Pithy Prayers

A prize of 45 was offered for prayers (on the model of Sir Jacob Astley's before Edgehill) for great personages of history before great occasions.

THOUGH it is certainly outside the terms of the competition, I feel obliged to quote the prayer of an eighteenth-century judge who, on sentencing a banknote forger to death, charged him to prepare himself to leave this world for another where if was to be hoped that 'through the merits and mediation of our blessed Redeemer he would experience that mercy which a due regard for the credit of the paper currency of this nation forbade him to hope for here.'

All the prayers submitted were pithy. If Paris and Odysseus count as historical (and their respective promoters, Pibwob and A. I. Polack, turn a neat epigram and a neat verse respectively), only two prayers had to he excluded as not being great personages of history. One was an anonymous but very spiritual Negro. The ollier was. Dr. John Newton's Accoucheur, whose prayer was so genuine and so touching as to deserve men- tion.

Of the historical personages, Julius Caesar led with six entries. After him came Hitler (five), with Guy Fawkes and Charles I bracketed at four each. The latter's head, of course, like those of some of Henry VIII's Queens, was 'constantly getting into it.' Others with only one or two supporters included Group Captain Cheshire (his- torical already?) from A. F. Glencross, Sir Walter Raleigh (Walter Percival), Charles II (Goodwill) and the Emperor Henry IV (Mrs. Inglis Hall). Prayers in excellent Latin came from H. A. C. Evans, Miss E. C. Peterson and Iolo Davies among others.

Of all the entries, John E. Brown's Crom- well is outstanding for pith, truth to charac- ter and cold ferocity, and earns a first prize of £3. A divided second prize (£l each) goes to N. Hodgson (truth and humour) and Christine Thomas (truth, piety and pun).

PRIZES

(JOHN E. BROWN) OLIVER CROMWELL BEFORE BATTLE

0 God of battles, do Thou have mercy on mine enemies this day, for I shall have none. Amen.

(N. HODGSON) GUY FAWKES

Lord, Thou knowest how warm may be this night's work. Thou knowest, too, how cold are' my feet. Thou seest, Lord, this fuse, how short it is, and canst guess I have about twenty seconds to get out of this blasted cellar—I mean as it soon will be. Hasten, then, to help me. If Thou wilt, I pray that children yet un- born may remember this day to bless it. Good Lord, who's that coming ?

(CHRISTINE THOMAS)

SIR THOMAS MORE, JULY 1, 1535 Give me Thy grace, good Lord, so to meeken and humble myself under this worldly judp- ment as beneath the justice of Thine High Majesty, that my mind therein may be set and fixed firmly ever more on Thee, and ever less on More.

COMMENDED

(ADRIENNE OASCOIGNE) ST. GREGORY THE GREAT SENDING ST. AUGUSTINE TO ENGLAND

Domine mortis ac vita, ut olim quia tua morte mortem morti dares gaudebant Angeli, ita nunc quia tua vita vitam viventibus des gaudeant Angli. Amen.

(0 Lord of life and death, as formerly the Angels rejoiced because by Thy death Thou didst deal death to Death, so now may the Angels rejoice because by Thy life Thou givest life to the living.)

(D. R. PEDDY) GUY FAWKES

Lord, I pray that this House do now rise, and that in its going forth it may be subject to Heaven's direction.

(NV. K. HOLMES) LORD CARDIGAN, LEADING THE LIGHT BRIGADE TOWARDS THE RUSSIAN BATTERIES

Oh God, I think You will understand when I ask that I may need no help in comporting myself like a gentleman in this absurd affair.

(DESIREE EDWARDS-REES), QUEEN ELIZABETH I ON THE EVE OF THE EXECUTION OF MARY OF SCOTLAND

For one day, Lord, let me take no thought for the morrow.

(J. W. MCFEETERS)

KING ClIARI.ES 1 ON THE MORNING OF JANUARY 13, 1649

Oh God, grant that, though I do lose my head this day, my people may not lose theirs.