The Proclamatio~.

EDward by the grace
of God kyng of Engla~d,
Fraunce & Irelande, defendor
of the faythe, & of
the churche of Englande
and Ireland in erthe the
supreme hed. To all and
singuler our louing subiectes,
Greting, for so much as in oure hyghe
Courte of Parliament, lately holde~ at Westmynster
it was by vs wyth the consent of the
Lordes spirituall & te~porall, and Commons
there assembled moste godly and agreably to
Christes holye institution enacted, that the
moste blissed Sacrame~t of the body & bludde
of our sauiour Christ should from thensfurth
be commonlye deliuered and ministred vnto
all personnes within our Realme of Engla~d
and Irelande, & other our dominions vnder
bothe kindes, that is to say, of breade & wyne,
except necessitie other wayes requyre least
euery man fantasying & deuising a sondrye
way by him selfe, in the vse of this most blissed
Sacrament of vnitie, there might thereby
arise any vnsemely and vngodlye diuersitie:
Our pleasure is by the aduise of our most dere
vncle the Duke of Somersett, gouernour of
our parson, & Protector of all our Realmes,
dominions & subiectes, & other of our preuye
Counsaill, that the sayde blessed Sacrament

A.ij.

be ministred vnto our people only after suche
fourme and maner as hereafter, by oure aucthoritie
wyth the aduise before mencyoned is
set furth and declared: Wyllynge euery man
with due reuerence and christian behaueour,
so come to this holy Sacrament and mooste
blessed Communio~, lest that by the vnworthy
receyuyng of so highe misteries, they become
gilty of the body and bloud of the Lorde, and
so eate and drincke their awne dampnacion:
but rather diligently triyng them selfes, that
they may so come to this holy table of Christ
and so be partakers of this holy Communio~,
that they may dwell in Christe, & have Christ
dwelling in them. And also with suche obedience
and conformitie to receyue this oure ordinaunce,
and most godly directyon, that we
maye be encouraged from tyme to tyme, further
to trauell for the reformacio~, and settyng
furth of such godly ordres, as may be mooste
to Gods glory, the edifiyng of our subiectes,
and for the aduauncemente, of true relygyon.
Whyche thyng, we by the helpe of God most
ernestly entende to bryng to effecte: Willinge
all our louing subiectes in the meane tyme to
stay, and quiet them selfes, wyth this our dyaeccion,
as men content to folowe aucthorite
accordinge to the bounde~ duty of subiectes
and not enterprising to ronne afore, & so by
their rashnes, be come the greatest hinderers
of such things, as they more arrogantly then
godly, would seme by their awne priuate authoritie
most hotly to set forward. We wold
not haue our subiectes so much to mislike our
Iudgement, so much to mistrust our zeale, as
thoughe wee either coulde not discerne what
were to be done, or woulne not do all thinges
in due tyme: God be praysed, we knowe both
what by his worde is mete to be redressed, &
haue an earnest minde, by the aduyse of oure
moost dere vncle, and other of our priuey cou~sayl,
wyth al diligence and conuenient spede
so to set furth the same, as it may moste stande
wyth Goddes glorye, and edifiynge, and
quyetnes of oure people: Whiche wee
doubt not, but all oure obedyente
and louinge subiettes, wyll
quyetlye and reuerently
tarye
for.
God saue the kyng.