From the 1550 Ordinal

In Saepuis Officio the Archbishops of England had to make clear that the 1550 Ordinal (added that year to the 1549 Book of Common Prayer) never restricted the Form for conferring of Orders simply to the phrase "Take the Holy Ghost." This the Archbishops did by pointing the reader to those parts of that first English Ordinal which specify the Consecration of Bishops, and the Ordinations of Priests and Deacons. This is a very important matter, for Apostolicae Curae based its conclusion in part on the falsehood that the specific Orders were never mentioned, never distinctly clarified, until the 1662 Book of Common Prayer, by which time it was too late. A simple reading of the first English Ordinal would have prevented that mistake. The Orders were distinctly clarified in this first English Ordinal of 1550, by prayers and statements in the overall Form that stood apart from the Accipe Spiritum Sanctum: Examples are as follows:
For Bishops (and this entire form with all of these prayers specifying the office of a Bishop is the form that was used when Archbishop Matthew Parker was consecrated) :
1) MoST reverend father in god, we presente unto you this godly and wel learned man to be consecrated Bisshoppe.
2) MIGHTIE God, gever of all good thynges, which by thy holy spirite hast appointed diverse orders of ministers in thy Church: mercifully beholde this thy servaunt, now called to the worke and ministerie of a Bisshoppe, and replenishe him so with the trueth of thy doctryne, and innocencie of life, that both by worde and dede, he may faithfully serve thee in this office, to the glorye of thy name, and profite of thy congregacyon: Through the merites of our savioure Jesu Christe, who lyveth and reigneth with thee and the holy gost, worlde without ende. Amen.
3) TAKE the holy gost, and remember that thou stirre up the grace of god, whiche is in thee, by imposicion of handes: for god hath not geven us the spirite of feare, but of power, and love, and of sobernesse.
(Note: Number three here specifies the office of Bishop by using the words addressed by Saint Paul to Saint Timothy, Bishop of Ephesus. Compare to the words addressed to priests later, and note the distinction).

For priests

1) THE same daye at night, which was the fyrst daye of the Sabbothes, when the doores were shutte (where the Disciples were assembled together, for feare of the Jewes) came Jesus and stode in the middes [midst], and sayde unto them; peace be unto you. And when he had so sayd, he shewed unto them hys handes and his syde. Then were the disciples glad, when they sawe the Lord. Then sayd Jesus unto them agayne, peace bee unto you. As my father sent me, even so send I you also. And when he had sayd those wordes, he breathed on them and said unto them, receyve ye the holy ghost: whosoevers synnes ye remytte, they are remytted unto them: and whosoevers synnes ye retayne, they are retayned.


2)REVERENDE Father in GOD, I presente unto you, these persones presente, to bee admitted to the ordre of Priesthode, Cum interrogatione et responsione, ut in ordine Diaconatus.
3) ALMYGHTIE GOD, gever of all good thinges, which by thy holy spirit has appoynted dyverse orders of Ministers in thy church, mercifully behold these thy servantes, now called to the Office of Priesthode, and replenish them so wyth the trueth of thy doctryne, and innocencie of lyfe, that both by worde and good example, they may faythfully serve thee in thys office, to the glorye of thy name, and profyte of the congregacion, through the merites of oure saviour Jesu Christ, who lyveth and reygneth, wyth thee and the holy Ghoste, worlde wythout ende. Amen.
4)RECEIVE the holy goste, whose synnes thou doest forgeve, they are forgeven: and whose sinnes thou doest retaine, thei are retained: and be thou a faithful despensor of the word of god, and of his holy Sacramentes. In the name of the father, and of the sonne, and of the holy gost. Amen.
5) TAKE thou aucthoritie to preache the word of god, and to minister the holy Sacramentes in thys congregacion, where thou shalt be so appointed .

For Deacons
1) R EVERENDE Father in GOD, I presente unto you, these persones presente, to bee admitted Deacons.
2) ALMYGHTIE God, whiche by thy devyne providence, haste appoynted dyverse Orders of ministers in the Churche: and dyddeste enspyre thyne holy Apostles to chose unto this Ordre of Deacons, the fyrste Martyr sainct Stephyn, wyth other: mercyfully beholde these thy servauntes, now called to the lyke office and administracion; replenishe them so wyth the trueth of thy doctryne, and innocencie of lyfe, that, both by worde and good example, they may faithfully serve thee in this office, to the glory of thy name, and profyte of the congregacion, through the merites of our saviour Jesu Christ, who lyveth and reygneth wyth thee, and the holy Ghost, nowe and ever. Amen.