4 - The canons of 1571*

Summary

Liber quorundam canonum disciplinae ecclesiae Anglicanae anno MDLXXI. Sequuntur in hoc libello certi quidam articuli de sacro ministerio et procuratione ecclesiarum in quos piene consensum est in synodo a domino Matthaeo archiepiscopo Cantuariensi et totius Angliae primate et metropolitano, et reliquis omnibus eius provinciae episcopis, partim personaliter praesentibus in synodo inchoata Londini in aede divi Pauli tertio die Aprilis MDLXXI.

1. De episcopis.

1. Omnes episcopi diligenter docebunt evangelium, non tantum in ecclesiis cathedralibus, quibus praesunt, sed etiam passim per omnes ecclesias suae cuiusque dioeceseos, ubi maxime putabunt expedire.

2. Imprimis autem cohortabuntur populum ad lectionem, et auditionem Sacrarum Scripturarum; utque satis temporibus conveniant ad suas quique ecclesias, et diligenter auscultent sacris contionatoribus; utque submisse et audiant pias preces, quae a ministro dicentur, et una precentor ipsi, et caelestium mysteriorum, ut nunc in ecclesiis nostris auctoritate, et iussu totius regni legitime et pie procurantur, sint participes.

3. Episcopus quisque ante calendas Septembris próximas [1 September 1571] advocabit ad se omnes publicos contionatores, quicunque erunt in sua cuiusque dioecesi, et ab illis repetet facultates contionandi, quas habent, auctentico sigillo consignatas, easque vel retinebit apud se vel extinguet. Deinde, delecto illorum

A book of certain canons concerning some part of the discipline of the Church of England, In the year of our Lord 1571. Here followeth in this book some certain articles of the holy ministry and of the offices of the church fully agreed upon by Matthew, archbishop of Canterbury, primate of all England and metropolitan, and all other bishops of the same province, which were partly present in person and partly subscribed by the hands of their proctors, in a synod begun at London, in the church of St Paul, the third day of April 1571.

1. Bishops.

1. All bishops shall diligently teach the gospel, not only in their cathedral churches which they govern, but also indifferently in all the churches of every their diocese, where they shall think it most needful.