It was not very clear by what authority these innovations had been made. There had been royal proclamations and injunctions; episcopal injunctions and orders on visitation. There was another change, perhaps the most striking of all, in which Parliament had intervened. The first Act of the first Parliament of Edward VI. required the administration of the Holy Sacrament of the Altar in both kinds. No penalties were annexed, though elsewhere in the same statute severe penalties were appointed for depravers of the Sacrament. Convocation had concurred, adopting on December 2, 1547, a resolution of some sort in favour of communion in both kinds. [1] The records are too scanty to show exactly what was done. An _Order of the Communion_ with English prayers, to be inserted in the usual order of the Mass, was afterwards published, and brought into general use, on the command apparently of the King and his Council. Nothing was said in the Act of Parliament about the mode of giving communion, and therefore, lest every man phantasing and devising a sundry way by himself, in the use of this most blessed Sacrament of unity, there might thereby arise any unseemly and ungodly diversity, the King put forth this Order to be exclusively followed. [2] A letter from the Council to the bishops of the realm explains the source of the Order. It was drawn up at the King's desire, by sundry of his majesty's most grave and well learned prelates, and other learned men in the scripture. [3] This, then, was commanded by public authority. But there were other innovations of more doubtful origin. On May 12, 1548, at the commemoration of Henry VII. in Westminster Abbey, Wriothesley tells us of the masse song all in English, with the consecration of the sacrament also spoken in English, the priest afterwards "ministering the communion after the Kinges booke." In September, at the consecration of Fernir by Cranmer, Holbeach and Ridley, something of the same kind was done. The account in Cranmer's Register is confused, but it says distinctly that the Holy Eucharist was _consecrata in lingua vernacula_. The churchwardens of St. Michael's, Cornhill, this same year paid five shillings to the Scolle Mr of Polles, for wrytyng of the masse in Englysh & ye benedicites; doubtless for use in church. [4] In May, again, according to Wriothesley, Poules quire and dyvers other parishes in London song all the service in English, both mattens, masse, and evensonge. At St. Michael's, "viii Sawtters in Englyshe" were bought. [5] In September, Somerset, as Chancellor, wrote to the Vice-Chancellor of Cambridge that in all the Colleges they should use one uniform order, rite, and ceremonies in the mass, mattins and evensong, and all divine service in the same to be said or sung, such as is presently used in the king's Majesty's chapel, and none other. [6]