A LETTER of that most religious and pious Prince K. Edward the sixth to Nicholas Ridley Bishop of London, for the taking down of Altars, and setting up the Table in the steed thereof, subscribed by nine of the said Kings Privy Council, together with the said Kings six reasons for the same alteration; All which are set forth in the Ecclesiastical History, containing the Acts and Monuments or Martyrs, written by M. John Fox, and may there be read in the life of that ever blessed King.  
London, Printed 1641.   

A Letter of that most Religious and pious Prince King Edward the sixth to Nicholas Ridley, Bishop of London, for the taking down of Altars, and setting up the Table, etc.  
RIght reverend Father in God, right trusty and well-beloved, we greet you well;  
And where it is come to our knowledge, that the Altars within the most part of the Churches of this Realm, being already upon good and godly considerations taken down, there do yet remain Altars standing in divers other Churches, by occasion whereof much variance and contention ariseth amongst sundry of our Subjects, which if good foresight were not had, might perchance engender great hurt and inconvenience: We let you wit, that minding to have all occasion of contention taken away, which many times groweth by those and such like diversities; and considering that amongst other things belonging to our Royal Office and care, We do account the greatest to be to maintain the common quiet of our Realm, We have thought good, by the advice of our Counsel, to require you, and nevertheless especially to charge and command you for the avoiding of all matters of further contention and strife, about the standing or taking away of the said Altars, to give substantial order throughout all your Diocese, that with all diligence, all the Altars in every Church or Chapel, as well in places exempted, as not exempted, within your said Diocese be t●ken down, and in the steed thereof a Table to be set up in some convenient part of the Chancel within every such Church or Chapel, to serve for the ministration of the blessed Communion; and to the intent the same may be done without offence of such our loving Subjects, as be not yet so well persuaded in that behalf, as we would wish, we send unto you herewith certain considerations gathered and collected, that make for the purpose, the which, and such others as you shall think meet to be set forth to persuade the weak to embrace our proceed in this part, we pray you cause to be declared to the people by some discreet Preachers, in such places as you shall think meet, before the taking down of the said Altars, so as both the weak consciences of others may be instructed and satisfied as much as may be, and this our pleasure the more quietly executed; For the better doing whereof, we require you to open the foresaid considerations in that our Cathedral Church in your own person, if you conveniently may, or otherwise by your Chancellor, or some other grave Preacher, both there, and in such other Market Townes, and most notable places of your Diocese, as you may think most requisite.  
Given under our Signet at our Palace at Westminster the 24 day of November, in the fourth year of our Reign. 

Edward Somerset.  
Thomas Cranmer:  
William Wiltshire.  
john Warwick.  
john Bedford.  
William North.  
Edw. Clinton.  
Hen. Wentworth.  
Thom. Ely.     

Reasons why the Lords Board should rather be after the form of a Table then of an Altar.  
The First Reason. 
 FIrst the Form of a Table shall more move the simple from the superstitious opinions of the Popish Mass unto the right use of the Lords Supper; for the use of an Altar is to make Sacrifice upon it, the use of a Table is to serve for men to eat upon. Now when we come to the Lords Board, what do we come for? to Sacrifice Christ again, and to Crucify him again, or to feed upon him, that was once only crucified and offered up for us? If we come to feed upon him, spiritually to eat his body, and spiritually to drink his blood, which is a true use of the Lords Supper, than no man can deny but the form of a Table is more meet for the Lords Board, than the form of an Altar.  
mhe Second reason. 
 ITem, Whereas it is said that the Book of Common Prayer maketh mention of an Altar wherefore it is not lawful to abolish that which the Book alloweth, to this it is thus answered, The Book of Common Prayer calleth the thing whereupon the Lords supper is ministered indifferently a Table, an Altar, or the Lord's Board, without prescription of any form thereof, either of a Table or of an Altar; so that whether the Lords board have the form of an Altar or of a Table the Book of Common Prayer calleth it both an Altar and a Table; For as it calleth it an Altar whereupon the Lords Supper is ministered a Table and the Lords board, so it calleth the Table where the holy Communion is distributed with lauds and thanksgiving unto the Lord, an Altar, for that there is offered the same sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, and thus it appeareth that there is nothing either said or meant contrary to the Book of Common Prayer.  
The third Reason. 
 THirdly, the Popish opinion of Mass was that it might not be celebrated but upon an Altar or at the least upon a Super-Altar to supply the fault of the Altar, which must have had his prints and Character, or else it was thought that the thing was not lawfully done; but this superstitious opinion is more holden in the minds of the simple and ignorant by the form of an Altar then of a Table, wherefore it is more meet for the abolishment of this superstitious opinion, to have the Lords Board after the form of a Table then of an Altar.  
The Fourth Reason. 
 FOurthly, The form of an Altar was ordained for the Sacrifices of the Law and therefore the Altar in Greek is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi Sacrificii locus, but now both the Law and the Sacrifices thereof do cease, wherefore the Form of the Altar used in the Altar ought to cease withal.  
The Fifth Reason. 
 FIftly, Christ did institute the Sacrament of his body and blood at his last Supper at a Table and not at an Altar, as it appeareth manifestly by the three Evangelists, and St. Paul calleth the coming to the holy Communion the coming unto the Lord's Supper, and also it is not read that any of the Apostles or the primitive Church did ever use any Altar in ministration of the holy Communion; wherefore seeing the form of a Table is more agreeable to Christ's institution, and with the usage of the Apostles and of the Primitive Church, than the form of an Altar, therefore the form of a Table is rather to be used then the form of an Altar in the administration of the Holy Communion.  
The Sixth Reason. 
 FInally it is said in the Preface of the Book of Common Prayer, that if any doubt do arise in the use and practising of the same Book, to appease all such diversity, the matter shall be referred unto the Bishop of the Diocese, who by his discretion shall take order for the quieting and appeasing of the same, so that the same order be not contrary to any thing contained in that book.  
After these letters and reasons received, the forenamed Nicholas Ridley, Bp. of London, consequently upon the same did hold his Visitation, wherein, amongst other his Injunctions, the said Bp. exhorted those Churches in his Diocese where the Altar than did remain to conform themselves unto those other Churches which had taken them down, and had set up in stead of the multitude of their Altars, one decent Table in every Church: Upon the occasion whereof there arose a great diversity about the form of the Lords Board, some using it after the form of a Table, and some of an Altar, wherein when the said Bishop was required to say and determine what was most meet, he declared, he could do no less of his bounden duty for appeasing of such diversity, & to procure one godly uniformity, but to exhort all his Diocese unto that which he thought did best agree with Scripture, with the usage of the Apostles, and with the Primitive Church, and to that which is not only not contrary unto any thing contained in the Book of Common Prayer, as is is before proved, but also might highly further the Kings most godly proceed, in abolishing of divers vain and superstitious opinions of the Popish mass out of the hearts of the simple, and to bring them to the right use taught by holy Scripture of the Lords Supper, and so appointed, he the form of a right Table to be used in his Diocese, and in the Church of Paul broke down the wall standing then by the High Altars side.  
BY the preceding passages, the whole World may see, that in all times there will be Champions found to defend all opinious; you see how Tables did then cry down Altars, and how Altars of late have thrust out Tables, and Bishops defending both according to the Current and humour of the time, or rather according to the indisputable command of the Metropolitan; to whose papal pride and Lording greatness all the rest of the Prelates by oath and Canonical obedience are slavishly subservient. Which usurped and insufferable domination hath been the chief cause of all the 〈◊〉 troubles and Innovations both in Chur●● 〈…〉 Common Wealth: But it is hoped that 〈…〉 generating order of Bishops (under 〈…〉 this Kingdom groans) will by this P●●●●●ment be either wholly taken away, or b●●●ded within such Limits, that their Lor●●… power, pride, and cruelty, shall swell ●●●●more above the banks of moderation to t●● ruin of the Church and Common Wealth. 〈◊〉 if any Dutiful son of the Church will stan● up in the defence of that order, and invocate the Holy Apostles to justify the institution and antiquity of Episcopacy; if that shall be yielded, then let them be reduced to that Primitive condition; or (because they have so much abused bounty of Princes) for ever lose the plea and Title.  
FINIS.