The Book of Common Prayer, 1559: The Elizabethan Prayer Book, ([Folger documents of Tudor and Stuart civilization)

Washington DC: Folger Shakespeare Library, 1978. Hardcover. Good/good. Third printing. Shelf wear to the book; more to tips, corners, and edges of the jacket; page edges spotted; jacket has several closed tears, stained / spotted. One of the most important works in the development of the Church of England. Elizabeth I made reform of the English Catholic church an early effort of her reign. The forms and practices of her newly reformed church applying to clergy and the lay people as well were established in law and by the 1559 Prayer Book. " ...the Act of Uniformity 1559, giving statutory force to the Prayer Book, passed through the House of Lords by only three votes. It made constitutional history in being imposed by the laity alone, as all the bishops, except those imprisoned by the Queen and unable to attend, voted against it. Convocation had made its position clear by affirming the traditional doctrine of the Eucharist, the authority of the Pope, and the reservation by divine law to clergy "of handling and defining concerning the things belonging to faith, sacraments, and discipline ecclesiastical." After the several innovations and reversals, the new forms of worship took several decades to settle in as acceptable with 70-75% of the population by the end of the reign in 1603. Every effort is made to ship all books and other items within 24 hours. Clean recycled packing material will be used when possible. The Book Shed has a been a member of the Vermont Antiquarian Bookseller's Association since 1997. An online bookseller with a bookshop sensibility!