the

privy chamber,) was much delighted with them. Which

occasioned his publication and dedication of them to the

said King. After, when the whole book of Psalms (with some

other hymns) were completely finished in verse, (done, as it

87 seems, by Hopkins and certain other exiles in Queen Mary's

reign,) this clause in the aforesaid act gave them their au-

thority for their public use in the Church hitherto.

The first This Book of Common Prayer was printed first in the

thfbooV ^oi^t^ ^^f June. And a second edition thereof came forth,

March 8. following, with very little difference; only that

in the first edition the Litany was put between the Commu-

nion Service and the Office for Baptism : in the second, it

was set at the end of the book.

The Papists And tlius by the help and concurrence of the three

reforma- "^ estates, religion became happily planted in this island, re-

tion. formed from abuses and corruptions of long time intro-

duced into it. But the Papists were very angry to see their

old superstitious ceremonies thus laid aside ; and those that

came after laboured all they could to asperse and enervate

it, by calling the religion a parlicwientai'y religion, (so

Dr. Hill,) and the Church of England thus reformed, a

parliament Church, (so Dr. Bristow.) As though it were

forged and framed in Parliament by secular men ; and

OF KING EDWARD VI. 137

that ecclesiastics, whose chief business it had been, had CHAP.

not been consulted herein. But in truth and reality it was '

not so. For the consideration and preparation of this Book Anno i548.

of Common Praver, together with other matters in religion,

was committed first of all to divers learned divines, as was

shewn before. And what they had concluded upon was of-

fered the Convocation. And after all this, the Parliament

approved it, and gave it its ratification. The which is more

fully shewed and declared by the pen of a very knowing /

and learned man, viz.
" The religion which was then and is now established in But falsely.

" England, is drawn out of the fountains of the word of .^bbot ag.

" God, and from the purest orders of the primitive Church. ^'^- P- ^^'^'

" Which for the ordinary exercise thereof, when it had

" been collected into the Book of Common Prayer, by the

" pains and labour of many learned men, and of mature

" judgment, it was afterwards confirmed by the Upper and

" Lower House. Yet not so, but that the more material

" points were disputed and debated in the Convocation

" House by men of both parties : and might further have

" been discussed, so long as any popish divine had ought
" reasonably to say And then it being intended to add
" to ecclesiastical decision the corroboration of secular go-

" vernment, according to the ancient custom of this king-

'' dom, (as appeareth by record from the time of King Ed-

" ward the Third,) the Parliament, which is the most ho-

" nourable court of Christendom, did ratify the same.

" That so all, of all orders and degrees, might be bound to

" serve the Lord of heaven ; not after their own fancies,

" but as himself had prescribed. And that this order hath

" been the custom of good princes, to call their nobles and

" their people to join with them for the establishing of

" God''s service, every man may know, who will but look

" into the stories of the Bible. Joshua, Josh, xxiii. 22. Da-

" vid, 1 Chron. xxviii. 1. Asa, 2 Chron. xv. 9-''
So that the Reformation went well forward : and by the The re-

latter end of this year religion and divine worship became ^he church

pretty well purged from error and superstition ; whereat all injured.

138 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL

BOOK good men took great satisfaction. But notwithstanding, this

^' great evil accompanied this great good, that many self-

Anno 1548. ended men took this occasion to labour the diminishing the

revenues of the Church, and the taking away a great part

of the lands and livings of the Bishops, the Deans, and the

88 Prebendaries; suggesting that the wealth and dignities of

the former Prelates made them such hinderers of the Gos-

pel, and obstructers of the word of God ; and that the pre-

bends might be far better bestowed upon other secular men

and politic uses. One of these well-willers to the Clergy's

revenues Sir Philip Hobby seems to have been. Who, be-

ing this year Ambassador with the Emperor, had this lucky

occasion offered to vent his mind plainly to the Protector

in this matter. For hearing how some of the German pro-

testants laid the blame of their wars and miseries upon their

popish Bishops, who were princes, and men of great and

high estate, and had their dependences chiefly upon the

Pope, and so did the more vigorously oppose the Reforma-

tion there; and observing what great enemies therefore

they were to the flourishing state of the Bishops, thinking

it irreconcileable with the Gospel; the said Ambassador

made this relation of it to the Protector, with the addition

of his own judgment and wishes: which I choose to set

Hobble's down in his own words, in his letter written Jan. 1 9. " Of our

that pur- " proceedings in England, in matters of religion, are sundry

pose. " discourses here made. The Protestants have good hopes,
jj. 12. "and pray earnestly therefore, that the King*'s Majesty

" being warned by the late ruin of Germany, happening

" by the Bishops'' princely and lordly estates, will take or-

" der for the redress thereof in his dominions ; and appoint

" unto the good Bishops an honest and competent living,

" sufficient for their maintenance, taking from them the

*' rest of their worldly possessions and dignities ; and there-

" by avoid the vainglory that letteth them truly and sin-

" cerely to do their duty, and preach the Gospel and word of

" Christ. They on the other side doubt not, but my Lords

" the Bishops, being a great number, stout and well-learned

" men, will well enough weigh against their adversaries, and

OF KING EDWARD VI. 139

*"* maintain still their estate, which coming to pass, they CHAP.

" have good hope in time these princely pillars shall well ^^'

" enough quiet this fury, and bring all things again to the Anno 1548.

" old order. Thus these men, having their sole expecta-

" tion converted to the success hereof, cease not to talk

" their minds diversly." Thus Hoby.
And to shew his mind for taking away at one clap all the

prebends in England, he took his occasion from some news

he had to impart. " Yesterday,"*' as he related in the same

letter, " was mustered here [i. e. at Brussels] five bands of

" horsemen, being in number about 1500, which shall go

" towards Spires, to meet the Prince of Spain. Among

" whom, by all men's reports that saw them, there were so

" many toward and handsome gentlemen, so well horsed

*' and armed, and in all points so well in order, as hath few

" times in so small a company been seen. Which when I

" heard, remembering what great service such a number of

" chosen men were able to do, specially in our country,

" wherein is so much lack of good horsemen, it caused me

" to declare under your Grace's correction what I thought,

" earnestly to wish with all my heart, that standing so with

" the King's Majesty's pleasure, and your prudence, all

" the prebends within England were converted to the like

" use, for the defence of our country, and maintenance of

" honest poor gentlemen. Wherein, if I wish amiss, or

*' shall seem unto your Grace over-presumptuous in the de-

" claration thereof, I shall most humbly beseech your good-

" ness to pardon my boldness, and interpret my true 89

*' meaning to the best part." What harm the suggesting

of such counsels as these did, sufficiently appeared in this

reign.
But perhaps Hoby's partiality towards martial men, who The artii-

was a warlike man himself, may make some excuse for his [atLn*"^^'

judgment. King Henry VIII. towards the latter end of

his flourishing reign, moved by his zeal to see his subjects

profit in virtuous qualities, whereby they might the better

do him service, established an order for the maintenance of

artillery ; appointing a certain corporation, unto which for

140 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL

BOOK this respect he gave certain privileges by a patent. This,

^' how much it served for the framing of men meet for ser-

Anno 1348. vice, both for the harquebuss and great ordnance, was easily

perceived, in that a number of this corporation in a small

time became perfect masters in this military skill. But this