The 1549 Book of Common Prayer: Preface · The 1549 Book of Common Prayer: Preface

The Book of Common Prayer

	The Book of Common Prayer - 1549

THE
booke
of the common
prayer and admini-
nistracion of
the
Sacramentes, and other
rites and ceremonies of
the Churche after the
use of the Churche
of England.
Londini
in Ofiicina
Edouardi
Whitchurche.
Cum
Privilegio ad imprimendum solum
Anno Do. 1549, Mense Martii.
THE
CON-
tentes
of this Booke.
i. A PREFACE.
ii.
A Table and Kalendar for Psalmes and Lessons, with necessary rules perteinyng
to the same.
iii.
The Ordre for Matins and Evensong, throughout the yeare.
iv.
The Introites, Collectes, Epistles and Gospelles, to be used at the celebracion
of the lordes Supper and holy Communion through the yere, with proper
Psalmes and Lessons, for diverse feastes and dayes.
v.
The Supper of the Lorde and holy Communion, commonly called the Masse.
The Litany and Suffrages*	* The Litany is listed separately in most printings
vi. Of	(resulting in adjustments to subsequent numbering), but not in the one
Baptisme, bothe publique and private.	used here
vii. Of
Confirmacion, where also is a Catechisme for children.
viii. Of
Matrimony.
ix. Of
visitacion of the sicke, and Communion of the same.
x. Of
Buriall.
xi. The
purificacion of women.
xii. A
declaracion of scripture, with certein prayers to bee use the firste
daye of Lent, commonlye called Ashwednesdaie.
xiii. Of
Ceremonies omitted or reteyned.
xiiii. Certein
notes for the more plain explicacion, and decent ministracion of thinges
conteined in this boke.
The
Preface.
THERE was never any thing by the
wit of man so well devised, or so surely established, which (in continuance
of time) hath not been corrupted: as (emong other thinges) it may plainly
appere by the common prayers in the Churche, commonlye called divine service:
the firste originall and grounde whereof, if a manne woulde searche out
by the auncient fathers, he shall finde that the same was not ordeyned,
but of a good purpose, and for a great advauncement of godlines: For they
so ordred the matter, that all the whole Bible (or the greatest parte
thereof) should be read over once in the yeare, intendyng thereby, that
the Cleargie, and specially suche as were Ministers of the congregacion,
should (by often readyng and meditacion of Gods worde) be stirred up to
godlines themselfes, and be more able also to exhorte other by wholsome
doctrine, and to confute them that were adversaries to the trueth. And
further, that the people (by daily hearyng of holy scripture read in the
Churche) should continuallye profite more and more in the knowledge of
God, and bee the more inflamed with the love of his true religion. But
these many yeares passed this Godly and decent ordre of the auncient fathers,
hath bee so altered, broken, and neglected, by planting in uncertein stories,
Legendes, Respondes, Verses, vaine repeticions, Commemaracions, and Synodalles,
that commonly when any boke of the Bible was began: before three or foure
Chapiters were read out, all the rest were unread. And in this sorte the
boke of Esaie [Isaiah]
was begon in Advent, and the booke of Genesis in Septuagesima: but they
were onely begon, and never read thorow. After a like sorte wer other
bokes of holy scripture used. And moreover, whereas s. Paule would have
suche language spoken to the people in the churche, as they mighte understande
and have profite by hearyng the same; the service in this Churche of England
(these many yeares) hath been read in Latin to the people, whiche they
understoode not; so that they have heard with theyr eares onely; and their
hartes, spirite, and minde, have not been edified thereby. And furthermore,
notwithstandyng that the auncient fathers had devided the psalmes into
seven porcions, wherof every one was called a nocturne, now of late tyme
a fewe of them have been dailye sayed (and ofte repeated) and the rest
utterly omitted. Moreover the nombre and hardnes of the rules called the
pie, and the manifolde chaunginges of the service, was the cause, yt
to turne the boke onlye, was so hard and intricate a matter, that many
times, there was more busines to fynd out what should be read, then to
read it when it was faunde out.
These inconveniences therfore considered: here is set
furth suche an ordre, whereby the same shalbe redressed. And for a readines
in this matter, here is drawen out a Kalendar for that purpose, whiche
is plaine and easy to be understanded, wherin (so muche as maie be) the
readyng of holy scripture is so set furthe, that all thynges shall bee
doen in ordre, without breakyng one piece therof from another. For this
cause be cut of Anthemes, Respondes, Invitatories, and suche like thynges,
as did breake the continuall course of the readyng of the scripture. Yet
because there is no remedy, but that of necessitie there must be some
rules: therfore certein rules are here set furth, whiche as they be fewe
in nombre; so they be plain and easy to be understanded. So yt
here you have an ordre for praier (as touchyng the readyng of holy scripture)
muche agreable to the mynde and purpose of the olde fathers, and a greate
deale more profitable and commodious, than that whiche of late was used.
It is more profitable, because here are left out many thynges, whereof
some be untrue, some uncertein, some vain and supersticious: and is ordeyned
nothyng to be read, but the very pure worde of God, the holy scriptures,
or that whiche is evidently grounded upon the same; and that in suche
a language and ordre, as is moste easy and plain for the understandyng,
bothe of the readers and hearers. It is also more commodious, bothe for
the shortnes thereof, and for the plaines of the ordre, and for that the
rules be fewe and easy. Furthermore by this ordre, the curates shal nede
none other bookes for their publique service, but this boke and the Bible:
by the meanes wherof, the people shall not be at so great charge for bookes,
as in tyme past they have been.
And where heretofore, there hath been great diversitie
in saying and synging in churches within this realme: some folowyng
Salsbury use, some Herford use, same the use of Bangor, some of Yorke,
and some of Lincolne: Now from hencefurth, all the whole realme shall
have but one use. And if any would judge this waye more painfull, because
that all thynges must be read upon the boke, whereas before, by the reason
of so often repeticion, they could saye many thinges by heart: if those
men will waye their labor, with the profite in knowlege, whiche dayely
they shal obtein by readyng upon the boke, they will not refuse the payn,
in consideracion of the greate profite that shall ensue therof.
And farsomuche as nothyng can, almoste, be so plainly
set furth, but daubtes maie rise in the use and practisyng of the same:
to appease all suche diversitie (if any arise), and for the resolucion
of all doubtes, concernyng the maner how to understande, do, and execute
the thynges conteygned in this booke: the parties that so doubt, or diversly
take any thyng, shall alwaye resorte to the Bishop of the Diocese, who
by his discrecion shall take ordre for the quietyng and appeasyng of the
same: so that the same ordre be not contrary to any thyng conteigned in
this boke.
¶ Though it be appointed in the afore written
preface, that al thinges shalbe read and song in the churche, in the Englishe
tongue, to thende yt the congregacion maie be therby edified:
yet it is not meant, but when men saye Matins and Evensong privatelye,
they maye saie the same in any language that they themselves do understande.
Neither that anye man shalbe bound to the saying of them, but suche as
from tyme to tyme, in Cathedrall and Collegiate Churches,
Parishe Churches, and Chapelles to the same annexed, shall serve the congregacion.
	This
	is the last page of the Preface above, as originally printed in 1549. Click
	on the image to get a larger, readable image (125K in size).

Return to the 1549 Book of Common Prayer

Web author: Charles	U.
Wohlers	S. •
	England • Scotland
	• Ireland • Wales
	• Canada • World