THE PREFACE.

THE Kynges moste excellent Maiestie,
by the prudente aduyse of
hys moste deere beloued Vncle,
Edwarde duke of Somersett,
Gouernor of hys Maiesties persone,
and Protector of all hys
hyghnes Realmes, Dominions
and Subiectes, with the reste of hys moste honorable
Counsayll, moste graciously considerynge
the manifolde enormities, whiche heretofore haue
crept into hys graces Realme, throughe the false
vsurped power of the Bishoppe of Rome, and the
vngodly doctryne of hys adherentes, not onelye
vnto the greate decaye of Christian religion, but
also if Gods mercy were not vnto the vtter destruction
of innumerable soules, whiche, through hypocrysy
and pernicious doctrine were seduced, and
brought from honoryng of the alone, true, liuynge,
and eternall God, vnto the worshippyng of creatures,
yea, of stockes and stones, from doyng the commaundeme~tes
of God, vnto volu~tary workes and
phantasyes inue~ted of men, from true religio~, vnto
Popishe Supersticion: considerynge also, the earnest
and feruent desire, of his derely beloued Subiectes,
to bee deliuered from all errors and supersticions,
and to be truely and faythefully instructed
in the verye worde of God, that liuely foode of
mannes soule, wherby they may learne vnfainedly,
and accordyng to the mynd of the holy Ghoste, expressed
in the scriptures, to honor God, and to serue

A.ij.

their Kyng, with all humilitie and subieccion, and
Godly and honestly, to behaue theim selfes toward
all men: Agayn callynge to remembraunce, that the
next and moste ready waie, to expell and auoide, aswell
all corrupte, vicious and vngodly liuynge, as
also erronious doctrine, tendyng to Supersticion,
and Idolatrie, & clerely to put away all contencio~,
whiche hath heretofore rysen, through diuersitie of
preachyng, is the true settyng furthe, and pure declarynge
of Gods woorde, whiche is the principall
guyde and leader vnto all Godlinesse and vertue:
Finally, that all Curates, of what learnyng soeuer
they be, may haue some Godly and fruitfull lessons
in a readines, to reade and declare vnto their parishioners,
for their edifiyng, instruction, and co~fort:
hath caused a booke of Homelies, to bee made and
set furthe, wherein is conteined certain wholsome
and Godly exhortacions, to moue the people to honor
and worshippe almighty God, and diligently
to serue hym, euery one accordynge to their degre,
state, and vocation: the whiche Homelies, his Maiestie
commaundeth and streightely chargeth, all
Persones, Vicares, Curates, and all other, hauyng
spirituall cure, euery Sondaye in the yere, at hygh
Masse, when the people be moste gathered together
to reade and declare to their parishioners, playnly,
and distinctely, in suche ordre, as they stande in the
boke, excepte any Sermon bee preached and then
for that cause onely, and for none other, the reading
of the sayde Homelie, to be differred vnto the nexte
Sondaye folowyng. And when the foresayde boke
of Homelies is redde ouer, the Kynges Maiesties
pleasure is, that the same be repeted, & redde agayn,
in suche lyke sorte, as was before prescribed, vnto
suche tyme, as his graces pleasure shall further be
knowen in thys behalfe.
Also, hys maiestie commaundeth, that the sayde
Ecclesiasticall persones, vpon the firste holy daye,
fallyng in the Weke tyme of euery quarter of the
yere, shall reade his Iniunccions ope~ly and distinctely
to the people, in maner and fourme in the same
expressed: And vpon euery other holy and Feuall
daye through the yere, likewise fallyng
in the weke tyme, they shal recite
the Pater noster, the Articles of
our fayth, and the te~ne commaundementes
in Englishe,
openly before
all the people, as
in the sayd Iniunccions
is specified:
that all
degrees and al ages,
may learne to know God,
and to serue him, accordynge
to hys holy
woorde.
AMEN.