MarginaliaAn. 1548.men, as the godly prayers, orders, rites, and ceremonies in the sayd booke mencioned, with the considerations of alteryng those thynges which were altered, and retainyng those thinges whiche were retayned in the same booke: as also the honour of God, and great quietnes, which by the grace of God, should ensue vppon that one and vniforme rite and order in such common prayer, rites, and externe ceremonies to bee vsed throughout England, Weales, Calice, and the marches of the same: did first geue vnto his hyghnes most lowly and harty thankes for the same  

, and then most humbly prayed him that it might be ordeined & enacted by hys Maiestie with the assent of the sayd Lordes and commons in that Parlament assembled, MarginaliaStatut. an. 2. 3. Reg. Edou. cap. 1  

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Cattley/Pratt, V, 721, fn 1: 'For these Acts, see "Actes made in the session of this present parliament, holden the 4th Nov. in the second year of Edward VI. cap. 1 fol. 2. Lond. fol. 1553."'

.and by the authoritie of the same, that not onely all and singular person and persons that had thertofore offended concernyng the premisses (others then such as were then remainyng in warde in the Tower of London, or in the Fleete) might bee pardoned thereof   , but also that all and singular Ministers and any Cathedrall or Parishe Churches, or other places within the Realme of England, Wales, Calyce, and the marches of the same, or other the Kynges dominiōs, should from and after the Feast of Pentecost next commyng, bee bounden to say and vse the Matynes, Euensong, celebration of the Lordes Supper, and administration of ech of the Sacramentes, and all other common and open prayer, in such order and forme as was mencioned in the sayd booke, and none other or otherwise   . MarginaliaPetition of the Lordes and Commons in the Parlamēt to the Kyng.And albeit that they were so godly and good that they gaue occasion vnto euery honest and conformable man most willyngly to embrace them: yet lest any obstinate persons, who willingly would disturbe so godly an order and quyet in this Realme should not go vnpunished, they farther requested, that it might be ordeyned and enacted by the authoritie aforesaid, that if any maner of persō, Vicar, or other what soeuer Minister that ought or should say or sing common prayer mencioned in the sayd booke, or Minister the Sacramentes, should after the sayd feast of Pentecost then next commyng, refuse to vse the sayd common prayer, or to Minister the Sacramentes, in such Cathedrall or Parishe Churches, or other places as he should vse or Minister the same, in such order and forme as they were mencioned, and set forth in the said booke: or should vse, wilfully and obstinatly standyng in the same, any other ryte, ceremonie, order, forme, or maner of Masse, openly or priuely, or Mattyns, Euensong, administration of the Sacramentes, or other opē prayer then was mencioned and set foorth in the sayd booke: or shoulde preach, declare, or speake any thing in the derogation, or deprauyng of the sayd booke, or any thyng therin cōteined, or of any part therof, and should be therof lawfully conuicted accordyng to the lawes of this Realme by verdicte of xij. men, of by his owne confession, or by the notorious euidence of the fact, MarginaliaPenaltie.should lose and forfaite vnto the kynges hyghnes his heyres and successours, for his first offence, one whole yeares profite of such one of his benefices or spirituall promotions as it should please the kynges hyghnes to assigne and appointe, and also for the same offence should suffer imprisonmēt by the space of six monethes, without bayle or maynprise. But if any such person, after his first conuiction, should eftsoones offende agayne, and be therof in forme aforesayd lawfully conuicted, then hee should for his second offence suffer imprisonment by the space of one whole yeare, and should also bee depriued Ipso facto, of al his spiritual promotions for euer, so that it should be lawfull for the patrons and Doners therof to geue the same againe vnto any other learned man, in like maner as if the sayd partie so offendyng were dead. And if any the sayd person or persōs should again the thyrd tyme offend, & be therof in forme aforesayd lawfully conuicted, then hee should for the same third offence suffer imprisonement duryng his life. If any such person or persons aforesayd, so offēdyng, had not any benefice or spirituall promotion, that then hee should for his first offence suffer imprisonement by the space of vj. monethes without bayle or maynprise, and for his second offence, imprisonment duryng his lyfe. Which request or rather actuall agreemēt of the Lords and commons of the Parlamēt beyng once vnderstode of the kyng, was also soone ratified and confirmed by his regall consent and authoritie, and therupon the sayd booke of common prayer was presētly Imprinted, and cōmaunded to be exercised throughout the whole Realme and dominions therof, accordyng the tenure and effect of the sayd Statute.

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Moreouer, in the same Session of the sayd Parlament, it was enacted and established by the authoritie therof: that for asmuch as great horrible, and not to be rehearsed inconueniēces had from tyme to tyme risen amongest the Priestes, Ministers, and other officers of the Clergie through their compelled chastitie, and by such lawes as prohibited them the godly and lawfull vse of Mariage: MarginaliaLawes and Constitutions against priestes mariage debarred.that therfore all and euery law, and lawes positiue, Canons, constitutions & ordinaunces thertofore made by the authoritie of man onely, which did prohibite or forbyd Mariage to any Ecclesiasticall or spirituall person or persons, of what estate, condition, or degree so euer they were, or by what name or names they were called, whiche by Gods law may lawfully mary, in all and euery Article, braunch, & sentence concernyng onely the prohibitiō for the Mariage of the persōs aforesayd, MarginaliaMariage of priestes set free.should be vtterly voyde and of none effect  

. And that all maner of forfaitures, paynes, penalties, crimes, or actions, which were in the sayd lawes conteined, and of the same did folow, cōcernyng the prohibition for the Mariage of the sayd Ecclesiasticall persons, should be thenceforth also clearely and vtterly voyde frustrate, and of none effect. By occasion wherof it was thenceafter right lawfull for any Ecclesiasticall person, not hauyng the gift of chastitie, most godly to lyue in the pure and holy estate of matrimonie, accordyng to the lawes and worde of God.

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But, if the first Iniunctions, statutes, and decrees of the Prince were of many but slenderly regarded, with much lesse good affection were these (especially the booke of common prayer) of diuers now receaued: yea, and that of some of them, which had alwayes before in outward shewe wyllingly allowed the former dinges, as appeareth most plainly (amōgest others) by Boner the Bishop of London. MarginaliaEdmund Boner Byshop of London.Who although by hys former letters and other mandates, he seemed hitherto to fauour all the kinges proceedinges: yet did hee at that present (notwithstanding both the first statute for the stablishing of the Communion, and the abolishing of all priuate Masses, and also this statute of the ratifying and confirming of the booke of common prayer) styll suffer sundrye Idolatrous priuate Masses of peculiar names (as the Apostles Masse, the Lady Masse, & such like) to be dayly solemnly soong within certayne particular Chappells of hys Cathedrall Church of Paules, cloaking them wyth the names of the Apostles Communion, and our Ladies Communion, not once fynding any fault therwith, vntill such tyme as the Lordes of the Counsel hauing intelligence thereof, were faine by theyr letters to commaund hym to looke better thervnto. And then being therwith somewhat pricked forwardes (perhaps by feare) hee was content to direct hys letters vnto the Deane and Chapter of hys cathedrall church of Paules, thereby requesting them foorthwith to take suche order therein, as the tenure of the Counsels sayd letters therwithall sent vnto them, dyd importe. Which both two letters I haue, for the more credite, here folowing inserted.

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