On This Day ...

• 1549: The Protestant 'Book of Common Prayer' is introduced, sparking a Catholic peasant rebellion
  

Not the most interesting of thngs, you might say - and a pity the Beeb had to turn it into something violent - but have you any idea of the significance of the thing?
The very language you are reading, the language I speak, Shakespeare and all that ... all have at least one root in the Book of Common Prayer.

For starters - it was in Latin. Henry was breaking from Rome not from religion - although it didn't stay in Latin for long .. 2 or 3 years: Then the book got seriously important.

The book is basically a handbook - a how to run a religion/church program.

It also says how to get born married and dead the right way.

It is the words which accompany all the seriously serious events of life -

DEARE beloved, forasmuche as all men bee conceyved and borne in sinne, and that no manne borne in synne, can entre into the kingdom of God (except he be regenerate, and borne anewe of water, and the holy ghost) I beseche you to call upon God the father through our Lord Jesus Christ, that of his bounteouse mercy he wil graunt to these children that thing, which by nature they cannot have, that is to saye, they may be baptised with the holy ghost, and receyved into Christes holy Church, and be made lyvely membres of the same.

Look at that for a sentence! And listen to the words ... doesn't it echo - forget Big Ben - hear tiny baptism!

The sin - you are born in sin! Fortunately, the little screaming bundle, whose welcoming words these are, couldn't understand - but that is only a temporary thing ... this is in English, it would soon be able to understand - and religion decends to the people.

Or how about this one:

DEERELY beloved frendes, we are gathered together here in the syght of God, and in the face of his congregacion, to joyne together this man and this woman in holy matrimonie, which is an honorable estate instituted of God in paradise, in the time of mannes innocencie, signifying unto us the misticall union that is betwixte Christe and his Churche: whiche holy estate, Christe adorned and beutified with his presence, and first miracle that he wrought in Cana of Galile, and is commended of Sainct Paule to be honourable emong all men; and therefore is not to bee enterprised, nor taken in hande unadvisedlye, lightelye, or wantonly, to satisfie mens carnal lustes and appetites, like brute beastes that have no understanding: but reverentely, discretely, advisedly, soberly, and in the feare of God.

Big breath needed ... and words I know, not exactly in the text above - but close enough.

And a final one - really final:

I COMMENDE thy soule to God the father almighty, and thy body to the grounde, earth to earth, asshes to asshes, dust to dust, in sure and certayne hope of resurreccion to eternall lyfe, through our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall chaunge our vile body, that it may be lyke to his glorious body, accordyng to the myghtie workyng wherby he is hable to subdue all thynges to himselfe.

Important book that one.

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