The Act of Uniformity 1662 (14 Car 2 c 4) was an
Act of the
Parliament of England. It is also cited as 13 & 14
Ch.2 c. 4, 19 May 1662. It prescribed the form of public
prayers, administration of
sacraments, and other
rites of the
Established Church of England, following all the rites and ceremonies and doctrines prescribed in the
Book of Common Prayer. Adherence to this was required in order to hold any office in government or the church, although the edition of the
Book of Common Prayer prescribed by the Act (1662) was so new that most people had never even seen a copy. It also required
episcopal ordination for all ministers made explicit, i.e. deacons, priests and bishops, which was reintroduced after the
Puritans had abolished many features of the Church during the
Civil War.