Page:Readings in European History Vol 2.djvu/184

 146 R&adings in European History The persons that cast the lead into fodders plucked up all the seats in the choir wherein the monks sat when they said service, — which were like to the seats in minsters, — and burned them and melted the lead therewith all, although there was wood plenty within a flight shot of them. . . . VII. Protestantism established in England under Edward VI (1547-1553) It was the task of the advisers of Edward VI to deter- mine what should be the doctrines and rites in the new English Protestant state church. When the beliefs and religious services sanctioned by the government had been duly established by issuing an official book of prayer and the "Articles of Religion," it became necessary to enforce uniformity by punishing, on the one hand, "revilers," who went too far to suit the government, and, on the other, Roman Catholics, who refused to go far enough. At the opening of Edward's reign a statute was directed against the extremists who spoke against the Lord's Supper. 273. Revilers [Although the most comfortable sacrament of the body and of the Lord's blood of our Saviour Jesus Christ, commonly called the Sacra- imprisoned rnent of the Altar, and in Scripture, the supper and table of (1547). the Lord, was instituted of no less author than of our Saviour,] (Slightly t t k e g^ sacramen t nas been of late marvelously abused by such manner of men before rehearsed, who of wickedness, or else of ignorance and want of learning, for certain abuses heretofore committed by some, in misusing thereof, having condemned in their hearts and speech the whole thing, and contemptuously depraved, despised, or reviled the same most holy and blessed sacrament, and not only disputed and rea- soned unreverently and ungodly of that most high mystery, but also, in their sermons, preachings, readings, lectures, communications, arguments, talks, rhymes, songs, plays, or condensed.)