THere was neuer any thyng
by the witte of man so well deuised,
or so sure established, whiche in continuaunce
of time hath not been corrupted:
as emong other thynges it
maie plainly appere by the Common
praiers in the churche, commonly called
diuine seruice, the firste originall
and ground wherof, if a man would
serche out by the auncient fathers, he
shall finde that the same was not ordeined
but of a good purpose, and for
a greate aduauncement of godlines.
For thei so ordered the matter, that all the whole Bible or the gretest
part therof should be red ouer ones in the yere, entendyng therby: that
the clergie, and specially suche as were ministers of the congregacion,
should by often readyng and meditacion of Gods worde be stirred vp
to godlines themselues, and be more able also to exhort other by wholsome
doctrine, and to confute them that were aduersaries to the truth.
And further, that the people by daiely hearyng of holy scripture red in
the Churche should continually profite more and more in the knowelege
of God, and be the more inflamed with the loue of his true religio~.
But these many yeres passed, this godly and decent order of the auncient
fathers, hath been so altered, broken, and neglected, by plantyng in
vncertain Stories, Legendes, Respondes, Verses, vain Repeticions,
Commemoracions, and Sinodalles, that commonly when any boke of
the Bible was begon, before thre or foure Chapiters wer redde out, all
the rest were vnredde. And in this sort the boke of Esaie was begon in
Aduent, and the boke of Genesis in Septuagesima: but thei were onely
begon, and neuer red through. After a like sorte were other bokes of
holy scripture vsed. And more ouer, where as sainct Paule would haue
suche language spoken to the people in the churche, as thei might vnder
stande, and haue profite by hearyng the same, the seruice in this churche
of Englande these many yeres hath been redde in Latin to the people
which thei vnderstoode not, so that thei haue heard with their eares
onely, and their hartes, spirite, and mynd, haue not been edified therby.
And furthermore, not withstandyng that the auncient fathers, haue deuided
the Psalmes into seuen porcions, whereof euery one was called
a Nocturne, now of late tyme, a fewe of them haue been daily said and
ofte repeated and the rest vtterly omitted. Moreouer, the nomber and
hardnesse of the rules, called the Pie, and the manifolde chaungynges

a.ii.

of the seruice, was the cause, that to turne the boke onely, was so harde
and intricate a matter, that many tymes there was more businesse to
finde out what should be redde, then to rede it when it was founde out.
These inconueniences therefore considered, here is set furthe suche
an order, whereby the same shal be redressed. And for a redinesse in this
matter, here is drawen out a kalender for that purpose, whiche is plain
and easie to be vnderstanden, wherin so muche as maie be the readyng
of holy scriptures is so set furthe, that all thynges shal be doen in order,
without breakyng one pece thereof from another. For this cause be cut
of Anthemes, Respondes, Inuitatories, 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
certain rules are here set furthe, whiche as thei be fewe in nomber,
so thei be plain and easie to be vnderstanden. So that here you haue an
order for praier as touchyng the readyng of holy scripture muche agreable
to the mynd and purpose of the old fathers, and a greate deale more
profitable and commodious, then that whiche of late was vsed. It is
more profitable, because here are left out many thynges, whereof some
be vntrue, some vncertain, some vain and supersticious, and is ordeined
nothyng to be redde, but the verie pure worde of God, the holy scriptures,
or that whiche is euidently grounded vpon the same, & that in suche
a language and order, as is moste easie and plain for the vndersta~dyng
bothe of the readers and hearers. It is also more commodious, bothe
for the shortnesse thereof, and for the plainesse of the order, and for that
the rules bee fewe and easie. Furthermore, by this order, the Curates
shall nede none other bookes for their publique seruice, but this booke,
and the Bible: by the meanes wherof, the people shall not be at so great
charge for bokes, as in tyme past thei haue been.
And where heretofore there hath been greate diuersitee, in saiyng,
and singyng in churches within this realme, some folowyng Salisbury
vse, some Herforde vse, some the vse of Bangor, some of Yorke, and
some of Lincolne: now fro~ hencefurthe all the whole realme, shall haue
but one vse. And if any would iudge this waie more painfull, because
that all thynges muste be redde vpon the booke, where as before by the
reason of so often repeticion, thei could saie many thynges by harte, if
those men will weigh their labour with the profite and knowlege, whiche
daily thei shall obtain by readyng vpon the boke, thei will not refuse
the pein, in consideracion of the greate profite that shall ensue thereof.
And forasmuch as nothyng can almoste be so plainly set furth, but
doubtes maie rise in the vse and practisyng of the same: To appease all
suche diuersitee if any arise and for the resolucion of all doubtes, concernyng
the maner how to vnderstand, do, and execute the thynges co~teined
in this boke: the parties that so doubt, or diuersly take any thyng
shall alwaie resort to the Bishoppe or the diocesse, who by his discrecion
shall take order for the quietyng and appeasyng of the same: so that the same order be not contrary to any thyng conteined in this boke. And if
the Bishoppe of the Diocesse be in any doubt, then maie he sende for the
resolucion thereof vnto the Archebishoppe.
Though it bee appoyncted in the afore written Preface,
that all thynges shal be redde and song in the Churche, in the
Englishe tongue, to the ende that the congregacion maie bee
thereby edified, yet it is not meant, but when men saie Mornyng
and Euenyng praier priuatly, thei maie saie the same in
any language that thei themselfes do vnderstande.
And all Priestes and Deacons, shal be bound to saie daily,
the Mornyng and Euenyng praier, either priuatly or openly,
except thei be letted by preachyng, studiyng of diuinitie
or by some other vrgent cause.
And the Curate that ministreth in euery Parishe Churche
or Chapell, beyng at home, and not beyng otherwise reasonably
letted, shall saie the same in the Parishe Churche or
Chapell, where he ministereth, and shall toll a bell thereto,
a conuenient tyme before he begin, that suche as be disposed
maie come to heare Goddes worde, and to praie with hym.