Writings · writings · 16th century · 6 / 13
The 1559 Book of Common Prayer: Act of Uniformity; Preface; and Of Ceremonies
Church of England
The 1559 Book of Common Prayer: Holy Communion
The Book of Common Prayer
| The Book of Common Prayer - 1559 |
|---|
| THE | |
|---|---|
| ORDRE | |
| FOR | |
| THE | |
| ADMINISTRACION | |
| OF THE LORDES SUPPER, | |
| OR | |
| HOLY | |
| COMMUNION. | |
| So many as entend to be partakers of the holy Communion, | |
| shall signifie their names to the Curate over night; or els in the mornyng, | |
| afore the beginning of morning prayer or immediately after. | |
| And if any of those be an open and notorious evil liver, so that ye congregacion | |
| by him is offended, or have done any wrong to hys neighbours by word or | |
| dede ye curate havyng knowledge therof, shal cal hym, and advertyse hym, | |
| in any wise not to presume to the Lordes table, until he have openly declared | |
| him self to have truely repented, and amended his former naughty lyfe, | |
| that the Congregacion may therby be satisfyed, which afore were offended, | |
| and that he have recompensed the parties, who he hath done wrong unto, | |
| or at the least declare him selfe to be in full purpose so to doe, as | |
| sane as he conveniently may. | |
| Thesame order shall the Curate use with those, betwixt whome he perceyveth | |
| malice and hatred to raigne not suffering them to be partakers of the | |
| Lordes table untyll he know them to be reconciled. And if one of the parties | |
| so at variance, he content to forgeve from the bottome of hys hart, all | |
| that the other hath trespassed agaynste him, and to make amends for that | |
| he hymn self hath offended: and the other partye wyll not be perswaded | |
| to a godly unitye, but remain stil in his frowardnes and malice The Minister | |
| in that case, ought to admit the penitent person to the holy Communyon, | |
| and not hym that is obstinate | |
| The | |
| table, havyng at the Communion tyme a fayre whyte linnen cloth upon it, | |
| shall stand in the body of the churche or in the chauncell where mornyng | |
| prayer and evenyng prayour be appointed to be sayd. And the priest, standyng | |
| at the Northe syde of the table, shal say the Lordes prayour wyth this | |
| collecte followyng. | |
| ALMIGHTY | |
| God, unto whom al hartes be open, al desires knowe, and from whom no secretes | |
| are hyd: clense the thoughtes of our hartes by the inspiracion of thy | |
| holy spirite, that we may perfectly love the, and worthily magnify thy | |
| holy name, through Christe our Lorde. Amen. | |
| Then | |
| shal the Priest rehearse distinctly at the .x. Commaundementes, and the | |
| people knelyng, shal after every Commaundemente aske Goddes mercye for | |
| theyr transgressyon of the same, after thys sorte. | |
| Minister. God spake these wordes, and saide, | |
| I am the Lord thy God, Thou shalt have none other Goddes but me. | |
| People. Lorde have mercye | |
| upon us, and encline our hartes to kepe this lawe. | |
| Minister. Thou shalt | |
| not make to thy self any graven ymage, nor the likenes of any thyng that | |
| is in heaven above, or in the earth beneth, or in the water under the | |
| earth. Thou shalt not bow doune to them, nor worshyppe the, for I the | |
| Lord thy God am a gelous God, and visite the synne of the fathers uppon | |
| the children, unto the thyrde and iiii. generacyon of them that hate me, | |
| and shew rnercie unto thousandes in theim that love me, and keepe my commaundementes. | |
| People. Lorde have mercye | |
| upon us, and encline our hartes to kepe this lawe. | |
| Minister. Thou shalt | |
| not take the name of the Lorde thy God in vaine, for the Lorde wil not | |
| holde hym giltlesse that taketh his name in vaine. | |
| People. Lorde have mercie | |
| upon us, and encline our, &c. | |
| Minister. Remembre | |
| that thou kepe holy the Sabboth daie: .vi. dayes shalt thou laboure, | |
| and doe all that thou haste to do, but the .vii. day is the Sabboth of | |
| the lorde thy god. In it thou shalt do no maner of worke, thou and thy | |
| sonne and thy daughter, thy man servaunt, and thy mayd servaunt, thy Catel, | |
| and the straunger that is within thy gates: For in .vi. daies the Lord | |
| made heaven and earth, the Sea and all that in them is, and reasted the | |
| seventh daye. Wherefore the Lorde blessed the seventh daye and halowed | |
| it. | |
| People. Lorde have | |
| mercy upon us, and encline our. &c. | |
| Minister. Honour thy | |
| father and thy mother, that thy daies may be long in the lande which the | |
| Lord thy God geveth the. | |
| People. Lorde have mercy | |
| upon us, and encline. &c. | |
| The Minister. Thou shalt | |
| not do murther. | |
| People. Lorde have mercy | |
| upon us, and encline. &c. | |
| Minister. Thou shalt | |
| not committe adultery. | |
| People. Lorde have mercy | |
| upon us, and encline. &c. | |
| Minister. Thou shalt | |
| not steale. | |
| People. Lorde have mercy | |
| upon us, &c. | |
| Minister. Thou shalte | |
| not beare false wytnesse agaynste thy neyghboure. | |
| People. Lorde have mercy | |
| upon us, and encline our hartes to kepe this lawe. | |
| Minister. Thou shalt | |
| not covet thy neighbours house, Thou shalt not covet thy neighbours wife, | |
| nor his servaunt, nor his maide, nor his oxe, nor his asse, nor | |
| any thing that is his. | |
| People. Lord have mercy | |
| upon us, and write al these thy lawes in our hartes we beseche the. | |
| ¶ | |
| Then shall folowe the Collect of the day with one of these two Collectes | |
| folawyng for the Quene, the Priest standyng up and saying. | |
| Let | |
| us praye Priest. | This |
| ALMIGHTY | prayer was changed appropriately for subsequent monarchs, King James & |
| God, whose kyngdom is everlasting, and power infinite, have mercy | King Charles |
| upon the whole congregacion, and so rule the heart of thy chose servant | |
| Elizabeth our Quene and governoure that she (knowing whose minister she | |
| is) may above all thinges, seke thy honoure and glorye: and that we her | |
| subjectes, (duly considering whose aucthority she hath) may faithfully | |
| serve, honour, and humblye obey her in the and for the, according to thy | |
| blessed worde, and ordinance, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with | |
| the and the holye ghost, lyveth and reygneth ever one God, worlde without | |
| ende. Amen. | |
| ALMIGHTY | |
| and everlastinge God, we be taughte by thy holy word, that the hartes | |
| of Princes are in thy rule and governauce, and that thou doest dispose, | |
| and turne them as it semeth best to thy Godly wysedome: we humbly beseche | |
| thee, so to dispose and governe the harte of Elizabeth, thy servaunte, | |
| our Quene and governour, that in all her thoughtes, wordes, and workes | |
| she may ever seke thy honoure and glorye, and studye to preserve thy people | |
| committed to her charge, in welth, peace and godlynes. Graunt this O merciful | |
| father, for thy deare sonnes sake Jesus Christ our Lorde. Amen. | |
| Immediately | |
| after the Collectes, the Priest shall reade the Epystle beginning thus. | |
| The Epystle written in the. Chapiter of. | |
| And | |
| the Epystie ended, he shal say the Gospel, beginninge thus. | |
| The Gospell wrytten in the. Chapiter of. | |
| And | |
| the Epistle and Gospel being ended, shalbe said the Crede. | |
| I | |
| BELEVE in one God, the father almighty maker of heaven and earthe, and | |
| of all thynges visible and invisible: And in one Lorde Jesu Christe, the | |
| onely begotten sonne of GOD, begotten of his father before al worldes, | |
| god of God, lyghte of lyghte, verye God of verye God, gotten, not | |
| made, beynge of one substance wyth the father, by whome all thinges were | |
| made, who for us men, and for our salvacion came doune from heaven, | |
| and was incarnate by the holy Ghoste, of the Virgine Mary, and | |
| was made man, and was crucified also for us, under poncius Pilate. He | |
| suffered and was buried, and the thyrde day he rose againe accordinge | |
| to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right | |
| hande of the father. And he shal come againe with glory, to judge both | |
| the quicke and the deade, whose Kyngdome shall have none ende. And I beleve | |
| in the holye Ghoste, The Lorde and gever of life, who procedeth from the | |
| father and the sonne, who with the father and the sonne together is worshipped | |
| and glorified who spake by the Prophetes. And I beleve one catholicke | |
| and Apostolicke Churche. I acknowledge one Baptisme, for the remission | |
| of synnes. And I loke for the resurreccion of the dead : and the lyfe | |
| of the worlde to come. Amen. | |
| After | |
| the Crede yf there be no sermon, shall folowe one of the Homelies alredy | |
| set furth, or hereafter to he set furth by commune aucthoritie. | |
| After | |
| suche Sermon, homely, or exhortacion, the Curate shall declare unto the | |
| people, whether there be anye holy dayes or fastynge dayes the weke folowyng, | |
| and earnestly exhorte theim to remembre the poore, saying one, or moe | |
| of these sentences following, as he thinketh most convenient by his discretion. | |
| LET | Math. |
| your light so shyne before men, that they maye see your good workes, and | v. |
| glorifye youre father whyche is in heaven. | |
| Math. | |
| Laye not up youreselves treasure upon the earthe, where the ruste and | vi. |
| mothe doeth corrupte, and where theeves breake through and steale: But | |
| lay up for youreselves treasures in heaven, where neyther rust, nor motthe | |
| doeth corrupt, and where theeves do not breake thorowe and steale. | |
| Math. | |
| Whatsoever you woulde that menne shoulde do unto you, even so due unto | vii. |
| them, for this is the lawe and the Prophetes. | |
| Math. | |
| Not every one that sayeth unto me Lord, Lord, shall entre into the Kingdome | vii. |
| of heaven; but he that doeth ye wyl of my father whiche is in heaven. | |
| Luk. | |
| Zache [Zaccheus] | xix. |
| stode forth, and sayde unto the Lord, beholde Lord, the halfe of my goodes | |
| I gyve to the poore, and yf I have done any wronge to any man, | |
| I restore foure folde. | |
| i | |
| Who goeth a warefare at any tyme of his owne coste? Who planteth a vyneyarde, | Cor. ix. |
| and eateth not of the fruicte thereof? Or who feedeth a flocke, and eateth | |
| not of the mylke of the flocke? | |
| i. | |
| If we have sowen unto you spiritual thinges, is it a great matter, yf | Cor. ix. |
| we shal reape your worldly thinges? | |
| i. | |
| Do ye not knowe, that they whiche minister aboute holy thinges, lyve of | Cor. ix. |
| the sacrifyce? whyche wayte of the aultare, are partakers with the aultare. | |
| Even so hath the Lorde also ordeyned : that they whiche preache the Gospell, | |
| shoulde lyve of the gospel. | |
| ii. | |
| He which soweth lytle shal reape lytle; and he that soweth plenteously, | Cor. ix. |
| shal reape plenteously. Let every man doe accordynge as he is dysposed | |
| in his harte, not grudgynglye or of necessitie: for God loveth a cherefull | |
| gyver. | |
| Gala. | |
| Let hym that is taughte in the woorde, minister unto him that teacheth, | [6] |
| in all good thinges. be not deceived, God is not mocked; for whatsoever | |
| a man soweth, that shall he reape. | |
| Gala | |
| Whyle we have tyme, let us do good unto al men, and specially unto them, | vi. |
| whiche are of the householde of faythe. | |
| i. | |
| Godlynes is great ryches, yf a man be contente with that he hath: for | Tim. vi. |
| we brought nothynge into the worlde, neyther may we cary any thing out. | |
| i | |
| Charge them whyche are ryche in thys worlde, that they be ready to give, | Tim. vi. |
| and glade to distribute, laying up in store for them selves a good foundacion, | |
| against the time to come, that they may attayne eternal lyfe. | |
| Hebr. | |
| God is not unrighteous, that he wil forget your workes and laboure that | vi. |
| procedeth of love, whiche love ye have shewed for his names sake, whiche | |
| have ministered unto sainctes, and yet do minister. | |
| Heb. xiii | |
| To do good, and to distribute, forget not, for with such sacrifices God | |
| is pleased. | |
| i. | |
| Whoso hath thys worldes good, and seeth his brother have nede and shutteth | John iii. |
| up his compassyon from hym, how dwelleth the love of God in hym? | |
| Tob. | |
| Geve almose [alms] of thy goodes, | iiii |
| and turne never thy face from any poore man, and then the face of the | |
| Lorde shall not be turned away from the. | |
| Tob. | |
| Be mercifull after thy power. If thou hast muche gyve plenteously, if | iiii |
| thou hast litle, doe thy diligence gladly to geve of that litle, for so | |
| gatherest thou thy selfe a good rewarde in the day of necessitye. | |
| Pro | |
| He that hath pitye upon the poore, lendeth unto the Lorde: and looke what | xix. |
| he layeth out: it shalbe paied him agayne. | |
| Psal. | |
| Blessed be the man that provydeth for the sycke, and nedy, the Lorde shall | lxi. |
| deliver him, in the time of trouble. | |
| Then | |
| shal the Churchewardens, or some other by them appoyncted, gather the | |
| devocion of the people, and put the same into the poore mens boxe, and | |
| upon the offeryng daies appoincted, every man and woman shal pay to the | |
| Curate the due and accustomed offerings, after whiche done, the Priest | |
| shal saie. | |
| Let us pray for the whole estate of Christes Churche militant here in | |
| earth. | |
| ALMIGHTYE | |
| and everliving God, whych by thy holye Apostle hast taughte us to make | If ther |
| prayers and supplicacyons, and to geve thanckes for all men: We humbly | be none almes geven unto the poore, then shall the words of accepting |
| beseche thee moste mercifully (to accepte our almose) and to receyve these | our almes bee lefte out unsayd. |
| our prayers whyche of we offer unto thy divine majestie, beseechyng the | |
| to inspire continually, the universal Churche wyth the spiryte of truthe, | |
| unitye, and concorde: And graunt that all they that do confesse thy holy | |
| name, may agree in the truthe of thy holy woorde, and lyve in unytye and | |
| godlye love. We beseche thee also to save and defend alle Christyane Kynges, | |
| Prynces, and Governours, and specially thy servaunt, Elyzabeth our Quene | |
| that under her we may be godly and quietly governed: and graunt unto her | |
| whole Counsaill, and to all that be put in aucthoritye under her, that | |
| they may truely and indifferently [impartially] | |
| minister justice, to the punishement of wyckednes and vice, and | |
| to the maintenaunce of goddes true religion and vertue. Give grace (O | |
| heavenly Father) to al Bishopes, Pastours and Curates, that they may bothe | |
| by theyr life and doctrine set furth thy true and lively worde and rightely | |
| and duely administer thy holy Sacramentes: and to all thy people gyve | |
| thy heavenlye grace, and especially to thys congregacion heare present, | |
| that with meke harte and due reverence, they may heare and receive thy | |
| holy worde, truely servyng the in holines and ryghtuousnes all the dayes | |
| of theyr lyfe. And we moost humbly beseche the of thy goodnes (O Lord) | |
| to comfort and succoure all theym whyche in thys transitory lyfe bee in | |
| trouble, Sorowe, nede, sicknes, or any other adversity. Graunt this, O | |
| father, for Jesus Christes sake our onely Mediatour and advocate. Amen. | |
| Then | |
| shal folowe this exhortacion, at certayne tymes when the Curate shal | |
| see the people negligent to come to the holy Communyon. | |
| WE | |
| be come together at thys tyme, derely beloved brethren to fede at the | |
| Lordes supper, unto the whyche in Goddes behalf I bydde you all that be | |
| heare present, and beseche you for the lorde Jesus Christes sake, that | |
| ye wyll not refuse to come thereto, beyng so lovingly called, and bidden | |
| of God him selfe. Ye know howe grevous and unkynde a thing it is, when | |
| a manne hath prepared a riche feaste: decked his table with al kynde of | |
| provisyon, so that there lacketh nothinge but the gestes to sitte downe: | |
| and yet they whych be called wythout anye cause, mooste unthankfully refuse | |
| to come. Whyche of you in suche a case woulde not be moved? Who woulde | |
| not thyncke a greate injurie and wrong done unto hym? Wherefore moste | |
| derely beloved in Christe take ye good heade, lest ye, wythdrawyng your | |
| selves from this holy supper, and provoke Goddes indignation against you, | |
| it is an easy matter for a man to say, I will not communicate, because | |
| I am otherwise letted [hindered] | |
| with worldly busynes, but suche excuses be not so easily accepted and | |
| allowed before god. If any man say, I am a grevous sinner, and therefore | |
| am afrayed to come. Wherefore then do ye not repent and amende? When god | |
| calleth you, be you not ashamed to say ye wil not come? when you should | |
| returne to god, wil you excuse your self and say that you be not redy? | |
| Considre ernestly with your selves howe litle such feined excuses shall | |
| availe before God. They that refused the feaste in the Gospell, because | |
| they had bought a farme, or would trie their yokes of oxen, or because | |
| they were maried, were not so excused, but conpted [counted] | |
| unworthy of the hevenly feast. I for my part am here present and according | |
| to myne office, I bid you in the name of god, I cal you in Christes behalf, | |
| I exhort you, as you love your owne Salvation, that ye wil be partakers | |
| of this holy Communion. And as the sonne of God, did vouchesafe to yelde | |
| up his soule by death upon the crosse for your healthe, even so it is | |
| youre duety to receyve the Communion together in the remembraunce of his | |
| death as he hymselfe cornmaunded. Nowe, yf ye wyll in no wise thus do, | |
| consider with your selves, how great injury ye doe unto God, and howe | |
| sore punishment hangeth over your heades for thesame. And whereas ye offende | |
| God so sore in refusing this holy banquet, I admonishe, exhorte, and beseche | |
| you, that unto this unkyndenes ye wyll not adde any more. Whiche thing | |
| ye shall doe yf ye stand by as gasers and lokers of them that do Communicate, | |
| and be no partakers of the same your selves. For what thing can this be | |
| accompted els, then a further contempt and unkindenes unto God? Truly | |
| it is a greate unthankefulnes to saye naye when ye be called, but the | |
| faulte ismuche greater, when men stande by, and yet wyll neyther eate, | |
| nor drincke this holye Communion with other. I praie you what can this | |
| be ells but even to have the misteries of Christ in derision: it is sayde | |
| unto al: Take ye and eate, take and drincke ye al of this, do this in | |
| remebraunce of me. With what face then, or with what countenaunce shal | |
| ye here these wordes? what wyl this be els, but a neglecting, a despisyng, | |
| and mockynge of the Testament of Christ? wherfore rather the you shold | |
| so do, departe you hence, and geve place to them that be Godly dysposed. | |
| But when you departe, I beseche you pondre with yourselves, from whome | |
| ye departe: ye departe from the Lordes Table: ye depart from your brethren, | |
| and from the banket [banquet] | |
| of most heavenly foode. These thynges (yf ye earnestly consydre) ye shall | |
| by Goddes grace, returne to a better mynde, for the obteining wherof, | |
| we shall make our humble peticions while we shal receive the holy Communion. | |
| And | |
| some tyme shalbe said this also, at the discretion of the Curat. | |
| DERELY | |
| beloved, for asmuche as our dutye is to rendre to almighty God our | |
| heavenly father most harty thanckes for that he hathe geven his sonne | |
| our Sauiour Jesus Christ not onely to die for us, but also to be oure | |
| Spirituall fode, and sustenaunce, as it is declared unto us, aswel by | |
| Goddes worde, as by the holy sacramentes of his blessed body and bloud, | |
| the which being so comfortable a thing to them whiche receive it worthelye | |
| and so daungerous to them, that wil presume to receyve it, unworthely. | |
| My duty is to exhorte you to considre the dignitie of the holy mistery, | |
| and the great peril of the unworthy receiving therof, and so to searche | |
| and examine youre owne conscieces, as you shold come holy and cleane to | |
| a moste godly and hevenly feast, so that in no wise you come but in the | |
| mariage garment, required of God in holy scripture, and so come and be | |
| receyved as worthye partakers of suche a heavenly Table, the waye and | |
| meanes therto is. | |
| First to examine your lives and conversation by the | |
| rule of Goddes commaundementes and wherinsoeuer ye shall perceyve your | |
| selves to have offended eyther by wil, worde, or deede, there bewayle | |
| your owne synfull lives, confesse your selves to almighty God, with ful | |
| purpose of amendement of life. And yf ye shal perceive your offences to | |
| be such, as be not only against God, but also against your neighbours. | |
| Then ye shal reconcyle youre selves unto them, ready to make restitucion | |
| and satisfaction according to the uttermost of your powers for all injuries | |
| and wronges done by you to any other, and likewise being ready to forgeve | |
| other that have offended you as you would have forgevenes of your offences | |
| at Goddes hande. For otherwyse the receiving of the holy Communion doth | |
| nothing els, but encrease your dampnation. | |
| And because it is requisite that no manne shoulde come | |
| to the holye Communion, but with a ful trust in goddes mercy, and with | |
| a quiet conscience: therfore yf there be any of you, which by the meanes | |
| aforesaid cannot quiet his owne conscience, but requireth further comforte | |
| or counsail, then let him come to me, or some other discrete and learned | |
| minister of gods word, and open his griefe, that he may receive suche | |
| ghostly counseil, advise, and comfort, as his conscience may be releved, | |
| and that by the ministery of Gods word, he may receyve comfort, and the | |
| benefyte of absolution, to the quieting of his conscience, and advoiding | |
| of all scruple and doubtfulnes. | |
| ¶ | |
| Then shall the Priest say this exhortation. | |
| DERELY | |
| beloved in the Lorde: Ye that mynde to come to the holye Communion of | |
| the bodye and bloude of oure savioure Christe, must consyder what saincte | |
| Paule writeth unto the Corinthiens, howe he exhorteth all persones diligentlye | |
| to trye and examyne them selves, before they presume to eate of that breade, | |
| and drincke of that cuppe. For as the benefyte is greate, yf wyth a trulye | |
| penitente herte and lyvely faith we receive that holy sacrament (for then | |
| we spiritually eate the fleshe of Christ, and drincke his blonde, then | |
| we dwell in Christe and Christe in us, we be one wyth Christ, and Christe | |
| with us) so is the daunger great, if we receyve the same unworthely. For | |
| then we be gilty of the body and bloud of Christ our saviour. We eate | |
| and drincke our owne dampnation, not considering the lordes bodye. we | |
| kindle Gods wrath against us, we provoke him to plague us with divers | |
| diseases, and sundrye kyndes of death. Therfore if any of you be a blasphemer | |
| of god, an hinderer or slaunderer of his worde, an adulterer, or be in | |
| malyce or envye, or in anye other grevous crime, bewaile your Sinnes, | |
| and come not to this holy table, lest after the taking of that holy sacrament, | |
| the devil enter into you, as he entred into Judas, and fil you full of | |
| al iniquities, and bring you to destruction both of bodye and soule. Judge | |
| therefore your selves (brethren) that ye be not judged of the Lord. Repent | |
| you truly for your sinnes past, have a lively and stedfast faithe in Christ | |
| our saviour. Amende your lives, and be in perfect charitie wyth all men, | |
| so shal ye be mete partakers of those holy misteries. And above al thinges | |
| ye must geve most humble and herty thankes to God the father, the sone, | |
| and the holye ghost, for the redemption of the world by the deathe and | |
| passion of our saviour Christ, bothe God and man, who did humble him selfe, | |
| even to the deathe, upon the crosse, for us miserable sinners which lay | |
| in darckenes, and shadowe of death, that he mighte make us the children | |
| of God, and exalte us to everlasting life. And to thende that we should | |
| alwaie remembre the exceadinge greate love of our master and onelie saviour | |
| Jesu Christ, thus diyng for us, and the innumerable benefites (which by | |
| his precious bloudsheading) he hath obteined to us, he hath instituted | |
| and ordeined holy misteries, as pledges of his love, and continuall remembraunce | |
| of his death, to our great and endles comfort. To him therfore with the | |
| father and the holye Ghost, let us geve (as we are moste bounden) continuall | |
| thankes, submitting our selves wholy to his holie will and pleasure, and | |
| studiyng to serve him in true holines and righteousnes, al the daies of | |
| our life. Amen. | |
| Then | |
| shall the Priest saye to them that come to receyve the holy Communion. | |
| You that do truly and ernestly repente you of youre sinnes, and be in | |
| love, and charite with your neighbors and entende to lede a newe lyfe, | |
| folowing the commaundementes of God, and walkynge from hence furthe in | |
| his holy waies: Draw nere and take this holy Sacrament to your comforte | |
| make your humble confession to almighty God, before this congregation | |
| here gathered together in his holye name, mekely knelynge upon your knees. | |
| ¶ Then | |
| shall this generall confession be made, in the name of all those, that | |
| are mynded to receyve this holy Communion, either by one of them, or els | |
| by one of the ministers, or by the priest him selfe, all kneling humbly | |
| upon their knees. | |
| ALMIGHTY | |
| God, father of oure Lorde Jesus Christe, maker of all thynges, Judge of | |
| all menne, we acknowledge and bewayle oure manifolde synnes and wyckednesse, | |
| whiche we from tyme to tyme moste grevously have committed, by thoughte | |
| woorde and deede, against thy divine Majestie, provokynge mooste justlye | |
| thy wrathe and indignation againste us: we do earnestly repente, and bee | |
| hartely sorye for these oure misdoinges, the remembraunce of them is grevous | |
| unto us: the burthen of theim is intollerable: have mercy upon us, have | |
| mercye upon us, mooste mercyfull father, for thy sonne oure Lorde Jesus | |
| Christes sake, forgeve us all that is paste, and graunte that we may ever | |
| hereafter serve and please the, in newenes of lyfe, to the honour and | |
| glorye of thy name throughe Jesus Christ our Lorde. Amen. | |
| ¶ | |
| Then shall the priest or the Bishop (beyng present) stande up, and | |
| turning himself to the people shall say thus. | |
| ALMIGHTYE | |
| God, oure heavenly father, who of his great mercy hathe promised forgevenes | |
| of sinnes, to al them, whiche with hartye repentaunce and true faithe | |
| turne to hym: have mercye upon you, pardon and deliver you from all your | |
| sinnes, confirme and strengthen you in all goodnes, and bring you to everlastyng | |
| lyfe; through Jesus Christ our Lorde. Amen. | |
| Then | |
| shall the Priest also saye. | |
| Here what comfortable wordes our saviour Christ saithe to all them that | |
| truly turne to him. | |
| ¶ | |
| COME | |
| unto me all that travaile and be heavy laden, and I shal refreshe you. | |
| So God loved the world that he gave his onely begotten sonne, to thende | |
| that al that beleve in him, should not perishe but have life everlastyng. | |
| Heare also what S. Paule saithe. | |
| ¶ This is a true saieng, and worthy of all men to be | |
| receyved, that Jesus Christ came into the worlde to save synners. | |
| Heare also what S. John saieth. | |
| ¶ If any manne sinne, we have an advocate with the | |
| father, Jesus Christ the righteous, and he is the propiciation for our | |
| sinnes. | |
| ¶ | |
| After the whiche the priest shall procede saying. | |
| Lift up your hartes. | |
| Aunswere. | |
| We lyfte them up unto the Lorde. | |
| Priest. Let us geve thanckes | |
| unto our Lorde God. | |
| Aunswere. It is mete | |
| and right so to do. | |
| ¶ Priest. It is very | |
| mete, right, and our bounden duety that we should at al times, and in | |
| all places, geve thanckes to the, O Lord holy father, almighty everlasting | |
| God. | |
| Here | |
| shall folow the proper prefaces, according to the tyme, yf there be any | |
| specially appointed, or els immediatly shal folow: | |
| Therfore with aungelles &c. | |
| ¶ | |
| PROPER PREFACES. | |
| Upon | |
| Christmas day and seven dayes after. | |
| BECAUSE | |
| thou dyddest geve Jesus Christ, thyne onely Sonne, to be borne as this | |
| daye for us, who by the operation of the holy ghoste was made very man | |
| of the substaunce of the virgin Mary his mother, and that without spot | |
| of synne, to make us clene from al sinne. Therefore with aungels &c. | |
| Upon | |
| Easter daye, and vii dayes after. | |
| BUT | |
| chiefly are we bounde to praise the for the glorious resurrection of thy | |
| sonne Jesus Christ our lord, for he is the very paschal lambe, whiche | |
| was offred for us, and hath taken awaye the sinne of the world, who by | |
| his death hath destroyed death, and by his rising to life againe, hath | |
| restored to us everlasting life. Therefore with aungels | |
| Upon | |
| the Ascencion day, and vii dayes after. | |
| THROUGH | |
| thy most deare beloved sonne, Jesus Christ our Lorde, who after his moste | |
| glorious resurrection, manifestly appered to al his Apostles, and in their | |
| sight ascended up into heaven, to prepare a place for us, that where he | |
| is, thether might we also ascende, and reigne with him in glory. Therfore | |
| with aungels &c. | |
| Upon | |
| Wytsonday, and vi daies after. | |
| THROUGH | |
| Jesu Christ our Lord, according to whose mooste true promyse, the holye | |
| ghoste came downe this daye from heaven, with a soddine greate sounde, | |
| as it had bene a mighty wynde, in the lykenes of fiery tonges lyghtinge | |
| upon the Apostles, to teache them, and to leade them to all truth, geving | |
| them bothe the gyfte of divers languages, and also boldnes with fervent | |
| zeale, constantly to preache the gospel unto all nacions, whereby we are | |
| broughte out of darcknes and errour into the cleare light and true knowledge | |
| of the, and of thy sonne Jesus Christ. Therefore with Aungels &c. | |
| Upon | |
| the feaste of Trinitie onely. | |
| IT | |
| is very mete right, and our bounden dutie, that we should at all times, | |
| and in all places, geve thankes to the, O Lorde, almightie and everlasting | |
| God, which art one god, one lord, not one only person, but thre persons | |
| in one substaunce, for that whiche we beleve of the glorye of the father, | |
| the same we beleve of the sonne, and of the holy ghost, without any difference | |
| or inequalitie. Therefore &c. | |
| ¶ | |
| After which preface, shall folow immediatly. | |
| THERFORE | |
| with Aungelles and Archangelles, and wyth all the company of heaven, we | |
| laude and magnify thy glorious name, evermore praising thee, and saying: | |
| Holy, holy, holy, lord god of hostes, heven and earth are ful of thy glory, | |
| glory be to the, O Lord most hyghe. | |
| ¶ | |
| Then shall the priest knelynge downe at Gods borde, say in the name | |
| of all them that shall receyve the communion, this prayer folowing. | |
| WE | |
| do not presume to come to this thy table (O merciful Lorde) trustinge | |
| in oure owne rightuousnesse, but in thy manifolde and greate mercies, | |
| we be not worthy so muche as to gather up the crommes under thy Table, | |
| but thou arte the same Lord, whose property is alwaies to have mercy. | |
| Graunt us therefore gracious Lorde, so to eate the fieshe of thy deare | |
| sonne Jesus Christ, and to drinke his bloude, that oure synful bodies | |
| may be made cleane by his body, and our soules washed through his most | |
| precious bloud, and that we may evermore dwell in him, and he in us. | |
| Then | |
| the priest standing up, shal say as foloweth: | |
| ALMIGHTY | |
| God our heavenly father whiche of thy tender rnercye, diddest give | |
| thine onely Sonne Jesus Christ, to suffer death upon the Crosse for our | |
| redeption, who made ther (by his one oblation of himself once offered) | |
| a ful, perfect and sufficient sacrifice, oblation, and satisfaction for | |
| the synnes of the whole worlde, and didde institute, and in his holy gospel | |
| commaunde us to continue a perpetual memory of that his precious deathe, | |
| untyll his comminge againe: Heare us O merciful father, we besech the, | |
| and graunt that we receivyng these thy creatures of breade and wine, accordinge | |
| to thy sonne our saviour Jesu Christes holy institution, in remembrauce | |
| of his death and passion, may be partakers of his moste blessed body and | |
| bloude, who in the same night that he was betraied, toke bread, and when | |
| he had geven thankes, he brake it, and gave it to his disciples, saying: | |
| Take, eate, this is my bodie, which is geven for you. Doe this in remembraunce | |
| of me. Likewise after supper he toke the cuppe, and when he had geven | |
| thankes, he gave it to them, saying: Drinke ye all of this, for this is | |
| my bloude of the new Testament, whiche is shedde for you and for many, | |
| for remission of sinnes: doe this as oft as ye shall drinke it in remembraunce | |
| of me. | |
| ¶ Then | |
| shall the minister fyrste receyve the Communion in bothe kyndes him selfe, | |
| and next deliver it to other Ministers (yf any be there present, that | |
| they may helpe the chief minister) and after to the people in their handes | |
| kneling. And when he delivereth the breade, he shall saye. | |
| THE | |
| bodie of our lord Jesu Christ, which was geven for the, preserve thy | |
| body and soule into everlastinge life: and take and eate this in remembraunce | |
| that Christ died for thee, feede on him in thine heart by faith, with | |
| thankesgevynge. | |
| And | |
| the minister that delivereth the cuppe shall saye. | |
| THE | |
| bloude of our lorde Jesu Christ, which was shedd for the, preserve thy | |
| body and soule into everlasting life: and drinke this in remembraunce | |
| that Christes bloude was shedde for thee, and be thankeful. | |
| Then shall the priest say the Lordes prayer, the people repetynge after | |
| him every peticion. | |
| Page | |
| showing the words of administration, from an edition printed in 1559. Clicking | |
| on the image will bring up a larger, readable image. | |
| ¶ | |
| After shalbe sayde as foloweth. | |
| O | |
| LORDE and heavenly father, we thy humble servaunts, entierly desire thy | |
| fatherly goodnes mercifully to accept this our Sacrifice of praise and | |
| thankesgeving moste humblye besechynge thee to graunte, that by the merites | |
| and death of thy sonne Jesus Christ, and throughe faith in his bloude, | |
| we (and all thy whole church,) may obteine remission of our sinnes, and | |
| al other benefites of his passion. And here we offer and presente unto | |
| the, O Lord, our selves, our soules, and bodies, to be a reasonable, holy, | |
| and lively sacrifice unto the, humblye beseching the, that al we which | |
| be partakers of this holye communion, may be fulfilled with thy grace, | |
| and heavenly benediction. And although we be unworthye throughe our manifolde | |
| sinnes, to offer unto the any sacrifice, yet we beseche the to accept | |
| this our bounden duty and service, not weighing our merites, but pardoning | |
| our offences, throughe Jesus Christ our Lord, by whom and with whom, in | |
| the unitie of the holy ghoste, all honour and glorye be unto the, O father | |
| almighty, world without ende. Amen. | |
| Or | |
| this, | |
| ALMIGHTY | |
| and everlastinge God, we moste hartely thancke the, for that thou doest | |
| vouchsafe to fede us, whiche have duly received these holy misteries, | |
| with the spiritual fode of the moste precious body and bloude of thy sonne, | |
| our saviour Jesus Christ, and doest assure us therby of thy favour and | |
| goodnes towarde us, and that we be very membres incorporate in thy mistical | |
| body, whiche is the blessed company of al faithful people, and be also | |
| heyres through hope of thy everlasting kingdom, by the merites of the | |
| most precious death and passion of thy deare sone. We now most humbly | |
| beseche the, O hevenly father, so to assist us with thy grace, that we | |
| may continue in that holy felowship, and do all suche good workes as thou | |
| hast prepared for us to walke in, throughe Jesus Christe our Lord; to | |
| whom with the and the holy ghost be all honour and glory, world without | |
| ende. Amen. | |
| Then | |
| shalbe sayde or songe. | |
| GLORYE | |
| be to God on hyghe. And in earthe peace, good wyll towardes men. We prayse | |
| thee, we blesse thee, we worshyppe thee, we glorifye thee, wee geve thanckes | |
| to thee, for thy greate glorye. O Lorde God, heavenlye Kynge, God the | |
| father Almightie. O Lorde the onely begotten Sonne Jesu Christ. O Lord | |
| God, Lambe of God, Sonne of the father, that takest awaye the sinnes of | |
| the worlde, have mercye upon us: Thou that takest awaye the Sinnes of | |
| the worlde, have mercy upon us. Thou that takest away the synnes of the | |
| worlde, receive our praier. Thou that syttest at the right hande of God | |
| the Father, have mercy upon us. For thou onely art holy: Thou only art | |
| the Lorde, thou only O Christe with the holy Ghost, art most highe in | |
| the Glory of God the father. Amen. | |
| Then | |
| the Priest or the Byshop, if he be present, shal let them depart with | |
| this blessing. | |
| THE | |
| peace of God, which passeth all understanding, kepe youre hartes, and | |
| mindes in the knowlege and love of God, and of his Sonne Jesu Christe, | |
| oure Lorde. And the blessing of God almyghty, the Father, the Sonne, and | |
| the holy Ghost, be among you, and remayne with you alwaies. Amen. | |
| ¶ Collectes | |
| to be sayd after thofertory when there is no Communion; every suche daye | |
| one. And thesame maye be sayde also as often as occasion shall serve, | |
| after the Collectes, either of Morning and Evening Praier, Communion, | |
| or Letany, by the discretion of the minister. | |
| ASSIST | |
| us mercifully, O Lorde, in these our Supplications and Praiers, and | |
| dispose the way of thy servauntes towarde the attainement of everlasting | |
| salvation, that emong al the chaunges, and chaunces of this mortal lyfe, | |
| thei may ever be defeded by thy moste gratious, and redy helpe. Through | |
| Christ our Lorde. Amen. | |
| O | |
| ALMIGHTY Lorde and everlivyng God, vouchesafe we beseche the, to | |
| direct, sanctifie, and governe bothe oure heartes, and bodies, in the | |
| wayes of thy lawes, and in the worckes of thy commaundementes, that through | |
| thy most mighty protection, both here and ever, we maye bee preserved | |
| in bodye and Soule: throughe oure lorde and Savioure Jesus Christe. Amen. | |
| GRAUNT | |
| we beseche the almighty God, that the wordes which we have herd this daye | |
| with our outward eares, may through thi grace be so graffed [grafted] | |
| inwardly in our hartes, that they may bring furth in us the fruite of | |
| good living, to the honour and praise of thy name: throughe Jesus Christ | |
| our Lorde. Amen. | |
| PREVENTE | |
| [Direct] us O Lorde in all our doynges, | |
| with thy most gratious favoure, and further us with thy continuall helpe, | |
| that in al our workes begonne, continued, and ended in the: we may glorify | |
| thy holy name, and finally by thy mercy, obteine everlasting lyfe, Through | |
| Jesus Christ our Lorde. Amen. | |
| ALMIGHTY | |
| God, the founteine of all wisedom, which knowest oure necessities | |
| before we aske, and our ignoraunce in asking, we beseche the to have compassion | |
| upon our infirmities, and those thinges which for our unworthiness we | |
| dare not, and for oure blindenes we cannot aske, vouchesafe to geve us | |
| for the worthines of thy sonne Jesus Christe our Lorde. Amen. | |
| ALMIGHTY | |
| God, whiche haste promysed to here the peticions of them that aske | |
| in thy sonnes name, we beseche the mercifully to encline thine Eares to | |
| us that have made nowe nowe our praiers and supplications unto the, and | |
| graunt that those thinges which we have faithfully asked, according to | |
| thy wil, may effectually be obteined to the relief of our necessitie, | |
| and to the setting furth of thy glory through Jesus Christ our Lorde. | |
| Amen. | |
| ¶ Upon thle holy dales (jf there be no Communion,) shalbe said at | |
| that is appointed at the Communion, untyll the ende of the homely, concluding | |
| with the generall praier, far the whole estate of Christes Churche militant | |
| here in earth, and one, or moe of these Collectes before rehersed, as | |
| occasian shall serve. | |
| ¶ And | |
| there shalbe no celebration of the lordes supper except there be a good | |
| number to Communicate wyth the Priest, accardinge to his dyscretion. | |
| ¶ And | |
| yf there be not above xx persons in the Parish of discretion to receyve | |
| the Communion, yet there shalbe no communion except foure or thre at the | |
| least communicate with the priest And in Cathedral and collegiate churches, | |
| where be many Priestes and Deacons, they shall all receyve the communion | |
| with the minister every Sonday at the leaste, except they have a reasonable | |
| cause to the contrary. | |
| ¶ And | |
| to take awaye the superstition, whiche any person hath, or myghte have | |
| in the breade and wyne, it shall suffice that the breade be suche as is | |
| usual to be eaten at the table, with other meates, but the beste and purest | |
| wheate breade, that conveniently may be gotten. And yf anye of the breade | |
| or wyne remaine, the Curate shall have it to hys owne use. | |
| ¶ The | |
| bread and wyne for the Communion shalbe provided by the Curate, and the | |
| church wardeines, at the charges of the Paryshe, and the paryshe shalbe | |
| discharged of suche summes of money, or other duties, which hitherto they | |
| have payed far the same by order of their houses every Sondaye. | |
| ¶ And | |
| note that every Parishioner shall communicate, at the leaste thre tymes | |
| in the yere, of whiche Easter to be one: and shall also receyve the sacramentes, | |
| and other rytes, accordinge to the order in this boke appoincted. And | |
| yerely at Easter, every Parishioner shall recon with his Person [Parson], | |
| Vicar or Curate, or his, or their deputie or deputies, and paye to them | |
| or hym, all ecclesiastical duties, accustomably due then and at that tyme | |
| to be payed. |
Return to the 1559 Book of Common Prayer
| Web author: Charles | U. |
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| Wohlers | S. • |
| England • Scotland | |
| • Ireland • Wales | |
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Source: bcp-1559.zip