by inſtance, if it were not inconſiſtent with my preſent deſign of brevity.
What the Saxons Language was at their firſt arrival into England about the year 440, doth not appear; but ’tis moſt probable that the changes and differences of it, have been ſomewhat proportionable in ſeveral Ages.
About the year of Chriſt 700 the Lord’s Prayer in Engliſh was thus rendred:
Uren fader thic arth in heofnas, ſic gehalgud thin noma: to cymeth thin ric: ſin thin willa ſue is in heofnas and in eortho. Uren hlaf ofer wirthic ſel us to daeg; and forget us ſcylda urna, ſue we forgefen ſcyldgum urum; and no inlead uſith in cuſtnung. Ah gefrig urich from ifle. Amen.
About 200 years after, it was changed thus :
Thu ure fader the eath on heofenum. Si thin nama gehalgod. Cum thin ric. Si thin willa on eorthen ſwa, ſwa on heofenum. Sylo us to dægurn dægthanlican hlaf. And forgif us ure gyltas ſwa, ſwa we forgifath tham the with us agyltath. And ne led the us on soſtnung. Ac alys us from yfle. Si it ſwa.
About the ſame time it was rendred in the Saxon Goſpels, ſaid to be Tranſlated by King Alfred, after this manner.
Fæder ure thu the earth on heofenum, ſi thin nama Gehalgod to be cume thin Rice, Gewurthe thin Willa on eorthan ſwa ſwa on heofnum, urne ge dæghwanlican hlaf ſyle us to dæg. And forgyf us ure gyltas, ſwa ſwa we forgivath urum gyltendum. And ne gelædde thu us on coſtnung. Ac Alyſe us of yfle.
About 260 years after, in the time of King Henry the ad, it was rendred thus, and ſent over by Pope Adrian, an Engliſh-man, turned into meter, that the people might more eaſily learn and remember it.
Ure fadyr in heaven rich;
Thy name be hallyed eber iſch,
Thou bring us thy michell bliſſe:
Als hit in heaven y-doe,
Char in yearth beene it alſo.
That holy bread that laſſeth ay,
Thou ſend it ous this like day,
Forgive aus all that ive have don,
As we forgivet uch other mon:
De let ous fall into no founding,
Ac ſhield ous fro the fowle thing. Amen.
And about a hundred years after, in the time of Henry the third, it was rendred thus:
Fader that art in heavin bliſſe,
Thin helge nam it worth the bliſſe,
Cumen and mot thy kingdom,
Thin holy will it be all don,
In heaven and fuerth alſo,
So it ſhall bin full well Ic tro
Sif ug all bread on this day,
And forgif us ure ſinnes,
As we do ure wider winnes:
Let us not in dounding fall,
Dac fro evil thu ſyld us all. Amen.
