Anno quinto et sexto Eduardi Sexti Actes made in the session of this present parlament, holden vpo[n] prorogacion at Westminster, the. xxiii. daie of Ianuarie, in the fiueth yere of the reigne of our moste drad souereigne Lorde, Edward the. VI. by the grace of God, kyng of Englande, Fraunce, and Irelande, defendour of the faith, and of the Churche of Englande and Irelande, in yearth [sic] the supreme hed: and there continued and kept to the. xv. daie of Aprill, in the vi. yere of the reigne of our saied souereigne lorde, as foloweth

¶ The first Chapiter. ¶ An acte, for the vniformitie of common praier, and administra∣cion of the Sacramentes. (Book 1)

WHere there hath been a verie Godly order sette furthe, by aucthoritie of Parlament, for common praier, and administracion of the Sacramen∣tes, to be vsed in the mother tongue, within this Churche of Englande, agreable to the woorde of God, and the primatiue Churche, verie com∣fortable to al good people, desiryng to liue in christian conuersacion, and moste profitable to the state of this realme, vpon the whiche, the mercie, fauoure, and blessyng of almightie God, is in no wise so redily, and plenteously powred, as by common praiers, due vsyng of the Sacramentes, and often Preachyng of the Gospell, with the deuocion of the hearers. And yet this notwithstan∣dyng, a greate nomber of people, in diuerse partes of this realme, fo∣lowyng their awne sensualitie, and liuyng either without knowlege, or due feare of God, do wilfully and dampnably before almightie god abstein, and refuse to come to their Parishe Churches, and other pla∣ces, where common praier, administracion of the Sacramentes, and Preachyng of the woorde of God is vsed, vpon the Sondaies, and o∣ther daies, ordeined to be holy daies.

For reformacion hereof, bee it enacted, by the Kyng our souereigne lorde, with the assent of the lordes, and commons, in this present Par∣lament assembled, and by the aucthoritie of thesame, that from, and af∣ter the feast of all Sainctes next commyng, all and euery persone, and persones, enhabityng within this realme, or any other the kynges ma∣iesties dominions, shall diligently, and faithfully, hauyng no lawfull or reasonable excuse to be absent, endeuour themselfes to resort to their Parishe Churche, or Chapell accustomed, or vpon reasonable let ther∣of, to some vsuall place, where cōmon praier, and suche seruice of God shalbe vsed, in suche tyme of let, vpon euery Sondaie, and other daies ordeined, and vsed to be kepte, as holy daies, and then, and there to a∣bide orderly, and soberly, duryng the tyme of the common praier, prea∣chynges, or other seruice of God, there to be vsed and ministered, vpon pain of punishement, by the Censures of the Churche.

And for the due execucion hereof, the Kynges moste excellent Ma∣iestie,

the lordes temporall, and all the commones in this present Par∣lament assembled, doth in Goddes name earnestly require, and charge all the Archebishoppes, Bishoppes, and other Ordinaries, that thei shall endeuour theimselfes, to the vttermoste of their knowleges, that the due and true execucion hereof maie be had, throughout their Dio∣cesses and charges, as thei will answere before God, for suche euilles and plagues, wherewith almightie God, maie iustly punishe his peo∣ple, for necglectyng this good and wholesome lawe.

And for their aucthoritie in this behalfe, be it further likewise ena∣cted, by the aucthoritie aforesaid, that all, and singuler, thesame Arche∣bishoppes, Bishoppes, and all other their officers exercisyng Ecclesia∣sticall Iurisdiccion, aswell in place exempt, as not exempt, within their diocesses, shall haue full power and aucthoritie by this acte, to reforme correct, and punishe by Censures of the Churche, all and singuler per∣sones whiche shall offende within any their iurisdiccions, or Diocesses after thesaied feast of all Sainctes, nexte commyng, against this Acte and statute, any other Lawe, statute, preuilege, libertie, or prouision, heretofore made, had, or suffered, to the contrary, notwithstandyng.

And because there hath arisen, in the vse and exercise of the foresaid common seruice in the Churche, heretofore set furthe, diuerse doubtes for the fashion and maner of the ministracion of thesame, rather by the curiositie of the minister, and mistakers, then of any other worthy cause therfore, aswell for the more plain and manifest explanacion hereof, as for the more perfeccion of thesaid order of common seruice, in some pla∣ces where it is necessary to make thesame praier and fashion of seruice more earnest and fitte, to stirre christian people to the true honouryng of almightie God: The Kynges moste excellent maiestie, with thassent of the lordes and commons in this present Parlament assembled, and by the aucthoritie of thesame, hath caused the foresaied order of com∣mon seruice, entituled the Boke of common praier, to be faithfully and Godly perused, explaned, and made fully perfect, and by the foresaied aucthoritie, hath annexed and ioyned it, so explaned and perfected to this present statute, addyng also a fourme and maner of makyng, and consecratyng of Archebishoppes, Bishoppes, Priestes, and Deacons, to be of like force, aucthoritie, and value, as thesame like foresaid boke entituled the Boke of common praier was before, and to be accepted, receiued, vsed, and estemed, in like sorte and maner, and with thesame clauses of prouisions and excepcions to all ententes, construccions, and purposes, as by the Acte of Parlament, made in the second yere of the kynges Maiesties reigne, was ordeined, limited, expressed, and ap∣poyncted, for the vniformitie of seruice, and administracion of the Sa∣cramentes, throughout the Realme, vpon suche seuerall paines, as in thesaied Acte of Parlament is expressed. And thesaied former Acte, to stand in full force and strength, to all ententes, and construccions, and

to be applied, practised, and put in vre, to, and for thestablishyng of the boke of common praier, now explaned, and hereunto annexed, and also thesaied fourme of makyng of Archebishoppes, Bishoppes, Priestes, and Deacons, hereunto annexed, as it was for the former boke.

And by thaucthoritie aforesaid it is now further enacted, that if a∣ny maner of persone, or persones, enhabityng and beyng, within this realme, or any other the kynges maiesties dominiōs, shall after thesaid feast of al Sainctes, willyngly, and wittyngly, heare, and be present at any other maner, or forme, of common praier, of administracion of the Sacramentes of makyng of ministers in the churches, or of any other rites, conteined in the boke annexed to this acte, then is mencioned, and set furthe in thesaied boke, or that is contrary to the fourme of sondrie prouisions, and excepcions, conteined in the foresaied former statute, and shalbee thereof conuicted, accordyng to the lawes of this realme, before the Iustices of Assise, Iustices of Dyer and determiner, Iusti∣ces of Peace in their Sessions, or any of them, by the verdict of twelue men, or by his, or their awne confession, or otherwise, shall for the firste offence suffer enprisonment, for sixe monethes, without baile, or main∣prise, and for the second offence, beyng likewise conuicted, as is aboue∣saied, emprisonment for one whole yere, and for the third offence, in like maner emprisonmēt, duryng his or their lifes. And for the more know∣lege to be geuen hereof, and better obseruacion of this lawe: be it enac∣ted by the aucthoritie aforesaied, that all, and synguler Curates, shall vpon one Sondaie euery quarter of the yere, duryng one whole yere next folowyng the foresaied feast of all Sainctes next commyng, rede this present acte in the Churche, at the tyme of the moste assembly, and likewise once in euery yere folowyng, at thesame tyme, declaryng vnto the people, by the aucthoritie of the scripture, how the mercy and good∣nes of God, hath in all ages bene shewed to his people, in their necessi∣ties, and extremities, by meanes of hartie and faithfull praiers, made to almightie God, especially where people bee gathered together with one faithe and mynd, to offer vp their hartes by praier, as the best Sa∣crifices that christian men can yeld.