Commissioners Petitioning for Review of Book of Common Prayer, Title page – Commission
An Accompt of all the PROCEEDINGS Of the COMMISSIONERS of both PERSVVASIONS▪ Appointed by his Sacred MAJESTY, ACCORDING To Letters Patents, for the Review of The BOOK of COMMON-PRAYER, &c.
London, Printed in the year 1661.
page missing Majesties feet, beseeching you to prosper such a blessed Resolution, till it attain success: We must needs beleeve, that when your Majesty took our Consent to a Lyturgy to be a foundation that would infer our Concord, you meant not that we should have no Concord, but by consenting to this Lyturgy, without any considerable Alterations.
And when you comforted us with your Resolutions to draw us together, by yeelding on both sides in what we could, you meant not that we should be the boat to lay the banks that should not stir; and when your Majesty commanded us by Letters Patents to meet about such Alterations as are needful or expedient for giving satisfaction to tender Consciences, and the restoring and continuing of Peace and Unity, we rest assured, that it was not your sense that those tender consciences were to be forced to practice all which they judged unlawful, and not so much as a Ceremony abated them; or that our Treaty was only to convert either party to the Opinion of another; and that all our hopes of Concord and Liberty consisted only in disputing the Bishops into Non-conformity, or coming in every Ceremony to their minds.
Finally (for your Majesty, under God, is the protection whereto your people flye, and as the same necessity still remains which drew forth your Gracious Declaration) we most Humbly and Earnestly beseech your Majesty, that the benefit of the said Declaration may be continued to your people, and in particular, that none be punished or troubled for not using the Common-Prayer, till it be effectually reformed, and the Addition made, as there exprest. We crave your Majesties Pardon for the tediousness of this Address, and shall wait in hope, that so great a Calamity of your people as will follow the loss of so many able, faithful Ministers, as the rigorous Imposition would cast out, shall never be recorded in the History of your Reign, but that these impediments of Concord being forborn, your Kingdom may flourish in Piety and Peace, that this may be the signal honour of your happy…Reign, and your joy in the day of your account, which is the Prayer of
Your Majesties Faithful and Obedient Subjects.
A Copy of his Majesties Commission.
CHARLES the second by the Grace of God King of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, &c. To our Trusty and well beloved the most Reverend Father in God Accepted Arch-Bishop of York, The right reverend Fathers in God Gilbert Bishop of London, John Bishop of Durham, John Bishop of Rochester, Humphrey Bishop of Sarum, George Bishop of Worcester, Robert Bishop of Lincolne, Benjamin Bishop of Peterborough, Brian Bishop of Chester, Richard Bishop of Carlile, John Bishop of Exeter, Edward Bishop of Norwich; and to our Trusty and well beloved, The Reverend Anthony Tuckney D D. John Conant D. D. William Spurstow D. D. John Walis D. D. Tho Manton D. D. Edmund Calamy D. D. Richard Baxter Clerk, Arthur Jackson, Tho. Case, Samuel Clarke, Mathew Newcomen Clerkes; and to our trusty and well beloved Dr. Earles Dean of Westminster, Peter Heylin D. D. John Hacket D. D. John Berwick D. D. Peter Gunning D. D. John Pearson D. D. Tho. Pierce D. D. Anthony Sparrow, Herbert Thorndike D. D. Thomas Horton D. D. Thomas Jacomb D. D. William Bate, John Rawlinson Clerks, William Cooper Clerk, D. John Lightfoot, D. John Collings, D. Benjamin Woodbridg, and William Drake Clerk, Greeting.
Whereas by our Declaration of the 25 of October last concerning Ecclesiastical affairs, we did (amongst other things) express our esteem of the Liturgy of the Church of England contained in the Book of Common-prayer; and yet since we find exceptions made against several things therein, we did by our said Declaration declare we would appoint an equal number of Learned Divines, of both perswasions, to review the same: we therefore in accomplishment of our said will and intent, and of our continued and constant care and study for the peace and unity of the Churches within our Dominions, and for the removal of all exceptions & difference, and the occasions of such differences and exceptions from among our good subjects, for or concerning the said Book of Common-prayer, or any thing therein contained, do by these our letters patents require, authorize, constitute and appoint you the said, &c. to advise upon and review the said Book of Common-prayer, comparing the same with the most ancient Liturgies which have been used in the Church in the primitive and purest times. And to that end, to assemble and meet together, from time to time, and at such time within the space of four Kalendar-months now next ensuing, in the Masters lodging in the Savoy in the Strand in the County of Middlesex, or in such other place or places as to you shall be thought fit and convenient, to take into your serious and grave consideration the several directions and rules, forms of prayer, and things in the said Book of Common-prayer contained, and to advise, consult upon and about the same, and the several objections and exceptions which shall now be raised against the same, and (if occasion be) to make such reasonable and necessary alterations, corrections, and amendments therein, as by and between you the said Arch-Bishop, Bishops, Doctors, and Persons hereby required and authorized to meet and advise as aforesaid, shall be agreed upon to be needful and expedient, for the giving satisfaction to tender consciences, and the restoring and continuance of peace and unity in the Churches under our protection and Government; but avoyding (asmuch as may be) all unnecessary abbreviations of the forms & Liturgy wherewith the people are altogether acquainted, and have so long received in the Church of England. And our will and pleasure is, that when you the said Arch-Bishop, Bishops, Doctors and Persons authorized and appointed by these our letters patents to meet, advise and consult upon and about the premises as aforesaid, shall have drawn your consultations to any resolution and determination which you shall agree upon as needful or expedient to be done for the altering, diminishing or enlarging the said Book of Common-prayer, or any part thereof, That then forthwith you certifie and present to us in writing under your several hands the matters and things whereupon you shall so determine, for our approbation; and to the end the same or so much thereof as shall be approved by us, may be established, and forasmuch as the said Arch-Bishop and Bishops have several great charges to attend, which we would not dispense with, or that the same should be neglected upon any great occasion whatsoever, and some of them being of great Age and infirmities, may not be able constantly to attend the execution of the service and authority hereby given and required by us, in the meeting and consultation aforesaid; We will therefore, and hereby require you the said Dr. Earles, &c. to supply the place and places of such of the Arch-Bishop and Bishops (other then the said Edward Bishop of Norwich) as shall by age, sickness, infirmity or other occasions be hindred from attending the said meeting or consultation (that is to say) that one of you the said Dr. Earles, &c. shall from time to time supply the place of each one of them the said Arch-Bishop and Bishops (other then the said Edward Bishop of Norwich) which shall happen to be hindred or to be absent from the said meetings or consutations; and shall and may advise, consult and determine, and also certifie and execute all and singular the powers and authorities before mentioned in and about the premises, as fully and absolutely as such Arch-Bishop and Bishops which shall so happen to be absent should or might do by vertue of these our letters patents, or any thing herein contained, in case he or they were personally present. And whereas in regard of the distance of some, the infirmity of others, the multitude of constant imployment and other incidental impediments, some of you the said Edward Bishop of Norwich, &c. may be hindred from the constant attendance in the execution of the service aforesaid, we therefore will and do hereby require and authorize you the said Thomas Horton, &c. to supply the place or …laces of such the Commissioners last above mentioned, as shall by the means aforesaid or any other occasion be hindred from the said meeting and consultations, that one of you the said Thomas Horton, &c. shall from time to time supply the places of each one of the said Commissioners last mentioned, which shall happen to be hindred or absent from the said meeting and consultations; and shall and may advise, consult and determine, and also certifie and execute all and singular the powers and authorities before mentioned in and about the premises, as fully and absolutely as such of the said last mentioned Commissioners, which shall so happen to be absent, should or might do by vertue of these our Letters patents, or any thing therein contained, in case he or they were personally present. In witness whereof we have caused these our Letters to be made patents:
witness our self at Westminster the 25 day of March, in the thirteenth year of our Reign. Per ipsum Regem. Barker.