The Second Prayer Book of Edward VI (1552)

Historical background

The 1549 book satisfied neither conservatives nor reformers. Martin Bucer, then Regius Professor at Cambridge, wrote a detailed critique (the Censura), and the use of the 1549 book by conservatives such as Gardiner to defend traditional eucharistic doctrine made revision urgent for Cranmer. A second Act of Uniformity in 1552 authorised the revised book from November of that year.

What changed

The Communion service was radically restructured. The prayer of consecration was broken up: the Gloria moved to the end, the prayer for the Church was separated from the consecration, and communion was given immediately after the words of institution, followed by the Prayer of Oblation as an optional thanksgiving afterward. Prayers for the dead and the epiclesis were removed. The minister was to wear only a surplice rather than eucharistic vestments, ordinary bread replaced wafers, and the “table” stood in the body of the church or chancel. The words of administration became “Take and eat this in remembrance that Christ died for thee.” Morning and Evening Prayer gained an opening sentence, exhortation, confession and absolution. Exorcism, anointing and chrism were dropped from Baptism.

Notable and controversial

The book was in force for only about eight months before Edward VI’s death in July 1553 and the restoration of the Latin rite under Mary I. Late in the printing, the Privy Council added the “Black Rubric,” explaining that kneeling to receive communion implied no adoration of “any real and essential presence” of Christ’s natural flesh and blood; it was inserted after John Knox and others objected to kneeling. The 1552 book became the basis of all later English books.