Antequam pax detur, dicat sacerdos.

Domine sancte Pater omnipotens aeterne Deus, da mihi hoc sacrosanctum corpus et sanguinem Filii tui Domini nostri Iesu Christi ita digne sumere ut merear per hoc remissionem omnium peccatorum meorum accipere, et tuo sancto Spiritu repleri, et pacem tuam habere: quia tu es Deus solus, et praeter te non est alius, cuius regnum et imperium gloriosum sine fine permanet in saecula saeculorum.

Hic osculetur sacerdos corporalia in dextra parte, et summitatem calicis, et postea diaconum, dicens, Pax tibi et ecclesiae Dei. Responsio. Et cum spiritu tuo.

Diaconus a dextris sacerdotis ab eo pacem recipiat, et subdiacono porrigat. Deinde ad gradum chori ipse diaconus pacem portet rectoribus chori, et ipsi pacem choro portent, uterque suae parti, incipiens a maioribus.1 Post pacem datam, dicat sacerdos orationes sequentes priuatim, antequam se communicat, tenendo hostiam duabus manibus.

Deus Pater, fons et origo totius bonitatis, qui ductus misericordia unigenitum tuum pro nobis ad infima mundi descendere et carnem sumere voluisti, quem ego indignus hic in manibus meis teneo, Hic inclinet se sacerdos ad hostiam, dicens, te adoro, te glorifico, et tota mentis ac cordis intentione laudo, et precor, ut nos famulos tuos non deseras, sed peccata nostra dimittas, quatenus tibi soli vivo ac vero Deo puro corde et casto corpore servire valeamus. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.

Domine Iesu Christe, Fili Dei vivi, qui ex voluntate Patris cooperante Spiritu sancto per mortem tuam mundum vivificasti, libera me, quaeso, per hoc sacrosanctum corpus et hunc sanguinem tuum, a cunctis iniquitatibus meis et ab universis malis; et fac me tuis semper obedire mandatis, et a te nunquam in perpetuum separari permittas, salvator mundi, qui cum Deo Patre et eodem Spiritu sancto vivis et regnas Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen.

Corporis et sanguinis tui, Domine Iesu Christe, sacramentum, quod

1 In parish churches it was commonly the duty of the clerk to "bring down the pax." The injunctions given to the clergy and laity of the Deanery of Doncaster by the King's Visitors, which perhaps belong to the year 1547 or 1548, direct that he shall say, "standing without the church door." "This is a token of joyful peace, which is betwixt God and man's conscience. Christ alone is the peace maker, which straitly commands peace between brother and brother." See The Clerk's Book of 1549 (H.B.S., vol. xxv), pp. xxxv, 94. The term "church door" may, as there suggested, be a misreading for "choir door." But in any case it indicates not the outer door of the church but that in the screen, by which the clerk, coming from the choir, would enter the body of the church.

licet indignus accipio, non sit mihi iudicio et condemnationi, sed tua prosit pietate corporis mei et animae saluti. Amen.

Ad corpus dicat cum humiliatione antequam percipiat.

Ave in aeternum sanctissima caro Christi, mihi ante omnia et super omnia summa dulcedo. Corpus Domini nostri Iesu Christi sit mihi peccatori via et vita. In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus sancti.

Amen.

Hic sumat corpus, cruce prius facta cum ipso corpore ante os. Deinde ad sanguinem cum magna devotione dicat.

Ave in aeternum caelestis potus, mihi ante omnia et super omnia summa dulcedo. Corpus et sanguis Domini nostri Iesu Christi prosint mihi peccatori ad remedium sempiternum in vitam aeternam. Amen. In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus sancti. Amen.

Hic sumat sanguinem, quo sumpto inclinet se sacerdos, et dicat orationem.1

Gratias tibi ago, Domine sancte, Pater omnipotens, aeterne Deus, qui me refecisti de sacratissimo corpore et sanguine Filii tui Domini nostri Iesu Christi: et precor ut hoc sacramentum salutis nostrae quod sumpsi indignus peccator non veniat mihi ad iudicium neque ad condemnationem pro meritis meis, sed ad profectum corporis mei et animae salutem in vitam aeternam. Amen.

Immediately after the priest himself hath received the Sacrament... he shall... leave the rest upon the altar covered, and turn to them that are disposed to be partakers of the Communion, and shall thus exhort them as

followeth.

Dearly beloved in the Lord, ye coming to this holy Communion must consider what Saint Paul writeth to the Corinthians, how he exhorteth all persons diligently to try and examine themselves, or ever they presume to eat of this bread or drink of this cup; for as the benefit is great, if with a true penitent heart, and lively faith, we receive this holy Sacrament (for then we spiritually eat the flesh of Christ, and drink his blood; then we dwell in Christ and Christ in us, we be made one with Christ, and Christ with us), so is the danger great, if we receive the same unworthily: for then we become guilty of the body and blood of Christ our Saviour; we eat and drink our own damnation (because we make no difference of the Lord's body), we kindle God's wrath over us, we provoke him to plague us with diverse diseases, and sundry kinds of death. Judge therefore yourselves,

1 The prayer which follows, being closely connected with the priest's own reception of the Sacrament, was probably not intended by the framers of the Order of the Communion to be deferred till after the communion of the people.

brethren, that ye be not judged of the Lord: let your mind be without desire of sin: repent you truly for your sins past: have an earnest and lively faith in Christ our Saviour: be in perfect charity with all men : so shall ye be meet partakers of these holy mysteries. But above all things you must give most humble and hearty thanks to God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, for the redemption of the world, by the death and passion of our Saviour Christ, both God and Man, who did humble himself even to the death upon the cross for us miserable sinners, lying in darkness and the shadow of death, that he might make us the children of God, and exalt us to everlasting life. And to the end that we should always remember the exceeding love of our Master and only Saviour Jesus Christ, thus doing for us, and the innumerable benefits which by his precious bloodshedding he hath obtained to us, he hath left in these holy mysteries, as a pledge of his love, and a continual remembrance of the same, his own blessed body and precious blood, for us spiritually to feed upon, to our endless comfort and consolation. To him therefore, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, let us give, as we are most bounden, continual thanks, submitting ourselves wholly to his holy will and pleasure, and studying to serve him in true holiness and righteousness all the days of our life. Amen.

Then shall the priest say to them which be ready to take the Sacrament:

If any man here be an open blasphemer, an adulterer, in malice, or envy, or any other notable crime, and be not truly sorry therefore, and earnestly minded to leave the same vices, or that doth not trust himself to be reconciled to Almighty God, and in charity with all the world, let him yet a while bewail his sins and not come to this holy table, lest, after the taking of this most blessed bread, the devil enter into him, as he did into Judas, to fulfil in him all iniquity, and to bring him to destruction both of body and soul.

Here the priest shall pause a while, to see if any man will withdraw himself .and after a little pause, the priest shall say :

You that do truly and earnestly repent you of your sins and offences committed to almighty God, and be in love and charity with your neighbours, and intend to lead a new life, and heartily to follow the commandments of God, and to walk from henceforth in his holy ways, draw near, and take this holy Sacrament to your comfort; make your humble confession to Almighty God, and to his holy Church, here gathered together in his name, meekly kneeling upon your knees.

Then shall a general confession be made in the name of all those that

are minded to receive the holy Communion, either by one of them, or else by one of the ministers, or by the priest himself, all kneeling humbly upon their knees.

Almighty God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, maker of all things, judge of all men, we acknowledge and bewail our manifold sins and wickedness, which we from time to time most grievously have committed by thought, word, and deed, against thy divine majesty, provoking most justly thy wrath and indignation against us: we do earnestly repent, and be heartily sorry, for these our misdoings: the remembrance of them is grievous unto us, the burthen of them is intolerable; have mercy upon us, have mercy upon us, most merciful Father, for thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ's sake: forgive us all that is past, and grant that we may ever hereafter serve and please thee, in newness of life, to the honour and glory of thy name, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Then shall the priest stand up, and turning him to the people, say thus.

Our blessed Lord, who hath left power to his Church to absolve penitent sinners from their sins, and to restore to the grace of the heavenly Father such as truly believe in Christ, have mercy upon you, pardon and deliver you from all sins, confirm and strengthen you in all goodness, and bring you to everlasting life.

thus.

Then shall the priest stand up, and turning him toward the people, say

Hear what comfortable words our Saviour Christ saith to all that truly turn to him.

Come unto me all that travail and be heavy laden, and I shall refresh you. So God loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, to the end that all that believe in him should not perish, but have life everlasting.

Hear also what Saint Paul saith.

This is a true saying, and worthy of all men to be embraced and received, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners.

Hear also what Saint John saith.

If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, he it is that obtained grace for our sins.

Then shall the priest kneel down, and say in the name of all them that shall receive the Communion, this prayer following.

We do not presume to come to this thy table, O merciful Lord, trusting in our own righteousness, but in thy manifold and great mercies:

1 So in the Order of the Communion: but the words "stand are superfluous, being repeated from the preceding rubric.

people "

we be not worthy so much as to gather up the crumbs under thy table: but thou art the same Lord, whose property is always, to have mercy : grant us therefore, gracious Lord, so to eat the flesh of thy dear Son Jesus Christ, and to drink his blood in these holy mysteries, that we may continually dwell in him, and he in us, that our sinful bodies may be made clean by his body, and our souls washed through his most precious blood. Amen.

Then shall the priest rise, the people still reverently kneeling, and the priest shall deliver the Communion, first to the ministers, if any be there present, that they may be ready to help the priest, and after to the other. And when he doth deliver the Sacrament of the body of Christ, he shall say to every one these words following.

The body of our Lord Jesus Christ, which was given for thee, preserve thy body unto everlasting life.

And the priest delivering the Sacrament of the blood, and giving every one to drink once and no more, shall say,

The blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, which was shed for thee, preserve thy soul unto everlasting life.

If there be a deacon or other priest, then shall he follow with the chalice, and as the priest ministereth the bread, so shall he for more expedition minister the wine, in form before written.

Then shall the priest, turning him to the people, let the people depart with this blessing.

The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

To the which the people shall answer, Amen.1

Eat sacerdos ad dextrum cornu altaris cum calice inter manus, digitis adhuc conjunctis sicut prius, et accedat subdiaconus, et effundat in calicem vinum, et resinceret sacerdos manus suas, ne aliquae reliquiae corporis et sanguinis remaneant in digitis vel in calice. Post primam ablutionem dicitur haec oratio.

Quod ore sumpsimus, Domine, pura mente capiamus ; et de munere temporali fiat nobis remedium sempiternum.

Hic lavet digitos in concavitate calicis cum vino infuso a subdiacono: quo hausto sequatur oratio.

1 It is not clear whether the people were intended to depart from the church at this point, not waiting till the ablutions had been completed and the remaining prayers of the Mass had been said. Possibly the intention was that they should withdraw from the part of the church where they had been " disposed" with a view to communion, and wait till Ite missa est was said.