The 1559 Book of Common Prayer: Act of Uniformity; Preface; and Of Ceremonies

The Book of Common Prayer

THE TABLE AND KALENDAR

EXPRESSYNG THE ORDRE OF THE PSALMES AND LESSONS, TO BEE SAID AT THE MORNING AND EVENING PRAYER THROUGHOUT THE YERE, EXCEPTE CERTAIN PROPRE FEASTES, AS THE RULES FOLOWYNG MORE PLAYNELY DECLARE.

THE ORDER HOW THE PSALTER IS APPOYNTED TO BE READDE.

THE Psalter shalbe readde through, ones euery moneth, and because that some Monethes bee longer then some other be; It is thought good, to make them even by this meanes. To every moneth shalbe appointed (as concerning this purpose) just xxx dayes. And because January and Marche hathe one daye above the sayed nomber, and February, which is placed betwene them bothe, hath onely xxviii dayes, February shall borow of either of the monethes (of January and Marche) one day, and so the Psalter, which shalbe redde in February, must begin the last daie of January, and ende the first daie of Marche. And where as May, July, August, October and December, hath xxxi dayes a pece, it is ordred that the same Psalmes shalbe redde the haste day of the sayed Monethes, which were redde the daye before, so that the Psalter may beginne againe the first daie of the next Monethe ensuyng. Now to knowe what Psalmes shalbe redde every daie, looke in the Kalender, the nomber that is appointed for the Psalmes, and then fynde thesame nomber in this Table, and upon that nomber shall you see, what Psalmes shalbe sayde at Morning and Evening prayer. And where the cxix Psalme, is devided into xxii porcions, and is overlong to be redde at one time: it is so ordred, that, at one time, shal not be readde above foure or fyve of the sayd porcions, as you shall perceive to be noted in this Table folowyng. And here is also to be noted, that in this Table, and in all other partes of the service, where any Psalmes are appoyncted, the nombre is expressed after the greate Englyshe Bible, whiche from the ix Psalme, unto the cxlviii Psalme (folowing the devision of the Hebrues) doth vary in nombres from the common Latine translacion.

THE TABLE

FOR THE ORDER OF THE PSALMES, TO BE SAIED AT MORNING AND EVENING PRAIER.

[After 1604, this table follows "Proper Psalms on Certain Days"]

[The above Psalmes are in lower case Roman numerals in the original]

THE ORDER

HOWE THE RESTE OF HOLY SCRIPTURE (BESYDE THE PSALTER) IS APPOINTED TO BE READDE.

THOLD Testament is appointed for the fyrst lessons, at Morning and Evening prayer, and shal be read through, everye yere once, excepte certaine bokes and Chapiters, whiche be leaste edifying, and mighte beste bee spared, and therefore bee lefte unread. The newe Testament is appointed for the seconde Lessons, at Mornyng and Evenyng prayer, and shalbe read over orderly every yere thryse, besyde the Epistles and Gospels: except the Apocalips [=Revelation], out of the which there bee onely certayne Lessons appointed, upon diverse proper feastes. And to knowe what Lessons shalbe readde every daye: fynde the day of the moneth in the Kalender folowing; and there ye shal perceyve the bokes and Chapiters that shalbe read for the Lessons, both at Mornynge and Eveninge prayer. And here is to bee noted, that whensoever there bee any proper Psalmes or Lessons appointed for the Sondayes or for anye feaste moveable or unmoveable: then the Psalmes and Lessons, appointed in the kalender shalbe omitted for that tyme. Ye must note also that the Collect Epistle and Gospell, appointed for the Sondaie shal serve al the weke after, except there fall some feast that hath his proper. This is also to bee noted, concernyng the Leape yeares, that the xxv daye of February, which in Leape yeare is coumpted for two dayes, shal in those two dayes, alter nether Psalme nor Lesson: but the same Psalmes and Lessons, whiche be sayde the first daye, shall also serve for the second daye. Also, wheresoever the beginnyng of any Lesson, Epistle or Gospel is not expressed: there ye muste beginne at the beginning of the Chapiter. And wheresoever is not expressed howe farre shalbe read, there shall you reade to the ende of the Chapiter.

Proper Lessons to Be Read for the First Lessons Both at Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer on the Sundays throughout the Year, and for Some Also the Second Lessons

Lessons Proper for Holy Days

Proper Psalms on Certain Days

• Various printings list instead Psalms 45, 47 & 67

[After 1604, this is found at the very end of this section.]

BE it known that Easter Term beginneth always the eighteenth day after Easter, reckoning Easter Day for one. And endeth the Monday next after Ascension Day. Trinity Term beginneth alway the Friday next after Trinity Sunday and endeth the twenty-eighth day of June. Michaelmas Term beginneth the ninth or tenth day of October and endeth the twenty-eighth or twenty-ninth day of November. Hilary Term beginneth the twenty-third or twenty-fourth day of January and endeth the twelfth or thirteenth day of February. In Easter Term on the Ascension Day, in Trinity Term on the Nativity of Saint John Baptist, in Michaelmas Term on the Feast of All Saints, in Hilary Term on the Feast of the Purification of our Lady, the Queen's judges of Westminster do not use to sit in judgment, nor upon any Sundays.

An Almanac for Thirty Years

Additional information, namely the dates of Septuagesima Sunday, the first day of Lent, Rogation Sunday, Ascension Day, Whitsunday, and Advent Sunday, was added in 1604.

A table "To find Easter for ever" was added here in 1604.

JANUARY HATH THIRTY-ONE DAYS.

Notes: § Added in 1561.

FEBRUARY HATH TWENTY-EIGHT DAYS.

Notes: § Added in 1561.

MARCH HATH THIRTY-ONE DAYS.

APRIL HATH THIRTY DAYS.

MAY HATH THIRTY-ONE DAYS.

JUNE HATH THIRTY DAYS.

JULY HATH THIRTY-ONE DAYS.

Notes: § Added in 1561. Tr. Martin = Translation of St, Martin Marg. Anti. = Margaret of Antioch

AUGUST HATH THIRTY-ONE DAYS.

SEPTEMBER HATH THIRTY DAYS.

OCTOBER HATH THIRTY-ONE DAYS.

NOVEMBER HATH THIRTY DAYS.

DECEMBER HATH THIRTY-ONE DAYS.

Notes: "Apoc." = Revelation § Added in 1561. Con. Mary = Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The following was added in 1561:

These to be observed for Holy dayes, and none other.

THat is to say, All Sundayes in the yeere. The dayes of the Feasts of the Circimcision of our Lord Jesus Chrsit. Of the Epiphany. Of the Purification of the blessed Virgin. Of S. Matthias the Apostle. Of the Annunciation of the blessed Virgin. Of S. Marke the Evangelist. Of S. Philip and Jacob Apostles. Of the Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ. Of the Nativity of S. John Baptist. Of S. Peter the Apostle. Of S. James the Apostle. Of S. Bartholomew the Apostle. Of S. Matthew the Apostle. Of S. Michael the Archangel. Of S. Luke the Evangelist. Of S. Simon and Jude Apostles. Of All Saints. Of S. Andrew the Apostle. Of S. Thomas the Apostle. Of the Nativity of our Lord. Of S. Steven the Martyr. Of S. John Evangelist. Of the holy Innocents. Munday and Tuesday in Easter weeke. Munday and Tuesday in Whitsun weeke.

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