1 - The articles on doctrine, 1555*

Summary

Articles on doctrine.

1. That the people shall be taught, as much as possible, by preachers. That four sets of sermons shall be appointed in English, and where preachers are lacking, they shall be read to the people on Sundays and other holidays by the rectors, vicars and curates.

2. The first set of sermons shall cover the eucharist, penance, auricular confession and the other sacraments which the heretics of our time have especially attacked. Also, free will, justification, good works, the church and its authority, unity and ministers.

3. The second set of sermons shall expound the articles of the creed, the Lord's prayer, the angels’ greeting, the ten commandments and the seven sacraments of the church.

4. The third set shall be short sermons about the Christian year and the saints.

5. The fourth set of sermons shall cover the nature, use and significance of the ceremonies which are most frequently used in church. Also virtues and vices, such as charity, obedience, the fear of God, the last judgment, adultery, greed, perjury, sloth, etc.

6. That a brief catechism shall be published in Latin and English, by which the youth may be instructed in the basics of the faith.

7. There shall also be some sound and godly texts for priests to use when hearing confessions and visiting the sick.

Things pertaining to prayer.

1. That a book of prayers containing the hours of the Blessed Mary, the penitential psalms, the vigils for the dead, the commendations, the psalms of suffering and complectens, Latine et Anglice edatur, quo a populo in ecclesia uniusmodi precandi modus observetur.

2. Sit formula quaedam gratiarum in prandio et in coena Deo agendarum, patrum sermone composita, qua laici per totum regnum utantur.

3. Ut dum contio vel summa missa, quam vocant, ас solemnis peragitur, nullus sacerdos celebret, sed omnes tam sacerdotes quam laici earn attentis animis pariter audiant.

4. Ut breviaria ас libri missales recognoscantur et repurgentur, et uniusmodi per totum regnum habeantur.

5. Ut in omnibus dioecesibus eaedem ceremoniae omnino teneantur.

6. Ut festum dedicationis uno certo ac statuto die in omnibus ecclesiis celebretur.