" Acts of

uncertain stories and legends," i.e. by reading spurious Saints and Martyrs;"( b) by" multitude of responds, verses( versicles) and vain repetitions," referring clearly to musical responses inter­spersed in the reading of Scriptures, which were intended( like the responses to the Commandments) to accept and apply God's Word, but which had become so elaborate, and sometimes irrelevant, as to obscure it;( e) by" Commemorations," that is, Antiphons, Versi­cles, and Collects, commemorating Festivals, introduced into other festal or non- festal services; and( d) Synodals; that is, Canons of Synods( diocesan or provincial), or notices of festivals appointed by authority of such synods, usually read after the Lessons. Simi­larly it complains that, whereas the whole Psalter was ordered to be said or sung every week( not, however, in the regular order of the Psalms), yet, in practice, partly by the interference of numerous festivals and partly by negligence," a few Psalms were daily said, and the rest utterly omitted."

It then protests against the use of Latin instead of the vernacular tongue, and the cumbrousness and artificiality of the rubrical and ritual directions called" the Pie"( in the Latin Pica, a word of uncertain derivation), as effectually preventing the Service from being the Service of the people.

It next enunciates the four principles which obviously guided the compilers of the Prayer Book in forming it mainly out of old materials, and returning( as they believed) to the Primitive order, viz.,( a) PURIFICATION from all that was untrue or questionable and superstitious, according to a Scriptural standard;( b) TRANSLATION into the vernacular language;( c) SIMPLIFICATION, both in length and order( even at the cost of completeness and beauty), so as to make it intelligible and practicable for the people;( d) UNIFORMITY, abolishing the ancient variety of" Uses," with a view to unity both of worship and of faith.

Lastly, it establishes an authoritative power of interpretation in the Bishop( or, in cases of special difficulty, the Archbishop), on all doubtful points whatever, both of theory and of practice, in the clearest terms.

The Act of Uniformity of Elizabeth especially sanctions Service in Latin, Greek, or Hebrew, in the Universities; the Act of Charles II. adds" the Colleges of Westminster, Winchester, and Eton, and the Convocations," but mentions only Latin.

The Order to the clergy to say" daily the Morning and Evening Prayer( either privately or openly)," is all but absolute; for it is clear that the" urgent cause" recognised must be one of real emergency; and it is notable that this order has been increased in stringency in the successive Revisions of the Prayer Book.

The Order for the Public use of the Daily Service is not quite so absolute; but it is still perfectly plain that it is intended to secure it as a rule, and that the frequent disuse of the Service, without" reasonable hindrance," is a contravention both of the letter and of the spirit of the law.

9