The Ordinal from the 1549, 1552 and 1559 Books of Common Prayer: Deacons · The 1549 Book of Common Prayer: Preface

The Book of Common Prayer

	The Ordinal
	from the 1549, 1552 and 1559 Books of Common
	Prayer

	Ordinal
	title page, 1550
	[The first Ordinal in English was not published until 1550.]
	Ordinal
	title page, from a 1634 printing.
	Preface
THE	from the Ordinal of 1550; clicking on the image to the left will bring
PREFACE.	up a larger (125K), readable version.
IT
is evident unto all men, diligently readinge holye scripture, and auncient
aucthours, that from the Apostles tyme, there hathe bene these orders
of Ministers in Christes church, Bisshoppes, Priestes, and Deacons, which
Offices were evermore had in suche reverent estimacion, that no man by
his own private aucthoritie, might presume to execute any of them, except
he were first called, tried, examined, and knowen, to have such equalities,
as were requisite for the same. And also by publique prayer, with imposicion
of handes, approved, and admitted thereunto. And therfore to the entent
these orders shoulde bee continued, and reverentlye used, and estemed
in this Church of England, it is requysite, that no man (not beynge at
thys presente Bisshop, Priest, nor Deacon) shall execute anye of them,
excepte he be called, tryed, examined, and admitted, accordynge to the
forme hereafter folowinge. And none shalbe admitted a Deacon, except he
be xxi yeres of age at the least. And every man, which is to be admitted
a Priest, shalbe full xxiiii yeres olde. And every man, which is to be
consecrated a Bishop, shalbe fully thyrtie yeres of age. And the Bisshop
knowinge, eyther by hymself, or by sufficient testimonye, any person to
be a man of vertuous conversacion [=behavior],
and wythoute cryme, and after examinacion and triall, fyndynge hym learned
in the Latyne tongue, and sufficientlye instructed in holye Scripture,
maye upon a Sondaye or Holyday, in the face of the church, admitte hym
a Deacon in suche maner and fourme, as hereafter foloweth.
THE FOURME AND MANER
OF
ORDERINGE
OF DEACONS.
¶
Fyrst, when the daye appoynted by the Bisshoppe
is come, there shalbe an exhortacion, declaring the duetie and office,
of suche as come to be admitted Ministers, howe necessarie suche Orders
are in the Churche of Christe, and also howe the people oughte to esteme
them in theyr vocacion.
1550:	1552,
	59:
¶
After the exhortacion ended, the Archedeacon, or his deputie, shal	¶ After the exhortacion ended, the Archedeacon, or his deputie, shal
present such as come to be admitted to the Bisshop every one of them,	present such as come the Bisshop to be admitted, saying these wordes.
that are presented, having upon hym a playne Albe; and the Archedeacon
or his deputie shal saye these wordes.
R	*
EVERENDE Father in	added 1552.
GOD, I presente unto you, these persones presente, to bee admitted Deacons.
¶ The Bisshoppe. Take hede that the persones whom ye presente unto
us, be apte and mete, for theyr learninge and godlye conversacion [=behavior],
to exercyse theyr ministerye duely, to the honoure of God, and edifyinge
of hys Church.
The
Archedeacon shall aunswere.
I have enquyred of them, and also examined them, and thynke them so to
be.
¶
And then the Bisshop shal saye unto the people.
BRETHREN,
yf there bee anye of you, who knoweth anye impediment, or notable crime,
in any of these persones presented to bee ordered Deacons, for the whych
he oughte not to bee admitted to the same, lette hym come foorthe in the
name of God, and shewe what the cryme, or impediment is.
¶
And yf any great cryme, or impediment be objected, the Bisshoppe shal
surcease [=desist],
from ordering that person, untyl suche tyme as the partie accused, shal
trye himself clere of that cryme.
Then the Bisshop, commending suche as shalbe found mete to be ordered
to the prayers of the congregacion, wyth the Clerkes, and people present,
shalt saye or synge the Letany as foloweth[ wyth the prayers]*.
The Letanie and Suffrages.
O
GOD the father of heaven : have mercye upon us myserable synners.
O God the father of heaven : have mercie upon us
miserable synners.
O God the sonne, redemer of the world : have mercye
upon us myserable synners.
O God the Sonne, redemer of the world : have mercy
upon us miserable synners.
O God the holy Ghost, proceding from the father
and the sonne : have mercye upon us myserable synners.
O God the holy gost, proceding from the Father and
the sonne: have mercye upon us miserable synners.
O holy, blessed, and glorious Trinitie, thre persons
and one God : have mercie upon us miserable synners.
O holy, blessed, and glorious Trinitie, thre persons
and one God : have mercie upon us miserable synners.
Remembre not Lorde our offences, nor the offences
of oure forefathers, neyther take thou vengeaunce of oure synnes spare
us good Lorde, spare thy people, whom thou hast redemed with thy most
precious bloud, and be not angry wyth us for ever.
Spare
us good Lorde.
From
all evyll and mischiefe, from synne, from the craftes and assaultes of
the devyll, from thy wrath, and from everlasting damnacion.
Good
Lorde deliver us.
From
[al]* blyndnes of hearte, from pryde, vayneglory, and hypocrisie, from
envie, hatred, and malice, and all uncharitablenes.
Good
lord, deliver us.
From
fornicacion, and all [other]* deadlye synne, and from all the deceyptes
of the worlde, the fleshe, and the devyll.
Good	*
lord, deliver us.	added 1552.
From
lightening[es] and tempest[es], from plague, pestilence, and famine,
from battayle and murther, and from sodeyne death.
Good
lord, deliver us.
1550,	1559:
52:
	From all sedicion and privey conspiracye, frome all false doctrine and
From all sedicion and pryvie conspiracie, from the tyrannye of the Bysshop	heresy, from hardnes of herte, and contempte of thy worde and commaundement:
of Rome, and al hys detestable enormities, from al false doctryne and
heresy, from hardnes of hearte, and contempte of thy worde and commaundement.
Good
lord, deliver us.
By
the misterye of thy holy incarnacion, by thy holy nativitie and circumcision,
by thy baptisme, fastynge, and temptacion.
Good
lord, deliver us.
By
thyne agonye and bloudie sweate, by thy crosse, and passion, by thy precious
death and buriall, by thy glorious resurrection and ascension, and by
the cominge of the holy Ghost.
Good
lord, deliver us.
In
al time of our tribulacion, in al tyme of our welth, in the houre of death,
and in the daye of judgement.
Good
Lorde delyver us.
We
synners doe beseche thee to heare us (O Lorde God), and that it may please
thee to rule and governe thy holy Church universally, in the ryghte waye.
We	*
beseche thee to heare us good Lorde.	added 1559, and changed appropriately for Queen Elizabeth, King James &
	King Charles
That it may please
the, to kepe [and strengthen in the true worshippinge of the in righteousnes,
and holynes of lyfe, thy servaunt] EDWARD the sixth our [most gracious]
Kynge and governour.
	[this
We beseehe thee	petition and the one following changed appropriately for Queen Elizabeth]
to heare us good lord.
That
it may please thee, to rule his heart in thy fayth feare and love, that
he may alwayes have affiaunce [=faith]
in thee, and ever seke thy honour and glory.
We
beseche thee to heare us good Lorde.
That
it may please thee, to be his defendour and keper, gevyng hym the victorie
over all his enemies.
We
beseche thee to heare us good Lord.
That
it may please thee, to illuminate al Bisshops, Pastours, and Ministers
of the Churche, wyth true knowledge, and understanding of thy worde, and
that both by theyr preachynge and lyving, they may sette it forth and
shewe it accordingly.
	This
We	petition omitted in 1559
beseche thee to heare us good Lorde.
That
it may please thee, to blesse these men, and send thy grace upon them,
that they maye duelye execute the offyce nowe to bee commytted unto them,
to the edifyinge of thy Churche, and to thy honoure, prayse, and glorye.
We
beseche thee to heare us good Lorde.
That
it may please thee to endue the Lordes of the Counsayle and al the nobilitie
wyth grace, wysdome, and understanding.
We
beseche thee to heare us good Lord.
That
it may please thee, to blesse and kepe the Magistrates, geving them grace
to execute Justice, and to maynteyne trueth.
We
beseche hee to heare us good Lorde.
That it may
please thee, to blesse and kepe al thy people.
We
beseche thee to heare us good Lorde.
That
it may please thee, to geve to al nacions, unitie, peace, and concorde.
We
beseche thee to heare us good Lorde.
That
it may please thee to geve us an heart, to love and dreade [=respect]
thee, and dyligently to lyve after thy commaundementes.
We
beseche thee to heare us good Lorde.
That
it maye please thee to geve all thy people encrease of grace, to heare
mekely thy woorde, and to receyve it wyth pure affection, and to brynge
foorth the fruytes of the spirite.
We
beseche thee to heare us good Lorde.
That
it maye please thee, to bringe into the waye of trueth, al suche as have
erred, and are deceyved.
We
beseche thee to heare us good Lorde.
That
it may please thee, to strengthen suche as doe stande, and to comforte
and helpe the weake hearted, and to rayse them up that fall, and finallye
to beate downe Sathan under our feete.
We
beseche thee to heare us good Lorde.
That
it may please thee, to succoure, helpe and comforte, al that be in daunger,
necessitie, and tribulacion.
We
beseche thee to heare us good Lorde.
That
it may please thee, to preserve al that travayl by lande, or by water,
al women labouringe of chylde, al sycke persons and yonge chyldren, and
to shewe thy pytie upon al prysoners and captyves.
We
beseche thee to heare us good lorde.
That
it may please thee, to defende and provide for the fatherles chyldren
and wyddowes, and all that be desolate and oppressed.
We
beseche thee to heare us good lorde.
That it may
please thee, to have mercie upon al men.
We
beseche thee to heare us good lorde.
That
it may please thee, to forgeve oure enemyes, persecutours, and slaunderers,
and to turne theyr heartes.
We
beseche thee to heare us good Lorde.
That
it may please thee, to geve and preserve to our use, the kyndly fruytes
of the yearth, so as in due tyme we may enjoye them.
We
beseche thee to heare us good Lorde.
That
it may please thee to geve us true repentaunce, to forgeve us all oure
synnes, negligences, and ignoraunces, and to endue us wyth the grace of
thy holye spirite, to amende oure lyves accordinge to thy holye worde.
We
beseche thee to heare us good Lorde.
Sonne of God:
we beseche thee to heare us
Sonne
of God: we beseche thee to heare us.
O
Lambe of God, that takeste awaye the synnnes of the worlde.
Graunt us thy peace.
O Lambe of God, that
takest awaye the synnes of the worlde.
Have mercie upon us.
O Christe heare us.
O Christe, heare us.
Lorde have mercy
upon us.
Lorde have mercy upon us.
Christ have mercy
upon us.
Christ have mercy upon us.
Lorde have mercy
upon us.
Lorde have mercy upon us.
1550, 59:	1552:
Our father which art in heaven, etc.	¶ Our father which art in heaven, &c.
And leade us not into temptacion.	And leade us not into temptacion.
But deliver us from evill.	But deliver us from evill.
1550:	1552,
	59:
The Versicle. O lorde deale not with us after our sinnes.
	The Versicle. O lorde deale not with us after our sinnes.
The aunswere. Neither reward us after our iniquities.
	The aunswere. Neither reward us after our
	iniquities.
Let	*
us pray.	added 1552.
O
GOD mercyfull father, that despyseste not the sighinge of a contryte hearte,
nor the desyre of suche as be sorowfull, mercyfully assiste oure prayers
that we make before thee, in all oure troubles and adversities, whensoever
they oppresse us: and graciously heare us, that those evyls, which the
craft and subteltie of the devyl, or man worketh agaynst us, be brought
to naught, and by the providence of thy goodnes, they may be dispersed,
that we thy servauntes, beyng hurte by no persecutions, may evermore geve
thankes unto thee, in thy holy Church, through Jesu Christ oure Lorde.
O Lorde aryse, help us, and delyver us, for thy
names sake.
O
GOD, we have heard with our eares, and oure fathers have declared unto
us, the noble workes, that thou dyddeste in their dayes, and in the olde
tyme before them.
O Lorde aryse, help us, and delyver us, for thyne honour.
Glorye be to the father, [and to]* the sonne, and to the holy ghost. As
it was in the begynning, is now, and ever shal be, world without ende.
Amen.
From our enemies defende us, O Christ.
	"sorowes"
Graciously	from 1552.
loke upon our afflictions.
Pitifully beholde the doloure* of our heart.
Mercifully
forgeve the synnes of thy people.
Favourably with mercy heare our prayers.
O
sonne of David have mercy upon us.
Both nowe and ever vouchesafe to heare us, O Christ.
Graciously
heare us, O Christe, Graciously heare us, O Lord Christe.
¶
The Versicle. O Lorde let thy mercy be shewed upon us.
The Aunswere. As we do put our trust in thee.
¶
Let us praye.
WE
humbly beseche thee, O father, mercyfully to looke upon oure infirmities,
and for the glory of thy names sake, tourne from us all those evylles,
that we moste ryghteouslye have deserved: And graunte that in all oure
troubles, we maye put oure whole trust, and confydence in thy mercye,
and evermore serve thee, in holynes and purenesse of lyvinge, to thy honour
and glorye, through our onely mediatour and advocate Jesus Christ our
lord. Amen.
ALMYGHTIE
God, which hast geven us grace at this tyme with one accorde, to make
our common supplicacions unto the, and doest promise that when two, or
three be gathered in thy name, thou wilt graunt their requestes, fulfyll
nowe, O Lorde, the desyres and peticions of thy servauntes, as may be
moste expediente for them, grauntynge us in thys worlde, knowledge of
thy trueth, and in the worlde to come lyfe everlastynge. Amen.
Then
shalbe sayde also thys that foloweth.
ALMYGHTIE
God, whiche by thy devyne providence, haste appoynted dyverse Orders of
ministers in the Churche: and dyddeste enspyre thyne holy Apostles to
chose unto this Ordre of Deacons, the fyrste Martyr sainct Stephyn, wyth
other: mercyfully beholde these thy servauntes, now called to the lyke
office and administracion; replenishe them so wyth the trueth of thy doctryne,
and innocencie of lyfe, that, both by worde and good example, they may
faithfully serve thee in this office, to the glory of thy name, and profyte
of the congregacion, through the merites of our saviour Jesu Christ, who
lyveth and reygneth wyth thee, and the holy Ghost, nowe and ever. Amen.
Then	[1 Timothy 2:8-16]
shal
be songe or sayd, the Communion of the daye, savyng the Epistle shalbe
read out of Timothe, as foloweth.
LIKEWYSE
muste the ministers be honest, not double-tongued, not geven unto muche
wyne, neyther gredy of fylthy lucre, but holding the mistery of the fayth,
wyth a pure conscience. And let them first be proved, and then let them
minister, so that no man be able to reprove them. Even so must theyr wives
be honest, not evyll speakers, but sobre and faythfull in all thinges.
Lette the Deacons bee the husbandes of one wyfe, and suche as rule theyr
chyldren well, and theyr owne housholdes. For they that minister well,
geat themselves a good degre, and a greate lybertie in the fayth, whych
is in Christ Jesu.
These thinges wryte I unto thee trusting to come shortely
unto thee; but and yf I tarye longe, that then thou mayst yet have knowledge,
howe thou oughteste to behave thyselfe, in the house of God, whiche is
the congregacion of the lyvinge God, the pyller and grounde of trueth.
And without doubt, greate is that misterie of Godlynesse. God was shewed
in the fleshe, was justifyed in the spirite, was sene amonge the Angels,
was preached unto the Gentyles, was beleved on in the worlde, and receyved
up in glory.
Or
els thys out of the sixth of the Actes.	[Acts 6:2-7]
THEN
the twelve called the multitude of the disciples together, and sayde:
it is not mete that we shoulde leave the worde of God, and serve tables.
Wherefore brethren, looke ye oute amonge you, seven men of honest report
and full of the holy goste and wysdome, to whome we maye committe thys
busynesse: but we wyll geve oureselves continually to prayer, and to the
administracion of the word. And that saying pleased the whole multitude.
And they chose Stephin, a man ful of fayth, and ful of the holy ghoste,
and Philip, and Procorus, and Nichanor, and Tymon, and Permenas, and Nicholas
a convert of Antioche. These they set before the Apostles: and when they
had prayed, they layed theyr handes on them. And the worde of God increased,
and the nombre of the Disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly, and a
great companie of the Priestes, were obedient unto the fayth.
1550,	1559:
52:
¶ And before the Gospel, the Bisshop sittinge in a Chaire, shall cause	¶ And before the Gospell, the Bisshop sittyinge in a chayre, shall
the Othe [oath]	cause the Othe [oath]	* Kings supremacie
of the Kynges Supremacie, and against the power and aucthoritie of the	of the Quenes Souveraintie*, and against the power and authoritye of all	in 1604.
Bishop of Rome, to be ministred unto every of them that are to be Ordred.	foreyn pontentates, to be ministred unto every of them that are to be
	ordered.
¶	¶
The Othe of the Kynges Supremacie.	The Othe of the Quenes [Kings] Soverainte.
I	I
FROM henceforth shal utterly renounce, refuse, relinquisshe and forsake	A. B. do utterly
the Bysshop of Rome, and hys aucthoritie, power, and jurisdiction. And	testifie and declare in my conscience that the quenes [Kings] highnesse
I shal never consent nor agree, that the Bysshop of Rome shall practyse,	is the onely supreame Governoure of this Realme and of all other her [his]
exercyse, or have any maner of aucthoritie, Jurisdiction, or Power wythin	highnesse dominions and countreyes, aswell in all spirituall or ecclesiasticall
thys Realme, or anye other the Kynges dominions, but shall resyste the	thinges or causes: as temporall, and that no forrayn prince, person, prelate,
same at all tymes, to the uttermoste of my power. And I from hence foorth	state, or potentate, hath or ought to have any jursidiction, power, superioritie,
wyll accepte, repute, and take the Kynges Maiestie, to be the onelye Supreme	preheminence or aucthoritie ecclesiasticall or spiritual within this realme,
head in earth, of the Church of Englande: And to my connynge, wytte, and	and therefore I do utterly renounce and forsake all forayn jurisdictions,
uttermoste of my power, wythoute guyle, fraude, or other undue meane,	powers, superiorities, and aucthorities, and do promyse that from henceforth
I wyll observe, kepe, maynteyne and defende, the whole effectes and contentes,	I shall beare fayth and trewe allegyaunce to the Quenes [kings] hyghnes,
of al, and synguler actes and Statutes made, and to be made wythin thys	her [his] heyres and lawfull successours, and to my power shall assiste
realme in derogacion [=impairing],	and defende all jurisdictions, privileges, preheminences, and aucthorities
extirpacion [=extermination],	graunted or belonging to the Quenes [Kings] hyghnesse, her [his] heyres
and extinguishment of the Bisshop of Rome and his aucthoritie, and al	and successours, or united and annexed to thimperiall Croune of thys realme,
other Actes and Statutes, made or to be made, in confirmacion and corroboracion	so helpe me God, and the contentes of thys boke.
of the Kynges power, of the supreme head in earth, of the Church of Englande:
and this I wyll do agaynst all maner of persones, of what estate, dignitie
or degree, or condicion they be, and in no wise do nor attempt, nor to
my power, suffre to be done or attempted, directely or indirectly, any
thing or thinges, prively or appertelye [apertly,
=publicly], to the let [=prevention],
hinderaunce, dammage, or derogacion thereof, or any part thereof, by any
maner of meanes, or for any maner of pretence. And in case any othe bee
made, or hath been made by me, to any person or persones, in mayntenaunce,
defence, or favoure of the Bisshoppe of Rome, or hys aucthoritie, jurisdiction,
or power, I repute the same, as vayne and adnichilate [=annulled]:
so help me God, [all Saints and the holy Evangelist].*
*
"through
Jesus Christ" in
1552.
Then	*
shalt the Bisshop examine every one of them that are to be ordered, in	added 1552.
the presence of the people, after thys maner folowynge.
	† "admitted
Do you trust that you are inwardely moved by the holy Ghoste, to take	therto" from 1552.
upon you thys offyce and ministracion, to serve God, for the promotinge
of hys glorye, and the edyfyinge of hys people?
Aunswere. I truste so.
The Bisshop. Do ye thinke, that ye truely be called
accordinge to the wyll of our Lord Jesus Christe, and the due ordre of
thys realme to the ministery of the Church?
Aunswere. I thinke so.
The Bisshop. Doe ye unfeynedly beleve all the
Canonicall scriptures, of the olde and newe Testament?
Aunswere. I doe beleve.
The Bisshoppe. Will you diligently reade the
same unto the people assembled in the Churche, where you shalbe appoynted
to serve?
Aunswere. I wyll.
The Bisshoppe. It perteyneth to the office of
a Deacon [in the Churche where he shalbe appoynted,]* to assiste the Prieste
in devine service, and speciallye when he ministreth the holye Communion,
and [to]* helpe him in distribucion thereof, and to reade holye scriptures
and Homelies in the congregacion, and [to]* instructe the youth in the
Cathechisme, to Baptise and [to]* preache yf he be [commaunded]†
by the Bisshop. And further more, it is his office [where provision is
so made]* to searche for the sicke, poore, and impotente people of the
parishe, and to intimate theyr estates, names, and places where thei dwel
to the Curate, that by his exhortacion they maye bee relieved by the parishe
or other convenient almose [alms]:
wil you do this gladly and wyllingly?
Aunswere. I wyll so do by the helpe of God.
The Bisshoppe. Will you applye all youre diligence
to frame and fasshion youre owne lyves, and the lives of all your familie
according to the doctrine of Christ, and to make bothe your selves and
them as muche as in you lieth, wholesome examples of the flocke of Christ?
Aunswere. I wyll so do, the Lorde beyng my helper.
The Bisshoppe. Will you reverently obeye your
ordinary and other chiefe Ministers of the Church, and them to whom the
governemente and charge is committed over you, folowyng wyth a gladde
mynde and wyll theyr godly admonicions?
Aunswere. I wyl thus endevor myself, the lord
beyng my helper.
¶
Then the Bishop layinge his handes severally upon the head of every
of them, shall saye.
Take thou aucthoritie to execute the office of a Deacon in the Church
of God committed unto thee: in the name of the father, the sonne, and
the holy ghost. Amen.
Then
shal the Bisshop delyver to every one of them the newe Testamente, sayinge.
Take thou aucthoritie to reade the Gospell in the Church of God, and to
preache the same, yf thou bee thereunto ordinarely commaunded.
Then one of them appoynted by the Bisshop, shal reade the Gospel of that
daye.
Then shal the Bisshop procede to the Communion, and
al that be ordered, shal tarye and receyve the holy Communion the same
daye wyth the Bisshop.
The Communion ended, after the laste Collecte and immediatly
before the benediction, shalbe sayed this Collecte folowynge.
ALMYGHTIE
God, gever of al good thinges, which of thy great goodnes hast vouchsafed
to accepte and take these thy servauntes unto the office of Deacons in
thy church: make them we beseche thee, O Lorde, to bee modest, humble,
and constant in their ministracion, to have a ready wyl to observe al
spiritual discipline, that they havinge alwayes the testimonie of a good
conscience, and continuing ever stable and strong in thy sonne Christ,
may so wel use themselves in thys inferior offyce, that they may be found
worthi to be called unto the higher ministeries in thy Church: through
the same thy sonne our Saviour Christ, to whom be glorye and honoure,
worlde wythout ende. Amen.
¶
And here it must be shewed unto the Deacon that he must continue in
that office of a Deacon, the space of a whole yeare at the least (excepte
for reasonable causes, it bee otherwyse seen to his ordenarie) to thentent
he may be perfecte, and wel expert in the thinges apperteyning to the
Ecclesiasticall administracion, in executing whereof, yf he be found faithful
and diligent, he may be admitted by his Diocesan to the ordre of Priesthode.

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