Changes in the Service under Henry VIII. CHAPTER II. THE PRAYER-BOOK IN THE REIGN OF EDWARD VI. [A.D. 1547-1553.] IN the latter years of the reign of Henry VIII., as the Bible was made more accessible, the desire for some reformation of the public Services was widely felt. Archbishop Hermann of Cologne was, in 1536, urging a revision of the Breviary, by purging out false or doubtful legends.1 In 1535, Cardinal Quignon published a reformed Roman Breviary,2 the chief feature of which was the introduction of Scripture in longer and continuous portions. This work had been undertaken at the desire of Pope Clement VII. (1523-1534); it was allowed by his successor Paul III. and was extensively used for forty years. In 1534, the Convocation petitioned Henry to authorize an English version of the Bible; and in 1536, in a Proclamation for Uniformity in Religion, the King, though maintaining 3 4 1 Synod of Cologne (1536), Art. 2. 2 Breviarium Romanum nuper reformatum, in quo sacræ scripturæ libri, probataq, sanctorum historia eleganter beneq. dispositæ leguntur.' The first text (of which six editions were printed between Feb. 1535 and July 1536) has now been reprinted, Cambridge, 1888: see Mr. Legg's Preface. A revised text was printed in 1537, in which it is entitled, Bre This viarium Romanæ Curiæ, ex sacra Changes in the Service that he is not compelled by God's Word to set forth the Scripture in English, yet of his own goodness is pleased Henry VIII to allow his lay subjects to have and read the same in convenient places and times.' In this year Cromwell, the King's Vicar-General, issued Injunctions, which direct a Bible of the largest volume in English to be set up in some convenient place in every church, where it might be read, only without noise, or disturbance of any public Service, and without any disputation, or exposition.2 In 1542, a proposal was laid before the Convocation by Cranmer, to amend the Service-books, and to discontinue the dressing of images and setting up lighted candles before them. A new edition of the Sarum Breviary1 was issued at this time, and it was further determined that no other Breviary should be used in the province of Canterbury. At the meeting of Convocation in 1543, the Archbishop signified that it was the King's will that there should be a further reformation of the Servicebooks; and it was ordered also that 'every Sunday 5 1 Wilkins, Concil. III. 815. The order is repeated in a Proclamation (6 May, 1541), which fixes the price of the unbound Bible at ten shillings, or twelve shillings if well and sufficiently bound, trimmed, and clasped (Wilkins, III. 856; Strype, Cranmer, I. 21). See an account of early English translations of the Bible in Joyce, England's Sacred Synods, pp. 404 sqq.; Hardwick, Reformation, p. 196. Reverendissimus egit cum patribus de candelis et candelabris coram imaginibus fixis abolendis, necnon de portiferiis, missalibus, et aliis libris corrigendis et reformandis, ac nominibus Romanorum pontificum et Thomæ Becket diligentius ab omnibus presbyteris radendis et abolendis; atque de quibusdam vestimentis sericis et aliis ornamentis ipsis statuis appositis; egitque de Oratione Do minica, Symbolo Apostolorum, et cum aliis 4 Portiforium secundum usum 6 Ibid. III. 863: That all mass- Changes in the Service under Henry VIII The Bible read in English. English and holiday throughout the year, the curate of every parish church, after the Te Deum and Magnificat, should openly read to the people one chapter of the New Testament in English, without exposition; and when the New Testament was read over, then to begin the Old.' Thus the first step was taken towards liturgical reformation by introducing the reading of Scripture in English into the Public Service of the Church: and this was done by the authority of the House of Bishops in Convocation, who had also received the proposal to correct the Service-Books. The way was thus prepared for the further substitution of English for Latin in the prayers. The first change in this respect was made in the Litany. This form of petition, used in solemn processions, had been in the hands of the people in their own tongue in the Primer, certainly for a hundred and fifty years; but in 1544 it was revised by Cranmer, who, besides the old Litanies of the English Church, had also before him the Litany, formed from the same ancient model, which had been issued (1543) by Hermann, the Archbishop of Cologne. The chief alteration consisted in the omission of the long string of invocations of saints, which had gradually been inserted in the Western Litanies; although Cranmer still retained three clauses, in which the prayers of the Virgin Mary, the angels, and the patriarchs, prophets, and apostles, were desired. With this exception our English Litany was set forth for public use by command of Henry VIII. (June 11, 1544) in its present form, and very nearly in its present words. All the other parts of Divine Service continued to be celebrated according to the several books and Uses which have been noticed. Royal Visitation Edward VI. On the accession of Edward VI. (Jan. 28, 1547), the first Accession of measure tending towards reformation was a provision for scriptural instruction of the people, that should be independent of the opinions of the parish priests, by the publication of the First Book of Homilies, to be read Homilies published. in the churches on Sunday, and a translation of the Paraphrase of Erasmus on the Gospels and Acts of the 1 A King's Letter (23 Aug. 1543) find, and made a selection of some desired general rogations and pro- proper Litanies for festivals, which, cessions to be made, on the occasion however, were not taken into use. of continual rains; and the Arch- The letter sent with the book to bishop, in his mandate, refers to the King (Cranmer, Works, II. 412, other troubles :-'Sævientis pestis ri- ed. Park. Soc.) shows the method gore et bellorum tumultibus, quibus in which he compiled, or revised, the orbis Christianus inpræsentiarum, prayers, and also mentions the musical proh dolor! undique æstuat:' Wil- notation, which now had to be transkins, III. 868. The objection to the ferred from the Latin to English use of Latin prayers was, however, words: ' ... I have translated felt in the slackness of the people to certain processions to be used attend the procession. The King upon festival days. I was consays in his Letter authorizing the strained to use more than the liberty English Litany (Wilkins, III. 869), of a translator; for in some pro'Forasmuch as heretofore the people, cessions I have altered divers words; partly for lacke of goode instruction in some I have added part; in some and callynge, partly for that they taken part away; some I have left understode no parte of suche prayers out whole, either for by cause the or suffrages as were used to be songe matter appeared to me to be little to and sayde, have used to come very purpose, or by cause the days be not slackely to the procession, when the with us festival days; and some prosame have been commanded here- cessions I have added whole . . tofore.' This Litany has been re- If your grace command some devout printed by Mr. Clay for the Parker and solemn note to be made thereSociety, as an Appendix to the unto (as is to the procession which volume of Private Prayers of the your majesty hath already set forth in Reign of Q. Elizabeth. An exhortation English), I trust it will much stir the anto prayer was prefixed, 'thought hearts of all men unto devotion . . .' meet by the king's majesty, and his Oct. 7. [This Letter is referred to clergy, to be read to the people in 1543 in State Papers of Henry VIII. every church afore processions. See vol. I. p. 760. But the allusion to Mr. Clay's Preface, p. xxiii. It seems the English Litany already set forth that Cranmer continued his work by makes it more probably written in examining the different Litanies and 1544.] processional services that he could The Order of the Communion. (1548.) Injunctions. Apostles, to be studied by the clergy, and to be set up in the churches together with the great Bible.1 InjuncArticles and tions and Articles of Enquiry were also issued with a royal Visitation in September, which renewed the orders of Henry against superstition and the pope; and besides one chapter of the New Testament to be read at Matins, and at Evensong one chapter of the Old Testament, on every Sunday and holiday, the significant direction was now added, that the Epistle and Gospel at high mass should be in English.2 Epistle and Gospel in In issuing these injunctions, the royal Council acted under the authority of the late king's will, and the statutes which empowered the advisers of Edward during his minority to direct ecclesiastical affairs by proclamation.3 But changes were aimed at which went far beyond the intention of those statutes, and which therefore awaited the meeting of Parliament and Convocation Communion in the beginning of November (1547). Among other in both kinds sanctioned by Convocation matters of ecclesiastical law, the Lower House of Convocation now turned their attention to reforms in the Church Service, which had been for some time in contemplation, and approved a proposition, introduced by the Archbishop, for administering the Communion in both and Parlia-kinds. This change was accepted by the Parliament; ment. 1 Cardwell, Documentary Annals, 3 Ibid. See p. 4, note. 4 Convocation met, Nov. 5. Session III. Nov. 22, the Lower House presented some petitions to the arch bishop, and among them, that the works of the bishops and others, who by the command of the Convocation have laboured in examining, reforming, and publishing the Divine Seruice, may be produced, and laid before the examination of this house.' Nov. ult. a form of a certain ordinance,' delivered by the archbishop, for the receiving of the body of our Lord under both kinds, viz. of bread and wine,' was read, and subscribed by several members: and Session vi. Dec. 2, 'all this whole session, in number 64, by their mouths did ap |