The words 'humbly present' obviously indicate some action beyond the mere placing on the Table, but do not mean a kneeling posture; for neither here nor in any other part of the Service should the Priest kneel, unless when ordered to do so.
103. And when there is a Communion, the Priest shall then place upon the Table so much Bread and Wine, as he shall think sufficient. After which done, the Priest shall say, Let us pray, &c.
The small fair linen cloth, commonly called the Veil, which is to be used after the Communion, should not be spread upon the fair white linen cloth which covers the Table, nor used to cover the Elements before the Communion.
In order to place the Bread and Wine on the Table, which must be done at this time, and not before, the Priest should have them at hand in another place. This is usually the Credence-table, or some shelf near to the altar. He places them as he did the alms, humbly, as an offering, and so much of each as he judges approximately sufficient for the communion of himself and the people. But if he should afterwards find his computation excessive—as the offering the alms and elements together is not directly connected with consecration—he is not under obligation to consecrate all that he has offered. He may, therefore, if he should think the entire contents of the Flagon likely to be required for Communion, offer the Wine in that vessel. The usage, however, of pouring a portion of the Wine into the chalice (as was directed in the Prayer-Book of 1549), and placing the chalice on the table without the flagon, has been generally maintained, though this pouring forms no part of the rubrical directions of our Liturgy, either here or at any other period of the service.
This usage is properly associated also with the primitive custom (prescribed to be used in 1549) of 'putting thereto a little pure and clean water.'
The preparatory action of mixing water with the wine (besides being connected with the original Act of Institution), was undoubtedly the custom of the time when this Church and Realm received the order of ministering the Sacrament, and it has never been prohibited in the Prayer-Book. The practice is, therefore, a performance of the Ordination vow of the English Priesthood, "so to minister the Sacraments as the Lord hath commanded, and as this Church and Realm hath received the same, according to the Commandments of God." A few drops of water are sufficient for compliance with the usage, and in no case should the quantity of water exceed one third of the whole.
If the chalice is not fitted with a cover, some substitute for a cover should be placed upon it; a small, square piece of linen, stiffened with cardboard, is sometimes used for this purpose.
It is desirable that the Priest should, as a general rule, consecrate all the Bread and Wine that he offers. And in judging the quantity, it is to be remembered that on the one hand the consecration of an excessive amount of the elements involves a serious risk of irreverence in the consumption of what remains after Communion; so on the other hand, the error of consecrating too little is to be deprecated, as necessitating a second consecration, and thereby breaking the continuity of the service.
Many such points in the service are left without direction, or with inconsistent directions, in consequence of the old Liturgical order having been so broken and distorted in the revision of 1552, that subsequent revision has been, and probably will be, unsuccessful in removing the inconsistencies.
104. If there be no alms or oblations, then shall the words [of accepting our alms and oblations] be left out unsaid.