Anno primo Regina Eliz. cap. 2.

There shall be Uniformity of Prayer, and Administration of Sacraments,

HERE at the death of our late Soveraign Lord King Edward the sixth, there remained one uniform Order of Common Service and Prayer, and of the Administration of Sacraments, Rights and Ceremonies in the Church of England, which was set forth in one Book entituled, The Book of Common Prayer and Administration of Sacraments, and other Rites and CereStat. 5 & 6 monies of the Church of England, authorized by Act of Parliament, holden in the fifth and sixth years of our said late Soveraign Lord King Edward the sixth, entituled, An Act for the Uniformity of Common-Prayer and Administration of the Sacraments: the which was repealed and taken away by Stat. 1. M.2. Act of Parliament, in the first year of the raign of our late Soveraign Lady Queen Mary, to the great decay of the due honor of God, and discomfort to the professors of the truth of Christs Religion.

Ed. 6. 1.

1 M. 2. and

be of effect.

A Repeal of Be it therefore Enacted by the Authority of this present the Statute Parliament, That the said Statute of Repeal, and every thing the Book of therein contained, only concerning the said Book, and the Common Service, Administration of the Sacraments, Rites and Cereprayer shall monies, contained or appointed in or by the said Book, shall be void and of none effect, from and after the Feast of the Nativity of St. John Baptist next coming. And that the said Book, with the Order of Service, and of the Administration of Sacraments, Rites and Ceremonies, with the Alterations and Additions therein added and appointed by this Estatute, shall stand and be from and after the said Feast of the Nativity of St. John Baptist, in full force and effect, according to the tenour and effect of this Estatute; any thing in the foresaid Estatute of Repeal to the contrary notwithstanding.

And be it further Enacted by the Queens Highness, with the assent of the Lords and Commons in this present Parlia

mon-prayer

ment assembled, and the authority of the same, That all and singular Ministers in any Cathedral or Parish-Church, or The Book other place within this Realm of England, Wales, and the of ComMarches of the same, or other the Queen's Dominions, shall shall be from and after the feast of the Nativity of S. John Baptist used 8. Eliz. next coming, be bounden to say and use the Mattens, Evensong, Celebration of the Lords Supper, and Administration of each of the Sacraments, and all the Common and open Prayer, in such order and form as is mentioned in the said Book so authorised by Parliament in the said 5 and 6 years The alteraof the Reign of King Edward the Sixth, with one alteration tion of the or addition of certain Lessons, to be used on every Sunday forth 5, 6. in the year, and the form of the Letany altered and corrected, Ed. 6. 1. and two sentences only added in the delivery of the Sacrament to the Communicants, and none other, or otherwise.

Book set

those which

vice than

And that if any manner of Parson, Vicar, or other what- The forsoever Minister, that ought or should sing or say Common- feiture of Prayer mentioned in the said Book, or minister the Sacra- use any ments from and after the feast of the Nativity of S. John other SerBaptist next coming, refuse to use the said Common-prayer, the Book of or to minister the Sacraments in such Cathedral or Parish- CommonChurch, or other places, as he should use to minister the same, prayer. in such order or form as they be mentioned and set forth in the said Book, or shall wilfully or obstinately, standing in the same, use any other Rite, Ceremony, Order, form or manner of celebrating the Lords Supper, openly or privily, or Mattens, Even-song, Administration of the Sacraments, or other open Prayers than is mentioned and set forth in the said Book (open Prayer in and throughout this Act is meant that The pePrayer which is for others to come unto, or hear, either in nalty for depraving common Churches, or private Chappels, or Oratories, com- the Book of monly called the service of the Church) or shall preach, Commondeclare or speak any thing in the derogation or depravation prayer. of the said Book, or any thing therein contained, or any part thereof, and shall 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, shall lose and forfeit to the Queens Highness her heirs and succes

The penalty for the second

offence.

The penalty for the third offence.

The penalty of an offender having no spiritual

sors, for his first offence, the profit of all his spiritual Benefices or Promotions coming or arising in one whole year next after his conviction. And also that the person so convicted, shall for the same offence suffer imprisonment for the space of six months without Bail or Mainprise.

And if any such person once convict of any offence concerning the premises, shall after his first conviction eftsoons offend, and be thereof in form aforesaid lawfully convict, that then the same person shall for his second offence suffer imprisonment by the space of one whole year, and also shall therefore be deprived ipso facto of all his spiritual Promotions, and that it shall be lawful to all Patrons or Donors of all and singular the same spiritual Promotions, or any of them, to present or collate to the same, as though the person or persons so offending were dead.

And that if any such person or persons, after he shall be twice convicted in form aforesaid, shall offend against any of the premises the third time, and shall be thereof in form aforesaid lawfully convicted, that then the person so offending, and convicted the third time, shall be deprived, ipso facto, of all his spiritual Promotions, and also shall suffer imprisonment during his life.

And if the person that shall offend, and be convicted in form aforesaid, concerning any of the premises, shall not be Beneficed, nor have any spiritual Promotion, that when the same person so offending and convict, shall for the first Promotion. offence suffer Imprisonment during one whole year, next after his said conviction, without Bail or Mainprise.

The forfeiture of

them which

And if any person, not having any spiritual Promotion, after his first conviction, shall eftsoons offend in any thing concerning the premises, and shall in form aforesaid be thereof lawfully convicted, that the same person shall for his second offence suffer Imprisonment during his life.

And it is ordained and enacted by the authority aforesaid, That if any person or persons whatsoever, after the said Feast of the Nativity of St. John Baptist next coming, shall in any Enterludes, Plays, Songs Rhimes, or by other open words, declare or speak any thing in the derogation, depraving or

7

Common

prayer to

despising of the same Book or of any thing therein contained, do anyor any part thereof, or shall by open fact, deed, or by open speak in dething, or threatenings, compel or cause, or otherwise procure or main- rogation of tain any Parson, Vicar, or other Minister, in any Cathedral the Book of or Parish Church, or Chappel, or in any other place, to sing prayer. or say any common or open prayer, or to minister any Sacra- Causing ment, otherwise, or in any other manner and form than is other mentioned in the said Book, or that by any of the said means be said or shall unlawfully interrupt, or let any Parson, Vicar, or other sung, Coke Minister in any Cathedral or Parish Church, Chappel, or any The for pla. fol. 312. other place, to sing or say common and open prayer, or to feiture of Minister the Sacraments, or any of them in such manner and an hundred form as is mentioned in the said Book: That then every such the first person being thereof lawfully convicted, in form abovesaid, offence. shall forfeit to the Queen our Soveraign Lady, her heirs and Dyer fol. successors, for the first offence an hundred marks.

Marks for

203, 231,

323.

four hun

And if any person or persons being once convict of any The forsuch offence eftsoons offend against any of the last recited feiture of offences, and shall in form aforesaid be thereof lawfully con- dred Marks vict: That then the same person so offending and convict, for the shall for the second offence forfeit to the Queen our Sove- second raign Lady, her heirs and successors, four hundred marks.

offence.

the third

And if any person, after he in form aforesaid shall have The forbeen twice convict of any offence, concerning any of the last feiture of recited offences, shall offend the third time, and be thereof in offence. form abovesaid lawfully convict: That then every person so offending and convict, shall for his third offence forfeit to our Soveraign Lady the Queen, all his goods and Chattels, and shall suffer Imprisonment during his life.

party con

And if any person or persons, that for his first offence The penalconcerning the premises shall be convict in form aforesaid, do ties if the not pay the sum to be paid by vertue of his conviction, in victed do such manner and form as the same ought to be paid, within not pay his six weeks next after his conviction: That the every person forthin the so convict, and so not paying the same, shall for the same first time lioffence in stead of the said sum, suffer imprisonment by the mited. space of six months without Bail or Mainprize.

And if any person or persons, that for his second offence

forfeiture

Every person shall

resort to

the Church upon the holy-days.

concerning the premises, shall be convict in form aforesaid, do not pay the said sum, to be paid by vertue of his Conviction and this Estatute, in such manner and form as the same ought to be paid, within six weeks next after his said second Conviction, that then every person so convicted, and not so paying the same, shall for the same second offence, in stead of the said sum, suffer imprisonment during twelve months without Bail or Mainprize.

And that from and after the said Feast of the Nativity of St. John Baptist next coming, all and every person and persons, inhabiting within this Realm or any other the Queens Majesties Dominions shall diligently and faithfully having no lawful or reasonable excuse to be absent, endeavor themselves to resort to their Parish-Church or Chappel accustomed, or upon reasonable let thereof, to some usual place where Common-prayer and such service of God shall be used, in such time of let upon every Sunday, and other days ordained and used to be kept as holy-days, and then and there to abide orderly and soberly, during the time of the Common-prayer, Preaching, or other service of God, there to be used and ministred, upon pain of punishment by the censures of the Church. And also upon pain that every person offending, shall forfeit for such offence twelve pence, to be levied by the Church-wardens of the Parish where such offence shall be not coming done, to the use of the poor of the same Parish, of the to Church. goods, lands and tenements of such offender, by way of 32 Eliz. 1. distress.

The forfeiture for

And for due execution hereof, the Queens most excellent Majesty, the Lords Spiritual, and all the Commons in this present Parliament assembled, do in Gods Name earnestly require and charge all the Archbishops, Bishops and other Ordinaries, that they shall endeavour themselves to the uttermost of their knowledges that the due and true execution hereof may be had throughout their Diocess and Charges, as they will answer before God, for such evils and plagues wherewith Almighty God may justly punish his people, for neglecting this good and wholsom Law.

And for their Authority in this behalf, be it further Enacted