The communion prayer contained words expressing both
the Catholic view that the wafer and wine contained the real
presence of the body and blood of Christ, and the Protestant view
that they were commemorative only. Communion was celebrated only
at Easter and other great festivals. Church services included a
sermon and were in accordance with a reformed prayer book and in
English, as was the Bible. Care was even taken not to use words
that would offend the Scots, Lutherans, Calvinists, or Huguenots.
People could hold what religious beliefs they would, even atheism,
as long as they maintained an outward conformity. Attendance at
state church services on Sunday mornings and evenings and Holydays
was enforced by a fine of 12d. imposed by the church wardens.
Babies were to be baptized before they were one month old or the
parents would be punished.
Still, the new religion had to be protected. Members of the House
of Commons, lawyers, schoolmasters were to take the oath of
supremacy or be imprisoned and make a forfeiture; a second refusal
brought death. When numerous Anabaptists came from the continent
to live in the port towns, the Queen issued a proclamation
ordering them to leave the realm because their pernicious opinions
could corrupt the church. The new church still accepted the theory
of the devil causing storms, but opposed ringing the holy church
bells to attempt to drive him away.
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