PARAPHRASE ON THE LORD'S PRAYER.
The following paraphrase of the Lord's Prayer may be worth printing with the Query, who was its author? I take it from the book of Mr. Walter Everenden, among Mr. Frewen's MSS., where it is ascribed to James I., whilst I believe that in a MS. book of ballads belonging to MR. J. PAYNE COLLIER it is ascribed to Bishop Andrews.
"By the Kings Majestie.
Yf any be distrest and fayne
woulde gather
some comfort, let him hast
unto
Our Father
for we of hope and healpe
are quite bereaven
except thou suckcour us
wch art in heaven
Thou shewest mercy, therefor
for the same
we praysse thee, singeing
hallowed be Thy name
of all our misseries cast up
the sum;
Shew us thy ioyes, and lett
Thy kingdom come
Wee mortall are, and alter
from our birth;
Thou constant arte
Thy will be done on earth
Thou madest the earth as
well as planetts Seaven:
Thy name be blessed heere
as 'tis in heaven
Nothing wee have to use, or
debts to paye,
except thou give it us
give us this day
Wherewith to clothe us,
wherewith to be fedd,
for without Thee we wante
our daily breade
Wee want, but want no faults,
for no day passes
But wee doe sinn
forgive us our trespasses
Noe man from sining ever
free did live
forgive us Lorde our sinns
as we forgive
Yf we repent our faults Thou
ne're disdainest us
We pardon them
yt trespasses agaynst us
forgive us that is past, a new
path treade us
Direct us alwaies in thy fayth and leade us
Wee thine owne people and
Thy chosen nation
into all truth, but
not into temtation
Thou that of all good graces
art the giver
Suffer us not to wander
but deliver
Us from the fierce assaults
of worlde and divell
and flesh, so shalt thou free
us
from all evil
To these petitions let boath
church and laymen
wth one concent of hart and
voyce say
Amen."
WM. DURRANT COOPER.