common prayer
Formerly also Common prayers. Prayer in which worshippers publicly unite; esp. the liturgy or form of public service prescribed by the Church of England, and set forth in the Book of Common Prayer (or Common Prayer Book) of Edward VI.
| [252 St. Cyprian Treat. Lord's Pr. in Blunt Annot. (1884) 82 Publica est nobis et Communis Oratio. a 1475 G. Chastellain Chron. Wks. 1864 IV. vi. i. lxv. 207 Londres..où communes pryères furent enjointes à tout l'universel peuple pour ce prince.] 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 158 b, There ben two maner of prayers, a priuate prayer and a commune prayer. 1547 Articles of Inquiry in Cardwell Doc. Annals (1844) I. 57 In the time of the litany, or any other common prayer. 1548–9 Act 2 & 3 Edw. VI, c. 1 Where of long time there hath beene..diuers formes of Common prayer, commonly called the seruice of the Church: That is to say, the vse of Sarum, of York, of Bangor. 1549 (May) (title), The booke of the common prayer and administracion of the Sacramentes, etc. 1549–52 Bk. Com. Prayer Pref., The Common Prayers in the Church, commonly called Divine Service. 1554 Ridley Let. 8 Apr., Wks. (Parker Soc.) 341 All..agreed..that the common prayer of the church should be had in the common tongue. 1581 Marbeck Bk. of Notes 228 The Canons of the Apostles do excommunicate them which being present at y⊇ Common Praier, do not also receive the holie communion. 1631 High Commission Cases (1886) 216 Mr. Viccars..proved he read common prayers once. 1651 Evelyn Diary (1827) II. 35 To bring my wife's god-daughter to Paris, to be buried by the Common Prayer. 1661 Orrery State Papers (1743) I. 29 We are now generally..all common prayer men. 1682–3 Dean Granville Rem. 23, I had press'd the Cleargy for many years together to study their Common Prayer-book. 1711 Steele Spect. No. 147 ¶1 The well reading of the Common-prayer is of so great Importance. 1884 Blunt Annot. Prayer Bk. 82 True Common Prayer..is offered..by a Bishop or Priest..in the presence and with the aid of three, or at least two other Christian persons. |
b. = Common prayer book.
| 1712 Hearne Collect. (Oxf. Hist. Soc.) III. 288 Bibles and Common-Prayers are to be printed at the new House. 1715 Lond. Gaz. No. 5344/3 A large Folio Common Prayer. 1796 Morse Amer. Geog. II. 145 Bibles, common-prayers, and other religious books. |