people, and after their response, said a collect, which the people heard upon their knees. their knees. After the collect the choir sung the Trisagium, which was followed by the Canticle, "Benedictus Dominus Deus Israel." (These, however, were omitted during Lent). Then came a lesson from the prophets and the Apostolic writings, after which the Hymn of the Three Children was sung. This was followed by the reading of the Gospel; before and after which the Trisagium was again sung, and the people gave the response, (still continued by tradition in the English Church,) "Glory be to Thee, O Lord." Afterwards the Bishop either preached himself, or, if he was infirm or ill, ordered a homily to be read by a Priest or Deacon. Then the appointed prayers were said by a Deacon for the Hearers and Catechumens. These latter having been dismissed, and silence enjoined, the elements were brought in, and an oblation of them made, whilst the choir sung an anthem, called Sonum. Then the sacred diptychs were read, the collect post nomina said, the kiss of peace given, and the collect ad pacem said by the Priest, after which followed the Canon, which was very short.

After the Consecration came the prayer post secreta; and then the Bread was broken, and the sacred Elements were mixed. In the mean time the choir sung an anthem. This was followed by a collect, the Lord's prayer, and another collect. (It appears that the Lord's prayer was said by both the Priest and people.) Before Communion the blessing was given, if by the Priest in this form: "Pax, fides, et caritas et communicatio corporis et sanguinis Domini sit semper vobiscum." During Communion the Trecanum, (it is doubtful what this was) was sung by the choir. Then d

one, or perhaps two collects were said, and the people were dismissed.47

According to this use the English Church most probably celebrated the Holy Eucharist until the end of the sixth century. S. Augustine there can be little doubt brought with him the Liturgy then observed at Rome; he first landed about the year 597, during the lifetime of Pope Gregory himself. After his second coming, as archbishop, he requested the Pope to decide upon some questions, and among them especially, what service was to be used in the Church, as the Gallican and Roman Liturgies were not the same. The answer was, that he might himself choose either; or select the Liturgy which he thought most suitable from the various forms in the Catholic Church, provided only that he had regard to the circumstances and prejudices of the country, and the glory of God. This reply of Gregory also proves, that although it differed from the Roman, yet that in his judgment the Gallican or British Liturgy contained nothing which was objectionable.

The influence of S. Augustine and his successors naturally led to the general adoption of the Roman Liturgy and it is said, that the few manuscripts which have come down to us of the Anglo-Saxon age, are but transcripts of the Sacramentary of S. Gregory. And this was the case, not only among the converts from Paganism, but also gradually in the British Churches, which still existed in remote parts of the country. By the latter, however, perhaps the general arrangement

47 Compare also the account of this Liturgy given by Palmer. Orig. Lit. vol. i. p. 158. And the argument by which he proves that it originally was from the East, and not from Rome. See also Le Brun, Explicatio Missæ. tom. 2. p. 126.

only was received, not the exact words throughout, or style, or expression. For not merely would ancient prejudices, and ritual peculiarities have influence against the newer Form, but the Bishops of the several dioceses into which England was divided, it may well be thought exercised the power of which I have already spoken, to enjoin, within the limits of their respective jurisdictions, rites and ceremonies and prayers.

The Eucharistical Offices therefore of the AngloSaxon Church may have been, for many years, distinguished from each other by very important variations; and it is probable that throughout England, up to the century preceding the Conquest, they differed in some degree or other so far as the number of dioceses would permit, until the civil subordination of the whole land under one head, and consequent increased facilities of intercourse introduced a greater sameness of practice, well fitted to their Unity of Faith.

48

About the year 1085, Osmund, then Bishop of Salisbury, drew up and promulgated a Form which should be

used in his diocese:49 and whether from the known

48 There were also varieties used by the different Monastic Orders: several of which have been printed in later years. Those according to the Uses of the Benedictines, the Carthusians, the Cistercians, and the Dominicans were published before the year 1500.

49" At the Conquest, monasteries had a deep share in the afflictions of the conquered nation; some of the best of their manors were sacrilegiously taken away, their treasuries plundered, and their liberties infringed. Most of the English Abbots being deposed for little or no causes, strangers were preferred to the richest abbies in the kingdom, who introduced several new customs to the grievance of the old Saxon monks.

"The first thing which seemed very hard was the altering their missals: upon this account what great heats were there in the Abbey of Glastonbury! when Thurstan, the pragmatical Norman Abbot would have forced the monks to lay aside the old Gregorian service,

ability and earnestness of Osmund, whether from the fame of his new Cathedral, or the college of learned clergy which he had collected, or from whatever cause, this Use of Sarum was very generally adopted in the south of England, as well as in other parts of the country, and even, it has been said, upon the continent. It did not however altogether exclude the other Uses, of York, Bangor, Hereford, and Lincoln, 50 which still obtained in their respective districts: these were small perhaps in comparison with the wide reception of the Use of Sarum, and neither their exact limits nor their authors can be ascertained: it seems certain, that the Uses of Lincoln and Bangor were not so general as those of York and Hereford.

According, then, to these various Uses, (various yet harmonious,) the Holy Eucharist was celebrated in England until the year 1547, the first of King Edward VI. Their origin cannot be attributed merely to man's ingenuity and learning, or even piety, but they are to be traced, as has been very briefly shewn, through the Sacramentaries of Gregory and Gelasius and Leo, to the well-spring of all Christian Truth, the age of the Apostles.

In March, 1548, a Form was drawn up to be used in the distribution of the Communion. By this, there was

which had been used there time out of mind, to make use of the new devotions," i. e. manner of singing, " of William of Fiscamp. These and several other innovations, which were bringing in upon them, were stopped by the pains of Osmund, Bishop of Salisbury, who composed a new ritual, afterward known by the name of Missale in usum Sarum, and generally used in England, Scotland, and Ireland." Tanner, Notitia Monastica, Pref. 4, edit. 1787. Compare also Palmer, i. 186. 50 So Asseman reckons five Uses. Codex Liturgic. vol. iv. part iii. 36.

to be no alteration made in the old office, although a very significant hint was given of the intention of the King's advisers, 51 but after the Priest had himself communicated, he was to exhort the people to a worthy partaking with him, in almost the words which we still use; beginning, "Dearly beloved in the Lord, ye, coming to this holy communion, must consider what St. Paul writeth to the Corinthians, &c." This was to be followed by a charge to all open sinners to withdraw, and the invitation (as at present)" You that do truly and earnestly repent you of your sins, &c." after which (also very nearly as we have them now) a confession, and absolution, and the comfortable words, and the prayer of humble access; and then the Body and the Blood were given, with these words: "The body of our Lord Jesus Christ, which was given for thee, preserve thy body unto everlasting life:" and, "The blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, which was shed for thee, preserve thy soul to everlasting life." Having received, the people were dismissed with the Blessing.52

51 The first Rubric relating to the distribution is sufficiently important to be given at length. "The time of the Communion shall be immediately after that the Priest himself hath received the Sacrament, without the varying of any other rite or ceremony in the mass, (until other Order shall be provided) but as heretofore usually the Priest hath done with the sacrament of the body, to prepare, bless and consecrate so much as will serve the people; so it shall continue still after the same manner and form, save that he shall bless and consecrate the biggest chalice, or some fair and convenient cup or cups full of wine, with some water put into it; and that day not drink it up all himself, but taking one only sup or draught, leave the rest upon the altar covered, and turn to them that are disposed to be partakers of the communion, and shall thus exhort them as followeth : Dearly beloved in the Lord," &c.

52 The whole form is in Wilkins. Concil. iv. 11. and at the end of the two Common Prayer Books of Edward the Sixth, reprinted by Dr. Cardwell.