Lord, in thy Name thy servants plead

This hymn, which is about as different as can be from the "mood" of "All things bright and beautiful," as a classic of the English Rogationtide observances.

The text is by John Keble (25 April 1792 – 29 March 1866), an English churchman and poet, one of the leaders of the Oxford Movement.

The music is by Thomas Ravenscroft (c. 1588 – 1635), an English musician, theorist and editor, notable as a composer of rounds and catches, and especially for compiling collections of British folk music.

Little is known of Ravenscroft's early life. He probably sang in the choir of St. Paul's Cathedral from 1594, when a Thomas Raniscroft was listed on the choir rolls and remained there until 1600 under the directorship of Thomas Giles. He received his bachelor's degree in 1605 from Cambridge.

Ravenscroft's principal contributions are his collections of folk music, including catches, rounds, street cries, vendor songs, "freeman's songs" and other anonymous music, in three collections: Pammelia (1609), Deuteromelia or The Seconde Part of Musicks Melodie (1609) and Melismata (1611), which contains one of the best-known works in his collections, The Three Ravens. Some of the music he compiled has acquired extraordinary fame, though his name is rarely associated with the music; for example "Three Blind Mice" first appears in Deuteromelia. He also published a metrical psalter (The Whole Booke of Psalmes) in 1621. As a composer, his works are mostly forgotten but include 11 anthems, 3 motets for five voices and 4 fantasias for viols.

It is from the "The Whole Booke of Psalmes" that this tune, known as "Lincoln," was taken. If you look at the score, you'll see that an "alternative" version given. This version, often called a "fauxbourdon" places the melody in the tenor voice. I've used this version for the second verse.

There is one entire verse of introduction.

In addition to the score, a photo of John Keble, and a photo of a bust of Ravenscroft are attached.