Preface.

The queen's majesty, of her godly zeal, calling to remembrance how necessary it is to the advancement of God's glory and to the establishment of Christ's pure religion, for all her loving subjects, especially the state ecclesiastical, to be knit together in one perfect unity of doctrine, and to be conjoined in one uniformity of rites and manners in the ministration of God's Holy Word, in open prayer and ministration of sacraments, as also to be of one decent behaviour in their outward apparel, to be known partly by their distinct habits to be of that vocation (who should be reverenced the rather in their offices as ministers of the holy things whereto they be called) hath by her letters directed unto the archbishop of Canterbury and metropolitan, required, enjoined and straitly charged that with assistance and conference had with other bishops, namely such as be in commission for causes ecclesiastical, some orders might be taken whereby all diversities and varieties among them of the clergy and the people (as breeding nothing but contention, offence and breach of common charity, and be against the laws, good usage and ordinances of the realm) might be reformed and repressed, and brought to one manner of uniformity throughout the whole realm, that the people may thereby quietly honour and serve Almighty God in truth, concord, unity, peace and quietness, as by her majesty's said letters more at large doth appear. Whereupon by diligent conference and communication in the same, and at last by assent and consent of the persons before said, these orders and rules ensuing have been thought meet and convenient to be used and followed;