An Attempt To Date
the Eucharist and Communion
G.D.O'Bradovich III
July, 2014
The Oxford English Dictionary has been consulted for words relating to "Eucharist" and "Communion". Secondary sources are in red.
1400a Relig. Pieces fr. Thornton MS. (1867) 37 Þe brede of eukaryste, þat es þe grace in þe sacrament of þe autere.
1440▸ Promptorium Parvulorum (Harl. 221) 89 Communyone, sacrament, communio.
1454–6 in Trans. Bristol & Gloucs. Archaeol. Soc. (1890) 15 148 (MED), Another old boke..endeth with the communion in the service of the Dedication of a church.
1455 in Trans. Bristol & Gloucs. Archaeol. Soc. (1890) 15 145 The best Mas boke, begynnyng with the Kalender and endyng with the general prayer,—Deus, qui es nostra redempcio, etc., with the Secret,—Omnipotens sempiterne Deus, etc. and the Postcommunion,—Deus cujus misericordiæ, etc.
1483 Caxton tr. J. de Voragine Golden Legende 442 b/1 After the preest sayth the postcommunyon whiche is so named..for thys that it is sayd after the preest hath receyued the precyous sacramente of the aulter.
1483 Caxton tr. J. de Voragine Golden Legende f. 307/2, Whan the solempnytees of the masses were done, & the peple had taken hooly communyon, al retvrned to their propre places.
1500c Consecration of Nuns (Cambr. Mm.3.13) in W. Maskell Monumenta Ritualia Ecclesiæ Anglicanæ (1846) II. 327 Oon after an other..shall offer an host and wyne..for theyr communion.
1535 W. Stewart tr. H. Boethius Bk. Cron. Scotl. III. 255 The siluer euchrist be ane cord..that hang..Tha pluckit doun.
1535a T. More Treat. Passion in Wks. (1557) 1338/2 This blessed sacrament is also called Eucharistia.
1540c J. Bellenden tr. H. Boece Hyst. & Cron. Scotl. xiv. xv. f. 216/1, Thay spulȝeit ye eucarist out of ye cais of siluer.
1548 Order of Communion To come to this holy Sacrament and most blessed Communion..Rubr. 1 Before he shall minister the Communion. Rubr. 2 Disposed to be partakers of the Communion... Rubr. 5 Those that are minded to receive the holy Communion. Rubr. 9 The Priest shall deliver the Communion first to the Ministers.
1549 Bk. Common Prayer (STC 16267) Svpper of the lorde f. cxxxv, Then shall the Clarkes syng the post Communion.
1549 Forme & Maner consecratyng Archebishoppes sig. C.ij, Then shalbe song or saied, the Communion of the daie.
1549 Melton Mowbray Churchwardens' Accts. in Trans. Leics. Archit. & Archæol. Soc. (1874) 3 186 Pd to John Gadder for making the Comunion table and or. things in the churche.
1555 J. Bale in J. Strype Eccl. Mem. (1721) III. App. xxxix. 108 They mock the rehearsal of Gods commandments, and of the epistles and gospels in our Communion, and say, they are misplaced.
1555 R. Eden tr. Peter Martyr of Angleria Decades of Newe Worlde f. 224, Whyle certeyne of the Christians were at the communion.
1560 Bible (Geneva) 1 Cor. x. 16 The cuppe of blessing which we blesse, is it not the communion [c1384 Wycliffite, E.V.comenynge, 1526 Tyndale partakynge (1534 felowship), 1582 Rheims communication, 1611 communion, L.communicatio, Gk. κοινωνία] of the blood of Christ? The bread which we breake, is it not the communion [c1384Wycliffite, E.V. delynge or part takynge, 1526 Tyndale partetakynge (1534 felowship), 1582 Rheims participation, 1611 communion, L. participatio, Gk. κοινωνία] of the bodie of Christ?]
1560 St. Giles Charters (1859) p. xlvii, The pece of gold that held the breid within the eucharist.
1560 St. Giles Charters (1859) p. xlviii, Ane rownd eucharist, ane chalece, ane plate.
1570 tr. S. Brandt Ship of Fools 174 f. v, Eucharist..is the priestes seruice and busynes.
1575 in W. H. Turner Select. Rec. Oxf. (1880) 368 Ye..Burgesses..shall yearly procure a communion or sermon to be made.
1577 B. Googe tr. C. Heresbach Foure Bks. Husbandry i. f. 4, We goe..to our Parishe Churche, where we heare our Curate, and receaue the blessed Communion.
1579 W. Fulke Heskins Parl. Repealed in D. Heskins Ouerthrowne 82 A..priest sent to Serapion a little portion of the Eucharistie.
1581c in J. V. Holleran Jesuit Challenge (1999) (modernized text) 132 Do you hold that if one eat your communion worthily, that then he shall be saved?
1590 H. Barrow Brief Disc. False Church 240 With what sense they can thus popishly vnderstand yt of & applie yt to their communion table only.
1593 R. Hooker Of Lawes Eccl. Politie Pref. 7 Himselfe did better like of common bread to be vsed in the Eucharist.
1603 H. Clapham Three Partes Salomon Song of Songs Expounded i. xiii. 72 In Church-Communion; God and Man are considered at one, and in Christ made one.
1604 R. Cawdrey Table Alphabet., Eucharist, a thanksgiuing.
1631 S. Rutherford Lett. (1863) I. xiv. 67 Unacquainted with the day of our Communion.
1631a J. Donne Serm. (1954) VII. 286 Consider then, that to come to the Communion Table, is to take Orders; Every man should come to that Altar, as holy as the Priest, for there he is a Priest.
1638a J. Mede Wks. (1672) i. li. 287 Our Sacrament of Peace is called the Eucharist.
1644 Bp. J. Taylor Apol. Litvrgie §38 For which ability they should do well to pay their eucharist to the Holy Ghost.
1644 J. Evelyn Mem. (1857) I. 103 The Emperor, Henry VII, who was..poisoned with the Holy Eucharist.
1650 J. Lamont Diary 17 The communion was giuen att the church of Largo.
1653 R. Baxter Christian Concord 34 So high a penalty as exclusion from Church-Communion.
1657 A. Sparrow Rationale Bk. Common Prayer 241 The last is the Post-Communion, or, Thanksgiving, which with us is nothing but that holy Hymn [Gloria in Excelsis].
1660 R. Coke Elements Power & Subjection 162 in Justice Vindicated, At no time a Priest is worthy to celebrate Mass, who hath not received the Eucharist.
1661a W. Brereton Trav. (1844) 82 It was not to be accounted an altar, but the communion-table.
1678 S. Butler Hudibras: Third Pt. iii. ii. 138 Yet for all this Gospel Union, And outward shew of Church Communion, They'ld ne'er admit us to our shares.
1687 J. Evelyn Diary (1955) IV. 543 The Communion follow'd, at which I was participant.
1691 J. Norris Pract. Disc. Divine Subj. 225 The Second calls for our Praise and Eucharist.
1711 J. Addison Spectator No. 112. ¶2 Sir Roger..has likewise given a handsome Pulpit-Cloth and railed in the Communion-Table at his own Expence.
1712 G. Wheler Liturgy (MS.) 195 The importance of the Holy Eucharisty is so great that they did..give a general Scheme, how it shou'd be celebrated.
1716a R. South Serm. (1744) VII. 12 He..is..led through a vale of tears to the region of eucharist and hallelujahs.
1720 S. Downes Abridgm. Controv. between Church of Eng. & New Pseudo-primitives (1722) p. x, I..hope..never to be so far a Partaker in Schism, as to join with you in this unhappy Breach of Church-Communion.
1737 R. Challoner Catholick Christian Instructed v. 66 After the Communion of the Priest in the Mass, such of the People as are to communicate go up to the Rail before the Altar.
1737 R. Challoner Catholick Christian Instructed vii. 100 And then returning to the Book, [he] reads the Collects or Prayers called the Post-communion.
1742 N. Bailey Universal Etymol. Eng. Dict. at Altar, The Christians call the Communion Table their Altar, because they offer up thereon a Sacrifice of Thanksgiving, in Memory of the Death and Passion of Jesus Christ.
1770a J. Jortin Serm. (1771) V. xiii. 293 The Church of Rome gives the Communion in one kind.
1772 J. Priestley Inst. Relig. (1782) II. 352 Giving the eucharist to children was..finally abolished.
1783 W. Thomson in R. Watson & W. Thomson Hist. Reign Philip III vi. 432 Sigismond..allowed them [sc. the Hussites] the cup in the sacrament of the eucharist.
1796 T. Knowles Advice to Young Clergyman 37 The Catholic doctrine of the Trinity..was the chief term of church-communion.
1400a Relig. Pieces fr. Thornton MS. (1867) 37 Þe brede of eukaryste, þat es þe grace in þe sacrament of þe autere.
1440▸ Promptorium Parvulorum (Harl. 221) 89 Communyone, sacrament, communio.
1454–6 in Trans. Bristol & Gloucs. Archaeol. Soc. (1890) 15 148 (MED), Another old boke..endeth with the communion in the service of the Dedication of a church.
1455 in Trans. Bristol & Gloucs. Archaeol. Soc. (1890) 15 145 The best Mas boke, begynnyng with the Kalender and endyng with the general prayer,—Deus, qui es nostra redempcio, etc., with the Secret,—Omnipotens sempiterne Deus, etc. and the Postcommunion,—Deus cujus misericordiæ, etc.
1483 Caxton tr. J. de Voragine Golden Legende 442 b/1 After the preest sayth the postcommunyon whiche is so named..for thys that it is sayd after the preest hath receyued the precyous sacramente of the aulter.
1483 Caxton tr. J. de Voragine Golden Legende f. 307/2, Whan the solempnytees of the masses were done, & the peple had taken hooly communyon, al retvrned to their propre places.
1500c Consecration of Nuns (Cambr. Mm.3.13) in W. Maskell Monumenta Ritualia Ecclesiæ Anglicanæ (1846) II. 327 Oon after an other..shall offer an host and wyne..for theyr communion.
1535 W. Stewart tr. H. Boethius Bk. Cron. Scotl. III. 255 The siluer euchrist be ane cord..that hang..Tha pluckit doun.
1535a T. More Treat. Passion in Wks. (1557) 1338/2 This blessed sacrament is also called Eucharistia.
1540c J. Bellenden tr. H. Boece Hyst. & Cron. Scotl. xiv. xv. f. 216/1, Thay spulȝeit ye eucarist out of ye cais of siluer.
1548 Order of Communion To come to this holy Sacrament and most blessed Communion..Rubr. 1 Before he shall minister the Communion. Rubr. 2 Disposed to be partakers of the Communion... Rubr. 5 Those that are minded to receive the holy Communion. Rubr. 9 The Priest shall deliver the Communion first to the Ministers.
1549 Bk. Common Prayer (STC 16267) Svpper of the lorde f. cxxxv, Then shall the Clarkes syng the post Communion.
1549 Forme & Maner consecratyng Archebishoppes sig. C.ij, Then shalbe song or saied, the Communion of the daie.
1549 Melton Mowbray Churchwardens' Accts. in Trans. Leics. Archit. & Archæol. Soc. (1874) 3 186 Pd to John Gadder for making the Comunion table and or. things in the churche.
1555 J. Bale in J. Strype Eccl. Mem. (1721) III. App. xxxix. 108 They mock the rehearsal of Gods commandments, and of the epistles and gospels in our Communion, and say, they are misplaced.
1555 R. Eden tr. Peter Martyr of Angleria Decades of Newe Worlde f. 224, Whyle certeyne of the Christians were at the communion.
1560 Bible (Geneva) 1 Cor. x. 16 The cuppe of blessing which we blesse, is it not the communion [c1384 Wycliffite, E.V.comenynge, 1526 Tyndale partakynge (1534 felowship), 1582 Rheims communication, 1611 communion, L.communicatio, Gk. κοινωνία] of the blood of Christ? The bread which we breake, is it not the communion [c1384Wycliffite, E.V. delynge or part takynge, 1526 Tyndale partetakynge (1534 felowship), 1582 Rheims participation, 1611 communion, L. participatio, Gk. κοινωνία] of the bodie of Christ?]
1560 St. Giles Charters (1859) p. xlvii, The pece of gold that held the breid within the eucharist.
1560 St. Giles Charters (1859) p. xlviii, Ane rownd eucharist, ane chalece, ane plate.
1570 tr. S. Brandt Ship of Fools 174 f. v, Eucharist..is the priestes seruice and busynes.
1575 in W. H. Turner Select. Rec. Oxf. (1880) 368 Ye..Burgesses..shall yearly procure a communion or sermon to be made.
1577 B. Googe tr. C. Heresbach Foure Bks. Husbandry i. f. 4, We goe..to our Parishe Churche, where we heare our Curate, and receaue the blessed Communion.
1579 W. Fulke Heskins Parl. Repealed in D. Heskins Ouerthrowne 82 A..priest sent to Serapion a little portion of the Eucharistie.
1581c in J. V. Holleran Jesuit Challenge (1999) (modernized text) 132 Do you hold that if one eat your communion worthily, that then he shall be saved?
1590 H. Barrow Brief Disc. False Church 240 With what sense they can thus popishly vnderstand yt of & applie yt to their communion table only.
1593 R. Hooker Of Lawes Eccl. Politie Pref. 7 Himselfe did better like of common bread to be vsed in the Eucharist.
1603 H. Clapham Three Partes Salomon Song of Songs Expounded i. xiii. 72 In Church-Communion; God and Man are considered at one, and in Christ made one.
1604 R. Cawdrey Table Alphabet., Eucharist, a thanksgiuing.
1631 S. Rutherford Lett. (1863) I. xiv. 67 Unacquainted with the day of our Communion.
1631a J. Donne Serm. (1954) VII. 286 Consider then, that to come to the Communion Table, is to take Orders; Every man should come to that Altar, as holy as the Priest, for there he is a Priest.
1638a J. Mede Wks. (1672) i. li. 287 Our Sacrament of Peace is called the Eucharist.
1644 Bp. J. Taylor Apol. Litvrgie §38 For which ability they should do well to pay their eucharist to the Holy Ghost.
1644 J. Evelyn Mem. (1857) I. 103 The Emperor, Henry VII, who was..poisoned with the Holy Eucharist.
1650 J. Lamont Diary 17 The communion was giuen att the church of Largo.
1653 R. Baxter Christian Concord 34 So high a penalty as exclusion from Church-Communion.
1657 A. Sparrow Rationale Bk. Common Prayer 241 The last is the Post-Communion, or, Thanksgiving, which with us is nothing but that holy Hymn [Gloria in Excelsis].
1660 R. Coke Elements Power & Subjection 162 in Justice Vindicated, At no time a Priest is worthy to celebrate Mass, who hath not received the Eucharist.
1661a W. Brereton Trav. (1844) 82 It was not to be accounted an altar, but the communion-table.
1678 S. Butler Hudibras: Third Pt. iii. ii. 138 Yet for all this Gospel Union, And outward shew of Church Communion, They'ld ne'er admit us to our shares.
1687 J. Evelyn Diary (1955) IV. 543 The Communion follow'd, at which I was participant.
1691 J. Norris Pract. Disc. Divine Subj. 225 The Second calls for our Praise and Eucharist.
1711 J. Addison Spectator No. 112. ¶2 Sir Roger..has likewise given a handsome Pulpit-Cloth and railed in the Communion-Table at his own Expence.
1712 G. Wheler Liturgy (MS.) 195 The importance of the Holy Eucharisty is so great that they did..give a general Scheme, how it shou'd be celebrated.
1716a R. South Serm. (1744) VII. 12 He..is..led through a vale of tears to the region of eucharist and hallelujahs.
1720 S. Downes Abridgm. Controv. between Church of Eng. & New Pseudo-primitives (1722) p. x, I..hope..never to be so far a Partaker in Schism, as to join with you in this unhappy Breach of Church-Communion.
1737 R. Challoner Catholick Christian Instructed v. 66 After the Communion of the Priest in the Mass, such of the People as are to communicate go up to the Rail before the Altar.
1737 R. Challoner Catholick Christian Instructed vii. 100 And then returning to the Book, [he] reads the Collects or Prayers called the Post-communion.
1742 N. Bailey Universal Etymol. Eng. Dict. at Altar, The Christians call the Communion Table their Altar, because they offer up thereon a Sacrifice of Thanksgiving, in Memory of the Death and Passion of Jesus Christ.
1770a J. Jortin Serm. (1771) V. xiii. 293 The Church of Rome gives the Communion in one kind.
1772 J. Priestley Inst. Relig. (1782) II. 352 Giving the eucharist to children was..finally abolished.
1783 W. Thomson in R. Watson & W. Thomson Hist. Reign Philip III vi. 432 Sigismond..allowed them [sc. the Hussites] the cup in the sacrament of the eucharist.
1796 T. Knowles Advice to Young Clergyman 37 The Catholic doctrine of the Trinity..was the chief term of church-communion.
The following is the above list without secondary sources.
1440▸ Promptorium Parvulorum (Harl. 221) 89 Communyone, sacrament, communio.
1483 Caxton tr. J. de Voragine Golden Legende 442 b/1 After the preest sayth the postcommunyon ...
1483 Caxton tr. J. de Voragine Golden Legende f. 307/2, ... & the peple had taken hooly communyon, ...
1535 W. Stewart tr. H. Boethius Bk. Cron. Scotl. III. 255 The siluer euchrist ...
1540c J. Bellenden tr. H. Boece Hyst. & Cron. Scotl. xiv. xv. f. 216/1, Thay spulȝeit ye eucarist ...
1548 Order of Communion ... Communion..Rubr. 1 ... the Communion. ...
1549 Bk. Common Prayer (STC 16267) Svpper of the lorde f. cxxxv, ... syng the post Communion.
1549 Forme & Maner consecratyng Archebishoppes sig. C.ij,.. the Communion of the daie.
1555 R. Eden tr. Peter Martyr of Angleria Decades of Newe Worlde f. 224, ... Christians were at the communion.
1560 Bible (Geneva) 1 Cor. x. 16 The cuppe of blessing which we blesse, is it not the communion
1570 tr. S. Brandt Ship of Fools 174 f. v, Eucharist..is the priestes seruice and busynes.
1577 B. Googe tr. C. Heresbach Foure Bks. Husbandry i. f. 4, We goe...and receaue the blessed Communion.
1579 W. Fulke Heskins Parl. Repealed in D. Heskins Ouerthrowne 82 A...a little portion of the Eucharistie.
1590 H. Barrow Brief Disc. False Church 240 ... vnderstand yt of & applie yt to their communion table only.
1593 R. Hooker Of Lawes Eccl. Politie Pref. 7 Himselfe did better like of common bread to be vsed in the Eucharist.
1603 H. Clapham Three Partes Salomon Song of Songs Expounded i. xiii. 72 In Church-Communion; ...
1604 R. Cawdrey Table Alphabet., Eucharist, a thanksgiuing.
1644 Bp. J. Taylor Apol. Litvrgie §38 For which ability they should do well to pay their eucharist to the Holy Ghost.
1650 J. Lamont Diary 17 The communion was giuen att the church of Largo.
1653 R. Baxter Christian Concord 34 So high a penalty as exclusion from Church-Communion.
1657 A. Sparrow Rationale Bk. Common Prayer 241 The last is the Post-Communion, or, Thanksgiving, ...
1660 R. Coke Elements Power & Subjection 162 in Justice Vindicated, ...who hath not received the Eucharist.
1678 S. Butler Hudibras: Third Pt. iii. ii. 138 ... And outward shew of Church Communion,...
1691 J. Norris Pract. Disc. Divine Subj. 225 The Second calls for our Praise and Eucharist.
1711 J. Addison Spectator No. 112. ¶2 Sir Roger..Communion-Table at his own Expence.
1712 G. Wheler Liturgy (MS.) 195 The importance of the Holy Eucharisty is so great that they did..
1737 R. Challoner Catholick Christian Instructed v. 66 After the Communion of the Priest in the Mass, ...
1737 R. Challoner Catholick Christian Instructed vii. 100 ... the Collects or Prayers called the Post-communion.
1742 N. Bailey Universal Etymol. Eng. Dict. at Altar, The Christians call the Communion Table their Altar, ...
1783 W. Thomson in R. Watson & W. Thomson Hist. Reign Philip III vi. 432 ... in the sacrament of the eucharist.
1796 T. Knowles Advice to Young Clergyman 37 The Catholic ... of church-communion.
The first three primary references to communion occur in the 15th century. We feel confident that the practice of Communion is a late development in the Christian history as the initial reference to "Communion" dates after the Council Of Constance (1414-18) which forbid the cup to the laity. The reference from c1540 demonstrates the Latin influence on the spelling of the Greek word "eucarist".
We agree with Edwin Johnson's conclusion that Christianity was almost unknown in England until the early 16th century.
1440▸ Promptorium Parvulorum (Harl. 221) 89 Communyone, sacrament, communio.
1483 Caxton tr. J. de Voragine Golden Legende 442 b/1 After the preest sayth the postcommunyon ...
1483 Caxton tr. J. de Voragine Golden Legende f. 307/2, ... & the peple had taken hooly communyon, ...
1535 W. Stewart tr. H. Boethius Bk. Cron. Scotl. III. 255 The siluer euchrist ...
1540c J. Bellenden tr. H. Boece Hyst. & Cron. Scotl. xiv. xv. f. 216/1, Thay spulȝeit ye eucarist ...
1548 Order of Communion ... Communion..Rubr. 1 ... the Communion. ...
1549 Bk. Common Prayer (STC 16267) Svpper of the lorde f. cxxxv, ... syng the post Communion.
1549 Forme & Maner consecratyng Archebishoppes sig. C.ij,.. the Communion of the daie.
1555 R. Eden tr. Peter Martyr of Angleria Decades of Newe Worlde f. 224, ... Christians were at the communion.
1560 Bible (Geneva) 1 Cor. x. 16 The cuppe of blessing which we blesse, is it not the communion
1570 tr. S. Brandt Ship of Fools 174 f. v, Eucharist..is the priestes seruice and busynes.
1577 B. Googe tr. C. Heresbach Foure Bks. Husbandry i. f. 4, We goe...and receaue the blessed Communion.
1579 W. Fulke Heskins Parl. Repealed in D. Heskins Ouerthrowne 82 A...a little portion of the Eucharistie.
1590 H. Barrow Brief Disc. False Church 240 ... vnderstand yt of & applie yt to their communion table only.
1593 R. Hooker Of Lawes Eccl. Politie Pref. 7 Himselfe did better like of common bread to be vsed in the Eucharist.
1603 H. Clapham Three Partes Salomon Song of Songs Expounded i. xiii. 72 In Church-Communion; ...
1604 R. Cawdrey Table Alphabet., Eucharist, a thanksgiuing.
1644 Bp. J. Taylor Apol. Litvrgie §38 For which ability they should do well to pay their eucharist to the Holy Ghost.
1650 J. Lamont Diary 17 The communion was giuen att the church of Largo.
1653 R. Baxter Christian Concord 34 So high a penalty as exclusion from Church-Communion.
1657 A. Sparrow Rationale Bk. Common Prayer 241 The last is the Post-Communion, or, Thanksgiving, ...
1660 R. Coke Elements Power & Subjection 162 in Justice Vindicated, ...who hath not received the Eucharist.
1678 S. Butler Hudibras: Third Pt. iii. ii. 138 ... And outward shew of Church Communion,...
1691 J. Norris Pract. Disc. Divine Subj. 225 The Second calls for our Praise and Eucharist.
1711 J. Addison Spectator No. 112. ¶2 Sir Roger..Communion-Table at his own Expence.
1712 G. Wheler Liturgy (MS.) 195 The importance of the Holy Eucharisty is so great that they did..
1737 R. Challoner Catholick Christian Instructed v. 66 After the Communion of the Priest in the Mass, ...
1737 R. Challoner Catholick Christian Instructed vii. 100 ... the Collects or Prayers called the Post-communion.
1742 N. Bailey Universal Etymol. Eng. Dict. at Altar, The Christians call the Communion Table their Altar, ...
1783 W. Thomson in R. Watson & W. Thomson Hist. Reign Philip III vi. 432 ... in the sacrament of the eucharist.
1796 T. Knowles Advice to Young Clergyman 37 The Catholic ... of church-communion.
The first three primary references to communion occur in the 15th century. We feel confident that the practice of Communion is a late development in the Christian history as the initial reference to "Communion" dates after the Council Of Constance (1414-18) which forbid the cup to the laity. The reference from c1540 demonstrates the Latin influence on the spelling of the Greek word "eucarist".
We agree with Edwin Johnson's conclusion that Christianity was almost unknown in England until the early 16th century.