This page has been validated.

11

shall always some communicate with the Priest that ministereth. And that the same may be also observed every where abroad in the country, some one at the least of that house in every Parish, to whom by course, after the ordinance herein made, it appertaineth to offer for the charges of the Communion; or some other whom they shall provide to offer for them, shall receive the Holy Communion with the Priest; the which may be the better done, for that they know before when their course cometh, and may therefore dispose themselves to the worthy receiving of the Sacrament. And with him or them, who doth so offer the charges of the Communion, all other who be then godly disposed thereunto, shall likewise receive the Communion. And by this means the Minister having always some to communicate with him, may accordingly solemnize so High and Holy Mysteries, with all the suffrages and due order appointed for the same. And the Priest on the week-day shall forbear to celebrate the Communion, except he have some that will communicate with him."

Here we see what care the Church took that the Sacrament might be daily administered, not only in Cathedral, but likewise in Parish Churches. For which purpose, whereas every Parishioner had before been used to find the Holy Loaf, as it was called, in his course; in the Rubric before this, it is ordained that every Pastor or Curate shall find sufficient Bread and Wine for the Communion; and that the Parishioners every one in his course, shall offer the charges of it at the Offertory to the Pastor or Curate; and in this it is ordained that every such Parishioner shall then in his course communicate, or else get some other person to do it, that so the Communion may be duly celebrated; and all there present that were godly disposed might partake of it. Which one would have thought as good a Provision as could have been made in the case. But nothwithstanding, through the obstinacy or carelessness of some, in not making their said offering as they were commanded, it sometimes failed; as appears from the Letter written about a year after by the Privy Council, and subscribed by the Archbishop of Canterbury and others, to the Bishops, to assure them that the King intended to go on with the Reformation, wherein among other things they say: "And farther, whereas it is come to our knowledge that divers froward