Does anyone on this forum know what the canonical age for ordination as a deacon and a priest would be for someone in the Anglican Church of Ireland in the seventeenth century? My wife's ancestor, the Most Rev. Dr. John Vesey, Archbishop of Tuam (1738-1716), was ordained deacon and priest before he reached the canonical age. I am trying to figure out when this would be. I find hints using Google that it was 23, but I would like to see a more solid reference for this fact. Your assistance is appreciated, thank you. JP

John P. DuLong wrote: > Does anyone on this forum know what the canonical age for ordination as > a deacon and a priest would be for someone in the Anglican Church of > Ireland in the seventeenth century? My wife's ancestor, the Most Rev. > Dr. John Vesey, Archbishop of Tuam (1738-1716), was ordained deacon and > priest before he reached the canonical age. I am trying to figure out > when this would be. I find hints using Google that it was 23, but I > would like to see a more solid reference for this fact. Your assistance > is appreciated, thank you. > > JP Thanks to Rev. Corydon Randall and his friend the Rev. Dr. Gregory Elder, I have learned that the canonical age for ordination was 23 year old for a deacon and 24 years for a priest. This is according to the 1662 Book of Common Prayer (see http://www.eskimo.com/~lhowell/bcp1662/ordinal/index.html). Dr. Elder further informed me that a person could be ordained earlier if "he have a Faculty." A faculty was a special license from the diocesan Chancellor allowing for an exception to canon law. This must have been the case with my wife's ancestor. Just thought I would share the answer with the group in case anyone in the future has the same question. JP