The Prayers of Jane Austen

It will, I believe, be everywhere found, that as the clergy are, or are not what they ought to be, so are the rest of the nation.

Jane Austen

Before we get to Jane’s prayers, a few words about the society of her day might be helpful. England during her lifetime (1775-1817) was
considered a Christian nation.  That is, unlike today, it
was understood that most people had a working knowledge of the Anglican faith. It was the government-sanctioned religion, and mainstream.

Not all people were religious, of course, or approved of Anglican-inspired moral codes. For example, the talented French painter and friend of Marie Antoinette, Elisabeth-Louise Vigée LeBrun said of London that,

Sunday in London is as dismal as the climate. Not a
shop is open; there are no plays, nor balls, nor
concerts. Universal silence reigns, and as on that
day no one is allowed to work nor even to play music
without incurring the risk of having his windows broken
by the populace, there is no resource for killing time
but the public walks. These, indeed, are very well
frequented.*

Notice the sulkiness in her tone. She goes on to describe these walks with outright disdain: 

The women walk together on one side, all dressed in
white; they are so taciturn, and so perfectly placid,
that they might be taken for perambulating ghosts.
The men hold aloof from them, and behave just as
solemnly. I have sometimes come upon a couple, and
have amused myself, if I happened to follow them
awhile, by watching whether they would speak to each
other. I never saw any who did.*

Mme. LeBrun is evidently referring to a distinct style of walking, called promenading, which sounds so proper it is likely to conjure visions of stern Victorian dames. But this is shortly before the Regency! In other words, this is the same society that is famous for its upper class scandals and unquenchable thirst for enjoyment. 

Jane herself greatly enjoyed walking, as she mentions walking out on many occasions. Even the silence would have suited her, though not if it were prolonged. She loved good conversation as much as strolling. On one occasion she said in a letter that someone had

Talked sense to me every now & then in the intervals of his more animated fooleries with Miss Bendish…There was a monstrous deal of stupid quizzing, & commonplace nonsense talked, but scarcely any wit:–all that border’d on it, or on sense came from my Cousin George, whom altogether I like very well.

Jane was not given, it seems, to “stupid quizzing and commonplace nonsense.” She was far more interested in broadening her mind with real and exciting talk that might lead to new opinions and ideas.

Interior View of the church in Steventon, where Jane's father was rector.**

The prayers that follow are reminders of the earnest and sober sides of her nature. She is honest and real when she addresses God, and yet more pious sounding than most of our prayers today. This was due to the nature of her Anglican upbringing. Indeed, her sentences evoke the cadences of the BCP (Book of Common Prayer, 1662) which shows a great familiarity with it. (Her father was a clergyman; she was therefore well acquainted with the language of the Church.)


Jane did not only write the three formal prayers following, but most likely read them aloud in the evening, as the family sat together near the fire. At the end of each prayer comes “The Lord’s Prayer,” which would have been recited communally in unison, or repeated by the listeners after the reader.

Besides her father, the Rev. George Austen, Jane had two brothers who were clergymen, the Rev. James Austen, her eldest brother; and the Rev. Henry Austen, her fourth brother. She was also cousin to four clergymen, and the profession is represented in each of her novels. There can be no doubt whatsoever that she was intimately familiar with the ways of the church, and with private devotions, both alone and with her family.

Jane's Prayers

Give Us Grace, Almighty Father (On Each Return of the Night)
Give us grace, Almighty Father, so to pray, as to deserve to be heard,    
to address thee with our Hearts, as with our lips. Thou art every where present, from Thee no secret can be hid. 
May the knowledge of this, teach us to fix our Thoughts on Thee,
with Reverence and Devotion that we pray not in vain... 
(To see the full prayer, download my illustrated free PDF, "The Prayers of Jane Austen.")

Singing a hymn: A delightful peek at an early 19th century church service in action!

I love the humility in the next prayer.

Almighty God! Look Down with Mercy
Almighty God!
Look down with mercy on thy servants here assembled   
and accept the petitions now offered up unto thee.                                
Pardon oh! God the offences of the past day. 
We are conscious of many frailties; we remember with shame and contrition, many evil thoughts and neglected duties;  and we have perhaps sinned against thee and against our fellow-creatures in many instances of which  we have no remembrance. Pardon oh God!.. 
(Download "The Prayers of Jane Austen" to read the full prayer.)

A prayer of thanks for safety follows:

Father of Heaven!  (Another Day is Now Gone)
Father of Heaven! whose goodness has brought us in safety  
to the close of this day,     
dispose our hearts in fervent prayer. Another day is now gone, and added to those, 
for which we were before accountable.  Teach us almighty father, to consider this solemn truth, as we should do,  that we may feel the importance of every day,  and every hour as it passes, and earnestly strive to make a better use of what thy goodness may yet bestow on us, 
than we have done of the time past...

(Download "The Prayers of Jane Austen, an illustrated free PDF, to read the prayers in full.)

A short aside: I once mentioned on a regency forum that I looked forward to meeting Jane in heaven. One woman asked how I would find her, which amused me. (I don't expect that to be a problem. And I think it's a good thing we have all eternity because there are so many people we'll want to speak to!)  

Did you enjoy Jane's prayers? Who do you most want to see in heaven besides loved ones? 

(Note: This article by Linore first appeared on the Jane Austen UK Web Site https://www.janeausten.co.uk/tag/linore-rose-burkard/)

* From, The Memoirs of Elisabeth-Louise Vigee LeBrun 
** From,  https://janeaustensworld.wordpress.com/2013/06/05/a-drive-through-steventon-to-st-nicholas-church/

Linore Rose Burkard was raised in NY in a family of ten. She left home at 19 and worked her way through college, graduating from the City University of NY (Queens College) with a magna cum laude degree in English Literature. She is best known for historical romance novels with Harvest House Publishers, and now writes YA/Suspense as L.R.Burkard ("So readers will know at a glance what kind of book to expect."). Linore teaches workshops for writers  in Ohio, is a mother of five, and still homeschools her youngest daughter—preferably with coffee in one hand, and an  iPad in the other. Join Linore's mailing list to be automatically entered in monthly drawings for free books! 

Bringing in the Yule Log--And a Simple Recipe

by Linore Rose Burkard

In olde England, a huge part of the excitement of Christmas was bringing in the Yule Log. It was a tradition mixed with superstition (as many traditions are), and was anticipated by keeping a small figment of last year's log safely stowed away to be used when lighting the current year's log. We're not talking about small logs such as what you might use in your own fireplace today, but a special HUGE log--(see illustration, above) which went in the main fireplace, usually in the kitchen. Think partial tree trunk, here.

 If you visit an old colonial kitchen such as in a restored village or re-enactment site, some of them have the sort of fireplace that was needed to house such a log, as in the illustration above. They were the kind of fireplace you could practically walk into, and served as the main heating source of the home as well as the area for cooking. A medieval kitchen fireplace illustrates the point even better. (See below.)

 Each year's tree or log was carefully picked out ahead of time so that on Christmas Eve--and only on Christmas Eve, absolutely no sooner--it would already have been cut and dry enough to light well.

The log was traditionally supposed to last not only throughout Christmas Eve to usher in the holiday, but all through Christmas Day, too. It was used to heat up festive drinks such as nog and wassail; and it was used for cooking Christmas dinner. If the log lasted, all was fine and dandy; if not, it was considered bad luck! And a charred piece of it was also to be kept as the fire-starter for the following year's Christmas fire.

I can only imagine the powerful scents emanating from such a fireplace, especially when the woman of the house had a huge kettle of wassail simmering over it. In lieu of a bubbling kettle over a fireplace, I offer the following simple recipe for you to use to fill your home with the "scent of Christmas"--without the log, fire and ashes. 

SCENT OF CHRISTMAS

3 tablespoons of ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons of ground cloves
1 tablespoon of anise seed
1 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon of ground ginger
1 quart of water.

Mix together. Add water. Bring to boil, stirring occasionally, then simmer on low. A small crockpot kept on low is ideal for this.
Enjoy the scent of Christmas in your home!

( Did you know that memories are triggered by olfactory stimulants--smells--more than visual ones? In other words, looking through a photo album can bring back memories, but studies show that getting a fresh whiff of a scent from the past brings it back more strongly than visual reminders. For some reason, the olfactory nerves are wired that way--they lead right to the memory center of the brain. Make this recipe to scent up the house and create instant memories for family and friends. Making up a container of the dry mix also makes a simple but thoughtful gift. Package in a small mason jar or other pretty container with a bow and ribbon and include the simple directions. Voila!)  

I wish you all a wonderful and warm Christmas, with a house full of wonderful sights and scents! 

For Regency fans, here are a few illustrations of December fashions that a regency miss might wear:

  Linore Rose Burkard is best known for historical regency novels with Harvest House Publishers, including Before the Season Ends, the award-winning The House in Grosvenor Square, and The Country House Courtship. As a writer known for meticulous research as well as bringing people marvelously to life on the page, Linore's books earn her devoted fans who report reading her novels over and over. Linore is a homeschooling mom who enjoys cooking from scratch, family movie nights, gardening and decorating. Along with writing, her literary pursuits include teaching workshops with Greater Harvest Workshops (for Writers).   

Ye Olde Renaissance Faire

by Linore Rose Burkard

One of the perks of Autumn is the Renaissance Festival. Here in southwestern Ohio, we have a medieval-style fair grounds replete with "Olde"  English buildings, church, and even a jousting area, but it lies sadly vacant all year--until the Renaissance Festival returns each fall. [Be sure to click on the pictures to get a closer view!]

You've always wanted to be greeted by a Knight in shining armor, right?

When I mentioned to a friend that we had spent a day at the festival, she said, "Last time I went it was fantasy/renaissance. I didn't care for it at all. It was just weird. Was the one you went to just Renaissance?"

Well--the rest of today's post is my answer to her question. I took scads of photos and notes, which, perhaps because I'm a writer, seemed  like the natural thing to do.  

Weird--or Wonderful. You Be the Judge

People love to show off their costumes, and the Renaissance Fair was a golden opportunity. There was goth, wizard outfits, other time periods, and just plain punk stuff.  I took photos of some of the best.   

Just beautiful! (Notice the wooden stein. They were for sale there.) 

An Archer

A Puppeteer (poor photo, sorry)

Crusaders, perhaps? (But the cross is missing)

Forsooth, another fellow

  

A band of hearty pirates, matey 

The cloak/coat, left, gets five stars!    

A Red Knight

There were loads of people and loads of shops.
The girl in the skirt, ahead, is my daughter.

Stage performances were not all created equal, but this one included fire-eating! 

And voila! He really did it--more than once, ouch.  

The "Fool Hearty" Duo. (They get an A for great costumes.) 

The quintessential magic act, "Cut the girl in two!" 

A truly funny performer. This act included knife-throwing and juggling, besides the tongue-in-cheek humor. Best part of the day!

The second half of the two-man knife-throwing/juggling act 

Robin Hood and Maid Marion. Family friendly fun

The husband picture didn't make it, but this lady is the wife in an act that could be called a Medieval-style battle of the sexes. Included some derring-do and swordplay. Fun!  

The shops ran the gamut from neat leather goods to occult weird stuff. There was a wonderful quilt shop and it even had a couple of Christian themed quilts. Animal pelts galore, medieval clothing, jewelry, crystals, pottery, weaving, and more. 

 

The Sign says: Large Stainless Steel Rings $50.00 - $65.00. 

Wares for sale: 

• Wood and clay mugs, pottery
• Staffs, anklets, shields
• Viking Helmets
• Garlands, sashes, hair bands
• Essential oils and incense, candles
• Walking sticks, wood carvings
• rings, puzzle rings, necklaces, key chain charms
• bicornes and tricornes
• fabric purses
• knives, axes, old-fashioned pistols
• fox tails, leather whips, animal pelts
• swords and scabbards, some hand-forged
• gemstone wind-chimes
• chain-mail
• leather boots, 1/2 boots, moccasins
• masks, magic wands
• stained glass hangings
• dragon eggs (crystals)
• small stone sculptures
• rope sandals, flags, archery quivers
• medieval outfits, children's outfits
• ladies' corsets, bodices, etc. ("Damsel in This Dress")
• Elf ears
• Ye Olde Quilt Shoppe 
• pictures, artwork
• "Souvenirs, Gifts and Wares"
• Wood Shoppe
• Book Shoppe

Beautiful craftsmanship. Stones come from US rivers

Food: (The setting may be Renaissance, but they're feeding millennials and they know it!)

• "turkey legges" (This year's batch was cured like ham and unsatisfactory, in my humble opinion. I like a turkey leg that tastes like turkey.)
• ale and beer, other alcoholic beverages
• "Fat Friar's" (Funnel cakes. What kind of fair would be complete without them?)
• The "Jerusalem Café"--middle eastern
• Burgers and fries 
• Soft serve ice cream
• "Roadhouse BBQ" and "Fool's Pub"
• Corn-on-the-cob
• "Pot Roast Sundae"
• "Mac and Cheese Cupcake"
• Steak Sandwich
• Pizza, bratwurst, hot dogs, Chicken fingers, etc.etc.

Services:

• Hair braiding
• Gypsy face painting
• Henna

A Medieval-style Southern Belle Costume? 

For Sale 

The Entertainment:

Audience participation was de rigueur. (When they ask for volunteers, this is when the wise judiciously avoid eye contact at all costs.) Some of the entertainment was not included with admission, which was about $22 per head. (We went on the buy one/get one admission weekend!)

• Magic Shows
• Axe-throwing, Archery. George and the Dragon (Perfect dress-up and play for the kiddies)
• Stocks (usually empty)
• A Castle with Dungeon
• "Fool Hearty"
• Jousting 
• Knife-Throwing Comedy Show (the best act we saw)\
• A medieval cemetery (small but effective)
• A Maze
• Horse or Pony Rides
• Camel ride (A smaller camel, but perhaps it's safer that way)
• Archery
• "Drench the Wench"
• Merry-Go-Round
• "Test of Strength"
• Other kiddie rides
• Live Music
• And More

Epitaph-cum-Classified Ad?

 "Here Lies Buried the body of Mr. Jared Smith who Died April 23, 1502 in his 73rd year. His widow aged 23 years who Mourns as one who can be comforted lives on Drury Lane in this Village and possesses every Qualification for a Loving Wife."

Finally, arriving with some pomp at the jousting event, which usually ends the day for us, was good ol' Queen Bess, Queen Elizabeth, that is, in beautiful array.

"Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth" 

The Queen with courtiers, at the Joust 

The official website for the Ohio Renaissance Festival can be viewed, here.

Do you attend Renaissance Festivals? If so, do you dress in Renaissance style, or what is your favorite feature? 

Linore Rose Burkard is best known for historical romance novels with Harvest House Publishers, and now writes YA/Apocalyptic Suspense as L.R.Burkard. Linore teaches workshops for writers in Ohio, is a mother of five, and still homeschools her youngest daughter. Subscribers to her ezine are automatically entered in a drawing for a chance to win a free copy of one of her books, awarded monthly. Sign up here!

George Bryan Brummell: "The Beau" of Regency England

 by Linore Rose Burkard

George Bryan Brummell, (June 7,1778-March 30,1840) better known as Beau Brummell, reigned long enough over the fashionable elite of Regency England to be remembered forever as the one man responsible for bringing the modern man's dark suit into being.

Is it really Brummell? Certainly captures his air.

Around his neck is a quizzing glass.  

His star, however, was meteoric, spiraling downwards and landing with an unearthly thud in poverty in Paris, where he died at the age of 61. But how did he get there?

Brummell was raised by middle class parents with the goal of becoming a gentleman--and he fully embraced it. When he entered society (after selling off the little property his family owned to augment his cash) he had a modest fortune of 30,000 pounds. It was his entire inheritance, and he set about positioning himself in the upper crust. (Echoes of this goal show up in Pip, from Great Expectations. Becoming a gentleman was out of reach for most of the male population, and remained a coveted position throughout the Victorian era.)

Brummell, however, was fabulously successful at his social climbing--for a time. He was accepted into the elite "Carlton House set" (the Prince's closest circle of friends) and rose widely to fame on the tails of his faultless sense of style, coupled with an air of aristocratic disdain that few could emulate--even the real bluebloods. He'd caught the attention of the Prince earlier, when a member of the Prince's personal regiment, and, with royal favor, rose to the rank of Captain. True to form, however, he gave up his commission when the regiment was called to quit London for Manchester, which, in his estimation, wasn't worth his presence.    

During his reign in Polite Society, his opinion on matters of dress and style was law.  He reigned supreme in the art of tying the cravat, and was said to spend up to five hours in dressing.  Even the Prince attended one of the Beau's famous "dressings" while the latter went through piles of textile in pursuit of the perfectly tied neck cloth. His valet referred to the heap of discarded cloths as "our failures."

A proper cravat was no small matter!

Difficult to imagine such painstaking precision over a neck-cloth in our world of tee-shirts and jeans, today. But even then, of course, the Beau was fastidious to the point of dandyism, self-centered and absorbed; but he did much to tone down the clothing of the ton [upper classes] from the flamboyance of the previous century, including discarding breeches in favor of trousers and pantaloons. His ideal in dress was a quieter elegance--definitely something the Prince, prior to Brummell's influence--lacked.  

Note: Do not mistake dandyism for foppism--dandies were particular and sometimes extreme with regard to fashion--but fops were effeminate, downright homosexual. (It is always fun to put an aspiring young dandy into one of my regencies, whose failure to succeed in the difficult art of dress nowhere shines more obvious than when he is beside the hero, who dresses to the nines, of course! ) 

Why did Brummell flee London for Paris? To escape debtor's prison. Brummell claimed many friends among the upper classes but even these allies could not continually keep him out of the duns. After all, they frequented the same men's clubs and spent time at the same gaming tables. They, too, lost money and lots of them were often strapped for cash themselves. Nearly all men of the upper classes gambled and a good portion of them were ruined as a result.

The Prince himself was in debt for nearly all of his life, not primarily from gaming, but because of his enormous expenditures on luxuries, including architecture, furniture, paintings, clothing, and food.  The Beau, unwisely, was an avid gambler. Neither sense or stark financial facts kept him from participating at the tables, and pride probably often necessitated it. In addition, it cost a great deal to live in the style that was considered "fashionable." Unlike his blue-blood friends, he had no landed family estate providing income, so he was actually doomed from the outset.

When at last he faced arrest, the townhome which he took great pains to appoint in "the first order of elegance," was abandoned to the creditors and he fled like a hunted fox to France. So much for sartorial elegance.

He has claims to our sympathy, but the last words he probably ever spoke in the Prince Regent's hearing were, "Alvanley, who's your fat friend?" It was a dig at the corpulent Prince and hit its mark--they never spoke again. Once good friends, the Prince had given the Beau the "cut direct"--ignoring him after addressing Alvanley. Brummell, humiliated and angry, made the famous remark which has survived long after his demise.

I believe it is a fitting epigraph: Beau Brummell was entirely too sure of himself for his own good.
I love the famous engraving of the Beau (top, right) for the way it shows the cocky attitude that was eventually his undoing. Not only did Brummell succeed in permanently alienating himself from the Prince, one of the most powerful personas of the day--but he ended up, not too many years afterwards, living in squalor as an unhappy exile in France.

The Beau as a young man

Still, there's something undeniably appealing about Brummell, making him a staple in many Regency Romances. Perhaps it is the idea of his rise to stardom in an age that has rarely been paralleled for its snobbery and closed doors.

It makes one shudder to think of the meticulous Beau ending up in squalor. Small irony for an age, however, that boasted enormous splendor in the upper classes and the filthiest of living conditions for its lowest, including unbelievable numbers of street children.

Ah, the Regency! The time of "elegant madness," Jane Austen, Napoleon, pleasure gardens and servants in livery; King George gone mad (only he didn't, technically. See my article on what really happened to the King, here) and Almack's. The Regency is all of this and much, much more...it's why I love to write novels set in this era! 

[Aside to Regency Readers: Georgette Heyer, the "Queen of the Regency romance," often portrayed Brummell as a wise, sought after mentor of sorts. Her heroines were singularly worthy of Brummell's attention, of course--but his real persona seems to have been far less amiable, not to mention, he was far from wise. You will never see him portrayed in that manner in my books.]

Linore Rose Burkard is a Regency Romance writer and the author of Before the Season Ends, the very first Inspirational Regency in the market. She also writes YA/Suspense as L.R.Burkard. Linore teaches workshops for writers in Ohio, is a mother of five, and still homeschools her youngest daughter—preferably with coffee in one hand,  and an iPad in the other. For book news, contests, giveaways and more, join Linore's free mailing list. 

Two of Linore's Regencies. Available on Amazon.com

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