nothing is ordained to be read but the very pure word of Gods the holy friptures, or that which is agreeable to the fame ; and that in fuch a language and order, as is most eafy and plain for the understanding both of the readers and hearers. It is alfo more commodious, both for the shortness thereof, and for the plainnefs of the order, and for that the rules be few and easy.

And forafmuch as nothing can be fo plainly fet forth, but doubts may arife in the ufe and practice of the fame; to appease all fuch diverfity (if any arife) and for the refolution of all doubts, concerning the manner how to understand do and execute the things contained in this book; the parties that so doubt, or diversely take any thing, shall alway refort to the bishop of the diocefe, who by his difcretion fhall take order for the quieting and appeafing of the fame; fo that the fame order be not contrary to any thing contained in this book. And if the bishop of the diocefe be in doubt, he may fend for the refolution thereof to the archbishop.

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And altho' it be appointed, that all things shall be read and fung in the church in the english tongue, to the end that the congregation may be thereby edified; yet it is not meant, but that when men fay morning and evening prayer privately, they may Jay the fame in any language that they themselves do understand.

Stories and legends] That is, concerning the lives of the faints; of whom there being fuch a number in the church of Rome, few days are free from the ftories and legends they relate of them. Gibf. 263.

Refpond] A fhort anthem fung, after reading three or four verses of a chapter; after which, the chapter proceeds. Id.

Commemorations] The fervice of a leffer holiday falling in with a greater. Id.

Synodals] Conftitutions made in provincial or diocesan fynods, and published in the parish churches, Id.

Nocturn] So called from the ancient chriftians rifing in the night to perform them. Id,

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Pie] A table to find out the fervice belonging to each day; which becomes very difficult, by the coincidence of many offices on the fame day. Id.

Invitatories] Some text of feripture, adapted and chofen for the occafion of the day, and used before the venite; which alfo it felf is called the invitatory pfalm. 1d.

In the English tongue] By Art. 24. It is a thing plainly repugnant to the word of God, and the cuftom of the pri mitive church, to have publick prayer in the church, or to minifter the facraments, in a tongue not understanded of the people.

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And by the 2&3 Ed. 6. c. 1. it is provided, that it fhall be lawful to any man that underftandeth the greek, latin, and hebrew tongue, or other ftrange tongue, to fay and have the prayers of mattens and evenfong in latin or any fuch other tongue, faying the fame privately, as they do underftand. 5.

And for the encouragement of learning in the tongues, in the univerfities of Cambridge and Oxford; it fhall be lawful to use and exercise in their common and open prayer in their chapels (being no parish churches) or other places of prayer, the mattens, evenfong, litany, and all other prayers (the holy communion commonly called the mafs excepted) prescribed in the faid book, in greek, latin, or hebrew. f. 6.

And by the 13 & 14 C. 2. č. 4. it is provided, that it fhall be lawful to ufe the morning and evening prayer, and all other prayers and fervice prescribed in and by the faid book, in the chapels or other publick places of the refpective colleges and halls in both the universities, in the colleges of Westminster, Winchester and Eaton, and in the convocations of the clergies of either province, in latin. . 18.

And by the fame ftatute, the bishops of Hereford, St. David's, Afaph, Bangor, and Landaff, and their fucceffors, fhall take order that the faid book be tranflated into the british or welsh tongue, to be used in Wales where the welfh tongue is commonly used; and at the Tame time an english book fhall be had there likewife, that fuch as understand the fame may have recourfe thereunto, and fuch as do not understand the fame may by conferring both tongues together the fooner attain to the knowledge of the english tongue. . 27.

And by the 5 El. c. 28. The bithops are in like manner required to caufe the old and new teftament to be tranflated into welfh, and to have one english and one welth copy in every fuch refpective place.

فوع

By the 13 14 C. 2. c. 4. (which is the laft act of uniformity) it is enacted as follows: Whereas by the nglect of minifters in using the order of common prayer, during the time of the late troubles, great mischiefs and inconveniences have arifen; for the prevention thereof in time to come, and for fettling the peace of the church, the king (according to bis declaration of the five and twentieth of October 1660) granted his commiffion under the great feal, to fever al biflops and other divines, to review the book of common prayer, and to prepare fuch alterations and additions as they thought fit to offer: "And

afterwards

afterwards the convocations of both the provinces being by his majefty called and assembled, his majesty hath been pleased to authorize and require the prefidents of the faid convocation, and other the bishaps and clergy of the fame, to review the faid book of common prayer, and the book of the form and manner of the making and confecrating of bishops priests and deacons; and that after mature confideration, they should make fuch additions and alterations in the faid books refpectively, as to them should feem meet and convenient, and should exhibit and prefent the fame to his majesty in writing, for his further allowance or confirmation: fince which time, they the faid prefidents bishops and clergy of both provinces have accordingly reviewed the faid books, and bave made fome alterations to the fame which they think fit to be inferted, and fome additional prayers to the faid book of common prayer to be used upon proper and emergent occafions; and have exhibited and prefented the fime unto his majesty in writing in ane book, intitled. The book of common prayer and admi niftration of the facraments and other rites and ceremonies of the church, according to the ufe of the church of England; together with the pfalter or plalms of David, pointed as they are to be fung or faid in churches; and the form and manner of making ordaining and confecrating of bifhops priefts, and deacons: All which his majesty having duly confidered, hath fully approved and allowed the fame, and recommended to this prefent parliament, that the faid books of common prayer and of the form of ordination and confecration of bishops priefs and deacons, with the alterations and additions which have been so made and prefented to his majesty by the aid convocations, be the book which shall be appointed to be used by all that officiate in all cathedral and collegiate churches and chapels, and in all chapels of colleges and balls in bath the univerfities and the colleges of Eaton and Winchester, and in all parish churches and chapels throughout the kingdom, and by all that make or confecrate bishops pricfts or deacons in any of the Jaid places, under fuch fanctions and penalties as the houses of parliament hall think fit. f. 1.

Now in regard that nothing conduceth more to the fettling of the peace of the nation, nor to the bonour of our religion and the propagation thereof, than an univerfal agreement in the publick worship of God; and to the intent that every per fan within this realm may certainly know the rule to which he is to conform, in publick worship and adminiftration of facraments and other rites and ceremonies of the church of England, and the manner how and by whom bishops priests and deacons are and ought to be made ordained and confecrated; be it enacted by the king's most Excellent majefly, by the advice and confent of the lords fpiritual

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Books of cora·

mon prayer to

be provided.

and temporal and of the commons in this prefent parliament affembled, That all and fingular ministers in any cathedral, collegiate, or parish church or chapel, or other place of publick worship, fhall be bound to fay and use the morning prayer, evening prayer, celebration and administration of both the fa craments, and all other the publick and common prayer, in fuch order and form as is mentioned in the faid book, intitled as aforefaid, and annexed and joined to this prefent a&t; and that the morning and evening prayers therein contained, shall upon every Lord's day, and upon all other days and occafions, and at the times therein appointed, be openly and folemnly read by all and every minifter or curate, in every church chapel or other place of publick worship as afarefaid. §. 2.

Granted his commiffion under the great feal] Which bore date Mar. 25. 1661, and was directed to twelve bishops and twelve prefbyterian divines; with nine affistants on each fide, to fupply the places of the principals, when they fhould be occafionally abfent. In virtue of which commiffion, the commiffioners met frequently at the Savoy, and difputations were held, but nothing concluded. Gibf. 275.

Or other place of publick worship] By the 22 G. 2. c. 33. All commanders, captains, and officers at fea, fhall cause the publick worthip of Almighty God, according to the liturgy of the church of England, to be performed in their refpective fhips; and prayers and preachings by the chap lains fhall be performed diligently. Art. 1.

And by the rubrick before the fervice at fea: The morning and evening fervice to be used daily at fea, fhall be the fame which is appointed in the book of common prayer.

In fuch order and form as is mentioned in the faid book] Provided, that in all thofe prayers, litanies, and collects, which do any way relate to the king, queen, or royal-progeny; the names be altered and changed from time to time, and fitted to the prefent occafion, according to the direction of lawful authority. 13 & 14 C. 2. c. 4. f. 25That is, (according to practice,) of the king or queen in council. Gib 280.

7. By the 1 El. c. 2. The book of common prayer fhall be provided at the charges of the parishioners of every parifh and cathedral church. 19.

This was intended of the book of common prayer, as then established by that act.

By Can. 80. The churchwardens or queftmen of every church and chapel fhall, at the charge of the parish, pro

vide the book of common prayer, lately explained in fome few points by his majefty's authority, according to the laws and his highness's prerogative in that behalf; and that with all convenient speed, but at the furtheft within two months after the publishing of thefe our conftitutions. And this was intended of the fame book of common praver, as altered in the conference at Hampton-court as aforefaid.

Finally, by the 13 & 14 C. 2. c. 4. A true printed copy of the (prefent) book of common prayer, fhall at the costs and charges of the parishioners of every parif church and chapelry, cathedral church, college and hall, be provided before the feaft of St. Bartholomew 1662; on pain of 31. a month, for fo long time as they fhall be unprovided thereof. 26.

And the respective deans and chapters of every cathedral or collegiate church were required at their proper cöfts and charges, before Dec. 25. 1662, to obtain under the great feal of England, a true and perfect printed copy of this act, and of the said book annexed hereunto, to be by the faid deans and chapters and their fucceffors kept and preferved in fafety for ever, and to be alfo produced and fhewed forth in any court of record as often as they shall be thereunto lawfully required; and alfo there fhall be delivered true and perfect copies of this act and of the fame book into the refpective courts at Westminster, and into the tower of London, to be kept and preferved for ever among the records of the faid courts, and the records of the tower, to be alfo produced and fhewed forth in any court as need fhall require; which faid books fo to be exemplified under the great feal of England, fhall be examined by fuch perfons as the king fhall appoint under the great feal of England for that purpofe, and fhall be compared with the original book hereunto annexed, and they fhall have power to correct and amend in writing any error committed by the printer in printing of the fame book, and fhall certify in writing under their hands and feals, or the hands and feals of any three of them at the end of the fame book, that they have examined and compared the fame book, and find it to be a true and perfect copy; which faid books fo exemplified under the great feal, fhall be deemed to be good and available in the law to all intents and purposes, and fhall be accounted as good records as this book it felf hereunto annexed. f. 28.

8. By the 1314 C. 2. c. 4. Every perfon who thall Declaration of be presented or collated or put into any ecclefiaftical bene- affent thereun fice or promotion, fhall in the church chapel or place of

publick

to.