Page - 103 - in JRFM - Journal Religion Film Media, Volume 07/01

“As i cannot write I put this down simply and freely” | 103www.jrfm.eu 2021, 7/1, 95–122 In lines 16–17 “no tongue can tell” may be a reference to the hymn The worth of thruth no tongue can tell;13 while the phrase “the Lord has been very merciful unto me” (lines 20–21) recalls a recurrent verse in the book of Psalms (e. g. 57:1; 86:3). Line 30 contains a quotation from Romans 7:24: “O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this dead?”, while in line 33, “thou knowest even the secrets desires” may allude to Thou knowest Lord, a funeral anthem from the Book of Common Prayer.14 Lines 35–38 contain part of a quote from the hymn As long as life its term extends, verses 1–4, which evokes Ecclesiastes 9:4–6, 10.15 While Elizabeth’s writing does not follow the hymn exactly, sometimes breaking the rhythm and the rhyme, the capitals often correspond to the beginning of the line in Isaac Watts’ very popular text. For these reasons, it is possible that Elizabeth quoted the text from memory.16 On the left, Elizabeth Parker’s stitched text is rewritten according to the lines of the hymn in the version of 1800, given on the right. The variations in the textile work are printed in italics. as long as life extends extends Hopes blest dominion never ends For while the lamp holds on to burn the greatest sinner may return As long as life its term extends Hope’s blest dominion never ends For while the lamp holds on to burn The greatest sinner may return Life is the season [36] God has given to fly from hell to rise to Heaven the Day of grace flees fast away their is none its rapid course can stay Life is the season God both giv’n To fly from hell to rise to Heaven That Day of grace flees fast away And none its rapid course can stay 13 https://hymnary.org/text/the_worth_of_truth_no_tongue_can_tell [accessed 15 May 2020]. 14 The Book of Common Prayer is a liturgical text introduced in the Church of England in 1549. After various revisions, since 1662 it has been the standard liturgy book for most Anglican churches in the British Commonwealth. Worldwide, variations of the English Book of Common Prayer are used throughout the Anglican Communion, and it has influenced liturgical language in many English-speaking Protestant churches. See https://www. britannica.com/topic/Book-of-Common-Prayer [accessed 15 May 2020]. 15 This hymn belongs to the influential production of Isaac Watts (1674–1748). The hymn appears in several variants in different collections. As far I could reconstruct, this version best matches Elisabeth Parker’s text. For more details see https://hymnary.org/text/how_ long_eternal_god_how_long [accessed 27 April 2020]. 16 On the widespread influence of Isaac Watts on embroidery motifs during centuries see Parker 2019, 132–134.