31 OCTOBER 1947, Page 5

There is, after all, still some mystery about Mr. Speaker

Yelverton and his prayer. Foss's judges of 'England (1857) says of Sir Christopher Yelverton: "the prayer which according to the custom of those times he composed and read to the House every morning has much devotional beauty "; and Dasent's Speakers of the House of Commons (1911) affirms still more explicity: "Speaker Yelverton composed the prayer still in use in the Commons." So far so good. But Sir Simon D'Ewes in his Journal (1682) quotes in full the prayer Yelverton was said to have composed, and it bears no resem- blance to the one at present in use. The questions therefore arise : Did Yelverton compose two prayers ? Or is the one now in use not by him after all ? Further progress (if any) will be reported.

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