Uniformity Act 1551
| Jurisdiction | UK Non-devolved |
| Citation | 1551 c. 1 |
(5 & 6 Edw. 6) C A P. I.
'W H E R E there hath been a very godly Order set forth by the Authority of Parliament, for CommonPrayer and Administration of the Sacraments to be used in the Mother Tongue within the Church ofEngland , agreeable to the Word of God and the Primitive Church, very comfortable to all good People desiring to live in Christian Conversation, and most profitable to the Estate of this Realm, upon the which the Mercy, Favour and Blessing of Almighty God is in no wise so readily and plenteously poured as by Common Prayers, due using of the Sacraments, and often preaching of the Gospel, with the Devotion of the Hearers: (2) And yet this notwithstanding, a great Number of People in divers Parts of this Realm, following their own Sensuality, and living either without Knowledge or due Fear of God, do wilfully and damnably before Almighty God abstain and refuse to come to their Parish Churches and other Places where Common Prayer, Administration of the Sacraments, and Preaching of the Word of God, is used uponSundays and other Days ordained to be Holydays.'
II March 95.
II. For Reformation hereof, be it enacted by the King our Sovereign Lord, with the Assent of the Lords and Commons in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the same, That from and after the Feast ofAll Saints next coming all and every Person and Persons inhabiting within this Realm, or any other the King's Majesty's Dominions, shall diligently and faithfully (having no lawful or reasonable Excuse to be absent) endeavour themselves to resort to their Parish Church or Chapel accustomed; (2)or upon reasonable Let thereof, to some usual Place where Common Prayer and such Service of God shall be used in such Time of Lett, (3) upon everySunday , and other Days ordained and used to be kept as Holydays; (4) and then and there to abide orderly and soberly during the Time of Common Prayer, Preachings or other Service of God there to be used and ministred; (5) upon Pain of Punishment by the Censures of the Church.
III. And for the due Execution hereof, the King's most excellent Majesty, the Lords Temporal, and all the Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, doth in God's Name earnestly require and charge all the Archbishops, Bishops and other Ordinaries, that they shall endeavour themselves to the uttermost...
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