THE FIFT LAMP of VIRGINITY: Containing sundry forms of christian prayers and meditations, to be used only of and for all sorts and degrees of women, in their several ages and callings; as namely, of Virgins, Wives, Women with child, Midwives, Mothers, Daughters, Mistress', Maids, Widows, and old women. A Treatise very needful for this time, and profitable to the Church: now newly compiled to the glory of God, & comfort of all godly women, by the said T.B. Gentleman. Matth. 26. verse 46. Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit is ready, but the flesh is weak. Imprinted at London by H. Denham, dwelling in Pater noster row, at the sign of the Star, being the assign of William Seres. 1582 Christian prayers and meditations, to be used of and for all sorts and degrees of women, in their several ages and callings. A prayer for silence, shamefastness, and chastity. THERE is nothing that becometh a maid better than soberness, silence, shamefastness, and chastity, both of body & mind. For these things being once lost, she is no more a maid, but a strumpet in the sight of God, howsoever she disguiseth herself, and dissembleth with the world. I therefore most humbly beseech thee, O merciful Father, from whom cometh every good and perfect gift, and without whom, we are not able to do any thing: that thou wilt so order my tongue, and dispose my talk, that I speak nothing, but that becometh my state, age, and person; neither that I delight to hear any talk, that might in any point move me to lewdness or lightness, seeing that evil words corrupt good manners. Give me also such shamefastness, as may pluck me away from the delectation, either of thinking, speaking, hearing, seeing, or doing evil; that my whole delight may be in virtue, in godliness, in eschewing idleness, in giving myself continually to some godly exercise; but above all things, in thinking and speaking of thee, in reading thy blessed word and heavenly law, which is a lantern to my feet, and a light to my paths. Moreover, suffer neither my mind to be defiled with ●uill thoughts, nor my body to be corrupted with any kind of uncleanness; but give me grace so to order myself in eschewing idleness, and wanton wicked company, that my mind being free from evil affects, and my body clear from all uncleanness; I may be found a meet temple for the holy Ghost to inhabit. And if it be thy good pleasure hereafter to call me unto the honourable state of matrimony, that I may bring also unto mine husband, a pure and undefiled body, and so live with him in thy fear, unto the praise and glory of thy blessed name, Amen. A prayer to be said of single women against all evil behaviour, vice, and vanity, and for the obtaining of modesty, chastity, and all maidenly virtues. Almighty and everliving GOD, which art of a pure, chaste, unspotted, & eternal essence: chaste minds please thee, and godly conversation thou likest well. Wherefore I beseech thee, create in me a clean heart, O Lord, and keep me from unclean cogitations, harlotry, whoredom, and all impurity. Take from me a wanton eye, and let me not gaze upon the beauty or comely parsonage of any man, lest I be taken in his snares; but give me grace to shun ill company, lest I come to shame and reproach. Turn away mine eyes, I say, good Lord, from beholding a beautiful man, and keep me from immodest, wanton, and effeminate persons, whose delight is all the day long in chambering and wantonness, in excess of wine, vain pleasures, and all manner of wickedness and riot. As for many idle words, much babbling, filthy speech, and scurillitie, let them be so far from mine heart, that they never come once into my mouth or lips. Preserve me, O Lord, and keep me from all the snares of Satan, from all allurements, enticements, provocations, & occasions of sin, & transgressing thy most holy commandments; as namely, from pride, niceness, sloth, & idleness; from pranking, pricking, pointing, painting, frizzling, & decking of myself to appear piked, feat, gorgeous, & gay in the eyes of men: from taking too much liberty to gad abroad to see and to be seen, or to prance in pride arrogantly; from haunting evil company, and resorting to banquets, weddings, idle games, heathenish sports, & dissolute plays, and pastimes, vain pleasures, and filthy dalliance and dancings, the extreme of all vices: finally, from all envy, arrogancy, ambition, impudency, piertnes, boldness, rashness, unshamefastness, dissolute laughing, excessive feeding, recklessness, dissoluteness, deliciousness, wantonness, lightness, inconstancy, curiosity, and from all other evil behaviour, vice, and vanity, good Lord, for thine holy name sake deliver me: lest of a member of Christ, I prove a member of the devil, by following the works of the flesh, and losing that inestimable treasure of great price, mine honesty, chastity, and virginity. Oh let me not, I beseech thee, with Dinah, Dalida, Salomen, & such like dancing damsels, become equal with the ungodly, by playing the foolish virgin, as they did, and in living ungodly or dishonestly, to the shame and great grief of my friends, and to mine own infamy, destruction, and damnation: but grant, O good and gracious God, that both inwardly with a pure conscience, clean soul, chaste heart, and unpolluted mind: and outwardly with an unspotted body, holy vessel, and undefiled members, after the good example of Sara, Rebecca,, Ruth, judith, Susanna, the virgin Marie, and such other godly women, I may Christianlie serve, worship, and glorify thee in true faith, fear, and love, and in perfect chastity, shamefastness, soberness, demurenesses, modesty, measure, thriftiness, scarcity, diligence in house, care of devotion, meekness, holiness, purity, and all other virtues bodily & ghostly: that when the celestial bridegroom, my Saviour jesus cometh, I having my Lamp replenished with oil, may with those five wise virgins be found ready even at midnight to meet the bridegroom, and happily enter with him to the wedding, there with thine elect virgins to taste of all the good fatness of the pleasures of paradise. And if it shall please thee hereafter to prepare me for an husband, and to call me unto the holy state of honourable marriage: assist me, I beseech thee, that in thy fear, with honesty of body and good fame, not of curiosity, or incontinency, nor through sinister practice and privy contracts; but with chaste and holy love, with continual prayer and lawful means, and that with the consent and agreement of parents and friends on both sides first carefully obtained, I may (even before the flower of mine age be past, if it be thy will) enter thereinto, and be presented of them as a pure virgin to Christ, especially considering that thou hast therefore ordained that state of life, that the virgin, which hath not the gift of single life, feeling her infirmity, and to avoid fornication, might marry, and take an husband in the Lord: as also that mankind in chaste wedlock may be multiplied, and that an holy Church (which both in this world, and for ever shall praise thee) might be gathered and chosen. And forasmuch, O Lord, as a prudent, a wise, and a godly man cometh from thee, and is thy gift; who only triest the hearts and reins, and knowest the very secret cogitations and conditions of all men: provide I beseech thee, and give me unto a man of understanding, of sound and Christian religion, of wise government and behaviour; of a good life and virtuous disposition: even such an husband, I say, as may be faithful, constant, gentle, honest, tender, and loving unto me; and godly, zealous, sincere and religious in thy sight: but from an unwise, irreligious, unfaithful, and wavering minded man, from an hasty, testy, rash, heady, furious, bitter, angry, unthrifty and covetous husband, good Lord for thy holy name sake deliver me; and grant, that obtaining at thy fatherly hands a good husband, even according to mine (or rather thine) own heart, and being holily coupled together in Christian love and purity, we may both live together virtuously and quietly in thy fear, without sin or shame, and also die in a good age godly and christianly in thy faith, without eternal death and condemnation, through jesus Christ our Lord, Amen. Another. LOrd, thou hast commanded by thine holy Apostle, that we should abstain from fornication, and that every one of us should know how to keep our vessel (that is our body) in holiness, chastity, and honour, and not in the lusts of concupiscence and uncleanness, as do the heathen which know not God. I beseech thee give me grace to behave myself according to this thy holy commandment, that in this my single life and state of virginity, I defile not my body with whoredom, adultery, fornication, or with any other filthiness and uncleanness; but so order myself with all honesty, sobriety, chastity, and pureness of life, that I may glorify thee my Lord God, both in soul and body, Amen. Or pray thus: ALbeit, most merciful Father, marriage is honourable among all persons, and the bed undefiled; yet forasmuch as partly for the tenderness of mine age, I am not apt for holy wedlock, and partly through thine exceeding and above natural gift (for none can live chaste, except thou give her that gift) I live yet free from the sweet yoke of Matrimony, I heartily pray thee, that as I have received of thee the gift of continency and virginity, so I may have grace from thee to bridle myself from lusts, & from all foolish appetits: and to frame my life in all godly & virtuous exercises both of the body and mind: yea so go forth I pray thee to continue and increase this thy gift of chastity in me, that I may the more freely and quietly in all godly patience and sufferance serve thee, and care for those things that please thee and pertain to thy glory; and also that I passing over the time of this my young age in thy fear, in godly travels, virtuous labours, and maidenly behaviour, may eschew all evil lusts, riotous resorts, and wanton company: that when it shall please thee to call me to the holy and honourable order of blessed wedlock, I may bring with me a clean, chaste, and undefiled body, and so be apt and fit to live in that godly state of Matrimony, avoiding all fornication, whoredom, and uncleanness, all dissension, strife, and debate, that thou mayest bless me and my marriage; prosper my godly travels; send me good success in all my doings, and make me a joyful mother in seeing my childer's children, according to thy holy promise, which livest and reignest very God, world without end, Amen. For the grace of God's holy spirit, to resist all sinful motions, and keep pure the state of single life, pray. OH Lord the king of glory, and God of all power and might, which hast promised to power thy spirit upon all flesh, upon virgins, maidens, and young women, and to give the holy Ghost to thy children, whensoever they shall ask the same of thee in thy sons name in their prayers: and allowest none to be pure virgins and thy children indeed, but such as keep themselves unspotted of the world, and walk before thee in the rule of thy laws, and obedience of thy commandments. Oh Lord, thou knowest I would feign walk with thee from my virginity, in righteousness and holiness. My desire is to walk before thee in a pure conscience, chaste mind, and undefiled body. But alas, dear God, I confess the corruption of my nature, polluted in the first woman Eve in Paradise, is such; and my weakness and unableness to stand in temptation is so much, and the custom of sin hath gotten such dominion over me, that I am not able of myself so much as to think a good thought, much less to do any thing that is good and acceptable in thy sight. Wherefore, oh most loving Father, take not thy grace and holy spirit from me thine handmaid; leave me not to myself, neither forsake me, for than I am utterly ●ast away. For thou seest, O Lord, that if thou do but shadow thyself a little, and departed from me, into how many grievous and horrible sins I fall; how much more then, Lord, if thou shouldest utterly forsake me, leave me to myself, and take thy grace and holy spirit utterly from me? Therefore, oh most intreatable God, I beseech thee consider my manifold imperfections, womanly weaknesses, & miserable corruptions, which daily turn me out of the way, and draw me from thee, and power down thy grace and holy spirit plentifully upon me thine humble handmaid. Yea give unto me also thy most holy word, thy patience, love, meekness, integrity, righteousness, justice, temperance, sobriety, chastity, peace, long-suffering, faith, goodness, holiness, and all other thy virtues, fruits of the spirit, and ordinary means, whereby I may be so instructed, taught, and guided, governed, protected and defended in this my single life and state of virginity, that I never offend against thy divine Majesty, or mine own soul and b● die, but that I may have power and strength from thee continually to stand against all the secret assaults and open temptations of mine enemies, both bodily and ghostly: yea grant, O dear Father, that I may through thy mighty power working in my weak vessel, have continual victory over all hellish hags, and also triumph over them in all their assaults and temptations, as many holy virgins and women have done in all ages, so that together with them I may walk before thee in the pureness of my virginity, with a good conscience, in perfect righteousness and true holiness acceptable in thy sight, all the days of my life, according to thy will, through jesus Christ our Lord and only Saviour and redeemer, So be it. Another prayer in the behalf of all Virgins, or single women, for the keeping of obedience, modesty, chastity, purity, and cleanness of living. O Divine spirit, God the holy Ghost, which abhorrest, despisest, and fliest from all uncleanness, filthiness and dishonesty; and which doest contrariwise both rejoice, and hast great delight and pleasure to be resident, and dwell in chaste, pure, clean, and virginal minds: I thine humble handmaid meekly beseech thee, both for myself, and all other virgins and maidens, that as through thy benignity and gentleness, we bear and carry about in this our weak, frail, and earthen vessels, the same most excellent and notable treasure; so through thy goodness and favour we may keep and preserve it safe and whole, unpolluted or defiled any manner of ways as we ought. Make us gladly to reverence our elders, and by the good motherly admonitions and sincere honesty of the best and most godly women, to institute, frame, and order our trade of living. Cause us also to bridle our lusts and appetites, and continually to exercise ourselves with labour both of body and mind, in patience and sufferance, that we may be apt and fit both for maidenly and hus●ifelie affairs. Let us not give ourselves to much idleness, dainty fare, evil company, and dissolute pastime; and in all the recreation of our spirits, let us beware of intemperancy and lightness, and always use reverence, shamefastness, and modesty. Take from us, O God, all niceness, wantonness, prodigality, and lasciviousness, especially in the presence of our elders. Let us ever both in time and place remember ourselves to be women, and not beasts, yea young women, and not babes, and therefore to take heed that our manners and conditions exceed the manners and properties both of beasts and of babes: neither let us think ourselves women or matrons wise enough of ourselves to teach ourselves; but being free from all selfe-weening, self-love, and presumption, let us rather know that we lack as yet many instructions and godly lessons; and give us grace to learn them at their hands, whomethou dost appoint over us to govern and teach us, that so we daily more and more pleasing thee with pure hearts and undefiled bodies, may with those wise virgins, come unto that blessed life which knoweth no corruption, in the which thou, together with the Father, and his Son my loving Spouse, and heavenly Bridegroom, livest and reignest one immortal and invisible God, blessed and praised for ever and ever, Amen. Another prayer to the same effect. MOst sweet Lord jesus Christ my heavenly spouse, which art the glory of the Father, and the brightness of the everlasting light, I thine unworthy handmaid, beseech thee for thine incomprehensible divine Majesty, that thou wilt give unto me a godly preparation of mind, purity of heart, simplicity of spirit, and cleanness and chastity of body. Oh kill I beseech thee sweet jesus, and utterly extinguish in me all inordinate lusts; pull out, and pluck up by the roots what vice soever is in me, and take quite away whatsoever displeaseth thee in me. So rule, temper, and dispose all both mine outward and inward senses, as also all the force and powers of my mind, that through thy grace I may refrain, preserve, and keep myself from all unjust, and naughty works, from all evil cogitations and thoughts, from all wicked and perverse purposes, wills, intents, and affections, which fight against thy holy and blessed commandments. Grant moreover, that I may love thee above all things; that nothing may delight or please me but thou alone; that I may seek, will, desire, and covet nothing that is contrary and repugnant to thy heavenly will, and good pleasure. Finally, grant O most gentle jesus, that here in this world, I may so godly live, and virtuously behave myself both in this my single life, and afterward, that in the last day of my life I may be found ready with the wise virgins, pure, holy, clean, and undefiled, and so through thee the celestial Bridegroom most happily enter, and be carried into the celestial country of joys eternal, Amen. A prayer to be said for all virgins and maids generally. O GOD, the former of our bodies, and the inspirer of our souls, which never despisest any age; rejectest no sex; nor esteemest any estate or condition unworthy of thy grace; but art the Creator and redeemer of all: defend with the shield of thy protection all those thy servants and handmaids, whom it hath pleased thee to endue with the gift of continency, and virginity; that they, which yet be free from the sweet yoke of matrimony, by the help of thy grace subduing all sinful motions and concupiscences of the flesh, and being given to all good works, and holy exercises both of the body and mind, may be unseparably united to the love and obedience of thy Son their spouse, Lord, and Saviour jesus Christ, We beseech thee also, O Lord, minister and give thou unto them weapons of defence, not carnal, but spiritual, that thou governing both their members and senses, sin and wickedness may never be able to bear rule in them, nor prevail against their bodies or souls; and that they alway living in thy fear, grace, and favour, Satan the friend to the bad, and so to the good, may not be so bold to claim them as his, whose vessels thou hast consecrated, to glorify thy name in purity of life. O let the dew and moisture of thy heavenly grace quench and assuage their natural heat: and let the fire of perpetual chastity inflame their hearts and minds. Let not their modest ●nd shamefast faces be blotted with any reproach, neither let security or negligence at any time be hurtful unto them. Take from them all occasions of offence, and suffer them not to endure any open infamy; but let there be in them a wary chastity, adorned and inarmed with a lively faith, firm hope, and sincere charity, that their minds by thy gift being thus prepared to continency, their virtue by the power of thy grace may be of force to encounter with the suggestions of Satan, & vanquish all his mighty assaults, and that by despising things present and transitory, they may ever follow with desire, and at the last obtain the joys to come. Finally, make them, O Lord, always to prefer abstinence and temperance before banqueting or bellie-cheere, and cause them to give themselves to the reading of holy scripture, to divine contemplations, and meditations, before feasting, wantonness, and excess or riot; that being fed with praying, filled with instruction, and illuminated with watchings and holy exercises, they may purely perform and fulfil the office of true virginity, in this their state of single life, and become meet spouses for the bridegroom. And lastly grant, O gracious God, that thou thus defending and shielding these thy servants both externally and internally with the spiritual weapons of thy grace and holy virtues; they, and every of them, may be well able to pass through the pikes of Satan's host, and run their race in all holiness, purity, and honesty, without any offence to thee or the world, to the confusion of Satan, and the exaltation of thy glory, through the same Lord jesus Christ their everlasting spouse, and our most blessed redeemer: to whom with thee, O Father, and the holy Ghost, be all praise, honour and glory, for ever and ever, Amen. Of virginity, read more in the beginning of the sixth Lamp, A lamentation of any woman, virgin, wife, or widow, for her virginity or chastity, lost by fornication or adultery: not unapt also to be used of any Christian sinner, or sinful soul adulterated and fallen away by sin from her spiritual spouse Christ jesus. CAP. I. IN the bitter affliction, grief of mind, and torment of conscience, I go about to speak unto him that sitteth upon the tribunal seat, accompanied with the Saints in heaven. And how can I speak, when as the tongue is tied, and the lips dare not once move or wag? The tongue doth not his office; the throat is dammed up; all the senses and instruments are polluted with iniquity: but I will proceed on, and first I will fall to the ground on my knees, and make mine humble supplication unto the blessed spirit, that he will help me seely wretch, which dare not, by reason of the horror and superfluity of my sin, crave aught at the hands of God. Yea, and I beseech you also, O ye Saints, both holy men and women of God, living here, with waterish eyes and wet cheeks soaken in dolour and pain, to fall down before the mercyseat of God, to entreat and make intercession for me miserable sinner. Woe is me, because of the sorrow of mine heart! Woe is me, that my soul is thus afflicted! Woe is me, that am compassed thus on every side, and shut up in my sin, and that there is no health in me! Woe is me, O mother, that ever thou broughtest me forth a righteous woman to be conversant in unrighteousness; for a religious woman to fall into extreme impiety; an heir of the kingdom of God, but now an inheritor of the kingdom of the devil! Woe is me, O mother, which broughtest me forth a perfect Christian; yet a wretch found wallowing in all impiety: a virgin beautified with honour and dignity; yet in the end blemished with shame & ignominious: a woman beset with many evils, & choked up with infamous doings! Woe is me, O mother, which broughtest me forth, as an high and lofty turret, yet suddenly turned down to the ground; as a fruitful tree, yet quickly withered; as a burning lamp, yet forthwith quenched; as a running fountain, yet by and by dried up. Woe is me, that ever I was bedecked with all gifts and graces, and now seem pitifully deprived of all. But who will minister moisture unto the temples of my head? And who will give streams of tears unto mine eyes, that I may bewail myself in this my sorrowful plight? Alas, O chastity, how shall I bewail thee? Alas, O virginity, how shall I lament thee? O all you my friends and kindred, tender my case, pity my person, in that I am dangerously wounded. Pity me, O all ye my friends and kindred, in that I am now become an abject person. Pity me, O ye my friends, in that I am now with sorrow come to nought. Pity me, O ye my friends, in that I have now trodden under foot the seal and cognizance of my profession, and joined in league with the devil. Pity me, O ye my friends, in that I am rejected and cast away from the face of God and man: it is for my lewd life, that I am thus polluted and noted with open shame. Bewail me whom the Angels have bewailed; bewail me whom all the Saints have bewailed; bewail me whom every woman hath bewailed. Bewail me O all ye virgins and women under heaven, in that I am fallen from my glory, and have so wilfully quenched the lamp of pure virginity. The Lord made and engraffed me a fruitful vine, but in steed of pleasant clustered grapes, I brought forth pricking thorns; therefore bewail me also, for that in steed of grapes I brought forth brambles. But let the wellspring of tears be stirred up, and let my cheeks be watered; let them flow upon the earth, and moisten it, for I am soaken in sin, and borne in mine iniquities. I see my virginity lament over me. I see all joy sorrowing for me. I see the spider over my seat building with cobweb, by reason of mine absence. I see and behold myself all sorrowful and pensive. Every creature sorroweth at my case: for I was wont heretofore to power out praises unto God for them all. Alas, what have I felt? and how am I fallen? Alas how am I thus come to nought? There is no sorrow comparable to my sorrow; there is no affliction that exceedeth my affliction; there is no bitterness that passeth my bitterness; there is no lamentation more lamentable than mine; neither is there sin greater than my sin, and there is no salve for me. CAP. II. WHere is that good shepherd of the souls? Where is he that went down from jerusalem to jericho, which also salved and cured him that was wounded of the jews? Where is he that came from judea to the City Sichem in Samaria, which also there lively touched the woman of Samaria with her faults, and yet gave her drink of his spiritual grace and life, to her and others conversion? Where is he that in the Temple so mercifully delivered her that was taken in adultery, and would not suffer her to be condemned to death as she had deserved? Where is he, I say, that healed the sinful sinner Marie Magdalen, by casting out of her seven Devils, and forgiving her many sins, because she loved much, to her perpetual fame and glory? Seek me out also, O Lord, and cure my wounds; deliver me from my deserved condemnation: heal me, O God, have mercy upon me, and forgive me all my sins, which am fallen from the higher jerusalem; which have broken the vow I made in my baptism; which have profaned my cognisance, and polluted the holy temple my body, in that I have dealt too injuriously with thy blessed name. Alas that ever I was seduced; alas that ever I fell against thy will and commandment. What shall I say? Or what shall I do most wretched caitiff that I am? I being defolate of so great comfort, am vexed with sorrow for very grief of heart, that I am cast out from the sight of thine eyes. Woe be unto me, from how great goodness, into how great mischief am I fallen? Whether purposed I to go, and whither am I come? Where am I, and where am I not? Whom did I study to attain unto, and what evils have I obtained? I went about to lighten others, and behold I have darkened myself. I endeavoured to bring others from death to life; but alas, I have brought myself from life to death. I that minded to present others before God, have presented myself before the Devil. I that desired to be found a friend, and a favourer of godliness and chastity, am found a foe, and a furtherer of uncleanness and iniquity. I that should have set myself against the assemblies of the wicked, and reproved their lewd doings, have now found shame & the most pestilent wound of the Devil amongst the ungodly. I that should have alured others to the knowledge of the Son of God, am now become ignorant and unskilful in the divers slaights of Satan, which commonly entrap men and women. Wherefore after much alluring and sifting, they promised me (unhappy woman) crafty conveyances to avoid the subtlety of Satan; but afterward, the Devil in the same night transformed into an Angel of light, reasoned with me, saying, When thou art alone, get thee up, and go unto them, and if in case they persuade or entice thee, then condescend, and hearken unto them, do it, and cease not, neither stagger thou at the matter, till they be satisfied. And again, the Devil going before to prepare the way, whetted their wits to devise mischief against me seely wretch: he sowed in their mind's adultery, fornication, dissimulation, and deceit; but I, oh unhappy creature, skipping out of my bed at the dawning of the day, could not finish my wonted devotion, neither accomplish my usual prayer and christian exercises, but following too much mine own fleshly affections, folded and wrapped myself in the snares of the Devil. I got me unto the bed of the wicked, and required of them to perform the covenants in the night, which we had made the day before. Oh seely soul! oh blinded heart! how didst thou not remember thy promise and vow made in baptism, to forsake the devil, the world, and the flesh? O foolish mind! how didst thou not bethink thyself what would follow? O witless brain! how didst thou not understand so damnable a defiance? O thou sense of understanding (I say) where didst thou sleep in such senseless security? O but it was the Devil, which provoked thee so to slumber and snort, that in the end he might slay thine unhappy and wretched soul. Alas, he bond my mighty men, and spoiled me of my knowledge; he bond my mighty men and wounded me. I answered but in a word, and forthwith became reproachfully defamed: I spoke unadvisedly, and felt spite. The devil raised an assembly of wicked ones about me; and when I consented to obey their filthy lusts, than pronounced he against me straight, this just sentence; M.C. saith he, hath played the harlot; M. C. hath committed adultery, and defiled her father's house, and her husband's bed. CAP. III. O Thou devil, what hast thou done unto me? O thou devil, how hast thou wounded me? I bewailed sometime the fall of Dinah and Thamar; but now have I felt far worse myself. I bewailed heretofore the fall of Aholla, and Ahollibah; but now am I fallen much worse myself. I bewailed heretofore the fall of Cosbie, Bersabe, Rizpa, Tamer, and the Levites wife; but now have I felt far worse myself. I have bewailed heretofore the state of all sinners; yet now am I plunged in them all. For I have been more bold than Apam; more impudent than Memphetica Potiphar's wife; more shameless than Lot's two daughters; more wicked than Baara, or Salomen; and more bloody in persecuting than jesabel. Dinah, and Thamer, through violence offered them, were deflowered against their wills; but I with all greediness have most filthily followed my fleshly desires. judith decked herself bravely of a right discretion and virtue, for the safeguard of her people; but I for voluptuousness and pleasure of the flesh, to allure the eyes of all men, and catch the souls of the simple in the net of sin, and snares of Satan. Susanna being secretly and forcibly assaulted, sighed, and thought it better to cry, and shrich out, that she might so fall into the hands of her enemies, and suffer death without the deed doing, than to sin in thy sight by consenting unto their wicked wills; but I both openly and privily have followed too much the devices and desires of mine own heart, and too soon consented to those that have burnt in lust towards me. It was Dinah's liberty that brought her to her fall; but it is mine own wanton eyes, mine own rash tongue, and mine own wilful folly that hath brought me to this sinful fall and great confusion. And as she was the cause, that many of the Sichemites lost their earthly possessions and lives; even so my lewdness hath deprived me of the spiritual gifts, which sometime have flowed with heavenly riches. And even as she being severed from her father and brethren, and cleaving unto strangers and foreigners, endured great annoy; even so I in satisfying the lusts of notorious sinners, have brought myself captive unto captives, and made myself the bondslave of sin. For alas my parents live, yet am I an Orphan and fatherless. Alas my brethren and friends are living, yet am I comfortless and freendles. Alas my husband liveth, yet am I a widow. Alas my children be alive, yet am I barren. Alas every creature rejoiceth, and I alone am forsaken and sorrowful. Alas O house wherein I was gladsome. Alas O family wherein I sat full merry. Alas O holy Ghost, thou spirit of purity, which heretofore camest downe upon me, why hast thou forsaken me? I am forsaken, and become desolate, because of the corruption and filth of mine iniquity. Bewail me, O all ye virgins, that am deflowered of all virginity. Bewail me, O all ye womankind, that am deprived of all chastity and goodness. Bewail me, O ye blessed people of God, which am banished from God. Bewail her that is bereaved of the holy Ghost. Bewail me, that like a foolish virgin am thrust out of the wedding chamber of my spouse Christ. Bewail me, who once was thought worthy the kingdom of God, now altogether most unworthy. Bewail me that am abhorred of the Angels, and severed from the Saints of God. Bewail me for that I am condemned to eternal punishment. Bewail me, for that I am here languishing on this miserable earth, and thus now tormented with the prick of conscience. I do fear death, because I am wicked. I do fear the dreadful day of judgement, for that I am damned for ever. I do fear the punishment, for that it is eternal. I do fear the Angels, which oversee the punishment, because they are void of mercy. I do fear out of measure all the torments; and what I shall do, I wots not, being thus on every side beset with misery. If there be any man or woman which can, I beseech them now assist me with their earnest prayers, and with their sorrowful tears. For now it behoveth me to shed infinite tears for mine infinite sins. Who knoweth whether the Lord will have mercy upon me; whether he will pity my fall; whether he will tender my person; whether he will be moved with my desolation; whether he will show mercy unto me; whether he will have respect unto mine humility, and incline his tender compassion towards me, as he hath done to Rahab, Marie Magdalen, the woman of Samaria, and the woman taken in adultery, besides many others? CAP. FOUR BUT I will prostrate myself before the thresholds and porches of the Church, that I may entreat all people, both small and great, and I will say thus unto them; Trample, and tread me under foot, which am the foolish salt, the unsavoury salt. Tread on me, which have no taste or relish of God; tread me under foot, which am fit for nothing. Trample me under your feet as a jesabel, for I am a daughter of Sodom and Gomer, that deserveth to obtain no mercy, nor to have any pity or compassion to be showed unto me, but to be quite forgotten, and put clean out of all remembrance. Now let the virgins mourn and lament, for that their fellow virgin is defiled. Now let the maidens and damosels mourn, for that their companion is fallen. Now let the wives, widows, young women and matrons mourn, for that a fellow sister is fallen. Now let all women both old and young, married and unmarried, bond and free mourn and lament, for that an advancement of virginity and womanhood is shamefully fallen, and hath broken her faith and promise made both to God and man. Woe is me that I fell so lewdly. Woe is me that I fell most dangerously, and cannot rise again. Assist me O holy spirit, and give me grace to repent. Let the fountain of tears be opened, and gush out into streams; to see, if peradventure I may have the grace worthily and throughlie to repent, and to wipe out of the book of consciences, the accusation that is printed against me. But thou, O Lord, think not upon polluted lips, neither weigh thou the tongue that hath uttered lewd things, but accept thou repentance, affliction, and bitter tears, the dolour of the heart, & the heaviness of the soul, and have mercy upon me, and raise me up from out of the mire of corruption, for the puddle thereof hath even choked me up. Woe is me that sometime was a pearl, glistering in the golden garland of glory, but now thrown into the dust, and trod in the mire of contempt. Woe is me that the ●ault of God now lieth in the dunghill. Woe is me that the temple of the holy Ghost is thus profaned, and made a cage of unclean spirits. Woe is me that thy holy house of prayer is become a den of fee●ds. But how great streams of lamentations shall wipe and purify mine humble heart? Now I will address myself and turn my talk unto God. Why hast thou lifted me up, and cast me down? For as thou hast exalted me with the divine word of thine heavenly wisdom; so me thinks, I stick in the depth of sin, which myself have wrought. I had not committed this impiety, unless thou hadst withdrawn thine hand from me; but it is thy pleasure, O Lord, which art good, to do all things graciously: and I of the other side being a foolish and frail woman, have foolishly fallen. But why, O Lord, hast thou shut my mouth by thy judgements threatened in thine holy word against adulterers and sinners? Have I been the first that herein have sinned? Or am I the first that fell? Why hast thou thus forsaken me, being desolate and rejected? Why hast thou thus banished me from among thy Saints, and astonished me to read thy judgements and laws? What is he or she borne of a woman that sinneth not? What man or woman is there now, or ever was conversant here upon earth, and did none iniquity? This I say, because thou hast thus forsaken me. David, Bersaba, and the woman of Samaria, sinned too bad in thy sight; yet after their repentance, thou receivedst them in mercy. Likewise Peter a professor of truth, and Marie Magdalen, after their fall, wiped away their bitter passions, that they suffered, with salt tears, slaying sin, and purging away the ●enom of the serpent, not continuing long in the puddle of infidelity; but they of favour were thought worthy of mercy. And this I speak, to the end these things may take effect also in me miserable sinner. CAP. V. WOE is me, that I fell thus wickedly! Woe is me, that my adventure in these things was so unfortunate: but now I humbly beseech thee, O Lord, inasmuch as I have felt far worse, call me back, O Lord, for that I tread a most perilous and ruinous way that leadeth unto death. Grant me that good guide and teacher, the holy Ghost, that I be not made a pricking hedgehog, and become an habitation for devils: but that I may tread under foot the devil, which trod me, and overcoming his sleights, be restored again to my former health, purity, and salvation. Remember not, O Lord, the iniquity of thine humble suitor, who sometime have celebrated unto thee the fruits of virginity. Remember not, O Lord, the iniquity of me seely woman, who made answer too soon with wicked language, & too rashly gave my consent to naughtiness. Now, O all ye virgins and women, which behold my wound, tremble for fear; let your loins be girt, and your lamps burning; and take heed that ye slumber not, neither fall into the like crime; but take heed, watch and pray, and come jointly, which have the same measure of faith; let us assemble together, and rend our hearts, and provoke streams of tears to gush out of the temples of our heads. For when these run and flow upon the face of the earth, there will follow remission of sins, the pains will be avoided, and the torments shall not be felt. I mourn, and am sorry from the heart root, O ye my friends, that ever I fell from aloft. I have fallen and am bruised; there is no health in me. Let all women lament over me, because of this my dangerous fall; let the garlands and crowns of virgins lament over me, for that I am severed from among their blessed assemblies. Let the whole Church of Christians lament and bewail my woeful case, for that I am so ruinous, decayed & wasted. Let all people generally lament over me, for that I have my death's wound. I see the clouds in the sky shadowing the light from me, and the sun hiding his bright beams. And now ye do all see and perceive that my mouth is shut, and that shame and confusion hath covered my face. But bewail me, and lament this my bitter sorrow; bewail me, which am in like case with the reprobate; bewail me that am worthy to be trodden under foot as mire and dung of every one that goeth by the way; bewail me that am become nothing but rottenness and worms; bewail me that am taken away and made a public example of reproach to all women, and an inheritor of death and damnation, and all because I would not understand the fear of the Lord, and live after his commandments; bewail me that am transformed into a dog, a sow, and filthy goat, by trespassing against mine own soul and body, by dishonesting my friends, and dishonouring my God. CAP. VI WHat shall I do that am thus beset with many mischiefs? Alas O death why doest thou linger? I had rather thou spite me and bear me malice, than pity me. O sathan, what mischief hast thou wrought unto me? How hast thou pierced my breast with thy poisoned dart? Thinkest thou that my ruin will avail thee any thing at all? Thinkest thou to procure unto thyself ease and rest, while that I am grievously tormented? Who is able to signify unto me whither my sins be wiped and done away? or whither I have escaped the pains which greatly I feared, and most justly deserved? Who is able to signify unto me, whither I shall be yet again coupled and made companion with the virgins and saints? O thou Lamb of God Christ jesus my sweet and only saviour, have mercy upon me sinful woman, for that I am not worthy to hear the message of them that bring such glad tidings, but presuming far worse prattises, have heard the terrible threats of the Evangelists. Alas, O the bosom of Abraham, the paradise of heaven, and presence of God, that I am deprived of. Alas that I became partaker with the rich man of his condemnation in the horrible pit, and partner of his thirst in the bitter place, full of sorrow and heaviness. Alas, sweet jesus; alas, O bountiful jesus; alas, O mine only mediator, entreat the father for me I beseech thee, that I be not cut off from the coasts of ●ion, nor debarred of the bosom of my father Abraham, the which I have so greatly longed after, yet not worthily, because of my great sin. For, behold O Lord, I fall down before thy mercy seat. Have mercy upon me, which mourn thus out of measure, which have horribly offended against heaven, against thy majesty, against my friends, against the Church and congregation● & against mine own soul. Have mercy upon me the sinfullest woman alive, which have sinned too bad in thy sight. Have mercy upon me the wretch of wretches, which have shed my salt and bitter tears, whose miserable case every creature hath lamented. Oh Lord, why hast thou broken down my hedge & strong holds, and taken away thy grace and holy spirit from me; so that the wild Boar out of the wood, Satan, hath destroyed me; and the wild beast of the field hath eaten me up? Rid me, O Lord, from the roaring Lion. The whole Church and assembly of saints doth make intercession unto thee for me, which am an unprofitable servant, and unworthy member thereof. The holy and unspotted Lamb Christ jesus thy dear and only beloved son, doth continually and incessantly entreat thee for me, which have grievously offended both him and thee, O blessed Trinity, that thou wilt show mercy unto the wandering sheep, which is subject to the renting teeth of the ravenous wolf. Save me, O Lord, out of his mouth. Suffer me not to become the sacrifice of sin, but let down upon me thy holy spirit, that with his fiery countenance, he may put to flight the crooked fiend of the Devil, that I may be brought home again unto thy wisdom; that the bill of sin written against me, be●blotted out and canceled; that the sow may be washed from her filthiness; the dog eat of the crumbs that fall from her masters table, and a sinner worse than Marie Magdalen, yea chief of all sinners, be saved. O let my lamentation cease in the evening, and cause me to receive joy in the morning. Let my sackcloth of sorrow be rend asunder; gird me with joy and gladness; let me be received once again I beseech thee into the joy & favour of my God and father; let me be yet thought worthy of his kingdom, through the earnest petition and prayers of the whole Church of Saints, which sorroweth over me, and humbleth herself continually unto thee: yea rather, through the only mediation, and vehement intercession of my Lord and Saviour jesus Christ: to whom with thee, O Father, and the holy Ghost, be all honour, glory and dominion, for ever and ever, Amen, Amen. Another lamentation of a woman that hath lost her virginity and chastity: or of a Christian soul polluted with sin. O My soul, wash away thy sins, purge thee of thine iniquity, and make the rest of thy life agreeable to the word of truth. O thou unhappy soul, yea thrice unhappy woman, behold I say, whole mountains covered with thy sins, and great valleys overlaid with thine iniquities. O my soul, once purged with the pills of grace, endowed with the gifts of the holy Ghost, and espoused as the most pure virgin to the faithful lover our saviour. But out alas, what have I done, or whom have I thought of? My saviour was once my loving spouse, because of my chastity; but now alas he is become a severe judge to punish mine iniquity. O unhappy remembrance of so great a loss? Why dost thou so aggravate my grief? Or why doth both good and evil thus torment me? Alas, alas, is it not enough for mine evil conscience justly to prick me, and the punishments due therefore to torment me, but must the remembrance of a good conscience also, and the deserts due to the same condemn me? Fie upon thee wretch, that thou art to lose so rich a treasure, which thou canst never recover. O comfortless creature, why wert thou so unhappy to lose that, which hath made thee to be pointed at of the righteous, and to be laughed at of the ungodly? O lamp of virginity, how art thou quenched? Once I was a spouse, but now an abject; late a sovereign, but now a slave. Why hast thou thus prevented me? And in what a filthy puddle of iniquity hast thou plunged me? O fornication the defiler of my mind, and the destroyer of my soul; why hast thou bewitched my mind, and enchanted my soul? Why hast thou cast me headlong from the throne of my saviour, and placed me amongst the condemned souls of sinners? O grief of griefs, why dost thou thus sting? Because I have lost such a jewel. O sorrow of sorrows, why dost thou thus wound me? Because I have lost such a treasure. Behold, behold alas what monsters haunt me. On the right hand stands grief to torment me, and on the left sits sorrow to condemn me; but yet I confess it is worthily: for thou O my soul hast been a traitor to God, perjured to Christ, and an adulteress to thy saviour, and therefore deservedly thou art fallen from the tabernacle of truth, to the dungeon of the devil. O thou abject of God, and slave to Satan, nay rather, the disdainer of the Deity, and embracer of iniquity! for thou O my soul, lieutenant unto sin, first refusedst the service of thy saviour, and (of thine own accord) enthralledst thyself to the Devil. O miserable, yea more than miserable change! Alas, what a palace hast thou forsaken, and what a prison hast thou chosen? Alas what a saviour hast thou sold, and what a slave dost thou serve? Oh madness of mind, oh foolishness of heart, what hast thou done? What I say hast thou done? Hast thou forsaken thy sweet spouse and saviour, and embraced that ravening wolf the Devil? Hast thou lost thy loving bridegroom, to follow the filthy fleshly pleasures of the world? O sinful soul, how wretched is thy state? O wicked wretch, how sinful is thy fall? Oh my God, whence proceed these irksome stings of sin? Or who can make satisfaction for such heaps of iniquities? O thou miserable wretch my sinful soul, why doest thou not cast thyself headlong into the dungeon of grief, which of thine own accord didst throw thyself into the filthy sinks of sin? O thou polluted creature, why doest thou not bury thyself in the bowels of sorrow, which so willingly wallowedst in the kennel of shame? O thou sinful hellhound, why doest thou not drown thyself with the waves of weeping, which hast so often swoome in the seas of fornication? O sting of sin! O rod of sorrow! O daughter of heaviness! torment me, scourge me, plague me, crucify me, and trample and tread me as a filthy rag under your feet. I have deserved it, yea I have sought it; for I have most impudently contemned, yea and most arrogantly provoked you, nay rather God, not you; and therefore now show your authority in executing the guilty to death, that ye may be revenged for your God. Let the sinful fornicatrix feel the punishments she hath deserved, and drink deep of the cup of shame she hath desired. O thou my sinful soul, it is now high time for thee to show the fruits of repentance, which hast so long strayed from the fold of the godly virgins, and erred from the paths of the righteous women. Bathe thyself I say in the sweet streams of repentance, which so often hast wallowed in the filthy puddles of unrighteousness. O God of all consolation and security, I durst not sue for any favour at thine hands, unless I had brought in my bosom a pardon for my sins, procured by repentance in the death of Christ, which here with tears I present unto thee, desiring thee good God of consolation (if again with the dog I return to my vomit, and wallow in my sins as the sow in the mire) then to drive me from the country of the godly, and to banish me like a vagabond from the court of my saviour and spouse; yea I desire of God it may be so, and I hope in Christ it shall be so. And although I am not worthy to lift up mine eyes to heaven to call to my God for grace, by reason of the multitude of my misdeeds, which always are as red as scarlet in my sight, yet am I not unworthy with continual weeping and crying for grace to lose them. For seeing my soul is constrained through grief of conscience, to power forth prayers to my God for his mercy and grace, it is meet it should be done with great contrition of heart, and continual mourning. Consider therefore, O my soul, what thou hast done, and what plagues thou hast deserved for losing thy virginity. Ponder (I say) lament, and remember O my soul, before thou end the short pilgrimage of this life, how thine adversary the Devil, like a roaring lion, lies lurking in every corner to devour thee, and sends out his messengers into all places to entrap thee. O my God, what do I see on earth but engines to entrap me? What, I say, can I behold, but baits to entice me? Alas, and out alas, what do I hear? A confession of mourners, a crashing of teeth, and a great multitude of howlers. Woe is me alas. For me thinks I see great flames of fire; huge balls of wild fire, and furnaces full of boiling lead, and all approaching near unto me. Alas, what means these strange cries of monstrous worms? What devilish spite doth thus inflame them, and what fiery flame doth so torment them? O ye hellish hags, frying with heat, and frowning with fury; why are ye so cruel to those that lie howling amongst you? Is there no mean, no remedy, nor no end of this your punishments, and are these O my God the torments which are prepared for filthy fornicators, and contemners of thy commandments; of which I am one, yea the chief of all sinners? And must I needs abide these infernal plagues? Then O my soul, why art thou not afraid? And thou my heart why doest thou not rend in sunder? Alas, alas, how suddenly, yea and how grievously the sergeant of sin now seem to arrest me? Alas I say, what wicked actions mine adversary sin hath found against me? But oh cruel sin, whether wilt thou carry me? And thou my God, whither wilt thou lead me? If I have committed this horrible crime which deserveth death, O yet remember I pray thee that thou art my Saviour. If I have broken the bands of chastity, O yet call to mind that thou art my redeemer. O my God, if I have done any thing that deserveth death and damnation, yet forget not how that thou shedst thy precious blood to save me. And therefore, O my merciful God, be not so severe, in marking what is done amiss of me; but let thy mercy prevail and cover all my secret and open faults. Remember thou saidst by the mouth of the Prophet, I will not the death of a sinner, but that he should convert and live. My God, which canst not lie, what meanest thou to say that thou wouldst not the death of a sinner, if thou throw him into the bottomless pit of hell? doest thou mean that thou carest not for the death of a sinner, when thou committest him to the slavery of the devil? Is this thy meaning I say, when thou saidst, I had rather he should turn and live? I am a sinner, O my God; if therefore thou have no delight in the death of a sinner, than who shall let thee to take compassion upon me silly woman? If thou hadst rather he should turn and live, than who shall withhold thy countenance from me sinful wretch? If the hugeness of my sins deserves a wound, the care of so gracious a father prepares a salve. God forbidden that the wickedness of a sinner, repenting her of her sin from the bottom of her heart, should surmount the mercies of so bounteous a Saviour. O therefore remember me most loving father, I beseech thee, because thou art my redeemer, and take compassion upon thine unworthy handmaid, because thou art my saviour. Respect not, O my God, the justice due to so grievous a sinner; but remember thy loving kindness towards thy creature. Remember not, O Lord, the offences of a sore transgressor, but call to mind the mercies of a loving saviour. I confess, O Lord, that my sins both old and new, deserves eternal condemnation, and that no repentance is able to make satisfaction for the least of my faults, and yet by faith I am assured of my salvation, because thy mercies surpass thy judgements. Spare me therefore, O Lord, for my soul appealeth from the seat of thy justice, to the throne of thy mercy. O deliver me, because thou art almighty. Oh save me sinful woman, because thou art merciful, and take compassion upon me, wretched woman, for thy beloved son jesus Christ's sake, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the holy Ghost, one God, ever world without end, Amen. God the Father of all comfort and consolation, bless, keep, and defend me from all the illusions and suggestions of sathan, now and evermore; also give me grace to walk in thy fear, Amen. Read more of this in the queens meditation, page 10. and 16. 17. etc. in the second Lamp. A prayer of Marie magdalen's repentance. O Good jesus, the only hope of the penitent person, which opening the bowels of thy compassion, and to declare and show a token of thy great love, didst graciously give absolution and pardon of all her sins to Marie Magdalen, that grievous sinner, and sinful woman, at what time she touched with great remorse and sorrow, stood weeping before thee, and pouring forth abundance of tears, washed thy feet, and kissing them, wiped them with the hear of her head, in token of her hearty repentance and sorrow for her forepast sinful life spent in adultery and uncleanness. O despise not me also I beseech thee most merciful jesus, which am a more sinful woman, and now likewise most humbly with great remorse of conscience and sorrow for my sinful life passed, do prostrate myself before the feet of thy mercy, washing them with the inward tears of contrition, and kissing them with the lips of devout & earnest prayer. And vouchsafe, O sweet Christ, to make me meet to hear thy voice so full of love and compassion, so full of clemency, sweetness, and mercy, which the same Marie Magdalen was made worthy to hear, that as hers, so also my manifold sins and offences committed against thee, and thy whole Church, and mine own body and soul, may quite be forgiven, and washed away by thine only grace and merits, O blessed Saviour jesus, Amen. Another prayer of the woman taken in adultery. O Most tender hearted jesus, which so gently deliveredst the woman taken in adultery, and so mercifully sentedst her away in peace, and uncondemned of thee, from her accusers. Behold, my adulterous soul standeth here before thee, which so often hath forsaken thee her true and faithful spouse, as she hath consented to the vile suggestions of the adoulterous and corrupt enemy. Alas, my conscience accuseth me, yea and all my lewd works and wicked actions do all bewray, and condemn me. But, O Lord, enter not thou into judgement with them I pray thee, neither do thou remember mine old or new offences, to plague them as they deserve; but deliver me also a most sinful wretch, and a woman corrupted and abused in adultery. Deliver me, I say, a woman altogether guilty of horrible iniquities, from mine accusers, and being fully persuaded in my conscience, that I am freely forgiven of thee, and from this and all other my crimes and offences absolved, pardoned, and quitted before the tribunal seat of thy judgement, let me now departed in peace and uncondemned. For it is thy property always to have mercy, and to spare sinners that repent and turn unto thee, as I do hear at this present unfeignedly: yea, there is no end of thy mercies and compassions to such as forsaking their old sins, do unfeignedly seek and cleave unto thee: to whom therefore with the Father and the holy Ghost be blessing, praise, power, and dominion, now and for ever, Amen. Of this matter read more in the latter end of the sixth Lamp, and in divers places of the seventh Lamp. A prayer to be said of any damsel, daughter, or maiden child. O Most merciful God, and heavenly Father, which hast commanded me to honour my parents, by whom I was borne and do live; for such obedience doth please thee, for thy beloved Son jesus Christ's sake; and thou hast promised to reward the same with long life, manifold benefits, and heavenly blessings: I humbly beseech thee O Lord, give to my parents, and all other that I am bound unto in this world, a long life, and protect them from all miseries, hurt, and danger. Also, grant me grace to obey them and all others, which have authority over me, in deed, and in word, and in all patience, that I may have thy benediction and blessing. Let me help my parents in their age, and never grieve them as long as they live: and if their understanding fail, let me bear with them, and never in my lusty youth despise them. Imprint in my mind the pains, which my mother hath endured for my sake, not only before I came out of her womb, but also till I was of any discretion, for which cause, be it far from me, that I at any time make her sad, or out of quiet, through any my lewd behaviour and disobedience. Furthermore, O merciful God, and heavenly Father, I beseech thee forgive me the sins of my tender age and youth, whereby I have, and do still offend both thee, and my loving parents. Pardon them I say, O Lord, for thy mercy sake. Remember not my rebellions: make me both to know my folly, and to be heartily sorry for mine offences. Place before mine eyes continually the example of our saviour Christ, which in his childhood was obedient unto his parents, thereby, both teaching and showing to all children what their duty is. Keep me, O Lord, from the wicked company of ungodly men, and when they shall entice me, let me not walk in the way with them. Refrain my feet from their paths, lest I come into the dangerous and suspicious judgements of other folk, and hazard thereby mine honesty, chastity, and good name and virtue, to the peril and hurt both of myself and my parents. Increase, O Lord, not my years only, but also my wisdom, chastity, shamefastness, soberness, temperance, and all kind of virtue and obedience requisite in a godly child, that I may grow in favour both with thee, and all good men and women, through thy beloved Son our Lord and saviour jesus Christ, Amen. Another very necessary prayer to be said of any daughter or maiden child. FOrasmuch as in thy holy word (O almighty God and heavenly Father) it is said, that a wise daughter is an heritage unto her husband, but she that liveth dishonestly, bringeth her father to heaviness: again, A daughter that is bold or past shame, dishonoureth both her father, and her husband, and the ungodly shall regard her, because she is not inferior unto them, but both her father and her husband shall despise her, because of her foolishness: I beseech thee therefore, take from me a stout stomach, an incorrigible heart, an impudent mind, an unshamefast eye, and a bold countenance, with all other vices, and marks of a reprobate and disobedient child, and in stead thereof, give unto me a gentle spirit, a meek heart, an humble mind, a demure look, a sober countenance, an affable and serviceable body, with all other good graces and comely conditions of a chaste virgin, and godly child, towards her parents. Oh suffer me not to be of the number of those shameless children, that stick not to revile and curse their father and mother to their face, nor of those stubborn and wicked daughters, which as the Prophet complaineth, do rise up and rebel against their own mothers, setting their commandments at nought, & utterly refusing to be corrected by them for their amendment. Yea far be it from me, O Lord, with Lots two daughters, to make my father drunk to uncover his shame: neither with cursed Cham, let me not rejoice or laugh at the dishonour of my parents, especially sith I know that my honour cometh by them, and that their reproach is in deed my dishonour. And though my parents forsake me, and count me as a stranger, yet give me grace never to forsake them utterly, nor to say of them as Leah and Rahel said of Laban their father, We have no more portion or inheritance in our father's house: but rather make me through the gift of thy grace obedient and very willing to suffer for thy sake, my parents to work thine and their wills in me, yea though it be to my loss (if thou thinkest it so good) without any resistance, striving, grudging, or denial, even as Isaac did to his father Abraham, Jeptha's only daughter did unto him, Lot's two daughters unto their father, and the seven children of the woman in the Maccabees unto their mother, etc. that with these virtuous and godly children, I may be blessed and have mine obedience crowned and rewarded. Moreover because thou O Lord, in the old law hast straightly commanded, that the daughter which looseth her virginity, and playeth the harlot in her father's house, should be stoned to death, yea though afterward she be married to an husband (which beastly vice of filthy whoredom, fornication, and unchastity, how greatly thy sacred majesty doth abhor and detest by this law, besides other examples of thy judgements mentioned in the scriptures, it may and doth easily appear.) Assist me therefore, I humbly pray thee, that by watching and prayer, temperance, holy exercises, moderation and abstinence from superfluous meats and drinks, and overmuch fi●e fare, which makes the mind wax wanton and overlusty, I may so tame this my body, crucify my flesh, and bring it into subjection to the spirit, with all the affections and desires thereof, that I may never with Thamar pollute my father's house, nor sin against thy majesty, my friends, and mine own soul and body, by overpassing the prescribed limits and bounds of honesty and chastity. Give me grace, that I follow not the concupiscence of the flesh, neither provoke my senses by unbridled liberty, with Dinah to abuse myself, and trespass against my parents and friends to their heart's grief, against myself to mine own public shame, and rejoicing of mine enemies, and against thee and my country, to other evil example and overthrow. Sanctify me, I say, O holy father, that I defile not myself with carnal vices, riotousness, bellie-cheere, nor unlawful pleasures. Suffer me not to cast off thine holy spirit, thereby to make my body the house of filthy fiends, which carry away, and cast headlong all intemperate, unchaste, and secure or reckless persons, into everlasting destruction, but drive far from my heart all evil thoughts, from my mind all wicked concupiscence, and from mine eyes all unchaste looks; yea, be thou ever so merciful unto me, O Lord, as to help me continually with thy divine power, that the holy spirit, which thou didst power into me at my baptism, may bear the rule in all my members, and so prevail over the flesh, and all the inordinate affections of the same, that being renewed daily after thy holy spirit, I may the better walk in the spirit, and serve thee in righteousness, obedience, and true holiness, all the days of my life, to the honour of thy son, which is the most excellent flower and crown of all pure virginity. Finally, if hereafter it shall please thee not to continue in me the gift of virginity or single life, or that my father or friends, thinking it uncomely for me to pass the flower of mine age, to avoid all other further inconveniences, shall judge it needful for them, respecting mine infirmity, to marry me, and so to perform that weighty matter, and ease themselves of so great a charge, care, and burden, by doing their duty betimes, and not neglecting their authority and office, as judah did towards his daughter in law Thamar, to the peril and hazard of both their good names and honesty: then grant, I beseech thee, O dear father, that I for my part not so much as desiring marriage, much less to show myself to long therefore by any means, may be content to leave all the care and charge of that business, wholly unto my parents or friends, who no doubt love me no less, than I love myself. And let me be fully persuaded, that they will provide no less diligently for me, than they would for themselves, but much better, that all whisperings, close communication, sinister practices, and privy contracts being of me utterly eschewed, as a thing most ungodly, and in deed far unbeseeming any Christian child, yea as things abhorred even among the Infidels, I may after the good examples of Rebecca, Leah, Sarah, and such like holy virgins, & obedient daughters, most willingly allow and approve the authority, power, and pruiledge of my parents and friends over me herein, and resigning all my will to their wills, be very well content to be ruled by them in all things they shall do in thee, as becometh a well nurtured, and obedient child, labouring also by all earnest and fervent prayer, to further the matter, that I may bring a chaste mind in a chaste body, unto a virtuous husband, to thy glory. And grant, that my parents and friends also for their parts, as thou hast commanded, Deuter. 7, 3. may carefully endeavour by all possible and studious diligence, to provide for me their daughter, a man of understanding, wisdom, piety, and honesty; even such an husband, Lord, as is no Idolater, or irreligious worshipper of God, no Atheist, Infidel, or ungodly man, nor one that shall let or hinder me from virtuous living, but such a one as is both wise, godly, virtuous, holy and religious, one that serveth thee, O God sincerely, and liveth in thy fear christianly, and will gladly provoke, exhort, and help me to live accordingly. Finally, grant I beseech thee, that my parents or friends, without any respect of their own gain or commodity, may seek me an honest husband, and marry me in thee, O Lord; neither let them with covetous Laban sell me to their servants in recompense of their service, as Leah and Rebecca were, nor yet with that hypocrite Saul give me under pretence of favour, to snare and betray the innocent, as Michal and Merab were given to David. But considering that the knot of marriage cannot be lightly loosed or dissolved, saving only by death, let them with great study, and deliberation, with good advisement and counsel do it, yea with such diligent care, and faithful discharge of their own duties to thee, O God, with such love and entire affection towards me their child, and with such due regard to the man, unto whom they shall match me (as namely not so much for any his external goods of the body, as chiefly for the inward virtue and goods of the mind) that in every respect it may be truly said they have very well joined and married me in the Lord, to the rejoicing of all parties, so shall it come to pass, that they thereby shall not only procure unto me their daughter perpetual joy, comfort and felicity, by causing my marriage to become easy and well-liking unto me, but also provide by this means for themselves such a son in law, as shall be a faithful friend, a daily succour, and continual aid unto them, even in their old age, to their great comfort and thy glory; which grant, O blessed God for his sake, who was most obedient, not only to his blessed mother Marie, but also unto thee his celestial Father, thy h●lie son jesus, I mean, to whom with thee, and the holy Ghost, be now and ever eternal praise & thanks, and universal power, rule and dominion, Amen. You may read in the sixth and seventh Lamps more of the duty of daughters. A prayer to be said of a daughter in law that is married. FOr as much O almighty God, as through the corruption of our nature, the common custom and opinion of most are, that all mothers in law bear a stepmothers hate unto their daughters in law: and contrariwise, that daughters in law for the most part, bear no great good love and charity towards their mothers in law: the cause of both which hatred or enmity, as it is found vain and unchristian, so it seemeth to arise, when on the one side the mother is discontent that all her sons love should be turned unto her daughter in law: and when the wife on the other part cannot suffer any to be loved but herself; as though the motherhood of the one were lessened by the daughter in law, and the wifehood of the other, were minished by the mother in law; or as though friendship were impaired by the multitude of friends, when rather in troth, it is the more increased, and strengthened by alliance and marriage, and therefore either aught to bear with others infirmity, and charitably to be reconciled one to another, if at any time brawls, hatred, strife or discord rise or chance between them. Therefore to avoid the causes of this common hatred betwixt me and my mother in law, and that we may the better live lovingly and christianly together, as becometh us, both before God and the world, to the good example of all other; grant O God, I beseech thee, that my mother in law for her part may be content, that her son my husband do love me his wife as his dear mate, and inseparable companion, with whom he ought to dwell, without any displeasure. Again, that I her daughter in law for my part, knowing my husband and I am all one, may not only take and repute his parents to be my parents, but also may be willing, and very well pleased that my husband do love her also as his own mother, as unto whom he is greatly bound, and oweth much loving kindness for these great benefits received of her; I mean, his life, his nourishing, and bringing up in the fear of God, but especially, because I gladly do or would love mine own mother also, as nature thereto bindeth me, and for that I both see and know how that by this my mother in law, as by an instrument and means appointed of thee, I now presently enjoy this my husband, her son, for whose sake therefore at the least, I am bound both by the laws of God & nature, (forsomuch as we are now no more two, but one flesh) to love, cherish and obey this my mother in law in thee, as if she were mine own mother. Grant I say, O gracious God, that my mother in law may love me her daughter in law, no less than Naomie loved Ruth & Orpha, and that she may give me good counsel, teach me, instruct me, pray for me, and do all such things as may be an example unto me, both of godliness, chastity, and soberness. drive far from us all hatred, envy, brawlings, and contentions. Suffer her not I beseech thee, O Lord, to make any discord or variance between my husband and me for any cause; but and if any chance between us, grant that she rather to the uttermost of her power, by her wisdom, and good motherly counsell●giuing, may avoid it, and reconcile us again, that thus she bearing a motherly affection towards me, it may so come to pass, that both my husband may be the more bound to love her, not only for that she is his dear mother, but also because she hath thereby been the cause of a great part of his felicity, in that he hath me both a more chaste, sober, loving, obedient, and virtuous wife, and better agreeing with him, by the means of this her motherly instruction, and grave godly counsel; and also I be no less bound to love her, and to bear none other mind towards her, than if she were mine own mother, as Ruth did to Naomie, and Sara to Anna, by reason that I also have by this her grave advice, and wise teaching, both gotten to myself more knowledge, a● made better, and have my husband her son more pleasant, loving, and tender unto me. This grant not only unto us, O good father, but also to all other mothers and daughters in law, for jesus Christ's sake, our only Lord and saviour. Amen. Another prayer to be used of a daughter in law. THou hast commanded in thy holy law, O almighty God, that all children should honour their parents as they will obtain the promise of long life, and blessings of their parents upon earth, and contrariwise avoid thy curse, and the curse of their parents pronounced against all disobedient and ungodly children: grant therefore unto me, whom it pleaseth thee after the death of mine own mother, to keep still as yet in the number and obedience of a child, by giving me this woman to be my mother in law, in stead of mine own mother, whom thou hast taken unto thyself, that sith I am now her child by adoption and affinity, I may according to thy commandment, fulfil and do all that duty, which I own and is due unto her, even as unto mine own natural mother, if she were here alive, and that not for a show or outward pretence of love, but with true obedience, and due reverence, from the very heart unfeignedly, because I know it shall be rewarded of thee whatsoever I do unto her, be it good or ill. O let me not be in the number of those wicked daughters in law, which as the Prophet saith, do impudently rise up, and contempt●ouslie strive against their mothers in law. Let all contumely, despite, rancour, brawlings, tauntings, cursings, slander, revilings, upbraid, with such other like wicked and unchristian behaviour, either in thought, word, or deed, of a reprobate and accursed child of Satan, be far from me, that so I may avoid the plagues threatened, and obtain the blessings promised. Take from me, I say, O Lord, all hardness of heart, evil custom, vain opinion, churlish conditions, and disdainful or coy behaviour, neither let me willingly grieve her, or in any thing be offensive unto her, as long as we live together. O let me not, I say, through evil manners, lewd disobedience, and perverse rebellion, be a vexation of mind to this my mother in law and parents, as judith and Bathcath, the two wives of Esau were to Isaac, and Rebecca their father and mother in law, but give me grace after the good counsel of raguel, and the holy example of Sara his daughter, to obey this my father or mother in law, as she did Anna and Tobit her father and mother in law, to honour her in deed and in word, and in all patience, and to use all gentle, courteous, mild, meek, and sweet words, yea all childlike duty, and christian behaviour unto her for thy sake, that thereby I may win her good will and motherly favour more and more towards me. Grant, that I knowing my father and she to be now all one flesh, as my husband and I am one body, may reckon and repute her now also to be as mine own mother, and to take my husband's parents for my parents, and so to love, cherish, reverence, and obey them in every condition, no less than as mine own natural parents, that being serviceable always unto them, and fulfilling in all points the roomth and duty of a good and godly daughter in law, I may find them again the more to love, cherish, and prefer me as their own daughter. Let me not be displeased, if my husband love his own mother, but rather as it becometh a good and a virtuous wife, if I see he doth not behave himself towards her like a natural son, give me both grace and wisdom quietly to exhort him, and friendly to desire him to behave himself better towards her, that she seeing and well knowing my chastity of body, my lovingness towards my husband, and my good will and gentle nature towards her, may through these virtues (if she be cursed) alter her fierce mind towards me, and turn it to good, and be the better content with me, never hereafter to hate me, either as a daughter in law, or as a stepdaughter. Finally, grant that after the good example of virtuous ruth's obedience to Naomie her old mother in law, I may with great humility, entirely love her, heartily pray for her, and dutifully honour, serve, cherish, and obey her; yea, and to spare no painful diligence to do her all the good I possibly may or can, in thee, and for thee: that thus obeying, nourishing, and sustaining my mother in law in her necessities, none otherwise than if she were mine own mother, and bearing patiently at her hands all infirmities and miseries for thy sake while I live, may to thy glory, and others good example, declare my good affection and great love that I bear towards her, as she that standeth both in awe and fear of thy commandments, and gladly endeavoureth to obey thee and my superiors in all things, according to thy word, and that this my mother in law may also sometime worthily say of me to my praise and others encouragement, as Naomie said of Ruth, namely, that I am better in troth unto her, than seven of her own sons. This grant O God, for thine own glory sake, and my comfort and commendation in Christ jesus, to whom with thee & the holy Ghost, be all honour, glory, and praise, for ever and ever, Amen. A prayer to be said of any woman, when she is wooed of any man to be his wife. O Lord God of our fathers, creator of heaven and of earth, the sea, and all that in them is, which workest all things according to thine own purpose and will, which rulest the hearts of all men and women, and disposest them after thine own counsel, as seemeth best to thy godly pleasure. Oh good God, the preserver of mankind, in thy great love, by thy godly providence, thou didst provide and give unto our first father Adam a fellow-helper, not only like unto himself, but even of his own body and substance, commanding them to increase and multiply, to the figuring and conjunction of thy dear son jesus Christ our continual and only mediator, and thy holy congregation, for the which blessed be thy name for ever. Oh thou God of all comfort, and father of all mercy, when thou art angry with us for our sins, than showest thou us mercy, and in time of trouble and temptation thou forgivest sins, to all them that call upon thee faithfully. To thee therefore, oh dear father, I turn my heart, and direct mine eyes, as thou hast commanded us to do in all our needs and necessities; beseeching thee to be merciful unto me, oh dear God, and hear me thy poor handmaid and work of thy hands. Thou hast made all mankind of the mould of the earth, and hast wrought in me and this man that now wooeth me, according to thy good pleasure. Thou hast regenerated us by thy holy spirit, and new created us in thy dear son jesus Christ, unto good works, that we should walk in them; so that we can not, nor may not come together in marriage after the manner of the heathen, which be ignorant, and know not thee to be their God. Now therefore O loving father, to whom all hearts are open and known, in this beginning of our love, and conjunction of our minds, I humbly beseech thee, so to order our affections, and rule our hearts and desires, that therein we seek nothing but thy glory, and the profit of thy Church. Therefore in Christ's name I pray thee, suffer us not to go amiss, but as a father, help and guide us to a right marriage, in the which we may live honestly and prosperously, even as we ought to thy honour: and either deliver us from all evil lusts, and concupiscence of the flesh, and defend us from all slander and shame, whereby any offence may be given to thy people; or else in thy good time take us out of this earth and misery. Thou knowest, O Lord, that I have not fished with poison, nor endeavoured to allure him by deceits & charms to love me, and that this conjunction of our minds is not begun in us for voluptuousness nor of lust, but only in the fear of thee, and for the desire of Christian society and mutual love, and the increase of godly fruit, to the profiting of thy holy congregation. We know, O Lord, that it is thou only that providest the marriage, that hast the hearts of us both in thy hand, and that givest the will to consent and make choice, or ordinary election; and that thy counsel standeth not in any man's power, neither can any man alter or diminish thy purpose. Wherefore I most humbly beseech thee, most merciful father, that if this conjunction of our minds and love be thy work and counsel, that thou vouchsafe, for the glory of thy name, to give us some token and true certificate thereof, by the increasing, and steadfastly stablishing our godly love in thee, that thou wilt perform the same in us in thy good time, to thy glory, and our comfort, that we may the more perfectly love, and rightly serve thee. But if it be a false persuasion, or temptation of the enemy to deceive us, and to draw us from thee; then good Lord, for thy dear son Christ's sake I beseech thee, so to alter our love, and change our minds, so order and guide us, that we may soon be certified thereof; that thereby we may fly all occasions of evil, and the more zealously cleave unto thee, and in our trie●g to stand steadfast in patience, so that neither self-will, nor the lusts of our corruptions do deceive us: and if it be for chastening, which I confess we have not only deserved, but sore and grievous punishment for our manifold and grievous sins; yet for thy dear son jesus Christ's sake, oh dear God, which hast said, that thou delightest not in our destruction, I most humbly beseech thee, that we may by thy mercy come again into thy fatherly favour, and after our great sorrow and heaviness, we may obtain perpetual joy and consolation, and be received into the fellowship of thy faithful & fruitful servants and Saints. Grant this dear father, for thy beloved son. jesus Christ's sake our only peace and mediator, So be it. Another prayer to be used of any woman, before the solemnisation of her marriage. I Beseech thee, O father, which art neither made nor begotten, marry me now and for ever unto thy son, marry me unto him in righteousness and judgement, in godliness, in mercy, and in compassion: marry me, I say, unto him in faith, that I may truly know thee my Lord and God, which wilt not the death of a sinner, but rather that he repent and live. O thou only begotten son of God, join me now, I beseech thee unto thy body, that engraffed in thee, I ●ay draw from thee the juice of life, and of heavenly wisdom. Defend me, O holy Ghost, and thine whole Church, against the rage of Satan, the world, the flesh, and the devil, and let all things that I do, please thee: for thou, O glorious Trinity art my husband, which lovest me, my God, whom I worship, and the head whereunto I am subject. To thee be glory and praise both of men and Angels now and for ever, Amen. Another prayer to be used of the man or woman, a little before they be married. O Eternal Father of thy well-beloved son our Lord and saviour Christ, which art the maker and king of all creatures, we thank thee from the bottom of our hearts, for that thou hast not cast mankind fallen from thy grace through sin, into everlasting destruction, as thou didst the devil; but of thine unspeakable goodness and secret counsel, thou broughtest forth thy son jesus, and madest him an husband, that having taken our flesh upon him, he might marry the faithful unto himself. Immortal praise and glory to thee, for revealing this thy covenant to mankind from time to time by teachers, and for calling us to his heavenly marriage, by thy ministers: we beseech thee, by and for the same thy son, so to change and confirm our hearts by thy spirit, that adorned with the wedding garments of righteousness, faith, holy love, chaste minds, and good conscience, and without all hypocrisy, dissimulation, and without the sin against our own conscience, we may approach to this honourable estate of matrimony, and be found in the number of thine elect. Let us now truly be espoused in faith and virtue, to thine heavenly spouse, and be engraffed in his flesh. Let us be two in one flesh, and so cleave to him, that we may be one spirit, and so draw the heavenly motion of faith, comfort, joy, and eternal life from him, that always we may be (though two bodies) yet but one soul. Finally, our troublesome race being finished, bring us with thine elect, unto thy visible company, that for evermore we may remain in the spouse of the universal Church in eternal company and comfort, Amen. Another meditation and prayer, declaring how Christ adorneth the nuptial feast with his bodily presence. O Eternal, true, and almighty God, which at the first creation of the world, after thou hadst made man an image of thy wisdom and goodness, bearing such shape as thine eternal son at a time determined did take upon him, and afterward of thy secret counsel, through thy word, didst utter these words, It is not good for man to be alone. Thy will it was that from a few, even two, the whole multitude of mankind should proceed, and a sacred Church (honouring thy name religiously, and sincerely delivering unto posterity to come, the true knowledge of thy word) should proceed. Thy will it is, that both our weak nature may live purely in the lawful state of marriage, and thy Church multiplied more and more through the generation of the godly. O gracious God, which art pure from all spot of impurity, and wouldst that the clear understanding of holiness should shine in us, that approaching unto thee in prayer, we might discern thy goodness, from the nature of incestuous and polluted gods. By thy chaste and holy spirit, we humbly beseech thee, purge our hearts, that in an holy and chaste conversation we may be coupled together to serve thee, utterly renouncing thine enemy the devil, which is the author of incestuous laws, contrary to thy commandments; forbidding men to marry for none other end, but that both the one by licentiousness of life, might be forgotten, and flocks of wicked men through their lewd conversation, be withdrawn from thee to eternal misery. Be it far from us, O God, that so much as in thought we should either so dishonour thy sacred majesty, or hurt ourselves. And we beseech thee, strengthen us weak ones with thy divine power, that we never be drawn from thee our God through sinful desires of the flesh, which hinder our prayers, the only comfort of the Saint's distressed in this miserable life: neither forego the sweetness and joy of a godly conscience, through hardness of heart, and horrible blindness, wherewith lewd livers are commonly punished, nor when the course of this mortal life shall be cut off, we feel not those torments appointed for the wicked, according to that terrible threat, Every soul which shall commit these abominations, shall perish from among the people. And thou, O son of God, which hast ordained the love of married folks to be a mystery of a wonderful and heavenly thing; instill into our minds and breasts both sense of that celestial wisdom, and a true desire of our coupling to thee. In thee a true and burning good will towards man (whose nature thou tookedst on thee) is inflamed: such a comfortable affection of unfeigned love should the chaste bridegroom bear towards his beloved wife, and the bride likewise to her husband. Thou lovest and makest much of thy flesh; thou nourishest and doest comfort the faithful engraffed into thee by true faith; and so should man and wife, being one ●●esh, love together heartily without all dissimulation. Behold, the Church, according to the ancient custom of espousals, lieth before the altar, beseeching thee to reconcile thine eternal father unto us, and to receive us into thy society. O our spouse most heavenly, make us partakers of that covenant, which thou entredst into with our nature. Blot out all the filthiness of our sinful flesh by thy merit; transform us into new, through thine holy spirit, and make us by the same spirit to be one with thee, depending upon thee. And forasmuch as thy divine pleasure is to have this heavenly marriage to be celebrated among many troubles in this miserable life, where wine is not always to be had, and the face of thy Church is many times like our water pots, our frail bodies oppressed with evils, filled to the full with water and tears; where also we are troubled, if we be not heard when we make our prayers, and hardly we can bridle ourselves with patience to expect thine hour: assist and strengthen us, that these frail vessels of ours, in which thy Church hath her nest be not broken, through the malice of Satan, and rage of tyrants. Grant, that in crosses and troubles of this life, we may constantly depend upon thy counsel and assistance, and do that thing only which thou hast commanded, and graciously provide, that in that joyful hour thy servants and ministers may power out the sweet wine of thy voice, give comfort in our greatest needs, and bring us to thee, which art the truth and the life; so that when this temporal marriage shall take an end, we may drink new wine with pleasure in the feast of thy father, Amen. Ecclesiasticus 15, verse 2. As a pure virgin newly married, doth friendly entreat her husband; so shall justice and wisdom being pure and undefiled, greatly entertain her lovers. Or thus: Wisdom, as a wife married of a virgin, shall receive or entertain him that feareth God, and keepeth the law. Read more in the fourth Lamp, page. 615. A prayer to be used of a virgin newly married together with her husband, the first night before they join together in the duty of marriage, after the godly example of Sara and Tobias, who made and used the same before they lay together, for the space of three days; as appeareth, Tob. cap. 8. 9 A sentence out of Tob. cap. 6. verse 17. worthy to be called to memory of all new married folks. THey that receive marriage after such a fashion, that they shut God out from them, and from their heart, and give themselves to their own lusts, even as it were in Horse and Mule, which have no understanding: upon such hath the devil power. Therefore when thou takest an husband, and art come into the chamber, withhold thyself from him awhile, and give thy diligence unto nothing but unto prayer with him, that Satan may have no power over you, that ye may be received into the company of the holy Patriarches; and finally, that ye may obtain the blessing and favour of God, even holy and sound children, the fruits of your body; and kneeling on your knees, say one after another, as followeth. ¶ The Prayer, or petition. Husband. BLessed and praised be thou, O Lord God of our fathers, and blessed is thine holy and glorious name for ever. Wife. Let the heavens bless thee, O God, yea the earth, the sea, the wells, the floods, and all the creatures that be therein, praise and magnify thee. Husband. Thou madest Adam of the mould of the earth, and gavest him Eva his wife for an helper and stay. Wife. Of them came mankind, O Lord, and thou hast said, It is not good that a man should be alone, let us make him an aid like unto himself. Husband. And now, O Lord, thou knowest, I take not this my sister to wife for fornication or voluptuousness, but uprightly in thy fear, for continency, and only for the love and desire of children, in whom thy name may be blessed for ever. Wife. Thou knowest also, O Lord, that I thine handmaid am pure from all sin with man, and that I have consented to take this my brother, whom thou hast kept for me to be mine husband, not for any pleasure or fleshly lust, but in thy fear, and for the desire also of children, that in the seed of Abraham I may obtain thy blessing in children. Husband. Therefore have mercy on us twain, being the dearly beloved children of our parents, and cause us to magnify thee more perfectly, and to offer continually unto thee the sacrifice of thy praise, and of our health and sweetness, for thy mercies extended towards us. Wife. Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us, and as thou hast put away from us the enemy that persecuted us, and made us joyful in thee; so according to thy great mercy deal mercifully with us still, and grant that we may come whole and sound each to other, and become aged together. Husband. Thy blessing, O God, be now and evermore upon us, and upon both our parents: and as thou, O Lord, of thy goodness, hast joined us together, so by the virtue and power of thy holy spirit, bless us, and multiply and increase us, that we may together see our children, and our children's children unto the third and fourth generation. Wife. Yea, let our seed be blessed of thee our most high and holy God, that all people may know that thou only art God, reigning in all the earth, and to be blessed and praised for ever. Husband. Hear our prayers O God, and for thy holy name sake, grant our request, through the intercession of our only mediator and saviour jesus Christ our Lord. Wife. Amen dear God, Amen. God the Father bless us, God the Son bless us, God the holy Ghost bless, preserve, and keep us: the Lord mercifully with his favour look upon us, and so fill us with all spiritual benediction and grace, that we may so live together in this life, that in the world to come, we may have life everlasting, Amen. Another very necessary and fruitful prayer, to be often used of all married couples, for the obtaining of a godly, loving, and quiet life, in that honourable state of Matrimony. FOrasmuch as it hath pleased thee (O almighty God, the creator and author of all things) to direct both our minds, rule our hearts, and call us from single life, unto this holy state of honourable wedlock, whereby through thy mercy we have not only escaped the enticing snares of Satan our ancient enemy, the evil example of the wicked world, and the unlawful lusts of frail flesh, and so consequently the horrible judgements of eternal damnation, if so be that we now inseparably live together, according to thy holy ordinance, and our promise made each to other before thee and all the Angels, but also by this our happy conjunction, we presently enjoy and feel to our great comfort, the joyful jewel of a quiet conscience, free from all evil delights, in filthiness of sin, and occasions of offence: we therefore thy humble servants, here prostrate on our knees, according to our bounden duty, with pure and thankful minds, acknowledging this great benefit to be in deed thy singular gift, do meekly render unto thy divine majesty most humble and hearty thanks, evermore praising thee therefore, and saying: Blessed art thou, O our God and heavenly father, which art the author of our marriage, and of this our coupling together, and blessed be thy most holy and glorious name for evermore; yea, let heaven and earth, the sea, and all the creatures therein, praise, bless, extol, worship, and magnify thy sacred majesty both now and henceforth for evermore, Amen. And now, O merciful father, considering with ourselves what need we have to be very circumspect, careful, and watching to do our duties, seeing how wonderfully, subtly, and despitefully the devil in these most perilous days, deludeth, scorneth, forbiddeth, and envieth this holy state; and how few matrimonies there be, without chide, brawlings, tanting, repentings, bitter cursings, fightings, and divorcing, which things undoubtedly (the more is the pity) are commonly almost every where committed among all estates, through the instigation of the ghostly enemy Satan and his imps, who take great delight therein: forsomuch also as we are not ignorant how busy that old adversary of mankind is, to banish the sweet love, inviolable constancy, and pleasant concord, which to our continual comfort, should always be betwixt us; and how in stead thereof, he busily laboureth, and bendeth his principal craft to bring in horrible hatred, dreadful dissension, unpleasant strife, irksome loathsomeness, and bitter discord, evermore (as it were from above hover in the air) assaulting our nature and condition, and never ceasing to lay crafty trains to catch us, and still assaying to attempt all things that may interrupt and hinder ou● hearts desire, and godly purposes, if we give him never so little entry, intending by this means, either by voluntary separation, or compulsory divorcement, utterly to break and dissolve this godly knot, so fast knit by thee, to most godly uses; either else at the least continually to encumber it with divers displeasures, great griefs, and manifold miseries, to our (alas) no little anoie and peril, both of body and soul, to others offence by evil example, and most of all to thy high displeasure, and great dishonour and slander of the Gospel, which we O dear God profess. We therefore thy humble servants, being very desirous to avoid all these miseries and snares of Satan our ancient enemy, and to live peaceably, holily, and comfortably together in this holy state of wedlock, as becometh us in the fear of God, first confessing our own infirmity, weakness and unableness in any thing to resist or withstand as we ought so vehement, mighty, and strong assaults, invasions, and temptations of the devil: and secondly, knowing no other way or means how to prevent the spiteful malice of so deadly a foe, but only in flying by earnest and continual prayer unto the throne of thy promised help and mercy, even through the hope we have christianly conceived in the promise of so ready relief and happy help, made by thee to all that call unfeignedly upon thee, in the name of jesus Christ thine only son our saviour. We, I say, thy poor servants in this faith, presume and are bold to present ourselves now before the sacred seat of thy most high majesty, most humbly craving, and heartily begging of thee, that for the same thy dear son jesus Christ's sake, thou wilt vouchsafe in mercy favourably to behold and visit us, and by thine omnipotent power and puissant might, so repress, bridle, and restrain thou the violent force, and piercing power of our ghostly enemy, and mortal foe, which thus continually seeketh to devour us, and most maliciously endeavoureth, and spitefully practiseth by all possible means, to banish our loves, to exile our joys, to abandon our comforts, yea especially to dissolve our unity, to cancel our bonds, and break our concord: that this our marriage (thy gracious aid and ready assistance alway furthering the same, and prospering it) may happily be free from all the wicked suggestions, cruel assaults, and ungodly temptations of our deadly adversary, and also delivered from all those evils, mischiefs, miseries, inconveniences, troubles, and calamities, which Satan so busily laboureth to infect, fester and entangle this our holy state withal. Give unto us, I say, O good Lord, the holy help of thy grace, and Angelical aid of thy divine spirit, so to rule and govern our hearts, and to knit and conjoin our minds and wills together in perfect love, unity, and concord, that we be at no time by any division or bitter discord dissevered or divorced one from another, but may continually be vigilant and careful both by daily invocating upon thy holy name, and also by all possible diligence, and earnest endeavours on both parts, to strive and fight valiantly against all the temptations of Satan, and other the enormities, evils, mischances, and miseries, whatsoever may happen unto us by his pernicious instigations, wicked motions, and most perilous suggestions. Grant, O dear God, that as we are now of necessity compelled by thy holy ordinance to live inseparably together, being conjoined by thy word in mutual love and fellowship, as one body & one flesh: so we standing in awe of thee, and setting thy holy fear ever before our eyes, may through the working of thy grace live together holily, godly, chastely, purely, peaceably, quietly, lovingly, agreeably, and comfortably, in all happy felicity, perfect joy, sweet amity, perpetual charity, and continual concord all our lives long; and that good Lord we pray thee, without any hate, debate, chiding, brawling, taunting, threatening, disliking, repe●ting, upbraiding, irksomeness, loathsomeness, abhorring, detesting, divorcing: finally, without any deadly dissension, bitter cursing, and unnatural fightings, or other unchristian and uncharitable behaviour; because in deed it is one of the three things that so greatly pleaseth thee, a man and his wife to agree lovingly together. O Lord, let not the wicked vices of stiff stubbornness, wilful will, froward fierceness, cumbrous testiness, mallipert checkings, sharp words, and self-love be found to reign in either of us: neither suffer us, we pray thee, at any time to give place unto the provocation of wrath, and hot hasty furies of the mind, lest thereby we begin unhappily to wea●e to ourselves the web of all woe, sorrow, and calamity (as many now adays do) by promoting the wicked purpose of the devil, or by setting forward of his work, or finally, by following his di●elish temptations, and the wrath of our hearts; in giving place without any resistance, to every thing prejudicial and hurtful to this our blessed state, and honourable degree. But give us grace rather good Lord, we entirely beseech thee before all things, to take heed that by no means we give any occasion to our ghostly enemy, to let or hinder our prayers, and holy exercises, through dissension or discord, and diligently to apply ourselves stoutly to resist evil, and to weed out by little and little the noisome weeds of uncomely demeanour, unchristian behaviour, rude manners, churlish conditions, evil dispositions, and ungodly extremities, out of our hearts and minds, with the wholesome precepts of thy divine word, the which give us grace diligently both to hear, read, meditate, and imitate day and night, that in time we doing our duties each to other, as therein we be taught of thee, may reap and feel the fruit thereof hourly, to both our comforts in Christ, and thy glory. And because it cannot otherwise possible be, but that offences shall sometimes either be given or taken betwixt us, by reason of the manifold discommodities that come with this commodity: suffer us not good Lord we beseech thee, to stand stiff at any time in our own opinions, faults, or wilfulness; or to maintain impudently and incorrigiblie our errors, by frivolous excuses, and ungodly reasonings; neither yet busily to find fault each with others, calling each for others duty towards ourselves, and in the mean time neglecting our duties both to thee, ourselves, and others: yea rather give us the grace of thy holy spirit, to acknowledge our faults and follies each to other, with charitable forgiving one another, and mutual reconciliation, that we may be well pleased, and contented one with another, and in all things each of us bear and forbear others infirmities and weakness. Grant that either of us may do our best, diligently to perform our duties one to the other, as becometh, and we have vowed and promised; as namely, to pray heartily and often one for another, to labour to the uttermost of our powers to frame, use, and occasion ourselves to softness, meekness, gentleness, lenity, and long sufferance, bearing well in worth such oversights, as chance and pass in our life and conversation, and still drawing, during life, the sweet yoke of our fellowship, equally in one concord of heart, and agreement of mind; so shall it come to pass, that all strife and debate shall be clean banished, and pleasant love, sweet amity, and continual concord shall be embraced of us; so shall we have our hearts stayed in stable truth, and comfort in all perils and necessities, and most happily pass through the dangers of the troublesome sea of this wretched world in great joy and peaceable quietness, to our comfort, our neighbour's profit, and thy glory, which God grant. Finally, if thus we do godly and christianly use our holy state of matrimony, we shall not only be armed on every side, the better to escape the snares of the world, the flesh and the devil; but also enjoy the joyful jewel, and most singular benefit of a quiet conscience: yea, so shall all discommodities, worldly or ghostly, be taken away from us, and all things both spiritual and temporal, turn to our commodity and pleasure. To conclude, so shall our prayers be heard, and graciously granted unto us, and God even our own God continually follow us with his benediction, and bless us both within and without, at home and abroad, and give unto us all those his good gifts and benefits, pertaining or needful either to our bodies or souls, which he hath so often promised in his word, to power upon all such as love, fear & serve him both here and in the life to come: the which good things that they may the better be fulfilled, and more effectually happen and come unto us here present in the due time, as thou seest need, and we heartily wish and desire; we humbly pray thee, O most excellent father, who art in deed the very author of our marriage, to be now and always present with us by thy grace and holy spirit, plentifully powered into our hearts, which may perpetually continue love, concord, and charity between us, and luckily defend, keep, and maintain us in this honourable estate, that neither we be overcome with any temptation, nor with any adversity. Finally, grant us thy blessing, favour, and protection in this world, and in the world to come endless joy and eternal felicity, through the only merits of our saviour jesus; to whom with thee, and the holy Ghost our maker, redeemer and sanctifier, be everlasting praise, honour and glory both now and for ever, Amen. Another prayer to be used of married folks, to live chastely and purely in holy matrimony, and to avoid the filthy lusts of whoredom. FOrasmuch as (O heavenly father) we truly acknowledge thee an holy and righteous God, our only God and maker, the knower most truly of our weakness and infirmity, our ready and gracious helper, our guide and director to holiness, and the only author of the blissful state of matrimony, whereby all thy chosen children might live in chastity and holiness, and avoid the unchaste life of whoredom and uncleanness. Grant unto us we beseech thee, that being called by the spirit unto that holy state for our lawful remedy, to save our weakness, to quench the raging lusts of old Adam, and in holiness to beget children for the increase of thy kingdom, we may live together therein in thy faith, fear and love, dutifully, lovingly, and peaceably with modesty, in lowliness and chastity all the days of our lives: that both our conversations together in all respects being coupled with fear, and framed with one consent, according to thine holy will, and to the godly edifying of others, representing by it, in all points the mystery figured between Christ and the congregation, thou mayst have pleasure in our godly behaviours. Bless us in all our enterprises, and make us fruitful and joyful parents. And to the increasing of our joy O Lord in thee, we humbly pray thee, that thou wilt of thy great mercy give both unto us, and to the offspring of our bodies lawfully begotten, thine heavenly grace, that as we most christianly endeavouring ourselves to train them up in thine holy nurture and doctrine, so they likewise by the infusion of thine heavenly grace, may have their hearts prepared to receive and hold sure for ever the only word of righteousness, that lighteneth, cleanseth, best ruleth, and most truly directeth the souls of the righteous, to the plain and most pleasant path that leadeth to the life everlasting, through the merits of Christ jesus thy son our Lord, Amen. Another prayer to be used of such married couples, as where the woman is not past childbearing. O Merciful Lord, and heavenly father, which by thine almighty power hast made all things of nought; which also (after other things set in order) didst appoint, that out of man (created after thine own image and similitude) woman should take her beginning; and knitting, joining and sanctifying Adam and Eve together in marriage, didst teach that it should never be lawful to put asunder those, whom thou by matrimony hadst made one. O gracious God, which hast consecrated the state of matrimony to such an excellent mystery, that in it is figured and represented the spiritual marriage and unity betwixt Christ and his Church, look mercifully with thy favour from heaven upon us thy poor creature●, whom it hath pleased thee in mercy to call from single life, and to join by free consent together in this holy state of honourable wedlock. And as thou, O eternal God, the giver of all spiritual grace, and the author of everlasting life, didst send thy blessing upon Abraham and Sara, to their great comfort; so vouchsafe to bless us, O Lord, and to send thy benediction upon us thy servants: yea, so sanctify us twain, and power plentifully upon us the riches of thy goodness, so sow the seeds of eternal life in our minds, and fill us with all spiritual benediction and grace, that as Isaac and Rebecca lived faithfully together, even so we, carefully keeping thy commandments, diligently obeying thy holy will and pleasure, and always guided by thy good and gracious spirit, may truly perform, and surely keep the vow and covenant betwixt us made before thee and the congregation, and may ever remain, persist, and abide in perfect amity, steadfast peace, and continual concord, until our lives end. Grant also, that we may profitably & fruitfully learn our several duties, either towards other, and both towards thee, out of thy holy word, and in deed fulfil the same to the furtherance of virtue, and avoiding of all offence, that so serving and pleasing thee both in body and soul, as those godly men and women did, to thy glory, and their perpetual renown, we (as persons highly in thy favour, and shrouded always in safety under the comfortable wings of thy merciful protection) may most happily, prosperously, and joyfully, like fruitful parents, seeing our children's children, unto the third and fourth generation, live long together unto our perfect age in thy holy love, and all godly honesty, to our comfort, and thy glory, and at the last rest with them in the bosom of Abraham, Isaac, and jacob, and be fellow-heirs of the everlasting kingdom in eternal life, through jesus Christ our Lord, Amen. Another prayer for all wedded folks generally. O Most holy God, and merciful father, which of thy singular providence, and wonderful wisdom, didst ordain matrimony in Paradise, and that in the time of innocency, for the multiplying and conservation of mankind, thereby together unto thyself continually out of godly families, an holy Catholic Church, which may rightly acknowledge, serve, and celebrate thine holy name for evermore, and deliver the true understanding of thee unto posterities, by one generation to another. This thine institution did thy son, God, coequal with thee, and coeternal, confirm and adorn in Cana of Galilee, by turning water into good wine. A notable honouring of marriage doubtless, for Christ not only to be present himself at the nuptial feast, but also to set out the same with the first miracle that he wrought after his nativity. Likewise, the holy spirit doth witness by the word delivered unto us, and saith, that marriage is honourable among all. And the same thy spirit rejoiceth in three things, which are commended both before God and man, viz. in the concord of brethren, in the love of neighbours, and in a man and his wife that agree well together; for such as be at variance, can neither call upon thee as they should, nor please thee as they ought. O eternal God, it is sufficiently apparent with what a rage and insatiable hatred Satan the most deadly enemy to all thy works, doth labour and set himself to the breaking off, and overthrow of this thy sacred ordinance: wherefore we beseech thee, impart thy favour, as unto us here present, so unto all married folks elsewhere, that both we and they may acknowledge thee to be the author and institutor of this knitting together in wedlock; and believe steadfastly, that we and they are in a good estate, wherein we may please thee: for having this comfort, we shall more willingly and cheerfully discharge the duties of our calling, in true confidence, and calling upon thy name. But such as doubt of their kind of life, having their consciences wounded, and minds troubled, can neither call upon thee truly, nor cheerfully go about and finish their affairs. Grant therefore unto us, and unto all and every married body, that in true faith and confession we may retain the indissoluble chain of wedded state, and the strong bonds of godly fellowship, that we may love one another, and in the sweat of our brows eat our bread, and bring up our children which thou shalt give us, or hast given us, in all godliness, through instruction, and information of the Lord, and never fear the cross, which accompanieth this kind of life. O work thou so, good Lord, that Satan by no means weaken and overthrow this thine ordinance; nor that we married folks, wearied with the troubles of wedded life, raise no mortal hatred among ourselves, and so detest and abhor this thine holy institution, and seek unlawful separations and divorcements: for else by this engine of incredulity, and snare of mistrust, being comprehended, we shall easily rush headlong into enormous offences, by casting off the yoke of the Lord, and be carried through dissension into horrible confusions of concupiscence, to adultery, whoredom, & wicked forsakings, so long, till polluted with filthy spots, & defiled with most horrible stains, we and they bring ourselves headlong into everlasting torments. Grant therefore, O most merciful God, that all being now at debate, may come quickly to amity, and be reconciled in thy name, and being mindful of the knot of marriage, and mutual bond made between them, may dwell and live from hence forward peaceably and lovingly together in true faith and fear of thy name. Grant that husband's abusing their authority over their wives, do not exercise tyranny over their wives; but rather love them, and dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto them as unto the weaker vessel, even as to them which are also heirs of grace and life. Likewise grant, that matrons and wines contemn not their husbands, denying subjection, but rather study by chaste obedience, and holy conversation and lowliness to overcome them. Let neither hate other extremely, and so violate the state of marriage, and bring themselves out of thy favour, through their discord and contention, whereby their prayers be interrupted; for where neither part do their duty, there must needs ensue first poverty, subtlety, lying, and all impiety, afterward a wounded conscience, and last of all, utter despair. O most chaste God, which didst therefore institute the order of matrimony, that by the same both the weak nature of mankind might live purely in lawful wedlock, and an holy Church be gathered unto thyself, give thy blessing to us, and all which are married, that we and they may have godly children, and their wives prove like the fruitful vine, and their children appear like the olive branches round about their table, and may see their children's children, the peace and safety of thy Church, the which Christ thy son repairer of mankind, by taking our flesh upon him, hath coupled to himself, which liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the holy spirit, a God blessed and praised for evermore, Amen. A prayer to be said of a young married woman, or, a Wife. O Lord, forasmuch as thou of thy fatherly goodness hast vouchsafed to keep me from my tender age until this present, and hast now called me from my single life, unto the holy state of honourable wedlock, that I living therein, might according to thine ordinance, bring forth children unto thy glory, give me grace I most entirely beseech thee, to walk worthy of my vocation, to knowledge my hus●and to be my head, to be subject unto him, to learn thy blessed word of him, to reverence him, to obey him, to please him, to be ruled by him, peaceably and quietly to live with him, to wear such apparel as is meet for my degree, and by no means to delight in costly jewels, and proud gallant vestures; but alway to use such clothing, as becometh a sober, chaste, and christian woman, circumspectly and warely ●o look to my household, that nothing perish through my negligence; and always have a diligent eye, that no dishonesty, no wickedness, no ungodliness be committed in my house, but that in it all things be ordered according to thy holy will, which art worthy all honour, glory and praise for ever and ever, Amen. Another. Merciful and gracious God, forasmuch as through thy grace I am placed in the state of matrimony, and called to the charge of a family, wherein doing my duty, I may please thee; give grace to me thy handmaid, that I may have ●hy fear always before mine eyes, and love thee my maker and redeemer above all things in this world. Next imprint within my breast an entire affection of good will towards mine husband. Let me honour him, cherish him, and love him above all men, and only, as my part is, and I have promised. Grant that my will, according to thy commandment, may be in subjection to mine husband, and obey him in all equity, and that the hid man of mine heart be uncorrupt, with a meek and quiet spirit, adorned with all kind of virtue: for after this manner in time passed, the ho●ie women which trusted in thee, attired themselves, and were subject to their husbands. Reform the manners of thine handmaid, and make me in my conversation modest, and honest; make me in visage, shamefast; in words, temperate; in wit, wise; in going, sober; in conversation, meek; in correction, pitiful; in life, circumspect; in company-keeping, wary; in promise, steadfast; in love, constant; take from me all crabbedness, cursedness, stubborness, and shrewdness; and let me have an especial care by virtue and friendly words, to mitigate the anger of mine husband, if at any time he be displeased, and let me abstain from all such things as I know will offend him. Furthermore, give me grace to bring up my family and children (which thou hast or shalt give me) in all honesty and virtue, to the honour of thy most holy name, and my comfort. Assist me in like sort, that diligently I may save, not wastefully or negligently consume those things, which of thy mercy thou hast and doest give to the maintenance of mine household; but grant that I may do my duty to the uttermost of my power, whereby I may have to give to the poor, and to relieve the needy. Bless us, O Lord, from vnthri●tie servants, which will waste, and wickedly consume that which painfully we have gathered. Also, make me patiently to suffer the troubles and afflictions of married life, and to continue in my duty, albeit manifold miseries do arise, persuading myself, that by affliction my faith is tried. O Lord, unto thy protection do I commend myself, my loving husband, with all ours. Vouchsafe O gracious God, to keep us all from sin, shame and destruction, through Christ our Lord, Amen. Another prayer to be used of any Noble woman, etc. when she is married, or afterward. O Most merciful Lord and saviour jesus Christ, which to express thy most burning affection towards thy best beloved spouse the Church, hast offered thyself upon the altar of the cross, to sanctify and cleanse her by the washing of water through the word, and to make her glorious for thyself, without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing: and also coupled thyself to her, by suffering upon thine own flesh the punishment which was due unto her. join me I beseech thee unto thy body, that engraffed in thee, I may draw from thee the juice of life, and of heavenly wisdom. Marry me for ever O sweet Christ, unto thyself, in righteousness and judgement, in godliness, mercy and faith, that I may truly know thee my Lord and my God, which wilt not the death of a sinner, but rather that he or she repent and live. Give me grace also, that I never delight in mine own beauty or fairness, and so play the harlot, by following mine old lewd lovers, which promise me bread and water, wool, flax, oil, wine, and drink, to entice me to folly; but make me with a chaste body, and pure affection, to serve thee in chaste matrimony, and to love my husband unfeignedly from my heart without dissimulation, so that he may safely trust in me as in his true turtle, and sweet and dear companion; and I may render unto him good for good, not evil for evil. Give me grace so to keep myself in great fear of thee, that being well occupied in my business, temperate in my words, faithful to my husband, well ordered in my person, peaceable with my neighbour, honest among mine own family, and shamefast among strangers, I may thereby conserve the reputation of mine estate and degree, to thy glory especially, mine own renown and virtue, and others good example. drive away Satan the mortal enemy to this thine ordinance, that he sow not contentions and brawls between us. Cut off all occasions of debate, and sinister suspicions, that so in a true conjoining together of minds, we may in this world live virtuously according to thy word. Defend me (I say, O dear Christ) and thine whole Church, against the rage of sathan, the world, and the flesh. Do thou vouchsafe for ever to love, cherish, and comfort such as are engrafted in thy flesh. Purge and wash me continually from my s●●nes, filthiness and spots, through thy great mercy and merits. Finally, deck me with thy gifts and goodness. Wash me with water, and purge me with thy blood; anoint me with thine oil of gladness; put upon me the robes of righteousness, and cover me with the glorious purple; adorn me with the precious stones of virtue, and place upon mine head glory and honour, that all mine ornament may be inward, and that I may please thee through living in thy faith and ●eare, and hoping in thy mercy. For thou, O sweet jesus Christ art mine husband, which tenderly lovest me; my God, whom I worship; my head, wherevnto● I am subject; and my bridegroom, with whom I hope in heaven to reign eternally, Amen. Another prayer to be said of any noble woman, lady, gentlewoman, or modest matron married. FOrasmuch as it hath pleased thee, O heavenly father, of thine inestimable mercy, to bring me to this high estate of dignity, and to put me in possession of a place of honour as a matron for other women to behold; grant unto me, I humbly beseech thee, that in all my doings I may follow the example of all virtuous and grave matrons, which are specified and described for our example in the holy scripture; that is, to be as loving and obedient unto my Lord and husband, as Sara was to Abraham, as Susanna was to joachim, and as humble, loyal and wise as abigael was to King David, Hester to King Ahesuerus, or the blessed and noble virgin Marie was to joseph. Grant also, I beseech thee, that I be neither proud, presumptuous, ambitious, disdainful of others in comparison of myself; highminded, nor a boaster in mine own blood, kindred, beauty, wit, or dignity, but with the noble Queen Hester, to say, Thou knowest my state, O Lord, and that I hate this sign of pre-eminence and worship, which I bear upon my head, what time I must go forth to be seen, and that I abhor it as an unclean cloth, and that I wear it not when I am quiet alone by myself; that bearing always an even mind, and having an humble opinion of myself, as she that knoweth herself to be but dust and ashes, and enabled by thee, from whom alone cometh the true nobility and gentry, to so many as are borne of thee, and made thy children through faith, I may lay away all pomp and pride, niceness, tenderness, and disdain, and ever set more by others, than by myself, yea, and think myself worse than any other in thy sight, to the end I may always live virtuously, holily, shamefastly, soberly, and chastely, in all meekness, gentle behaviour, discreet conversation, prudence, wisdom, learning, virtue, and purity, both in body and soul, both before thee and all men, as becometh a christian and faithful woman, and such a one as will be a true imitator of Rebecca, Hester, and the rest of those holy matrons and noble women mentioned in the scriptures, that all other seeing my good example of life, may praise thy name, and be encouraged thereby to glorify thee in their virtuous conversations, world without end, Amen. A prayer to be used of the wife that hath a froward and bitter husband, as a present remedy against the mischief of divorcement and separation. O Most wise and provident GOD, which in the beginning didst create man in thine own image, and out of him didst make the woman, and didst bring her unto the man, that she might be an helper unto him; and therefore thou causedst him to say and confess, that she was flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bones; thereby teaching him not only the holy and indissoluble band of love, unity, and mutual society, that aught to be between man and his wife, as for whose sake he ought to leave father and mother, and to clea●e unto her, but also the most sacred and blessed conjunction and knitting together of our Lord jesus Christ, & his sanctified Church and people; so that no man can break or despise that bond and unity, but he must needs be guilty of presumption against God, and of the wilful breach and contempt of his ordinance. Wherefore, oh Lord, sith it hath pleased thee to match me in this most honourable state of marriage, according to thy divine providence; I beseech thee to make him an head unto me, and myself an helper unto him, according to my creation, and as thy holy institution requireth. And because thy holy word is the only rule, and ordinary to govern and direct our lives; I heartily desire thee oh good God, give this mine husband thy grace and holy spirit, and so open thou his wits and senses, that having by the light of thy grace the true knowledge and understanding of thy holy word in all discretion, he may know how to walk in his vocation, both towards me his poor wife and yoke-fellow, and all others, as becometh him, and thereby become unto me not so bitter a despiser and hater, but a true lover, sweet friend, and godly governor. Thou, O good father, seest the great lack and necessity that I thine handmaid have, of a wise guide, grave counsellor, holy instructor, and continual comforter. O therefore I beseech thee, look upon my trouble which I endure; consider my reproof and reproaches that I bear in my bosom; pity my misery, ease me of so great a burden, and relieve my great need and necessity. Make this my husband I say, O dear God, a head, a vail, and defence unto me for my preservation and safety: for if we thus bite and devour one another, it cannot possible be, but we shall be consumed one of another. Make him therefore tender, careful and comfortable unto me thy weak creature, if it be thy good pleasure; and grant, that according to his promise made before thee, and as thou hast commanded elsewhere in thy holy word, he may with perfect and holy love, cherish, nourish, and love me as his own flesh, and as Christ loveth his Church, and as she that is heir together with him of the grace of life, that our prayers and godly exercises to the benefiting of our souls and bodies, be not interrupted or hindered. Grant that he forsaking all other, may cleave only unto me, as becometh, without separation, and that he may dwell with me as a man of knowledge, and christian behaviour and government, to thy glory, my comfort, and others edifying. But alas, I must needs confess unto thee my God, that I am most unworthy of so good a benefit: for I have not walked in this most honourable state purely, and holily, according to thy divine ordinance, whereby I have made myself much more unworthy to have so precious a gift at thy fatherly hands: and if it be thy good pleasure with frowardness, bitterness, and unkindness, yea, the hatred and disdain of my husband, thus to correct me for my fault, I most heartily thank thee for it. And I beseech thee, so to order me in all things in thy great mercy, that I never murmur or grudge impatiently against thee for the same, nor do any thing either against thee or my husband, whereby thy majesty may be displeased, my husband offended, or thy Gospel and people slandered: but dear God, give me perfect patience, I beseech thee; and cause thou me to pluck mine eyes from this my husband and yoke-fellow, in too narrowly beholding his infirmities, and make me to behold thee my God in this thine holi● ordinance, and to look upon myself, and the wallet before me, that I may see mine own slips and faults, and learn to pull the beam out of mine own eye first, before I find fault with the mo●e in his. Grant, I say, that we may lovingly, and with the spirit of meekness, bear one another's burden; and that I for my part may quietly bear the frailty, infirmities and faults of my husband, with more patience, mildness and modesty, than hitherto I have, so that mine example may be to the comfort and commodity of other to do the like. Oh Lord, thou seest the great corruption of my nature, and the proneness thereof to sin, and my weakness, infirmity, and unableness to stand in temptation: lay no more on me therefore dear father, than thou wilt make me able to bear, nor suffer me not to be tempted above my strength, but in the midst of my temptations make such a way and issue for me to escape out of dangers, that may happen by the instigation of Satan or his members, as shall seem best to thy divine providence and wisdom, so as the same may be to the furtherance of thy glory, the profit of the Church, and the comfort of my conscience, by jesus Christ mine only mediator and saviour, So be it. A prayer to be used of the wife for her husband, before, or in his traveling by land. TO thee, O Lord jesus Christ, I commend my husbands going forth, and his coming in; his journey, and his returning, beseeching thee happily by the hand of thy grace, to lead him the way he is about to go (or ride) and purposeth now to take: graciously defend him O good God, from the crafts, deceits, and lying await of all his enemies, as well bodily as ghostly: Mercifully keep and preserve him from all perils both external, and internal, and finally, by thine ineffable clemency & grace, bring him safe, whole, and unhurt home again from all danger, So be it. Another. O Lord which art the way, the truth, and life, thou hast promised in the holy scriptures, that they which put their trust in thee, and look for help at thy hand, and take thee for their mighty defender and strong castle, shall be preserved harmless, and walk in all their journey safely, and without danger: for thou thyself wilt take charge of them, and shadow them under thy merciful wings, so that none evil shall chance unto them. Yea, as thou didst send thy holy Angel with Abraham and Tobit, and with other thy faithful servants to be their guide and defender, and to make their journey prosperous, so wilt thou send thy blessed Angels with them that wholly depend on thee, and with strong faith commit themselves to thy most godly tuition, which shall safely keep them in all their ways, yea, and sooner hold them up with thine hands, than they shall dash their foot against a stone. This thine accustomed gentleness towards thy servants, and these thy loving promises encourage methine handmaid greatly at this present to come unto thy majesty, and according to my duty most humbly to beseech thee, that as my husband now in thy name hath taken this his journey upon him, so thou wilt vouchsafe him thy mercy and grace, both in the beginning, entry, gate, and ending of this his travel and journey, and that thou which art our God, wilt keep him both going out, and coming in, and direct his feet that he err not in his ways. O Lord I beseech thee, give thine holy Angels charge over him, to keep him in thy faith and ●eare wheresoever he goeth, to take care for him, to defend him from all misfortunes, and to bring him prosperously to that place where his business lieth. Let them guide him I say, O Lord, too and fro, throughout all his journey, even as Tobit the younger was guided of the Angel raphael unto Gabaell, habiting in Ragiss a City of the Medes. O Lord our God, direct thou his steps, that he fall into no peril either of soul or body. Bless thou him, I say, in this his journey, and preserve him both from the claws of thieves and murderers, and from the jaws of devouring beasts. Let him find favour wheresoever he cometh, and let him honestly be entreated in all places; and his business being happily ended, and his journey prosperously finished, do thou vouchsafe to bring him safely home again of thy mercy and goodness, that I may praise thee. In all his ways be thou present with him, as thou wast with jacob, traveling into Mesopotamia, and descending into Egypt. Likewise, as thou didst conduct the Israelites through the red sea, and through the uncomfortable and perilous wilderness, going before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, and by night in a pillar of fire, so be thou with my dear husband always in all places, and lead him in all this his journey, and bring him home again in safety. Be thou both his companion and conductor, O Lord: for into thy hands I commend both his life, and all that he hath. Finally, grant that I continuing his faithful, trusty, and loving spouse here at home, he may find both me and all his in good health and peace, both of body and soul at his return; through our Lord jesus Christ, which liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the holy spirit, a God for evermore, Amen. A prayer to be used of the wife for her husband being a Captain or Soldier, and gone a warfare. ALthough, O most sweet jesus, there is nothing more commended and set forth unto us in thy holy scriptures than peace, unity, quietness and concord, unto the which also not only Moses and the Prophets, but thou and thine Apostles also do therein diligently exhort; and contrariwise vehemently dehort and dissuade all men from discord, enmity, malice and war, because nothing is more seemly for man, than to embrace amiable peace, friendly concord, and quiet amity: yea, the very creation, shape & birth of man proveth evidently, man to be form and made unto peace; yet such is the monstrous malice of Satan that old enemy of mankind, that he goeth about like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may devour, and with all manner of labour, sweateth to banish peace from the children of men, and in stead thereof, violently to thrust in discord, tumults, seditions, wars, bloodshedding, manslaughter, destruction of realms and countries, cities and villages, intending by this means, to make havoc of all together, so that he furiously raging in his members, provoketh many times thy servants for the defence of their country, and the safeguard of their wife, children, families, and people, to go on warfare, and to wage battle with their enemies. I therefore most humbly beseech thee, to assist my husband, and all such as justly attempt any wars against their enemies, and mightily to defend them against their adversaries, that they may receive through thy puissance, a glorious victory, and noble triumph. S●nd thine holy Angel unto him and them, that he may pitch his tents among them, and overthrow their enemy for them. Give unto my husband, and all Captaives and soldiers, thy grace so to behave themselves in the service of wars with all godliness, honesty, and compassion, that thou mais● have a pleasure to be present among them, to be their chief and grand Captain, and valiant defender. Suffer not him and his fellow soldiers to be discouraged for the multitude of their enemies; but being armed with strong faith, let him and them wholly depend on thee, the most mighty conqueror, with whom it is all one to help in few or in many, and with that prince like warrior David, boldly to say in the midst of their troubles, The Lord is my light and my defence, whom shall I fear? The Lord is my health and the defender of my life, of whom shall I be afraid? Though mine enemies pitch pavilions against me, yet shall not my heart fear; though men of war rise against me, I will trust in the Lord my God. And when thou hast given him the victory over his enemies, give him also a thankful heart, that he may confess to have got the victory not by his horse, bow, nor gun, nor yet by his own strength and policy, but by thine almighty power, and so be encouraged for ever after to magnify thy holy name, Amen. Or thus. OH Lord, the world is nothing else but a sea of trouble: here the devil stormeth, there the world frowneth: on every side the flesh assaulteth us, so that our life may well be termed a warfare, and our days a treasure of dangers. Oh Lord, with the anchor of thy mercy up-hold us, that w●e sink not in the sea of this troublous time, but guide us with thy holy spirit, that our lives may please thee, and we in our death praise thee, through jesus Christ our Lord. Defend, O Lord, the righteous cause of my husband thy servant, now gone a warfare. Assist him with strength against his enemies, with the wisdom of thy spirit, against the policy of man, that being thoroughly armed and guided by thee, he may fight manfully in thy quarrel, to the building of thy Church, and utter rebuke of her adversaries. Without thee, O fountain of goodness, and God of his estate, I know he can do nothing; arm him therefore with thy grace, with the buckler of thy word and complete armour, that he may be able not only to war with, but also overmatch Satan his deadly foe, and all his hellish band, that setteth itself against thee and thine anointed. every him, O God, with thy mercy, that he may be able to take upon him the white raiment of faith, and being clothed with it, may stand sure against the foaming ministers of the devil, that no storm may overturn or dismay him. O Lord, keep thou him from all wrestling affections; from inordinate motions defend him, O God, and let all discord be removed, whereby the Pelican children desirous of blood, may be dissevered: but nourish, O God of love thy babes with the spirit of patience, that he and they being of one mind, may do their duties, apply their endeavours, and bend their forces and whole strength to the reedifying of our mother Zion the Church, which traveleth with sorrows, and sinketh in the mists of heresies, unless thou pull her out by the hand of thy mercy; which do, O gracious God, I beseech thee, and plant the tree of peace among us; let it flourish to the gladding of our hearts, that all dissension cut off, we may be linked in one knot of christian unity, gathered into one sheepfold, to be guided by thee our only and one shepherd. Let not the members of thy body be sundered, but cherish and nourish them with a full persuasion of brotherhood, in the unity of our saviour, and thou our only father; to whom with the holy Ghost be everlasting glory, praise & dominion, now and for ever, Amen. A fruitful prayer to be said with tears of all godly women, in the time of bloody battle, when they see their husbands, themselves, and their children and family, city and country in danger of destruction and sacking. by the cruel enemy. O Lord our heavenly father, and everliving God, we thy wretched and most miserable creatures confess and acknowledge, we have worthily deserved the rod of thy correction and punishment, and do merit many sharp & bitter stripes, that knowing thy blessed and glorious will, have of set purpose contemned thy divine and heavenly precepts; for which cause, the sentence of thy wrath is sharply kindled against us, man, woman, and child, even as it hath been against thy chosen people Israel, in the days of our forefathers, who glorying in their wickedness (as we have done) were plagued in the fullness of thine indignation (as we justly are.) The sword of their enemies beset them round about, and he mined them ●n on every side. The jebusites, the Ammonites, the Philistines, & the Ammorites oppressed them diversly, their strong holds were razed, their cities were besieged, their houses were ransacked, their goods confiscate, and their riches were carried away by force of the blood-thirsty enemy. Their young men were led away captive, their virgins were woefully deflowered: but in fine, when thou O Lord God didst behold their hearty and earnest repentance and contrition, thou didst withdraw thy frowning countenance, and sent them speedy and safe deliverance. One while thou Lord sentest them Moses, to bring them out of the servitude of Pharaoh, the stony & stubborn hearted king of the Egyptians, another while jepthah set them free from the sword of the Ammonits, wherewith they were grievously afflicted. And to make thy power and excellent glory fully known, thou gavest Samson such fortitude to bridle the proud Philistines. Over and beside these, thou of thy love and miraculous goodness, hast made feeble women mighty and victorious conquerors; namely, Deborah was a shield to the people, judith comforted the distressed Bethulians, and cut off the head of proud Holophernes, that thou good Lord, when thou beheldst their tears and hearty sorrow for their offences, didst prepare thyself to go forth with their hosts: thou thyself (I sat) with the breath of thy nostrils, didst confound and overthrow their enemy. Even so good Lord, thou most mighty and merciful God, which art King of glory, and Lord of hosts, the governor of all creatures, and the only giver of all victories, whose power no creature is able to resist, and who alone art able to strengthen the weak against the mighty, and to vanquish infinite multitudes of thine enemies, with the countenance of a few of thy servants, calling upon thy name, and trusting in thee. Be thou now present with us in the fullness of thy divine power, to help and deliver us and thy people from the cruelty of our enemies. And although our sins have justly deserved to be punished with the sword of thy vengeance, yea, though we women for our abominable pride and filthiness, have merited to have all violence used against us in all uncleanness by the enemy; as our virgins to be ravished, the womb of our maidens opened and defiled, the thighs of our wives and daughters discovered, and their wombs polluted, and all generally to be put to shame, reproach, and confusion; yea to the slaughter, and to have our beds and bodies bathed in blood, yet look mercifully upon us with the eyes of thy favourable pity, who truly and earnestly repent us of our sins, and forget our corrupt and most filthy offence. O let our contrite and sorrowful hearts be a mean to move thee to have pity and compassion upon us, our husbands and children, and to vanquish thy displeasure justly conceived against us and our husbands, children and families, people and country. Be thou present, I say, O almighty God with us, & our husbands thy soldiers, in this time of our wars, great necessity and trouble; fight thou their battles for them, set thy hand to help and assist them against the enemy, be present with us, I say, in this time of peril and danger. Go thou forth with our armies and hosts, and fight thou on our side, then shall we be assured to prevail. Let not the multitude of our furious foes dismay us any whit: for victory we do know consisteth not in the power nor strength of many men, neither yet in the strength of horses, armour, nor weapons; but it is thou, O merciful father, and mighty God, that givest the conquest, where, and to whom thou pleasest. To thee therefore in this great perplexity, and bloody battle, do we fly and appeal, beseeching thee of thine inestimable love and kindness, for the love of our saviour jesus, to look upon our true repentant hearts, and in the fullness of thy miserations and pities, to save our lives from the sword, and our goods from the spoil, and deliver us and set us free from the hands and power of our raging enemies; abate their pride, assuage their malice, confound their devices, and to pardon all our sins and grievous offences, that being armed with thy defence, and preserved by thee from all imminent perils, we vow and dedicate our hearts and minds wholly to walk in integrity and newness of life, to glorify thee the only giver of all victory, which grant, good Lord, through the merits of thine only son our saviour jesus Christ, to whom with thee and the holy Ghost, be attributed all praise, power and dominion for ever and ever world without end, Amen. A prayer to be said of any wife or daughter for her husband or father, being a Merchant-venterer, or otherwise making his voyage by Sea. O Almighty Lord God and most merciful father, maker of all things, who by thine insearchable wisdom, didst create that mighty globe of the world, the heavens, earth, sea, and all things else therein contained: vouchsafe I beseech thee to be mine husbands (or my fathers) aid and defence in this his dangerous voyage which he hath presumed to take, reposing his only trust and confidence in thy mighty mercy, to be delivered and preserved from all manner of dangers and jeopardies, that may happen either upon the sea, or on the dry land. Thou knowest, O Lord, and most merciful father, that all those that travel by sea, are subject to the hazard of divers calamities, either to be tossed at the pleasure of the wind and waves, either to be dashed violently upon the main rocks, or to stick in the quicksands, or to be despoiled both of life and goods, by the tyranny of pirates; but yet what cross or affliction soever happen unto him, grant that he may acknowledge freely, that it is but a just punishment for his and mine offences, because from the first hour of our nativity, we have been more apt and prone to follow the filthy appetites of our own desires, than to exercise ourselves in the true way of thine undefiled law. Notwithstanding, what cross soever (I say) thou shalt think good to lay upon him; yea, though thou suffer him to be drowned of the waves, and swallowed down into the depth of the whales belly with jonas (from which good Lord deliver him) yet let him not despair of thy mercy, for thou art the same God forever, thy right hand is not shortened, neither is the greatness of thy power diminished. When jonas lay three days and three nights in the whales belly in the sea, yet didst thou at last (O mighties God) deliver him safe and sound, and sentest him to preach thy name to the great city of Ninive. Thou art yet the same God (I say) thou wast at that time, neither is thy power abridged at all, and therefore, although my husband or father be never so shaken with winds, turmoiled with tempests, tossed with the waves; yea, although he were utterly devoured of the whale-fish in the bottom of the sea; yet I confess, and so let him acknowledge, that thou art able to deliver him from all these dangers; yea, from the very jaws of death. To thee therefore do I thine unworthy handmaid, make my humble supplication and intercession for my husband (or father) T.B. now passing the seas, unto thee do I his seely poor wife (or child) S.B. power forth my fervent and hearty prayers in my dear husbands or father's behalf, because thou only art the castle of both our comforts, and his bulwark, his watchman, his keeper and defender, his sure rock, and hope of his salnation. To thee only and to none other do I commit and commend him wholly body and soul, goods, ship, fraught, and all that belongeth unto him. Vouchsafe I beseech thee to bless him, preserve and keep him in health, and give him grace so to behave himself in this his journey, and at all times, that in no part he offend thy divine majesty, or provoke thee to be angry with him. Direct his course safely unto the haven & mart. Protect him and save him and all his from the cruelty and force of the water-floods. Lead thou him forth, and bring thou him in. Be thou, O God, his only stay and defence, whether he sleep or wake, live or die, sink or swim, upon the waters, as well as upon the land, and briefly in all places, and in all times and seasons, shield and preserve thou him, as my trust is in thee. Thou knowest, O Lord, that this trade is not of his devising, nor yet proceeding of any human invention; but thou, O father, of thy mere mercy didst reveal the mystery thereof to thy servant Noah, in commanding him to frame an Ark that might fleet upon the floods, wherein he and his family only, to the number but of eight persons, were saved in the great deluge or flood, when all the world else for the greatness of iniquity, perished altogether, and were utterly confounded and drowned in the mighty waters that overflowed the whole earth. Vouchsafe therefore I beseech thee, O most mighty God, and merciful father, the ruler and governor both of heaven, earth, and sea, with all the creatures contained therein, in thy mercy so to dispose the wind and the weather, and to give my husband (or father) such success in this his voyage and journey, which he hath now presumed to take, only upon a sure faith & assurance of thy mercy, that it may turn him to no danger, damage, loss, or misfortune, but that he may alway be delivered from all the dangers both of the sea, pirates, and enemies; and so, that he may be safely conducted by thy merciful protection and assistance, and have a safe and prosperous return home again into his country, as was righteous Noah in his ark, and as may be most to thy glory, my comfort, and his commodity. Behold I thine hand-maiden, whom thou hast ransomed and redeemed, do cry unto thee; yea even I, as now a solitary woman, left all desolate alone, whom thou hast with thy precious blood redeemed, do still cry and call heartily upon thee for my dear and well-beloved husband, or father, according to my duty, and thy commandment. Hear me, O God my saviour, the hope of ●ll the ends of the earth, and of all them that be in the sea a far off. Hear me, I say, O merciful father: for now my dear husband or father, is conversant in a troublesome sea, and perilous waters. O stand thou upon the shore of thy heavenly country, and look at his perils. Lord save him for thy name sake, that he perish not. Govern his ship with thy right hand by the help of thy grace, that he perish not in the waves of the stormy sea, that the tempest of the waters ●rowne him not, and that the deep swallow him not up; but Lord, grant him so to keep his course amids the vast seas, between the most perilous rocks of Scylla and Charybdis, and to hold so with the anchor of faith and hope in thee and in thy cross and passion, that he may escape the danger of both those dangerous rocks, and be guided by thee the morning light, and seastar of day, son of righteousness, that he may come safe to land, both outward and homeward, without loss of man, ship, or fraught: so will I yield thee immortal thanks, & perpetual praises for thy fatherly benefits, and my tongue shall record thy works of glory for ever and ever, which thou doest for the children of men, both upon the sea and land. Yet, O father, not my will, but thy blessed will and secret counsel be fulfilled, both in him, and in me: and I beseech thee set thy fear always before mine eyes, and endue me with such plenty of thy grace, to strengthen my weakness and frailty in falling, that in this my husbands or father's absence, I may continue faithful and godly in my vocation, and persist in faith, love and holiness with modesty. Make me diligent to rule well my children and family, and to keep them in all christian obedience, that I may get myself a good report of all men. Let me abandon all vain pleasures & fond delights, which beguile unstable souls. Make me to shun and avoid all unprofitable practices, all idleness, s●oth and security; and let me be well given and disposed to all huswifelines, sobriety, godliness, and chastity, keeping home, instructing my household, and praying continually day and night, because of my great necessity, that so living purely, and behaving myself christian●e in all obedience towards thee, and loyal faithfulness towards my husband, or father, I may give occasion to the adversary to speak well of the professors of the Gospel, to thy glory, and my comfort in Christ jesus, to whom with thee and the holy Ghost be all honour and glory now and for evermore, Amen, Amen. When your husband, or father, is come safe home from his journey, give God thanks therefore, and say: I Thank thee (O heavenly father) for this thy great mercy and grace, which thou hast showed unto me thine unworthy handmaid, both in hearing and granting mine humble requests, & also in leading forth and bringing in, and causing this my dear husband, or father, to return and come home again safe and sound in good health to my great joy and comfort. This I acknowledge and confess, O Lord, is brought to pass even through thy mere mercy, gracious goodness, and holy blessing, which thou of thy wonted clemency, and bountiful liberality, givest and extendest to all them that keep thy holy word, and do thereafter. Blessed and praised therefore be thy most holy name for ever; and I beseech thee, O gracious God, grant now both unto my husband (or father) and me, whiles we live here in this vale of misery (where we have no abiding, dwelling place, or permanent city, but look for one elsewhere with thee in our celestial home) a sure and quiet conscience, to love each other of us in thee and for thee, and to serve thee, love thee, and praise thee with all our hearts, with all our strength, and with all our souls, for ever and ever; through thy son jesus Christ our Lord, who is our only rest and peace, to whom with thee and the holy Ghost, three persons and one invisible God, be all praise, dominion & thanks for ever and ever, Amen. A prayer and thanksgiving to be said, when your husband (or father) with his ship, is safely come home from his voyage by sea. O Most merciful Lord, and heavenly father, I render unto thee most humble and hearty thanks, for the manifold and great mercies which thou from time to time hast mercifully bestowed upon me, both for my soul and body. And amongst other, O father, I thank thee for the good and prosperous success, which thou in thy mercy hast given my husband (or my father) in this his voyage and journey, delivering him and his from all the dangers of the same, disposing all things by thy good providence to a good and happy end, and now safely bringing him, with ship and fraught, home into his own country and house, to my great comfort, and his commodity. Let this thy fatherly favour, O Lord, be both unto him and me a sufficient cause to move us continually to render thanks unto thee, and wholly to depend upon thy merciful providence, both in prosperity and adversity, and that we may so walk before thee, as thy glory alway may shine in us, and that our tongues may be instruments of thy praise at all times, and in all places, even all the days of our life; that we thus living in thy faith, fear, and love, and in the obedience of thy holy commandments, may pass the time of this our pilgrimage in peace, concord, mutual love and amity, so that when the same is ended, we may live and reign with thee for ever and ever, Amen. When your husband, or friend, is in prison and endurance, or otherwise persecuted, or in trouble, and affliction, see that heartily you pray for him, and say as followeth. O Lord, Father of mercy, and God of all consolation, which rulest and disposest all things after thine unsearchable wisdom; and workest in thy creatures, according to thy blessed will, which is alway good and godly, howsoever blind & frail flesh judgeth of it. I know, and unfeignedly confess thine omnipotency and almighty power. I know that thou art able to do what thy good pleasure is. I know that thou bringest down to the grave, and fetchest up again. Thou punishest with poverty, and makest wealthy again. Thou throwest men into the dark dungeons, and losest them out of prison again, breaking even the gates of brass, and smiting the bars and bolts of iron asunder. Thou doest put down and exalt again. Thou woundest and healest; yea, thou O Lord killest, & makest alive again. Oh, wonderfully doest thou work in thy creatures, especially in them, whom thou hast appointed to be vessels of mercy, and inheritors of thine eternal glory. If they at any time grievously offend thy divine majesty (as we be all sinners, and ready at every moment to fall) thou doest neither long wink at their wickedness, nor yet ever cast them off from thy favour, but like a loving physician with some emplaster or salve, although bitter to the flesh, yet wholesome to the soul, thou healest them, and like a tender and gentle father, correctest them with some temporal punishment; that by this means they escaping everlasting punishment, may repent them of their ungodly behaviour, confess their wickedness, fly unto thy mercy, and for ever after be the more circumspect in treading the paths of thy holy law. On this manner didst thou handle the Israelits, when they offended thy fatherly goodness. On this manner didst thou deal with King David, and the Prophet jonas for their disobedience, with many other; whom notwithstanding for thy mercy's sake, after they had acknowledged their offences, and called upon thy holy name, thou wonderfully deliveredst, a●d broughtest again as it were out of the perilous seas, into the haven of quietness. I therefore thy poor creature and sorrowful handmaid, perceiving in thy holy word so large fountains of thy great mercies plentifully issuing out towards all them that be of a contrite heart, and broken spirit, am bold (notwithstanding mine unworthiness, by reason of my manifold sins) to come at this present unto thee, and that for thy promise sake, most humbly beseeching thee, that as thou deliveredst jonas out of the whales belly, joseph and Daniel from prison, Peter thine Apostle out of ward and durance, David from the hands of his enemies, Susanna from the power of her adversaries, with many other: so in like manner, thou wilt deliver and set at liberty thy servant, and my faithful and dear husband T.B. and that in such sort, that it may be to thy glory, to his health, to the comfort of me his woeful wife, and sorrowful children and friends, and to the rejoicing of so many as unfeignedly love thy blessed word. And although, O God, I formine imperfection am not worthy to crave and enjoy so great and comfortable a benefit at thy merciful hands; yet I doubt not, but for thy dearly beloved Son jesus Christ's sake, thou wilt most favourably hear me, most fatherly pity me, and most bountifully grant me this mine humble request; and I again receiving this notable benefit of my dear husband's deliverance at thy hand, shall not be unthankful, but continually magnify thy holy and glorious name, which dealest so favourably with thy servants, when they call upon thee in the name of jesus Christ thine only begotten Son, and our alone mediator and advocate, to whom with thee and the holy Ghost, be all praise and honour for ever and ever, Amen. When your husband or other friend is delivered out of any trouble, look that you give God hearty thanks therefore, and say: SO often as I consider thy wonderful works, O blessed and heavenly father, which thou workest of thine own good will, for so many as in their trouble and adversity fly for refuge unto thy holy name, as unto a strong hold and mighty fortress; I cannot but confess and acknowledge thy singular kindness and unspeakable good will, which thou continually through thy fatherly goodness bearest towards thy servants, and for the same not merited of any, but freely of thy mercy given, I render unto thee, according to my most bounden duty, most hearty praises and entire thanks, in consideration whereof, the children of Israel being in miserable captivity, lamentably lamenting before thee their too much sorrowful state, by hearty prayers; after that thou hadst delivered them from the land of servitude, braced out into exceeding great praises, glorifying thy most holy and blessed name, for their sweet and comfortable deliverance. The Citizens of Bethulia likewise being in great distress, called upon thy glorious name; and thou most mercifully deliveredst them, and they again with merry voices and more joyful hearts, song unto thee most hearty thanks. In like manner, when thou hadst delivered joseph, Daniel, David, Peter, and many other thy servants from their sorrows and calamities; oh who is able to express with how ready and glad minds they magnified thee, & thy holy name. I therefore sinful woman, excited and stirred up with the godly examples of these thy servants, knowing how greatly thou delightest in the sacrifice of praise, confessing also (such is my beggary) that I have none other thing worthy to offer unto thy divine majesty, at this present addressed and prepared to celebrate thy great mercies, do magnify thy blessed name, and render unto thee most humble thanks, and immortal praise, that it hath pleased thee of thine exceeding goodness, the rather at the contemplation of my poor prayers, to show thy favourable mercy, in the deliverance of thy servant, and my dear husband T.B. unto my singular joy and great comfort. For this thy benefit (most beneficial father) I so heartily thank thee, as heart can think; most entirely beseeching thee, that thou wilt give him and me, and us all, even so many as love thy blessed word, never to be unmindful of this thy benefit, nor to commit any thing hereafter that should offend thy fatherly goodness, or provoke thy wrath against us, lest through our disobedience we, after this, feel more bitter tokens of thy heavy displeasure, than hitherto we have done; but in all our enterprises so to behave ourselves according to thy blessed will, that thou mayst delight in us as a father in his children. And vouchsafe to bless us with all spiritual blessings, to enrich us with the knowledge of thy heavenly word, and to work in us a life conformable to the same, that other seeing our godly manners, and christian conversation, may be encouraged to embrace thy blessed word, to magnify thy holy name, and in all points to frame their life according to the rule of thy holy commandments, through the inspiration of thy blessed spirit, to whom with thee, and thy dearly beloved Son jesus Christ, be all praise, honour and glory for evermore, Amen, Amen. Prayers to be said of women with child, and in childbed, and after their delivery. A prayer to be used of a woman with child. O Almighty and merciful Father, which of thy bountiful goodness hast fructified my womb, and of thy gracious blessing, hast created in me a reasonable creature; I most heartily thank thee, not only for this thy gracious gift, but also for that thou hast at all times, sith I conceived, preserved me from all perils both of soul and body, and hast so moderated all my nips, pinches, and pangs, that I have hitherto right well escaped them. I acknowledge, O Lord, that justly for our sinful transgression of thy commandments, thou saidst unto the first woman, our grandmother Eve, and in her to us all; I will increase thy sorrow, when thou art with child: with pain shalt thou bring forth thy children. All our pains therefore that we suffer in this behalf, are none other thing, but a worthy cross laid upon us by thy godly ordinance, to the which with heart & mind I humbly submit myself, trusting surely, and being fully persuaded in my faith, that thou callest none into peril and danger, but both thou canst, and wilt at convenient season deliver them. Thou most gracious God hast commanded us in all our trouble to call upon thee for aid and help: and not only hast commanded us, but also of thy merciful goodness hast promised to us good deliverance, saying, Call upon me in time of trouble, and I will deliver thee. O good Lord, how greatly do these words comfort my heart, and sustain my seely soul? Who would not greatly rejoice, that knoweth certainly almighty God to be present with him in his trouble? Saith not God thus? Or ever they call (saith he) I shall answer them. While they are yet but thinking how to speak, I shall hear them. And in the Psalm, I am with him (saith God) in his trouble, out of the which I will deliver him. What a comfortable Lord is this? He is more ready to help, than we to call for help. He is more ready to give grace, than we to ask it. There was never any yet that with a pure faith asked grace of his Lord, but he had it. Christ saith, Ask and ye shall have. Every one that asketh, hath. He that saith every one, excepteth none. verily, verily, I say unto you (saith Christ) whatsoever you shall ask my father in my name, he shall give it you. Our saviour Christ saith this, and he is God, and shall not I hearken to my Lord God's commandments & promises? verily I will stick surely to it: for sure I am, that sooner shall heaven and earth perish, than God's promises be unperformed. For albeit every man naturally is a liar and deceiver, yet God is always true and just in all his words and promises. I will therefore make my suit unto him, whom I need not go far to seek: for he is everywhere present with his elect, and is nigh unto all them that call upon him faithfully, and thus will I pray unto him. FAther of mercy, and God of comfort and all consolation, I thy poor handmaid humbly beseech thee for Christ jesus sake, and in his blessed and holy name, that thou wilt vouchsafe to forgive me all my sins and trespasses, that I have heretofore offended in against thy godly majesty, either in thought, consent, delectation, word or deed; and that thou wilt hereafter during my life, mercifully preserve me from transgressing of thy commandments, and daily increase in me perfect repentance for my sins, a sure purpose of amendment of my life, and a diligent study to walk in thy commandments. Increase in me also a lively faith, a sure hope and charity. engraff in me humbleness of heart, meekness of mind, cleanness of conscience. Grant me that I may be wise, sad, sober, discreet, circumspect, and well advised in all my sayings, and that I may strongly overcome all the temptations of mine enemies, the devil, the world, and the flesh, and that whether I be sleeping or waking, eating, drinking, or whatsoever I do, all may be to thine honour and glory. Grant me also that I may humbly reverence my husband, and faithfully love him, and be obedient to all his honest, lawful, and godly requests. And chiefly of all, grant me, O Lord, that I may fear and dread thee: for well assured I am, that look how high the heaven is in comparison of the earth, and so great is god's mercy towards them that fear him. Look how wide the East is from the West, so far hath he set our sins from us; yea, like as a father pitieth his own children, even so is the Lord merciful to them that fear him. And as touching my deliverance of this burden, and thy gracious gift, I am right well assured, that unless thou prosper my travel, all women's help, and all physic is in vain: but my full trust is, that like as thou hast created this child in me, and hast breathed into it the spirit of life; so at such time as shall be feene most meet to thy most godly majesty, thou both canst and wilt prosper the child's birth, and my deliverance. In consideration whereof, I humbly beseech thee of thy fatherly pity to strengthen me, in this my dangerous labour and travel, and so sustain me, that I may patiently bear all my throws, and pangs, and according to thy promise, suffer me not to be tempted above my strength, but in the midst of my temptation, make a way to come out, that I may bear it. Increase my faith, O most merciful saviour Christ, that I may constantly believe thy word, which sayest, Ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. A woman when she traveleth, hath sorrow, for her hour is come; but when she is delivered of the child, she thinketh no more of the anguish, for joy that a man is borne into the world. I beseech thee therefore in the dangerous time of my travel, grant me speedy deliverance, and joyful beholding of my child, that I being a merry and joyful mother, may render unto thee honour, laud, praise, and thanks, for thine abundant mercies, and gracious gifts and benefits. And finally, above all things I beseech thy gracious goodness to endue my child with grace, that it may be one of the number of thine elect, baptized, and regenerated in the holy Ghost, and that at the years of discretion, it may learn to know thee: and knowing thee, may trust surely in thy mercy: trusting in thy mercy, may heartily love thee: loving thee, may fear to displease thee: and fearing to displease thee, may be obedient to thy commandments, and finally, attain everlasting joy and felicity, through our Lord jesus Christ, which liveth and reigneth with thee and the holy Ghost, world without end, So be it. Another prayer of a woman with child before her travel. O Almighty and merciful God, maker of heaven and earth, which for sin, hast enjoined to me, and all woman- kind, a grievous pain, to bring forth children, I mislike not this thy decree, but I acknowledge the same to be holy, irreprehensible, and good: for all that thou hast created and ordained are very good. Wherefore I beseech thee, in the name of Christ thy well-beloved Son, assist me in my pains, help me in the danger of deliverance, and convert my mourning into mirth. In the mean season, keep thou me, with the child in my womb, from all hurt and danger, Grant also, that my child yet unborn, may come into this world sound and perfect without deformity. Protect me likewise with thy favour, whereby I may escape all danger, fear, frights, and untimely deliverance. Bring into my mind all my misdeeds and offences, that unfeignedly I may be sorry for them, and walk hereafter warely in my calling; and when the time of my deliverance shall approach, assist me with thy grace, and bring out my child in good time well proportioned, according to thine image, and restore me to my wonted strength if it be thy good pleasure. Give also unto my newly born babe, together with outward baptism, thine holy spirit, whereby it may be regenerated unto everlasting life, admitted into the society of thy saints, and continue in thy service, and godly conversation evermore. O Lord God merciful father, into thine hands I commend both myself, and my child, do with us as it pleaseth thee; thou hast made and redeemed me, therefore thy will be done. In thee will I trust, as long as I shall live. Thou art my refuge in Christ our Lord and saviour, Amen. Another prayer of a woman with child before her labour. ALL thy ways are just, oh dear father, and thy judgements are true altogether: for worthily doth man live in the sweat of his face, and the woman bring forth children with much pain and travel, and with great danger. Yea, O merciful father, this pain is not a sufficient punishment for the grievous transgressions, wherewith we and our forefathers have transgressed thy most holy will. The punishment in respect of our demerits is too small, but in respect of our weakness, too great for us without thee to endure. Wherefore, as I acknowledge, O merciful father this travel in childbirth, which now approacheth, to be a just reward of my manifold sins: so I acknowledge also thy ready arm of defence, stretched out over me, and over all them that call upon thee in faith. Grant therefore, O dear father, that I may in faith pray, and wait for that time of my travel patiently: that I may endure it when it shall be present constantly and thankfully; knowing, that although I then feel some taste of the reward of sin, yet I feel not all, and that little which I then feel, thou doest presently reward. The which comfortable and glad issue, grant me, O Lord, if it be thy good pleasure: and having received such fruit of my body, grant me moreover wisdom and strength to bring it up in thy fear, and to travel as it were again with it, till it be borne again into a heavenly life, to the glory of thy holy name, and my great joy, so that it may finally in Christ jesus, be partaker of those blessings, which thou doest plentifully rain down upon the faithful and their seed for ever. And because I am not worthy to present this my suit to thy heavenly majesty, of myself, a most wretched and sinful woman; I offer it in the name of the righteousness, and in the strength of my Lord and saviour jesus Christ, praying furthermore as he hath taught us to pray, Our father, etc. Another prayer of a woman with child before her travel. OH most dear father, Lord of heaven & earth, which governest all things by thy wisdom, so that nothing is done without thy providence. Thou causest the wind to blow, the storms and seas to arise, and in their chiefest rage, with a word thou stillest them again. Thou sendest fire, rain, and snow from heaven, threatening great destruction, and yet not one of them can pass the bounds that thou appointest them, so that they go, and do only what thine almighty word hath commanded them, the bounds and measures where of they may not, neither are they able to pass: whereby most d●●re God, thine almighty wisdom and power is manifest unto us in all thy works; but most chiefly in the wonderful work of the forming of man, who of a marvelous small and loathsome substance, is made a living creature, and nourished within the closure & entrails of the womb, and having a soul or mind infused into it by a heavenly beginning, is alway desirous to be returned again, as out of a strange country into his own. Therefore, O heavenly father, I yield thee most hearty thanks, that thou hast vouchsafed to count me worthy, and made me the shop and receptacle of this thy most excellent work. And I beseech thee, most loving father, that as thou hast given me aptness and power to conceive and receive thy creature and workmanship into my body, so thou wouldst give me power and strength, to bear and to nourish it, until it come to good perfection, and that I may safely bring forth the same. Thy goodness, oh gentle father, did at the beginning appoint and ordain that this thy work of propagation, and bringing forth of man, should be to us easy, pleasant, and without danger. But our sins alas, dear God, through the disobedience and breaking of thy law and commandments, hath made it to be dangerous, painful, and full of peril, which thou didst lay upon our grandmother Eve, and upon all us her posterity, as a correction and punishment for sin: and therefore I confess dear God, that through my manifold sins, I have not only deserved this thy rod of correction, but far sorer, and more grievous punishment, yea even thy wrath, were it not that thy mercy exceedeth all thy works, and thy tender love towards us is such, and so great, that in thy justice thou thinkest upon mercy, and hast not only given thy dearly beloved Son to shed his precious heart blood, to take away our sins, but also hast chosen us in him before the world began, to be thy children, by whom thou hast assured us, that thy fatherly care and godly providence over us is so great, that even the very hears of our heads are numbered in thy sight. Wherefore, oh most merciful father, I am bold to run presently unto thee with all my trust, hope and confidence, that thou hast given me, praying and beseeching thee, for thy great mercy's sake, for thine infallible promise and truth sake, which never fail any that put their trust in thee, and for thy Son jesus Christ's sake, oh most mild and mighty worker, that thy clemency may refresh and restore in me, that which my sins have hindered and corrupted; and either take from me the great labour and dangerous travel that my sins have deserved, & the fear that it hath brought me into for the same, so that I shall not need such power and strength, such care and industry as my corruption now seeketh and requireth; or else so qualify, mitigate and order all my throws, pains, pangs, and pinches of this my childbirth, that the travel thereof do not surmount, nor overcome my strength, further than thou, oh father wilt make me able to bear, & endure the same, or else increase my strength, encourage my mind, and fortify my senses so, that I may without mistrust, despair, or grudging against thy majesty, bear the labour to the end. For my God and dear Father, I do know and assuredly believe, that all my pains and throws are so in thy fatherly ordering and working, that only so far forth shall they be painful and grievous unto me, and no further, but as thy divine providence doth appoint. Assist me therefore, oh most dear father, with thy most cheerful present, and ready help, and comfort me with thy holy Ghost. For dear father, as thou didst lay this rod of correction upon us for our sins, that we should conceive in sorrow, and bear in peril: so Lord, thou of thy goodness didst promise, that we should bring forth. Therefore, oh most loving and pitiful father, according to this thy holy promise, I beseech thee, send me good deliverance of such a child, as may be to the praise of thy holy name, a witness and testimony of thy good will, and blessing to this most honourable state of matrimony, and also by thine holy institution of baptism, may be made of the number of thine elect children, and heir of thine eternal kingdom, by the merits and deservings of thy dear Son jesus Christ, in whose name, I beseech thee furthermore as he hath taught and commanded me, saying: Our father which art in heaven, etc. The same prayer more brief. THY wisdom and power shine forth in all thy works, O Lord, but yet much more greater, more manifest and more wonderful are they in the shaping of man. Of how small beginning doest thou make so marvelous a living thing, infusing a soul into it, whose original is from heaven, to the intent he should long to return thither, as into his country? And now that thou hast vouchsafed to make me, as it were thy workhouse, wherein to fashion so singular a work; I most humbly and heartily thank thee, beseeching thee, that as thou hast given me ability to conceive, so thou wilt give me strength to the perfecting of the thing that is in breeding, that I may safely both bear it, and bring it forth. Truly thou, O merciful father, hadst of thine own goodness made this work of childbearing easy, but our sin hath made it sorrowful and full of danger. O most gracious workman, let thy pitifulness amend the thing which our sinfulness hath marred, and either abate my pain, that I may not have need of so great strength, tendance, and running; or else increase my strength, power, and courage, that I may be able to overcome all the pains of my travel, Amen. The same prayer again in Meeter. THY wisdom Lord in all thy ways, and power great to perform it, We cease to search, and only praise, They pass so far the reach of wit. And thus we muse and marvel much at all thy works, and yet we find No marvel nor no wonder such, as daily forming of mankind. Of such beginning, such an end, and of such seed, such fruit to grow, With David well we may contend, to maze, to muse, and nothing know. The matter earth, the shape from heaven, doth knit both soul and flesh in one, Whereof such strife is them between, from whence they canie, they would be gone. And yet in all thy wonders great, thy mercy Lord doth far pass all, Which doest vouchsafe to work this feat, in me poor wretch thy bond and thrall. And as good Lord thou doest me make thy shop, to shape thy work therein, Thy handworke so do not forsake, but end the thing thou doest begin. Thy goodness Lord did once make light this burden now, which sore doth grieve, Until which woe did wrap each wight, the woeful work of woeful Eue. That Eve hath lost, let Christ restore, that guilt hath made, let grace amend, Why should the fault of Eve do more than grace in Christ? God it defend. Oh Lord, the time approacheth near, that throws of Eve I must sustain, And that I may the same well bear, increase my strength, or less my pain. Thy will this burden on me laid, thy goodness eke will ease the same, Where Christ hath once the ransom paid, why should the deed of Eve bring blame? Thus O Lord I me in thy will do put, eke wholly in thy hand, I will not once serve from thy skill, to die, or live, to fall, or stand, Amen. Another godly and earnest prayer to be said of every Christian and faithful woman, in the time of her travel or childbirth, used of the virtuous Lady, Frances Aburgavennie. Almighty God, my heavenly and most merciful father, I feel thy promised punishment at this present to take effect on me, which for the gilt and transgression of my progenitors, hath been by thy divine majesty, justly pronounced against me, and the whole generation of Adam. Great and intolerable are these bitter pangs and piercing pains, that in this my travel of childbirth, I endure and abide. Now feel I as it were a cruel and sharp conflict betwixt death and life; now feel I (O Lord) the rod of thy correction, according to thy justice laid heavy upon me, for the use and exercise of sin and iniquity; yet when it shall please thee good Lord look upon me with the eyes of thy fatherly compassion and pity, and according to the multitude of thy manifold mercies, be thou now present with me. Arm● me, O mighty God with perfect patience, joyfully to bear thy correction, and in the midst of these my sharp and bitter brunts of grief, give me grace still to call upon thee. Strengthen me a poor wretched woman, give me comfort and heavenly consolation from above, and when thou shalt think it meet and convenient, send me safe deliverance, that I may enjoy the fruit of my womb, the sight whereof shall adorn and deck me anew with joy and gladness, otherwise, good Lord, if in this season thou determine to take me hence unto thyself by thy messenger death, to whose stroke all creatures (when thou thinkest it meet and expedient) shall bow, make me constant and faithful in thee, whose I am, whether I die or live. Forget my sins and offences committed by me against thee. Let the blood of the Lamb jesus wash away my deformity. Let the spots of my corruption be purged, and taken away. Let my infected soul that is putrefied therein, be purified therein. Give me grace always, whether I live or die, to call upon thee continually. Give me power to pitch my confidence only and alone in the bloody wounds of Christ jesus, to whom in this my distress I fly, and appeal for remedy and comfort. Grant this O gracious God, which livest and reignest world without end, Amen. Another prayer of a woman being in travel. LORD save me, or else I perish: Lord have mercy upon me a sinner. Pitiful jesus show thy mercy unto me, and let the light of thy countenance shine upon me, that I be not swallowed up of grief and sorrow. Lord, sweet Lord, thou sendest thy servants to call me to the marriage: the fatlings and oxen are killed, and dinner is ready. Lord give me grace to come unto thee, that I being freed from sin, and eased of sorrow, the fruit of sin, may marry thee in the covenant of thy mercy, and banquet with thee face to face at the table of joy in the heavenly jerusalem. Lord, loving Lord, and gracious God, bless the fruit of my womb, and take it into thy family. For I believe Lord, that thou becamest of God, the son of man, to make it and all other, whom thy father hath given thee, the children of God thy heavenly father. According to my faith therefore, O Lord, be it unto me. Open the door of thy mercy, and lodge my child in the virtue of the covenant; that being my God, and the God of my seed, I may glorify thee both now and ever, and offer up the sacrifice of praise, and the fruits of a joyous spirit unto thee. Lord and father of heaven, it is thy will that all men should be saved, thy will be done, and save me and my child by thy mercy, I beseech thee, Amen. Another meditation in Meeter, to be said of a woman with child. made by. W.H. In time of trouble call on me, And I will then deliver thee. THE time draws nigh, of bitter painful throws, how long I shall the same endure, God knows. O Lord my God, I humbly ask of thee, make haste sweet Christ, and safe deliver me. As I by sin, deserved have right well such pain as this: yea more than tongue can tell. Yet ah my God, turn not away thy face, nor me forsake in this so sharp a case. This womb and fruit that springeth in the same, hast thou create to glory of thy name. Oppressed with pain, O Lord, when I shall be, make less the same, so much as pleaseth thee. And grant good God, thy creature may proceed, safely on live, with mercy at my need. In Christ's name I will my travel sho, now holy Ghost come comfort me in wo. Come father dear, and let thy power descend, O jesus Christ thy mercy's great extend. Ah God behold my dolour and my smart, sweet holy Ghost, my comforter thou art. Take part with me, and hear my woeful cry, Ex●uli me, miserere mei. Amen. In long and sore labour call earnestly upon God, and say to your comfort the 6. 38. 51. 102. 30. and 142. Psalms of David, commonly called the seven penitenti all Psalms, or the Psalm of a penitent sinner: Or else this 22. Psalm of DAVID following, called The complaint of Christ on the Crosse. MY God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? It seemeth that I shall not obtain deliverance, though I seek it with loud cries. My God, I will cry all the day long, but thou wilt not answer; and all the night long I make piteous moan, without taking any rest. The mean time, thou most holiest seemest to sit still, not caring for the things that I suffer, which so oft hast helped me heretofore, & hast given to thy people Israel sufficient argument and matter to praise thee with songs, wherewith they have given thanks to thee for thy benefits. Our forefathers and mothers were wont to put their trust in thee, and as often as they did so, thou didst deliver them out of their distress. As oft as they cried for help to thee, they were delivered: as oft as they committed themselves to thee, they were not confounded, nor put to any shame. But as for me, I seem rather to be a worm than a woman, the dunghill of Adam and Eve, the outcast of the vulgar people. As many as have seen me laugh, have laughed me to scorn, and reviled me, and shaking their heads in deriston at me, have cast me in the teeth, saying: She is wont to boast and glory that she is in great favour with God, wherefore let God now deliver her, if he love her so well. By thy procurement, O Lord, I came out of my mother's womb, and thou gavest me good comfort, even when I sucked my mother's breasts. Through thy means I came into this world, and as soon as I was borne, I was left to thy tuition, yea, thou wast my God, when I was yet in my mother's womb. Wherefore go not far away from me, for danger is even now at hand, & so none in earth will or can help me. Many bulls have closed me in both strong and fat, they have compassed me round about. They have opened their mouth against me, like unto a lion that gapeth upon his pray, and roareth for hunger. I am powered out like water, and all my limbs loosed one from another, and my heart is melted within me as it were wax. All my strength is gone and dried up like unto a tilestone, my tongue cleaveth to the roof of my mouth, and at the last I shall be buried in the earth, as the dead be wont. For dogs have compassed me round about, and the most wicked have conspired against me, they wound even my very heart, hands, head, and feet. I was so ungently entreated of them, that I might easily number all my bones, and after all the pain and torment that they did to me, with grievous countenance they stared and looked upon me. They divided my clothes among them, and cast lots for my coat. Wherefore Lord I beseech thee, go not far from me, but forasmuch as thou art my power & my strength, make haste to help me. Deliver my soul from danger of the sword, and keep my life destitute of all mortal help, from the violence of the infernal dog. Save my soul from the mouth of the lion, and take me from the horns of the unicorns. So will I show unto my brethren and sisters the majesty of thy name, and when the people are most assembled together, I will praise and set forth thy most worthy acts and deeds. All that worship the Lord, praise him; all the posterity of jacob magnify him, all ye that be of the stock of Israel, with reverence serve and honour him. For he hath not despised and set at nought his poor handmaid, because of her misery, nor he hath not disdainfully turned away his face from her, but rather as soon as his poor handmaid cried unto him for help, he heard her by and by. I will praise thee therefore with my songs openly in the multitude of people, and I will perform my vows in the sight of them that honour thee. The poor shall eat and be satisfied, they shall praise the Lord, that study to please him, and as many of you as continue still such, your hearts shall live. All the ends of the world shall consider these things, and be turned to the Lord, and all heathen nations shall submit themselves, and do homage unto thee my God. For the Lord hath a power royal, and an imperial dominion over the heathen. The most mighty & greatest of all them that dwell on the earth, have eaten, and after that they have tasted the spiritual gifts of the Lord, they have submitted themselves, and made humble suit unto him. Yea, and all the dead, which are buried in the earth, shall kneel and make reverence in his honour, because he hath not disdained to spend his own life for them. They that shall come after us, shall honour and serve him. These things shall be written of the Lord, that our posterity may know and understand them. That they also may come and show these things to the people that shall be borne of them, that the Lord hath done these things, which be so marvelous. The prayer in long and dangerous travel of child, to be used either of the woman herself, or by the women about her in her behalf. Have mercy upon me, O Lord, have mercy upon me thy sinful servant, and woeful handmaid, who now in my greatest need and distress, do seek thee: behold, with grievous groans & deep sighs, I cry unto thee for mercy. Even now while thy heavy hand in chastening is upon me, do I power out my soul, and make my piteous mo●e, and humble supplication unto thee my God, for mitigation of my misery. For lo, thou seest, how I pant with pain, and groan through grief, and travel in sore labour before thee, together with all thy creatures, sighing in myself, and waiting for thy ready help, and my speedy deliverance forth of this distress. Oh Lord, am not I now that woeful wight, who with all the sorrows of a traveling woman, am oppressed in thy sight? Yea, thou seest in what pitiful plight I am, drawing nigh towards my travel, and hearest me sorrowful wretch crying out in my pangs, as she that is destitute of all mortal help. Alas, how tediously do I travel of this child: how pinching pangs do I justly suffer for my sins? I have a long time, O Lord, held my peace, suppressing my throws so long as my womanly strength will suffer. I have been quiet and still, and refrained myself, I say, as much as I am able; but now alas, such and so intolierable is my grief, so many and vehement are my throws; yea, so continual and tedious is my travel, that without thee, I can not possibly any longer forbear, but am forced through bodily pain, and inward grief, to shrich and cry aloud unto thee, and that with tears, for speedy comfort and heavenly help, that she which is in sore labour, may find mitigation of her pains, through thy mercy, and being ready to bring forth, may be delivered through thy power. For except thou, O Lord, make a way out, that which is conceived, can not be borne. Oh Lord, this day is a gloomy day, a bitter time and terrible hour, a day (or night) of anguish and tribulation, of sorrow and perturbation, unto the very soul of thine handmaid: for the babe is come unto the place of the birth, and lo, it seemeth that thou for my sins hast shut up the doors of my womb, and caused the babe to stand still like to be stifled. What shall I say, O my God, what shall I do? Have mercy upon me, O Lord, have mercy upon me, and help me. Make a way out for my deliverance, for in me there is no help, no strength, nor power to bring that forth that I have conceived. It is thou only, O Lord my God, which hast fashioned it in my womb, that must do it. Oh therefore put forth speedily thine almighty hand, and help me, and give me strength and patience to endure whatsoever for my sins it shall please thee to lay upon me in this my sore labour. O good God, thou that hast promised to entreat those gently that bear young, have mercy upon thine handmaid, and vouchsafe to show that tender care and fatherly favour unto me that am full weak & feeble: help me speedily that stand in great need thereof. For without thee, I confess there is no deliverance nor salvation in the earth to be expected, neither can any worldly means prevail any thing at all here in this action. Oh Lord, thou art he that hast drawn me out of my mother's womb long since, and hitherto hast had a tender care over me, so that thou hast caused me to look up unto thee, when I did hang yet on my mother's breast: so soon as I was borne and came forth into this world, I was committed unto thee, and even then thou didst declare thyself to be my God and father. Now then, O Lord, when so great miseries do approach and environ me, I beseech thee be not thou far from me, neither forsake me which am destitute of all manner of succours beside. Come holy Ghost, and regard the sorrows of thy hand-maiden: for behold, he that is mighty hath humbled me greatly. O blessed trinity, come visit a wretch that now (as thou seest) is entered into her secret chamber, and hath shut the doors about her to hide herself for a little while, until thine indignation be overpassed. Come, I say, O glorious and almighty God, come speedily, and through thy divine power work thou all our works for us here in secret, that we may praise thee openly. For thou art my God, and my soul hath greatly longed for thee both day and night. Yea, with my spirit within me do I heartily and earnestly seek thee, early and late; oh would God that I might find thee whom my soul loveth! For in the way of thy judgements, O Lord, do I wait. I constantly abide in mi●e adversities, wherewith thou doest worthily afflict me, and put my trust only in thee, from whom I expect speedy deliverance in thy good time. Thy sweet name, O jesus, and the remembrance of thee is now the thing that my languishing soul so much longeth for● O come therefore unto me at the last, and comfort me; satisfy my longing to the full, and deliver thy faithful handmaid, and sorrowful servant out of this extreme sorrow, and easeless pains, that I may no longer cry and say, Why is my heaviness continual, and my pains so intolerable? How is it Lord, that for no entreaty thou wilt not deliver thine handmaid from such indurable griefs? How long shall I suffer the pains of the birth, and the anguish of the travel? Now long Lord shall my bowels thus sound like an harp, my bones and sinews be racked asunder, and mine inward parts be thus grievously tormented for my sins. Consider, O Lord, how I am troubled, how my womb is disquieted, and my heart wambleth within me for anguish. Wilt thou have no compassion on a wretch? Wilt thou cause me thus to travel still in pains intolerable, and grief unspeakable? Wilt thou not bring forth that which thou hast form, that I may be delivered of that which I have conceived? Alas, O Lord, alas my God, yea my dear and only God, wilt thou not hear the lamentable cries, and regard the inward tears, of a wretch that traveleth, & laboureth so sore with child, even the woeful voice ● mournful lamentation of thy handmaid, and daughter (I say, though unworthy,) that thus all the day long sigheth, crieth, and stretcheth out her feeble han●● unto thee in heaven, calling for thy heavenly help and secure? Oh Lord, spare me, oh dear God, have mercy upon me, and my babe! Shall I be the grave of my child? Shall I give death the fruit of my body, for the sins of my soul, and my first, (second, or third) 〈◊〉, for the transgressions of my youth? Alas, shall that perish in the womb, which is conceived by thee; or shall it die in the birth, and not be borne, which thou hast so mightily fashioned? Hast thou shut up the doors of my womb in thy displeasure, and covered me with the shadow of death, that the birth may not come out? Wilt thou cause that to die in the birth, I say, which is the wonderful work of thy almighty hand? God forbidden, oh God forbidden. Oh save me, and my babe, I beseech thee, and let it not be as a thing borne out of time, either as an infant which never saw the light; neither let it perish or be slain, so soon as it cometh out of the womb: but open thou the womb and bring it forth safely, that I may set it on my knees, and give it suck with my breasts. Oh finish the thing mercifully, which thou hast begun so graciously in me, and let me rejoice rather that a man-child is borne into the world; else why am I in this plight? Woe is me now that ever I sinned; for how shall I be able to endure all the sorrows and pangs of a traveling woman, which are now, or hereafter shall be justly laid upon me. O Lord, thou seest my heart fainteth, my face looketh pale, yea sounding with a sighing and gasping soul, I cry out, and say, Alas that ever I sinned. Woe is me that ever I offended so loving a God, so merciful a Saviour, so dear a redeemer, so holy and blessed a sanctifier. Alas for this day, which is so dreadful, that none may be likened unto it. And out alas for the time of this perplexity, of this sorrow and grief, which I now sensibly feel and endure, both in body and mind; for it is like the day and time of Rachel. My sorrow and trouble may be compared to Phinees wives trouble, my state and condition seemeth to me and others, to be not much unlike unto theirs, I say; from the which nevertheless for thy great mercy sake, good Lord, I beseech thee deliver me, and save me and my ●abe from the grave, as my trust is in thee, Amen. Another. O GOD make speed to save me, O Lord make haste to help me. Make no long tarrying, O my God, lest I be like to those that go down into the pit. How long, Lord, wilt thou forget me? How long shall I be plucked a sunder with these griping griefs and pinching pangs, of deadly throws? How long shall I a wretch expect thy gracious comfort and ready help? How long wilt thou forget thy creatures, O Lord, for ever? How long wilt thou hide thy face from thy handmaid thus being in misery? Shall my grief ever continue, & my pains never cease? What is my power, O Lord, that I should endure such pangs? Or what is my strength, that I may abide such throws? Surely, O God, thou knowest my strength is not the strength of stones, neither is my flesh or bones made of brass, or iron. For in troth there is in me no help, nor in any mortal creature, any relief or succour; yea all strength is utterly taken from me, and there is none that I can find to help me: therefore without thy help, strength, and patience, it is impossible for me to continue in this perplexity. Oh spare me therefore a little, that I may recover my strength, before I go hence, and be no more seen. O Lord cast not away thy servant in thy displeasure, but let it be thy good pleasure to deliver me. Make haste, O Lord, to help me. Wilt thou absent thyself for ever; or hast thou shut up thy loving kindness in displeasure? Is thy mercy clean gone, and thy promises come utterly to an end for evermore? Chasten me, O Lord, and correct me; but give me not over unto death, neither shut up my soul with the wicked in the grave. Let not mine enemy say, So, so, I have devoured her. For I come unto thee with those good women in the Gospel, and falling down at thy feet in trembling and fear, I humbly beseech thee, saying, O sweet jesus, O son of David, O Lamb of God, that ta●e ●t away the sins of the world, have mercy upon me. O Lord have mercy upon me that am grievously vexed with nipping throws: Lord help me, Lord hear me, and vouchsafe to grant me the thing that I long for, and destre; that is, that thou my maker, and preserver, wilt speedily come and comfort me, & mitigate these griefs, now after the time that thou hast plagued and tormented me with all thy storms: and in great compassion have mercy upon me, and my seely infant, that it be not like the untimely fruit, or like the birth that dieth, and is borne together. After this night, and hour of calamity overpassed, let the pleasant morning of comfort luckily shine upon me, that by time I may hear and feel thy goodness and mercy in obtaining at thy hand a comfortable issue, and deliverance: for in thee only is all my trust. Quicken me, O Lord, for thy name sake, and for thy mercy and righteousness, bring my soul and body out of this distress, and ease me of these pains, for I am thy servant. O come and comfort me thy weak creature, in these mine afflictions, with the presence of thy holy spirit, that even in death I may find life. For under thy protection and defence, mercy and favour, do I wholly repose myself. Lord into thy hands I commend my spirit, preserve and keep me, relieve, ease, and speed me, O Lord thou God of truth; for thou hast redeemed me. Thou hast been my succour, leave me not now, nor forsake me, O God of my salvation. What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Shall the dust give thanks unto thee, or shall the grave declare thy truth? O therefore have mercy on me good Father, for thy holy name sake, even for thy dear son jesus Christ's sake, I say, have compassion upon a wretch that calleth upon thee in his name: and vouchsafe now yet at the length, to show some good token of thy favour and mercy upon me, and that for my good, and speedy deliverance, that they which hate me, may be ashamed, & they that love me be comforted, and praise thee together with me; because thou, O Lord, hast had mercy on me, and helped me, and sent me a speedy deliverance of this burden, and made me a joyful and glad mother of this child to thy glory. So shall my soul magnify thee, O Lord, and my spirit shall ever rejoice in thee, O God my Saviove: yea so shall I be joyful in thy salvation, and I will not cease to celebrate thy name among the saints, and sing unto thee the sugared songs of Zion, to the perpetual praise of thy renowned name, and erernall glory of thy most sacred majesty, world without end, Amen, Amen. Prayers and thanksgivings to be used of women in childbed, after their travel and deliverance, and at their churching or purifying (as they call it.) O My Lord God, I thank thee with all my heart, wit, understanding, and power, for that thou hast vouchsafed to deliver me out of this my most dangerous travel, and hast sent into this world out of my woeful womb this child, a creature of thine own fashioning, forming and shape, like unto the rest of the children of thy creation; for which I am not able worthily enough of mine own frail nature to give to thee condign thanks, praise, honour and glory, for thy so great benefits showed unto me, in pulling me out from the pit-brinke of death, easing and relieving all my woeful sorrows, labours, pangs, and most grievous throws, bitter anguishes, & unspeakable pains, which I could never have escaped, without out thy most singular aid, help, relief and succour. Wherefore I thy most humble handmaid, with steadfast and pure heart and hands, do power out before thee my Lord God and only saviour, these my simple prayers of thanksgiving (the fruit of my faith, hope, trust, charity, and assured confidence which I have in thee) assertaining myself, that now thou hast preserved me for a further trial of my vocation and service towards thee in this vale of transitory life, wherein I may have time, by thy divine permission and sufferance, to direct all my steps in thy ways, and to honour and glorify thee in my soul and body with condign thanks, in rejoicing in thy holy name, according to thy most blessed word, wherein thou hast declared that a woman, as long as she is in travel of her childbearing, she is sorrowful, heavy, and full of anguish and intolerable pains; but as soon as the child is borne, she learneth straightways to forget all her pains, not remembering them any longer, and to rejoice, for that she hath brought forth a child into the world. Even so, O Lord, fareth it with me thy poor, humble, and obedient servant, now rejoicing, in that it hath pleased thee to make me a glad mother, in bringing forth this my child, whom now I do present before the face of thy divine Majesty, with an earnest zeal of a godly spirit, and most pure affection, praying and beseeching thee, O everlasting God, here to preserve this child, according to thy most holy will, that it may enjoy the benefit of all thy heavenly sacraments, to love and serve thee in pureness of life, as a faithful member of the christian congregation wherein thy name by it may be glorified, honoured, and praised, world without end, Amen. Another prayer and thanksgiving to be said of every faithful woman in childbed, after the time of her deliverance, used of the virtuous Lady, Francis Aburgavennie. HOW much, and how greatly am I bound to laud, praise, and extol thee (O my Lord God?) Even now was I assailed in my body, being a wretched and sinful woman, with sundry and divers dolours, and grievous gripes of perilous pains, in such sort, that my agonies abounding, death himself seemed to me to knock at the gates of my body; the rod of justice lay so heavy upon me, so that I judged myself a creature more meet for the grave, whose clamour I thought still sounded in mine ears, than to reap the benefit of life. By my pains, Lord God, in this my travel, I am forced to confess and acknowledge, that thou art just in thy promises, and ready to punish sin and iniquity. By this my safe and sure deliverance, I am bound to acknowledge, that with thy justice thou always frequeatest pity, commixing thy mercy and justice together, in such sort, that I must needs confess thee to be most righteous and merciful. I can not (O my God) but protest, that thou hast dealt favourably with me; and those pains which I abode, were laid upon me for my sin and wickedness, and yet hast thou not dealt severely with me, neither given sentence against me in thy fury, which have justly deserved the same. For hadst thou, O Lord, respected my deserts, I had perished everlastingly, and been utterly confounded. My grievous groans thrown forth unto thee, pierced the very bowels of thine anointed son jesus Christ, who beholding mine agonies and bitter pains, became an intercessor to thee for me, through whose earnest entreaty, and loving meditation, thou convertedst thy displeasure to mercy, and for his sake alone that died upon the cross for mine offences, thou hast assuaged my torments, and in the fullness of thy bounty and loving kindness, thou hast given me a living soul to glad my heart; for the which, I am bound of right to give thee hearty and humble thanks, humbly beseeching thee, being now faint and feeble in body, to strengthen me in soul, mind and heart, that my tongue may be the organ that may continually publish forth thine everlasting praise. Grant this, O gracious God, for the love of thine only begotten Son jesus Christ, to whom with thee and the holy Ghost, be given all laud, power and dominion, for ever and ever, Amen. Another prayer of a woman in childbed, after deliverance. OF duty, O Lord, I lift up mine eyes and mind unto thee, and give thee most humble and hearty thanks for thine infinite goodness, which hast not only beautified and blessed me most abundantly with common, rare, and wonderful gifts and benefits: but even now also hast vouchsafed of thy free mercy to send me safe deliverance, and to give me this infant and child as a token of thy love towards me: the which so great a treasure and blessing, though I be not able to deserve; yet most loving father, for Christ's sake I beseech thee, that thou wilt confirm thy favour more and more towards me. And take this infant into thy tuition & defence, whom I offer present unto thee with hearty prayer, and never suffer him to fall into such unkindness whereby he should lose the force of thy grace: but that he may perceive thee continually to be his merciful Father, through thine holy spirit working in his heart, by whose divine power he may so prevail against Satan, that in the end obtaining the victory, he may be exalted unto the liberty of thy kingdom, Amen. Hear you may say or sing to the glory of God, and your own edifying, the 103. the 30. and the 116. Psalms of David. A prayer to be used of a woman at her purification, or Churching. O Eternal father of thine only son our Lord and saviour Christ, which in the commonweal of Israel, ordeinedst according to thy wisdom, & adornedst with excellent statutes necessary for the state of mankind, and signifying secret and heavenly things, didst make divers laws concerning uncleanness, and the keeping of women with child; and an other for the first borne, and that not only to put us in mind of order in this life, and thankfulness towards thy Majesty: but also to teach, that this our guilty and polluted nature, like the fowl menstruous cloth of a woman, is washed by the blood of thy son, which is the first borne, thy substantial image, and the word sounding thy will, whom from the heavens thou commandest to be hearkened unto. Govern me by thy first and only begotten son, and give unto me thy most defiled and polluted handmaid, thy holy spirit, that earnestly I may bewail mine unworthiness, vileness, and uncleanness, ask help at thy merciful hands, be this day purified both body and soul by the blood of thy Son, and be redeemed by him unto true piety, holiness, and integrity which pleaseth thee, that through him I may be presented unto thee with a pure and clear mind, and for his sake I may be adopted into thy children, & find favour in thine eyes, Amen. Or you may give thanks and pray as in the book of common prayer, and say to yourself, or with the Minister, as followeth. forasmuch as it hath pleased thee, O almighty God of thy goodness, to give me safe deliverance, and hast preserved me in the great danger of childbirth, I therefore here in the Church and congregation, give hearty thanks unto thee, O God, and say: Psalm. 121. I Have lifted up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh even from the Lord, which hath made heaven and earth. He will not suffer my foot to be moved, and he that keepeth me will not sleep. Behold, he that keepeth Israel, shall neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord himself is my keeper, the Lord is my defence upon my right hand. So that the sun shall not burn me by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve me from all evil: yea, it is even he that shall keep my soul. The Lord shall preserve my going out, and my coming in, from this time forth for evermore. Glory be to the father; etc. As it was in the beginning, etc. Let us pray. Lord have mercy upon me, Christ have mercy upon me, Lord have mercy upon me, Our father which art in heaven, etc. O Lord save me thy sinful servant, which put my trust in thee: Be thou unto me a strong tower, from the face of mine enemy. Lord hear my prayer, and let my cry come unto thee. Let us pray. O Almighty God, which hast delivered me thy most unworthy handmaid and sinful servant, from the great pain & peril of childbirth. I heartily thank thee, and humbly praise thy holy name for ever and ever. Grant me now also I beseech thee, most merciful father, that I through thy help may both faithfully live and walk in my vocation, according to thy will in this life present, and also may be partaker of everlasting glory in the life to come, through jesus Christ our Lord, Amen. Prayers to be said for women with child, before, or in travel, by the Midwife, husband, or any other man, or woman. THou, O Lord, art wonderful in all thy works, and whatsoever thy good pleasure is, that doest thou easily bring to pass; neither is there any thing impossible with thee, that thou wilt have done. And albeit this thine almighty power showeth itself abundantly in all thy works; yet in the conceiving, forming, and bringing forth of man, it shineth most evidently. At the beginning, O heavenly Father, when thou hadst made man and woman, thou commandedst them to increase, multiply, and replenish the earth; if through the subtle enticements of Satan they had not transgressed thy commandments by eating of the forbidden fruit, the woman, whom thou hadst appointed the organ, instrument, and vessel, to conceive, nourish, and bring forth man, through thy wonderful workmanship, had without any labour, pain, or travel, brought forth her fruit. But that which thy goodness made easy, sin and disobedience hath made hard, painful, dangerous, and (if thy help were not) impossible to be brought to pass; so that now all women bring forth their children in great sorrows, pains, and troubles. Notwithstanding, thou showest thyself unto thy creatures a father of mercy, and God of all consolation. For that which through their own imperfection and feebleness, they are not able of themselves to bring to pass, thou through thine unspeakable power makest easy in them, and bringest unto a fortunate end. We therefore being fully persuaded of thy bent and ready goodness, of thy present help, of thy sweet comfort in all miseries and necessities: knowing also by the testimonies of thy holy word, how great and intolerable the pains of women are that travel of child, if through thy tender mercies they be not mitigated and eased, most humbly pray thee for jesus Christ's sake thy son and our Lord, to assist, and help (as all other women elsewhere in like case) so especially this thy servant. S. B. here now in travel & labour; that by thine almighty power both they & she may safely bring forth that by thy goodness they or she hath conceived, and that thy loving kindness may make that easy and tolerable, which sin hath made hard and painful. Ease, O Lord, the pains which thou most righteously hast put upon her, and all women, for the sin and disobedience of our grand-moother Eve, in whom all we have sinned; and give both unto thy servant here present, and unto all such as have conceived and be with child, strength to bring forth that which thou wonderfully hast wrought in her, and them. Be present now with her, & them, in their trouble; according to thy merciful promise help her, and them, and deliver them. Let thy power be showed no less in the safe bringing forth, than in the wonderful framing or fashioning of the child. Make perfect that which thou hast so graciously begun in her, & them, so that it may come unto good success. Make her, and them, glad and joyful mothers, that she, and they, through thy goodness being safely delivered and restored to their old health, and strengths, may live and praise thy blessed name for ever, Amen. Another prayer for a woman with child. IN the beginning of the world, O father of heaven, after thou hadst form man of the slime of the earth, and yet prince over all creatures, it pleased thee of thy goodness to create a woman of his side, aswell for his solace, as for the continuance of his seed: it was thy word unto them, Increase & multiply. This increase was easy, but mother Eve hath made it hard, by passing the bounds of thy will, to all her posterity; so that the woman conceiveth and bringeth forth in great pain, and painful travel, the fruit of her womb. In so great pain, O Lord, in such extreme pangs, that unless thou quench the flame of her sorrows with the water of comfort, it it impossible for her to bear that into this vale of misery, which thou of thy goodness hast framed, and she conceived, Wherefore thou God of wonders, and father almighty of heaven, as thou hast by the slaughter of thine only Lamb, taken away the sins of the wicked world, and condemned sin in the flesh: so take away the pangs of childbirth, the fruit of sin, from all womankind, especially from this woman, that bearing joyfully that which she hath conceived fruitfully, and thou hast fashioned graciously, she may glorify thee most carefully, and praise thee most thankfully, the only stay of her estate both now and ever. Amen. Another. O Good true hearted Lord jesus Christ, like as thou didst comfort and deliver thy disciples, and all elect and chosen men and women in all their need, martyrdom, and pains, which they suffered of the tyrants wrongfully, and didst also cure and heal them of their wounds, pains and smart, through hope of the crown of everlasting life: even so vouchsafe thou (which art the help of all them that call on thee in trouble and need) to deliver this poor weak vessel, which is here bound with a fruit after thine own similitude and likeness, notwithstanding that she hath deserved in transgressing of thy holy commandments, to bring forth her children in pains and woe, that she may be made a glad and joyful mother through the new creature with good speed, that the child may have name and Christendom, and that the mother may be purified to thy honour, and to her health, Amen. Another prayer for a Queen being with a child. O Almighty father, in whose favour the virgin Marie was highly blessed among women, by the birth of Christ thine only Son our Saviour, who also by thine omnipotent power, didst safely deliver both her, and her cousin Elizabeth, and also so mightily deliveredst the Prophet jonas out of the whales belly, amids the foaming sea. Defend, O Lord we beseech thee likewise thy servant R. our Queen with child conceived, and so visit her in and with thy godly gift of health, that not only the child thy creature within her conceived may joyfully come from her into this world, and receive the blessed sacrament of baptism, and enjoy therewith daily increase of all princely and gracious gifts, both of body and soul; but that also she the mother through thy special grace and mercy, may in the time of her travel avoid all excessive dolorous pain, and abide perfect and sure from all peril and danger of death, with long and prosperous life, through jesus Christ our Lord, Amen. Another prayer for a Queen, Noble woman, or Lady with child. O Most righteous Lord God, which for the offence of the first woman, hast threatened unto all women high and low, a common, sharp, and inevitable malediction, and hast enjoined them, that they should conceive in sin, and being conceived, should be subject to many & grievous throws and torments, and finally, be delivered with the danger and jeopardy of their life, we beseech thee, for thine exceeding great goodness, and bountiful mercy, to assuage and mitigate the straightness of that law, and to embrace into the bosom of thy favour and mercy, our most gracious sovereign Lady Queen R, or our most dear sister A. P. C of P. being now at the point of her deliverance; so help her now, O Lord, that without danger of her life, she may overcome the sorrow and pain, and in due season bring forth a child, in body beautiful and comely, in pregnant wit, notable and excellent, in mind noble and valiant, so that afterward she forgetting the travel, may with joy laud & praise the bountifulness of thy mercy, and together with us praise and bless both thee and thy holy name world without end. This, O Lord, we desire thee, we beseech thee, and most heartily crave of thee. Hear us, O Lord, and grant us our petitions, Amen. A general form of prayer for all women with child, and in childbed. O Most wise God, eternal Father of thy beloved Son our Lord and saviour Christ, Creator and keeper of all thy creatures, which through thine excellent wisdom and counsel, hast enjoined to womankind, that in pain & sorrow they should bring forth children, whereby not only this world is replenished; but a Church which doth celebrate thy name for ever, is gathered unto thee. And forasmuch as the pain of a woman in travel is most extreme, which makes the Prophets many times to repeat the same, in exaggerating the afflictions of punishments which the holy spirit doth threaten unto the impenitent: we beseech thee in the name of Christ thy Son, be merciful unto all women, either with child, or in childbed; give them grace to call into mind the decree and pleasure of thine heavenly will. Let them never strive against thee through impatience, but in true faith, and invocation of thy name, suffer thy cross quietly, knowing that by the seed of the woman, which hath broken the head of the old serpent, they are reconciled unto thee. In this seed which is Christ, the curse is clean taken away, and blessing restored unto us, that we may receive the promise of the spirit, and the inheritance of eternal life. O almighty God, convert now the sorrows of women in travel into gladness, that they remember not their pains with mourning, for joy that a man-child is borne into the world. Comfort them in the midst of their anguish, and help as well the mother as the babe, specially in the danger of deliverance. For if thou blessed God be not present, they perish undoubtedly, all the world can not help them in that extremity. O eternal God, which of the seed of man framest the living infant in the mother's womb, and nourishest the same congealed in blood, that the flesh within the time of ten months may take shape, drawing nourishment from the mother; we are all the workmanship of thine hands: we give thee thanks, Lord, for fearfully and wonderfully are we made, marvelous are thy works, and that our souls know right well. Our bones are not hid from thee, though we were secretly made, neither our substance in the inner parts of our mother's womb. Thine eyes did see our substance being unperfect, and in thy book were all our members written. Thy hands have made us, and fashioned us altogether. With skin and bones hast thou covered us, and joined us together with bones and sinews. Thou hast given us life and grace, and thy visitation hath preserved our spirits. Grant we beseech thee to all infants yet unborn, that knit together with their due veins and members, they may come forth into this world sound and perfect without fault or deformity: and grant that they being borne upon their mother's sides, may be joyful upon their mother's knees, and suck the milk of comfort out of the breasts of her love, to the rejoicing of the mother. Stay the furiousness of wicked spirits, that they show not their tyranny upon young infants. Keep all women with child, that no way being terrified, frighted, or troubled extremely, they be untimely delivered. Give grace also to the babes newly borne, that together with their outward baptism, they may be received into the congregation of the faithful with wholesome water, through the renewing and regeneration of the holy spirit, which thou wilt plenteously power upon them through jesus Christ our Saviour, that being justified by grace, they may be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life, and become new creatures through him. Strengthen all women delivered, and lying in childbed, that being restored to their wonted health, they may glorify thee their helper in the time of need, and learn afterward to repose their whole confidence in thee, which art nigh unto all that call upon thee, to all (we say) calling upon thee in truth. And if at any time through thine unsearchable judgement an untimely birth, or unlucky deliverance happen; so comfort, O merciful father, the mournful and sad parents, that they faint not with sorrow, but believe rather that the woeful chance is a trial of their faith, hope and patience. For thou art a merciful and gracious God, forgiving our sins. Though thou art angry with our wickedness, yet in thy displeasure thou remember'st thy mercy, that the troubled may take comfort, and the afflicted find grace. For this do all thy servants persuade themselves, that if they be tried, they shall be crowned, if they be troubled, they shall be delivered, and if they be chastened, they shall be saved, for thou hast no pleasure in our damnation, which bringest fair wether after storms, & gladness after tears. Thy name, O God, be praised for ever, Amen. The same prayer more brief for women with child generally. O Heavenly father, and eternal God, which through thine unspeakable wisdom hast enjoined womankind, that in pain and sorrow they should bring forth children, and replenish the earth: O Lord, we beseech thee give them grace to call into mind this thy decree, and pleasure, and thereby patiently to bear the grief and groans incident unto them. Convert Lord their sorrows into gladness, through a lucky deliverance, and let them remember their pains no more, for joy that a man is borne into the world. Comfort them in the midst of their anguish, and help as well the mother as the babe, especially in the danger of deliverance. For without thine assistance they perish undoubtedly, all the world cannot help them. Grant to all yet unborn, that knit together with their due veins and members, they may come into this world sound and perfect, without all deformity. Stay the furiousness of wicked spirits, that they show not their malice and tyranny upon young infants. Bless all with child, that no way being terrified, or troubled extremely, they be untimely delivered. Give grace to all babes newly borne, that together with their outward baptism, they may be received into the congregation of the faithful, and be made new creatures, filled with the holy Ghost, even from their mother's womb. Strengthen all women delivered, with thy virtue and power, whereby they may receive their wonted health, and glorify thee their helper in the time of need, learning afterward to repose their whole confidence in thee, which art nigh unto all that call upon thee, even to all that call upon thee in truth. And if at any time through thy sufferance and unsearchable pleasure, an untimely birth, or (if without offence we may say) an unlucky deliverance doth happen; comfort, O merciful God the pensive parents, that they despair not through sorrow, but think rather that the woeful chance is a trial of their faith, hope, and patience; and so confess thee to be always as good and gracious God, forgiving sins, and remembering mercy in thy great displeasure, that the troubled may take comfort, and the afflicted find grace. For thus do all thy servants persuade themselves, that if they be tried, they shall be crowned if they be troubled, they shall be delivered if they be chastised, they shall be saved: through our Lord jesus Christ, Amen. A prayer to be said of every Christian midwife for herself, before she execute her office. O Heavenly Father, which at the beginning didst appoint woman to be the organ, instrument, and vessel to receive, nourish, & bring forth man through thy wonderful workmanship without any labour, pain, or help of flesh and blood: but afterward through the sin and disobedience of our grandmother Eve, hast made that which before was easy, now to become hard and painful, yea dangerous and impossible (if thy help were not) for them to be brought to pass, and now as a mean hast ordained man to be a god to man, and made woman through thine unspeakable power working together with him, to help & ease woman, which through their own imperfection and feebleness are not able in this case and time of their sore labour, to help themselves. For as much as it hath pleased thee among many other more worthy, to call me thy most unworthy handmaid to the office of a midwife among the daughters of Israel, and made me an instrument and means under thee to comfort them in their sorrows, cherish them in their child-beds, ease them in their pains, and to further them in their deliverance, with all possible pains and convenient speed that I may, and can, in thee and for thee. I most heartily thank thee, and praise thy holy name and majesty; beseeching thee of grace and virtue to walk worthy of this my calling, in all holy obedience to thee, and thy word; to thy glory, others profit, and mine own salvation in Christ. And because I know and feel mine own weakness, and must needs confess how that of myself I am far unable to discharge mine office, with such duty as appertaineth, without the assistance and help of thine almighty power and holy spirit, to strengthen me therein. For it lieth not in the power of flesh and blood, no nor in all the help of the world, to go through with so great a work and weighty enterprise as this is: but it only and alone belongeth unto thee our creator, and maker of heaven and earth. Therefore bless thou so my weak labours, and further my pains, that the fruit thereof may redound to the praise of thy name, & profit of thy people, and their posterity. Take from me all ignorance, negligence, slothfulness, slackness, and disdain; yea from all unmercifulness, rough handling, hardness of heart, contempt of others, falsehood, cruelty, and bloudgiltines, good Lord deliver me: and in steed thereof, make me wise-harted, skilful, loving, gentle, tender, pitiful, cheerful, comfortable, helpful, painful, watchful, strong, able, ready, willing, careful, diligent, & faithful, even for thy sake only, without respect of filthy lucre, to pleasure all women at all times in my calling, to the full discharge of my conscience and duty, both before thee and the world. And, O Lord, to the end there may be found no fault in my ministery, nor anse woman or child said to be hurt or perish in their travel, by my negligence or ignorance; and that I may avoid all slander and reproach, I beseech thee, O almighty God, work thou all my works for me, and that which thou beginnest by me, finish it I pray thee also by me, to the glory of thy name, and give me ever good luck, and prosperous success, through the power of thy spirit, in all my womanly and lawful enterprises, enjoined of thee as a necessary business to be done, that they may come to a fortunate and desired end in thee, as I heartily wish and pray. Finally bless me, O God, with all thy good gifts of grace, virtue, skill, and cunning, as thou didst thy holy servants Shiphra, and Puah, the two grave matrons, godly women. and famous midwives of the Hebrew women in Egypt; that I fearing thee more than men, as they did, and being faithful to my patients, as they were, may not only move thee to have mercy on me, and to prosper me in making my house to increase, as thou didst them; but also by mine obedience and upright dealing in mine office, thy people may be multiplied, and the families of thy true Israelites increased, to the praise of thy glory, the exaltation of thy power, & renown of thy name, through jesus Christ our Lord, Amen. Another prayer to be said of the midwife, when she goeth about to do her office. OH my celestial Father, be now merciful unto me thy repentant handmaid, and sinful servant, fled from mine enemies unto thy help and secure. Impute not unto me my sins for Christ's sake, for I have heard thy fatherly voice, and yet it soundeth daily in mine ears out of heaven, promising me and affirming constantly thyself to be appeased, pleased, and at one with me, for thy Son my sweet Saviour jesus sake, whom thou commandest me to hear, and believe, who I am sure is made of thee my righteousness, my satisfaction, my reconciliation, my peacemaking, my mediator and intercessor with his prayers, my fulfilling of the law, my deliverer, and the whole wholly accomplisher of all my just desires, and my saviour Christ jesus God and man. In whose blessed and holy name at this present I attempt and take in hand to do mine office, according to my vocation, for thy glory, and this woman's profit, ease, comfort, and help, in thee: desiring thy gracious goodness, most merciful Lord and Father, for thy dearly beloved son sake jesus Christ, who without all help of man was conceived and begotten of thee his father before all worlds; and who also without any help of woman, was borne & brought forth into this world for our sakes, of his blessed mother Marie the virgin. For his sake, I say, vouchsafe to prosper it, further it, and to give it happy increase, whatsoever I take now in hand justly and fortunately to finish the same. O holy Father, work thou all our works for us here in secret, that we may praise thy name openly before all people! O prosper thou the works of our hands upon us! Prosper thou our handy work, and bless all things which I take in hand with thy blessed increase, and let me do nothing in this my action hurtful either to the mother or her babe; neither let me seek mine own will, but ever to pray that thy will be fulfilled here now in earth of us, as it is in heaven of thine angels. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from all evils present, and to come: Amen, Amen. In doing her office, let the midwife pray thus with herself, and say. I In the name of God, Amen, Prevent us, O Lord, in this action, and all our doings, with thy most gracious favour, and further our labours with thy continual help: that in this and all our works begun, continued, and ended by thee, and in thee, we may glorify thy holy name, and finally by thy mercy obtain everlasting life, through jesus Christ our Lord, Amen. Or else thus. THE glorious majesty of the Lord our God be upon us. Prosper and direct thou, O God, the work of our hands upon us. O prosper thou our handiwork, and this woman's labour, that we may bring forth more fruit in our age, to flourish with praises in the Church of Saints to glorify thee, Amen. If the woman have very sore labour, and be long in traveling, and in danger of death, then let the midwife, and all the women assistant about her, kneel down, and pray one after another, heartily and earnestly, as followeth. Midwife. O Lord remember not our offences, nor the iniquities of our forefathers and mothers, neither take thou vengeance on our sins, but spare us, good Lord, O spare thy people whom thou hast redeemed with thy most precious blood, and be not angry with us for ever. Women. Correct us, O Lord, and yet in thy judgement, not in thy fury, lest we should be consumed, and brought to nothing. Midwife. Lord have mercy upon us. Women. Christ have mercy upon us. Midwife. Lord have mercy upon us. Altogether. Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, etc. Midwife. And lead us not into temptation, Women. But deliver us from evil, Amen. Mid. O Lord save this woman thy servant and handmaid. Wo. Which putteth her only trust in thee. Mid. O Lord send her present help from thy holy place. Wo. And evermore mightily defend her. Mid. Let the enemy have none advantage of her. Wo. Nor the wicked approach to hurt her. Mid. Be thou now unto her, O Lord, a strong tower. Wo. From the face of all her enemies visible and invisible. Mid. Lord hear our prayers. Wo. And let our cry come unto thee, Amen. Midwife. Let us pray. O Most mighty God, our heavenly Father, we beseech thee look down mercifully from heaven; behold visit, relieve, and ease this woeful woman thy seely servant, which is grieved now with sore labour, tedious travel, and bitter pains. Look upon her with the eyes of thy mercy, and extend thine accustomed goodness to her now in this her perplexity. And forasmuch as her pangs and pains seem unto us most extreme, and her travel very dangerous, both to herself and her babe, give her grace we beseech thee patiently to endure this thy cross of grief and groans incident thereunto for her sins, and be thou present with her, O blessed God, to help both her and her babe in this her sore labour. O comfort and ease her in the midst of this her anguish and grief: for without thine assistance, undoubtedly she must needs perish, for vain is the help of man; we, nor all the world can not help her. O come quickly therefore we beseech thee good Lord, and help thou her in this her great need and extremity: work thou all our works for us to thy glory, and her comfort. Defend her from this imminent danger of deliverance. Keep her in perpetual peace, hope, patience and safety. Strengthen her faith and womanly weakness, and visit her, O Lord, according to the time of life, as thou didst Sara, Rebecca, Thamar, Hanna and Elizabeth thy holy handmaids. Bless her, and preserve her we beseech thee, O Lord, that no way being terrified, frighted, or troubled extremely, she neither murmur against thy works, and say with Rebecca, Seeing my griefs are so great, why am I thus with child? Neither faint through sorrow, nor be untimely or unluckily delivered: but grant that in true faith, and continual invocation of thy holy name, she may be saved, and now suffer thee quietly to work thy good will and pleasure, according to thy divine decree and secret judgements upon her, either for her sins, or for thy glory, and our example, until according to thy promise in thy good time, she do receive comfort for her sorrow, mirth for her mourning, gladness for her sadness, joy for her woe, even by mitigation of these her miseries, ease of her anguishes, release of her labours, dispatch of her pangs, deliverance of her burden, and speedy birth of her babe borne into the world, through the might of thy mercy, and power of thy compassion, to the glory and high exaltation of thy name, as both she and we most heartily wish, long for, expect and desire, yea, and with tears and sighs do unfeignedly cra●e of thee, and that through the only mystery of Christ his holy incarnation, blessed birth, and painful passion, So be it. For a woman that traveleth before her time, and is in great peril, pray as followeth. Almighty God, which in thy secret judgements didst once strike the wife of Phinees, being great with child, with such a sudden fright and fear, when she heard that thy ark was taken by the enemy, and both her husband and her father slain by thee with sudden death; that thou causedst her presently through grievous pangs and bitter pains that came upon her in that instant, to bow herself, and travel before her time, wherein with great sorrow she died. We beseech thee in the name of thy dear son our saviour jesus Christ, be merciful unto this woeful woman thy handmaid and humble servant, whom now in thine unsearchable judgements thou hast visited also, as it seemeth, with the woeful chance of untimely travel, to the trial of her faith, hope, and patience in thee. And let not this time of her sorrow, we pray thee, be unto her as the time and hour of Rachel, and Phinees wives trouble was unto them: but by thy mighty power and mercy deliver her therefrom, if it be thy will, as her only trust is in thee. And to this purpose, stay, we beseech thee, the furiousness of the wicked spirits, that they show not at this time, their tyranny and malice, either upon her or her seely babe; and so bless, preserve, and keep both her, and it, that she may be no way terrified, frighted, vexed, or troubled, either in body to faint, or in mind to murmur and despair, through the extremity of intolerable pains; nor at this time for any anguish be compelled to be delivered before her time, to her discomfort. But grant that she may yet tarry quietly and patiently, until the time be fulfilled, which thou in the course of nature full wisely hast set: at which time of life, and not before, we beseech thee, O Lord, then certinlie to come again unto her, that she may duly and safely be delivered, and her child come to life, to her comfort, and thy glory. Nevertheless, if it shall seem good unto thee for all this, now in thy secret judgements, either for her sins, or for thy glory, and our terror by example, to hasten (through laborious pangs, & pinching throws) an untimely birth upon her, or if it shall please thee to cause (without offence be it spoken) an unlucky or unnatural deliverance to happen, as now unto her at this time, as justly we confess thou mayst, if thou respect her and our sins committed against thy majesty, and not rather thy mercy promised to all that faithfully call upon thee, as we here now do) than not our wills, but thy will, which is ever in all things best, be now & ever fulfilled & done, both in her, & her babe, and in us, to the glory of thy holy name. Only we crave of thee, and that in the bowels, and for the tender mercy of our Saviour jesus Christ, that thou wilt yet grant her abundance of thy grace, both patiently to abide thy fatherly correction, & faithfully to believe thine infallible promises; so that for no pain, or extremity of torment or anguish, either in body or mind, she may not be discouraged, discomforted, shrink, faint, or fall from her faith or hope in thee: but thanking thee for all things that may happen unto her, let her feel yet in her body such ease, and mitigation of her pains, and in her soul and conscience such comfort and consolation from thee, that she may assure herself of thy favour and mercy in Christ, to have forgiveness of all her sins, together with the release of all her miseries, and so after trial, this thy troubled handmaid may take comfort, hoping to be crowned; and after trouble this thy afflicted servant may find deliverance, grace, health, and everlasting salvation: through jesus Christ our Lord and only Saviour, Amen. If the woman traveling be at the point of death, pray as followeth. O Most merciful God, which according to the multitude of thy mercies dost so put away the sins of those which truly repent, that thou remember'st them no more: open thine eyes of mercy upon this thy handmaid, now in great danger of death, who most earnestly calleth upon thee, desiring pardon and forgiveness of all her sins and offences committed against thee, and thy people. Renew in her therefore, O most tender hearted father, whatsoever hath been decayed by the fraud and malice of satan, or neglected by her own carnal will and frailness. Preserve and continue this weak and distressed member, in the unity & bosom of thy Church, consider her broken and contrite heart, accept her lamentable tears, mitigate her intolerable throws and pangs, assuage her pains & griefs, and release her utterly of all her misery and woe, as shall be seen to thy heavenly wisdom most expedient for her, and convenient for thy Church. And forasmuch as she still calleth upon thy holy name, and putteth her full trust to be saved only in thy mercy, impute not unto her the manifold sins of her former life passed, but pardon them, and take her unto thy high favour: through the bloody merits and dear death of thine only begotten son jesus Christ our saviour, Amen. Or pray thus. O Pitiful physician, and healer both of soul & body, Christ jesus, vouchsafe to cast thine eyes upon this thy poor sinful creature, our dear sister M. B. who is here thy captive, bound with the burden of childbirth, grief, & unspeakable pains in the chain of sin and death, for our transgression in our grandmother Eve, turning this her weakness and grief, to thy glory, & her health and safe deliverance. And vouchsafe, good Lord, to send her patiented sufferance, that she may steadfastly continue to the end in these extremities, that she may with a true and perfect faith in thee, fight now a good fight, and stand manfully against all the temptations of the devil her mortal enemy, when she may no longer continue. O Saviour of the world, save her, which by thy cross and precious blood hast redeemed her, Amen. Add this blessing. THE almighty Lord, which is a most strong tower to all them that put their trust in him, to whom all things both in heaven, & earth, and under the earth do bow, and obey; bless preserve and keep this our sister, and be now and evermore her buckler and defence, against all her enemies, and make her to know and feel in her soul and conscience, that there is none other name given unto man, in whom, and through whom, she may receive ease, comfort, health, deliverance, and salvation, but only in the most holy, blessed, and venerable name of our Lord jesus Christ, Amen. A prayer of instruction to be used of the women in health, attendant about the sick and languishing woman in sore travel, for themselves. O Most merciful God, and most loving Father, we beseech thee have mercy upon us, and aid us with thy grace & holy spirit, that we (which be yet in good health and safety, and look according to the condition of our nature, for the like hour of ad●ersitie, but with more mercy and mitigation of our pains, than as it seemeth our sister here endureth, if it be thy will) may learn to fear and dread thee, may love and embrace thy holy word, and that we may set thee before us as a scope and mark whereunto we may direct all our doings, and that we boing always mindful of this thy cross and heavy judgement laid upon all women in the loins of our grandmother Eve, for her and our transgression, and evermore remembering the unspeakable pangs, intolerable pains, and most bitter agony of death, may so prepare our hearts, and arm ourselves, that we may order all our deeds from henceforth in all holy and chaste obedience, both towards thee, and our husbands. or heads, as well becometh right christian women, and modest matrons, to thy glory; and as do and and have done all godly women, which fear thee in all ages, that in the end we obtain to be fellow-heirs with them of everlasting life, in the kingdom of heaven, through the merits of our dear Lord and sweetest Saviour, jesus Christ the righteous, Amen. Another godly and effectual prayer to be heartily said of the women assistant, if the woman in sore travel or childbed lie in the pangs of death, and be a passing this life. O Lord God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the holy Ghost, three persons and one only God, the Lord of life, and the destroyer of death, with whom to be is life, and from whom to be is death, who as a loving father, merciful redeemer, and friendly caller to repentance, hast now visited with the scourge of hard, painful, and grievous travel (or with untimely birth, unfortunate deliverance) and sore sickness, thy most sinful daughter, yea thy spotted creature, defiled servant, and grievous sinner S. B. to cause her to know herself; and to confess her wickedness, and so to come to thee at this thy calling, to know thee, and only to cry and call upon thee for comfort. Now thou, O Lord, whose property is ever to have mercy, and freely to forgive those that faithfully come unto thee, we thine humble handmaids, with heavy hearts, most humbly beseech thee, look down from heaven with thine accustomed eyes of compassion upon her, cast behind thy back her innumerable and grievous sins, throw them all (both old and new) from her, as far as is the East from the West, yea scrape the memory of them out of thy sight, quite forget them, and freely forgive them her as her only trust is in thee. O Lord be thou now unto her at her most time of need, a tower of strength, a place of refuge, and a defensible God, to keep, strengthen, and defend her from the danger of the devil, now readiest to disquiet her, and destroy her; against desperation, now busiest to grieve her; against death, now likest to strike her, and against hell now gaping to devour her. Oh heavenly father, aid thou now her. Help her, and establish her in the firm faith of thy truth. Comfort her now, O sweet Christ; and continue her in the knowledge of thee her only saviour, which art now in her extreamenes, and pangs of death, ready to show thyself unto her, as her saviour, crucified on the cross to comfort her. Therefore now save thou her from sin, deliver thou her now from eternal death, hale her from hell, embrace her, hide her in the holes of thy bloody wounds, as thy dear dove, and bear her manifold sins on thy back. And thou, O holy spirit, strengthen thou now her weak, fainting, and sounding spirit against sathan, that standeth now nigh her to seduce her. Say thou now to sathan, Avoid sathan, and command thy holy angels and blessed spirits now to aid and assist her. Let thy comfort cleave fast unto her, thy mercy keep her, thy grace guide her, thy pains ease her, thy cross relieve her, and thy death revive her. Oh almighty God, the giver of all health, and if it be thy good will to lengthen her days in this life, to spare her for a season, to mitigate her pangs, to ease her of her pains, to relieve her of all these woeful sorrows, and most grievous throws, to deliver her of this most dangerous travel, and send into this world out of her woeful womb her child a sound and perfect creature, after thine own image, and so restore her to her former health, as thou hast done her and many others heretofore in like case, that she thereby may once again visit thy temple, and be purified, sanctified, and dedicated unto thy honour and glory, the commodity of hers, and comfort of us all her friends, kindred, and neighbours. Weio●fullie say, Thy will O Lord be done, and not ours. But if it be not thy will so, but that she, according to her instant desire, must now being prevented with untimely labour and birth, through perilous travel, needs drink of the cup of Rachel's and Phinees wi●es potion, and go the way of all flesh; then, O Lord, thou in whose hands are the hearts of all flesh, arm her, we humbly beseech thee, with thy perpetual grace, peace, patience, and perfect confidence in thee; increase her faith, help her unbelief, anoint her with the oil of gladness in thee, ease her of her extreme pains, be thou nigh unto her, and drive the devil far from her, aid her with thy holy angels, giving her grace so quietly to take this thy fatherly chastisement and visitation in good worth, that in this her painful life, yea and in the very end thereof, she with perfect memory & sure trust, commending herself wholly to thee, may in heart joyfully still say, and we her dear sisters and faithful friends and neighbours for her, as followeth. When she is departing, and yieldeth up the ghost, then add and say this that followeth. FEtch now again, Lord God Father, into thy holy hands, that which thy puissant might hath shapen; command thy holy angels now to aid her, and safely to bring her to thee, and now place thou her amongst thy chosen children, and blessed heirs in thine eternal kingdom, prepared for them that are written in the book of life. Fetch now again, Lord God son, that which thou of thy mere mercy hast so wisely governed, and bought with thy precious blood: now joyfully receive her, and say unto her as thou saidst unto the penitent thief, This day shalt thou be with me in paradise. Take again now, Lord God holy Ghost, that which thou of thy only favour hast lovingly kept, and guided in this region of sin, and vale of misery, and now lovingly lead thou her with Rebecca, and Lazarus, to eternal joy and rest. This grant her, O holy and most blessed Trinity, good Lord almighty, three persons and one very God: unto whom be all honour, praise, and glory, for ever and ever: Amen, Amen. Another prayer while she yieldeth up the ghost. THE mighty God of angels, and former of all things visible and invisible, in whose hands is only life and death, light and darkness, and all the motions of the soul and body, without thee most mighty God, all things had been nothing, and of nothing, all things are made by thee: without thy Christ, and thy blessed spirit, which is one coeternal Trinity, all flesh were accursed, all consciences molested, and all souls utterly damned, from light into darkness, from freedom into everlasting reprobation: but by jesus Christ thine only son, we thank thee dear father of all mercy, that now it hath pleased thee to take to thy mercy at this present time, our dear sister S. B. whom thou hast elected, consecrated; and now she shall by thy mercy and pity, be sanctified unto thee in the death of Christ, to be a citizen of eternal glory. Now we perceive that flesh and blood doth forsake her, and all her worldly strength faileth her: now are the organs yielding up the heavenly sound, her soul cometh now unto thee, good Lord receive it to thy mercy, into thine everlasting glory, where as Abraham, Isaac, and jacob, Sara, Rebecca, Rahel, and the blessed virgin Marie, are continually. To thee, oh heavenly Father, be incessant honour & glory, for ever and ever, Amen. After her departure let the women kneel down also, and give thanks as followeth. Almighty God, with whom do live the spirits of them that depart hence in the Lord, and in whom the souls of them that be elect, after they be delivered from the burden of the flesh, be in joy & felicity: thou I say, O merciful God, the father of our Lord jesus Christ, who is the resurrection and the life, in whom whosoever believeth shall live, though he die; and whosoever liveth and believeth in him, shall not die eternally, who also taught us (by his holy apostle S. Paul) not to be sorry as women without hope, for them that sleep in him: we give thee hearty thanks, for that it hath pleased thee to deliver this woman our sister, out of the woeful miseries of this sinful world, meekly beseeching thee, O Father, to raise us from the death of sin, unto the life of righteousness, that when we also shall departed this life, we may rest in Christ, as our hope is this our sister doth; and that it may please thee of thy gracious goodness, shortly to accomplish the number of thine effect, and to hasten thy kingdom, that at the general resurrection in the last day, we with this our sister, and all other departed in the true faith of thy holy name, being found acceptable in thy sight, may have our perfect consummation and bliss both in body and soul, in thy eternal and everlasting glory, and receive that blessing, which thou, O Christ, shalt then pronounce to all that love & fear thee, saying; Come ye blessed children of my Father, receive the kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world. Grant this we beseech thee, O merciful father, through jesus Christ our only mediator, redeemer, and saviour, Amen. A prayer and thanksgiving to be used of the mother, or women about her, after the child is baptized. Almighty and everlasting GOD, who hast vouchsafed to regenerate this infant by water and the holy ghost, and hast given unto it forgiveness of all his sins, and received it into the number of thy children, and heirs of eternal life: I thank thee for thy gracious goodness, favour, & mercy towards it. And I humbly beseech thee also, O Lord, to strengthen it so with thy holy ghost the comforter, that it may lead the rest of his life according to this good beginning. Let thy fatherly hands, I pray thee, be ever over it, and bless ti, daily increase it with thy manifold gifts of grace, give it the spirit of wisdom & understanding, the spirit of counsel & strength, the spirit of knowledge and true godliness: fulfil it with the spirit of thy holy fear, faith, and prayer, and so lead this child in the knowledge and obedience of thy holy word, that (being ever defended with thy heavenly grace) it may continue therein for ever, and daily increase in thy holy spirit more and more, until in the end he obtain the gift of everlasting life, in thy celestial kingdom: through jesus Christ our Lord, Amen. If the child, or young infant, be very sick, and lie sore pained with any grief, or whensoever else it be visited with any dreadful disease, pray over it, and say as followeth. Lord hear our prayers, And let our cry come unto thee. Let us pray. O Merciful Lord and Saviour jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of the living Father, redeemer of all men, through all ages; whose nature is pitiful, not only to the strong and stout, but also to the weak and simple, as babes, infants, and children; we here assembled most heartily desire and pray thy glorious majesty, for this seely infant and child, which hath not the capacity to pray for itself, lying here in pains and pangs of sorrowful sickness, beseeching thy grace, that with the same pity wherewith thou suffered'st the babes and children to come to thee in the Gospel, and laidst thy blessed hands upon them; thou wilt also respect with the same eyes of compassion, and consider this poor babe, seely child, and weak infant, sore grieved with sickness. Grant, we beseech thee, that as it beareth, and here showeth the image of sinful Adam, by suffering for sin; so it bearing the lively image of thy heavenly gift, may by thy grace be delivered and helped, from that which now by nature it suffereth. So that like as it is with us partaker of thy holy baptism; so it may also with us be partaker of thy help and consolation. And forasmuch as the pains of the same poor child seem grievous and vehement; we beseech thee so mitigate the vehemency thereof, that by the relieving and easing of it, we also (especially his sorrowful parents) may be comforted, dealing with it according as it shall seem good to thy divine wisdom, whether by death to call it, or by life to restore it, so that whether it go or tarry, it may be thine, and at the last with thine elect be made partaker of that blessed resurrection. when thou shalt appear. In whose name we pray furthermore for it and ourselves, as thou in thy holy Gospel hast taugth us, saying: O our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven, give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory for ever and ever, Amen. thanksgivings for women after deliverance of child. A thanksgiving and prayer to be said of the father, so soon as he heareth that a child is borne unto him, and his wife safely delivered. O Eternal God, and heavenly father, the creator and preserver of mankind, thou knowest the frail and weak nature of man, and hast in thy merciful loving kindness for his comfort and remedy, ordained him the most honourable state of marriage to live and walk in, commanding them to increase and multiply, and hast promised the fruit of the body to be a blessing, and a witness of thine eternal council of this most honourable state, to all them that love and fear thee. Wherefore, oh heavenly father, I most heartily thank thee, that it hath pleased thee to call me into this most holy and honourable state of marriage, and hast vouchsafed to give me this infant thy creature, as a witness and testimony of thy good will towards the same, and a token of thy promised blessing to thy children. And that it hath pleased thee also to deliver this thy poor handmaid my yoke-fellow, and mother of this thy creature, from the sin-plague of sorrow and peril, in bringing forth as thou appointedst the same, to our grandmother Eue. And now, oh dear and most merciful father, I most humbly beseech thee to give unto me, and to this my yoke-fellow or wife thy servant, thy grace & holy spirit, and so renew the same in us day by day, that both we may live and walk chastely, honestly and holily, as becometh thy children to live and walk in so honourable a state before thee; and that we may do our duties in education, and bringing up of this thy blessing and creature in godly nurture and discipline, and in true information in thee, oh Lord, & thy Son jesus Christ: and also that this thy creature may do his duty in hearkening and obeying; so that of no part, any fault be found in us, that may give occasion to the ungodly to speak evil of thy truth and holy name, nor of this holy and honourable state, but rather that they which know not the truth, may through the example of our good conversation, be brought to the knowledge of thy truth, whereby they may be made members of thy Church, and praise thee for all thy benefits, through thy mercy and loving kindness powered upon us. Grant this, oh most merciful father, for thy dear Son sake, jesus Christ, our only mercyseat and mediator, in whose name I pray thee, as he hath taught me, saying: O our father, etc. Here may be said or song to the glory of God, and your edifying, the 8. the 127. the 128. Psalms of David, and Benedictus: or the song of Zacharie, which he made at the birth of his son john the Baptist; as Luke, cap. 1. and in the beginning before the Psalms in meeter. Another thanksgiving to be used of the midwife, or women assistant, after the safe delivery of a woman in childbed. O Eternal and almighty God, thy power and might is to be praised and magnified for ever: for in the greatest weakness of man, thy power is seen; in his greatest dangers thy salvation is known. Therefore we praise thy name, and give thee thanks for all thy great mercies and wonderful works; namely Lord, we give thee thanks for thy mercy showed to this our sister at this time, in bringing her, through many and great dangers of childbirth, and in giving her the fruit of her body. It was thy hand, O Lord, that hath done it: for it is a work greater than all the wisdom & power of man. Dear father, we beseech thee, ever hereafter to deliver the mother, and the child, out of all their dangers, as may best make to thy glory, and their salvation in jesus Christ our Lord. Touching us, we thank thee for blessing our labours, and furthering the works of our hands; beseeching thee, that we beholding thy outstretched arm, and rich mercies, may be drawn by them to serve thee in fear and reverence all the days of our lives, Amen. another thanksgiving, to be said for the safe deliverance of any woman in childbed, or at her churching, as it is called. AMong other thy benefits, & those innumerable, which thou daily bestowest upon us thy needy & poor creatures, this is not the least, O most merciful father, that thou of thy tender goodness dost vouchsafe for the conservation of mankind, to preserve the women that are with child, and to give them safe deliverance of their burden, by this means making them glad and joyful mothers. For this thy benefit and good will towards us, we so heartily thank thee as heart can think; beseeching thee to work such thankfulness in the heart of this thy servant S. B. and all other women in like case, by thy spirit, that they being not unmindful of this high benefit of their safe deliverance, wrought only by the saviour of all mankind, may show themselves thankful unto thee for this thy goodness, and never forget that thy present help, and most sweet comfort, which thou mercifully showedst upon them in their great travels, labours, and pains, when they fled unto thy holy name for succour, as unto a strong tower, bulwark, and holy defence. Go forth, O Lord, to make them the joyful mothers of many children: endue them with long life, that they may see their childer's children: and the children that thou givest unto them, make thou, as in age, so likewise in wisdom, and in the abundance of thy holy spirit to increase, that they may have favour, both with thee, and with all good men, unto the glory of thy most blessed name, Amen. The mother's prayer for her children's good education. O Eternal God, creator and preserver of all mankind, the giver of all spiritual grace, and the only author of eternal life; I most heartily thank thee, that it hath pleased thy fatherly goodness to give me these thy creatures the fruit of my body as a witness and testimony of thy fatherly favour and good will towards this most honourable state of matrimony. Oh Lord, as thou hast given them unto me, so I beseech thee vouchsafe to give me thy gifts both spiritual and bodily, that I may have competent wherewith to educate and bring them up. Have mercy on me, oh Lord, and give unto them thy grace and holy spirit, and open thou their wits and senses, and give them the true knowledge and understanding of thy holy word, a loving affection, and obedience unto the same, and a true faith in it. Give them wisdom, understanding, knowledge, and discretion, docility, capacity, and facility to comprehend, take and receive doctrine, learning, nurture and discipline, that they may be made worthy instruments of thy glory, and profitable members of thy Church, to the advancement of thy glory, the edifying of thy Church, and the comfort of my conscience: by jesus Christ our Saviour, Amen. Another prayer to be used of every godly mother, for the godly proof of her child; made for the Lady Lettuce. O Most merciful Lord God almighty only, which art gracious and good, as by thy divine will & power this my child was form and made a living creature, consisting of body and soul, in the womb of me his natural mother, from whom he is departed into this world by natural birth, weak and impotent, of frail and sinful substance, by his own property inclined to ignorance and sin; and now environed with thousands of malicious, mighty, and subtle enemies both bodily and ghostly, which wait for the seducing & leading of him to peril, death, and destruction, whereunto all mankind is prone; and were it not for thy merciful grace and tuition, soon overcome. So be it thy will, O most gracious Lord, in the abundance of thy mercies and love, for Christ's thy dear sons sake, with thy fatherly eye to look upon him, & to bless him, pouring plentifully of thy heavenly gifts upon him, that being preserved, brought up, and nourished in divine knowledge, faith, fear, and obedience of thee, through true profession of thy sweet son jesus, in the sincerity of the Gospel, he may grow rich and beautiful in all godliness and virtue, in all his ways and proceed, seeking the kingdom of eternal glory, through firm & abundant faith, and holy conversation in Christ our saviour, working all righteousness, filled with meekness, brotherly love, obedience, cheerful hope, desire of heavenly things, contempt of the world, and mightily armed with thy grace, and strengthened by thine assistance, to vanquish the power of sinful flesh, and satan, that having victory in the end, he may joyfully triumph in thy presence, O God, with the rest of thy beloved saints, to give honour and continual praise to thy most holy name in bliss everlasting: through thy dear son our merciful Lord and Saviour, Amen. Another prayer of the mother for her child. Almighty & everlasting God, which of thine infinite mercy and goodness hast promised unto us that thou wilt not only be our God, but also the God & father of our children: I beseech thee, that as thou hast vouchsafed to call us to be partakers of this thy great mercy in the fellowship of faith: so it may please thee to sanctify with thy spirit into the number of thy children, this infant, which thou hast given me; to the end that he coming to perfect age, may confess thee only the true God, and whom thou hast sent jesus Christ, and to serve him, and be profitable unto his Church in the whole course of his life; that after this life being ended, he may be brought as a lively member of his body, unto the full fruition of thy joys, in the highest heavens, where thy son our saviour Christ reigneth with thee world without end, Amen. Another prayer to be used of the mother, for the good education of her youth and children. OH gracious God, in knowledging that thou lovest all things which thou hast made of thy goodness; and that thing cannot perish which is committed to thy charge: now I come unto thee with my tender children, committing them into thine hands, and desiring thee to cover them under the wings of thy provident mercy. Hue and square the rough table of their hearts: of stony, make them fleshy, that being softened by the dew of thy blessings, they may bear the seals of adoption in thy Son Christ. O Lord guide them in this dark vale of vanity with the light of thy favour, that escaping the dungeon of sin, they may walk in newness of life, and lodge always in thine holy will. Imprint in their hearts, faith, hope, humility, chastity and charity, that following thee, they may be humble and meek, holy, virtuous, perfect and godly, as thou art. Endue them with the spirit of fear, that they may kiss thee in faith & lively obedience, and thou be never angry with them, but loving unto them, as the mother is to her tender sucklings, Amen. Another prayer for the godly and virtuous life of thy child. O Lord God, and Father of our Lord jesus Christ, and father of all them that believe, which hast said by the mouth of Solomon the son of David, that an undiscreet son is a grief unto his father, and an heaviness unto his mother that bore him: and that the wise son maketh a glad father, but an undiscreet body shameth his mother; that it would please thee so to conduct and guide this my son S. in his way, that he may acknowledge and confess that thou art the author of his life, that he may serve and honour thee without fear in all truth and righteousness, and growing in age, he may be mortified in spirit, that he may be filled with wisdom, and that thy grace be with him. To conclude, that by that means, keeping thy precepts, he may prolong his days here upon earth, obeying us his parents, whom thou hast chosen as instruments for to place him in this world. Give unto him, O Lord, such ease for the commodity of this life, that under colour of poverty, he do not covet or steal other men's goods, and take thy name in vain, or trusting upon his prosperity, he deny thee, and say, What fellow is the Lord? On the other side grant him grace, that he may acknowledge that he that ploweth is nothing, neither he that watereth; but thou Lord which givest the increase. Finally, when thou shalt deprive and take him from all the commodities of this present life, give unto him the like constancy, as thou didst give unto thy faithful servant job, who seeing himself afflicted on every side, did never murmur against thee; but falling down upon the ground, worshipped thy majesty, and blessed thy name: for all which things we his parents pray thee in the favour of thy well-beloved Son, he, I say, who was obedient unto thee, even to the death of the cross, our Lord jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever, Amen. A prayer to be used of any mother in law. FOrasmuch, O merciful God, as it is commonly said, that stepmothers be malicious towards their husband's children, and hate their daughters in law, bearing no great love and charity towards them: I being very desirous to falsify this report in myself, whom it hath pleased thee now by marriage to make a mother of so many motherless children, and that I may forever be free from any least suspicion of such offence, and never found guilty or culpable of like malice and hatred towards the innocent, do now most humbly beseech thee of thy goodness, so to rule the fond fancies of my mind, and crooked conditions of my corrupted nature, with the grace of thy holy spirit, that I never be carried away with passions and braids of the mind, to play the tyrant over these my husband's children, nor by any means show myself rough, rigorous, hard-hearted, or unreasonable towards them; but being guided with discretion, reason, and good consideration, let me have compassion and pity of their tender and weak age, yea let me love them I say heartily, and count them even as mine own, knowing that friendship maketh all things common among friends, much more wedlock (being the highest degree not only of all friendship, but also of all blood and kindred) doth of duty require the same in me; as also especially remembering, that undoubtedly my children shall find such favour of others, whither I die or live, as I have showed to other men's children. For look with what measure we meat, with the same shall we be sure to be measured, as saith our Saviour, Which thing well considered, grant I beseech thee, that I may unfeignedly love these my husband's children, and be unto them that which I hear them call me so oft, that is, a mother; not a step mother, or mother in law, after the vulgar opinion, in word and outward show only, but a mild, a gentle, & tender loving mother in deed and good faith, comforting, cherishing, and instructing them even as their own natural mother would. O let me never hate or abhor them whom thou hast thus conjoined unto me in house, friendship, alliance and blood, and made to be brethren and sisters unto my children. Neither suffer me at any time to wreak conceived ire, wrath, and displeasure upon these poor orphans and motherless children, but make me to use all motherly courtesy, lenity, and good behaviour towards them, even as if they were mine own. Also concerning my daughters in law that are married, let me not be discontent that they are blood of their husbands more than I; nor think my motherhood any whit diminished thereby, as she that would seek to win love, by hating them that offend me not: but take from us good Lord I beseech thee, all occasions of strife, contention, brawling, chiding, and unnatural fallings out; and if any discord chance between us, make us also both most wisely with all our might to avoid it, and speedily with willing minds to reconcile ourselves each one to the other again, as becometh us, that others seeing our mutual love, concord, and godly behaviour each to other, may by our good examples take occasion worthily to glorify thee in using the like. Finally, grant me grace that with Naomie and other godly women, to the utmost of my power, skill, and ability, I may both love, cherish, and instruct my daughters in law, giving them good counsel, and also do before them in my conversation all such things as may be examples unto them both of chastity, soberness, and all manner of godliness and virtue, so shall it come to pass that I (ruling mine affections modestly, and behaving myself courteously and motherly in deed towards these my children in law, as to mine own) shall not only avoid the great number of troubles and miseries, which otherwise cruelty and contention would bring upon mine head, but also by that means obtain great love and reverence of these my children in law again towards me, and procure to myself a most holy, delectable, sweet, peaceable, and quiet life with my dear husband, to thy glory, and our eternal felicity. Grant this, O father, for thy dear Son sake, our only Lord and Saviour, Amen. The mistress or dame's prayer for herself, and her family. THy commandment is by thine holy Apostle, O most merciful Lord Christ, that masters and mistresses should entreat their servants and handmaids gently, putting away threatenings, and doing that unto them which is just and equal: forasmuch as we also have a master in heaven, with whom there is no respect of persons. Grant I most heartily pray thee, I may so order my men-servants, and maidservants, that I attempt none unrighteousness against them; but so use my rule and authority over them, that I may always remember that thou art the common Lord of us all, and we all thy servants. Again, that I may not forget that we be all brothers and sisters, having one father which is in heaven, and look for one glorious kingdom, where thou, with the father and the holy ghost, livest and reignest true and everlasting God for ever, Amen. Another. TO have children and servants, is thy blessing, O Lord; but not to order them according to thy word, deserveth thy dreadful curse. Grant therefore, that as thou hast blessed me with an household and family: so I may diligently watch, that nothing be committed of the same that might offend thy fatherly goodness, and be an occasion of turning thy blessing into cursing: but that so many as thou hast committed to my charge, may eschew all vice, embrace all virtue, live in thy fear, call upon thy holy name, learn thy blessed commandments, hear thy holy word, and avoiding idleness, diligently exercise themselves every one in his office, according to their vocation and calling, unto the glory of thy most honourable name, Amen. Another prayer of dames or mistresses. O Lord God almighty, our heavenly father and most merciful Lord, thou art my life, my soul, and my body; yea all the good which I have, and all whatsoever is mine, all that thou hast given unto me, of thee have I received it. Make therefore, and ordain thou, O beloved God in heaven all them in my house, and in my handling, down lying, and uprising, after thy good will and pleasure, thee to love, serve, and obey, every one to his profit. For I believe in thee, in thee is all my trust, that thou wilt not forsake me, nor my husband and children, nor any of my family and household. Defend us Lord from sin, shame, and sickness, and from all evil. Send us thine holy angel, that he may defend us in all our deeds and living, that he may lead us forth the right way, that we may not talk, do, or think any thing against thy holy commandments and will; but thereafter to live, worshipping thee, and praising thee forevermore: through jesus Christ our Lord thy beloved son, Amen. Another. O Gracious God, I commend unto thy protection my house, and all that thou hast given me; my whole family, my husband, and children; beseeching thee to give me the power of thy holy spirit, that I may well and holily rule, govern, nourish, and bring up these my children and family, in all godly fear and knowledge of thy holy word: and that I may be unto them an example of all godliness and virtue, to the praise of thy holy name: through jesus Christ our Lord, Amen. Another. O Father of our Lord jesus Christ, father of mercy, and God of my life; I beseech thee for thy son Christ's sake, have mercy upon me & mine husband, and upon the household and family that thou hast given me: and power thy wholesome benefits upon us always sufficiently, for our living, for our soul and body. O thou great rich husbandman, let thy great riches enrich our poverty, thy mercy bear our sins, thy grace sustain and comfort our frailness, thy holy angel keep us from satan, and from all evil; that our conversation may be honest, faithful, and plenteous in all good works, and we saved through the merits of jesus Christ our Lord, Amen. Another prayer to be said of all christiam masters and mistresses, both for themselves and other in like condition. ALthough, O Christ, thou most high Lord, all power both in heaven & in earth be given unto thee of thy heavenly father; and albeit thou hast given us a commandment, that we should not desire to be called masters, or mistresses: for we have but one master, which thou art, & all we brethren and sisters, having one father which is in heaven. Yet forasmuch as thou, according to thy blessed will, hast appointed some superiors, some inferiors, some masters and mistresses, some servants, and handmaids, some to command, some to obey, some to rule, some to serve; and by this means such as be in superiority, have obtained by thy holy word the name or title of masters or lords, mistresses or dames, because they have servants & handmaids under them, and rule over them according to thy good pleasure and godly appointment, which art the most supreme power, and most excellent majesty, King of kings, and Lord of lords, to whom all things both in heaven, and in earth, and under the earth, do bow their knees, and give reverence and honour, whose praise also every nation and language doth advance and set forth, confessing that thou art the Lord jesus Christ, unto the glory of God the father: we most humbly beseech thee, which art the greatest master, and most high Lord, to send thy holy spirit upon us, and all such as are called masters or dames here in earth, and have superiority under thee; that we, and they, remembering ourselves to be thy servants, and that we also have a master in heaven, with whom there is no respect of persons, may put away all threatenings, all cruelty, all unrighteousness, and do that unto our servants, which is just and equal. Grant that we entreat not evil our servants, and handmaids, which work truly, nor the hireling that is faithful unto us. Grant that we be not as lions in our houses, destroying our household folks. and oppressing such as are under us: but rather that we cherish and love our faithful and discreet servants and maids, even as our own soul; and by no means suffer them to be unrewarded for their pains taking, nor yet at the last to be driven to beggary for their true service doing: but that we liberally rewarding them according to their deserts, may show ourselves to be thy true servants, which leavest no man unrewarded, but givest to every one according to their deeds: to them that do well, and continue in well doing; glory, honour, peace, immortality, and everlasting life: to them that do evil, and continue in the same; indignation, wrath, displeasure, trouble, sorrow, and eternal damnation. Grant therefore, O Lord, that we and all temporal masters & dames, may in all our doings resemble thee, which art the heavenly and everlasting master; and so behave ourselves both towards our servants, and all other, according to thy blessed will, that at the last day we may be found in the number of them, to whom thou shalt say; Come ye blessed of my father, possess the kingdom which was prepared for you from the beginning of the world: Lord let it so come to pass, Amen. The maidservants, or handmaids prayer. ALl estates, O Lord, depend upon thee, king & beggar, magistrate and clergyman, master and scholar, all come of thee, and me thou hast made a poor handmaid & servant, which I do not only willingly bear, knowing thou hast allotted me this calling; but also many ways I have to thank thee for it. For thou hast not only delivered me from the slavish service of satan, but also doest by this my yoke, restrain the wanton relics of stained nature, preserving me from the pampering of the old man, in pleasures and idleness. secondly, that I am not servant or hand maid to any heathen, Turk, or Saracene; but to a Christian, in such a place where thy Gospel is preached freely and fully. thirdly, and especially, because thou hast called me unto such an estate of life, as wherein I know I do well please thee. For who liveth after the Gospel, if not I, who get my living with the sweat of my brows? I do not glory here in vain, but to thee therefore be the glory, who hast turned the curse into such a blessing. O Lord give me grace to consider this, that I may be more diligent in my calling, more earnest in serving thee than ever I have been heretofore: forgive me all that is past, and guide me in all things to come, that I may never halt in my vocation, nor do my service deceitfully to the eye, as a man-pleaser. Give me a sound and perfect faith in thy sons blood, O father, wherein he hath washed (of his great mercy) my poor soul; that notwithstanding I serve a mortal man and woman, yet above them in all things I may serve thee: to whom be all glory and dominion, both now and for ever, Amen. Another. O Christ our Lord and saviour, which being the Son of the living God, yea God himself from everlasting, didst not disdain at the will of thy heavenly Father, to make thyself of no reputation, to become man, to take upon thee the shape of a servant and to obey thy father's commandment to the death of the cross for our salvation, refusing no service, no travel, no labour, no pain, that might make unto the comfort of mankind. I most humbly beseech thee, to give me and all servants grace to practise thy humility and obedience; that as thou most willingly didst serve and obey thy heavenly father's good pleasure, so I and they in like manner may with most hearty affection, serve and obey our bodily masters and dames, in all things that fight not with thy blessed word; not with eye-service as men-pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing thee, O God, that whatsoever we do, we may do it heartily, even as unto the Lord, and not unto men; forasmuch as we are sure, that we shall receive the reward of the heavenly inheritance of thee, O Lord Christ, whom also we serve, while truly and faithfully we serve our bodily masters and dames. Grant that I thine humble handmaid, and so many as are under the yoke of servitude, may count our masters and mistresses worthy of all honour, that the name of God be not evil spoken of, nor his doctrine slandered, and that we may obey them with all fear; not only if they be good and courteous, but also though they be froward and testy, and please them in all things; not answering them again, nor picking aught from them: but she wing all good faithfulness and trustiness towards them, that in all things we may do worship unto the doctrine of thee our God and Saviour; to whom with the father, and the holy Ghost, be all honour, praise and glory, for ever, Amen. Or pray thus. O Lord, we servants are commanded by thy blessed Apostles, that we should honour and obey our bodily masters and dames with fear and trembling, not only if they be good and courteous, but also though they be hasty and froward; and serve them not with the eye as men-pleasers, but with singleness of heart; not churlishly answering them again, nor piking, stealing, or conveying away any part of their goods unjustly; but she wing all good faithfulness unto our masters and dames, as though we served God, and not men and women, Grant me grace, I most humbly beseech thee, so to serve and obey my master and mistress, and all other my superiors, that there may be found no fault in me, but that I behaving myself uprightly, justly, faithfully and truly in my vocation, may do worship to the doctrine of thee my God & saviour in all things, Amen. Another prayer to be said of an handmaid, waiting-woman, or maidservant. Gracious God, and Lord almighty, which by the precious blood of thy Son jesus Christ, hast redeemed me a miserable wretch, from perpetual slavery, and pulled me out of the power both of sin, death, darkness, hell, and damnation: I beseech thee grant, that I be never ashamed of this my servile state and condition, wherein, according to thy good pleasure and will, I am placed. Neither let me unpatiently murmur at any time against my mistress and betters, nor enviously detract from the estimation of them or others; but give me grace to do thy will continually in singleness of heart, as unto Christ, with all possible goodwill, serving the Lord and not men. Suffer me not malapertly to upbraid my master or mistress with their faults or infirmities, when they rebuke me for mine; neither yet let me murmur, contemn, or despise them, as Hagar the handmaid of Sara did her dame Sara that reproved her: but rather make me, I pray thee, as loving, courteous, gentle, attendant, and dutiful unto mine, as abraham's, and the handmaids of judith and Susanna were unto them. O most merciful God, assist me I say with thy holy spirit, that I may obey these my carnal rulers and governors, not only if they be good and meek, but also if they be evil and froward, and that with all fear, so long as they command me nothing contrary to thy commandment. Because thou wilt have me to do so, neither let me be forced for any evil speeches, or rough-handling of my dame, to fly or run away from her, as Hagar did from Sara, to her no little sorrow and misery: but give me grace rather to humble myself as a corrigible servant under her hands, to confess my faults, and amend my manners and crooked conditions; especially knowing her power over me to be of thee, and therefore that the severity of my dame should not make me to neglect my duty and service; but patiently and constantly for thy sake to endure my labours, and to tarry and abide out all my term of service to the end, evermore calling upon thee by hearty prayer for her, and that thou wilt not suffer me to be hurt by any her evil dealing towards me, but preserve and keep me always safe by thy power from all evil. Furthermore, I pray thee, let not satan suggest or entice me to do any evil or wicked deed unknown to my dame, to my dishonesty, or her damage, thereby to cause strife or brawls to arise, either within or without, to myself or others: but let it be a grief unto me to hear them by any misreported or slandered, or to see them by any means abused, and hindered or hurt in goods or name. Give me grace always to obey my good and courteous governors, not with eye service, as a man-pleaser, but in singleness of heart, as she that more feareth thee than flesh and blood. And make thou me so faithful and trusty in all my business, that nothing be at any time either marred or lost, of those things committed to my charge, either through my negligence, or unthriftiness. O keep my hand, I pray thee, from picking, filching, purloining, and stealing; and my tongue from cursing, taunting, answering again, and evil speaking: neither let me with an evil eye, wicked affection, careless mind, and ungodly intent, behold any of those things put into my custody and keeping, nor undiscreetly diminish, impair, or lessen them. Make me to be content with my wages, & when I shall departed, to go away quietly, caring nothing of my masters or dames goods, to the value of a mite, with me, but only that which is mine own. And in the mean while increase thou my health, and grant strength to all my limbs and members of my body, I beseech thee, that I may by that means be the better able to earn my wages, and do my duty, to the benefit of my master and dame, whom I serve, as I heartily desire. Give me also understanding wisely to go about their affairs and business, and prosper thou the works of mine hands, to the blessing and enriching of them and their families. Let the eyes of thy servant wait upon thee, O Lord my God, until thou, which dwellest in the heavens, have mercy upon me: and the eyes of thy handmaid attend and look diligently unto the hand of her mistress, that my soul be never filled with the scornful reproof of the wealthy, nor with the despitefulness of the proud. Make me true both in word and deed, unto those whom I serve, and with all possible care and industry to declare my fidelity and obedience, by my faithful, painful, and trusty service, and by preferring still their business to mine own necessity. Make thou me godly, religious, and holily given to all virtuous exercises. Give me grace to pray often, and heartily, for my master and mistress, their children, friends, and all their family, and for the whole Church. And let thy holy fear be always before mine eyes, to shun and avoid all occasion of sin and offence, both in myself and others, that I may be worthily accounted in the number of those godly servants and maids, on whom thou hast promised to power thy holy spirit, and that thou also my sovereign Lord and master, mayst testify for my righteous and faithful service, by blessing my labours, and rewarding mine industry and diligence, as thou didst all the godly servants and handmaids in the old time: and thereby give me ample occasion to laud and praise thee all the days of my life. Finally, whatsoever I shall go about to do, do thou vouchsafe to bless me, O God, & let it both be begun, continued, and ended in thee, and also tend evermore to the glory of thy name, the wealth of my master and mistress, the full discharge of my duty, and the increase of my faith and blessing in thee, ever for jesus Christ's sake thy son and my saviour, who being very God, equal with thee, laid aside his glory; and being Lord of all, made himself of no reputation, and took on him the form of a servant, willingly to submit himself to the most shameful death of the cross, for our redemption: to whom therefore, with thee, and the holy ghost, three persons and one God, be all honour, praise, power, rule and dominion, for ever and ever, Amen. The poor widows mite, containing seven meditations, or prayers in meeter, for the obtaining of God's mercy, and the forgiveness of sin against desperation, to be said or soong● gathered by William Hunnis, one of the Gentlemen of her highness Chapel, and master to the children of the same. AH helpless wretch, what shall I do, or which way shall I run? The earth bewrays, & heaven records the sins that I have do●● The gates of hell wide open stand for to receive me in, And fearful fiends all ready be to torment me for sin. Alas where shall I secure find? The earth doth me deny, And to the sacred heavens above I dare not lift mine eye. If heaven and earth shall witness be against my soul for sin, Untimely birth (alas) for me much better than had been, And now despair approacheth fast with bloody murdering knife, And willeth me to end my griefs by shortening of my life. Shall I despair? Thou God forbidden, for mercy more is thine, Than if the sins of all the world were linked now with mine. Despise not than most loving Lord the image of thy face, Which thou hast wrought and dearly bought with goodness of thy grace, And since the bloody price is paid, and bitter pains all past, Receive my plaints, accept my spirit, and mercy grant at last, So shall my soul rejoice, and still for mercy cry, Peccavi, peccavi, miserere mei. The second meditation. THou God that rul'st & reignst in light that flesh can not attain, Thou God that know'st the thoughts of men are altogether vain, Thou God which neither tongue of man, nor angel can express, Thou God it is that I do seek, thou pity my distress. Thy seat, O God, is everywhere, thy power, all powers extend, Thy wisdom cannot measured be, for that it hath no end. Thou art the power and wisdom too, and sole felicity, But I a lump of sinful flesh, nurse of iniquity. Thou art by nature merciful, and mercy is thy name, And I by nature miserable, and thrall of sin and shame. Then let thy nature O good God, now work his force in me, And cleanse this nature of my sin, and heal my misery. One depth good Lord another craves, my depth of sinful crime Requires thy depth of mercy great, for saving health in time. Sweet Christ grant that the depth of grace may swallow up my sin, That I thereby may whiter be, than ever snow hath been. So shall my soul rejoice, and still for mercy cry, Peccavi, peccavi, miserere mei. The third meditation. BEfore thy face, and in thy sight, have I, devoid of shame, O Lord, transgressed willingly, I do confess the same: Yet was I loath that men should know or understand my fall, Thus feared I man much more than thee, thou righteous judge of all. So blind was I and ignorant, yea rather wilful blind, That sucked the comb, and knew the be had left her sting behind. My sins O God to thee are known, there is no secret place, Where I may hide myself or them, from presence of thy face. Where shall I then myself bestow? Or who shall me defend? None is so loving as my God, thy mercies have none end. In deed I grant, and do confess, my sins so heinous be, As mercy none at all deserves; but yet thy property Is alway to be merciful to sinners in distress, By which thou wilt declare and show thy great almightiness. Have mercy Lord on me therefore, for thy great mercy's sake, Which camest not righteous men to call, but sinners part to take: So shall my soul rejoice, and still for mercy cry, Peccavi, peccavi, miserere mei. The fourth meditation. MOst gracious God do not behold the number of my sin, Nor yet consider with thyself how wicked I have been. But rather think I am but dust, or as the withered hay. Which flourisheth to day in field, to morrow shorn away. My flesh rebels against the spirit, my spirit too weak is found, By sin conceived in mother's womb, my soul first caught her wound. My flesh is frail, too weak & vain, to do the thing I should, And what I would not, that do I, contrary that I would. Thou seest, O Lord, how weak I am, not able for to stand, Without the succour, help and aid, of thy most mighty hand. And what is he that will not stay the man that's like to fall, Or will refuse the sick to help, for help when he doth call. If thou wilt lay unto my charge, the burden of my sin, O Lord the conquest is but small that thou thereby shalt win. For why, thy glory and thy praise in mercy doth consist, Unto the which I yield myself, to do with what thou list. My soul shall trust in thee, and still for mercy cry, Peccavi, peccavi, miserere mei. The fift meditation. IF I demand what mercy is, thou God wilt answer me, That mercy is the abundance great, of thy heavenly pity; With which thou viewst the afflicted sort that on the earth do lie, And what is this compassion then, but proofs of thy mercy? Our father's old the same have felt, and now in rest do reign, And thou art still the self-same God, for ever to remain. Our fathers were conceived in sin, and so are we likewise, Wilt thou compassion show on them, and children theirs despise? One faith in Christ we all profess, one God in persons three, As thou compassion hadst on them, compassion have on me. Ponder O God, my heart's desire, most humbly do I crave, And do away all my misdeeds, and so compassion have. And as of sinners many a one, whose number is unknown, Thou didst vouchsafe to draw to thee, & make them all thine own: So now vouchsafe most gentle God, likewise to draw me in, And make me righteous by thy grace, forgiving me my sin. So shall my soul rejoice, and still for mercy cry, Peccavi, peccavi, miserere mei. The sixth meditation. MOst mighty God, I do confess ten thousand times & more, Thou hast me washed from my sin, and salved still my sore. But I through sin am fallen again, and fouler now am made, Than ever was the filthy swine, with mire over laid. How oftentimes shall we forgive, each other that offend? seventy times seven, the scripture saith, which signifieth no end. If man to man such favour show, that wretched caitiffs' be, How much more thou, O gracious God, to them that call on thee? It is thy nature to forgive, my nature can but fall, Though thou be just in all thy works, thy mercy passeth all. What time a sinner doth repent, and turn to thee at last, All sins foredone, thou wilt forget, thy promise so hath past. Behold O God I turn to thee with sorrow for my sin, And do repent even from my heart that I so lewd have been. Now wash me Lord yet once again, with fountain of thy grace, That I among the sacred saints, with thee might have a place. So shall my soul rejoice, and still for mercy cry, Peccavi, peccavi, miserere mei. The seventh and last meditation. LIke as the guilty prisoner stands, before the judge so tried, With quaking breath, & shivering limbs, his judgement to abide: Even so, O God, before thy face, in fearful state I stand, And guilty cry to thee my judge, and now hold up my hand. Nothing have I to plead for life, no goodness is in me, Of sin, deceit, and wickedness, guilty, good Lord, guilty. Thus by thy righteous doom O God, and sacred law divine, Condemned am I to endless pain, through just deserts of mine, Alas, what then is to be said, or what is to be done? For mercy yet will I appeal to jesus Christ thy son. For never yet hath it been heard, since first the world began, That jesus Christ did turn his face from any sinful man, Which unto him for mercy came with sad repentant mind, O Lord shall I then be the first that shall no mercy find? Shall I be she thou wilt despise, that humbly comes to thee? No, no, sweet Christ, thy promise is for to deliver me, Wherefore my soul, be glad, and cry incessantly, Peccavi, peccavi, miserere mei. FINIS. W. H. A prayer to be said of a widow, immediately after the death of her husband. Eternal and merciful God, father of our Lord jesus Christ, which according to thine heavenly pleasure hast taken now my dear and loving husband R. B. out of this world, whereby I am a poor afflicted widow, and my seely children fatherless: unto thee do I cry in this my misery, O mine assured advocate; have mercy on me, a forsaken orphan, and after thy great goodness pardon all my sins, which I have committed against thee. Turn unto me, O Lord, and take mercy on me: for my soul is become a widow, and I am alone and comfortless: look upon the tears of my widowhood, and behold mine affliction and misery. Oh my Lord, now relieve my necessity, as thou didst relieve that widow of Sarepta, whom thou didst most miraculously preserve by thy prophet Elias. Take the like pity on me now, I say, until thou return: ah show thyself unto me, that I may be comforted; assist me, behold my necessity, and deliver me out of all my troubles. Grant likewise, that sith thou hast taken away from me the vail of mine eyes, mine head and dear husband, with whom I was preserved from all dangers, and of whom peradventure I was unworthy: I may yet find favour now in the sight of all governors and magistrates, whom in thy holy word thou hast commanded to be as an husband and guide unto me, that I be not injuried by the ungodly, contrary to all reason and equity. In like sort, let me find patrons and honest men, which will have a tender consideration of this my present estate, and secure me at times with godly counsel. Protect me, oh my God, from all false tongues, which are like rasures cutting deceitfully, and as the sharp arrows of a mighty man. Deliver me, O Lord, from slander, and from the obloquy of wicked men, which with poisoned words have bend their bow to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of a right conversation. Furthermore, I beseech thee, give me grace to live in this my desolate state of widowhood, chastely, and godly, showing myself an example of godliness to others, and trusting wholly in thy mercy at all times. Let me patiently and christianly endure all crosses laid upon me, and continue faithfully in making of supplications night and day. Behold, as the eyes of a maiden are upon her mistress; so are mine eyes bend upon thee my Lord God, until thou have mercy, Have mercy on me, O Lord, have mercy on me, for I am full of reproach, and my soul is even as a weaned child from the mother's breasts. Hear me, O Lord, as my trust is in thee, for jesus Christ's sake thy son our Lord and saviour, Amen. Another prayer of a widow. O Lord I thank thee, that thou hast scourged me thus with the death of mine husband. He was dear unto me, O Lord, even bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; for whom I forlooke both father and mother, to cleave unto him. He by the covenant of matrimony was made one body with me: thou gavest him unto me, and thou hast taken him from me, blessed be thy name for ever. The bands of death have sundered me from him for a while; but I hope, O Lord, by the power of thy holy spirit, that nothing shall be able to separate me from thee mine only jesus, the only joy of my soul. Put the axe of thy mercy, to the root of my wanton nature, and cut it off, that I do not marry the vanity of this wicked world: but put upon me the garment of innocency, and tie about my heart the jewel of faith, that I may only marry thee in the covenant of thy heavenly father, loving jesus, and have nothing to do with the adulterer the devil, the father of deadly fornication. This is the only bed of joy, wherein I will sleep, O Lord; and the only ark of all comfort, wherein I will sail; till I shall see thee face to face: to whom be praise, and honour, both now and ever, Amen. A prayer to be said of widows, for widows. Gracious & faithful God, father of orphans, and judge of widows, which by thy word hast commanded that none injury be done to widows and fatherless children: I beseech thee have pity on me desolate woman, and my poor fatherless children, and upon all widows and orphans else where through the world: be thou our patron and defender, and minister such things unto us as thou knowest we daily stand in need of, whether it be meat, clothing, or else what, for our sustentation. Let magistrates thy ministers relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, and defend the widow against all oppression and wrong. Grant that our patrons may fatherly look unto us widows, and all men gladly and godly provide for us and our orphans. Moreover, give all men grace for their parts not to hurt us or ours any ways, but to the uttermost of their powers to help us: because pure religion, and undefiled before thee is, to visit the fatherless and widows in their adversity, and to keep ourselves unspotted of the world. In like sort grant, that I, and all widows, for our parts may at all times, and in all our afflictions, put our whole trust in thee the living God, our Lord & father, and continue in supplications and prayers night and day, avoiding filthy pleasure, uncomely gesture, and undecent behaviour, whereby either others may be offended, or ourselves defamed, or at the least suspected of lightness. Bless thou my fatherless children, O heavenly father, together with all young pupils under heaven, that by thy providence and fatherly care they may be honestly and godly brought up in thy fear unto every good work, whereby they may always fear thee their chief father, obey their tutors & teachers, hearken unto good counsel and correction, and so increase, as in years, so in wisdom, both in the favour of men, and of thee their God. And I beseech thee, O Lord, defend all married folk, with their children, that through thy displeasure purchased by their wickedness, they perish not with the sword, nor otherwise by untimely death be dispatched, that their wi●es prove not widows, nor their children fatherless. Oh bless us, Lord, with thy favour, even for Christ's sake thy welbe● loved son, Amen. The same prayer more at large to be used generally for all widows and orphans. O Most merciful and faithful God, father of orphans, and judge of widows, look down from heaven, thou which considerest our labour and sorrow, and in whose hands all our salvation doth consist. The poor is left to thee, for thou art the helper of the fatherless. The Lord doth hear the desire of the poor; thou preparest their hearts, and thine ear hearkeneth thereunto, to help the fatherless and widow unto their right, that the man of the earth be no more exalted against the miserable, We beseech thee, O most righteous avenger, have thou a consideration of all widows and orphans, and provide for them, by ministering clothes and nourishment unto them. Have pity on them, in all their perils and necessities; stretch out thine helping hand and deliver them, as thou didst that widow, whose pitcher of oil, by the Prophet Elias, thou didst so increase with thy blessing, that not only she delivered her children in bondage for debt, out of the hands of her creditors; but also of the oil she sold and had wherewith to susteme both herself and her children. For thou art the Lord which carest for strangers, and releevest the fatherless and widow, but destroyest the ways of the ungodly. Thou art touched with care of the afflicted, and despisest not the desires of the fatherless, nor the widow when she poureth out her prayers before thee. For the tears running down the cheeks of the widow, ascend up into the heavens, and her cry against him which wrings it out by oppression. Gra●t therefore, O merciful God, that in the sight of all governors and judges, they may find favour, and have equal judges and patrons of their matters, that the judgement of the stranger and fatherless be not perverted, nor the cause of the widow neglected, but that judgement may be sought according to thy law, the oppressed helped, judgement given for the orphan, and the widow defended. For thou hast given a strait commandment unto all judges, saying: Keep equity and righteousness; deliver the oppressed from the power of the oppressor. Do not grieve nor oppress the stranger, the fatherless nor the widow, and shed none innocent blood: for thou art the God which will avenge thine elect that cry unto thee. Thou keepest truth for ever and ever, doing justice to the oppressed with wrong. Now therefore deliver thou, O Lord, the fatherless and widow out of the paws of the ravening thieves, which eat up the houses of the widows, under the pretence of godliness, and colour of right: deliver them (I say) out of the hands of wicked judges, which feign and invent laws to suppress the poor, and to hurt the cause of the base among the people, that widows may be a pray for them, and that they may rob the fatherless; such perverse judges, O Lord God, in the day of their visitation and calamity from a far thou wilt utterly destroy. Appoint unto orphans and widows faithful patrons, which will be touched with an earnest care of their welfare. And also, give us willing minds to pleasure widows, & fatherless children, according to our ability to deliver the poor when he crieth, & the fatherless which hath none to help, to sustain and help him that is ready to fall, to comfort the widow, evermore to be as a father to the fatherless, and from our tender years, to minister instruction to the widows, and suffer them never to perish, but in blessing to bless them, and to fill them with bread. For pure religion and undefiled before thee, O Lord our father, is to visit the fatherless and widows in their adversity, and to keep ourselves unspotted of the world. For he which is merciful towards the orphan as a father, and showeth himself as an husband towards his mother, in taking the defence of their cause upon him, he shall be as an obedient son of the highest, and thou God wilt more favour him, than a mother can pity her son: but they which despite the sighs and tears of the widow, and keep back their loaf that the fatherless eat not thereof, and suffer them to perish for want of clothing and apparel: yea, which lift up their hands to afflict them, they shall grievously be punished, their shoulders shall fall from their joints, and their arms be broken from the bones of them. O merciful God, extend thy favour upon all widows, that at all times, and in all afflictions they may trust in thee the living God, and continue in supplications and prayers night and day, being diligent, in all good works, not occupied in pleasures, neither wanton, light, idle, wandering from house to house, no tattler, nor busy bodies, no speakers of things uncomely, nor givers of occasion, whereby thy word may be blasphemed. Keep all parents, that they being taken away either by war or untimely death, their wives be not widows, and their children orphans, running here and there a begging. Be thou their helper and comforter, even for Christ's sake our Lord and saviour, Amen. The orphan or fatherless child's prayer. O Lord, so narrow is the mouth of charity, so consumed is the fire of Christian love, that where the foxes have their holes, and birds their nests, yet have we poor fatherless children and orphans, no place to rest our heads on. As pilgrims we wander from place to place, and are driven with the wind of pinching poverty upon the seas of this world to seek relief; but alas, and woe to the world for it. The rich man devoureth all superfluously, or else hoardeth up to fill his garners niggardly, so that Lazarus may not only walk amidst the streets naked, but also lie begging at the gates sore, and yet go without, even the crumbs that fall from the table, to ease the time of his necessity. O Lord, therefore do I poor orphan fly unto thee; have thou mercy upon me: for it is only thou which fillest with thy blessing every living thing. I am better than a farthing sparrow, O Lord thou knowest it, and I acknowledge it to my comfort; feed my soul with the flesh of thy son, and let me drink of his blood, that seeking first thy kingdom, I may in the end be crowned with glory, and sit at the table of joy in heaven with thee. O Lord grant this I beseech thee, Amen. The old woman's prayer. O God of our fathers, and Lord of all grace, throughout all nations, all ages, and generations past, present and to come, and which pourest bountifully upon all flesh the treasures of thine heavenly virtue and wisdom, grant I humbly beseech thee not only unto myself, which am now become aged, and full of days; but also unto whomsoever thou hast given the blessing of long life and many years, to live in this vale of misery, to be mothers of many children, to multiple upon the earth, to increase here thy kingdom, and to be as organs and instruments of thee, preserved to set forth, as we ought, the glory of thy majesty: that thou wilt vouchsafe always so to endue me, and all sage and ancient matrons, with the spirit of truth, understanding and knowledge, with thy fatherly wisdom, will to holiness, devotion gravity, temperance and constancy; that the unexpert, the juniors, younger women, and inferiors, which through want of time, the affects of youth, and void of the like gifts of grace, can not deal as they should, for thy glory in the common wealth of the Church, may yet by our sober, sound, and grave conversation follow us, as true patronesses of piety, be ruled by us, guided, instructed, well trained up, and christianly counseled, that unto us aged and grave matrons again, by such just desert, and clear shining light of our good example, our due honour, worthy estimation, condign worship, humble submission and reverence, may most amply for thy glory daily redound towards us: so shall it come to pass, that now at all times, and in all ages, from tender youth, to very old age, through generations, and all posterities, thy holy name shall be magnified in righteousness and true holiness, with all joyfulness, lauds, thanksgiving, here and for ever in the everlasting world to come, through thine only free grace in the merits most precious of thine only Son our Lord jesus Christ, Amen. Ad this Psalm, or prayer. O Lord, which woorkest wonders, which cheerest my heart with remembering thee, and which inlightenest my youth; despise not mine old age, but make my bones to rejoice, and my hoary hears to wax fresh again as the eagle. Cast me not off in the time of mine age: forsake me not now when my strength faileth me, but as thy mercy hath come in the beginning of my life, so help me now in mine old age and weakness, and let it finish the end of my course, to thy glory, and my comfort. For thou, O Lord, hast been my trust even from my youth, upon thee have I stayed myself from the womb. Thou art he that took me out of my mother's bowels, that didst help me in my youth, and hast preserved me ever since I was borne and conceived. Thou, O God, hast taught me from my youth even until now; O therefore forsake me not now in mine old age, and grey head: but as thou hast begun, so continue thy benefits towards me, that thy liberality may have perfect praise, & that I may tell yet of thy wondrous works, and show thy power unto them that shall come after me. Have mercy upon me, O Lord, have mercy upon me: for behold, my life is wasted, my days are spent, my years are past, my strength faileth, & the marrow in my bones is consumed for age. The beauty of youth is gone, the glory of age and graie-head is come: I have been young, and now am old; full of days am I, and stricken in years: yet have I seen nothing, no nor done any good in thy sight. I have spent my years as a thought, or tale that is told; my days are gone like a shadow, and I am withered away like grass. The time of my pilgrimage is but grief & sorrow, few & evil have the days of my life been: and I have not attained unto the years of the life of my grandmothers, in the days of their pilgrimage. The time of our life is threescore years and ten, and if we live till fourscore years, yet is our strength then but labour and sorrow; for it is cut off quickly, and we fly away: so soon canst thou turn man to destruction, and bring the sons of Adam to nought. One day with thee, O Lord, is as a thousand years, and a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday which is past, and as a watch in the night: and our age is nothing in respect of thee. Thy years, O Lord, endure through all generations, and thy days are without end or beginning: yea heaven and earth shall perish, but thou shalt endure, they shall all wax old as doth a garment, and as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed, but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail. But the days of men surely are determined, which he can not pass, and the number of his months are known to thee: thou hast appointed him his bounds and term of years, which he can not go beyond. Thou hast numbered all our days, which vade away suddenly like the grass: for we are soon dispatched, and easily consumed. A man in this world is even like a vapour or shadow that quickly vanisheth away. For all flesh is grass, and the glory thereof as the flower of the field, which flourisheth in the morning, and afterward withereth and vadeth. Behold, our days are to be measured, they are as it were but a span long, and our age is nothing to speak of. Our age is folden together, and taken away from us like a shepherds cottage: our life is cut off, and our days shortened by our sins, like the thread of the weaver, which is suddenly broken off. We are but strangers in this world, & sojourners, as were our forefathers: our days on earth also are but a shadow; our life speedily goeth away like the weavers shuttle, and it abideth not. We are as nothing, Lord, in respect of thee; and verily every man living is altogether vanity, yea infancy, childhood, youth, middle age, and old age, all are but mere vanity. Wherefore, O Lord, teach me to number my days, that I may yet apply mine heart unto wisdom: and bring forth more fruit even in mine old age. O let me know mine end, and the number of my days, that I may be certified how long I have to live, and what is yet to come. Instruct me, O Lord, that being always mindful of my mortality, I never promise to myself many years, nor long life in this pilgrimage of ours: so shall I not live securely, deferring my conversion to thee from day to day, nor yet put confidence in this frail and uncertain life, as did that rich man, saying, Soul thou hast much good laid up in store for many years, take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry; whose soul notwithstanding was taken from him the same night. But give me grace, that in thy fear I may daily prepare myself to departed out of this prison and loathsome dungeon of my soul. Now let me remember thee my Maker, in the days of my old age, and in the years wherein I find no pleasure, but pain and grief, whiles the sun, the light, the moon, and stars begin to wax dark, and the clouds of continual misery seem to remain after the rain, to the increasing of my grief. Now let me think on thee my Creator, whiles [my hands] the keepers of the house [of my body] do tremble, and the strong men [my legs] do bow themselves, and the grinders [my teeth] do cease or stand still; because they are few, and they that look out by the windows [mine eyes I mean] wax dark and dim. Now let me remember thee, my Maker, whiles the door [of my lips and mouth] beginneth to be shut, by the base sound of the milner, or grinding, [when my jaws, I say, are scarce able to chaw my meat.] And I rise up at the voice of the bird, or crowing of the cock [because I can not sleep.] And whiles all the daughters of music [even my windpipe and ears] are abased, and become deaf, and not able to hear singing. Whiles I am afraid to climb high, because of my weakness; and stoop down, for fear lest any thing should hit me. Whiles fear is in the way, & I tremble as I go, and am afraid of stumbling. Whiles the almond tree [my head] doth flourish [with white hears] and the very light grasshopper is a burden [unto it to bear.] And whiles all lust is past and driven away. Now I say, O Lord, even now yet let me call to mind thee my creator, before I go to the house of mine age, or long home, [the grave] I mean, and the mourners go [lamenting my death] about the streets. Or ever the silver lace [the sinews and marrow of my back bone] be taken away: and or the golden ewer or well [of that little yellow skin that covereth my brainpan] be broken: or the pitcher [of my two great veins] be cracked at the well [of my liver:] or the wheel [my head] be broken upon the cistern [of my heart, out of the which the powers of life are drawn.] Even now, I say, at the least, O my Creator, let me remember thee, before I [which am but dust] do return again to the earth from whence I came; and my spirit and soul return to thee, O God, that gavest me it. For all is but plain vanity, and nothing more certain than death: though nothing more uncertain than the hour thereof. Therefore let me have always before mine eyes an image and meditation of my departure, the better to know the fleeting and vanity of this cumbersome and uncertain life, that I may live to thee my God, being sound in faith, and strong in hope, looking with cheerfulness for the day of my departure, and the joyful appearing of thy son jesus Christ my redeemer. And as long as I abide in this tabernacle of my decayed and forworn body, let me with all study minister to my faith, virtue; to virtue, knowledge, to knowledge, temperance; to temperance, patience; to patience, godliness: until this tabernacle being laid away, I shall pass over to my long home and dwelling place, not made with hands, but everlasting in the heavens, where I shall be clothed with eternal glory and immortality, when this my earthly house is put off, and destroyed by death. Grant also, O God, that trusting firmly to thy promises, I may be ready, and glad to return from this vale of misery, to mine everlasting and celestial country: for while I am in this body, I wander from thee my God. For now I walk in faith, not in the full and perfect enjoying and possessing of eternal good; wherefore, whether I be at home, or from home, let me endeavour myself to be acceptable in thy sight. Make me a faithful servant, and wise virgin, alway having the lamp of faith ready light, and with the oil of thy grace and merits prepared in my hand, and still looking for the coming of the bridegroom my Lord and Saviour jesus: (for I know not when he will come, at the evening, or at midnight; whether at the cock-crowing, or in the dawning of the day) lest by a sudden hour of death I being overtaken, and as it were caught in the fowler's trap, I be found unready, and have a repulse among the foolish virgins: but contrariwise, by prudent watching in true conversion and repentance, I may continually covet to be dissolved, and to be with Christ my redeemer. Grant also, dear Father, that at the very point of death, having escaped all hardness and temptations, I may triumph like a conqueror, & behold the presence and power of thine holy spirit: and let my last words be that, which thy son did utter upon the altar of the cross, saying, Father into thy hands I commend my spirit: and when my spirit is taken from me, hear yet O God, the groans of my heart. And the hour glass of life & death being outrun and come, let thy servant and handmaid departed in peace, because mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people: a light to be revealed unto the gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel; through our Lord jesus Christ, Amen. Another prayer to be used of old women. OH my sweet Lord jesus Christ, my creator and reformer, which wilt that no man perish, neither delightest in the destruction of souls: hear me wretched woman, and inveterated sinner, which wallow in wicked life. The whole time of my pilgrimage is threescore years: few and evil have the days of my life been, and I am now placed in the dark evening of my life: neither look I to attain unto the years of the life of my forefathers or mothers in the days of their pilgrimage. I am full of years and days, I say, O Lord; but in deed more full of vices and sins. Mine offences are not a few, but an huge heap of an innumerable sort of sins, neither are they small or venial sins, but great, mortal, and deadly. My sinful conscience accuseth me, and the large abundance of mine iniquity beateth my heart in pieces. This deceitful world, in which I dream, and loiter, faileth me, my forworn and withered body threateneth my decay. This house of clay waxeth very ruinous in every part thereof. The grey hears, a token of my manifold afflictions for sins, are plentifully grown upon me, and my strength is quite gone; to teach me to know the vanity and brittle state of this life. To conclude, my life is short, mine end doubtful, my destruction horrible. Death now beginneth to search me out every where; the devil doth lay snares for me on every side, time passeth away, the houreglas is almost run, my candle is almost burned out, and thine everlasting judgement draweth on. Alas, what shall I sinful woman do, for I have provoked thee my God, and all other thy creatures against me; because thou knowing my forepast sinful life, doest see nothing in me without spot and offence. I have shut myself out of thy presence, when thou didst call me to everlasting life; and I have received that old enemy of my grandmother Eve into my soul, which persecuteth me unto death; my conscience (I say) doth vex me; the damnation to come, which I have so deeply and often deserved, doth fear me, which through mine own merits or deserts I can not possibly put away or avoid. When I consider it with myself, oh how intolerable is that horror unto me! When I do well ponder and regard it in myself, oh how inevitable is death to be differred or put away from me! that now am even a figure of death itself, and carry him evidently about me, in my pale face, and lean limbs; yea, so far am I from flying away from death, that as it seemeth, I rather now post speedily after him. Moreover, to acquit myself before thee, I cannot possibly do it; for that I have as many accusers as sins, as many witnesses as hoary hears. Yea, thou thyself my sweet God, who best knowest me, art my just accuser; thou art the true witness of my deeds, thou art my righteous judge, and if thine everlasting justice refuse me, than both thine enemies and also mine, with whom I have plight the troth of my friendship, are my heavy accusers. No holy man or woman, young or old, doth speak for me, or in the life everlasting may speak for me, and those that might in their daily prayers in this life help me towards thee, I (alas) with all scornful reproach and contempt have cast them away, and utterly refused their good company; but my very mortal adversaries I have too willingly received, even into my bosom. Now therefore being alone in secret, I lie flat upon the ground, destitute of all help, confounded, and had in derision of all. Now in the last age of my withered life, when my glory should be my grey head, that is, my wisdom and fear of God joined with much experience, my reproach alas is increased by my folly; and because I have not behaved myself justly and wisely before other my juniors, old age, that should be a crown of glory, when it is found in the way of righteousness, and joined with virtue, is now turned into infamy in me, and to be abhorred, by reason of my manifold sins and vices. For though I have lived long, yet because I am waxed old in wickedness, I shall be nothing regarded, and my last age shall be without honour through my doting defiled life. To conclude, there draweth on apace the day of thy fearful judgements, in which all my deeds shall be tried and sifted to the uttermost and innermost secret thoughts of my heart. My reproofs shall be revealed, and my opprobrious and shameful works shall be brought to light and openly seen, for that I have been a barren and unfruitful tree, and being thrown into everlasting fire, I shall there burn forever, and of those whom I have lewdly accompanied myself with, shall I be vexed, who also after the sentence of eternal damnation given upon me, shall tear me, and without any intermission or end most cruelly shall minister torments unto me, whom they shall not cease crucifying for evermore, neither will there ever at any time any way of mitigation, ease, or mercy appear, or be found at their hands. Wherefore, O loving Lord, and sovereign Saviour, there remaineth now no more unto me sinful woman, worn out with misery, but thy branching mercy to rejoice my heart, to quicken mine appalled spirits, and to renew mine age as doth the eagle; for that in the same thy mercy, and through the same thy compassion and favour, I (almost spent, wasted, and consumed to dust) do yet breath and live to call upon thee, who art gentle, mild, and very merciful, both to old and young, man, woman and child, and wilt not the death, no not of an old and ancient sinner as I am. O be mindful therefore of me, my sweet God, because thou art my creator, and I thine unworthy creature and handmaid. Do not lose the works of thine own hands, through my grievous sins and lewd deserts. Thou art my redeemer and saviour, therefore save me sinful woman (through thy grace, mercy, and favour) whom through thine own justice thou mayst worthily cast away into damnation. O God be merciful unto me a sinner, and grant pardon to her that repenteth from the bottom of her heart. O give not forth (I beseech thee) the voice of thy sentence according to my demerits, but like as thy mercy before hath come in the beginning of my life, when thou tookest me out of my mother's womb, so let it conclude the end thereof, when thou shalt turn me again into the mother of all things, to remain with thee for ever, world without end, Amen. Another prayer to be said of an old Woman. OH God, which continuest still the same, and doest remain for ever subject to no term of years and time, whose years shall never fail, and the remembrance of whom eternally endureth from generation to generation, worlds without end. Have mercy upon me thy sinful handmaid, for behold I (as all thy works else both in heaven and earth) by little and little, am waxed old, as is the garment by long use; as a vesture am I outworn, I say, & greatly changed. My strength abateth more & more, I perish and consume hourly, and am withered away like mown grass or hay. Howbeit, Lord, if praise be seemly in the mouth of so old a sinner, or if rottenness and dust may presume to give thanks unto thee; then lo, I thy wretched creature humbly laud and magnify thy marvelous mercies extended towards me, from my first conception in my mother's womb, until this present hour; yea, would God I could tell what to render unto thee, O Lord my God, for all thy benefits towards me, which hast not taken me away hastily, nor cut off my days by death, as I justly deserved, but let me run the race of this life, and suffered me to pass the tempestuous seas of this dangerous world, and live unto so good an age. Now therefore, as it hath pleased thee in mercy to augment the number of my years, to lengthen thus my days, and to satisfy me with long life here upon earth, to my comfort (for the which I offer and pay unto thee the sacrifice of praise:) so I call still upon thy holy name, beseeching thee to vouchsafe in like goodness to grant me grace, that during the remnant of my race and little time of being yet to come, I may live still to glorify thee, by endeavouring myself dutifully to further, and help not only the younger sort of women, and my friends and kindred, but also my very enemies, and the Commonweal, wherein I live, with such good council, wisdom, and discretion, as it hath pleased thee in mercy to reveal unto me, or by experience in this long course of my life I have obtained; that showing myself a guide unto godliness, and an example of virtue unto all, I may worthily have that honour and dignity attributed and given unto me, which is due unto the image and portraiture of wisdom, unto a matron of modesty, and to an instructor or teacher of honesty and virtue. Furthermore, take from me the foul vice of avarice, wherewith old age is most commonly infected, and incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not unto covetousness; and grant that I may ever eschew and avoid all sloth, waywardness, and lasciviousness. Teach me yet to number my days, that I may apply my heart unto wisdom, and give me grace to weigh and consider diligently with myself, what the grey hears in my head, and this my crooked and riveled body postulateth and requireth; even that I use apparently grave manners, and virtuous conditions. O let me remember how that I do daily draw nearer and nearer unto death; that mine outworn body is bowed down towards the ground, and that my grave is at hand, wherein by death I shall ere it be long enter to be consumed into earth and dust, from whence I was taken, that knowing this my earthly house and tabernacle shall be destroyed, I may lay aside all the vain pleasures and delights of this wretched world, and give myself wholly to look for death, and patiently in watching, fasting and praying abide his coming. And because my life is now lamed with age, broken with infirmity, and oppressed with sorrows, I come crying unto thee oh merciful God, sighing in my soul, and saying; Oh would God that thou O Christ, of thy heavenly pity, having released the heavy burden of my sins, wouldst command me thine humble handmaid, to lay aside the farthel of this flesh, that I might pass hence by death, unto the endless joys of paradise. For now I ware weary of this painful, sinful, and corruptible life; I begin to loath and detest this queen of pride, this mistress of all mischief, and handmaid of hell: yea therefore in deed I sigh and groan, desiring that this ruinous and rotten tabernacle of mine earthly house, wherewith I am yet clothed and burdened, might be destroyed, to the end I might be clothed and compassed with the building given of God, even with our house of unmortalitie, which is from heaven, that mortality might be swallowed up in life. For I love rather to remove out of this frail body, and to dwell with thee, O Lord: and with S. Paul I heartily wish and desire to be dissolved, and to be with thee; for I would feign see thee. And because no man can see thee, and live here, behold therefore, O Lord, I can find in my heart to die here, & leave this life, that I may see thee. Let me see thee, that I may die here, I desire not to live any longer, I had liefer die, that I may live with thee in the kingdom of heaven, which is the blessed, the chaste, and holy life, prepared of thee, O father, for them that love thee, where youth never waxeth old, where life never weareth out, where there is no age, nor any misery or infirmity of age, where there is no lame, crooked, or foreworne person, but all grow up to perfect men and women, after the full measure of the age of Christ, there in happy eternity and full surety of the incorruptiblenes of thine everlasting immortality, to rejoice with thine elect saints, and praise thee for the gift of perpetual bliss and happiness: through jesus Christ our Lord, Amen, Amen. A prayer to be said of any woman, generally for all women, that they may have in remembrance the fall of their grandmother Eve, and be moved thereby the rather to turn to God, and live in their calling according to his will. FOrasmuch, O heavenly Father, as at the beginning when thou madest man and woman, thou didst place them both in paradise, and there blessing them in their state of innocency, didst give them also a law of obedience in pain of eternal death & damnation, to be straightly of them observed and kept; which through the spite & sleights of satan, was most miserably broken, working his purpose by the woman Eve, whom he foresaw to that special end to be an organ & most apt instrument of all mischief, for her own destruction, her husband adam's, and their whole posterity for ever. Because in her, our grandmother Eve, as in the first transgressor, we are all spotted, have lost our innocency, and have sinned to eternal death, and should therefore have been damned for ever, unless through thy mercy, O God, in the promised seed, the seed of the woman, Christ jesus thy son, which broke the head of the serpent, we did ground our assured faith and confidence to be saved. I beseech thee, and that most humbly, O loving father, to have mercy upon thine inheritance, the whole generation and offspring of our old parents Adam and Eve; & so work in the hearts of all us women, that we especially may have in our remembrance the original of our spot & corruption, of our frailty, deadly fall, and most ready inclination to all wickedness: and to cry continually unto thee, to attain such strength of thine heavenly grace, through the working power of thine holy spirit, that the sleights of satan may be prevented, & we inwardly purged of all bitterness, fierceness, lightness, inconstancy, idleness, pride, stoutness, and of all impurity, and wickedness: and to live in our calling with meekness, mildness, peace, humbleness, quietness, exercising all manner of purity, cleanness, soberness, godliness, and holiness, as becometh unfeigned professors, and the true daughters of holy Sara, following her example in all obedience and well doing, to thine honour and glory, and our eternal salvation; through jesus Christ thy son our everlasting Saviour, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the holy ghost, in all honour and glory, worlds without end, Amen. A prayer to be said of all devout women, for the light of lady virtues lamp, and recovery of her friends and handmaids (grace, repentance, faith, hope, and salvation) lost, and for the ransoming of their souls from the captivity of sin. O Most mighty God and heavenly king, vouchsafe to have respect unto us miserable women, which are so wrapped in wretchedness in this world, that we are altogether unworthy to be comprehended within the compass of thy compassion: O Lord of all flesh, if it be lawful for us disobedient servants, to charge thee our beneficial Lord and master, with thy friendly & undeserved promises; behold than we thy hateful handmaids crave, that thou have no pleasure nor delight in the death of us filthy sinners. Thou art the same God thou wert, when thou didst redeem us with the precious sanguine oil of thy dear son: thy grace is yet as great, thy goodness no less glorious, thy power is invincible, thy divine Deity not diminished, thy bounty nothing abated, and that which must be our only help, thy mercies as much manifold. It pleased thy majestic to send messengers into the world, that they might encounter with the servants of satan; namely thy grace, lady virtues pilot, to encounter with vain desires; repetance, to banish sin; lady virtue, with her friends faith and hope, to drive away the dread of death and desperation; and finally salvation, to prevent the force of the hellish furies. But alas thou seest, O Lord, how fraillie we have dealt with thee, & with thy messengers: thou knowest likewise, that we have not been in readiness willingly to receive or accept the light of lady virtues lamp, when it shined upon us, to guide us in the way to everlasting life; but have too retchleslie extinguished it with worldly vanities, and wilfully shadowed it with our sins, whereby we have fallen from virtue; not she by us, but we by wanting her, do vade: faith, not by us, but we with want of faith do faint: hope, not by us, but we with want of heavenly hope do halt: they of themselves are strong, but we without them are weaker than weakness itself. Recover us in them, O God, that we (who now shame to show ourselves in thy presence) may find through Christ, some occasion of countenance, when we come with our lamps of pure faith, clearly burning in our hands, to meet the bridegroom, and implore thy favourable sentence in the great judgement day of thy coming. O vouchsafe yet once again to extend thy manifold mercies, for ransoming our souls from the captivity of sin. We without thine aid, are miserable: we without thy favourable regard, are more than miserable, and worse than worst wretched. Suffer not the works of thine hands, which thou hast ordained for the increase & multiplying of thy kingdom, to be flames of infernal fire, and to burn in the gulf of horrible hell, as we justly have discerned, for so be beastly abusing ourselves, and the gifts of nature and grace, which thou hast given unto us. It is thy power, not our privilege; it is thy grace, not our goodness; it is thy mercy, not our merits, that must stand us in steed. To use circumstances in our suit, O God, what availeth it? Thou knowest our desire, before we demand; thou knowest our want, before we wish; thou knowest what we need, before we ask; thou knowest our suit, before we seek. O vouchsafe therefore to supply what we sue for; hear us, and help us; make us worthy to attain unto that freedom which we have forsaken: let thy mercy preserve that which thy power hath made, and wisdom beautified. Thy glory, O God, shall be thine; if any benefit be ours, thou knowest our necessity, and we hope thou doest pity our misery. Yet because it pleaseth thee to be prayed unto, we therefore come unto thee, humbly in spirit, though frail in flesh. It is thou, not our s●lues, that must make the flesh agreeable to the spirit. It is thou, not ourselves, that must overrule our nature with thy grace, our lusts with thy love, our souls with reason. And although thou knowest how to bring it to pass, better than can be surmised in our thoughts; we crave yet, Lord, that thou wilt graff in us thy grace, make us ready to repentance, let the light of lady virtues lamp shine still on us, to guide us in the way to everlasting happiness. Vouchsafe also to have favourable regard unto those, on whom the light of her lamp hath shined; and that such, on whom it hath not shined, may be at thy will and pleasure unshadowed. Grant, I say, that wheresoever she courteously offereth the use of her lightened lamp, it may be friendly accepted both in court and country. Let many buy it, but more use it; let many crave it, but more hold it; and when they have it, let them not shadow or extinguish it with worldly vanities, nor quench it with the water of sin: and when they receive it, let them be in readiness, both to use and preserve it with all diligence & willingness. Finally, grant that all may maintain the light thereof, not only during their natural lives, but after to all posterity, at the disposition of thy divine power and providence. Moreover frame in us a fixed faith, to the fort of thy felicity. Let hope have only respect to salvation, that we may supply the place thou hast prepared for the wise virgins. Let thy divine power direct the discontinuing of our soul's captivity. Let thy pity be priest, to make thy mercy mitigate our misery. Let thy grace guide us, and thy mercy O God obtain freedom for us, that our lamps being replenished with the oil of thy merits, we may walk in the light thereof with hearty hope to the gates of heaven, now wide open, to meet the great King, and all the mighty multitude of angels, who with unspeakable glory shall come, ready to receive us most royally, and entirely to entertain and accompany us to the celestial palace and paradise of all pleasure, there with all the holy company of Angels, Archangels, Powers, Patriarches, Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs, Confessors, Virgins, yea, & our own parents & Kindred, to enter and sing psalms of praise, and songs of thanksgiving to thine immortal Majesty, to whom with thy Son and holy Ghost, be everlasting laud, perpetual praise, and greatest glory, both now and for ever, Amen. Another prayer made upon the similitude of the ten virgins, Matth. 25. O Lord jesus Christ, thou good spouse and heavenly bridegroom, give me grace like the wise virgins, both with a right intention, and upright dealing, to do good works, and also to persevere and continue in the same watchfully and diligently unto the end. And because it is not sufficient, to have once given myself to follow thee, unless I continue; do thou teach me wisely to make provision in time, that having plenty of the oil of thy grace and gifts in the lamp of my soul, I may never contemn thine honour, nor fail in the midway; but being found ready and watchful, I may be thought worthy to enter joyfully with thee unto the wedding. I beseech thee also, O Lord, make known unto me mine end before it come, and suffer me not to departed this life, before I have confessed my faults, and thou have forgiven me my sins, that in the hour of my death, neither thy wrath may fall upon me, nor the power of darkness hurt or environ me; but let me be found such a one at the day of examination and trial, as I did appear and show myself at the day of my regeneration and baptism, through jesus Christ our Lord, Amen, Amen. A general Confession of sins, with a prayer for mercy and grace, very necessary to be used at all times. O Almighty God my heavenly father, I confess and acknowledge that I am a miserable and wretched sinner, & have manifold ways most greevoustie transgressed thy most godly commandments, through wicked thoughts, ungodly lusts, sinful words, and detestable deeds in my whole life. In sin am I borne and conceived, and there is no goodness in me, inasmuch as if thou shouldest enter into thy narrow judgement with me, judging me according to the same, I were never able to abide or suffer it; but must needs perish and be damned for ever, so little help, comfort, or succour is there either in me, or in any other creature. Only this is my comfort, O heavenly father, that thou didst not spare thine only dear beloved Son, but didst give him up, unto the most bitter and most vile & slanderous death of the cross for me, that he might so pay the ransom for my sins, satisfy thy judgement, still and pacify thy wrath, reconcile me again unto thee, and purchase me thy grace, favour, and everlasting life. Wherefore, through the merit of his most bitter death and passion, and through his innocent bloodshedding, I beseech thee O heavenly father, that thou wilt vouchsafe to be gracious and merciful unto me, to forgive and pardon me all my sins, to lighten my heart with thy holy spirit, to renew, confirm, and strengthen me with a right and a perfect faith, and to inflame me in love towards thee and my neighbour, that I may henceforth with a willing and glad heart walk as it becometh me in thy most holy commandments, and so glorify and praise thee everlastingly. And also, that I may with a free conscience, and quiet heart, in all manner of temptations, afflictions, or necessities, and even in the very pangs of death, cry boldly and faithfully unto thee, and say, I believe in God the father Almighty, etc. But O Lord God heavenly father, to comfort myself in affliction and temptation with these articles of the Christian faith, it is not in my power; for faith is thy gift: and forasmuch as thou wilt be prayed unto, and called upon for it, I come unto thee, to pray and beseech thee both for that, and for all other things necessary for me and thy whole Church, even as thy dear beloved Son our Saviour Christ jesus hath himself taught us, and from the very bottom of my heart I cry and say, O our father which art in heaven, etc. A prayer for the Queen's Majesty and the Realm. O God, most excellent creator and preserver of all things, we cast ourselves down before the feet of thy majesty, and inwardly feeling how unworthy we are to have our prayers heard of thee, we dare not lift up our eyes to heaven. Nevertheless, whereas we are conceived in sin, and therefore (as all Adam's children) deserved untimely death, yet thy fatherly hand hath brought us forth, and caused us to be borne, yea and granted us to live in this blessed time of thy Gospel, to the intent that dying with Christ, we should rise again to eternal life. But alas (wretches that we are) we have deserved thy just indignation, by returning to our old vomit; and yet thy grace surmounteth our sin, continually calling us to thy sheepfold, by the voice of thy gospel. Blessed be thy holy name for sending us that light, when we were in darkness; that spiritual drink, when we were in deadly thirst; that heavenly food, when we were hunger-starved. And like honour and praise be ascribed to thee only, O Lord, for giving us such, so wise, so zealous, so godly, and careful governors of thy chosen Church of England, whom thou hast raised up by the light of thy gospel, to guide us in the same thy light, and to feed us with the same thy heavenly food. We magnify thy name day and night, for that inestimable benefit of thine, bestowed upon us thy people of England, in calling thy chosen creature, the nurse of this thy church, our Queen, and Governor, from worldly vanities, to the care of thy kingdom, and into the communion of thy saints, by the preaching of the Gospel; when we gave not sufficiently attentive, and diligent ear to thy blessed word, albeit thou didst correct her, and other ingrateful creatures of this our nation, with thy rod; yet even in this point also thy clemency surmounteth our double wickedness. For behold, when as thy justice might have deprived us of her, thou of thine infinite mercy didst deliver her out of prison, set her free from the lions jaws, crowned her with a diadem of gold, and put the royal sceptre of this realm in her hand. Moreover, O singular and most precious treasure of treasures, thou through her means and ministery, hast brought again Christ jesus, once banished out of England. These, most merciful Father, be the principal jewels of thine inestimable riches bestowed upon us; which the more excellent they are, the less are we worthy of them; because we have misbehaved ourselves towards thy majesty, in daily sinning more and more against thee; in so much that feeling the same in our conscience, we be driven well near to despair. But when we call to mind thy sure and sweet promises in Christ's precious blood, we are thereby refreshed, and recovering strength by hope, approach to thy throne boldly, not offering any thing for the satisfaction of our sins, but only craving, that the oblation of thine anointed, which is the justifier and sanctifier of all that are to be justified and sanctified, may make us clean, and so receive us into thy tuition. And seeing obedience pleaseth thee better than the fat of sheep; and the sacrifice of our lips, better than the flesh and blood of beasts, grant that we may finish our mortal race in showing forth thy praise, and keeping thy holy will. And forasmuch as thou hast thought good to set up thy servant our Queen, a woman, and a frail vessel, over us, to govern this kingdom, and that she must render an account thereof (a hard thing so to do) before the judgement seat of thy Son Christ: send down, we beseech thee, O Father, send down such grace from thy high throne, upon thy daughter our Queen Elizabeth, as thou knowest most necessary for the performance and execution of so great a charge. Thou hast given her counsellors; grant that she may use their counsel happily: endue them with godly, righteous, and careful harrs, that they may be both willing and able simply & faithfully to consult, and also providently to provide, aswell for thy church, as for her, and us her people. It is thy grace, O Lord, that we her people renewed with thy word, do suffer ourselves to be nourished with the same: send forth therefore faithful shepherds, godly and true teachers, to feed us: and drive away all hirelings, and ravening wolves, from this flock of thine, and of thy son jesus Christ. Besides this, so bless us the sheep of thy pasture, that we may never deny thee the chief honour, our Queen thy deputy her obedience, and our neighbours mutual love. Furthermore, of thy goodness maintain peace and tranquillity, defend our Queen, her kingdom and country, from bloody wars: and especially protect her, and us, from hollow hearts, & from civil tumults and conspiracies, which have shaken the greatest part of Christendom. And because the affliction of every poor creature appertaineth to her, in so much as she is thine; inspire the magistrates under her with thy holy spirit, that they may willingly and carefully maintain justice, and provide for the relief of Christ's poor members, whose treasures both she, and we, and all others are, whom thou hast blessed with thy earthly benefits. Hear our prayers, we beseech thee, for the sake of thy son jesus Christ our redeemer: to whom with thee, and thy holy spirit, be all honour and glory for ever, Amen. Morning and Evening prayers. A prayer to be said in the morning. Almighty and eternal God, my Creator and lover; I praise, adore, and bless thee, for that in mine offences and ungratefulness thou hast so mercifully and leisurely forborn and suffered me to live even unto this hour, whereunto by thy benefits thou hast brought me, giving to me thine unworthy and reproachful handmaid, both life and necessaries thereunto belonging, appointing angels to be my keepers. O good God, who knoweth whether till evening my life shall be prolonged, or what death is appointed for me: Oh merciful Lord God, and heavenly Father, that I may with hearty repentance truly repent my sins, and inwardly bewail that ever I offended thy godly majesty; suffer not my soul to departed this body, before it be (through thy mercy perfectly reconciled & adopted unto thee by thy grace) bedecked with thy merits and virtues, inflamed with perfect charity and acceptable unto thee, according to thy will. O merciful Lord jesus Christ, if these things which I desire, do stand with thy pleasure, grant them, I beseech thee, although I be not worthy to be heard. Yield and give, I beseech thee of thine infinite mercy, that by the merits of thy passion I may be purged from all my sins, and that at the hour of my death I may be stricken with true and vehement contrition, and being knit with thee in perfect charity, I may immediately die unto thee my sooeet Redeemer, safely and freely, from all damnation. Nevertheless in all these my requests, O best beloved jesus, I do fully and wholly offer and resign myself unto thee, to be altogether disposed and ordered according to thy will, and to suffer for thy glorious name sake, desiring this one thing at thy hands, that thou wilt remember my fragility, unworthiness, unstableness, and miseries; together with thine own goodness and most charitable mercy, praying thee never to forsake or leave me, but that thou wilt always possess and govern me, according to thy will, Amen. Another Morning prayer. OH Lord my God, and most benign Saviour jesus Christ; who, when I was not, didst create and make me capable of the sovereign and only good, and being made a thrall and bondslave through my forefather's trespass, didst redeem me with thy most precious blood, and loss of thy sacred life, abiding the torments due to my trespasses, to acquit and rid me from the same. For these, O Lord, and all other thine inestimable benefits; namely, for having preserved me this night past, and all the time and days of my life hitherto, I yield thee most humble, zealous, and obedient thanks, offering myself wholly to thee, as I am wholly thine; beseeching thee also of thine infinite clemency, to preserve me this day, and ever, from any ways offending thee, and to direct all my thoughts, words, and works, to thine everlasting glory. Mine estate and calling is, as thou knowest, O Lord, environed with many difficulties and dangers; and through mine evil customs and wicked inclinations, hardly can I, without thy special assistance, pass this day, no not one minute thereof, without offending thee in manifold sins. Keep under therefore, O Lord, my concupiscence, and refresh my conscience with the dews of thy divine grace. O give me strength, I pray thee, to fight the good fight of faith, more courageously and perseverantly than hitherto I have done, and make thou me able to subdue all wicked suggestions of the enemy. Truly Lord, here in humility and sincerity of heart, I protest never willingly by thy gracious favour to offend thy laws and commandments any more. I detest all sin, and whatsoever may any ways displease thy sacred majesty. I desire to love thee, fear thee, and serve thee this day and evermore, and to direct all mine actions to thine honour and glory. Assist me Lord with thy grace, and enrich my poverty with the plenty of thy merits, for in the union of that charity, wherewith thou discendedst from heaven in the blessed virgin's womb, and afterward offeredst up thyself on the cross in sacrifice for our sins, in the union of this thy incomprehensible charity, I say, I offer unto thee whatsoever I shall do, think, or speak this day; beseeching thee, through thy merciful goodness, to accept, govern, bless, and enrich me, and all that I go about, in such sort as thy glory may be thereby procured, my neighbour's welfare occasioned, and mine own soul better fortified and provided. To thee my sweet and only saviour Christ, with the Father, and the holy ghost, be all glory and praise everlastingly, Amen. A prayer for the Evening, when you go to rest. O Most gracious Lord, and merciful Father, I thy sinful creature, and most unworthy handmaid, prostrate in my heart before thine high majesty, most humbly beseech thee of mercy and forgiveness of all my sins & iniquities that I have this day committed against thee: yea and ever sith the time that I was conceived in my mother's womb unto this present instant: and most heartily I thank thee, that thou hast preserved me hitherto from all such offences, as I have not fallen in, and whereinto any other person through his own fault and thy sufferance hath fallen, into the which I also without doubt should have fallen, hadst not thou with thy grace prevented me, saved me, supported me, and sustained me. That I have fallen many ways, my great fault and blame it is, for the which in most humble wise I ask mercy and forgiveness of thee. That thou hast preserved me, thy great goodness, mercy, and grace it is, for the which with all my heart I thank thee. And now I beseech thee most merciful father, that thou wilt no more be angry with me, neither henceforth forsake me; but that thou wilt continually, not only assist, fortify, and strengthen me, against the assaults of the devil, but also be my succour, and defence in this night, and always to my lives end, against all sin & iniquity. And that thou wilt vouchsafe also of thine abundant bountifulness, if it be thy will, to refresh my brittle body so with convenient rest this night, that I may the more readily, freshly, and promptly with all diligence serve thee to morrow, according to that state that thou hast set me, and called me unto; so that all my life may please thee, and through thine assistance be so ordered and governed, that after this vain and transitory life, I may attain the life everlasting: through jesus Christ our Lord, So be it. Or else pray thus before you go to bed. O Lord jesus Christ, whose bottomless goodness we have to thank for all things, who hast given the most clear light of the day time, as well to the good as to the evil, to go about such affairs and business as we have to do: and hast mercifully given the lovely silence of the night for the strength of our weak and feeble bodies, to be refreshed with lying at rest, and to put away the carefulness of our minds, and for the assuaging of our heart's sorrows; whereas to all them that love thee, thou thyself dost much better accomplish and perform all those things within in the heart, to whom towards all duties and acts of godly conversation, thou dost for their faith sake, much more clearly show the lamp of thy light, than the sun shineth bright unto the world, and whom thy promises do not suffer at any time to wax weary, the comfort and consolation of thy spirit doth much more effectually wash away all heaviness of heart, than doth the sleep of the body: so that the whole man doth not in any more safely, or more sweetly repose himself, than in thy mercy, our most gracious Redeemer. I beseech thee, that whatsoever I have this day committed or done through human frailty and negligence, that hath offended thine eyes, thou according to thine accustomed goodness forgive it me. And also grant thou, that this night to come, thou prospering, it may be lucky unto me; thou being my keeper, it may be pure, and thou being my defender, it may be safe from all mighty illusions of the wicked spirits: so that this rest & sleep which I shall now take, may restore both my body and my soul more fresh and lusty against to morrow, to serve thee in the perfect obedience of a Christian woman. And forasmuch as this life hath not so much as any one hour of assurance unto us, when the eventide thereof shall come, and the sleep of this body and flesh shall grow upon us (out of the which we shall not awake, until such time as at the angel's trumpet, even the dead also shall be raised) I beseech thee, that thou wilt at that time lighten the eyes of my soul, so that the lamp of my faith may not then be extinguished with the five foolish virgins, and I sleep in everlasting death: but contrariwise, with the five wise virgins, having my lamp of pure faith clearly burning, I may be accepted and peaceably rest in thee, unto whom even the dead do live, which livest and reignest with God the father, and the holy ghost, for ever and ever, world without end, Amen. Our Father which art, etc. Into thy hands, O Lord, I commit my spirit; for thou hast redeemed me, O Lord, thou God of truth. Unto him that is able to keep us that we fall not, and to present us faultless before the presence of his glory with joy; that is, to God, only wise, our Saviour, be all glory and majesty, dominion and power, praise and thanksgiving, both now and for ever; Amen, Amen. A Table containing the several titles of every particular prayer comprised in this fift Lamp, whereby the reader may readily understand the right use of the same, and apply them accordingly. A Prayer for silence, shamefastness, and chastity. Page. 1. A prayer to be said of single women against all evil behaviour, vice, and vanity, and for the obtaining of modesty, chastity, and all maidenly virtues. 2. Another of the same. 5. Another. 6. For the grace of God's holy spirit, to resist all sinful motions, and keep pure the state of single life. 7. Another prayer in the behalf of all Virgins, or single women, for the keeping of obedience, modesty, chastity, purity, and cleanness of living. 9 Another prayer to the same effect. 10. A prayer to be said for all virgins and maids generally. 11. A lamentation of any woman, virgin, wife, or widow, for her virginity or chastity, lost by fornication or adultery: not unapt also to be used of any Christian sinner, or sinful soul, adulterated and fallen away by sin from her spiritual spouse Christ jesus, divided into six several Chapters. 13, 15, 18, 20, 23, 24. Another lamentation of a woman that hath lost her virginity and chastity: or of a Christian soul polluted with sin. 26. A prayer of Marie magdalen's repentance. 32. Another prayer of the woman taken in adultery. 33. A prayer to be said of any damsel, daughter, or maiden-child. 34. Another very necessary prayer to be said of any daughter, or maiden-child. 35. A prayer to be said of a daughter in law that is married. 40. Another prayer to be used of a daughter in law. 43. A prayer to be said of any woman, when she is wooed of any man to be his wife. 46. Another prayer to be used of any woman, before the solemnisation of her marriage. 48. Another prayer to be used of the man or woman, a little before they be married. 49. Another meditation and prayer, declaring how Christ adorneth the nuptial feast with his bodily presence. 50. A prayer to be used of a virgin newly married, together with her husband. 53. A sentence out of Toby, worthy to be called to memory of all new married folks. ibidem. Another very necessary and fruitful prayer, to be often used of all married couples. 55. Another prayer to be used of married folks, to live chastely and purely in holy matrimony. 62. Another prayer to be used of such married couples, as where the woman is not past childbearing. 63. Another prayer for all wedded folks generally. 65. A prayer to be said of a young married woman, or wife. 68 Another of the same. ibidem. A prayer to be used of any Noble woman, etc. when she is married, or afterward. 70. Another prayer to be said of any Noble woman, Lady, Gentlewoman, or modest matron married. 72. A prayer to be used of the wife that hath a froward and bitter husband. 73. A prayer to be used of the wife for her husband, before, or in his traveling by land. 76. Another. 77. A prayer to be used of the wife for her husband being a Captain or Soldier, and gone a warfare. 79. Another of the same. 80. A fruitful prayer to be said with tears of all godly women, in the time of bloody battle, etc. 82. A prayer to be said of any wife or daughter for her husband or father, being a merchant-venterer. 85. When your husband or father is come safe home from his journey. 89. A prayer and thanksgiving to be said, when your husband (or father) with his ship, is safely come home from his voyage by sea. 90. When your husband, or friend, is in prison and endurance, or otherwise persecuted, or in trouble, and affliction. 91. When your husband or other friend is delivered out of any trouble. 93. A prayer to be used of a woman with child. 95. Another of the same. 99 Another. 100 Another. 101. The same prayer in meeter. 105. Another godly & earnest prayer to be said of every faithful woman in the time of her childbed, used of the virtuous Lady Francis Aburgavennie. 106. Another prayer of a woman being in travel. 107. A prayer in meeter to be said of a woman with child, made by W.H. 108. A prayer to be said in long and dangerous travel. 112. Another. 117. Prayers and thanksgivings to be used of women in childbed, after their travel and deliverance. 119. Another used of the virtuous Lady Francis Aburgavennie. 121. Another. 122. A prayer to be used of a woman at her purification, or Churching. 123. Prayers to be said for women with child, before, or in travel, by the midwife, husband, or any other man or woman. page. 125. Another. 127. Another. 128. Another prayer for a Queen being with child. ibidem. Another prayer for a Queen, Noble woman, or Lady with child. 129. A general form of prayer for all women with child, and in childbed. 130. The same prayer more brief for women with child generally. 132. A prayer to be said of every Christian midwife for herself, before she execute her office. 134. Another prayer to be said of the midwife, when she goeth about to do her office. 136. Another. 137. A prayer to be said of the midwife and all the women about her, if the party be in long and sore travel, and in danger of death. 138. For a woman that traveleth before her time. 141. If the woman traveling be at the point of death. 143. Another. 144. A prayer of instruction to be used of the women in health, attendant about the sick and languishing woman in sore travel. 145. Another godly and effectual prayer to be heartily said of the women assistant, if the woman in sore travel or childbed lie in the pangs of death, & be passing this life. 146. When she is departing and yieldeth up the ghost. 148. Another of the same. 149. A prayer to be said after her departure. 150. A prayer and thanksgiving to be used of the mother, or women about her, after the child is baptized. 151. If the young infant be very sick, and lie sore pained with any grief, or whensoever else it be visited with any dreadful disease. ibidem. A thanksgiving and prayer to be said of the father, so soon as he heareth that a child is borne unto him, and his wife safely delivered. 153. Another thanksgiving to be used of the midwife, or women assistant, after the safe delivery of a woman in childbed. 154. Another thanksgiving to be said for the safe deliverance of any woman in childbed, or at her churching. 155. The mother's prayer for her children's good education. 156. Another prayer to be used of every godly mother, for the godly proof of her child; made for the Lady Lettuce. page. 157. 158. 159. A prayer to be used of any mother in law. 160. The mistress or dames prayer, etc. 163. 164. 165. The maidservants, or handmaids prayer. 168. 169. 169. Another prayer to be said of an handmaid, waiting woman, or maidservant. 170. The poor widows mite, containing seven meditations or prayers in meeter, for the obtaining of God's mercy, and the forgiveness of sin, to be said or song, gathered by William Hunnis. 173. A prayer to be said of a widow, immediately after the death of her husband. 177. 179. A prayer to be said of widows, for widows. ibidem. The same more at large to be used generally for all widows and orphans. 181. The orphan or fatherless child's prayer. 183. The old woman's prayer. 184. 185. 191. 194. A prayer to be said generally for all women, that they may have in remembrance the fall of their grandmother Eue. page. 197. A prayer to be said of all devout women, etc. 199. A prayer made upon the similitude of the ten virgins. 202. A general confession of sins, etc. 203. A prayer for the Queen's Majesty and the Realm. 204. A prayer to be said in the morning. 208. 209. A prayer to be said in the evening. 210. 211. FINIS.