1547.

The king desires

unity in re

to God and

more by

LXVII.

ACT AGAINST REVILERS, AND FOR RECEIVING
IN BOTH KINDS, A. D. 1547.

1 EDWARD VI, CAP. 1.

IN November, 1547, Convocation had agreed upon communion under both kinds; the statute which followed made this act of Convocation the law of the land. It was supplemented by a proclamation issued on the 27th of the following December, dealing with the question of the Presence in the Eucharist.

[Transcr. Statutes of the Realm, iv. 2.]

The king's most excellent majesty, minding the governance and order of his most loving subjects to be in most perfect ligion and unity and concord in all things, and in especial in the true obedience, faith and religion of God, and wishing the same to be himself, brought to pass with all clemency and mercy on his highobtained ness's part towards them, as his most princely serenity and clemency majesty has already declared by evident proofs, to the than force. intent that his most loving subjects, provoked by clemency and goodness of their prince and king, shall study, rather for love than for fear, to do their duties, first to Almighty God, and then to his highness and the commonwealth, Yet, in a nourishing concord and love amongst themselves; yet multitude, considers and perceives that in a multitude all be not on that sort, that reason and the knowledge of their duties can move them from offence, but many which had need have some bridle of fear, and that the same be men most contentious and arrogant for the most part, or else most blind and ignorant by the means of which sort of men, many things well and godly instituted, and to the edification of many, be perverted and abused, and turned to their own and others' great loss and hindrance, and sometime to extreme destruc

all cannot

be kept

from offence,

but by fear.

By their

means, mischief arises,

tion, the which does appear in nothing more or sooner 1547. than in matters of religion, and in the great and high especially in religion mysteries thereof, as in the most comfortable Sacrament of and the the body and blood of our Saviour Jesus Christ, commonly Sacrament called the Sacrament of the altar, and, in Scripture, the altar. supper and table of the Lord, the communion and partaking of the body and blood of Christ.

of the

Which Sacrament was instituted of no less author than of The institution of our Saviour, both God and man, when, at His last supper, the amongst His Apostles, He did take the bread into His holy Sacrament. hands, and did say: 'Take you and eat, this is My body which

And taking up the chalice or
"This is My blood of the New

is given and broken for you.'
cup, did give thanks, and say:
Testament, which is shed for you, and for many, for the
remission of sins,' that whensoever we should do the same,
we should do it in the remembrance of Him, and to declare
and set forth His death and most glorious passion, until
His coming. Of the which bread whosoever eateth, or of
the which cup whosoever drinketh, unworthily, eateth and
drinketh condemnation and judgment to himself, making no
difference of the Lord's body; the institution of which
Sacrament being ordained by Christ, as is beforesaid, and
the said words spoken of it here before rehearsed, being of
eternal, infallible, and undoubted truth.

certain

abuse of

Yet the said Sacrament (all this notwithstanding) has Reviled by been of late marvellously abused by such manner of men persons. before rehearsed, who of wickedness, or else of ignorance The causes and want of learning, for certain abuses heretofore committed of the of some, in misusing thereof, having condemned in their the hearts and speech the whole thing, and contemptuously Blessed depraved, despised, or reviled the same most holy and Sacra. blessed Sacrament, and not only disputed and reasoned unreverently and ungodly of that most high mystery, but also, in their sermons, preachings, readings, lectures, communications, arguments, talks, rhymes, songs, plays, or jests,

ment.

1547.

Penalty

for such reviling.

Inquiry to be made

for revilers.

name or call it by such vile and unseemly words, as Christian ears do abhor to hear rehearsed.

For reformation whereof, be it enacted by the king's highness, with the assent of the Lords spiritual and temporal, and of the Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, that whatsoever person or persons, from and after the first day of May next coming, shall deprave, despise, or contemn the said most blessed Sacrament, in contempt thereof, by any contemptuous words, or by any words of depraving, despising, or reviling, or what person or persons shall advisedly, in any other wise, contemn, despise, or revile the said most blessed Sacrament, contrary to the effects and declaration abovesaid; that then he or they shall suffer imprisonment of his or their bodies, and make fine and ransom at the king's will and pleasure.

And for full and effectual execution of the premises before devised, ordained, and enacted by this Act, be it furthermore enacted by the authority of this present Parliament, that immediately after the first day of May next coming, the justices of peace, or three of them at the least, whereof one of them to be of the quorum, in every shire of this realm, and Wales, and all other places within the king's dominions shall have full power and authority by virtue of this Act, as well to take information and accusation by the oaths and depositions of two able, honest, and lawful persons, at the least, and after such accusation or information so had, to inquire by the oaths of twelve men, in every of their four quarter sessions yearly to be holden, of all and singular such accusations or informations to be had or made of any of the offences abovesaid, to be committed or done after the said first day of May, within the limits of their commission; and that upon every such accusation and information, the offender and offenders shall be inquired of, and indicted before the said justices of peace, or three of them at the least, as is aforesaid, of the said contempts and offences, by the verdict

of twelve honest and indifferent men, if the matter of the said accusation and information shall seem to the said jury good and true.

1547.

or other

bound to

appear at

offenders.

And it is also further enacted by the authority aforesaid, Accusers, that the said justices of peace, or three of them at the least, witnesses, as is aforesaid, before whom any such presentment, informa- to be tion, and accusation shall be made or taken as is aforesaid, shall examine the accusers, what other witnesses were by the trial of and present at the time of doing and committing of the offence, whereof the information, accusation, and presentment shall be made, and how many others than the accusers have knowledge thereof, and shall have full power and authority by their discretions to bind, by recognizance to be taken before them, as well the said accusers, as all such other persons whom the said accusers shall declare to have knowledge of the offences by them presented and informed, every of them in five pounds to the king, to appear before the said justices of peace, before whom the offender or offenders shall be tried, at the day of the trial and deliverance of such offenders.

process

And it is further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that What the said justices of peace, or three of them at the least, as is shall be abovesaid, by virtue of this Act, shall have full power and awarded

persons

authority to make process against every person and persons against so indicted, by two capias and an exigent, and by capias indicted. utlagatum, as well within the limits of their commission, as into all other shires and places of this realm, Wales and other the king's dominions, as well within liberties as without, and the same process to be good and effectual in the law to all intents, constructions, and purposes, and upon Justices of the appearance of any of the offenders, shall have full power determine and authority by virtue of this Act, and the commission of offences. peace, to determine the contempts and offences aforesaid according to the laws of this realm and the effects of this Act: and that the said justices of peace, or three of them

peace may

of persons

1547. at the least, as is abovesaid, shall have full power and Bailment authority to let any such person or persons, so indicted, upon sufficient sureties, by their discretions, to bail for their appearance to be tried, according to the tenor, form, and effect of this Act.

indicted.

The bishop

of the diocese

where the
offence is

committed,
or his
deputy,
to be

present at

the trial.

Form of writ

requiring such appearance.

No indictment to be

three

Provided always, and be it enacted, that the said justices of peace, or three of them at the least, at their quarter sessions, where any offender or offenders shall be or stand indicted of any of the contempts or offences abovesaid, shall direct and award one writ, in the king's name, to the bishop of the diocese where the said offence or offences be supposed to be committed or done, willing and requiring the said bishop to be in his own person, or by his chancellor, or other his sufficient deputy learned, at the quarter sessions in the said county to be holden, when and where the said offender shall be arraigned and tried, appointing to them in the said writ the day and place of the said arraignment; which writ shall be of this form: 'Rex &c. Episcopo L. salutem. Præcipimus tibi quod tu, Cancellarius tuus, vel alius deputatus tuus sufficienter eruditus, sitis cum justiciariis nostris ad pacem in comitatu nostro B. conservandam assignatis apud D. tali die, ad sessionem nostram, ad tunc et ibidem tenendam ad dandum consilium et advisamentum eisdem justiciariis nostris ad pacem, super arranamentum et deliberationem offendentium contra formam Statuti concernentis sacrosanctum sacramentum altaris.

Provided always, and be it enacted by the authority aforemade after said, that no person or persons shall be indicted of any of the contempts or offences abovesaid, but only of such contempts or offences as shall be done or perpetrated within of offence. three months next after the said offence or offences so committed or done.

months

from date

Persons

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that indicted in all trials, for any such offenders, before the said justices, may call witnesses as is aforesaid, the person or persons being complained on