THERE is nothing that becommeth a maid better than sobernes, si­lence, shamefastnes, and chastitie, both of bodie & mind. For these things being once lost, she is no more a maid, but a strū ­pet in the sight of God, howsoeuer shee disgui­seth hir selfe, and dissem­bleth with the world. I therefore most humblie beseech thee, O mercifull Father, from whome com­meth euerie good and perfect gift, and without whom, we are not able to doo anie thing: that thou wilt so or­der my tongue, and dispose my talke, that I speake no­thing, but that becommeth my state, age, and person; neither that I delight to heare anie talke, that might in anie point mooue me to lewdnes or lightnes, seeing that euill words corrupt good maners. Giue me also such shamefastnes, as may plucke me awaie from the delectation, either of thinking, speaking, hearing, see­ing, [Page 2] or dooing euill; that my whole delight may be in vertue, in godlines, in eschewing idlenes, in giuing my selfe continuallie to some godlie exercise; but aboue all things, in thinking and speaking of thee, in reading thy blessed word and heauenlie lawe, which is a lan­terne to my feete, and a light to my paths.

Moreouer, suffer neither my mind to be defiled with [...]uill thoughts, nor my bodie to be corrupted with anie kind of vncleannes; but giue me grace so to order my selfe in eschewing idlenes, and wanton wicked compa­nie, that my mind being free from euill affects, and my bodie cleere from all vncleannes; I may be found a meete temple for the holie Ghost to inhabit. And if it be thy good pleasure hereafter to call me vnto the honou­rable state of matrimonie, that I may bring also vnto mine husband, a pure and vndefiled bodie, and so liue with him in thy feare, vnto the praise and glorie of thy blessed name,

Amen.

ALmightie and euerliuing GOD, which art of a pure, chaste, vnspot­ted, & eternall essence: chaste minds please thee, and godlie conuersation thou likest well. Wherefore I be­seech thee, create in mee a cleane hart, O Lord, and keepe mee from vncleane cogitations, harlotrie, whooredome, and all impuritie. Take from me a wan­ton eie, and let me not gaze vpon the beauti [...] or comlie personage of anie man, least I be taken in his snares; but giue me grace to shun ill companie, least I come to shame and reproch. Turne awaie mine eies, I saie, good Lord, from beholding a beautifull man, and keepe [Page 3] me from immodest, wanton, and effeminate persons, whose delight is all the daie long in chambering and wantonnes, in excesse of wine, vaine pleasures, and all maner of wickednes and riot. As for many idle words, much babling, filthie speech, and scurillitie, let them be so far from mine hart, that they neuer come once into my mouth or lips. Preserue me, O Lord, and keepe me from all the snares of Satan, from all allurements, intisements, prouocations, & occasions of sin, & trans­gressing thy most holie commandements; as namelie, from pride, nicenes, sloth, & idlenes; from pranking, pricking, pointing, painting, frisling, & decking of my self to appeare piked, feate, gorgious, & gaie in the eies of men: from taking too much libertie to gad abroad to see and to be seene, or to prance in pride arrogantlie; from haunting euill companie, and resorting to ban­kets, weddings, idle games, heathenish sports, & disso­lute plaies, and pastimes, vaine pleasures, and filthie dalliance and dansings, the extreame of all vices: fi­nallie, from all enuie, arrogancie, ambition, impuden­cie, piertnes, boldnes, rashnes, vnshamefastnes, disso­lute laughing, excessiue feeding, retchlesnes, dissolute­nes, deliciousnes, wantonnes, lightnes, inconstancie, curiositie, and from all other euill behauiour, vice, and vanitie, good Lord, for thine holie name sake deliuer me: least of a member of Christ, I prooue a member of the diuell, by following the works of the flesh, and loo­sing that inestimable treasure of great price, mine ho­nestie, chastitie, and virginitie.

Oh let me not, I beseech thee, with Dinah, Dalida, Salomen, & such like dansing damsels, become equall with the vngodlie, by plaieng the foolish virgin, as they did, and in liuing vngodlie or dishonestlie, to the shame and great griefe of my friends, and to mine owne infa­mie, destruction, and damnation: but grant, O good and gratious God, that both inwardlie with a pure [Page 4] conscience, cleane soule, chaste hart, and vnpolluted mind: and outwardlie with an vnspotted bodie, holie vessell, and vndefiled members, after the good example of Sara, Rebecca,, Ruth, Iudith, Susanna, the vir­gin Marie, and such other godlie women, I may Chri­stianlie serue, worship, and glorifie thee in true faith, feare, and loue, and in perfect chastitie, shamefastnes, sobernes, demure [...]es, modestie, measure, thriftinesse, scarsitie, diligence in house, care of deuotion, meeknes, holines, puritie, and all other vertues bodilie & ghost­lie: that when the celestiall bridegroome, my Sauiour Iesus commeth, I hauing my Lampe replenished with oile, may with those fiue wise virgins be found readie euen at midnight to meete the bridegroome, and happilie enter with him to the wedding, there with thine elect virgins to taste of all the good fatnes of the pleasures of paradise.

And if it shall please thee hereafter to prepare me for an husband, and to call mee vnto the holie state of ho­nourable marriage: assist me, I beseech thee, that in thy feare, with honestie of bodie and good fame, not of curiositie, or incontinencie, nor through sinister pra­ctise and priuie contracts; but with chaste and holie loue, with continuall praier and lawfull meanes, and that with the consent and agreement of parents and friends on both sides first carefullie obteined, I may (euen 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, especiallie considering that thou hast therefore ordeined that state of life, that the vir­gin, which hath not the gift of single life, feeling hir in­firmitie, and to auoid fornication, might marrie, and take an husband in the Lord: as also that mankind in chaste wedlocke may be multiplied, and that an holie Church (which both in this world, and for euer shall praise thee) might be gathered and chosen.

[Page 5]And forasmuch, O Lord, as a prudent, a wise, and a godlie man commeth from thee, and is thy gift; who onlie triest the harts and reines, and knowest the verie secret cogitations and conditions of all men: prouide I beseech thee, and giue me vnto a man of vnderstan­ding, of sound and Christian religion, of wise gouerne­ment and behauiour; of a good life and vertuous dis­position: euen such an husband, I say, as may be faith­full, constant, gentle, honest, tender, and louing vnto mee; and godlie, zealous, sincere and religious in thy sight: but from an vnwise, irreligious, vnfaithfull, and wauering minded man, from an hastie, testie, rash, hed­die, furious, bitter, angrie, vnthriftie and couetous husband, good Lord for thy holie name sake deliuer me; and grant, that obteining at thy fatherlie hands a good husband, euen according to mine (or rather thine) owne hart, and being holilie coupled togither in Chri­stian loue and puritie, we may both liue togither ver­tuouslie and quietlie in thy feare, without sinne or shame, and also die in a good age godlie and Christian­lie in thy faith, without eternall death and condemna­tion, through Iesus Christ our Lord,

Amen.

LOrd, thou hast commanded by thine holie Apostle, that wee should ab­staine from fornication, and that e­uerie one of vs should knowe how to keepe our vessell (that is our bodie) in holinesse, chastitie, and honour, and not in the lusts of concupiscence and vncleannes, as doo the heathen which knowe not God. I beseech thee giue me grace to behaue my selfe according to this thy holie commande­ment, that in this my single life and state of virginitie, I defile not my bodie with whoredome, adulterie, for­nication, [Page 6] or with anie other filthinesse and vncleane­nesse; but so order my selfe with all honestie, sobrietie, chastitie, and purenesse of life, that I may glorifie thee my Lord God, both in soule and bodie,

Amen.

ALbeit, most mercifull Father, mari­age is honourable among all per­sons, and the bed vndefiled; yet for­asmuch as partlie for the tender­nesse of mine age, I am not apt for holie wedlocke, and partlie through thine exceeding and aboue naturall gift (for none can liue chaste, except thou giue hir that gift) I liue yet free from the sweet yoke of Matrimonie, I hartilie praie thee, that as I haue receiued of thee the gift of continencie and virgi­nitie, so I may haue grace from thee to bridle my selfe from lusts, & from all foolish appetits: and to frame my life in all godlie & vertuous exercises both of the bodie and mind: yea so go foorth I praie thee to continue and increase this thy gift of chastitie in me, that I may the more freelie and quietlie in all godlie patience and suf­ferance serue thee, and care for those things that please thee and pertaine to thy glorie; and also that I passing ouer the time of this my yong age in thy feare, in godlie trauels, vertuous labours, and maidenlie be­hauiour, may eschew all euill lusts, riotous resorts, and wanton companie: that when it shall please thee to call me to the holie and honourable order of blessed wedlocke, I may bring with me a cleane, chaste, and vndefiled bodie, and so be apt and fit to liue in that god­lie state of Matrimonie, auoiding all fornication, whoredome, and vncleannesse, all dissention, strife, and debate, that thou maiest blesse me and my mariage; prosper my godlie trauels; send me good successe in all [Page 7] my doings, and make me a ioifull mother in seeing my childers children, according to thy holie promise, which liuest and reignest verie God, world without end,

Amen.

OH Lord the king of glorie, and God of all power and might, which hast promised to powre thy spirit vpon all flesh, vpon virgins, maidens, and yong women, and to giue the holie Ghost to thy children, whensoeuer they shall aske the same of thee in thy Sonnes name in their praiers: and allowest none to be pure virgins and thy children indeede, but such as keepe themselues vnspotted of the world, and walke before thee in the rule of thy lawes, and obedience of thy commandements. Oh Lord, thou knowest I would faine walke with thee from my vir­ginitie, in righteousnesse and holinesse. My desire is to walke before thee in a pure conscience, chaste mind, and vndefiled bodie. But alas, deere God, I confesse the cor­ruption of my nature, polluted in the first woman Eue in Paradise, is such; and my weakenesse and vnable­nesse to stand in temptation is so much, and the cu­stome of sinne hath gotten such dominion ouer me, that I am not able of my selfe so much as to thinke a good thought, much lesse to doo anie thing that is good and acceptable in thy sight. Wherefore, oh most louing Fa­ther, take not thy grace and holie spirit from me thine handmaid; leaue me not to my selfe, neither forsake me, for then I am vtterlie [...]ast awaie. For thou seest, O Lord, that if thou doo but shadowe thy selfe a little, and [Page 8] depart from me, into how manie grieuous and hor­rible sinnes I fall; how much more then, Lord, if thou shouldest vtterlie forsake me, leaue me to my selfe, and take thy grace and holie spirit vtterlie from me? Ther­fore, oh most intreatable God, I beseech thee consider my manifold imperfections, womanlie weakenesses, & miserable corruptions, which dailie turne me out of the waie, and drawe me from thee, and powre downe thy grace and holie spirit plentifullie vpon me thine humble handmaid. Yea giue vnto me also thy most ho­lie word, thy patience, loue, meekenesse, integritie, righ­teousnesse, iustice, temperaunce, sobrietie, chastitie, peace, long-suffering, faith, goodnesse, holinesse, and all other thy vertues, fruites of the spirit, and ordinarie meanes, whereby I may be so instructed, taught, and guided, gouerned, protected and defended in this my single life and state of virginitie, that I neuer offend a­gainst thy diuine Maiestie, or mine owne soule and b [...] die, but that I may haue power and strength from thee continuallie to stand against all the secret assaults and open temptations of mine enimies, both bodilie and ghostlie: yea grant, O deere Father, that I may through thy mightie power working in my weake ves­sell, haue continuall victorie ouer all hellish hagges, and also triumph ouer them in all their assaults and temptations, as manie holie virgins and women haue done in all ages, so that togither with them I may walke before thee in the purenesse of my virginitie, with a good conscience, in perfect righteousnesse and true holinesse acceptable in thy sight, all the daies of my life, according to thy will, through Iesus Christ our Lord and onlie Sauiour and redeemer, So be it.

O Diuine spirit, God the holie Ghost, which abhorrest, despisest, and fliest from all vncleannesse, filthinesse and dishonestie; and which dooest contra­riwise both reioice, and hast great delight and pleasure to be resident, and dwell in chaste, pure, cleane, and virginall mindes: I thine humble handmaid meekelie beseech thee, both for my selfe, and all other virgins and maidens, that as through thy be­nignitie and gentlenesse, we beare and carrie about in this our weake, fraile, and earthen vessels, the same most excellent and notable treasure; so through thy goodnesse and fauour we may keepe and preserue it safe and whole, vnpolluted or defiled anie manner of waies as we ought. Make vs gladlie to reuerence our el­ders, and by the good motherlie admonitions and sin­cere honestie of the best and most godlie women, to in­stitute, frame, and order our trade of liuing. Cause vs also to bridle our lusts and appetites, and continuallie to exercise our selues with labour both of bodie and mind, in patience and sufferance, that we may be apt and fit both for maidenlie and hus [...]ifelie affaires. Let vs not giue our selues to much idlenesse, deintie fare, e­uill companie, and dissolute pastime; and in all the re­creation of our spirits, let vs beware of intemperan­cie and lightnesse, and alwaies vse reuerence, shame­fastnesse, and modestie. Take from vs, O God, all nice­nesse, wantonnesse, prodigalitie, and lasciuiousnesse, es­peciallie in the presence of our elders. Let vs euer both in time and place remember our selues to be women, [Page 10] and not beasts, yea yong 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 vs thinke our selues women or matrones wise enough of our selues to teach our selues; but being free from all selfe-weening, selfe-loue, and presumption, let vs rather knowe that we lacke as yet manie instructions and godlie lessons; and giue vs grace to learne them at their hands, whomethou doest appoint ouer vs to gouerne and teach vs, that so we dailie more and more pleasing thee with pure harts and vndefiled bodies, may with those wise virgins, come vnto that blessed life which knoweth no corrup­tion, in the which thou, togither with the Father, and his Sonne my louing Spouse, and heauenlie Bride­groome, liuest and reignest one immortall and inuisible God, blessed and praised for euer and euer,

Amen.

MOst sweet Lord Iesu Christ my hea­uenlie spouse, which art the glorie of the Father, and the brightnesse of the euerlasting light, I thine vn­woorthie handmaid, beseech thee for thine incomprehensible diuine Ma­iestie, that thou wilt giue vnto me a godlie preparation of mind, puri­tie of hart, simplicitie of spirit, and cleannesse and cha­stitie of bodie. Oh kill I beseech thee sweet Iesu, and vtterlie extinguish in me all inordinate lusts; pull out, and plucke vp by the rootes what vice soeuer is in me, and take quite awaie whatsoeuer 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 re­fraine, preserue, and keepe my selfe from all vniust, and [Page 11] naughtie workes, from all euill cogitations and thoughts, from all wicked and peruerse purposes, willes, intents, and affections, which fight against thy holie and blessed commandements. Grant moreouer, that I may loue thee aboue all things; that nothing may delight or please me but thou alone; that I may seeke, will, desire, and couet nothing that is contrarie and repugnant to thy heauenlie will, and good plea­sure. Finallie, grant O most gentle Iesu, that heere in this world, I may so godlie liue, and vertuouslie be­haue my selfe both in this my single life, and after­ward, that in the last daie of my life I may be found readie with the wise virgins, pure, holie, cleane, and vndefiled, and so through thee the celestiall Bridegrome most happelie enter, and be caried into the celestiall countrie of ioies eternall,

Amen.

O GOD, the former of our bodies, and the inspirer of our soules, which neuer despisest anie age; reiectest no sexe; nor esteemest anie estate or con­dition vnwoorthie of thy grace; but art the Creator and redeemer of all: defend with the shield of thy pro­tection all those thy seruants and handmaids, whom it hath pleased thee to indue with the gift of continencie, and virginitie; that they, which yet be free from the sweet yoke of matrimonie, by the helpe of thy grace subduing all sinfull motions and concupiscences of the flesh, and being giuen to all good works, and holie exercises both of the bodie and mind, may be vnseparablie vnited to the loue and obedience of thy Sonne their spouse, Lord, and Sauiour Iesus Christ, We beseech thee also, O Lord, minister and giue [Page 12] thou vnto them weapons of defence, not carnall, but spirituall, that thou gouerning both their members and senses, sinne and wickednes may neuer be able to beare rule in them, nor preuaile against their bodies or soules; and that they alwaie liuing in thy feare, grace, and fauour, Satan the friend to the bad, and so to the good, may not be so bold to claime them as his, whose vessels thou hast consecrated, to glorifie thy name in puritie of life. O let the dew and moisture of thy heauenlie grace quench and asswage their natu­rall heate: and let the fire of perpetuall chastitie in­flame their harts and minds. Let not their modest [...]nd shamefast faces be blotted with anie reproch, neither let securitie or negligence at anie time be hurtfull vn­to them. Take from them all occasions of offence, and suffer them not to endure anie open infamie; but let there be in them a warie chastitie, adorned and inar­med with a liuelie faith, firme hope, and sincere chari­tie, that their minds by thy gift being thus prepared to continencie, their vertue by the power of thy grace may be of force to incounter with the suggestions of Satan, & vanquish all his mightie assaults, and that by despising things present and transitorie, they may euer followe with desire, and at the last obtaine the ioies to come. Finallie, make them, O Lord, alwaies to prefer abstinence and temperance before banketing or bellie-cheere, and cause them to giue themselues to the reading of holie scripture, to diuine contemplati­ons, and meditations, before feasting, wantonnes, and excesse or riot; that being fed with praieng, filled with instruction, and illuminated with watchings and holie exercises, they may purelie performe and fulfill the of­fice of true virginitie, in this their state of single life, and become meete spouses for the bridegroome. And lastlie grant, O gratious God, that thou thus defen­ding and shielding these thy seruants both externallie [Page 13] and internallie with the spirituall weapons of thy grace and holie vertues; they, and euerie of them, may be well able to passe through the pikes of Satans host, and run their race in all holinesse, puritie, and ho­nestie, without anie offence to thee or the world, to the confusion of Satan, and the exaltation of thy glorie, through the same Lord Iesus Christ their euerlasting spouse, and our most blessed redeemer: to whom with thee, O Father, and the holie Ghost, be all praise, ho­nour and glorie, for euer and euer, Amen.

Of Uirginitie, reade more in the beginning of the sixt Lampe,

O Good Iesu, the onlie hope of the pe­nitent person, which opening the bowels of thy compassion, and to de­clare and shew a token of thy great loue, didst gratiouslie giue absoluti­on and pardon of all hir sinnes to Marie Magdalen, that greeuous sinner, and sinfull woman, at what time she touched with great remorse and sorrowe, stood weeping before thee, and powring foorth abundance of teares, washed thy feete, and kissing them, wiped them with the heare of hir head, in token of hir hartie repen­tance and sorrowe for hir forepassed sinfull life spent in adulterie and vncleannesse. O despise not me also I be­seech thee most mercifull Iesu, which am a more sinfull woman, and now likewise most humblie with great re­morse of conscience and sorrowe for my sinfull life past, doo prostrate my selfe before the feete of thy mercie, wa­shing them with the inward teares of contrition, and kissing them with the lips of deuout & earnest praier. And vouchsafe, O sweet Christ, to make me meete to heare thy voice so full of loue and compassion, so full of elemencie, sweetnesse, and mercie, which the same Ma­rie Magdalen was made woorthie to heare, that as [Page 33] hirs, so also my manifold sinnes and offences commit­ted against thee, and thy whole Church, and mine owne bodie and soule, may quite be forgiuen, and washed a­waie by thine onlie grace and merits, O blessed Saui­our Iesu,

Amen.

O Most tender harted Iesu, which so gentlie deliueredst the woman ta­ken in adulterie, and so mercifullie sentedst hir awaie in peace, and vn­condemned of thee, from hir accu­sers. Behold, my adulterous soule standeth heere before thee, which so often hath forsaken thee hir true and faithfull spouse, as she hath consented to the vile suggestions of the adoulterous and corrupt enimie. Alas, my conscience accuseth me, yea and all my lewd works and wicked actions doo all bewraie, and con­demne mee. But, O Lord, enter not thou into iudge­ment with them I praie thee, neither doo thou remem­ber mine old or new offences, to plague them as they deserue; but deliuer me also a most sinfull wretch, and a woman corrupted and abused in adulterie. Deliuer me, I saie, a woman altogither giltie of horrible ini­quities, from mine accusers, and being fullie persua­ded in my conscience, that I am freelie forgiuen of thee, and from this and all other my crimes and of­fences absolued, pardoned, and quitted before the tri­bunall seate of thy iudgement, let me now depart in peace and vncondemned. For it is thy propertie al­waies to haue mercie, and to spare sinners that re­pent and turne vnto thee, as I doo heare at this pre­sent vnfeignedlie: yea, there is no end of thy mercies and compassions to such as forsaking their old sinnes, [Page 34] doo vnfeignedlie seeke and cleaue vnto thee: to whome therefore with the Father and the holie Ghost be bles­sing, praise, power, and dominion, now and for euer, Amen.

Of this matter reade more in the latter end of the sixt Lampe, and in diuers places of the seuenth Lampe.

O Most mercifull God, and heauenlie Father, which hast commanded mee to honor my parents, by whome I was borne and doo liue; for such o­bedience doth please thee, for thy be­loued Sonne Iesus Christes sake; and thou hast promised to reward the same with long life, manifold be­nefits, and heauenlie blessings: I humblie beseech thee O Lord, giue to my parents, and all other that I am bound vnto in this world, a long life, and protect them from all miseries, hurt, and danger. Also, grant mee grace to obey them and all others, which haue autho­ritie ouer me, in deed, and in word, and in all patience, that I may haue thy benediction and blessing. Let mee helpe my parents in their age, and neuer greeue them as long as they liue: and if their vnderstanding faile, let me beare with them, and neuer in my lustie youth despise them. Imprint in my mind the paines, which my mother hath endured for my sake, not onlie before I came out of hir wombe, but also till I was of anie discretion, for which cause, be it far from me, that I at anie time make hir sad, or out of quiet, through anie my lewd behauiour and disobedience.

Furthermore, O mercifull God, and heauenlie Fa­ther, I beseech thee forgiue me the sinnes of my tender age and youth, whereby I haue, and do still offend both [Page 35] thee, and my louing parents. Pardon them I saie, O Lord, for thy mercie sake. Remember not my rebelli­ons: make me both to knowe my follie, and to be harti­lie sorie for mine offences. Place before mine eies con­tinuallie the example of our sauiour Christ, which in his childhood was obedient vnto his parents, thereby, both teaching and shewing to all children what their dutie is. Keepe me, O Lord, from the wicked companie of vngodlie men, and when they shall entise me, let me not walke in the way with them. Refraine my feete from their paths, least I come into the dangerous and suspicious iudgements of other folke, and hazard ther­by mine honestie, chastitie, and good name and vertue, to the perill and hurt both of my selfe and my parents. Increase, O Lord, not my yeares onelie, but also my wisedome, chastitie, shamefastnesse, sobernesse, tempe­rance, and all kind of vertue and obedience requisite in a godlie child, that I may growe in fauour both with thee, and all good men and women, through thy beloued Sonne our Lord and sauiour Iesus Christ,

Amen.

FOrasmuch as in thy holie word (O almightie God and heauenlie Fa­ther) it is said, that a wise daughter is an heritage vnto hir husband, but she that liueth dishonestlie, brin­geth hir father to heauinesse: a­gaine, A daughter that is bold or past shame, dishonoureth both hir father, and hir husband, and the vngodlie shall regard hir, because she is not inferiour vnto them, but both hir father and hir husband shall despise hir, because of hir foolishnesse: I beseech thee therefore, take from mee a stout stomach, an incorrigible hart, an impudent [Page 36] mind, an vnshamefast eie, and a bold countenance, with all other vices, and marks of a reprobate and disobedi­ent child, and in stead thereof, giue vnto mee a gentle spirit, a meeke hart, an humble mind, a demure looke, a sober countenance, an affable and seruiceable bodie, with all other good graces and comelie conditions of a chast virgin, and godlie child, towards hir parents.

Oh suffer me not to be of the number of those shame­lesse children, that sticke not to reuile and cursse their father and mother to their face, nor of those stubborne and wicked daughters, which as the Prophet com­plaineth, doo rise vp and rebell against their owne mo­thers, setting their commandements at naught, & vt­terlie 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 dronke to vncouer his shame: neither with curssed Cham, let me not reioice or laugh at the dishonour of my parents, especiallie sith I knowe that my honor commeth by them, and that their reproch is in deed my dishonour. And though my parents forsake me, and count me as a stranger, yet giue me grace neuer to forsake them vtterlie, nor to saie of them as Leah and Rahel said of Laban their father, We haue no more portion or inheritance in our fathers house: but rather make me through the gift of thy grace obedient and verie willing to suffer for thy sake, my parents to worke thine and their willes in me, yea though it be to my losse (if thou thinkest it so good) without anie resistance, striuing, grudging, or de­niall, euen as Isaac did to his father Abraham, Iepthaes onelie daughter did vnto him, Lots two daughters vnto their father, and the seauen children of the woman in the Machabees vnto their mother, &c. that with these vertuous and godlie children, I may be blessed and haue mine obedience crowned and rewarded.

[Page 37]Moreouer because thou O Lord, in the old law hast straightlie commanded, that the daughter which loo­seth hir virginitie, and plaieth the harlot in hir fathers house, should be stoned to death, yea though afterward she be married to an husband (which beastlie vice of filthie whoredome, fornication, and vnchastitie, how greatlie thy sacred maiestie doth abhor and detest by this lawe, besides other examples of thy iudgements mentioned in the scriptures, it may and doth easilie ap­peare.) Assist me therefore, I humblie praie thee, that by watching and praier, temperance, holie exercises, moderation and abstinence from superfluous meates and drinks, and ouermuch fi [...]e fare, which makes the mind waxe wanton and ouerlustie, I may so tame this my bodie, crucifie my flesh, and bring it into subiection to the spirit, with all the affections and desires there­of, that I may neuer with Thamar pollute my fa­thers house, nor sin against thy maiestie, my friends, and mine owne soule and bodie, by ouerpassing the pre­scribed limits and bounds of honestie and chastitie.

Giue me grace, that I follow not the concupiscence of the flesh, neither prouoke my senses by vnbrideled libertie, with Dinah to abuse my selfe, and trespasse a­gainst my parents and friends to their harts griefe, a­gainst my selfe to mine owne publike shame, and reioi­cing of mine enimies, and against thee and my country, to other euill example and ouerthrowe. Sanctifie me, I saie, O holie father, that I defile not my selfe with carnall vices, riotousnesse, bellie-cheere, nor vnlawfull pleasures. Suffer me not to cast off thine holie spirit, thereby to make my bodie the house of filthie feends, which carrie awaie, and cast headlong all intemperat, vnchast, and secure or retchlesse persons, into euerla­sting destruction, but driue far from my hart all euill thoughts, from my mind all wicked concupiscence, and from mine eies all vnchast lookes; yea, be thou euer so [Page 38] mercifull vnto me, O Lord, as to helpe me continuallie with thy diuine power, that the holie spirit, which thou didst powre into me at my baptisme, may beare the rule in all my members, and so preuaile ouer the flesh, and all the mordinate affections of the same, that being renewed dailie after thy holie spirit, I may the better walke in the spirit, and serue thee in righteous­nesse, obedience, and true holinesse, all the daies of my life, to the honor of thy sonne, which is the most excel­lent floure and crowne of all pure virginitie.

Finallie, if heereafter it shall please thee not to conti­nue in me the gift of virginitie or single life, or that my father or friends, thinking it vncomelie for me to passe the floure of mine age, to auoid all other further incon­ueniences, shall iudge it needfull for them, respecting mine infirmitie, to marrie me, and so to performe that weightie matter, and ease themselues of so great a charge, care, and burthen, by dooing their dutie be­times, and not neglecting their authoritie and office, as Iudah did towards his daughter in lawe Tha­mar, to the perill and hazard of both their good names and honestie: then grant, I beseech thee, O deere fa­ther, that I for my part not so much as desiring ma­riage, much lesse to shew my selfe to long therefore by anie meanes, may be content to leaue all the care and charge of that businesse, wholie vnto my parents or friends, who no doubt loue me no lesse, than I loue my selfe. And let me be fullie persuaded, that they will prouide no lesse diligentlie for me, than they would for themselues, but much better, that all whisperings, close communication, sinister practises, and priuie con­tracts being of me vtterlie eschued, as a thing most vn­godlie, and in deede far vnbeseeming anie Christian child, yea as things abhorred euen among the Infi­dels, I may after the good examples of Rebecca, Leah, Sarah, and such like holie virgins, & obedient daugh­ters, [Page 39] most willinglie allow and approue the authori­tie, power, and pruiledge of my parents and friends o­uer me heerein, and resigning all my will to their wils, be verie well content to be ruled by them in all things they shall doo in thee, as becommeth a well nurtured, and obedient child, labouring also by all earnest and feruent praier, to further the matter, that I may bring a chaste mind in a chaste bodie, vnto a vertuous husband, to thy glorie.

And grant, that my parents and freends also for their parts, as thou hast commanded, Deuter. 7, 3. may carefullie endeuour by all possible and studious dili­gence, to prouide for me their daughter, a man of vn­derstanding, wisedome, pietie, and honestie; euen such an husband, Lord, as is no Idolater, or irreligious woorshipper of God, no Atheist, Infidell, or vngodlie man, nor one that shall let or hinder me from vertuous liuing, but such a one as is both wise, godlie, vertuous, holie and religious, one that serueth thee, O God sin­cerelie, and liueth in thy feare christianlie, and will gladlie prouoke, exhort, and helpe me to liue according­lie. Finallie, grant I beseech thee, that my parents or freends, without anie respect of their owne gaine or commoditie, may seeke me an honest husband, and ma­rie me in thee, O Lord; neither let them with couetous Laban sell me to their seruants in recompense of their seruice, as Leah and Rebecca were, nor yet with that hypocrite Saule giue me vnder pretence of fauour, to snare and betraie the innocent, as Michal and Me­rab were giuen to Dauid. But considering that the knot of marriage cannot be lightlie loosed or dissolued, sauing onlie by death, let them with great studie, and deliberation, with good aduisement and counsell doo it, yea with such diligent care, and faithfull discharge of their owne duties to thee, O God, with such loue and entier affection towards me their child, and with [Page 40] such due regard to the man, vnto whome they shall match me (as namelie not so much for anie his exter­nall goods of the bodie, as chiefelie for the inward ver­tue and goods of the mind) that in euerie respect it may be trulie said they haue verie well ioined and married me in the Lord, to the reioicing of all parties, so shall it come to passe, that they thereby shall not onlie procure vnto me their daughter perpetuall ioie, comfort and felicitie, by causing my marriage to become easie and well-liking vnto me, but also prouide by this meanes for themselues such a sonne in lawe, as shall be a faith­full freend, a dailie succour, and continuall aid vnto them, euen in their old age, to their great comfort and thy glorie; which grant, O blessed God for his sake, who was most obedient, not onelie to his blessed mother Marie, but also vnto thee his celestiall Father, thy h [...] ­lie sonne Iesus, I meane, to whome with thee, and the holie Ghost, be now and euer eternall praise & thanks, and vniuersall power, rule and dominion, Amen.

You may reade in the sixt and seuenth Lamps more of the dutie of daughters.

FOr asmuch O almightie God, as through the corruption of our na­ture, the common custome and opi­nion of most are, that all mothers in lawe beare a stepmothers hate vn­to their daughters in lawe: and contrariwise, that daughters in lawe for the most part, beare no great good loue and charitie towards their mothers in lawe: the cause of both which hatred or enimitie, as it is found vaine and vnchristian, so it seemeth to arise, when on the one side the mother is discontent that all [Page 41] hir sonnes loue should be turned vnto hir daughter in lawe: and when the wife on the other part cannot suf­fer any to be loued but hir selfe; as though the mother­hood of the one were lessened by the daughter in lawe, and the wifehood of the other, were minished by the mother in lawe; or as though friendship were impared by the multitude of freends, when rather in troth, it is the more increased, and strengthened by alliance and mariage, and therefore either ought to beare with o­thers infirmitie, and charitablie to be reconciled one to another, if at anie time bralles, hatred, strife or dis­cord rise or chance betweene them.

Therefore to auoid the causes of this common ha­tred betwixt me and my mother in lawe, and that we may the better liue louinglie and christianlie togither, as becommeth vs, both before God and the world, to the good example of all other; grant O God, I beseech thee, that my mother in lawe for hir part may be con­tent, that hir sonne my husband doo loue me his wife as his deere mate, and inseparable companion, with whome he ought to dwell, without anie displeasure. A­gaine, that I hir daughter in lawe for my part, kno­wing my husband and I am all one, may not onlie take and repute his parents to be my parents, but also may be willing, and verie well pleased that my hus­band doo loue hir also as his owne mother, as vnto whome he is greatlie bound, and oweth much louing kindnesse for these great benefits receiued of hir; I meane, his life, his nourishing, and bringing vp in the feare of God, but especiallie, bicause I gladlie doo or would loue mine owne mother also, as nature thereto bindeth me, and for that I both see and know how that by this my mother in lawe, as by an instrument and meanes appointed of thee, I now presentlie enioie this my husband, hir sonne, for whose sake therefore at the least, I am bound both by the lawes of God & nature, [Page 42] (forsomuch as we are now no more two, but one flesh) to loue, cherish and obeie this my mother in lawe in thee, as if she were mine owne mother.

Grant I saie, O gratious God, that my mother in lawe may loue me hir daughter in lawe, no lesse than Naomie loued Ruth & Orpha, and that she may giue me good counsell, teach me, instruct me, praie for me, and doo all such things as may be an example vnto me, both of godlines, chastitie, and sobernesse. Driue far from vs all hatred, enuie, brallings, and contentions. Suffer hir not I beseech thee, O Lord, to make anie discord or variance betweene my husband and me for a­nie cause; but and if anie chance betweene vs, grant that she rather to the vttermost of hir power, by hir wisedome, and good motherlie counsell [...]giuing, may a­uoid it, and reconcile vs againe, that thus she bearing a motherlie affection towards me, it may so come to passe, that both my husband may be the more bound to loue hir, not onlie for that she is his deere mother, but also bicause she hath thereby bene the cause of a great part of his felicitie, in that he hath mee both a more chaste, sober, louing, obedient, and vertuous wife, and better agreeing with him, by the meanes of this hir motherlie instruction, and graue godlie counsell; and also I be no lesse bound to loue hir, and to beare none other mind towards hir, than if she were mine owne mother, as Ruth did to Naomie, and Sara to Anna, by reason that I also haue by this hir graue aduice, and wise teaching, both gotten to my selfe more know­ledge, a [...] made better, and haue my husband hir sonne more plesant, louing, and tender vnto me. This grant not onlie vnto vs, O good father, but also to all other mothers and daughters in lawe, for Ie­sus Christes sake, our onlie Lord and sauiour.

Amen.

THou hast commanded in thy holie lawe, O almightie God, that all children should honor their parents as they will obteine the promise of long life, and blessings of their pa­rents vpon earth, and contrariwise auoid thy cursse, and the cursse of their parents pronounced against all disobedient and vngodlie children: grant therefore vnto me, whom it pleaseth thee after the death of mine owne mother, to keepe still as yet in the number and o­bedience of a child, by giuing me this woman to be my mother in lawe, in stead of mine owne mother, whome thou hast taken vnto thy selfe, that sith I am now hir child by adoption and affinitie, I may according to thy commandement, fulfill and doo all that dutie, which I owe and is due vnto hir, euen as vnto mine owne na­turall mother, if she were heere aliue, and that not for a shew or outward pretence of loue, but with true obe­dience, and due reuerence, from the verie hart vnfeig­nedlie, bicause I knowe it shall be rewarded of thee whatsoeuer I doo vnto hir, be it good or ill.

O let me not be in the number of those wicked daugh­ters in lawe, which as the Prophet saith, doo impu­dentlie rise vp, and contempt [...]ouslie striue against their mothers in lawe. Let all contumelie, despite, ran­cor, brallings, tauntings, curssings, slanderings, reui­lings, vpbraidings, with such other like wicked and vnchristian behauiour, either in thought, word, or deed, of a reprobate and accurssed child of Sathan, be far from me, that so I may auoid the plagues threatned, and obteine the blessings promised.

Take from me, I saie, O Lord, all hardnesse of hart, [Page 44] euill custome, vaine opinion, churlish conditions, and disdainefull or coie behauiour, neither let me willinglie greeue hir, or in anie thing be offensiue vnto hir, as long as we liue togither. O let me not, I saie, through euill maners, lewd disobedience, and peruerse rebelli­on, be a vexation of mind to this my mother in lawe and parents, as Iudith and Bathcath, the two wiues of Esau were to Isaac, and Rebecca their father and mother in lawe, but giue me grace after the good coun­sell of Raguell, and the holie example of Sara his daughter, to obeie this my father or mother in lawe, as she did Anna and Tobit hir father and mother in lawe, to honor hir in deed and in word, and in all pati­ence, and to vse all gentle, courteous, mild, meeke, and sweet words, yea all childlike dutie, and christian beha­uiour vnto hir for thy sake, that thereby I may win hir good will and motherlie fauour 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 bodie, may reckon and repute hir now also to be as mine owne mother, and to take my husbands parents for my pa­rents, and so to loue, cherish, reuerence, and obeie them in euerie condition, no lesse than as mine owne natu­rall parents, that being seruiceable alway vnto them, and fulfilling in all points the roomth and dutie of a good and godlie daughter in lawe, I may find them a­gaine the more to loue, cherish, and prefer me as their owne daughter.

Let me not be displeased, if my husband loue his owne mother, but rather as it becommeth a good and a ver­tuous wife, if I see he doth not behaue himselfe to­wards hir like a naturall sonne, giue mee both grace and wisedome quietlie to exhort him, and friendlie to desire him to behaue himselfe better towards hir, that she seeing and well knowing my chastitie of bodie, my [Page 45] louingnesse towards my husband, and my good will and gentle nature towards hir, may through these vertues (if she be curst) alter hir fierce mind towards me, and turne it to good, and be the better content with me, neuer heereafter to hate me, either as a daughter in lawe, or as a stepdaughter.

Finallie, grant that after the good example of ver­tuous Ruths obedience to Naomie hir old mother in lawe, I may with great humilitie, entirelie loue hir, hartilie praie for hir, and dutifullie honour, serue, che­rish, and obeie hir; yea, and to spare no painefull dili­gence to doo hir all the good I possiblie may or can, in thee, and for thee: that thus obeieng, nourishing, and susteining my mother in lawe in hir necessities, none o­therwise than if she were mine owne mother, and bea­ring patientlie at hir hands all infirmities and mise­ries for thy sake while I liue, may to thy glorie, and o­thers good example, declare my good affection and great loue that I beare towards hir, as she that standeth both in awe and feare of thy commandements, and gladlie endeuoureth to obeie thee and my superiours in all things, according to thy word, and that this my mother in lawe may also sometime worthilie saie of me to my praise and others encouragement, as Nao­mie said of Ruth, namelie, that I am better in troth vnto hir, than seuen of hir owne sonnes. This grant O God, for thine owne glorie sake, and my comfort and commendation in Christ Iesus, to whome with thee & the holie Ghost, be all honor, glorie, and praise, for e­uer and euer,

Amen.

O Lord God of our fathers, creator of heauen and of earth, the sea, and all that in them is, which workest all things according to thine owne purpose and will, which rulest the harts of all men and women, and disposest them after thine owne counsell, as seemeth best to thy god­lie pleasure. Oh good God, the preseruer of mankind, in thy great loue, by thy godlie prouidence, thou didst pro­uide and giue vnto our first father Adam a fellow-hel­per, not onlie like vnto himselfe, but euen of his owne bodie and substance, commanding them to increase and multiplie, to the figuring and coniunction of thy deere sonne Iesus Christ our continuall and onlie mediator, and thy holie congregation, for the which blessed be thy name for euer.

Oh thou God of all comfort, and father of all mer­cie, when thou art angrie with vs for our sinnes, then shewest thou vs mercie, and in time of trouble and temptation thou forgiuest sinnes, to all them that call vpon thee faithfullie. To thee therefore, oh deere fa­ther, I turne my hart, and direct mine eies, as thou hast commanded vs to doo in all our needs and necessi­ties; beseeching thee to be mercifull vnto me, oh deere God, and heare me thy poore handmaid and worke of thy hands. Thou hast made all mankind of the mould of the earth, and hast wrought in me and this man that now woeth mee, according to thy good pleasure. Thou hast regenerated vs by thy holie spirit, and new created vs in thy deere sonne Iesus Christ, vnto good works, that we should walke in them; so that we can not, nor may not come togither in marriage after the [Page 47] manner of the heathen, which be ignorant, and knowe not thee to be their God.

Now therefore O louing father, to whome all harts are open and knowne, in this beginning of our loue, and coniunction of our minds, I humblie beseech thee, so to order our affections, and rule our harts and de­sires, that therein we seeke nothing but thy glorie, and the profit of thy Church. Therefore in Christes name I praie thee, suffer vs not to go amisse, but as a father, helpe and guide vs to a right marriage, in the which we may liue honestlie and prosperouslie, euen as we ought to thy honour: and either deliuer vs from all e­uill lusts, and concupiscence of the flesh, and defend vs from all slander and shame, whereby anie offence may be giuen to thy people; or else in thy good time take vs out of this earth and miserie. Thou knowest, O Lord, that I haue not fished with poison, nor endeuoured to allure him by deceipts & charmes to loue me, and that this coniunction of our minds is not begun in vs for voluptuousnes nor of lust, but onlie in the feare of thee, and for the desire of Christian societie and mutuall loue, and the increase of godlie fruit, to the profiting of thy holie congregation. We knowe, O Lord, that it is thou onelie that prouidest the marriage, that hast the harts of vs both in thy hand, and that giuest the will to consent and make choice, or ordinarie election; and that thy counsell standeth not in anie mans po­wer, neither can anie man alter or diminish thy pur­pose. Wherfore I most humblie beseech thee, most mer­cifull father, that if this coniunction of our minds and loue be thy worke and counsell, that thou vouchsafe, for the glorie of thy name, to giue vs some token and true certificate thereof, by the increasing, and stedfastlie sta­blishing our godly loue in thee, that thou wilt performe the same in vs in thy good time, to thy glorie, and our comfort, that we may the more perfectlie loue, and [Page 48] rightlie serue thee.

But if it be a false persuasion, or temptation of the enimie to deceiue vs, and to drawe vs from thee; then good Lord, for thy deere sonne Christes sake I beseech thee, so to alter our loue, and change our minds, so or­der and guide vs, that we may soone be certified there­of; that thereby we may flie all occasions of euill, and the more zealouslie cleaue vnto thee, and in our trie [...]g to stand stedfast in patience, so that neither selfe-will, nor the lusts of our corruptions doo deceiue vs: and if it be for chastening, which I confesse we haue not on­lie deserued, but sore and greeuous punishment for our manifold and greeuous sinnes; yet for thy deere sonne Iesus Christes sake, oh deere God, which hast said, that thou delightest not in our destruction, I most humblie beseech thee, that we may by thy mercie come againe into thy fatherlie fauour, and after our great sorrowe and heauines, we may obteine perpetuall ioie and consolation, and be receiued into the fellowship of thy faithfull & fruitfull seruants and Saincts. Grant this deere father, for thy beloued sonne. Iesus Christes sake our onlie peace and mediatour, So be it.

I Beseech thee, O father, which art neither made nor begotten, marrie me now and for euer vnto thy sonne, marrie mee vnto him in righteous­nesse and iudgement, in godlinesse, in mercie, and in compassion: marrie me, I saie, vnto him in faith, that I may trulie knowe thee my Lord and God, which wilt not the death of a sinner, but rather that he repent and liue.

O thou onlie begotten sonne of God, ioine me now, [Page 49] I beseech thee vnto thy bodie, that ingraffed in thee, I [...]ay drawe from thee the iuice of life, and of heauenlie wisedome.

Defend me, O holie Ghost, and thine whole Church, against the rage of Sathan, the world, the flesh, and the diuell, and let all things that I doo, please thee: for thou, O glorious Trinitie art my husband, which lo­uest me, my God, whom I worship, and the head wher­vnto I am subiect. To thee be glorie and praise both of men and Angels now and for euer,

Amen.

O Eternall Father of thy welbeloued sonne our Lord and sauiour Christ, which art the maker and king of all creatures, we thanke thee from the bottome of our harts, for that thou hast not cast mankind fallen from thy grace through sin, into euerla­sting destruction, as thou didst the diuell; but of thine vnspeakable goodnesse and secret counsell, thou broughtest foorth thy sonne Iesus, and madest him an husband, that hauing taken our flesh vpon him, he might marrie the faithfull vnto himselfe. Immortall praise and glorie to thee, for reuealing this thy couenant to mankind from time to time by tea­chers, and for calling vs to his heauenlie marriage, by thy ministers: we beseech thee, by and for the same thy sonne, so to change and confirme our hearts by thy spi­rit, that adorned with the wedding garments of righ­teousnesse, faith, holie loue, chaste minds, and good con­science, and without all hypocrisie, dissimulation, and without the sinne against our owne conscience, wee may approch to this honourable estate of matrimonie, and be found in the number of thine elect.

[Page 50]Let vs now trulie be espoused in faith and vertue, to thine heauenlie spouse, and be ingraffed in his flesh. Let vs be two in one flesh, and so cleaue to him, that we may be one spirit, and so drawe the heauenlie mo­tion of faith, comfort, ioie, and eternall life from him, that alwaies we may be (though two bodies) yet but one soule. Finallie, our troublesome race beeing fini­shed, bring vs with thine elect, vnto thy visible compa­nie, that for euermore we may remaine in the spouse of the vniuersall Church in eternall companie and com­fort,

Amen.

FOrasmuch as it hath pleased thee (O almightie God, the creator and anthor of all things) to direct both our minds, rule our hearts, and call vs from single life, vnto this holie state of honourable wedlock, where­by through thy mercie we haue not onlie escaped the entising snares of Sathan our ancient enimie, the euill example of the wicked world, and the vnlawfull lusts of fraile flesh, and so consequentlie the horrible iudgements of eternall damnation, if so be that we now inseparablie liue to­gither, according to thy holie ordinance, and our pro­mise made each to other before thee and all the Angels, but also by this our happie coniunction, we presentlie [Page 56] enioie and feele to our great comfort, the ioifull iewell of a quiet conscience, free from all euill delights, in fil­thinesse of sin, and occasions of offence: we therefore thy humble seruants, heere prostrate on our knees, ac­cording to our bounden dutie, with pure and thanke­full minds, acknowledging this great benefit to be in deed thy singular gift, doo meekelie render vnto thy di­uine maiestie most humble and hartie thanks, euer­more praising thee therefore, and saieng: Blessed art thou, O our God and heauenlie father, which art the author of our marriage, and of this our coupling togi­ther, and blessed be thy most holie and glorious name for euermore; yea, let heauen and earth, the sea, and all the creatures therein, praise, blesse, extoll, woorship, and magnifie thy sacred maiestie both now and hence­foorth for euermore, Amen.

And now, O mercifull father, considering with our selues what need we haue to be very circumspect, care­full, and watching to doo our duties, seeing how woon­derfullie, subtillie, and despitefullie the diuell in these most perillous daies, deludeth, scorneth, forbiddeth, and enuieth this holie state; and how few matrimo­nies there be, without chidings, brallings, tantings, repentings, bitter curssings, fightings, and diuor­cings, which things vndoubtedlie (the more is the pi­tie) are commonlie almost euerie where committed a­mong all estates, through the instigation of the ghost­lie enimie Sathan and his impes, who take great de­light therein: forsomuch also as we are not ignorant how busie that old aduersarie of mankind is, to banish the sweet loue, inuiolable constancie, and pleasant con­cord, which to our continuall comfort, should alwaies be betwixt vs; and how in stead thereof, he busilie la­boureth, and bendeth his principall craft to bring in horrible hatred, dreadfull dissention, vnpleasant strife, irkesome lothsomnesse, and bitter discord, euermore (as [Page 57] it were from aboue ho [...]ering in the aire) assaulting our nature and condition, and neuer ceasing to laie craftie traines to catch vs, and still assaieng to at­tempt all things that may interrupt and hinder ou [...] harts desire, and godlie purposes, if we giue him neuer so little entrie, intending by this meanes, either by vo­luntarie separation, or compulsorie diuorcement, vt­terlie to breake and dissolue this godly knot, so fast knit by thee, to most godlie vses; either else at the least conti­nuallie to encomber it with diuers displeasures, great greefes, and manifold miseries, to our (alas) no little a­noie and perill, both of bodie and soule, to others of­fence by euill example, and most of all to thy high dis­pleasure, and great dishonour and slander of the Gos­pell, which we O deere God professe.

We therefore thy humble seruants, being verie de­sirous to auoid all these miseries and snares of Sa­than our ancient enimie, and to liue peaceablie, holilie, and comfortablie togither in this holie state of wed­locke, as becommeth vs in the feare of God, first con­fessing our owne infirmitie, weakenes and vnablenes in anie thing to resist or withstand as we ought so ve­hement, mightie, and strong assaults, inuasions, and temptations of the diuell: and secondlie, knowing no other waie or meanes how to preuent the spitefull malice of so deadlie a foe, but onlie in flieng by earnest and continuall praier vnto the throne of thy promised helpe and mercie, euen through the hope we haue chri­stianlie conceiued in the promise of so readie releefe and happie helpe, made by thee to all that call vnfeignedlie vpon thee, in the name of Iesus Christ thine onelie sonne our sauiour. We, I saie, thy poore seruants in this faith, presume and are bold to present our selues now before the sacred seate of thy most high maiestie, most humblie crauing, and hartilie begging of thee, that for the same thy deere sonne Iesus Christes sake, [Page 58] thou wilt vouchsafe in mercie fauourablie to behold and visit vs, and by thine omnipotent power and puis­sant might, so represse, bridle, and restraine thou the vi­olent force, and piercing power of our ghostlie enimie, and mortall fo, which thus continuallie seeketh to de­uour vs, and most maliciouslie endeuoureth, and spite­fullie practiseth by all possible meanes, to banish our loues, to exile our ioies, to abandon our comforts, yea especiallie to dissolue our vnitie, to cancell our bonds, and breake our concord: that this our marriage (thy gratious aid and readie assistance alwaie furthering the same, and prospering it) may happilie be free from all the wicked suggestions, cruell assaults, and vngod­lie temptations of our deadlie aduersarie, and also deli­uered from all those euils, mischiefes, miseries, incon­ueniences, troubles, and calamities, which Sathan so busilie laboureth to infect, fester and intangle this our holie state withall. Giue vnto vs, I saie, O good Lord, the holie helpe of thy grace, and Angelicall aid of thy diuine spirit, so to rule and gouerne our hearts, and to knit and conioine our minds and willes togither in perfect loue, vnitie, and concord, that we be at no time by anie diuision or bitter discord disseuered or diuorced one from another, but may continuallie be vigilant and carefull both by dailie inuocating vpon thy holie name, and also by all possible diligence, and earnest in­deuours on both parts, to striue and fight valiantlie a­gainst all the temptations of Sathan, and other the enormities, euils, mischances, and miseries, whatsoe­uer may happen vnto vs by his pernicious instigati­ons, wicked motions, and most perillous suggestions.

Grant, O deere God, that as we are now of necessi­tie compelled by thy holie ordinance to liue inseparab­lie togither, being conioined by thy word in mutuall loue and felowship, as one bodie & one flesh: so we stan­ding in awe of thee, and setting thy holie feare euer be­fore [Page 59] our eies, may through the working of thy grace liue togither holilie, godlie, chastlie, purelie, peaceablie, quietlie, louinglie, agreeablie, and comfortablie, in all happie felicitie, perfect ioie, sweet amitie, perpetu­all charitie, and continuall concord all our liues long; and that good Lord we praie thee, without anie hate, debate, chiding, bralling, tanting, threatning, disliking, repe [...]ting, vpbraiding, irkesomnesse, lothsomnesse, ab­horring, detesting, diuorcing: finallie, without anie deadlie dissention, bitter curssing, and vnnaturall figh­tings, or other vnchristian and vncharitable behaui­our; because in deed it is one of the three things that so greatlie pleaseth thee, a man and his wife to agree lo­uinglie togither.

O Lord, let not the wicked vices of stiffe stubbornenesse, wilfull will, froward fiercenesse, comberous te­stinesse, mallipert checkings, sharpe words, and selfe-loue be found to reigne in either of vs: neither suffer vs, we praie thee, at anie time to giue place vnto the prouocation of wrath, and hot hastie furies of the mind, least thereby we begin vnhappilie to wea [...]e to our selues the web of all wo, sorowe, and calamitie (as manie now adaies doo) by promoting the wicked pur­pose of the diuell, or by setting forward of his worke, or finallie, by following his di [...]elish temptations, and the wrath of our harts; in giuing place without anie re­sistance, to euerie thing preiudiciall and hurtfull to this our blessed state, and honourable degree. But giue vs grace rather good Lord, we entirelie beseech thee be­fore all things, to take heed that by no meanes we giue anie occasion to our ghostlie enimie, to let or hinder our praiers, and holie exercises, through dissention or dis­cord, and diligentlie to applie our selues stoutelie to re­sist euill, and to weed out by little and little the noisome w [...]eds of vncomelie demeanour, vnchristian behaui­our, rude maners, churlish conditions, euill dispositi­ons, [Page 60] and vngodlie extremities, out of our hearts and minds, with the wholesome precepts of thy diuine word, the which giue vs grace diligentlie both to heare, reade, meditate, and imitate day and night, that in time we dooing our duties each to other, as therein we be taught of thee, may reape and feele the fruit thereof hourelie, to both our comforts in Christ, and thy glorie.

And because it cannot otherwise possible be, but that offences shall sometimes either be giuen or taken be­twixt vs, by reason of the manifold discommodities that come with this commoditie: suffer vs not good Lord we beseech thee, to stand stiffe at anie time in our owne opinions, faults, or wilfulnesse; or to mainteine impudentlie and incorrigiblie our errours, by friuo­lous excuses, and vngodlie reasonings; neither yet bu­silie to find fault each with others, calling each for o­thers dutie towards our selues, and in the meane time neglecting our duties both to thee, our selues, and o­thers: yea rather giue vs the grace of thy holie spirit, to acknowledge our faults and follies each to other, with charitable forgiuing one another, and mutuall reconciliation, that we may be well pleased, and con­tented one with another, and in all things each of vs beare and forbeare others infirmities and weake­nesse. Grant that either of vs may doo our best, dili­gentlie to performe our duties one to the other, as be­commeth, and we haue vowed and promised; as name­lie, to praie hartilie and often one for another, to la­bour to the vttermost of our powers to frame, vse, and occasion our selues to softnesse, meekenesse, gentlenes, lenitie, and long sufferance, bearing well in worth such ouersights, as chance and passe in our life and conuer­sation, and still drawing, during life, the sweet yoke of our fellowship, equallie in one concord of hart, and a­greement of mind; so shall it come to passe, that all strife [Page 61] and debate shall be cleane banished, and pleasant loue, sweet amitie, and continuall concord shall be embraced of vs; so shall we haue our harts staied in stable truth, and comfort in all perils and necessities, and most hap­pelie passe through the dangers of the troublesome sea of this wretched world in great ioie and peaceable quietnesse, to our comfort, our neighbours profit, and thy glorie, which God grant.

Finallie, if thus we doo godlie and christianlie vse our holie state of matrimonie, we shall not onlie be armed on euerie side, the better to escape the snares of the world, the flesh and the diuell; but also enioie the ioifull iewell, and most singular benefit of a quiet conscience: yea, so shall all discommodities, worldlie or ghostlie, be taken away from vs, and all things both spirituall and temporall, turne to our commoditie and pleasure. To conclude, so shall our praiers be heard, and gratiouslie granted vnto vs, and God euen our owne God conti­nuallie followe vs with his benediction, and blesse vs both within and without, at home and abrode, and giue vnto vs all those his good gifts and benefits, per­teining or needfull either to our bodies or soules, which he hath so often promised in his word, to powre vpon all such as loue, feare & serue him both heere and in the life to come: the which good things that they may the better be fulfilled, and more effectuallie happen and come vnto vs heere present in the due time, as thou seest need, and we hartilie wish and desire; we humblie praie thee, O most excellent father, who art in deed the verie authour of our marriage, to be now and alwaies present with vs by thy grace and holie spirit, plentiful­lie powred into our harts, which may perpetuallie continue loue, concord, and charitie betweene vs, and luckelie defend, keepe, and mainteine vs in this honou­rable estate, that neither we be ouercome with anie temptation, nor with anie aduersitie. Finallie, grant [Page 62] vs thy blessing, fauour, and protection in this world, and in the world to come endlesse ioie and eternall fe­licitie, through the onlie merits of our sauiour Iesus; to whome with thee, and the holie Ghost our maker, redeemer and sanctifier, be euerlasting praise, honor and glorie both now and for euer,

Amen.

FOrasmuch as (O heauenlie father) we trulie acknowledge thee an ho­lie and righteous God, our onelie God and maker, the knower most trulie of our weakenes and infirmi­tie, our readie and gratious helper, our guide and director to holinesse, and the onlie author of the blisfull state of matrimonie, whereby all thy chosen children might liue in chastitie and holinesse, and auoid the vn­chast life of whoredome and vncleannesse. Grant vnto vs we beseech thee, that being called by the spirit vnto that holie state for our lawfull remedie, to saiue our weakenesse, to quench the raging lusts of old Adam, and in holines to beget children for the increase of thy kingdome, we may liue togither therein in thy faith, feare and loue, dutifullie, louinglie, and peaceablie with modestie, in lowlinesse and chastitie all the daies of our liues: that both our conuersations togither in all respects being coupled with feare, and framed with one consent, according to thine holie will, and to the godlie edifieng of others, representing by it, in all points the mysterie figured betweene Christ and the congregation, thou maist haue pleasure in our godlie behauiours. Blesse vs in all our enterprises, and make [Page 63] vs fruitfull and ioifull parents.

And to the increasing of our ioie O Lord in thee, we humblie praie thee, that thou wilt of thy great mercie giue both vnto vs, and to the offspring of our bodies lawfullie begotten, thine heauenlie grace, that as we most christianlie endeuouring our selues to traine them vp in thine holie nourture and doctrine, so they likewise by the infusion of thine heauenlie grace, may haue their hearts prepared to receiue and hold sure for euer the onlie word of righteousnesse, that light­neth, clenseth, best ruleth, and most trulie directeth the soules of the righteous, to the plaine and most plea­sant path that leadeth to the life euerlasting, through the merits of Christ Iesus thy sonne our Lord,

Amen.

O Mercifull Lord, and heauenlie fa­ther, which by thine almightie po­wer hast made all things of naught; which also (after other things set in order) didst appoint, that out of man (created after thine own image and similitude) woman should take hir beginning; and knitting, ioining and sanctifieng Adam and Eue togither in marriage, didst teach that it should neuer be lawfull to put asun­der those, whom thou by matrimonie hadst made one. O gratious God, which hast consecrated the state of matrimonie to such an excellent mysterie, that in it is figu [...]ed and represented the spirituall marriage and v­nitie betwixt Christ and his Church, looke mercifullie with thy fauour from heauen vpon vs thy poore crea­ture [...], whome it hath pleased thee in mercie to call from single life, and to ioine by free consent togither in [Page 64] this holie state of honourable wedlocke. And as thou, O eternall God, the giuer of all spirituall grace, and the author of euerlasting life, didst send thy blessing vpon Abraham and Sara, to their great comfort; so vouchsafe to blesse vs, O Lord, and to send thy bene­diction vpon vs thy seruants: yea, so sanctifie vs twaine, and powre plentifullie vpon vs the riches of thy goodnes, so sowe the seeds of eternall life in our minds, and fill vs with all spirituall benediction and grace, that as Isaac and Rebecca liued faithfullie to­gither, euen so we, carefullie keeping thy commande­ments, diligentlie obeieng thy holie will and pleasure, and alwaies guided by thy good and gratious spirit, may trulie performe, and surelie keepe the vow and couenant betwixt vs made before thee and the congre­gation, and may euer remaine, persist, and abide in perfect amitie, stedfast peace, and continuall concord, vntill our liues end. Grant also, that we may profita­blie & fruitfullie learne our seuerall duties, either to­wards other, and both towards thee, out of thy holie word, and in deed fulfill the same to the furtherance of vertue, and auoiding of all offence, that so seruing and pleasing thee both in bodie and soule, as those godlie men and women did, to thy glorie, and their perpetuall renowne, we (as persons highlie in thy fauour, and shrowded alwaies in safetie vnder the comfortable wings of thy mercifull protection) may most happilie, prosperouslie, and ioifullie, like fruitefull parents, see­ing our childrens children, vnto the third and fourth generation, liue long togither vnto our perfect age in thy holie loue, and all godlie honestie, to our comfort, and thy glorie, and at the last rest with them in the bo­some of Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob, and be fellow-heires of the euerlasting kingdome in eternall life, through Iesus Christ our Lord,

Amen.

O Most holie God, and mercifull fa­ther, which of thy singular proui­dence, and woonderfull wisedome, didst ordeine matrimonie in Para­dise, and that in the time of inno­cencie, for the multiplieng and con­seruation of mankinde, thereby togather vnto thy selfe continuallie out of godlie families, an holie Catholike Church, which may rightlie acknowledge, serue, and celebrate thine holie name for euermore, and deliuer the true vnderstanding of thee vnto posterities, by one genera­tion to another. This thine institution did thy sonne, God, coequall with thee, and coeternall, confirme and adorne in Cana of Galile, by turning water into good wine. A notable honouring of marriage doubtlesse, for Christ not onlie to be present himselfe at the nuptiall feast, but also to set out the same with the first miracle that he wrought after his natiuitie. Likewise, the ho­lie spirit doth witnesse by the word deliuered vnto vs, and saith, that marriage is honorable among all. And the same thy spirit reioiceth in three things, which are commended both before God and man, viz. in the con­cord of breethren, in the loue of neighbours, and in a man and his wife that agree well togither; for such as be at variance, can neither call vpon thee as they should, nor please thee as they ought.

O eternall God, it is sufficientlie apparant with what a rage and insatiable hatred Sathan the most deadlie enimie to all thy works, doth labour and set himselfe to the breaking off, and ouerthrow of this thy sacred ordinance: wherefore we beseech thee, impart thy fauour, as vnto vs heere present, so vnto all marri­ed [Page 66] folks else-where, that both we and they may ac­knowledge thee to be the author and institutor of this knitting togither in wedlocke; and beleeue stedfastlie, that we and they are in a good estate, wherein we may please thee: for hauing this comfort, we shall more wil­linglie and cheerefullie discharge the duties of our cal­ling, in true confidence, and calling vpon thy name. But such as doubt of their kind of life, hauing their consci­ences wounded, and minds troubled, can neither call vpon thee trulie, nor cheerefullie go about and finish their affaires. Grant therefore vnto vs, and vnto all and euerie married bodie, that in true faith and con­fession we may retaine the indissoluble chaine of wed­ded state, and the strong bonds of godlie felowship, that we may loue one another, and in the sweate of our browes eate our bread, and bring vp our children which thou shalt giue vs, or hast giuen vs, in all godli­nesse, through instruction, and information of the Lord, and neuer feare the crosse, which accompanieth this kind of life.

O worke thou so, good Lord, that Sathan by no meanes weaken and ouerthrowe this thine ordi­nance; nor that we married folks, wearied with the troubles of wedded life, raise no mortall hatred among our selues, and so detest and abhorre this thine holie institution, and seeke vnlawfull separations and di­ [...]orcements: for else by this engin of incredulitie, and snare of mistrust, being comprehended, we shall easilie rush headlong into enormous offences, by casting off the yoke of the Lord, and be carried through dissention into horrible confusions of concupiscence, to adulterie, whoredome, & wicked forsakings, so long, till polluted with filthie spots, & defiled with most horrible staines, we and they bring our selues headlong into euerla­sting torments. Grant therefore, O most mercifull God, that all being now at debate, may come quicklie [Page 67] to amitie, and be reconciled in thy name, and beeing mindfull of the knot of marriage, and mutuall bond made betweene them, may dwell and liue from hence forward peaceablie and louinglie togither in true faith and feare of thy name.

Grant that husbands abusing their authoritie ouer their wiues, doo not exercise tyrannie ouer their wiues; but rather loue them, and dwell with them ac­cording to knowledge, giuing honor vnto them as vnto the weaker vessell, euen as to them which are also heires of grace and life. Likewise grant, that matrons and wines contemne not their husbands, denieng sub­iection, but rather studie by chaste obedience, and holie conuersation and lowlinesse to ouercome them. Let neither hate other extreamelie, and so violate the state of marriage, and bring themselues out of thy fauour, through their discord and contention, whereby their praiers be interrupted; for where neither part do their dutie, there must needs ensue first pouertie, subtiltie, lieng, and all impietie, afterward a wounded consci­ence, and last of all, vtter despaire.

O most chast God, which didst therefore institute the order of matrimonie, that by the same both the weake nature of mankind might liue purelie in lawfull wed­locke, and an holie Church be gathered vnto thy selfe, giue thy blessing to vs, and all which are married, that we and they may haue godlie children, and their wiues prooue like the fruitefull vine, and their children ap­peare like the oliue branches round about their table, and may see their childrens children, the peace and safetie of thy Church, the which Christ thy sonne re­pairer of mankind, by taking our flesh vpon him, hath coopled to himselfe, which liueth and reigneth with thee in the vnitie of the holie spirit, a God blessed and praised for euermore,

Amen.

O Lord, forasmuch as thou of thy fa­therlie goodnes hast vouchsafed to keepe me from my tender age vntill this present, and hast now called me from my single life, vnto the holie state of honorable wedlocke, that I liuing therein, might according to thine ordinance, bring foorth children vnto thy glorie, giue me grace I most entirelie beseech thee, to walke worthie of my vocation, to knowledge my hus [...]and to be my head, to be subiect vnto him, to learne thy blessed word of him, to reuerence him, to o­beie him, to please him, to be ruled by him, peaceablie and quietlie to liue with him, to weare such apparell as is meet for my degree, and by no meanes to delight in costlie iewels, and proud gallant vestures; but al­waie to vse such cloathing, as becommeth a sober, chast, and christian woman, circumspectlie and warelie [...]o looke to my houshold, that nothing perish through my negligence; and alwaies haue a diligent eie, that no dishonestie, no wickednesse, no vngodlinesse be com­mitted in my house, but that in it all things be ordered according to thy holie will, which art woorthie all ho­nour, glorie and praise for euer and euer,

Amen.

MErcifull and gratious God, forasmuch as through thy grace I am placed in the state of matrimonie, and called to the charge of a familie, wherein doing my dutie, I may please thee; giue grace to me thy handmaid, that I may haue [...]hy feare alwaies before mine eies, and loue thee my [Page 69] maker and redeemer aboue all things in this world. Next imprint within my brest an intire affection of good will towards mine husband. Let mee honour him, cherish him, and loue him aboue all men, and on­lie, as my part is, and I haue promised. Grant that my will, according to thy commandement, may be in sub­iection to mine husband, and obeie him in all equitie, and that the hid man of mine hart be vncorrupt, with a meeke and quiet spirit, adorned with all kind of ver­tue: for after this manner in time passed, the ho [...]ie women which trusted in thee, attired themselues, and were subiect to their husbands. Reforme the manners of thine handmaid, and make me in my conuersation modest, and honest; make me in visage, shamefast; in words, temperate; in wit, wise; in going, sober; in conuersation, meeke; in correction, pitifull; in life, cir­cumspect; in companie-keeping, warie; in promise, stedfast; in loue, constant; take from me all crabbed­nesse, curstnesse, stubbornesse, and shrewdnesse; and let mee haue an especiall care by vertue and friendlie words, to mitigate the anger of mine husband, if at a­nie time he be displeased, and let me absteine from all such things as I knowe will offend him.

Furthermore, giue me grace to bring vp my familie and children (which thou hast or shalt giue me) in all honestie and vertue, to the honor of thy most holie name, and my comfort. Assist me in like sort, that dili­gentlie I may saue, not wastfullie or negligentlie con­sume those things, which of thy mercie thou hast and dooest giue to the maintenance of mine houshold; but grant that I may doo my dutie to the vttermost of my power, whereby I may haue to giue to the poore, and to releeue the needie. Blesse vs, O Lord, from vnthri [...] ­tie seruants, which will waste, and wickedlie consume that which painefullie we haue gathered. Also, make me patientlie to suffer the troubles and affli [...]tions of [Page 70] married life, and to continue in my dutie, albeit mani­fold miseries doo arise, persuading my selfe, that by af­fliction my faith is tried. O Lord, vnto thy protection doo I commend my selfe, my louing husband, with all ours. Uouchsafe O gratious God, to keepe vs all from sinne, shame and destruction, through Christ our Lord,

Amen.

O Most mercifull Lord and sauiour Iesu Christ, which to expresse thy most burning affection towards thy best beloued spouse the Church, hast offered thy selfe vpon the altar of the crosse, to sanctifie and cleanse hir by the washing of water tho­rough the word, and to make hir glorious for thy selfe, without spot or wrinkle, or anie such thing: and also coopled thy selfe to hir, by suffering vpon thine owne flesh the punishment which was due vnto hir. Ioine me I beseech thee vnto thy bodie, that ingraffed in thee, I may drawe from thee the iuice of life, and of heauenlie wisedome. Marrie me for euer O sweet Christ, vnto thy selfe, in righteousnes and iudge­ment, in godlines, mercie and faith, that I may trulie knowe thee my Lord and my God, which wilt not the death of a sinner, but rather that he or she repent and liue. Giue me grace also, that I neuer delight in mine owne beautie or fairenesse, and so plaie the harlot, by following mine old lewd louers, which promise me bread and water, wooll, flaxe, oile, wine, and drinke, to entise me to follie; but make me with a chaste bodie, and pure affection, to serue thee in chast matrimonie, and to loue my husband vnfeignedlie from my hart without dissimulation, so that he may safelie trust in [Page 71] me as in his true turtle, and sweet and deere compani­on; and I may render vnto him good for good, not euill for euill. Giue me grace so to keepe my selfe in great feare of thee, that being well occupied in my businesse, temperate in my words, faithfull to my husband, well ordered in my person, peaceable with my neighbour, honest among mine owne familie, and shamefast a­mong strangers, I may thereby conserue the reputa­tion of mine estate and degree, to thy glorie especiallie, mine owne renowne and vertue, and others good example.

Driue awaie Sathan the mortall enimie to this thine ordinance, that he sowe not contentions and bralles betweene vs. Cut off all occasions of debate, and sinister suspicions, that so in a true conioining to­gither of minds, we may in this world liue vertuouslie according to thy word. Defend mee (I saie, O deere Christ) and thine whole Church, against the rage of sathan, the world, and the flesh. Doo thou vouchsafe for euer to loue, cherish, and comfort such as are engraffed in thy flesh. Purge and wash me continuallie from my s [...]nes, filthines and spots, through thy great mercie and merits. Finallie, decke me with thy gifts and good­nes. Wash mee with water, and purge me with thy bloud; annoint me with thine oile of gladnes; put vp­on me the robes of righteousnes, and couer me with the glorious purple; adorne mee with the pretious stones of vertue, and place vpon mine head glorie and honour, that all mine ornament may be inward, and that I may please thee through liuing in thy faith and [...]eare, and hoping in thy mercie. For thou, O sweet Ie­su Christ art mine husband, which tenderlie louest me; my God, whome I worship; my head, wherevnto [...] I am subiect; and my bridegrome, with whom I hope in heauen to reigne eternallie,

Amen.

FOrasmuch as it hath pleased thee, O heauenlie father, of thine ine­stimable mercie, to bring me to this high estate of dignitie, and to put me in possession of a place of honor as a matrone for other women to behold; grant vnto mee, I humblie beseech thee, that in all my dooings I may followe the example of all vertuous and graue matrones, which are specified and described for our ex­ample in the holy scripture; that is, to be as louing and obedient vnto my Lord and husband, as Sara was to Abraham, as Susanna was to Ioachim, and as humble, loiall and wise as Abigaell was to King Da­uid, Hester to King Ahesuerus, or the blessed and noble virgin Marie was to Ioseph. Grant also, I beseech thee, that I be neither proud, presumptuous, ambiti­ous, disdainefull of others in comparison of my selfe; high-minded, nor a boaster in mine owne bloud, kin­dred, beautie, wit, or dignitie, but with the noble Queene Hester, to saie, Thou knowest my state, O Lord, and that I hate this signe of preeminence and worship, which I beare vpon my head, what time I must go foorth to be seene, and that I abhor it as an vn­cleane cloth, and that I weare it not when I am qui­et alone by my selfe; that bearing alwaies an euen mind, and hauing an humble opinion of my selfe, as she that knoweth hir selfe to be but dust and ashes, and en [...]bled by thee, from whome alone commeth the true nobilitie and gentrie, to so manie as are borne of thee, and made thy children through faith, I may laie awaie all pompe and pride, nicenes, tendernes, and disdaine, and euer set more by others, than by my selfe, yea, and [Page 73] thinke my selfe worsse than anie other in thy sight, to the end I may alwaies liue vertuouslie, holilie, shame­fastlie, soberlie, and chastlie, in all meekenes, gentle be­hauiour, discreete conuersation, prudence, wisedome, learning, vertue, and puritie, both in bodie and soule, both before thee and all men, as becommeth a christian and faithfull woman, and such a one as will be a true imitator of Rebecca, Hester, and the rest of those holie matrones 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 glorifie thee in their vertuous conuersations, world without end,

Amen.

O Most wise and prouident GOD, which in the beginning didst create man in thine owne image, and out of him didst make the woman, and didst bring hir vnto the man, that she might be an helper vnto him; and therefore thou causedst him to saie and confesse, that she was flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bones; thereby teaching him not onlie the holie and indissoluble band of loue, v­nitie, and mutuall societie, that ought to be betweene man and his wife, as for whose sake he ought to leaue father and mother, and to clea [...]e vnto hir, but also the most s [...]cred and blessed coniunction and knitting togi­ther of our Lord Iesus Christ, & his sanctified Church and people; so that no man can breake or despise that bond and vnitie, but he must needs be giltie of presump­tion against God, and of the wilfull breach and con­tempt [Page 74] of his ordinance.

Wherefore, oh Lord, sith it hath pleased thee to match me in this most honourable state of marriage, according to thy diuine prouidence; I beseech thee to make him an head vnto me, and my selfe an helper vnto him, according to my creation, and as thy holie institu­tion requireth. And because thy holie word is the onlie rule, and ordinarie to gouerne and direct our liues; I hartilie desire thee oh good God, giue this mine hus­band thy grace and holie spirit, and so open thou his wits and senses, that hauing by the light of thy grace the true knowledge and vnderstanding of thy holie word in all discretion, he may knowe how to walke in his vocation, both towards mee his poore wife and yoke-fellowe, and all others, as becommeth him, and thereby become vnto me not so bitter a despiser and hater, but a true louer, sweet freend, and godlie gouer­nour.

Thou, O good father, seest the great lacke and neces­sitie that I thine handmaid haue, of a wise guide, graue counseller, holie instructor, and continuall com­forter. O therefore I beseech thee, looke vpon my trouble which I endure; consider my reproofe and re­proches that I beare in my bosome; pitie my miserie, ease me of so great a burthen, and releeue my great need and necessitie. Make this my husband I saie, O deere God, a head, a vaile, and defence vnto me for my preseruation and safetie: for if we thus bite and deuour one another, it cannot possible be, but we shall be con­sumed one of another. Make him therefore tender, carefull and comfortable vnto me thy weake creature, if it be thy good pleasure; and grant, that according to his promise made before thee, and as thou hast com­manded else-where in thy holie word, he may with per­fect and holie loue, cherish, nourish, and loue me as his owne flesh, and as Christ loueth his Church, and as [Page 75] she that is heire togither with him of the grace of life, that our praiers and godlie exercises to the benefiting of our soules and bodies, be not interrupted or hinde­red. Grant that he forsaking all other, may cleaue on­lie vnto me, as becommeth, without separation, and that he may dwell with me as a man of knowledge, and christian behauiour and gouernement, to thy glo­rie, my comfort, and others edifieng.

But alas, I must needs confesse vnto thee my God, that I am most vnwoorthie of so good a be [...]efit: for I haue not walked in this most honorable state purelie, and holilie, according to thy diuine ordinance, whereby I haue made my selfe much more vnworthie to haue so pretious a gift at thy fatherlie hands: and if it be thy good pleasure with frowardnes, bitternes, and vnkind­nesse, yea, the hatred and disdaine of my husband, thus to correct me for my fault, I most hartilie thanke thee for it. And I beseech thee, so to order me in all things in thy great mercie, that I neuer murmur or grudge impatientlie against thee for the same, nor doo anie thing either against thee or my husband, whereby thy maiestie may be displeased, my husband offended, or thy Gospell and people slandered: but deere God, giue mee perfect patience, I beseech thee; and cause thou me to plucke mine eies from this my husband and yokefel­low, in too narrowlie beholding his infirmities, and make me to behold thee my God in this thine holi [...] or­dinance, and to looke vpon my selfe, and the wallet be­fore me, that I may see mine owne slips and faults, and learne to pull the beame out of mine owne eie first, be­fore I find fault with the mo [...]e in his. Grant, I saie, that we may louinglie, and with the spirit of meeke­nes, beare one anothers burthen; and that I for my part may quietlie beare the frailtie, infirmities and faults of my husband, with more patience, mildnesse and modestie, than hitherto I haue, so that mine ex­ample [Page 76] may be to the comfort and commoditie of other to doo the like.

Oh Lord, thou seest the great corruption of my na­ture, and the pronesse thereof to sin, and my weake­nesse, infirmitie, and vnablenes to stand in temptation: laie no more on me therefore deere father, than thou wilt make me able to beare, nor suffer me not to be tempted aboue my strength, but in the middest of my temptations make such a waie and issue for me to e­scape out of dangers, that may happen by the instiga­tion of Sathan or his members, as shall seeme best to thy diuine prouidence and wisedome, so as the same may be to the furtherance of thy glorie, the profit of the Church, and the comfort of my conscience, by Iesus Christ mine onlie mediatour and sauiour, So be it.

TO thee, O Lord Iesu Christ, I com­mend my husbands going foorth, and his comming in; his iourneie, and his returning, beseeching thee happelie by the hand of thy grace, to leade him the way he is about to go (or ride) and purposeth now to take: gratiouslie defend him O good God, from the crafts, deceits, and lieng await of all his enimies, as well bodilie as ghostlie: Mercifullie keepe and preserue him from all perils both ex­ternall, and internall, and finallie, by thine ineffable clemencie & grace, bring him safe, whole, and vn­hurt home againe from all danger, So be it.

O Lord which art the waie, the truth, and life, thou hast promised in the holie scriptures, that they which put their trust in thee, and looke for helpe at thy hand, and take thee for their mightie defender and strong castell, shall be preserued harmelesse, and walke in all their iourneie safe­lie, and without danger: for thou thy selfe wilt take charge of them, and shadow them vnder thy mercifull wings, so that none euill shall chance vnto them. Yea, as thou didst send thy holie Angell with Abraham and Tobit, and with other thy faithfull seruants to be their guide and defender, and to make their iournie prosperous, so wilt thou send thy blessed Angels with them that wholie depend on thee, and with strong faith commit themselues to thy most godlie tuition, which shall safelie keepe them in all their waies, yea, and sooner hold them vp with thine hands, then they shall dash their foote against a stone.

This thine accustomed gentlenesse towards thy seruants, and these thy louing promises encourage me­thine handmaid greatlie at this present to come vnto thy maiestie, and according to my dutie most humblie to beseech thee, that as my husband now in thy name hath taken this his iournie vpon him, so thou wilt vouchsafe him thy mercy and grace, both in the begin­ning, entrie, gate, and ending of this his trauell and iournie, and that thou which art our God, wilt keepe him both going out, and comming in, and direct his feet that he erre not in his waies.

O Lord I beseech thee, giue thine holie Angels charge ouer him, to keepe him in thy faith and [...]eare wheresoeuer he goeth, to take care for him, to defend [Page 78] him from all misfortunes, and to bring him prospe­rouslie to that place where his busines lieth. Let them guide him I saie, O Lord, too and fro, throughout all his iournie, euen as Tobit the yonger was guided of the Angell Raphaell vnto Gabaell, habiting in Ragis a Citie of the Medes. O Lord our God, direct thou his steps, that he fall into no perill either of soule or bodie. Blesse thou him, I saie, in this his iournie, and pre­serue him both from the clawes of theeues and mur­therers, and from the iawes of deuouring beasts. Let him find fauour wheresoeuer he commeth, and let him honestlie be intreated in all places; and his busines be­ing happilie ended, and his iournie prosperouslie fini­shed, doo thou vouchsafe to bring him safelie home a­gaine of thy mercie and goodnesse, that I may praise thee.

In all his waies be thou present with him, as thou wast with Iacob, trauelling into Mesopotamia, and descending into Egypt. Likewise, as thou didst conduct the Israelites through the red sea, and through the vn­comfortable and perillous wildernesse, going before them by day in a piller of a cloud, and by night in a pil­ler of fire, so be thou with my deere husband alwaies in all places, and leade him in all this his iournie, and bring him home againe in safetie. Be thou both his companion and conducter, O Lord: for into thy hands I commend both his life, and all that he hath. Finallie, graunt that I continuing his faithfull, trustie, and lo­uing spouse heere at home, he may find both me and all his in good health and peace, both of bodie and soule at his returne; through our Lord Iesus Christ, which liueth and reigneth with thee in the vnitie of the holie spirit, a God for euermore,

Amen.

ALthough, O most sweet Iesu, there is nothing more commended and set forth vnto vs in thy holie scriptures than peace, vnitie, quietnes and concord, vnto the which also not on­lie Moses and the Prophets, but thou and thine Apostles also doo therein diligentlie exhort; and con­trariwise vehementlie dehort and dissuade all men from discord, enmitie, malice and war, bicause nothing is more seemelie for man, than to embrace amiable peace, friendlie concord, and quiet amitie: yea, the ve­rie creation, shape & birth of man proueth euidentlie, man to be formed and made vnto peace; yet such is the monstrous malice of Sathan that old enimie of man­kind, that he goeth about like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may deuoure, and with all manner of labour, sweateth to banish peace from the children of men, and in sted thereof, violentlie to thrust in discord, tumults, seditions, wars, bloud-sheading, man-slaughter, de­struction of realmes and countries, cities and villa­ges, intending by this meanes, to make hauocke of all togither, so that he furiouslie raging in his members, prouoketh manie times thy seruants for the defence of their countrie, and the safegard of their wife, children, families, and people, to go on warfare, and to wage battell with their enimies. I therefore most humblie beseech thee, to assist my husband, and all such as iustlie attempt anie wars against their enimies, and mighti­lie to defend them against their aduersaries, that they may receiue through thy puissance, a glorious victorie, and noble triumph.

[Page 80]S [...]nd thine holie Angell vnto him and them, that he may pitch his tents among them, and ouerthrow their enimie for them. Giue vnto my husband, and all Cap­taiues and souldiers, thy grace so to behaue them­selues in the seruice of wars with all godlines, hone­stie, and compassion, that thou mais [...] haue a pleasure to be present among them, to be their chiefe and grand Captaine, and valiant defender. Suffer not him and his felow souldiers to be discouraged for the multitude of their enimies; but being armed with strong faith, let him and them wholy depend on thee, the most migh­tie conquerour, with whom it is all one to helpe in few or in manie, and with that prince like warriour Dauid, boldlie to saie in the midst of their troubles, The Lord is my light and my defence, whome shall I feare? The Lord is my health and the defender of my life, of whom shall I be afraid? Though mine enimies pitch pauill [...]ons against me, yet shall not my hart feare; though men of war rise against me, I will trust in the Lord my God. And when thou hast giuen him the victorie ouer his enimies, giue him also a thankefull hart, that he may confesse to haue got the victorie not by his horsse, bowe, nor gun, nor yet by his owne strength and poli­cie, but by thine almightie power, and so be encoura­ged for euer after to magnifie thy holie name,

Amen.

OH Lord, the world is nothing else but a sea of trouble: heere the diuell stor­meth, there the world frowneth: on euerie side the flesh assaulteth vs, so that our life may well be tearmed a warfare, and our daies a treasure of dangers. Oh Lord, with the anchor of thy mercie vp-hold vs, that w [...]e sinke not in the sea of this troublous time, but guide [Page 81] vs with thy holie spirit, that our liues may please thee, and we in our death praise thee, through Iesus Christ our Lord. Defend, O Lord, the righteous cause of my husband thy seruant, now gone a warfare. Assist him with strength against his enimies, with the wisedome of thy spirit, against the policie of man, that being tho­roughlie armed and guided by thee, he may fight man­fullie in thy quarrell, to the building of thy Church, and vtter rebuke of hir aduersaries. Without thee, O fountaine of goodnes, and God of his estate, I know he can doo nothing; arme him therefore with thy grace, with the buckler of thy word and complet armour, that he may be able not onlie to war with, but also o­uer-match Sathan his deadlie foe, and all his hellish band, that setteth it selfe against thee and thine annoin­ted. Enrich him, O God, with thy mercie, that he may be able to take vpon him the white raiment of faith, and being clothed with it, may stand sure against the foming ministers of the diuell, that no storme may o­uer-turne or dismaie him. O Lord, keepe thou him from all wrastling affections; from inordinate motions de­fend him, O God, and let all discord be remoued, wher­by the Pellicane children desirous of bloud, may be dis­seuerd: but nourish, O God of loue thy babes with the spirit of patience, that he and they being of one mind, may doo their duties, applie their endeuours, and bend their forces and whole strength to the reedifieng of our mother Sion the Church, which trauelleth with sorowes, and sinketh in the mists of heresies, vn­lesse thou pull hir out by the hand of thy mercie; which doo, O gratious God, I beseech thee, and plant the tree of peace among vs; let it flourish to the gladding of our hearts, that all dissention cut off, we may be linked in one knot of christian vnitie, gathered into one sheep­fold, to be guided by thee our onlie and one shepheard. Let not the members of thy bodie be sundred, but che­rish [Page 82] and nourish them with a full persuasion of bro­therhood, in the vnitie of our sauiour, and thou our on­lie father; to whome with the holie Ghost be euerla­sting glorie, praise & dominion, now and for euer,

Amen.

O Lord our heauenlie father, and e­uer-liuing God, wee thy wretched and most miserable creatures con­fesse and acknowledge, wee haue woorthilie deserued the rod of thy correction and punishment, and doo merit manie sharpe & bitter stripes, that knowing thy blessed and glori­ous will, haue of set purpose contemned thy diuine and heauenlie precepts; for which cause, the sentence of thy wrath is sharplie kindled against vs, man, woman, and child, euen as it hath been against thy chosen people Israell, in the daies of our fore-fathers, who glorieng in their wickednes (as we haue done) were plagued in the fulnesse of thine indignation (as wee iustlie are.) The sword of their enimies beset them round about, and he mined them [...]n on euerie side. The Iebusites, the Ammonites, the Philistines, & the Ammorites oppres­sed them diuerslie, their strong holds were rased, their cities were beseeged, their houses were ransackt, their goods confiscate, and their riches were carried awaie by force of the bloud-thirstie enimie. Their yong men were led awaie captiue, their virgins were wofullie defloured: but in fine, when thou O Lord God didst be­hold their hartie and earnest repentance and contriti­on, thou didst withdrawe thy frowning countenance, [Page 83] and sent them speedie and safe deliuerance. One while thou Lord sentest them Moses, to bring them out of the seruitude of Pharao, the stonie & stubborne harted king of the Egyptians, another while Iepthah set them free from the sword of the Ammonits, wherwith they were greeuouslie afflicted. And to make thy power and excellent glorie fullie knowne, thou gauest Sam­son such fortitude to bridle the proud Philistines. Ouer and besides these, thou of thy loue and miraculous goodnes, hast made feeble women mightie and victori­ous conquerours; namelie, Debora was a shield to the people, Iudith comforted the distressed Bethulians, and cut off the head of proud Holophernes, that thou good Lord, when thou beheldst their teares and har­tie sorowe for their offences, didst prepare thy selfe to go foorth with their hosts: thou thy selfe (I sate) with the breath of thy nostrels, didst confound and ouer­throwe their enimie.

Euen so good Lord, thou most mightie and mercifull God, which art King of glorie, and Lord of hosts, the gouernour of all creatures, and the onlie giuer of all victories, whose power no creature is able to resist, and who alone art able to strengthen the weake a­gainst the mightie, and to vanquish infinite multitudes of thine enimies, with the countenance of a few of thy seruants, calling vpon thy name, and trusting in thee. Be thou now present with vs in the fulnes of thy di­uine power, to helpe and deliuer vs and thy people from the crueltie of our enimies. And although our sins haue instlie deserued to be punished with the sword of thy vengeance, yea, though we women for our abho­minable pride and filthines, haue merited to haue all violence vsed against vs in all vncleannesse by the eni­mie; as our virgins to be rauished, the wombe of our maidens opened and defiled, the thighes of our wiues and daughters discouered, and their wombs polluted, [Page 84] and all generallie to be put to shame, reproch, and con­fusion; yea to the slaughter, and to haue our beds and bodies bathed in bloud, yet looke mercifullie vpon vs with the eies of thy fauourable pitie, who trulie and earnestlie repent vs of our sins, and forget our corrupt and most filthie o [...]fences. O let our contrite and sorow­full harts be a meane to mooue thee to haue pitie and compassion vpon vs, our husbands and children, and to vanquish thy displeasure iustlie conceiued against vs and our husbands, children and families, people and countrie.

Be thou present, I saie, O almightie God with vs, & our husbands thy souldiers, in this time of our wars, great necessitie and trouble; fight thou their battels for them, set thy hand to helpe and assist them against the enimie, be present with vs, I saie, in this time of perill and danger. Go thou foorth with our armies and hoasts, and fight thou on our side, then shall we be assu­red to preuaile. Let not the multitude of our furious foes dismaie vs anie whit: for victorie we doo knowe consisteth not in the power nor strength of manie men, neither yet in the strength of horsses, armour, nor wea­pons; but it is thou, O mercifull father, and mightie God, that giuest the conquest, where, and to whome thou pleasest. To thee therefore in this great perplexi­tie, and bloudie battell, doo we flie and appeale, besee­ching thee of thine inestimable loue and kindnes, for the loue of our sauiour Iesus, to looke vpon our true re­pentant harts, and in the fulnes of thy miserations and pities, to saue our liues from the sword, and our goods from the spoile, and deliuer vs and set vs free from the hands and power of our raging enimies; a­bate their pride, asswage their malice, confound their deuises, and to pardon all our sins and greeuous of­fences, that being armed with thy defence, and preser­ued by thee from all imminent perils, we vow and de­dicate [Page 85] our harts and minds wholie to walke in inte­gritie and newnes of life, to glorifie thee the onlie giuer of all victorie, which grant, good Lord, through the me­rits of thine onlie sonne our sauiour Iesus Christ, to whom with thee and the holie Ghost, be attributed all praise, power and dominion for euer and euer world without end,

Amen.

O Almightie Lord God and most mer­cifull father, maker of all things, who by thine insearchable wise­dome, didst create that mightie globe of the world, the heauens, earth, sea, and all things else there­in conteined: vouchsafe I beseech thee to be mine husbands (or my fa­thers) aid and defence in this his dangerous voiage which he hath presumed to take, reposing his onlie trust and confidence in thy mightie mercie, to be deli­uered and preserued from all manner of dangers and ieopardies, that may happen either vpon the sea, or on the drie land.

Thou knowest, O Lord, and most mercifull father, that all those that trauell by sea, are subiect to the ha­zard of diuers calamities, either to be tossed at the pleasure of the wind and waues, either to be dashed vi­olentlie vpon the maine rocks, or to sticke in the quick­sands, or to be despoiled both of life and goods, by the ty­rannie of pirats; but yet what crosse or affliction soe­uer happen vnto him, grant that he may acknowledge freelie, that it is but a iust punishment for his and mine offences, because from the first houre of our natiuitie, [Page 86] we haue beene more apt and prone to followe the fil­thie appetites of our owne desires, than to exercise our selues in the true waie of thine vndefiled lawe. Notwithstanding, what crosse soeuer (I saie) thou shalt thinke good to laie vpon him; yea, though thou suffer him to be drowned of the waues, and swallowed downe into the deapth of the whales bellie with Io­nas (from which good Lord deliuer hun) yet let him not despaire of thy mercie, for thou art the same God fore­uer, thy right hand is not shortened, neither is the greatnes of thy power diminished. When Ionas laie three daies and three nights in the whales bellie in the sea, yet didst thou at last (O mighties God) deliuer him safe and sound, and sentest him to preach thy name to the great citie of Niniue. Thou art yet the same God (I saie) thou wast at that time, neither is thy power abridged at all, and therefore, although my husband or father be neuer so shaken with winds, turmoiled with tempests, tossed with the waues; yea, although he were vtterlie deuoured of the whale-fish in the bot­tome of the sea; yet I confesse, and so let him acknow­ledge, that thou art able to deliuer him from all these dangers; yea, from the verie iawes of death.

To thee therefore doo I thine vnwoorthie handmaid, make my humble supplication and intercession for my husband (or father) T.B. now passing the seas, vnto thee doo I his seelie poore wife (or child) S.B. powre foorth my feruent and hartie praiers in my deere husbands or fa­thers behalfe, because thou onlie art the castell of both our comforts, and his bulwarke, his watchman, his keeper and defender, his sure rocke, and hope of his sal­nation. To thee onlie and to none other doo I commit and commend him wholie bodie and soule, goods, ship, fraught, and all that belongeth vnto him. Uouchsafe I beseech thee to blesse him, preserue and keepe him in health, and giue him grace so to behaue himselfe in this [Page 87] his iournie, and at all times, that in no part he offend thy diuine maiestie, or prouoke thee to be angrie with him. Direct his course safelie vnto the hauen & mart. Protect him and saue him and all his from the crueltie and force of the water-flouds. Leade thou him foorth, and bring thou him in. Be thou, O God, his onlie staie and defence, whether he sleepe or wake, liue or die, sinke or swimme, vpon the waters, as well as vpon the land, and brieflie in all places, and in all times and seasons, shield and preserue thou him, as my trust is in thee.

Thou knowest, O Lord, that this trade is not of his deuising, nor yet proceeding of anie humane inuention; but thou, O father, of thy meere mercie didst reueale the mysterie thereof to thy seruant Noah, in comman­ding him to frame an Arke that might fleete vpon the flouds, wherein he and his familie onlie, to the number but of eight persons, were saued in the great deluge or floud, when all the world else for the greatnes of iniqui­tie, perished altogither, and were vtterlie confounded and drowned in the mightie waters that ouerflowed the whole earth. Uouchsafe therefore I beseech thee, O most mightie God, and mercifull father, the ruler and gouernour both of heauen, earth, and sea, with all the creatures conteined therein, in thy mercie so to dis­pose the wind and the weather, and to giue my hus­band (or father) such successe in this his voiage and iournie, which he hath now presumed to take, onlie vp­pon a sure faith & assurance of thy mercie, that it may turne him to no danger, dammage, losse, or misfortune, but that he may alwaie be deliuered from all the dan­gers both of the sea, pirats, and enimies; and so, that he may be safelie conducted by thy mercifull protection and assistance, and haue a safe and prosperous returne home againe into his countrie, as was righteous Noah in his arke, and as may be most to thy glorie, my comfort, and his commoditie.

[Page 88]Behold I thine hand-maiden, whom thou hast ran­somed and redeemed, doo crie vnto thee; yea euen I, as now a s [...]litarie woman, left all desolate alone, whom thou hast with thy pretious blood redeemed, doo still crie and call hartilie vpon thee for my deere and welbeloued husband, or father, according to my dutie, and thy com­mandement. Heare me, O God my sauiour, the hope of [...]ll the ends of the earth, and of all them that be in the sea a far off. Heare me, I saie, O mercifull father: for now my deere husband or father, is conuersant in a troublesome sea, and perillous waters. O stand thou vpon the shore of thy heauenlie countrie, and looke at his perils. Lord saue him for thy name sake, that he perish not. Gouerne his ship with thy right hand by the helpe of thy grace, that he perish not in the waues of the stormie sea, that the tempest of the waters [...]rowne him not, and that the deepe swallowe him not vp; but Lord, grant him so to keepe his course amiddes the vast seas, betweene the most perillous rockes of Scilla and Caribdis, and to hold so with the anchor of faith and hope in thee and in thy crosse and passion, that he may escape the danger of both those dange­rous rocks, and be guided by thee the morning light, and sea-star of daie, sonne of righteousnes, that he may come safe to land, both outward and homeward, with­out losse of man, ship, or fraught: so will I yeeld thee immortall thanks, & perpetuall praises for thy father­lie benefits, and my tongue shall record thy works of glorie for euer and euer, which thou dooest for the chil­dren of men, both vpon the sea and land. Yet, O father, not my will, but thy blessed will and secret counsell be fulfilled, both in him, and in me: and I beseech thee set thy feare alwaies before mine eies, and indue me with such plentie of thy grace, to strengthen my weakenes and frailtie in falling, that in this my husbands or fa­thers absence, I may continue faithfull and godlie in [Page 89] my vocation, and persist in faith, loue and holines with modestie. Make me diligent to rule well my children and familie, and to keepe them in all christian obedi­ence, that I may get my selfe a good report of all men. Let me abandon all vaine pleasures & fond delights, which beguile vnstable soules. Make me to shun and auoid all vnprofitable practises, all idlenes, s [...]oth and securitie; and let me be well giuen and disposed to all huswifelines, sobrietie, godlines, and chastitie, keeping home, instructing my houshold, and praieng continual­lie day and night, because of my great necessitie, that so liuing purelie, and behauing my selfe christian [...]e in all obedience towards thee, and loiall faithfulnes to­wards my husband, or father, I may giue occasion to the aduersarie to speake well of the professors of the Gospell, to thy glorie, and my comfort in Christ Iesus, to whome with thee and the holie Ghost be all honor and glorie now and for euermore,

I Thanke thee (O heauenlie father) for this thy great mercie and grace, which thou hast shewed vnto mee thine vnwoorthie hand-maid, both in hearing and granting mine hum­ble requests, & also in leading foorth and bringing in, and causing this my deere husband, or father, to returne and come home againe safe and sound in good health to my great ioie and comfort. This I acknowledge and confesse, O Lord, is brought to passe euen through thy meere mercie, gracious goodnes, and holie blessing, which thou of thy woonted clemencie, and bountifull li­beralitie, giuest and extendest to all them that keepe [Page 90] thy holie word, and doo thereafter.

Blessed and praised therefore be thy most holie name for euer; and I beseech thee, O gratious God, grant now both vnto my husband (or father) and me, whiles we liue heere in this vale of miserie (where we haue no abiding, dwelling place, or permanent citie, but looke for one else-where with thee in our celestiall home) a sure and quiet conscience, to loue each other of vs in thee and for thee, and to serue thee, loue thee, and praise thee with all our harts, with all our strength, and with all our soules, for euer and euer; through thy sonne Ie­sus Christ our Lord, who is our onlie rest and peace, to whome with thee and the holie Ghost, three persons and one inuisible God, be all praise, dominion & thanks for euer and euer,

Amen.

O Most mercifull Lord, and heauenlie father, I render vnto thee most humble and hartie thanks, for the manifold and great mercies which thou from time to time hast merci­fully bestowed vpon me, both for my soule and bodie. And amongst other, O father, I thanke thee for the good and prosperous successe, which thou in thy mercie hast giuen my husband (or my father) in this his voiage and iournie, deliuering him and his from all the dangers of the same, disposing all things by thy good prouidence to a good and happie end, and now safelie bringing him, with ship and fraught, home into his owne countrie and house, to my great comfort, and his commoditie. Let this thy fatherlie fauour, O Lord, be both vnto him and me a sufficient cause to mooue vs continuallie [Page 91] to render thanks vnto thee, and wholie to depend vpon thy mercifull prouidence, both in prosperitie and ad­uersitie, and that we may so walke before thee, as thy glorie alwaie may shine in vs, and that our tongues may be instruments of thy praise at all times, and in all places, euen all the daies of our life; that we thus liuing in thy faith, feare, and loue, and in the obedience of thy holie commandements, may passe the time of this our pilgrimage in peace, concord, mutuall loue and amitie, so that when the same is ended, wee may liue and reigne with thee for euer and euer,

Amen.

O Lord, Father of mercie, and God of all consolation, which rulest and dis­posest all things after thine vn­searchable wisedome; and workest in thy creatures, according to thy blessed will, which is alwaie good and godlie, howsoeuer blind & fraile flesh iudgeth of it. I knowe, and vn­feignedlie confesse thine omnipotencie and almightie power. I knowe that thou art able to doo what thy good pleasure is. I knowe that thou bringest downe to the graue, and fetchest vp againe. Thou punishest with pouertie, and makest wealthie againe. Thou throwest men into the darke dongeons, and loosest them out of prison againe, breaking euen the gates of brasse, and smiting the bars and bolts of iron asunder. Thou dooest put downe and exalt againe. Thou woundest and healest; yea, thou O Lord killest, & makest aliue againe.

Oh, woonderfullie dooest thou worke in thy creatures, especiallie in them, whome thou hast appointed to be [Page 92] vessels of mercie, and inheritors of thine eternall glo­rie. If they at anie time greeuouslie offend thy diuine maiestie (as we be all sinners, and readie at euerie mo­ment to fall) thou dooest neither long winke at their wickednes, nor yet euer cast them off from thy fauour, but like a louing phisician with some emplaister or salue, although bitter to the flesh, yet wholesome to the soule, thou healest them, and like a tender and gentle father, correctest them with some temporall punish­ment; that by this meanes they escaping euerlasting punishment, may repent them of their vngodlie beha­uiour, confesse their wickednes, flie vnto thy mercie, and for euer after be the more circumspect in treading the paths of thy holie lawe.

On this manner didst thou handle the Israelits, when they offended thy fatherlie goodnes. On this manner didst thou deale with King Dauid, and the Prophet Ionas for their disobedience, with manie o­ther; whome notwithstanding for thy mercies sake, af­ter they had acknowledged their offences, and called vpon thy holie name, thou woonderfullie deliueredst, a [...]d broughtest againe as it were out of the perillous seas, into the hauen of quietnes.

I therefore thy poore creature and sorrowfull hand-maid, perceiuing in thy holie word so large fountaines of thy great mercies plentifullie issuing out towards all them that be of a contrite heart, and broken spirit, am bold (notwithstanding mine vnwoorthines, by rea­son of my manifold sins) to come at this present vnto thee, and that for thy promise sake, most humblie he see­ching thee, that as thou deliueredst Ionas out of the whales bellie, Ioseph and Daniel from prison, Peter thine Apostle out of ward and durance, Dauid from the hands of his enimies, Susanna from the power of hir aduersaries, with manie other: so in like manner, thou wilt deliuer and set at libertie thy seruant, and my [Page 93] faithfull and deere husband T.B. and that in such sort, that it may be to thy glorie, to his health, to the com­fort of me his wofull wife, and sorowfull children and friends, and to the reioicing of so manie as vnfeigned­lie loue thy blessed word.

And although, O God, I formine imperfection am not worthie to craue and enioie so great and comfor­table a benefit at thy mercifull hands; yet I doubt not, but for thy deerelie beloued Sonne Iesus Christes sake, thou wilt most fauourablie heare me, most father­lie pitie me, and most bountifullie grant me this mine humble request; and I againe receiuing this notable benefit of my deere husbands deliuerance at thy hand, shall not be vnthankefull, but continuallie magnifie thy holie and glorious name, which dealest so fauourablie with thy seruants, when they call vpon thee in the name of Iesu Christ thine onlie begotten Sonne, and our alone mediator and aduocate, to whome with thee and the holie Ghost, be all praise and honor for euer and euer,

Amen.

SO often as I consider thy woonder­full works, O blessed and heauenlie father, which thou workest of thine owne good will, for so manie as in their trouble and aduersitie flie for refuge vnto thy holie name, as vnto a strong hold and mightie fortresse; I cannot but confesse and acknow­ledge thy singular kindnes and vnspeakeable good will, which thou continuallie through thy fatherlie goodnes bearest towards thy seruants, and for the same not me­rited of anie, but freelie of thy mercie giuen, I render [Page 94] vnto thee, according to my most bounden dutie, most hartie praises and entire thanks, in consideration whereof, the children of Israell being in miserable cap­tiuitie, lamentablie lamenting before thee their too much sorrowfull state, by hartie praiers; after that thou hadst deliuered them from the land of seruitude, brast out into exceeding great praises, glorifieng thy most holie and blessed name, for their sweet and comfor­table deliuerance. The Citizens of Bethulia likewise being in great distresse, called vpon thy glorious name; and thou most mercifullie deliueredst them, and they a­gaine with merie voices and more ioifull harts, soong vnto thee most hartie thanks. In like manner, when thou hadst deliuered Ioseph, Daniel, Dauid, Peter, and manie other thy seruants from their sorowes and calamities; oh who is able to expresse with how readie and glad minds they magnified thee, & thy holie name.

I therefore sinfull woman, excited and stirred vp with the godlie examples of these thy seruants, kno­wing how greatlie thou delightest in the sacrifice of praise, confessing also (such is my beggerie) that I haue none other thing woorthie to offer vnto thy diuine ma­iestie, at this present addressed and prepared to cele­brate thy great mercies, do magnifie thy blessed name, and render vnto thee most humble thanks, and im­mortall praise, that it hath pleased thee of thine excee­ding goodnes, the rather at the contemplation of my poore praiers, to shew thy fauourable mercie, in the de­liuerance of thy seruant, and my deere husband T.B. vn­to my singular ioie and great comfort.

For this thy benefit (most beneficiall father) I so hartilie thanke thee, as hart can thinke; most intirelie be seeching thee, that thou wilt giue him and me, and vs all, euen so manie as loue thy blessed word, neuer to be vnmindfull of this thy benefit, nor to commit any thing heereafter that should offend thy fatherlie goodnes, or [Page 95] prouoke thy wrath against vs, least through our disobe­dience we, after this, feele more bitter tokens of thy heauie displeasure, than hitherto we haue done; but in all our enterprises so to behaue our selues according to thy blessed will, that thou maist delight in vs as a fa­ther in his children. And vouchsafe to blesse vs with all spirituall blessings, to enrich vs with the knowledge of thy heauenlie word, and to worke in vs a life confor­mable to the same, that other seeing our godlie man­ners, and christian conuersation, may be encouraged to embrace thy blessed word, to magnifie thy holie name, and in all points to frame their life according to the rule of thy holy commandements, through the inspiration of thy blessed spirit, to whome with thee, and thy deerelie beloued Sonne Iesus Christ, be all praise, honor and glorie for euermore,

O Almightie and mercifull Father, which of thy bountifull goodnes hast fructified my wombe, and of thy gra­tious blessing, hast created in me a reasonable creature; I most hartilie thanke thee, not onelie for this thy gratious gift, but also for that thou hast at all times, sith I conceiued, preserued me from all perils both of soule and bodie, and hast so moderated all my nips, pinches, and pangs, [Page 96] that I haue hitherto right well escaped them.

I acknowledge, O Lord, that iustlie for our [...]infull transgression of thy commandements, thou saiedst vn­to the first woman, our grand-mother Eue, and in hir to vs all; I will increase thy sorowe, when thou art with child: with paine shalt thou bring foorth thy chil­dren. All our paines therefore that we suffer in this behalfe, are none other thing, but a woorthie crosse laid vpon vs by thy godlie ordinance, to the which with hart & mind I humblie submit my selfe, trusting surelie, and being fullie persuaded in my faith, that thou callest none into perill and danger, but both thou canst, and wilt at conuenient season deliuer them.

Thou most gratious God hast commanded vs in all our trouble to call vpon thee for aid and helpe: and not only hast commanded vs, but also of thy mercifull good­nes hast promised to vs good deliuerance, saieng, Call vpon me in time of trouble, and I will deliuer thee. O good Lord, how greatlie doo these words comfort my hart, and susteine my seelie soule? Who would not greatlie reioice, that knoweth certainlie almightie God to be present with him in his trouble? Saith not God thus? Or euer they call (saith he) I shall answere them. While they are yet but thinking how to speake, I shall heare them. And in the Psalme, I am with him (saith God) in his trouble, out of the which I will deli­uer him. What a comfortable Lord is this? He is more readie to helpe, than we to call for helpe. He is more readie to giue grace, than we to aske it. There was neuer anie yet that with a pure faith asked grace of his Lord, but he had it. Christ saith, Aske and ye shall haue. Euerie one that asketh, hath. He that saith eue­rie one, excepteth none. Uerelie, verelie, I saie vnto you (saith Christ) whatsoeuer you shall aske my father in my name, he shall giue it you. Our sauiour Christ saith this, and he is God, and shall not I hearken to [Page 97] my Lord Gods commandements & promises? Uerelie I will sticke surelie to it: for sure I am, that sooner shall heauen and earth perish, than Gods promises be vn­performed. For albeit euerie man naturallie is a lier and deceiuer, yet God is alwaies true and iust in all his words and promises. I will therfore make my sute vnto him, whome I need not go far to seeke: for he is e­uerie-where present with his elect, and is nigh vnto all them that call vpon him faithfullie, and thus will I praie vnto him.

FAther of mercie, and God of comfort and all consola­tion, I thy poore hand-maid humblie beseech thee for Christ Iesus sake, and in his blessed and holie name, that thou wilt vouchsafe to forgiue me all my sins and trespasses, that I haue heeretofore offended in against thy godlie maiestie, either in thought, consent, delecta­tion, word or deed; and that thou wilt heereafter during my life, mercifullie preserue me from transgressing of thy commandements, and dailie increase in me perfect repentance for my sins, a sure purpose of amendment of my life, and a diligent studie to walke in thy com­mandements. Increase in me also a liuelie faith, a sure hope and charitie. Ingraffe in me humblenes of hart, meekenes of mind, cleannes of conscience. Grant mee that I may be wise, sad, sober, discreet, circumspect, and well aduised in all my saiengs, and that I may strong­lie ouercome all the temptations of mine enimies, the diuell, the world, and the flesh, and that whether I be sleeping or waking, eating, drinking, or whatsoeuer I doo, all may be to thine honor and glorie. Grant me also that I may humblie reuerence my husband, and faith­fullie loue him, and be obedient to all his honest, law­full, and godlie requests. And chieflie of all, grant mee, O Lord, that I may feare and dread thee: for well assu­red I am, that looke how high the heauen is in compa­rison of the earth, and so great is gods mercie towards [Page 98] them that feare him. Looke how wide the East is from the West, so far hath he set our sins from vs; yea, like as a father pitieth his owne children, euen so is the Lord mercifull to them that feare him.

And as touching my deliuerance of this burthen, and thy gratious gift, I am right well assured, that vn­lesse thou prosper my trauell, all womens helpe, and all physicke is in vaine: 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 meete to thy most godlie maiestie, thou both canst and wilt prosper the childs birth, and my deliuerance. In consideration whereof, I humblie beseech thee of thy fatherlie pitie to strengthen me, in this my dange­rous labour and trauell, and so susteine me, that I may patientlie beare all my throwes, and pangs, and accor­ding to thy promise, suffer me not to be tempted aboue my strength, but in the midst of my temptation, make a way to come out, that I may beare it.

Increase my faith, O most mercifull sauiour Christ, that I may constantlie beleeue thy word, which saiest, Ye shall be sorrowfull, but your sorrowe shall be turned into ioie. A woman when she trauelleth, hath sorrowe, for hir houre is come; but when she is deliuered of the child, she thinketh no more of the anguish, for ioie that a man is borne into the world. I be seech thee therefore in the dangerous time of my trauell, grant me speedie deliuerance, and ioifull beholding of my child, that I being a merie and ioifull mother, may render vnto thee honour, laud, praise, and thanks, for thine aboun­dant mercies, and gratious gifts and benefits.

And finallie, aboue all things I beseech thy gratious goodnes to endue my child with grace, that it may be one of the number of thine elect, baptised, and regene­rated in the holie Ghost, and that at the yeeres of dis­cretion, it may learne to knowe thee: and knowing [Page 99] thee, may trust surelie in thy mercie: trusting in thy mercie, may hartilie loue thee: louing thee, may feare to displease thee: and fearing to displease thee, may bee obedient to thy commandements, and finallie, atteine euerlasting ioie and felicitie, through our Lord Iesus Christ, which liueth and reigneth with thee and the ho­lie Ghost, world without end, So be it.

O Almightie and mercifull God, ma­ker of heauen and earth, which for sin, hast enioined to me, and all wo­man -kind, a greeuous paine, to bring foorth children, I mislike not this thy decree, but I acknowledge the same to be holie, irreprehensible, and good: for all that thou hast crea­ted and ordeined are verie good. Wherefore I beseech thee, in the name of Christ thy welbeloued Sonne, as­sist me in my paines, helpe me in the danger of deliue­rance, and conuert my mourning into mirth. In the meane season, keepe thou mee, with the child in my wombe, from all hurt and danger, Grant also, that my child yet vnborne, may come into this world sound and perfect without deformitie. Protect me likewise with thy fauour, whereby I may escape all danger, feare, frights, and vntimelie deliuerance. Bring into my mind all my misdeeds and offences, that vnfeignedlie I may be sorie for them, and walke heereafter warelie in my calling; and when the time of my deliuerance shall approch, assist me with thy grace, and bring out my child in good time well proportioned, according to thine image, and restore me to my woonted strength if it be thy good pleasure.

Giue also vnto my newlie borne babe, togither with [Page 100] outward baptisme, thine holie spirit, whereby it may be regenerated vnto euerlasting life, admitted into the societie of thy saincts, and continue in thy seruice, and godlie conuersation euermore. O Lord God mercifull father, into thine hands I commend both my selfe, and my child, doo with vs 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 liue. Thou art my re­fuge in Christ our Lord and sauiour,

Amen.

AL thy waies are iust, oh deere father, and thy iudgements are true altogi­ther: for worthilie doth man liue in the sweate of his face, and the wo­man bring forth children with much paine and trauell, and with great danger. Yea, O mercifull father, this paine is not a sufficient punishment for the greeuous transgressions, wherewith wee and our fore-fathers haue transgressed thy most holie will. The punishment in respect of our demerits is too small, but in respect of our weakenes, too great for vs with­out thee to endure. Wherefore, as I acknowledge, O mercifull father this trauell in child-birth, which now approcheth, to be a iust reward of my manifold sins: so I acknowledge also thy readie arme of defence, stret­ched out ouer me, and ouer all them that call vpon thee in faith. Grant therefore, O deere father, that I may in faith praie, and wait for that time of my trauell pa­tientlie: that I may endure it when it shall be present constantlie and thankefullie; knowing, that although I then feele some tast of the reward of sin, yet I feele not all, and that little which I then feele, thou dooest presentlie reward.

[Page 101]The which comfortable and glad issue, grant me, O Lord, if it be thy good pleasure: and hauing receiued such fruit of my bodie, grant me moreouer wisedome and strength to bring it vp in thy feare, and to trauell as it were againe with it, till it be borne againe into a heauenlie life, to the glorie of thy holie name, and my great ioie, so that it may finallie in Christ Iesus, be partaker of those blessings, which thou dooest plenti­fullie raine downe vpon the faithfull and their seed for euer. And bicause I am not woorthie to present this my suite to thy heauenlie maiestie, of my selfe, a most wretched and sinfull woman; I offer it in the name of the righteousnes, and in the strength of my Lord and sauiour Iesus Christ, praieng furthermore as he hath taught vs to praie, Our father, &c.

OH most deere father, Lord of heauen & earth, which gouernest all things by thy wisedome, so that nothing is done without thy prouidence. Thou causest the winde to blowe, the stormes and seas to arise, and in their chiefest rage, with a word thou stillest them againe. Thou sen­dest fire, raine, and snowe from heauen, threatening great destruction, and yet not one of them can passe the bounds that thou appointest them, so that they go, and doo onlie what thine almightie word hath commanded them, the bounds and measures where of they may not, neither are they able to passe: whereby most d [...]re God, thine almightie wisedome and power is manifest vnto vs in all thy works; but most chieflie in the woon­derfull worke of the forming of man, who of a maruel­lous small and loathsome substance, is made a liuing [Page 102] creature, and nourished within the closure & intrailes of the womb, and hauing a soule or mind infused into it by a heauenlie beginning, is alwaie desirous to be re­turned againe, as out of a strange countrie into his owne.

Therefore, O heauenlie father, I yeeld thee most har­tie thanks, that thou hast vouchsafed to count me wor­thie, and made me the shop and receptacle of this thy most excellent worke. And I beseech thee, most louing father, that as thou hast giuen me aptnes and power to conceiue and receiue thy creature and workeman­ship into my bodie, so thou wouldest giue me power and strength, to beare and to nourish it, vntill it come to good perfection, and that I may safelie bring foorth the same. Thy goodnes, oh gentle father, did at the be­ginning appoint and ordeine that this thy worke of propagation, and bringing foorth of man, should be to vs easie, pleasant, and without danger. But our sins alas, deere God, through the disobedience and breaking of thy lawe and commandements, hath made it to be dangerous, painefull, and full of perill, which thou didst laie vpon our grand-mother Eue, and vpon all vs hir posteritie, as a correction and punishment for sin: and therefore I confesse deere God, that through my manifold sins, I haue not onlie deserued this thy rod of correction, but far sorer, and more greeuous punish­ment, yea euen thy wrath, were it not that thy mercie exceedeth all thy works, and thy tender loue towards vs is such, and so great, that in thy iustice thou thinkest vpon mercie, and hast not onlie giuen thy deerelie belo­ued Sonne to shed his pretious hart bloud, to take a­waie our sins, but also hast chosen vs in him before the world began, to be thy children, by whome thou hast as­sured vs, that thy fatherlie care and godlie prouidence ouer vs is so great, that euen the verie heares of our heads are numbered in thy sight.

[Page 103]Wherefore, oh most mercifull father, I am bold to run presentlie vnto thee with all my trust, hope and confidence, that thou hast giuen me, praieng and besee­ching thee, for thy great mercies sake, for thine infal­lible promise and truth sake, which neuer faile anie that put their trust in thee, and for thy Sonne Iesus Christes sake, oh most mild and mightie worker, that thy clemency may refresh and restore in me, that which my sins haue hindered and corrupted; and either take from me the great labour and dangerous trauell that my sins haue deserued, & the feare that it hath brought me into for the same, so that I shall not need such po­wer and strength, such care and industrie as my cor­ruption now seeketh and requireth; or else so qualifie, mitigate and order all my throwes, paines, pangs, and pinches of this my child-birth, that the trauell thereof doo not surmount, nor ouercome my strength, further than thou, oh father wilt make mee able to beare, & endure the same, or else encrease my strength, encourage my mind, and fortifie my senses so, that I may without mistrust, despaire, or grudging against thy maiestie, beare the labour to the end. For my God and deere Father, I doo knowe and assuredlie beleeue, that all my paines and throwes are so in thy fatherlie ordering and working, that onlie so far foorth shall they be painefull and greeuous vnto mee, and no further, but as thy diuine prouidence doth appoint.

Assist mee therefore, oh most deere father, with thy most cheerefull present, and readie helpe, and comfort me with thy holie Ghost. For deere father, as thou didst laie this rod of correction vpon vs for our sins, that we should conceiue in sorrowe, and beare in perill: so Lord, thou of thy goodnes didst promise, that we should bring foorth. Therefore, oh most louing and pitifull father, ac­cording to this thy holie promise, I beseech thee, send me good deliuerance of such a child, as may be to the [Page 104] praise of thy holie name, a witnes and testimonie of thy good will, and blessing to this most honourable state of matrimonie, and also by thine holie instituti­on of baptisme, may be made of the number of thine e­lect children, and heire of thine eternall kingdome, by the merits and deseruings of thy deere Sonne Iesus Christ, in whose name, I beseech thee furthermore as he hath taught and commanded me, saieng: Our father which art in heauen, &c.

THY wisedome and power shine foorth in all thy works, O Lord, but yet much more greater, more mani­fest and more woonderfull are they in the shaping of man. Of how small beginning dooest thou make so maruellous a liuing thing, infusing a soule into it, whose originall is from heauen, to the intent he should long to returne thither, as into his countrie? And now that thou hast [...]uchsafed to make me, as it were thy worke-house, wherein to fashion so singular a worke; I most hum­blie and hartilie thanke thee, beseeching thee, that as thou hast giuen me abilitie to conceiue, so thou wilt giue me strength to the perfecting of the thing that is in breeding, that I may safelie both beare it, and bring it foorth. Trulie thou, O mercifull father, hadst of thine owne goodnes made this worke of child-bearing easie, but our sinne hath made it sorrowfull and full of dan­ger. O most gratious worke-man, let thy pitifulnes a­mend the thing which our sinfulnes hath marred, and either abate my paine, that I may not haue need of so great strength, tendance, and running; or else increase my strength, power, and courage, that I may be able to ouercome all the paines of my trauell,

Amen.

Amen.

ALmightie God, my heauenlie and most mercifull father, I feele thy promised punishment at this present to take effect on me, which for the gilt and transgression of my proge­nitors, hath beene by thy diuine ma­iestie, iustlie pronounced against me, and the whole generation of Adam. Great and intollerable are these bitter pangs and pearsing paines, that in this my trauell of child-birth, I endure and abide. Now feele I as it were a cruell and sharpe conflict betwixt death and life; now feele I (O Lord) the rod of thy correction, according to thy iustice laid heauie vpon me, for the vse and exercise of sin and iniquitie; yet when it shall please thee good Lord looke vpon me with the eies of thy fatherlie compassion and pitie, and according to the multitude of thy mani­fold mercies, be thou now present with me. Arm [...] mee, O mightie God with perfect patience, ioifullie to beare thy correction, and in the middest of these my sharpe and [Page 107] bitter brunts of greefe, giue me grace still to call vpon thee.

Strengthen me a poor wretched woman, giue mee comfort and heauenlie consolation from aboue, and when thou shalt thinke it meet and conuenient, send me safe deliuerance, that I may enioie the fruit of my wombe, the sight whereof shall adorne and decke me anew with ioie and gladnes, otherwise, good Lord, if in this season thou determine to take mee hence vnto thy selfe by thy messenger death, to whose stroke all crea­tures (when thou thinkest it meet and expedient) shall bow, make me constant and faithfull in thee, whose I am, whether I die or liue. Forget my sins and offences committed by mee against thee. Let the bloud of the Lambe Iesus wash away my deformitie. Let the spots of my corruption be purged, and taken awaie. Let my infected soule that is putrified therein, be purified therein. Giue me grace alwaies, whether I liue or die, to call vpon thee continuallie. Giue me power to pitch my confidence onelie and alone in the bloudie wounds of Christ Iesus, to whome in this my distresse I flie, and appeale for remedie and comfort. Grant this O gratious God, which liuest and reignest world without end,

Amen.

LORD saue mee, or else I perish: Lord haue mercie vpon me a sinner. Pitifull Iesu shew thy mercie vnto me, and let the light of thy counte­nance shine vpon me, that I be not swallowed vp of greefe and sorrowe. Lord, sweet Lord, thou sendest thy seruants to call me to the marriage: the fatlings and oxen are killed, and dinner is readie. Lord giue me grace to come vnto thee, that I beeing [Page 108] freed from sin, and eased of sorrowe, the fruit of sin, may marrie thee in the couenant of thy mercie, and ban­quet with thee face to face at the table of ioie in the heauenlie Ierusalem. Lord, louing Lord, and gratious God, blesse the fruit of my wombe, and take it into thy familie. For I beleeue Lord, that thou becamest of God, the son of man, to make it and all other, whome thy father hath giuen thee, the children of God thy hea­uenlie father. According to my faith therefore, O Lord, be it vnto me. Open the doore of thy mercie, and lodge my child in the vertue of the couenant; that being my God, and the God of my seed, I may glorifie thee both now and euer, and offer vp the sacrifice of praise, and the fruits of a ioious spirit vnto thee. Lord and father of heauen, it is thy will that all men should be saued, thy will be done, and saue me and my child by thy mer­cie, I beseech thee,

Amen.

Amen.

HAue mercie vpon me, O Lord, haue mercie vpon mee thy sinfull ser­uant, and wofull hand-maid, who now in my greatest need and distres, doo seeke thee: behold, with grie­uous groanes & deepe sighes, I crie vnto thee for mercie. Euen now while thy heauie hand in chastening is vpon me, doo I powre out my soule, and make my pi­tious mo [...]e, and humble supplication vnto thee my God, for mitigation of my miserie. For lo, thou seest, how I pant with paine, and grone through griefe, and trauell in sore labour before thee, togither with all thy creatures, sighing in my selfe, and waiting for thy rea­die helpe, and my speedie deliuerance foorth of this di­stres. Oh Lord, am not I now that wofull wight, who with all the sorrowes of a trauelling woman, am oppressed in thy sight? Yea, thou seest in what pitifull plight I am, drawing nigh towards my trauell, and [Page 113] hearest me sorrowfull wretch crieng out in my pangs, as she that is destitute of all mortall helpe. Alas, how tediouslie doo I trauell of this child: how pinching pangs doo I iustlie suffer for my sins? I haue a long time, O Lord, held my peace, suppressing my throwes so long as my womanlie strength will suffer. I haue beene quiet and still, and refrained my selfe, I saie, as much as I am able; but now alas, such and so intolie­rable is my greefe, so manie and vehement are my throwes; yea, so continuall and tedious is my trauell, that without thee, I can not possiblie anie longer for­beare, but am forced through bodilie paine, and inward greefe, to shrich and crie alowd vnto thee, and that with teares, for speedie comfort and heauenlie helpe, that she which is in sore labour, may find mitigation of hir paines, through thy mercie, and being readie to bring foorth, may be deliuered through thy power. For except thou, O Lord, make a waie out, that which is concei­ued, can not be borne.

Oh Lord, this daie is a gloomie daie, a bitter time and terrible houre, a daie (or night) of anguish and tri­bulation, of sorrowe and perturbation, vnto the verie soule of thine hand-maid: for the babe is come vnto the place of the birth, and lo, it seemeth that thou for my sins hast shut vp the dores of my wombe, and caused the babe to stand still like to be stiffled. What shall I saie, O my God, what shall I doo? Haue mercie vpon mee, O Lord, haue mercie vpon me, and helpe me. Make a way out for my deliuerance, for in me there is no helpe, no strength, nor power to bring that foorth that I haue conceiued. It is thou onlie, O Lord my God, which hast fashioned it in my wombe, that must doo it. Oh therefore put foorth speedilie thine almightie hand, and helpe me, and giue me strength and patience to endure whatsoeuer for my sins it shall please thee to laie vpon me in this my sore labour.

[Page 114]O good God, thou that hast promised to intreate those gentlie that beare yoong, haue mercie vpon thine hand-maid, and vouchsafe to shew that tender care and fatherlie fauour vnto mee that am full weake & feeble: helpe me speedilie that stand in great need thereof. For without thee, I confesse there is no deliuerance nor saluation in the earth to be expected, neither can anie worldlie meanes preuaile anie thing at all heere in this action.

Oh Lord, thou art he that hast drawne me out of my mothers womb long since, and hitherto hast had a ten­der care ouer me, so that thou hast caused me to looke vp vnto thee, when I did hang yet on my mothers breast: so soone as I was borne and came foorth into this world, I was committed vnto thee, and euen then thou didst declare thy selfe to be my God and father. Now then, O Lord, when so great miseries doo approch and enuiron me, I beseech thee be not thou far from me, nei­ther forsake me which am destitute of all manner of succours besides.

Come holie Ghost, and regard the sorrowes of thy hand-maiden: for behold, he that is mightie hath hum­bled me greatlie. O blessed trinitie, come visit a wretch that now (as thou seest) is entred into hir secret cham­ber, and hath shut the dores about hir to hide hir selfe for a little while, vntill thine indignation be ouerpas­sed. Come, I saie, O glorious and almightie God, come speedilie, and through thy diuine power worke thou all our works for vs heere in secret, that we may praise thee openlie. For thou art my God, and my soule hath greatlie longed for thee both daie and night. Yea, with my spirit within me doo I hartilie and earnestlie seeke thee, earlie and late; oh would God that I might find thee whome my soule loueth! For in the waie of thy iudgements, O Lord, doo I wait. I constantlie abide in mi [...]e aduersities, wherewith thou dooest woorthilie af­flict [Page 115] me, and put my trust onlie in thee, from whome I expect speedie deliuerance in thy good time. Thy sweet name, O Iesu, and the remembrance of thee is now the thing that my languishing soule so much longeth for [...] O come therefore vnto me at the last, and comfort me; satisfie my longing to the full, and deliuer thy faithfull hand-maid, and sorrowfull seruant out of this ex­treame sorrowe, and easelesse paines, that I may no longer crie and saie, Why is my heauines continuall, and my paines so intollerable? How is it Lord, that for no intreatie thou wilt not deliuer thine hand-maid from such indurable greefes? How long shall I suffer the paines of the birth, and the anguish of the trauell? Now long Lord shall my bowels thus sound like an harpe, my bones and sinewes be racked asunder, and mine inward parts be thus greeuouslie tormented for my sins. Consider, O Lord, how I am troubled, how my wombe is disquieted, and my hart wambleth with­in me for anguish. Wilt thou haue no compassion on a wretch? Wilt thou cause me thus to trauell still in paines intollerable, and greefe vnspeakeable? Wilt thou not bring foorth that which thou hast formed, that I may be deliuered of that which I haue conceiued?

Alas, O Lord, alas my God, yea my deare and onelie God, wilt thou not heare the lamentable cries, and re­gard the inward teares, of a wretch that trauelleth, & laboureth so sore with child, euen the wofull voice [...] mournfull lamentation of thy hand-maid, and daughter (I saie, though vnworthie,) that thus all the daie long sigheth, crieth, and stretcheth out hir feeble han [...] vnto thee in heauen, calling for thy heauenlie helpe and succour? Oh Lord, spare me, oh deare God, haue mer­cie vpon me, and my babe! Shall I be the graue of my child? Shall I giue death the fruit of my bodie, for the sins of my soule, and my first, (second, or third) [...], for the transgressions of my youth? Alas, shall that pe­rish [Page 116] in the wombe, which is conceiued by thee; or shall it die in the birth, and not be borne, which thou hast so mightilie fashioned? Hast thou shut vp the doores of my wombe in thy displeasure, and couered me with the shadowe of death, that the birth may not come out? Wilt thou cause that to die in the birth, I saie, which is the woonderfull worke of thy almightie hand? God forbid, oh God forbid. Oh saue me, and my babe, I be­seech thee, and let it not be as a thing borne out of time, either as an infant which neuer sawe the light; nei­ther let it perish or be slaine, so soone as it commeth out of the wombe: but open thou the wombe and bring it foorth safelie, that I may set it on my knees, and giue it sucke with my brests. Oh finish the thing mercifullie, which thou hast begun so gratiouslie in me, and let me reioice rather that a man-child is borne into the world; els why am I in this plight? Wo is me now that euer I sinned; for how shall I be able to endure all the sorowes and pangs of a trauelling wo­man, which are now, or hereafter shall be iustlie laid vpon me. O Lord, thou seest my hart fainteth, my face looketh pale, yea sounding with a sighing and gasping soule, I crie out, and saie, Alas that euer I sinned. Wo is me that euer I offended so louing a God, so mercifull a Sauiour, so deare a redeemer, so holie and blessed a sanctifier. Alas for this daie, which is so dreadfull, that none may be likened vnto it. And out alas for the time of this perplexiti [...], of this sorowe and griefe, which I now sensiblie feele and endure, both in bodie and mind; for it is like the daie and time of Rachel. My sorowe and trouble may be compared to Phinees wiues trou­ble, my state and condition seemeth to me and others, to be not much vnlike vnto theirs, I saie; from the which neuerthelesse for thy great mercie sake, good Lord, I beseech thee deliuer me, and saue me and my [...]abe from the graue, as my trust is in thee,

Amen.

O GOD make speede to saue me, O Lord make hast to helpe me. Make no long tarieng, O my God, least I be like to those that go downe into the pit. How long, Lord, wilt thou forget me? How long shall I bee plucked a sunder with these griping greefes and pinching pangs, of deadlie throwes? How long shall I a wretch expect thy gratious comfort and readie helpe? How long wilt thou forget thy creatures, O Lord, for euer? How long wilt thou hide thy face from thy hand-maid thus being in miserie? Shall my greefe euer continue, & my paines neuer cease? What is my power, O Lord, that I should endure such pangs? Or what is my strength, that I may abide such throwes? Surelie, O God, thou knowest my strength is not the strength of stones, nei­ther is my flesh or bones made of brasse, or iron. For in troth there is in me no helpe, nor in anie mortall crea­ture, anie reliefe or succour; yea all strength is vtterlie taken from me, and there is none that I can find to helpe me: therefore without thy helpe, strength, and patience, it is impossible for me to continue in this perplexitie. Oh spare me therefore a litle, that I may recouer my strength, before I go hence, and be no more seene. O Lord cast not awaie thy seruant in thy displea­sure, but let it be thy good pleasure to deliuer me. Make hast, O Lord, to helpe me. Wilt thou absent thy selfe for euer; or hast thou shut vp thy louing kindnes in dis­pleasure? Is thy mercie cleane gone, and thy promises come vtterlie to an end for euermore? Chasten me, O Lord, and correct me; but giue me not ouer vnto death, neither shut vp my soule with the wicked in the graue. Let not mine enimie saie, So, so, I haue deuoured hir. For I come vnto thee with those good women in the [Page 118] Gospell, and falling downe at thy feet in trembling and feare, I humblie beseech thee, saieng, O sweet Iesu, O sonne of Dauid, O Lambe of God, that ta [...]e [...]t awaie the sinnes of the world, haue mercie vpon me. O Lord haue mercie vpon me that am grieuouslie vexed with nipping throwes: Lord helpe me, Lord heare me, and vouchsafe to grant me the thing that I long for, and destre; that is, that thou my maker, and preseruer, wilt speedilie come and comfort me, & mitigate these griefs, now after the time that thou hast plagued and tor­mented me with all thy stormes: and in great compas­sion haue mercie vpon me, and my seelie infant, that it be not like the vntimelie fruit, or like the birth that di­eth, and is borne togither. After this night, and houre of calamitie ouerpassed, let the pleasant morning of comfort luckilie shine vpon me, that by time I may heare and feele thy goodnes and mercie in obteining at thy hand a comfortable issue, and deliuerance: for in thee onelie is all my trust. Quicken me, O Lord, for thy name sake, and for thy mercie and righteousnes, bring my soule and bodie out of this distres, and ease me of these paines, for I am thy seruant. O come and com­fort me thy weake creature, in these mine afflictions, with the presence of thy holie spirit, that euen in death I may find life. For vn [...]er thy protection and defence, mercie and fauour, doo I wholie repose my selfe. Lord into thy hands I commend my spirit, preserue and keep me, relieue, ease, and speed me, O Lord thou God of truth; for thou hast redeemed me. Thou hast beene my succour, leaue me not now, nor forsake me, O God of my saluation. What profit is there in my bloud, when I go downe to the pit? Shall the dust giue thanks vn­to thee, or shall the graue declare thy truth? O there­fore haue mercie on me good Father, for thy holie name sake, euen for thy deere sonne Iesu Christs sake, I saie, haue compassion vpon a wretch that calleth vpon thee [Page 119] in his name: and vouchsafe now yet at the length, to shew some good token of thy fauour and mercie vpon me, and that for my good, and speedie deliuerance, that they which hate me, may be ashamed, & they that loue me be comforted, and praise thee togither with me; be­cause thou, O Lord, hast had mercie on me, and holpen me, and sent me a speedie deliuerance of this burden, and made me a ioifull and glad mother of this child to thy glorie. So shall my soule magnifie thee, O Lord, and my spirit shall euer reioice in thee, O God my Sa­uioue: yea so shall I be ioifull in thy saluation, and I will not cease to celebrate thy name among the saints, and sing vnto thee the sugred songs of Sion, to the perpetuall praise of thy renowmed name, and erernall glorie of thy most sacred maiestie, world without end,

O My Lord God, I thanke thee with all my heart, wit, vnderstanding, and power, for that thou hast vouchsafed to deliuer mee out of this my most dangerous trauell, and hast sent into this world out of my wofull wombe this child, a creature of thine owne fashioning, forming and shape, like vnto the rest of the children of thy creation; for which I am not able worthilie inough of mine owne fraile nature to giue to thee condigne thanks, praise, honour and glorie, for thy so great benefits shewed vnto me, in pulling me out from the pit-brinke of death, easing and releeuing all my wofull sorrowes, labours, pangs, and most greeuous throwes, bitter anguishes, & vnspeake­able paines, which I could neuer haue escaped, with­out [Page 120] out thy most singular aid, helpe, releefe and succour. Wherefore I thy most humble hand-maid, with sted­fast and pure hart and hands, doo powre out before thee my Lord God and onlie sauiour, these my simple prai­ers of thanks-giuing (the fruit of my faith, hope, trust, charitie, and assured confidence which I haue in thee) assertaining my selfe, that now thou hast preserued me for a further triall of my vocation and seruice towards thee in this vale of transitorie life, wherin I may haue time, by thy diuine permission and sufferance, to direct all my steps in thy waies, and to honour and glorifie thee in my soule and bodie with condigne thanks, in re­ioising in thy holie name, according to thy most blessed word, wherein thou hast declared that a woman, as long as she is in trauell of hir child-bearing, she is sorrowfull, heauie, and full of anguish and intollerable paines; but as soone as the child is borne, she learneth straight-waies to forget all hir paines, not remem­bring them anie longer, and to reioice, for that she hath brought foorth a child into the world. Euen so, O Lord, fareth it with me thy poore, humble, and obedient ser­uant, now reioising, in that it hath pleased thee to make me a glad mother, in bringing foorth this my child, whome now I doo present before the face of thy diuine Maiestie, with an earnest zeale of a godlie spi­rit, and most pure affection, praieng and beseeching thee, O euerlasting God, heere to preserue this child, according to thy most holie will, that it may enioie the benefit of all thy heauenlie sacraments, to loue and serue thee in purenes of life, as a faithfull member of the christian congre­gation wherein thy name by it may be glorified, honoured, and prai­sed, world without end,

Amen.

HOW much, and how greatlie am I bound to laud, praise, and extoll thee (O my Lord God?) Euen now was I assailed in my bodie, being a wretched and sinfull woman, with sundrie and diuers dolours, and greeuous gripes of perillous pains, in such sort, that my agonies aboun­ding, death himselfe seemed to me to knocke at the gates of my bodie; the rod of iustice laie so heauie vpon me, so that I iudged my selfe a creature more meet for the graue, whose clamour I thought still sounded in mine eares, than to reape the benefit of life. By my paines, Lord God, in this my trauell, I am forced to confesse and acknowledge, that thou art iust in thy promises, and readie to punish sin and iniquitie. By this my safe and sure deliuerance, I am bound to ac­knowledge, that with thy iustice thou alwaies fre­queatest pitie, commixing thy mercie and iustice togi­ther, in such sort, that I must needs confesse thee to be most righteous and mercifull. I can not (O my God) but protest, that thou hast dealt fauourablie with me; and those paines which I abode, were laid vpon me for my sin and wickednes, and yet hast thou not dealt seuerelie with me, neither giuen sentence against me in thy furie, which haue iustlie deserued the same. For hadst thou, O Lord, respected my deserts, I had peri­shed euerlastinglie, and beeue vtterlie confounded.

My greeuous groanes throwne foorth vnto thee, pearsed the verie bowels of thine annointed sonne Ie­sus Christ, who beholding mine agonies and bitter [Page 122] paines, became an intercessor to thee for me, through whose earnest intreatie, and louing meditation, thou conuertedst thy displeasure to mercie, and for his sake alone that died vpon the crosse for mine offences, thou hast asswaged my torments, and in the fulnes of thy bountie and louing kindnes, thou hast giuen me a li­uing soule to glad my hart; for the which, I am bound of right to giue thee hartie and humble thanks, hum­blie beseeching thee, being now faint and feeble in bo­die, to strengthen me in soule, mind and hart, that my tongue may be the organe that may continuallie pub­lish foorth thine euerlasting praise. Grant this, O gra­tious God, for the loue of thine onlie begotten Sonne Iesus Christ, to whome with thee and the holie Ghost, be giuen all laud, power and dominion, for euer and e­uer,

Amen.

OF dutie, O Lord, I lift vp mine eies and mind vnto thee, and giue thee most humble and hartie thanks for thine infinite goodnes, which hast not onelie beautified and blessed me most abundantlie with common, rare, and woonderfull gifts and be­nefites: but euen now also hast vouchsafed of thy free mercie to send me safe deliue­rance, and to giue me this infant and child as a token of thy loue towards me: the which so great a treasure and blessing, though I be not able to deserue; yet most louing father, for Christs sake I beseech thee, that thou wilt confirme thy fauour more and more towards me. And take this infant into thy tuition & defence, whom I offer present vnto thee with hartie praier, and neuer suffer him to fall into such vnkindnes wherby he should [Page 123] loose the force of thy grace: but that he may perceiue thee continuallie to be his mercifull Father, through thine holie spirit working in his hart, by whose diuine power he may so preuaile against Satan, that in the end obteining the victorie, he may be exalted vnto the libertie of thy kingdome,

Amen.

O Eternall father of thine onlie sonne our Lord and sauiour Christ, which in the common-weale of Israel, or­deinedst according to thy wisedome, & adornedst with excellent statutes necessarie for the state of man-kind, and signifieng secret and heauenlie things, didst make diuers lawes concerning vncleannes, and the keeping of women with child; and an other for the first borne, and that not onelie to put vs in mind of order in this life, and thank­fulnes towards thy Maiestie: but also to teach, that this our giltie and polluted nature, like the fowle men­struous cloth of a woman, is washed by the blood of thy sonne, which is the first borne, thy substantiall image, and the word sounding thy will, whom from the hea­uens thou commandest to be harkened vnto. Gouerne me by thy first and onlie begotten sonne, and giue vnto me thy most defiled amd polluted hand-maid, thy holie spirit, that earnestlie I may bewaile mine vnworthi­nes, vilenes, and vncleannes, aske helpe at thy merci­full hands, be this day purified both bodie and soule by the blood of thy Sonne, and be redeemed by him vnto true pietie, holines, and in [...]egritie which pleaseth thee, [Page 124] that through him I may be presented vnto thee with a pure and cleare mind, and for his sake I may be adop­ted into thy children, & find fauour in thine eies,

Amen.

FOr-as-much as it hath pleased thee, O al­mightie God of thy goodnes, to giue me safe deliuerance, and hast preserued mee in the great danger of child-birth, I therefore heere in the Church and congregation, giue hartie thanks vnto thee, O God, and saie:

O Almightie God, which hast deliue­red me thy most vnwoorthie hand­maid and sinfull seruant, from the great paine & perill of child-birth. I hartilie thanke thee, and humblie praise thy holie name for euer and euer. Grant me now also I beseech thee, most mercifull father, that I through thy helpe may both faithfullie liue and walke in my vocation, according to thy will in this life pre­sent, and also may be partaker of euerlasting glorie in the life to come, through Iesus Christ our Lord,

Amen.

THou, O Lord, art woonderfull in all thy works, and whatsoeuer thy good pleasure is, that dooest thou easilie bring to passe; neither is there anie thing impossible with thee, that thou wilt haue done. And albeit this thine almightie power sheweth it selfe abundantly in all thy works; yet in the conceiuing, forming, and bringing foorth of man, it shineth most euidentlie. At the beginning, O heauenlie Father, when thou hadst made man and wo­man, thou commandedst them to increase, multiplie, [Page 126] and replenish the earth; if through the subtill entise­ments of Satan they had not transgressed thy com­mandements by eating of the forbidden fruit, the wo­man, whom thou hadst appointed the organe, instru­ment, and vessell, to conceiue, nourish, and bring foorth man, through thy woonderfull workmanship, had with­out anie labour, paine, or trauell, brought foorth hir fruit. But that which thy goodnes made easie, sinne and disobedience hath made hard, painfull, dangerous, and (if thy helpe were not) impossible to be brought to passe; so that now all women bring foorth their children in great sorrowes, paines, and troubles. Notwithstan­ding, thou shewest thy selfe vnto thy creatures a father of mercie, and God of all consolation. For that which through their owne imperfection and feeblenes, they are not able of themselues to bring to passe, thou tho­rough thine vnspeakable power makest easie in them, and bringest vnto a fortunate end.

Wee therefore being fullie persuaded of thy bent and readie goodnes, of thy present helpe, of thy sweete comfort in all miseries and necessities: knowing also by the testimonies of thy holy word, how great and in­tollerable the pains of women are that trauell of child, if through thy tender mercies they be not mitigated and eased, most humblie praie thee for Iesu Christs sake thy sonne and our Lord, to assist, and helpe (as all other women else-where in like case) so especiallie this thy seruant. S. B. here now in trauell & labour; that by thine almighty power both they & she may safely bring foorth that by thy goodnes they or she hath conceiued, and that thy louing kindnes may make that easie and tollerable, which sinne hath made hard and painfull.

Ease, O Lord, the paines which thou most righte­ouslie hast put vpon hir, and all women, for the sinne and disobedience of our grand-moother Eue, in whome all we haue sinned; and giue both vnto thy seruant [Page 127] here present, and vnto all such as haue conceiued and be with child, strength to bring foorth that which thou woonderfullie hast wrought in hir, and them. Be pre­sent now with hir, & them, in their trouble; according to thy mercifull promise helpe hir, and them, and deli­uer them. Let thy power be shewed no lesse in the safe bringing foorth, than in the woonderfull framing or fa­shioning of the child. Make perfect that which thou hast so gratiouslie begun in hir, & them, so that it may come vnto good succes. Make hir, and them, glad and ioifull mothers, that she, and they, through thy goodnes being safelie deliuered and restored to their old health, and strengths, may liue and praise thy blessed name for euer,

Amen.

IN the beginning of the world, O fa­ther of heauen, after thou hadst for­med man of the slime of the earth, and yet prince ouer all creatures, it pleased thee of thy goodnes to create a woman of his side, aswell for his solace, as for the continuance of his seed: it was thy word vnto them, Increase & multiply. This increase was easie, but mo­ther Eue hath made it hard, by passing the bounds of thy will, to all hir posteritie; so that the woman concei­ueth and bringeth foorth in great paine, and painefull trauell, the fruit of hir wombe. In so great paine, O Lord, in such extreme pangs, that vnlesse thou quench the flame of hir sorrowes with the water of comfort, it it impossible for hir to beare that into this vale of mi­serie, which thou of thy goodnes hast framed, and she conceiued, Wherefore thou God of woonders, and fa­ther almightie of heauen, as thou hast by the slaugh­ter of thine onelie Lambe, taken awaie the sinnes of [Page 128] the wicked world, and condemned sinne in the flesh: so take awaie the pangs of child-birth, the fruit of sinne, from all womankind, especiallie from this woman, that bearing ioifullie that which she hath conceiued fruitfullie, and thou hast fashioned gratiouslie, she may glorifie thee most carefullie, and praise thee most thank­fullie, the onelie staie of hir estate both now and euer.

Amen.

O Good true harted Lord Iesu Christ, like as thou didst comfort and deli­uer thy disciples, and all elect and chosen men and women in all their need, martyrdome, and paines, which they suffered of the tyrants wrongfullie, and didst also cure and heale them of their wounds, paines and smart, through hope of the crowne of euerlasting life: euen so vouchsafe thou (which art the helpe of all them that call on thee in trouble and need) to deliuer this poore weake vessell, which is heere bound with a fruit after thine owne similitude and likenes, notwith­standing that she hath deserued in transgressing of thy holie commandements, to bring foorth hir children in paines and wo, that she may be made a glad and ioifull mother through the new creature with good speed, that the child may haue name and Christendome, and that the mother may be purified to thy honour, and to hir health,

Amen.

O Almightie father, in whose fauour the virgin Marie was highlie blessed among women, by the birth of Christ thine onlie Sonne our Sauiour, who also by thine omnipotent power, didst safelie deliuer both hir, and hir cousin Elizabeth, and al­so [Page 129] so mightilie deliueredst the Prophet Ionas out of the whales bellie, amids the foming sea. Defend, O Lord we beseech thee likewise thy seruant R. our Queene with child conceiued, and so visit hir in and with thy godlie gift of health, that not onlie the child thy crea­ture within hir conceiued may ioifullie come from hir into this world, and receiue the blessed sacrament of baptisme, and enioie therewith dailie increase of all princelie and gratious gifts, both of bodie and soule; but that also she the mother through thy speciall grace and mercie, may in the time of hir trauell auoid all ex­cessiue dolorous paine, and abide perfect and sure from all perill and danger of death, with long and prospe­rous life, through Iesus Christ our Lord,

Amen.

O Most righteous Lord God, which for the offence of the first woman, hast threatned vnto all women high and lowe, a common, sharpe, and in­euitable malediction, and hast enioi­ned them, that they should conceiue in sin, and being conceiued, should be subiect to manie & greeuous throws and torments, and finallie, be deliuered with the dan­ger and ieoperdie of their life, we beseech thee, for thine exceeding great goodnes, and bountifull mercie, to as­swage and mitigate the straightnes of that lawe, and to embrace into the bosome of thy fauour and mercie, our most gratious souereigne Ladie Queene R, or our most deere sister A. P. C of P. being now at the point of hir deliuerance; so helpe hir now, O Lord, that with­out danger of hir life, she may ouercome the sorrowe and paine, and in due season bring forth a child, in bodie beautifull and comelie, in pregnant wit, notable and [Page 130] excellent, in mind noble and valiant, so that afterward she forgetting the trauell, may with ioie laud & praise the bountifulnes of thy mercie, and togither with vs praise and blesse both thee and thy holie name world without end. This, O Lord, we desire thee, we beseech thee, and most hartilie craue of thee. Heare vs, O Lord, and grant vs our petitions,

Amen.

O Most wise God, eternall Father of thy beloued Sonne our Lord and sauiour Christ, Creator and keeper of all thy creatures, which through thine excellent wisedome and coun­sell, hast enioined to woman-kind, that in paine & sorrowe they should bring foorth children, whereby not onlie this world is replenished; but a Church which doth celebrate thy name for euer, is gathered vnto thee. And for-as-much as the paine of a woman in tra­uell is most extreame, which makes the Prophets ma­nie times to repeate the same, in exaggerating the afflictions of punishments which the holie spirit doth threaten vnto the impenitent: we beseech thee in the name of Christ thy Sonne, be mercifull vnto all wo­men, either with child, or in child-bed; giue them grace to call into mind the decree and pleasure of thine hea­uenlie will. Let them neuer striue against thee through impatience, but in true faith, and inuocation of thy name, suffer thy crosse quietlie, knowing that by the seed of the woman, which hath broken the head of the old serpent, they are reconciled vnto thee. In this seed which is Christ, the cursse is cleane taken awaie, and blessing restored vnto vs, that we may receiue the pro­mise of the spirit, and the inheritance of eternall life.

[Page 131]O almightie God, conuert now the sorrowes of wo­men in trauell into gladnes, that they remember not their paines with mourning, for ioie that a man-child is borne into the world. Comfort them in the midst of their anguish, and helpe as well the mother as the babe, speciallie in the danger of deliuerance. For if thou blessed God be not present, they perish vndoubtedlie, all the world can not helpe them in that extremitie. O eternall God, which of the seed of man framest the li­uing infant in the mothers wombe, and nourishest the same congealed in bloud, that the flesh within the time of ten moneths may take shape, drawing nourishment from the mother; we are all the woorkmanship of thine hands: we giue thee thanks, Lord, for fearefullie and wonderfullie are we made, maruellous are thy works, and that our soules knowe right well. Our bones are not hid from thee, though we were secretlie made, nei­ther our substance in the inner parts of our mothers wombe. Thine eies did see our substance being vnper­fect, and in thy booke were all our members written. Thy hands haue made vs, and fashioned vs altogi­ther. With skin and bones hast thou couered vs, and ioined vs togither with bones and sinews. Thou hast giuen vs life and grace, and thy visitation hath preser­ued our spirits. Grant we beseech thee to all infants yet vnborne, that knit togither with their due veines and members, they may come foorth into this world sound and perfect without fault or deformitie: and grant that they being borne vpon their mothers sides, may be ioifull vpon their mothers knees, and sucke the milke of comfort out of the breasts of hir loue, to the reioising of the mother. Staie the furiousnes of wic­ked spirits, that they shewe not their tyrannie vpon yoong infants. Keepe all women with child, that no waie being terrified, frighted, or troubled extreemelie, they be vntimelie deliuered.

[Page 132]Giue grace also to the babes newlie borne, that to­gither with their outward baptisme, they may be re­ceiued into the congregation of the faithfull with wholesome water, through the renewing and regene­ration of the holie spirit, which thou wilt plentiouslie powre vpon them through Iesus Christ our Sauiour, that being iustified by grace, they may be made heires according to the hope of eternall life, and become new creatures through him. Strengthen all women deli­uered, and lieng in child-bed, that beeing restored to their woonted health, they may glorifie thee their hel­per in the time of need, and learne afterward to repose their whole confidence in thee, which art nigh vnto all that call vpon thee, to all (we saie) calling vpon thee in truth. And if at anie time through thine vnsearchable iudgement an vntimelie birth, or vnluckie deliuerance happen; so comfort, O mercifull father, the mournefull and sad parents, that they faint not with sorrowe, but beleeue rather that the woful chance is a triall of their faith, hope and patience. For thou art a mercifull and gratious God, forgiuing our sins. Though thou art angrie with our wickednes, yet in thy displeasure thou remembrest thy mercie, that the troubled may take comfort, and the afflicted find grace. For this doo all thy seruants persuade themselues, that if they be tried, they shall be crowned, if they be troubled, they shall be deliuered, and if they be chastened, they shall be saued, for thou hast no plesure in our damnation, which brin­gest faire wether after stormes, & gladnes after teares. Thy name, O God, be praised for euer,

Amen.

O Heauenlie father, and eternall God, which through thine vnspeakable wisedome hast enioined woman-kind, that in paine and sor­rowe they should bring foorth children, and re­plenish [Page 133] the earth: O Lord, we beseech thee giue them grace to call into mind this thy decree, and pleasure, and thereby patientlie to beare the greefe and groanes incident vnto them. Conuert Lord their sorrowes into gladnes, through a luckie deliuerance, and let them re­member their paines no more, for ioie that a man is borne into the world. Comfort them in the midst of their anguish, and helpe as well the mother as the babe, especiallie in the danger of deliuerance. For with­out thine assistance they perish vndoubtedlie, all the world cannot helpe them. Grant to all yet vnborne, that knit togither with their due veines and mem­bers, they may come into this world sound and perfect, without all deformitie. Staie the furiousnes of wicked spirits, that they shew not their malice and tyrannie vpon yoong infants. Blesse all with child, that no waie being terrified, or troubled extreamelie, they bee vn­timelie deliuered. Giue grace to all babes newlie borne, that togither with their outward baptisme, they may be receiued into the congregation of the faithfull, and be made new creatures, filled with the holie Ghost, euen from their mothers womb. Streng­then all women deliuered, with thy vertue and power, whereby they may receiue their woonted health, and glorifie thee their helper in the time of need, learning afterward to repose their whole confidence in thee, which art nigh vnto all that call vpon thee, euen to all that call vpon thee in truth. And if at any time through thy sufferance and vnsearchable pleasure, an vntimelie birth, or (if without offence we may saie) an vnluckie deliuerance doth happen; comfort, O mercifull God the pensiue parents, that they despaire not through sorrowe, but thinke rather that the wofull chance is a triall of their faith, hope, and patience; and so confesse thee to be alwaies as good and gratious God, forgiuing sins, and remembring mercie in thy great displeasure, [Page 134] that the troubled may take comfort, and the afflicted find grace. For thus doo al thy seruants persuade them selues, that if they be tried, they shall be crowned if they be troubled, they shall be deliuered if they be cha­stised, they shall be saued: through our Lord Iesus Christ,

Amen.

O Heauenlie Father, which at the be­ginning didst appoint woman to bee the organe, instrument, and vessell to receiue, nourish, & bring foorth man through thy woonderfull workman­ship without anie labour, paine, or helpe of flesh and blood: but after­ward through the sinne and disobe­dience of our grandmother Eue, hast made that which before was easie, now to become hard and painefull, yea dangerous and impossible (if thy helpe were not) for them to be brought to passe, and now as a meane hast ordeined man to be a god to man, and made wo­man through thine vnspeakable power working togi­ther with him, to helpe & ease woman, which through their owne imperfection and feeblenes are not able in this case and time of their sore labour, to helpe them­selues. For as much as it hath pleased thee among ma­nie other more worthie, to call me thy most vnworthie hand-maid to the office of a midwife among the daugh­ters of Israel, and made me an instrument and means vnder thee to comfort them in their sorrowes, cherish them in their child-beds, ease them in their pains, and to further them in their deliuerance, with all possible paines and conuenient speede that I may, and can, in thee and for thee. I most hartilie thanke thee, and praise thy holie name and maiestie; beseeching thee of grace [Page 135] and vertue to walke worthie of this my calling, in all holie obedience to thee, and thy word; to thy glorie, o­thers profit, and mine owne saluation in Christ.

And because I knowe and feele mine owne weaknes, and must needs confesse how that of my selfe I am far vnable to discharge mine office, with such dutie as ap­perteineth, without the assistance and helpe of thine almightie power and holie spirit, to strengthen me therein. For it lieth not in the power of flesh and bloud, no nor in all the helpe of the world, to go through with so great a worke and weightie enterprise as this is: but it onlie and alone belongeth vnto thee our creator, and maker of heauen and earth. Therefore blesse thou so my weake labours, and further my paines, that the fruit thereof may redound to the praise of thy name, & profit of thy people, and their posteritie. Take from me all ignorance, negligence, slouthfulnes, slacknes, and disdaine; yea from all vnmercifulnes, rough hand­ling, hardnes of hart, contempt of others, falshood, crueltie, and bloudgiltines, good Lord deliuer me: and in steed thereof, make me wise-harted, skilfull, louing, gentle, tender, pitifull, cherefull, comfortable, helpfull, painefull, watchfull, strong, able, readie, willing, care­full, diligent, & faithfull, euen for thy sake onelie, with­out respect of filthie lucre, to pleasure all women at all times in my calling, to the full discharge of my consci­ence and dutie, both before thee and the world.

And, O Lord, to the end there may be found no fault in my ministerie, nor anse woman or child said to be hurt or perish in their trauell, by my negligence or ig­norance; and that I may auoid all slander and reproch, I beseech thee, O almightie God, worke thou all my works for me, and that which thou beginnest by me, fi­nish it I praie thee also by me, to the glorie of thy name, and giue me euer good lucke, and prosperous successe, through the power of thy spirit, in all my womanlie and [Page 136] lawfull enterprises, enioined of thee as a necessarie bu­sinesse to be done, that they may come to a fortunate and desired end in thee, as I hartilie wish and praie. Fi­nalie blesse me, O God, with all thy good gifts of grace, vertue, skill, and cunning, as thou didst thy holie ser­uants Shiphra, and Puah, the two graue matrons, godlie women. and famous midwiues of the Hebrue women in Aegypt; that I fearing thee more than men, as they did, and being faithfull to my patients, as they were, may not onelie moue thee to haue mercie on me, and to prosper me in making my house to increase, as thou didst them; but also by mine obedience and vp­right dealing in mine office, thy people may be multi­plied, and the families of thy true Israelites increa­sed, to the praise of thy glorie, the exaltation of thy power, & renowme of thy name, through Iesus Christ our Lord,

Amen.

OH my celestiall Father, be now mer­cifull vnto me thy repentant hand­maid, and sinfull seruant, fled from mine enimies vnto thy helpe and succour. Impute not vnto me my sinnes for Christs sake, for I haue heard thy fatherlie voice, and yet it soundeth dailie in mine eares out of heauen, promising mee and affirming constantlie thy selfe to be appeased, pleased, and at one with me, for thy Sonne my sweet Sauiour Iesus sake, whom thou commandest me to heare, and beleeue, who I am sure is made of thee my righteousnes, my satisfa­ction, my reconciliation, my peace-making, my media­tour and intercessour with his praiers, my fulfilling of the lawe, my deliuerer, and the whole wholie accom­plisher [Page 137] of all my iust desires, and my sauiour Christ Ie­sus God and man. In whose blessed and holie name at this present I attempt and take in hand to doo mine of­fice, according to my vocation, for thy glorie, and this womans profit, ease, comfort, and helpe, in thee: desi­ring thy gratious goodnes, most mercifull Lord and Father, for thy dearly beloued sonne sake Iesus Christ, who without all helpe of man was conceiued and be­gotten of thee his father before all worlds; and who al­so without anie helpe of woman, was borne & brought foorth into this world for our sakes, of his blessed mo­ther Marie the virgin. For his sake, I saie, vouchsafe to prosper it, further it, and to giue it happie increase, whatsoeuer I take now in hand iustlie and fortunate­lie to finish the same. O holie Father, worke thou all our works for vs here in secret, that we may praise thy name openlie before all people! O prosper thou the works of our hands vpon vs! Prosper thou our handie worke, and blesse all things which I take in hand with thy blessed increase, and let me doo nothing in this my action hurtfull either to the mother or hir babe; nei­ther let me seeke mine owne will, but euer to praie that thy will be fulfilled here now in earth of vs, as it is in heauen of thine angels. And lead vs not into tempta­tion, but deliuer vs from all euils present, and to come:

I In the name of God, Amen, Preuent vs, O Lord, in this action, and all our doings, with thy most gratious fauour, and further our labours with thy continuall helpe: that in this and all our works begun, continued, and ended by thee, and in thee, we may glorifie thy holie name, and fi­nallie by thy mercie obteine euerlasting life, through Iesus Christ our Lord,

Amen.

THE glorious maiestie of the Lord our God be vpon vs. Prosper and direct thou, O God, the worke of our hands vpon vs. O prosper thou our handi-worke, and this womans la­bour, that we may bring foorth more fruite in our age, to flourish with praises in the Church of Saincts to glorifie thee,

Amen.

O Lord remember not our offences, nor the ini­quities of our fore-fathers and mothers, nei­ther take thou vengeance on our sins, but spare vs, good Lord, O spare thy people whom thou hast redeemed with thy most pretious bloud, and be not angrie with vs for euer.

Correct vs, O Lord, and yet in thy iudgement, not in thy furie, least we should be consumed, and brought to nothing.

Our Father which art in heauen, halowed be thy name, thy kingdome come, thy will be done, &c.

Amen.

O Most mightie God, our heauenlie Father, we beseech thee looke downe mercifullie from heauen; behold vi­sit, releeue, and ease this wofull wo­man thy seelie seruant, which is gree­ued now with sore labour, tedious trauell, and bitter paines. Looke vp­on hir with the eies of thy mercie, and extend thine accustomed goodnes to hir now in this hir perplexitie. And for-as-much as hir pangs and paines seeme vnto vs most extreame, and hir trauell verie dangerous, both to hir selfe and hir babe, giue hir grace we beseech thee patientlie to endure this thy crosse of griefe and groanes incident therevnto for hir sins, and be thou present with hir, O blessed God, to [Page 140] helpe both hir and hir babe in this hir sore labour. O comfort and ease hir in the midst of this hir anguish and greefe: for without thine assistance, vndoubtedlie she must needs perish, for vaine is the helpe of man; we, nor all the world can not helpe hir.

O come quicklie therefore we beseech thee good Lord, and helpe thou hir in this hir great need and extremi­tie: worke thou all our works for vs to thy glorie, and hir comfort. Defend hir from this imminent danger of deliuerance. Keepe hir in perpetuall peace, hope, pa­tience and safetie. Strengthen hir faith and womanlie weakenes, and visit hir, O Lord, according to the time of life, as thou didst Sara, Rebecca, Thamar, Hanna and Elizabeth thy holie hand-maids.

Blesse hir, and preserue hir we beseech thee, O Lord, that no waie being terrified, frighted, or troubled ex­treamelie, she neither murmur against thy works, and saie with Rebecca, Seeing my greefs are so great, why am I thus with child? Neither faint through sorrowe, nor be vntimelie or vnluckilie deliuered: but grant that in true faith, and continuall inuocation of thy holie name, she may be saued, and now suffer thee quietlie to worke thy good will and pleasure, according to thy di­uine decree and secret iudgements vpon hir, either for hir sins, or for thy glorie, and our example, vntill accor­ding to thy promise in thy good time, she do receiue com­fort for hir sorrowe, mirth for hir mourning, gladnes for hir sadnes, ioie for hir woe, euen by mitigation of these hir miseries, ease of hir anguishes, release of hir labours, dispatch of hir pangs, deliuerance of hir bur­then, and speedie birth of hir babe borne into the world, through the might of thy mercie, and power of thy compassion, to the glorie and high exaltation of thy name, as both she and we most hartilie wish, long for, e [...]pect and desire, yea, and with teares and sighs doo vnfeignedlie cra [...]e of thee, and that through the onlie [Page 141] mysterie of Christ his holie incarnation, blessed birth, and painfull passion, So be it.

ALmightie God, which in thy secret iudgements diddest once strike the wife of Phinees, being great with child, with such a sudden fright and feare, when she heard that thy arke was taken by the enimie, and both hir husband and hir father slaine by thee with sudden death; that thou causedst hir presentlie through grieuous pangs and bitter paines that came vpon hir in that instant, to bow hir selfe, and trauell before hir time, wherein with great sorrowe she died. We beseech thee in the name of thy deere sonne our sauiour Iesus Christ, be mercifull vnto this wofull woman thy hand-maid and humble seruant, whom now in thine vnsearchable iudgments thou hast visited also, as it seemeth, with the wofull chance of vntimelie trauell, to the triall of hir faith, hope, and patience in thee. And let not this time of hir sorrowe, we praie thee, be vnto hir as the time and houre of Rachel, and Phinees wiues trouble was vn­to them: but by thy mightie power and mercie deliuer hir there-from, if it be thy will, as hir onelie trust is in thee. And to this purpose, staie, we beseech thee, the fu­riousnes of the wicked spirits, that they shew not at this time, their tyrannie and malice, either vpon hir or hir seelie babe; and so blesse, preserue, and keepe both hir, and it, that she may be no waie terrified, frighted, vexed, or troubled, either in bodie to faint, or in mind to murmur and despaire, through the extremitie of in­tollerable paines; nor at this time for anie anguish be compelled to be deliuered before hir time, to hir dis­comfort. [Page 142] But grant that she may yet tarrie quietlie and patientlie, vntill the time be fulfilled, which thou in the course of nature full wiselie hast set: at which time of life, and not before, we beseech thee, O Lord, then certinlie to come againe vnto hir, that she maie dulie and safelie be deliuered, and hir child come to life, to hir comfort, and thy glorie.

Neuerthelesse, if it shall seeme good vnto thee for all this, now in thy secret iudgements, either for hir sins, or for thy glorie, and our terrour by example, to hasten (through laborous pangs, & pinching throwes) an vn­timelie birth vpon hir, or if it shall please thee to cause (without offence be it spoken) an vnluckie or vnnatu­rall deliuerance to happen, as now vnto hir at this time, as iustlie we confesse thou maist, if thou respect hir and our sinnes committed against thy maiestie, and not rather thy mercie promised to all that faithfullie call vpon thee, as we here now doo) then not our wils, but thy will, which is euer in all things best, be now & euer fulfilled & done, both in hir, & hir babe, and in vs, to the glorie of thy holie name. Onelie we craue of thee, and that in the bowels, and for the tender mercie of our Sauiour Iesus Christ, that thou wilt yet grant hir abundance of thy grace, both patientlie to abide thy fatherlie correction, & faithfullie to beleeue thine infallible promises; so that for no paine, or extremitie of torment or anguish, either in bodie or mind, she may not be discouraged, discomforted, shrinke, faint, or fall from hir faith or hope in thee: but thanking thee for all things that may happen vnto hir, let hir feele yet in hir bodie such ease, and mitigation of hir paines, and in hir soule and conscience such comfort and consolation from thee, that she may assure hir selfe of thy fauour and mercie in Christ, to haue forgiuenes of all hir sins, togither with the release of all hir miseries, and so af­ter triall, this thy troubled hand-maid may take com­fort, [Page 143] hoping to be crowned; and after trouble this thy afflicted seruant may find deliuerance, grace, health, and euerlasting saluation: through Iesus Christ our Lord and onelie Sauiour,

Amen.

O Most mercifull God, which accor­ding to the multitude of thy mercies doest so put away the sinnes of those which truelie repent, that thou re­membrest them no more: open thine eies of mercie vpon this thy hand-maid, now in great danger of death, who most earnestlie calleth vpon thee, desiring pardon and forgiuenesse of all hir sinnes and offences committed against thee, and thy people. Renew in hir therefore, O most tender harted father, whatsoeuer hath beene decaied by the fraud and ma­lice of satan, or neglected by hir owne carnall will and frailenes. Preserue and continue this weake and di­stressed member, in the vnitie & bosome of thy Church, consider hir broken and contrite hart, accept hir la­mentable teares, mitigate hir intollerable throwes and pangs, asswage hir paines & greefes, and release hir vtterlie of all hir miserie and wo, as shall be seene to thy heauenlie wisedome most expedient for hir, and conuenient for thy Church. And forasmuch as she still calleth vpon thy holie name, and putteth hir full trust to be saued onlie in thy mercie, impute not vnto hir the manifold sinnes of hir former life passed, but pardon them, and take hir vnto thy high fauour: through the bloudie merits and deere death of thine onelie begotten sonne Iesus Christ our sauiour,

Amen.

O Pitifull physician, and healer both of soule & bodie, Christ Iesu, vouch­safe to cast thine eies vpon this thy poore sinnefull creature, our deere sister M. B. who is here thy captiue, bound with the burden of child­birth, greefe, & vnspeakable paines in the chaine of sinne and death, for our transgression in our grandmother Eue, turning this hir weaknes and greefe, to thy glorie, & hir health and safe deliuerance. And vouchsafe, good Lord, to send hir patient sufferance, that she may stedfastlie 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 manfullie against all the temptations of the diuell hir mortall enimie, when she may no longer con­tinue. O Sauiour of the world, saue hir, which by thy crosse and precious bloud hast redeemed hir,

Amen.

THE almightie Lord, which is a most strong tower to all them that put their trust in him, to whom all things both in heauen, & earth, and vnder the earth doo bow, and obey; blesse preserue and keepe this our sister, and be now and euermore hir buckler and defence, against all hir eni­mies, and make hir to knowe and feele in hir soule and conscience, that there is none other name giuen vnto man, in whom, and through whom, she may receiue ease, comfort, health, deliuerance, and saluation, but onelie in the most holie, blessed, and vene­rable name of our Lord Iesus Christ,

Amen.

O Most mercifull God, and most lo­uing Father, we beseech thee haue mercie vpon vs, and aid vs with thy grace & holie spirit, that we (which be yet in good health and safetie, and looke according to the condition of our nature, for the like hour of ad­ [...]ersitie, but with more mercie and mitigation of our paines, than as it seemeth our sister here endureth, if it be thy will) may learne to feare and dread thee, may loue and embrace thy holie word, and that we may set thee before vs as a scope and marke wherevnto we may direct all our dooings, and that we boing alwaies mindfull of this thy crosse and heauie iudgement laid vpon all women in the loines of our grandmother Eue, for hir and our transgression, and e­uermore remembring the vnspeakable pangs, intolle­rable paines, and most bitter agonie of death, may so prepare our harts, and arme our selues, that we may order all our deeds from hence-foorth in all holie and chast obedience, both towards thee, and our husbands. or heads, as well becommeth right christian women, and modest matrones, to thy glorie; and as doo and and haue done all godlie women, which feare thee in all ages, that in the end we obteine to be fellow­heires with them of euerlasting life, in the king­dome of heauen, through the merits of our deere Lord and sweetest Sauiour, Iesus Christ the righte­ous,

Amen.

O Lord God almightie, the Father, the Sonne, and the holie Ghost, three persons and one onlie God, the Lord of life, and the destroier of death, with whom to be is life, and from whom to be is death, who as a louing father, mercifull redeemer, and freendlie caller to repentance, hast now visited with the scourge of hard, painefull, and greeuous trauell (or with vntimelie birth,vnfortu­nate deliuerance) and sore sicknes, thy most sinfull daughter, yea thy spotted creature, defiled seruant, and greeuous sinner S. B. to cause hir to knowe hir selfe; and to confesse hir wickednes, and so to come to thee at this thy calling, to knowe thee, and onelie to crie and call vpon thee for comfort. Now thou, O Lord, whose propertie is euer to haue mercie, and freelie to forgiue those that faithfullie come vnto thee, we thine humble hand-maids, with heauie harts, most humblie beseech thee, looke downe from heauen with thine accustomed eies of compassion vpon hir, cast behind thy backe hir innumerable and greeuous sins, throwe them all (both old and new) from hir, as far as is the East from the West, yea scrape the memorie of them out of thy sight, quite forget them, and freelie forgiue them hir as hir onlie trust is in thee. O Lord be thou now vnto hir at hir most time of need, a tower of strength, a place of re­fuge, and a defensible God, to keepe, strengthen, and de­fend hir from the danger of the diuell, now readiest to disquiet hir, and destroie hir; against desperation, now busiest to greeue hir; against death, now likest to [Page 147] strike hir, and against hell now gaping to deuoure hir.

Oh heauenlie father, aid thou now hir. Helpe hir, and establish hir in the firme faith of thy truth. Com­fort hir now, O sweet Christ; and continue hir in the knowledge of thee hir onlie sauiour, which art now in hir extreamenes, and pangs of death, readie to shew thy selfe vnto hir, as hir sauiour, crucified on the crosse to comfort hir. Therefore now saue thou hir from sin, deliuer thou hir now from eternall death, hale hir from hell, embrace hir, hide hir in the holes of thy bloudie wounds, as thy deere doue, and beare hir manifold sins on thy backe. And thou, O holie spirit, strengthen thou now hir weake, fainting, and sounding spirit against sathan, that standeth now nigh hir to seduce hir. Saie thou now to sathan, Auoid sathan, and com­mand thy holie angels and blessed spirits now to aid and assist hir. Let thy comfort cleaue fast vnto hir, thy mercie keepe hir, thy grace guide hir, thy paines ease hir, thy crosse releeue hir, and thy death reuiue hir.

Oh almightie God, the giuer of all health, and if it be thy good will to lengthen hir daies in this life, to spare hir for a season, to mitigate hir pangs, to ease hir of hir paines, to releeue hir of all these wofull sorowes, and most greeuous throwes, to deliuer hir of this most dangerous trauell, and send into this world out of hir wofull wombe hir child a sound and perfect creature, after thine owne image, and so restore hir to hir former health, as thou hast done hir and manie others heere­tofore in like case, that she thereby may once againe vi­sit thy temple, and be purified, sanctified, and dedicated vnto thy honor and glorie, the commoditie of hirs, and comfort of vs all hir friends, kindred, and neighbours. Weio [...]fullie saie, Thy will O Lord be done, and not ours. But if it be not thy will so, but that she, according to hir instant desire, must now being preuented with vntimelie labour and birth, through perillous trauell, [Page 148] needs drinke of the cup of Rahels and Phinees wi [...]es potion, and go the waie of all flesh; then, O Lord, thou in whose hands are the harts of all flesh, arme hir, we humblie beseech thee, with thy perpetuall grace, peace, patience, and perfect confidence in thee; increase hir faith, helpe hir vnbeleefe, annoint hir with the oile of gladnes in thee, ease hir of hir extreme paines, be thou nigh vnto hir, and driue the diuell far from hir, aid hir with thy holie angels, giuing hir grace so quietlie to take this thy fatherlie chastisement and visitation in good woorth, that in this hir painfull life, yea and in the verie end thereof, she with perfect memorie & sure trust, commending hir selfe wholie to thee, may in hart ioifullie still saie, and we hir deere sisters and faithfull freends and neighbours for hir, as followeth.

FEtch now againe, Lord God Fa­ther, into thy holie hands, that which thy puissant might hath sha­pen; command thy holie angels now to aid hir, and safelie to bring hir to thee, and now place thou hir amongst thy chosen children, and blessed heirs in thine eternall king­dome, prepared for them that are written in the booke of life. Fetch now againe, Lord God sonne, that which thou of thy meere mercie hast so wiselie gouerned, and bought with thy pretious bloud: now ioifullie receiue hir, and saie vnto hir as thou saiedst vnto the penitent theefe, This day shalt thou be with me in paradise. Take againe now, Lord God holie Ghost, that which thou of thy onelie fauour hast louinglie kept, and gui­ded in this region of sinne, and vale of miserie, and now louinglie leade thou hir with Rebecca, and Lazarus, [Page 149] to eternall ioie and rest. This grant hir, O holie and most blessed Trinitie, good Lord almightie, three per­sons and one verie God: vnto whome be all honour, praise, and glorie, for euer and euer:

THE mightie God of angels, and former of all things visible and in­uisible, in whose hands is onelie life and death, light and darknes, and all the motions of the soule and bo­die, without thee most mightie God, all things had beene nothing, and of nothing, all things are made by thee: without thy Christ, and thy blessed spirit, which is one coeternall Trinitie, all flesh were accursed, all consciences molested, and all soules vtterlie damned, from light into darknes, from freedome into euerla­sting reprobation: but by Iesus Christ thine onelie sonne, we thanke thee deere father of all mercie, that now it hath pleased thee to take to thy mercie at this present time, our deere sister S. B. whom thou hast ele­cted, consecrated; and now she shall by thy mercie and pitie, be sanctified vnto thee in the death of Christ, to be a citizen of eternall glorie. Now we perceiue that flesh and bloud doth forsake hir, and all hir worldlie strength faileth hir: now are the organes yeelding vp the hea­uenlie sound, hir soule commeth now vnto thee, good Lord receiue it to thy mercie, into thine euerlasting glorie, where as Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob, Sa­ra, Rebecca, Rahel, and the blessed virgin Marie, are continuallie. To thee, oh heauenlie Father, be incessant honour & glorie, for euer and euer,

Amen.

ALmightie God, with whom doo liue the spirits of them that depart hence in the Lord, and in whom the soules of them that be elect, after they be deliuered from the burden of the flesh, be in ioie & felicitie: thou I saie, O mercifull God, the father of our Lord Iesus Christ, who is the resurrection and the life, in whom whosoeuer be­leeueth shall liue, though he die; and whosoeuer liueth and beleeueth in him, shall not die eternallie, who also taught vs (by his holie apostle S. Paule) not to be sorie as women without hope, for them that sleepe in him: we giue thee hartie thanks, for that it hath plea­sed thee to deliuer this woman our sister, out of the wo­full miseries of this sinfull world, meekelie beseeching thee, O Father, to raise vs from the death of sinne, vnto the life of righteousnes, that when we also shal depart this life, we may rest in Christ, as our hope is this our sister doth; and that it may please thee of thy gratious goodnes, shortlie to accomplish the number of thine e­fect, and to hasten thy kingdome, that at the generall resurrection in the last daie, we with this our sister, and all other departed in the true faith of thy holie name, being found acceptable in thy sight, may haue our per­fect consummation and blisse both in bodie and soule, in thy eternall and euerlasting glorie, and receiue that blessing, which thou, O Christ, shalt then pronounce to all that loue & feare thee, saieng; Come ye blessed chil­dren of my Father, receiue the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world. Grant this we beseech thee, O mercifull father, through Iesus Christ our onlie mediatour, redeemer, and sauiour,

Amen.

ALmightie and euerlasting GOD, who hast vouchsafed to regenerate this infant by wa­ter and the holie ghost, and hast giuen vnto it forgiuenes of all his sinnes, and receiued it into the number of thy children, and heires of eternall life: I thanke thee for thy gratious goodnes, fauour, & mercie towards it. And I humblie beseech thee also, O Lord, to strengthen it so with thy holie ghost the com­forter, that it may lead the rest of his life according to this good beginning. Let thy fatherlie hands, I praie thee, be euer ouer it, and blesse ti, dailie increase it with thy manifold gifts of grace, giue it the spirit of wise­dome & vnderstanding, the spirit of counsell & strength, the spirit of knowledge and true godlines: fulfill it with the spirit of thy holie feare, faith, and praier, and so lead this child in the knowledge and obedience of thy holie word, that (being euer defended with thy heauen­lie grace) it may continue therein for euer, and dailie increase in thy holie spirit more and more, vntill in the end he obteine the gift of euerlasting life, in thy celesti­all kingdome: through Iesus Christ our Lord,

Amen.

O Mercifull Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ, the onelie begotten Sonne of the liuing Fa­ther, redeemer of all men, through all ages; whose nature is pitifull, not onelie to the [Page 152] strong and stout, but also to the weake and simple, as babes, infants, and children; we here assembled most hartilie desire and praie thy glorious maiestie, for this seelie infant and child, which hath not the capacitie to praie for it selfe, lieng here in paines and pangs of sor­rowfull sicknes, beseeching thy grace, that with y^• same pitie wherewith thou sufferedst the babes and children to come to thee in the Gospell, and laiedst thy blessed hands vpon them; thou wilt also respect with the same eies of compassion, and consider this poore babe, seelie child, and weake infant, sore greeued with sicknesse. Grant, we beseech thee, that as it beareth, and here sheweth the image of sinfull Adam, by suffering for sinne; so it bearing the liuelie image of thy heauenlie gift, may by thy grace be deliuered and helped, from that which now by nature it suffreth. So that like as it is with vs partaker of thy holie baptisme; so it may also with vs be partaker of thy helpe and consolation. And forasmuch as the paines of the same poore child seeme greeuous and vehement; we beseech thee so miti­gate the vehemencie thereof, that by the releeuing and easing of it, we also (especiallie his sorowfull parents) may be comforted, dealing with it according as it shall seeme good to thy diuine wisedome, whether by death to call it, or by life to restore it, so that whether it go or ta­rie, it may be thine, and at the last with thine elect be made partaker of that blessed resurrection. when thou shalt appeare. In whose name we praie furthermore for it and our selues, as thou in thy holie Gospell hast taugth vs, saieng: O our Father which art in heauen, ha­lowed be thy name, thy kingdome come, thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen, giue vs this daie our dailie bread, and forgiue vs our trespasses, as we forgiue them that tres­pas against vs, and leade vs not into temptation, but deliuer vs from euill. For thine is the kingdome, the power and the glorie for euer and euer,

Amen.

O Eternall God, and heauenlie father, the creator and preseruer of man­kinde, thou knowest the fraile and weake nature of man, and hast in thy mercifull louing kindnes for his comfort and remedie, ordeined him the most honourable state of marri­age to liue and walke in, comman­ding them to increase and multiplie, and hast promised the fruit of the bodie to be a blessing, and a witnes of thine eternall councell of this most honourable state, to all them that loue and feare thee. Wherefore, oh heauenlie father, I most hartilie thanke thee, that it hath pleased thee to call me into this most holie and ho­nourable state of marriage, and hast vouchsafed to giue me this infant thy creature, as a witnes and testimo­nie 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 deliuer this thy poore hand-maid my yoke-fellowe, and mother of this thy creature, from the sin-plague of sorrowe and perill, in bringing foorth as thou appointedst the same, to our grandmo­ther Eue. And now, oh deere and most mercifull father, I most humblie beseech thee to giue vnto me, and to this my yoke-fellowe or wife thy seruant, thy grace & holie spirit, and so renew the same in vs day by day, that both we may liue and walke chastlie, honestlie and holilie, as becommeth thy children to liue and walke in so honourable a state before thee; and that we may doo our duties in education, and bringing vp of this thy [Page 154] blessing and creature in godlie nourture and discipline, and in true information in thee, oh Lord, & thy Sonne Iesus Christ: and also that this thy creature may doo his dutie in harkening and obeieng; so that of no part, anie fault be found in vs, that may giue occasion to the vngodlie to speake euill of thy truth and holie name, nor of this holie and honourable state, but rather that they which knowe not the truth, may through the ex­ample of our good conuersation, 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 mercie and louing kindnes powred vpon vs. Grant this, oh most mercifull father, for thy deere Sonne sake, Iesus Christ, our onlie mercie-seate and mediatour, in whose name I praie thee, as he hath taught me, saieng: O our father, &c.

O Eternall and almightie God, thy power and might is to be praised and magnified for euer: for in the greatest weakenes of man, thy po­wer is seene; in his greatest dangers thy saluation is knowne. Therefore we praise thy name, and giue thee thanks for all thy great mercies and wonderfull works; namelie Lord, we giue thee thanks for thy mercie shewed to this our sister at this time, in bringing hir, through manie and great dangers of [Page 155] child-birth, and in giuing hir the fruit of hir bodie. It was thy hand, O Lord, that hath done it: for it is a worke greater than all the wisedome & power of man. Deere father, we beseech thee, euer hereafter to deliuer the mother, and the child, out of all their dangers, as may best make to thy glorie, and their saluation in Ie­sus Christ our Lord. Touching vs, we thanke thee for blessing our labours, and furthering the works of our hands; beseeching thee, that we beholding thy outstret­ched arme, and rich mercies, may be drawne by them to serue thee in feare and reuerence all the daies of our liues,

Amen.

AMong other thy benefites, & those innumerable, which thou dailie be­stowest vpon vs thy needie & poore creatures, this is not the least, O most mercifull father, that thou of thy tender goodnes doest vouchsafe for the conseruation of man-kind, to preserue the women that are with child, and to giue them safe deliuerance of their bur­den, by this meanes making them glad and ioifull mo­thers. For this thy benefite and good will towards vs, we so hartilie thanke thee as hart can thinke; besee­ching thee to worke such thankfulnes in the hart of this thy seruant S. B. and all other women in like case, by thy spirit, that they being not vnmindfull of this high benefite of their safe deliuerance, wrought onelie by the sauiour of all man-kind, may shew themselues thankfull vnto thee for this thy goodnes, and neuer for­get that thy present helpe, and most sweete comfort, which thou mercifullie shewedst vpon them in their [Page 156] great trauels, labours, and paines, when they fled vn­to thy holie name for succour, as vnto a strong tower, bulworke, and holie defence. Go foorth, O Lord, to make them the ioifull mothers of manie children: en­due them with long life, that they may see their chil­ders children: and the children that thou giuest vnto them, make thou, as in age, so likewise in wisedome, and in the abundance of thy holy spirit to increase, that they may haue fauour, both with thee, and with all good men, vnto the glorie of thy most blessed name,

Amen.

O Eternall God, creator and preser­uer of all man-kind, the giuer of all spirituall grace, and the onlie au­thor of eternall life; I most hartilie thanke thee, that it hath pleased thy fatherlie goodnes to giue me these thy creatures the fruit of my bodie as a witnes and testimonie of thy fatherlie fauour and good will towards this most ho­nourable state of matrimonie. Oh Lord, as thou hast giuen them vnto me, so I beseech thee vouchsafe to giue me thy gifts both spirituall and bodilie, that I may haue competent wherwith to educate and bring them vp. Haue mercie on me, oh Lord, and giue vnto them thy grace and holie spirit, and open thou their wits and senses, and giue them the true knowledge and vn­derstanding of thy holie word, a louing affection, and obedience vnto the same, and a true faith in it. Giue them wisedome, vnderstanding, knowledge, and discre­tion, docilitie, capacitie, and facilitie to comprehend, take and receiue doctrine, learning, nouriture and dis­cipline, that they may be made worthie instruments of thy glorie, and profitable members of thy Church, to [Page 157] the aduauncement of thy glorie, the edifieng of thy Church, and the comfort of my conscience: by Iesus Christ our Sauiour,

Amen.

O Most mercifull Lord God almigh­tie onelie, which art gratious and good, as by thy diuine will & power this my child was formed and made a liuing creature, consisting of bodie and soule, in the wombe of me his naturall mother, from whom he is departed into this world by natu­rall birth, weake and impotent, of fraile and sinfull substance, by his owne propertie inclined to ignorance and sinne; and now inuironed with thousands of ma­licious, mightie, and subtill enimies both bodilie and ghostlie, which waite for the seducing & leading of him to perill, death, and destruction, wherevnto all man­kind is prone; and were it not for thy mercifull grace and tuition, soone ouercome. So be it thy will, O most gra [...]ious Lord, in the abundance of thy mercies and loue, for Christs thy deere sonnes sake, with thy father­lie eie to looke vpon him, & to blesse him, powring plen­tifullie of thy heauenlie gifts vpon him, that being pre­serued, brought vp, and nourished in diuine knowledge, faith, feare, and obedience of thee, through true profes­sion of thy sweete sonne Iesus, in the sinceritie of the Gospell, he may growe rich and beautifull in all godli­nes and vertue, in all his waies and proceedings, see­king the kingdome of eternall glorie, through firme & abundant faith, and holie conuersation in Christ our sauiour, working all righteousnes, filled with meeknes, brotherlie loue, obedience, cheerfull hope, desire of hea­uenlie [Page 158] things, contempt of the world, and mightilie armed with thy grace, and strengthened by thine assi­stance, to vanquish the power of sinfull flesh, and satan, that hauing victorie in the end, he may ioifullie tri­umph in thy presence, O God, with the rest of thy belo­ued saints, to giue honour and continuall praise to thy most holie name in blisse euerlasting: through thy deere sonne our mercifull Lord and Sauiour,

Amen.

ALmightie & euerlasting God, which of thine infinit mercie and goodnes hast promised vnto vs that thou wilt not onelie be our God, but also the God & father of our children: I be­seech thee, that as thou hast vouch­safed to call vs to be partakers of this thy great mercie in the felow­ship of faith: so it may please thee to sanctifie with thy spirit into the number of thy children, this infant, which thou hast giuen me; to the end that he comming to perfect age, may confesse thee onelie the true God, and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ, and to serue him, and be profitable vnto his Church in the whole course of his life; that after this life beeing ended, he may be brought as a liuelie member of his bodie, vnto the full fruition of thy ioies, in the highest heauens, where thy sonne our sauiour Christ reigneth with thee world without end,

Amen.

OH gratious God, in knowledging that thou louest all things which thou hast made of thy goodnes; and that thing cannot perish which is committed to thy charge: now I come [Page 159] vnto thee with my tender children, committing them into thine hands, and desiring thee to couer them vnder the wings of thy prouident mercie. Hew and square the rough table of their hearts: of stonie, make them fleshie, that being softened by the deaw of thy blessings, they may beare the seales of adoption in thy Sonne Christ. O Lord guide them in this darke vale of vanitie with the light of thy fauour, that esca­ping the dongeon of sin, they may walke in newnes of life, and lodge alwaies in thine holie will. Imprint in their harts, faith, hope, humilitie, chastitie and chari­tie, that following thee, they may be humble and meeke, holie, vertuous, perfect and godlie, as thou art. Indue them with the spirit of feare, that they may kisse thee in faith & liuelie obedience, and thou be neuer angrie with them, but louing vnto them, as the mother is to hir tender sucklings,

Amen.

O Lord God, and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ, and father of all them that beleeue, which hast said by the mouth of Salomon the sonne of Dauid, that an vndiscreet sonne is a greefe vnto his father, and an heauines vnto his mother that bare him: and that the wise sonne maketh a glad father, but an vndiscreet bodie shameth his mother; that it would please thee so to conduct and guide this my sonne S. in his waie, that he may ac­knowledge and confesse that thou art the author of his life, that he may serue and honor thee without feare in all truth and righteousnes, and growing in age, he may be mortified in spirit, that he may be filled with wisedome, and that thy grace be with him. To [Page 160] conclude, that by that meanes, keeping thy precepts, he may prolong his daies heere vpon earth, obeieng vs his parents, whom thou hast chosen as instruments for to place him in this world. Giue vnto him, O Lord, such ease for the commoditie of this life, that vnder co­lour of pouertie, he doo not couet or steale other mens goods, and take thy name in vaine, or trusting vpon his prosperitie, he denie thee, and saie, What fellowe 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 giuest the in­crease. Finallie, when thou shalt depriue and take him from all the commodities of this present life, giue vnto him the like constancie, as thou didst giue vnto thy faithfull seruant Iob, who seeing himselfe afflicted on euerie side, did neuer murmur against thee; but falling downe vpon the ground, worshipped thy maiestie, and blessed thy name: for all which things we his parents praie thee in the fauour of thy welbeloued Sonne, he, I saie, who was obedient vnto thee, euen to the death of the crosse, our Lord Iesus Christ, to whom be glorie for euer and euer,

Amen.

FOrasmuch, O mercifull God, as it is commonlie said, that step-mo­thers be malicious towards their husbands children, and hate their daughters in lawe, bearing no great loue and charitie towards them: I being verie desirous to fal­sifie this report in my selfe, whom it hath pleased thee now by marriage to make a mother of so manie motherles children, and that I may fore­uer be free from anie least suspicion of such offence, and [Page 161] neuer found guiltie or culpable of like malice and ha­tred towards the innocent, doo now most humblie be­seech thee of thy goodnes, so to rule the fond fansies of my mind, and crooked conditions of my corrupted na­ture, with the grace of thy holie spirit, that I neuer be carried awaie with passions and braids of the mind, to plaie the tyrant ouer these my husbands children, nor by anie meanes shew my selfe rough, rigorous, hard-harted, or vnresonable towards them; but being guided with discretion, reason, and good consideration, let me haue compassion and pitie of their tender and weake age, yea let me loue them I saie hartilie, and count them euen as mine owne, knowing that friend­ship maketh all things common among friends, much more wedlocke (being the highest degree not onlie of all friendship, but also of all bloud and kindred) doth of du­tie require the same in me; as also especiallie remem­bring, that vndoubtedlie my children shall finde such fa­uour of others, whither I die or liue, as I haue shewed to other mens children. For looke with what measure we meate, with the same shall we be sure to be measu­red, as saith our Sauiour, Which thing well conside­red, grant I beseech thee, that I may vnfeignedlie loue these my husbands children, and be vnto them that which I heare them call me so oft, that is, a mother; not a step mother, or mother in lawe, after the vulgar opinion, in word and outward shew onlie, but a mild, a gentle, & tender louing mother in deed and good faith, comforting, cherishing, and instructing them euen as their owne naturall mother would. O let me neuer hate or abhor them whom thou hast thus conioined vn­to me in house, friendship, aliance and bloud, and made to be brethren and sisters vnto my children. Neither suffer me at anie time to wreake conceiued ire, wrath, and displeasure vpon these poore orphans and mother­les children, but make me to vse all motherlie curtesie, [Page 162] lenitie, and good behauiour towards them, euen as if they were mine owne.

Also concerning my daughters in lawe that are ma­ried, let me not be discontent that they are bloud of their husbands more than I; nor thinke my mother­hood anie whit diminished thereby, as she that would seeke to win loue, by hating them that offend me not: but take from vs good Lord I beseech thee, all occasi­ons of strife, contention, bralling, chiding, and vnna­turall fallings out; and if anie discord chance betweene vs, make vs also both most wiselie with all our might to auoid it, and speedilie with willing minds to recon­cile our selues each one to the other againe, as becom­meth vs, that others seeing our mutuall loue, concord, and godlie behauiour each to other, may by our good examples take occasion worthilie to glorifie thee in v­sing the like.

Finallie, grant me grace that with Naomie and o­ther godlie women, to the vtmost of my power, skill, and abilitie, I may both loue, cherish, and instruct my daughters in lawe, giuing them good counsell, and al­so doo before them in my conuersation all such things as may be examples vnto them both of chastitie, sober­nes, and all manner of godlines and vertue, so shall it come to passe that I (ruling mine affections modest­lie, and behauing my selfe curteouslie and motherlie in deed towards these my children in lawe, as to mine owne) shall not onelie auoid the great number of troubles and miseries, which otherwise crueltie and contention would bring vpon mine head, but also by that meanes obteine great loue and reuerence of these my children in lawe againe towards me, and procure to my selfe a most holie, delectable, sweet, peaceable, and quiet life with my deere husband, to thy glorie, and our eternall felicitie. Grant this, O father, for thy deere Sonne sake, our onlie Lord and Sauiour,

Amen.

THy commandement is by thine holie Apostle, O most mercifull Lord Christ, that masters and mistresses should intreat their seruants and hand-maids gentlie, putting awaie threatenings, and dooing that vnto them which is iust and equall: for­asmuch as we also haue a master in heauen, with whome there is no respect of persons. Grant I most hartilie praie thee, I may so order my men-seruants, and maid-seruants, that I attempt none vnrighteousnes against them; but so vse my rule and authoritie ouer them, that I may alwaies re­member that thou art the common Lord of vs all, and we all thy seruants. Againe, that I may not forget that we be all brothers and sisters, hauing one father which is in heauen, and looke for one glorious king­dome, where thou, with the father and the holie ghost, liuest and reignest true and euerlasting God for euer,

Amen.

TO haue children and seruants, is thy blessing, O Lord; but not to or­der them according to thy word, de­serueth thy dredfull cursse. Grant therefore, that as thou hast blessed me with an houshold and familie: so I may diligentlie watch, that no­thing be committed of the same that might offend thy fatherlie goodnes, and be an oc­casion of turning thy blessing into curssing: but that so manie as thou hast committed to my charge, may es­chew [Page 164] all vice, imbrace all vertue, liue in thy feare, call vpon thy holie name, learne thy blessed commande­ments, heare thy holie word, and auoiding idlenes, dili­gentlie exercise themselues euerie one in his office, ac­cording to their vocation and calling, vnto the glorie of thy most honorable name,

Amen.

O Lord God almightie, our heauenlie father and most merciful Lord, thou art my life, my soule, and my bodie; yea all the good which I haue, and all whatsoeuer is mine, al that thou hast giuen vnto me, of thee haue I receiued it. Make therefore, and or­deine thou, O beloued God in hea­uen all them in my house, and in my handling, downe lieng, and vprising, after thy good will and pleasure, thee to loue, serue, and obey, euerie one to his profit. For I beleeue in thee, in thee is all my trust, that thou wilt not forsake me, nor my husband and children, nor anie of my familie and houshold. Defend vs Lord from sinne, shame, and sicknesse, and from all euill. Send vs thine holie angell, that he may defend vs in all our deeds and liuing, that he may lead vs foorth the right way, that we may not talke, doo, or thinke anie thing a­gainst thy holie commandements and will; but there­after to liue, worshipping thee, and praising thee fore­uermore: through Iesus Christ our Lord thy beloued sonne,

Amen.

O Gratious God, I commend vnto thy prote­ction my house, and all that thou hast giuen me; my whole familie, my husband, and chil­dren; beseeching thee to giue me the power of [Page 165] thy holie spirit, that I may well and holilie rule, go­uerne, nourish, and bring vp these my children and fa­milie, in all godlie feare and knowledge of thy holie word: and that I may be vnto them an example of all godlines and vertue, to the praise of thy holie name: through Iesus Christ our Lord,

Amen.

O Father of our Lord Iesus Christ, fa­ther of mercie, and God of my life; I beseech thee for thy sonne Christs sake, haue mercie vpon me & mine husband, and vpon the houshold and familie that thou hast giuen me: and powre thy wholsome benefites vpon vs alwaies sufficientlie, for our liuing, for our soule and bodie. O thou great rich husbandman, let thy great riches enrich our pouertie, thy mercie beare our sinnes, thy grace susteine and comfort our frailnes, thy holie angell keepe vs from sa­tan, and from all euill; that our conuersation may be honest, faithfull, and plentious in all good works, and we saued through the merits of Iesu Christ our Lord,

Amen.

ALthough, O Christ, thou most high Lord, all power both in heauen & in earth be giuen vnto thee of thy heauenlie father; and albeit thou hast giuen vs a commandment, that we should not desire to be called ma­sters, or mistresses: for we haue but one master, which thou art, & all we [Page 166] brethren and sisters, hauing one father which is in heauen. Yet forasmuch as thou, according to thy bles­sed will, hast appointed some superiours, some inferi­ours, some masters and mistresses, some seruants, and hand-maids, some to command, some to obey, some to rule, some to serue; and by this meanes such as be in superioritie, haue obteined by thy holie word the name or title of masters or lords, mistresses or dames, bicause they haue seruants & hand-maids vnder them, and rule ouer them according to thy good pleasure and godlie appointment, which art the most supreame power, and most excellent maiestie, King of kings, and Lord of lords, to whom all things both in heauen, and in earth, and vnder the earth, doo bow their knees, and giue reuerence and honour, whose praise also euerie nation and language doth aduance and set foorth, con­fessing that thou art the Lord Iesus Christ, vnto the glorie of God the father: we most humblie beseech thee, which art the greatest master, and most high Lord, to send thy holie spirit vpon vs, and all such as are called masters or dames here in earth, and haue superioritie vnder thee; that we, and they, remembring our selues to be thy seruants, and that we also haue a master in heauen, with whom there is no respect of persons, may put awaie all threatnings, all crueltie, all vnrighte­ousnes, and doo that vnto our seruants, which is iust and equall. Grant that we intreat not euil our ser­uants, and hand-maids, which worke truelie, nor the hireling that is faithfull vnto vs. Grant that we be not as lions in our houses, destroieng our houshold folks. and oppressing such as are vnder vs: but rather that we cherish and loue our faithfull and discreet ser­uants and maids, euen as our owne soule; and by no meanes suffer them to be unrewarded for their paines taking, nor yet at the last to be driuen to beggerie for their true seruice dooing: but that we liberallie rewar­ding [Page 167] them according to their deserts, may shew our selues to be thy true seruants, which leauest no man vnrewarded, but giuest to euery one according to their deeds: to them that doo well, and continue in well doo­ing; glorie, honour, peace, immortalitie, and euerlasting life: to them that doo euill, and continue in the same; in­dignation, wrath, displeasure, trouble, sorowe, and eter­nall damnation. Grant therefore, O Lord, that we and all temporall masters & dames, may in all our dooings resemble thee, which art the heauenlie and euerlasting master; and so behaue our selues both towards our seruants, 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 saie; Come ye blessed of my father, possesse the kingdome which was prepared for you from the beginning of the world: Lord let it so come to passe,

Amen.

ALl estates, O Lord, depend vpon thee, king & begger, magistrate and cleargie-man, master and scholer, all come of thee, and me thou hast made a poore hand-maid & seruant, which I doo not onelie willinglie beare, knowing thou hast allotted me this calling; but also manie waies I haue to thanke thee for it. For thou hast not onelie deliuered me from the slauish seruice of satan, but also dooest by this my yoke, restraine the wanton reliques of stained nature, preseruing me from the pampering of the old man, in pleasures and idlenes. Secondlie, that I am not seruant or hand maid to any heathen, Turke, or Saracene; but to a Christian, in such a place where thy Gospell is preached freelie and fullie. Thirdlie, and especiallie, bicause thou hast called [Page 168] me vnto such an estate of life, as wherein I knowe I doo well please thee. For who liueth after the Gospell, if not I, who get my liuing with the sweat of my brows? I doo not glorie here in vaine, but to thee ther­fore be the glorie, who hast turned the curse into such a blessing. O Lord giue me grace to consider this, that I may be more diligent in my calling, more earnest in seruing thee than euer I haue beene heretofore: for­giue me all that is past, and guid me in all things to come, that I may neuer halt in my vocation, nor doo my seruice deceitfully to the eie, as a man-pleaser. Giue me a sound and perfect faith in thy sonnes bloud, O fa­ther, wherein he hath washed (of his great mercie) my poore soule; that notwithstanding I serue a mortall man and woman, yet aboue them in all things I may serue thee: to whom be all glorie and dominion, both now and for euer,

Amen.

O Christ our Lord and sauiour, which being the Sonne of the liuing God, yea God himselfe from euerlasting, didst not disdaine at the will of thy heauenlie Father, to make thy selfe of no reputation, to become man, to take vpon thee the shape of a ser­uant and to obeie thy fathers com­mandement to the death of the crosse for our saluation, refusing no seruice, no trauell, no labour, no paine, that might make vnto the comfort of man-kind. I most humblie beseech thee, to giue me and all seruants grace to practise thy humilitie and obedience; that as thou most willinglie didst serue and obeie thy heauenlie fa­thers good pleasure, so I and they in like manner may with most hartie affection, serue and obeie our bodilie maisters and dames, in all things that fight not with thy blessed word; not with eie-seruice as men-pleasers, [Page 169] but in singlenes of heart, fearing thee, O God, that whatsoeuer we doo, we may doo it hartilie, euen as vnto the Lord, and not vnto men; forasmuch as we are sure, that we shall receiue the reward of the heauenlie inheritance of thee, O Lord Christ, whome also wee serue, while trulie and faithfullie we serue our bodilie maisters and dames. Grant that I thine humble hand-maid, and so manie as are vnder the yoke of ser­uitude, may count our maisters and mistresses worthie of all honour, that the name of God be not euill spoken of, nor his doctrine standered, and that we may obeie them with all feare; not onlie if they be good and curte­ous, but also though they be froward and testie, and please them in all things; not answering them againe, nor picking ought from them: but she wing all good faithfulnes and trustines towards them, that in all things we may doo worship vnto the doctrine of thee our God and Sauiour; to whom with the father, and the holie Ghost, be all honor, praise and glorie, for euer,

Amen.

O Lord, we seruants are commanded by thy blessed Apostles, that wee should honor and obeie our bodilie maisters and dames with feare and trembling, not onlie if they be good and courteous, but also though they be hastie and froward; and serue them not with the eie as men-plea­sers, but with singlenes of hart; not churlishlie answe­ring them againe, nor piking, stealing, or conueieng a­waie anie part of their goods vniustlie; but she wing all good faithfulnes vnto our maisters and dames, as though wee serued God, and not men and women, Grant me grace, I most humblie beseech thee, so to serue and obeie my maister and mistres, and all other [Page 170] my superiours, that there may be found no fault in me, but that I behauing my selfe vprightlie, iustlie, faith­fullie and trulie in my vocation, may doo worship to the doctrine of thee my God & sauiour in all things,

Amen.

GRatious God, and Lord almightie, which by the pretious bloud of thy Sonne Iesus Christ, hast redeemed me a miserable wretch, from perpe­tuall slauerie, and pulled me out of the power both of sin, death, darke­nes, hell, and damnation: I beseech thee grant, that I be neuer ashamed of this my seruile state and condition, wherein, accor­ding to thy good pleasure and will, I am placed. Nei­ther let me vnpatientlie murmur at anie time against my mistres and betters, nor enuiouslie detract from the estimation of them or others; but giue me grace to doo thy will continuallie in singlenes of hart, as vnto Christ, with all possible good-will, seruing the Lord and not men. Suffer me not malapertlie to vpbraid my maister or mistres with their faults or infirmities, when they rebuke me for mine; neither yet let me mur­mur, contemne, or despise them, as Hagar the hand­maid of Sara did hir dame Sara that reproued hir: but rather make me, I praie thee, as louing, curteous, gentle, attendant, and dutifull vnto mine, as Abra­hams, and the hand-maids of Iudith and Susanna were vnto them. O most mercifull God, assist me I saie with thy holie spirit, that I may obeie these my car­nall rulers and gouernours, not onelie if they be good and meeke, but also if they be euill and froward, and that with all feare, so long as they command me no­thing contrarie to thy commandement. Bicause thou [Page 171] wilt haue me to doo so, neither let me be forced for anie euill speeches, or rough-handling of my dame, to flie or runne awaie from hir, as Hagar did from Sara, to hir no litle sorrowe and miserie: but giue me grace ra­ther to humble my selfe as a corrigible seruant vnder hir hands, to confesse my faults, and amend my maners and crooked conditions; especiallie knowing hir power ouer me to be of thee, and therefore that the seueritie of my dame should not make me to neglect my duetie and seruice; but patientlie and constantlie for thy sake to endure my labours, and to tarrie and abide out all my terme of seruice to the end, euermore calling vpon thee by hartie praier for hir, and that thou wilt not suffer me to be hurt by anie hir euill dealing towards me, but preserue and keepe me alwaies safe by thy power from all euill.

Furthermore, I praie thee, let not satan suggest or entise me to doo anie euill or wicked deed vnknowne to my dame, to my dishonestie, or hir damage, thereby to cause strife or bralles to arise, either within or with­out, to my selfe or others: but let it be a greefe vnto me to heare them by anie misreported or standered, or to see them by anie meanes abused, and hindred or hurt in goods or name. Giue me grace alwaies to obeie my good and curteous gouernours, not with eie seruice, as a man-pleaser, but in singlenes of hart, as she that more feareth thee than flesh and bloud. And make thou me so faithfull and trustie in all my busines, that no­thing be at anie time either marred or lost, of those things committed to my charge, either through my negligence, or vnthriftines. O keepe my hand, I praie thee, from picking, filching, purloining, and stealing; and my tongue from curssing, taunting, answering a­gaine, and euill speaking: neither let me with an euill eie, wicked affection, careles mind, and vngodlie intent, behold anie of those things put into my custodie and [Page 172] keeping, nor vndiscreetlie diminish, impaire, or lessen them. Make me to be content with my wages, & when I shall depart, to go awaie quietlie, carrieng nothing of my masters or dames goods, to the value of a mite, with me, but onelie that which is mine owne. And in the meane while increase thou my health, and grant strength to all my lims and members of my bodie, I beseech thee, that I may by that meanes be the better able to earne my wages, and doo my dutie, to the bene­fite of my master and dame, whom I serue, as I harti­lie desire. Giue me also vnderstanding wiselie to go a­bout their affaires and busines, and prosper thou the works of mine hands, to the blessing and enriching of them and their families.

Let the eies of thy seruant wait vpon thee, O Lord my God, vntill thou, which dwellest in the heauens, haue mercie vpon me: and the eies of thy hand-maid attend and looke diligentlie vnto the hand of hir mi­stresse, that my soule be neuer filled with the scornfull reproofe of the wealthie, nor with the despitefulnes of the proud. Make me true both in word and deed, vnto those whom I serue, and with all possible care and in­dustrie to declare my fidelitie and obedience, by my faithfull, painfull, and trustie seruice, and by preferring still their busines to mine owne necessitie. Make thou me godlie, religious, and holilie giuen to all vertuous exercises. Giue me grace to praie often, and hartilie, for my master and mistresse, their children, friends, and all their familie, and for the whole Church. And let thy holie feare be alwaies before mine eies, to shunne and auoid all occasion of sinne and offence, both in my selfe and others, that I may be worthilie accompted in the number of those godlie seruants and maids, on whom thou hast promised to powre thy holie spirit, and that thou also my souereigne Lord and master, maist testifie for my righteous and faithfull seruice, by blessing my [Page 173] labours, and rewarding mine industrie and diligence, as thou didst all the godlie seruants and hand-maids in the old time: and thereby giue me ample occasion to laud and praise thee all the daies of my life. Finallie, whatsoeuer I shall go about to doo, doo thou vouchsafe to blesse me, O God, & let it both be begun, continued, and ended in thee, and also tend euermore to the glorie of thy name, the wealth of my master and mistresse, the full discharge of my dutie, and the increase of my faith and blessing in thee, euer for Iesus Christs sake thy sonne and my sauiour, who being verie God, equall with thee, laid aside his glorie; and being Lord of all, made himselfe of no reputation, and tooke on him the forme of a seruant, willinglie to submit himselfe to the most shamefull death of the crosse, for our redemption: to whom therfore, with thee, and the holie ghost, three persons and one God, be all honour, praise, power, rule and dominion, for euer and euer,

Amen.

ETernall and mercifull God, father of our Lord Iesus Christ, which ac­cording to thine heauenlie pleasure hast taken now my deere and louing husband R. B. out of this world, whereby I am a poore afflicted wi­dowe, and my seelie children father­lesse: vnto thee doo I crie in this my miserie, O mine assured aduocate; haue mercie on mee, a forsaken orphane, and after thy great goodnes par­don all my sinnes, which I haue committed against thee. Turne vnto me, O Lord, and take mercie on me: [Page 178] for my soule is become a widowe, and I am alone and comfortlesse: looke vpon the teares of my widowhood, and behold mine affliction and miserie. Oh my Lord, now releeue my necessitie, as thou didst releeue that widowe of Sarepta, whom thou didst most miracu­louslie preserue by thy prophet Elias. Take the like pi­tie on me now, I saie, untill thou returne: ah shew thy selfe vnto me, that I may be comforted; assist me, be­hold my necessitie, and deliuer me out of all my trou­bles. Grant likewise, that sith thou hast taken awaie from me the vaile of mine eies, mine head and deer hus­band, with whom I was preserued from all dangers, and of whom peraduenture I was vnworthie: I may yet find fauour now in the sight of all gouernours and magistrates, whom in thy holie word thou hast com­manded to be as an husband and guid vnto me, that I be not iniuried by the vngodlie, contrarie to all reason and equitie. In like sort, let me find patrons and honest men, which will haue a tender consideration of this my present estate, and succour me at times with godlie counsell. Protect me, oh my God, from all false tongues, which are like rasures cutting deceitfullie, and as the sharpe arowes of a mightie man. Deliuer me, O Lord, from slander, and from the obloquie of wicked men, which with poisoned words haue bent their bowe to cast downe the poore and needie, and to slay such as be of a right conuersation. Furthermore, I beseech thee, giue me grace to liue in this my desolate state of wi­dowhood, chastlie, and godlie, shewing my selfe an ex­ample of godlines to others, and trusting wholie in thy mercie at all times. Let me patientlie and christianlie endure all crosses laid vpon me, and continue faithful­lie in making of supplications night and day. Behold, as the eies of a maiden are vpon hir mistresse; so are mine eies bent vpon thee my Lord God, vntill thou haue mercie, Haue mercie on me, O Lord, haue mercie [Page 179] on me, for I am full of reproch, and my soule is euen as a weaned child from the mothers brests. Heare me, O Lord, as my trust is in thee, for Iesus Christs sake thy sonne our Lord and sauiour,

Amen.

O Lord I thanke thee, that thou hast scourged me thus with the death of mine husband. He was deer vnto me, O Lord, euen bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; for whom I forlooke both father and mother, to cleaue vnto him. He by the couenant of ma­trimonie was made one bodie with me: thou gauest him vnto me, and thou hast taken him from me, blessed be thy name for euer. The bands of death haue sundred me from him for a while; but I hope, O Lord, by the power of thy holie spirit, that no­thing shall be able to separate me from thee mine one­lie Iesus, the onelie ioie of my soule. Put the axe of thy mercie, to the roote of my wanton nature, and cut it off, that I doo not marrie the vanitie of this wicked world: but put vpon me the garment of innocencie, and tie about my hart the iewell of faith, that I maie onelie marrie thee in the couenant of thy heauenlie fa­ther, louing Iesus, and haue nothing to doo with the adulterer the diuell, the father of deadlie fornication. This is the onelie bed of ioie, wherein I will sleepe, O Lord; and the onelie arke of all comfort, wherein I will saile; till I shall see thee face to face: to whom be praise, and honour, both now and euer,

Amen.

GRatious & faithfull God, father of orphans, and iudge of widowes, which by thy word hast commanded that none iniurie be done to widowes and fatherlesse children: I beseech [Page 180] thee haue pitie on me desolate woman, and my poore fa­therlesse children, and vpon all widowes and orphans else where through the world: be thou our patrone and defender, and minister such things vnto vs as thou knowest we dailie stand in need of, whether it be meat, clothing, or else what, for our sustentation. Let magi­strates thy ministers releeue the oppressed, iudge the fatherlesse, and defend the widowe against all oppres­sion and wrong. Grant that our patrons may father­lie looke vnto vs widowes, and all men gladlie and god­lie prouide for vs and our orphans. Moreouer, giue all men grace for their parts not to hurt vs or ours anie waies, but to the vttermost of their powers to helpe vs: bicause pure religion, and vndefiled before thee is, to visit the fatherlesse and widowes in their aduersi­tie, and to keepe our selues vnspotted of the world. In like sort grant, that I, and all widowes, for our parts may at all times, and in all our afflictions, put our whole trust in thee the liuing God, our Lord & father, and continue in supplications and praiers night and daie, auoiding filthie pleasure, vncomelie gesture, and vndecent behauiour, whereby either others may bee offended, or our selues defamed, or at the least suspected of lightnes. Blesse thou my fatherlesse children, O hea­uenlie father, togither with all yoong pupils vnder heauen, that by thy prouidence and fatherlie care they may be honestlie and godlie brought vp in thy feare vn­to euerie good worke, whereby they may alwaies feare thee their cheefe father, obeie their tutors & teachers, harken vnto good counsell and correction, and so in­crease, as in yeres, so in wisedome, both in the fauour of men, and of thee their God. And I beseech thee, O Lord, defend all married folke, with their children, that through thy displeasure purchased by their wickednes, they perish not with the sword, nor otherwise by vn­timelie death be dispatched, that their wi [...]es proue not [Page 181] widowes, nor their children fatherlesse. Oh blesse vs, Lord, with thy fauour, euen for Christs sake thy welbe [...] loued sonne,

Amen.

O Most mercifull and faithfull God, father of orphans, and iudge of wi­dowes, looke downe from heauen, thou which considerest our labour and sorrowe, and in whose hands all our saluation doth consist. The poore is left to thee, for thou art the helper of the fatherles. The Lord doth heare the desire of the poore; thou preparest their hearts, and thine eare harkeneth therevnto, to helpe the fatherles and widowe vnto their right, that the man of the earth be no more exalted against the mise­rable, We beseech thee, O most righteous auenger, haue thou a consideration of all widowes and or­phans, and prouide for them, by ministring cloaths and nourishment vnto them. Haue pitie on them, in all their perils and necessities; stretch out thine helping hand and deliuer them, as thou didst that widowe, whose pitcher of oile, by the Prophet Elias, thou didst so increase with thy blessing, that not onelie she deliue­red hir children in bondage for debt, out of the hands of hir creditors; but also of the oile she sold and had wher­with to susteme both hir selfe and hir children. For thou art the Lord which carest for strangers, and releeuest the fatherles and widowe, but destroiest the waies of the vngodlie. Thou art touched with care of the affli­cted, and despisest not the desires of the fatherles, nor the widowe when she powreth out hir praiers before thee. For the teares running downe the cheeks of the widowe, ascend vp into the heauens, and hir crie a­gainst [Page 182] him which wrings it out by oppression.

Gra [...]t therefore, O mercifull God, that in the sight of all gouernours and iudges, they may find fauour, and haue equall iudges and patrones of their mat­ters, that the iudgement of the stranger and fatherles be not peruerted, nor the cause of the widowe negle­cted, but that iudgement may be sought according to thy lawe, the oppressed holpen, iudgement giuen for the orphane, and the widowe defended. For thou hast giuen a straight commandement vnto all iudges, saieng: Keepe equitie and righteousnes; deliuer the oppressed from the power of the oppressor. Do not greeue nor op­presse the stranger, the fatherles nor the widowe, and shed none innocent bloud: for thou art the God which wilt auenge thine elect that crie vnto thee. Thou kee­pest truth for euer and euer, dooing iustice to the op­pressed with wrong. Now therefore deliuer thou, O Lord, the fatherles and widowe out of the pawes of the rauening theeues, which eate vp the houses of the widowes, vnder the pretence of godlines, and colour of right: deliuer them (I saie) out of the hands of wic­ked iudges, which faine and inuent lawes to suppresse the poore, and to hurt the cause of the base among the people, that widowes may be a praie for them, and that they may rob the fatherles; such peruerse iudges, O Lord God, in the daie of their visitation and calami­tie from a far thou wilt vtterlie destroie.

Appoint vnto orphanes and widowes faithfull pa­trons, which will be touched with an earnest care of their welfare. And also, giue vs willing minds to plea­sure widowes, & fatherles children, according to our a­bilitie to deliuer the poore when he crieth, & the father­les which hath none to helpe, to susteine and helpe him that is readie to fall, to comfort the widowe, euermore to be as a father to the fatherles, and from our tender yeares, to minister instruction to the widowes, and suf­fer [Page 183] them neuer to perish, but in blessing to blesse them, and to fill them with bread. For pure religion and vn­defiled before thee, O Lord our father, is to visit the fa­therles and widowes in their aduersitie, and to keepe our selues vnspotted of the world. For he which is mer­cifull towards the orphane as a father, and sheweth himselfe as an husband towards his mother, in taking the defence of their cause vpon him, he shall be as an o­bedient son of the highest, and thou God wilt more fa­uour him, than a mother can pitie hir son: but they which despite the sighes and teares of the widowe, and keepe backe their loafe that the fatherles eate not thereof, and suffer them to perish for want of cloathing and apparell: yea, which lift vp their hands to afflict them, they shall greeuouslie be punished, their shoul­ders shall fall from their ioints, and their armes be broken from the bones of them. O mercifull God, ex­tend thy fauour vpon all widowes, that at all times, and in all afflictions they may trust in thee the liuing God, and continue in supplications and praiers night and daie, being diligent, in all good works, not occupied in pleasures, neither wanton, light, idle, wandering from house to house, no tatlers, nor busie bodies, no speakers of things vncomelie, nor giuers of occasion, whereby thy word may be blasphemed. Keepe all pa­rents, that they being taken awaie either by war or vntimelie death, their wiues be not widowes, and their children orphans, running heere and there a begging. Be thou their helper and comforter, euen for Christes sake our Lord and sauiour,

Amen.

O Lord, so narowe is the mouth of charitie, so consumed is the fire of Christian loue, that where the foxes haue their holes, and birds their nests, yet haue we poore fatherles chil­dren [Page 184] and orphans, no place to rest our heads on. As pilgrims we wander from place to place, and are dri­uen with the wind of pinching pouertie vpon the seas of this world to seeke releefe; but alas, and wo to the world for it. The rich man deuoureth all superflu­ouslie, or else hoordeth vp to fill his garners niggardlie, so that Lazarus may not only walke amidst the streets naked, but also lie begging at the gates sore, and yet go without, euen the crumbs that fall from the table, to ease the time of his necessitie. O Lord, therefore doo I poore orphane flie vnto thee; haue thou mercie vpon me: for it is onlie thou which fillest with thy blessing e­uerie liuing thing. I am better than a farthing spar­rowe, O Lord thou knowest it, and I acknowledge it to my comfort; feed my soule with the flesh of thy sonne, and let me drinke of his bloud, that seeking first thy kingdome, I may in the end be crowned with glorie, and sit at the table of ioie in heauen with thee. O Lord grant this I beseech thee,

Amen.

O God of our fathers, and Lord of all grace, throughout all nations, all ages, and generations past, present and to come, and which powrest bountifullie vpon all flesh the trea­sures of thine heauenlie vertue and wisedome, grant I humblie beseech thee not onlie vnto my selfe, which am now become aged, and full of daies; but also vnto whomsoeuer thou hast giuen the blessing of long life and manie yeares, to liue in this vale of miserie, to be mothers of manie children, to multiple vpon the earth, to increase heere thy kingdome, and to be as or­gans and instruments of thee, preserued to set foorth, as we ought, the glorie of thy maiestie: that thou wilt [Page 185] vouchsafe alwaies so to indue me, and all sage and an­cient matrones, with the spirit of truth, vnderstan­ding and knowledge, with thy fatherlie wisedome, will to holines, deuotion, granitie, temperance and con­stancie; that the vnexpert, the iuniors, yonger women, and inferiours, which through want of time, the af­fects of youth, and void of the like gifts of grace, can not deale as they should, for thy glorie in the common wealth of the Church, may yet by our sober, sound, and graue conuersation followe vs, as true patronesses of pietie, be ruled by vs, guided, instructed, wel trained vp, and christianly counselled, that vnto vs aged and graue matrones againe, by such iust desert, and cleere shining light of our good example, our due honor, worthie esti­mation, condigne worship, humble submission and re­uerence, may most amplie for thy glorie dailie redound towards vs: so shall it come to passe, that now at all times, and in all ages, from tender youth, to verie old age, through generations, and all posterities, thy holie name shall be magnified in righteousnes and true ho­lines, with all ioifulnes, lauds, thanks-giuing, heere and for euer in the euerlasting world to come, through thine onlie free grace in the merits most pretious of thine onlie Sonne our Lord Iesus Christ,

Amen.

O Lord, which woorkest woonders, which cheerest my hart with re­membring thee, and which inligh­tenest my youth; despise not mine old age, but make my bones to re­ioice, and my hoarie heares to waxe fresh againe 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 mercie hath come in the beginning of my [Page 186] life, so helpe me now in mine old age and weaknes, and let it finish the end of my course, to thy glorie, and my comfort.

For thou, O Lord, hast beene my trust euen from my youth, vpon thee haue I staid my selfe from the wombe. Thou art he that tooke me out of my mothers bowels, that didst helpe me in my youth, and hast preserued me euer since I was borne and conceiued.

Thou, O God, hast taught me from my youth euen vntill now; O therfore forsake me not now in mine old age, and graie head: but as thou hast begun, so conti­nue thy benefites towards me, that thy liberalitie may haue perfect praise, & that I may tell yet of thy woon­derous works, and shew thy power vnto them that shall come after me.

Haue mercie vpon me, O Lord, haue mercie vpon me: for behold, my life is wasted, my daies are spent, my yeeres are past, my strength faileth, & the marrowe in my bones is consumed for age.

The beautie of youth is gone, the glorie of age and graie-head is come: I have beene yoong, and now am old; full of daies am I, and striken in yeres: yet haue I seene nothing, no nor done anie good in thy sight. I haue spent my yeres as a thought, or tale that is told; my daies are gone like a shadowe, and I am withered awaie like grasse.

The time of my pilgrimage is but greefe & sorrowe, few & euill haue the daies of my life beene: and I haue not attained vnto the yeres of the life of my grandmo­thers, in the daies of their pilgrimage.

The time of our life is threescore yeres and ten, and if we liue till fourescore yeres, yet is our strength then but labour and sorowe; for it is cut off quicklie, and we flie awaie: so soone canst thou turne man to destruction, and bring the sonnes of Adam to naught.

One daie with thee, O Lord, is as a thousand yeres, [Page 187] and a thousand yeres in thy sight are but as yesterdaie which is past, and as a watch in the night: and our age is nothing in respect of thee.

Thy yeres, O Lord, endure through all generations, and thy daies are without end or beginning: yea hea­uen and earth shall perish, but thou shalt endure, they shall all waxe 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 yeres shall not faile.

But the daies of men surelie are determined, which he can not passe, and the number of his moneths are knowen to thee: thou hast appointed him his bounds and terme of yeres, which he can not go beyond.

Thou hast numbred all our daies, which vade awaie suddenlie like the grasse: for we are soone dispatched, and easilie consumed.

A man in this world is euen like a vapour or shadow that quicklie vanisheth awaie. For all flesh is grasse, and the glorie thereof as the floure of the field, which flourisheth in the morning, and afterward withereth and vadeth.

Behold, our daies are to be measured, they are as it were but a spanne long, and our age is nothing to speake of.

Our age is folden togither, and taken awaie from vs like a shepheards cotage: our life is cut off, and our daies shortened by our sinnes, like the thred of the weauer, which is suddenlie broken off.

We are but strangers in this world, & soiourners, as were our forefathers: our daies on earth also are but a shadowe; our life speedilie goeth awaie like the weauers shuttle, and it abideth not.

We are as nothing, Lord, in respect of thee; and ve­relie euerie man liuing is altogither vanitie, yea in­fancie, childhood, youth, middle age, and old age, all are but meere vanitie.

[Page 188]Wherefore, O Lord, teach me to number my daies, that I may yet applie mine hart vnto wisedome: and bring foorth more fruit euen in mine old age.

O let me knowe mine end, and the number of my daies, that I may be certified how long I haue to liue, and what is yet to come.

Instruct me, O Lord, that being alwaies mindfull of my mortalitie, I neuer promise to my selfe manie yeres, nor long life in this pilgrimage of ours: so shall I not liue securelie, deferring my conuersion to thee from daie to daie, nor yet put confidence in this fraile and vncertaine life, as did that rich man, saieng, Soule thou hast much good laid vp in store for manie yeres, take thine ease, eate, drinke, and be merie; whose soule notwithstanding was taken from him the same night.

But giue me grace, that in thy feare I may dailie prepare my selfe to depart out of this prison and loth­some dungeon of my soule.

Now let me remember thee my Maker, in the daies of my old age, and in the yeres wherein I find no plea­sure, but paine and greefe, whiles the sunne, the light, the moone, and starres begin to waxe darke, and the clouds of continuall miserie seeme to remaine after the raine, to the increasing of my greefe.

Now let me thinke on thee my Creator, whiles [my hands] the keepers of the house [of my bodie] doo trem­ble, and the strong men [my legs] doo bow themselues, and the grinders [my teeth] doo cease or stand still; bi­cause they are few, and they that looke out by the win­dowes [mine eies I meane] waxe darke and dimme.

Now let me remember thee, my Maker, whiles the doore [of my lips and mouth] beginneth to be shut, by the base sound of the milner, or grinding, [when my iawes, I saie, are scarse able to chawe my meat.] And I rise vp at the voice of the bird, or crowing of the cocke [bicause I can not sleepe.] And whiles all the [Page 189] daughters of musike [euen my windpipe and eares] are abased, and become deafe, and not able to heare singing.

Whiles I am afraid to climbe high, bicause of my weaknes; and stoope downe, for feare least anie thing should hit me. Whiles feare is in the waie, & I trem­ble as I go, and am afraid of stumbling. Whiles the almon tree [my head] doth florish [with white heares] and the verie light grashopper is a burden [vnto it to beare.] And whiles all lust is past and driuen awaie.

Now I saie, O Lord, euen now yet let me call to mind thee my creator, before I go to the house of mine age, or long home, [the graue] I meane, and the mour­ners go [lamenting my death] about the streetes. Or euer the siluer lace [the sinewes and marowe of my backe bone] be taken awaie: and or the golden ewer or well [of that litle yellow skin that couereth my braine­pan] be broken: or the pitcher [of my two great veines] be crackt at the well [of my liuer:] or the wheele [my head] be broken vpon the cisterne [of my hart, out of the which the powers of life are drawne.]

Euen now, I saie, at the least, O my Creator, let me remember thee, before I [which am but dust] doo re­turne againe to the earth from whence I came; and my spirit and soule returne to thee, O God, that ga­uest me it.

For all is but plaine vanitie, and nothing more cer­taine than death: though nothing more vncertaine than the houre thereof.

Therefore let me haue alwaies before mine eies an image and meditation of my departure, the better to knowe the fleeting and vanitie of this combersome and vncertaine life, that I may liue to thee my God, being sound in faith, and strong in hope, looking with cheere­fulnes for the daie of my departure, and the ioifull ap­pearing of thy sonne Iesus Christ my redeemer. [Page 190] And as long as I abide in this tabernacle of my de­caied and forworne bodie, let me with all studie mini­ster to my faith, vertue; to vertue, knowledge, to know­ledge, temperance; to temperance, patience; to pati­ence, godlines: vntill this tabernacle being laid awaie, I shall passe ouer to my long home and dwelling place, not made with hands, but euerlasting in the heauens, where I shall be clothed with eternall glorie and im­mortalitie, when this my earthlie house is put off, and destroied by death.

Grant also, O God, that trusting firmelie to thy pro­mises, I may be readie, and glad to returne from this vale of miserie, to mine euerlasting and celestiall coun­trie: for while I am in this bodie, I wander from thee my God. For now I walke in faith, not in the full and perfect enioieng and possessing of eternall good; where­fore, whether I be at home, or from home, let me ende­uour my selfe to be acceptable in thy sight.

Make me a faithfull seruant, and wise virgin, alwaie hauing the lampe of faith readie light, and with the oile of thy grace and merits prepared in my hand, and still looking for the comming of the bridgrome my Lord and Sauiour Iesus: (for I knowe not when he will come, at the euening, or at midnight; whether at the cocke-crowing, or in the dawning of the daie) least by a sudden houre of death I beeing ouertaken, and as it were caught in the fowlers trap, I be found vnreadie, and haue a repulse among the foolish virgins: but con­trariwise, by prudent watching in true conuersion and repentance, I may continuallie couet to be dissolued, and to be with Christ my redeemer.

Grant also, deere Father, that at the verie point of death, hauing escaped all hardnes and temptations, I may triumph like a conquerour, & behold the presence and power of thine holie spirit: and let my last words be that, which thy sonne did vtter vpon the altar of the [Page 191] crosse, saieng, Father into thy hands I commend my spirit: and when my spirit is taken from me, heare yet O God, the grones of my hart.

And the houre glasse of life & death being outrun and come, let thy seruant and hand-maid depart in peace, bicause mine eies haue seene thy saluation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people: a light to be reuealed vnto the gentiles, and the glorie of thy people Israell; through our Lord Iesus Christ,

Amen.

OH my sweet Lord Iesus Christ, my creator and reformer, which wilt that no man perish, neither deligh­test in the destruction of soules: heare me wretched woman, and in­ueterated sinner, which walowe in wicked life. The whole time of my pilgrimage is threescore yeres: few and euill haue the daies of my life beene, and I am now placed in the darke euening of my life: neither looke I to attaine vnto the yeres of the life of my forefathers or mothers in the daies of their pilgrimage. I am full of yeres and daies, I saie, O Lord; but in deed more full of vices and sinnes. Mine offences are not a few, but an huge heape of an innumerable sort of sinnes, nei­ther are they small or veniall sinnes, but great, mortall, and deadlie. My sinfull conscience accuseth me, and the large abundance of mine iniquitie beateth my hart in peeces. This deceitfull world, in which I dreame, and loiter, faileth me, my forworne and withered bodie threateneth my decaie. This house of claie waxeth ve­rie ruinous in euerie part thereof. The graie heares, a token of my manifold afflictions for sinnes, are plenti­fullie growen vpon me, and my strength is quite gone; to teach me to knowe the vanitie and brittle state of [Page 192] this life. To conclude, my life is short, mine end doubt­full, my destruction horrible. Death now beginneth to search me out euerie where; the diuell doth laie snares for me on euerie side, time passeth awaie, the houre­glas is almost run, my candle is almost burned out, and thine euerlasting iudgement draweth on.

Alas, what shall I sinfull woman doo, for I haue prouoked thee my God, and all other thy creatures a­gainst me; bicause thou knowing my forepassed sinfull life, dooest see nothing in me without spot and offence. I haue shut my selfe out of thy presence, when thou didst call me to euerlasting life; and I haue receiued that old enimie of my grandmother Eue into my soule, which persecuteth me vnto death; my conscience (I saie) doth vexe me; the damnation to come, which I haue so deepelie and often deserued, doth feare me, which through mine owne merits or deserts I can not possiblie put awaie or auoid. When I consider it with my selfe, oh how intollerable is that horror vnto me! When I doo well ponder and regard it in my selfe, oh how ineuitable is death to be differred or put awaie from me! that now am euen a figure of death it selfe, and carrie him euidentlie about me, in my pale face, and leane lims; yea, so far am I from flieng awaie from death, that as it seemeth, I rather now post spee­dilie after him. Moreouer, to acquit my selfe before thee, I cannot possiblie doo it; for that I haue as manie accusers as sins, as many witnesses as hoarie heares. Yea, thou thy selfe my sweet God, who best knowest me, art my iust accuser; thou art the true witnes of my deeds, thou art my righteous iudge, and if thine euer­lasting iustice refuse me, then both thine enimies and also mine, with whom I haue plight the troth of my friendship, are my heauie accusers. No holie man or woman, yong or old, doth speak for me, or in the life e­uerlasting may speake for me, and those that might in [Page 193] their dailie praiers in this life helpe me towards thee, I (alas) with all scornefull reproch and contempt haue cast them awaie, and vtterlie refused their good compa­nie; but my verie mortall aduersaries I haue too wil­linglie receiued, euen into my bosome.

Now therefore being alone in secret, I lie flat vpon the ground, destitute of all helpe, confounded, and had in derision of all. Now in the last age of my withered life, when my glorie should be my graie head, that is, my wisedome and feare of God ioined with much experi­ence, my reproch alas is increased by my follie; and bi­cause I haue not behaued my selfe iustlie and wiselie before other my iuniors, old age, that should be a crown of glorie, when it is found in the waie of righteousnes, and ioined with vertue, is now turned into infamie in me, and to be abhorred, by reason of my manifold sins and vices. For though I haue liued long, yet bi­cause I am waxed old in wickednes, I shall be no­thing regarded, and my last age shall be without ho­nor through my doting defiled life. To conclude, there draweth on apase the daie of thy fearefull iudgements, in which all my deeds shall be tried and sifted to the vt­termost and innermost secret thoughts of my hart. My reproofes shall be reuealed, and my opprobrious and shamefull works shall be brought to light and openlie seene, for that I haue beene a barren and vnfruitfull tree, and being throwne into euerlasting fire, I shall there burne foreuer, and of those whom I haue lewd­lie accompanied my selfe with, shall I be vexed, who al­so after the sentence of eternall damnation giuen vpon me, shall teare me, and without anie intermission or end most cruellie shall minister torments vnto me, whom they shall not cease crucifieng for euermore, neither will there euer at anie time anie waie of mi­tigation, ease, or mercie appeare, or be found at their hands.

[Page 194]Wherefore, O louing Lord, and souereigne Saui­our, there remaineth now no more vnto me sinfull wo­man, worne out with miserie, but thy branching mer­cie to reioice my hart, to quicken mine appaled spirits, and to renew mine age as doth the eagle; for that in the same thy mercie, and through the same thy compas­sion and fauour, I (almost spent, wasted, and consumed to dust) doo yet breath and liue to call vpon thee, who art gentle, mild, and verie mercifull, both to old and yoong, man, woman and child, and wilt not the death, no not of an old and ancient sinner as I am. O be mindfull therefore of me, my sweet God, bicause thou art my creator, and I thine vnworthie creature and hand-maid. Do not loose the works of thine own hands, through my greeuous sins and lewd deserts. Thou art my redeemer and sauiour, therefore saue me sinfull wo­man (through thy grace, mercie, and fauour) whome through thine owne iustice thou maist worthilie cast a­waie into damnation. O God be mercifull vnto me a sinner, and grant pardon to hir that repenteth from the bottome of hir heart. O giue not foorth (I beseech thee) the voice of thy sentence according to my deme­rits, but like as thy mercie before hath come in the be­ginning of my life, when thou tookest me out of my mo­thers wombe, so let it conclude the end thereof, when thou shalt turne me againe into the mother of all things, to remaine with thee for euer, world without end,

Amen.

OH God, which continuest still the same, and dooest remaine for euer subiect to no tearme of yeares and time, whose yeares shall neuer faile, and the remembrance of whom eternal­lie endureth from generation to generation, worlds without end.

[Page 195]Haue mercie vpon me thy sinfull hand-maid, for be­hold I (as all thy works else both in heauen and earth) by little and little, am waxen old, as is the garment by long vse; as a vesture am I outworne, I saie, & greatlie changed. My strength abateth more & more, I perish and consume hourelie, and am withered awaie like mowne grasse or haie. Howbeit, Lord, if praise bee seemelie in the mouth of so old a sinner, or if rottennes and dust may presume to giue thanks vnto thee; then lo, I thy wretched creature humblie laud and magni­fie thy maruellous mercies extended towards mee, from my first conception in my mothers wombe, vntill this present houre; yea, would God I could tell what to render vnto thee, O Lord my God, for all thy benefits towards me, which hast not taken me awaie hastilie, nor cut off my daies by death, as I iustlie deserued, but let me run the race of this life, and suffered me to passe the tempestuous seas of this dangerous world, and liue vnto so good an age.

Now therefore, as it hath pleased thee in mercie to augment the number of my yeares, to lengthen thus my daies, and to satisfie me with long life heere vpon earth, to my comfort (for the which I offer and paie vn­to thee the sacrifice of praise:) so I call still vpon thy holie name, beseeching thee to vouchsafe in like goodnes to grant me grace, that during the remnant of my race and little time of being yet to come, I may liue still to glorifie thee, by endeuouring my selfe dutifullie to fur­ther, and helpe not onlie the yonger sort of women, and my freends and kindred, but also my verie enimies, and the Common-weale, wherein I liue, with such good councell, wisedome, and discretion, as it hath pleased thee in mercie to reueale vnto me, or by experience in this long course of my life I haue obteined; that she­wing my selfe a guide vnto godlines, and an example of vertue vnto all, I may worthilie haue that honor and [Page 196] dignitie attributed and giuen vnto me, which is due vnto the image and portrature of wisdome, vnto a ma­trone of modestie, and to an instructer or teacher of ho­nestie and vertue.

Furthermore, take from me the foule vice of auarice, wherewith old age is most commonlie infected, and in­cline my hart vnto thy testimonies, and not vnto coue­tousnes; and grant that I may euer eschew and auoid all sloth, waiwardnes, and lasciuiousnes. Teach me yet to number my daies, that I may applie my hart vnto wisedome, and giue me grace to weigh and consider di­ligentlie with my selfe, what the graie heares in my head, and this my crooked and riueled bodie postula­teth and requireth; euen that I vse apparantlie graue manners, and vertuous conditions. O let me remem­ber how that I doo dailie drawe neerer and neerer vnto death; that mine out-worne bodie is bowed downe to­wards the ground, and that my graue 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 earthlie house and tabernacle shall be destroied, I may laie aside all the vaine plea­sures and delights of this wretched world, and giue my selfe wholie to looke for death, and patientlie in wat­ching, fasting and praieng abide his comming.

And bicause my life is now lamed with age, broken with infirmitie, and oppressed with sorrowes, I come crieng vnto thee oh mercifull God, sighing in my soule, and saieng; Oh would God that thou O Christ, of thy heauenlie pitie, hauing released the heauie burthen of my sins, wouldst commaund mee thine humble hand-maid, to laie aside the fardell of this flesh, that I might passe hence by death, vnto the endles ioies of paradise. For now I ware weerie of this painefull, sinfull, and corruptible life; I begin to loath and detest this queene of pride, this mistres of all mischiefe, and hand-maid [Page 197] of hell: yea therefore in deed I sigh and grone, de­siring that this ruinous and rotten tabernacle of mine earthlie house, wherewith I am yet clothed and bur­dened, might be destroied, to the end I might be clo­thed and compassed with the building giuen of God, euen with our house of unmortalitie, which is from heauen, that mortalitie might be swalowed vp in life. For I loue rather to remoue out of this fraile bodie, and to dwell with thee, O Lord: and with S. Paule I hartilie wish and desire to be dissolued, and to be with thee; for I would faine see thee. And bicause no man can see thee, and liue here, behold therefore, O Lord, I can find in my hart to die here, & leaue this life, that I may see thee. Let me see thee, that I may die here, I desire not to liue anie longer, I had leuer die, that I may liue with thee in the kingdome of heauen, which is the bles­sed, the chast, and holie life,prepared of thee, O father, for them that loue thee, where youth neuer waxeth old, where life neuer weareth out, where there is no age, nor anie miserie or infirmitie of age, where there is no lame, crooked, or foreworne person, but all growe vp to perfect men and women, after the full measure of the age of Christ, there in happie eternitie and full suretie of the incorruptiblenes of thine euerlasting immorta­litie, to reioice with thine elect saints, and praise thee for the gift of perpetuall blisse and happines: through Iesus Christ our Lord,

FOrasmuch, O heauenlie 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 inno­cencie, [Page 198] didst giue them also a lawe of obedience in paine of eternall death & damnation, to be straightlie of them obserued and kept; which through the spite & sleights of satan, was most miserably broken, working his pur­pose by the woman Eue, whom he foresawe to that speciall end to be an organ & most apt instrument of al mischeefe, for hir owne destruction, hir husband Adams, and their whole posteritie for euer. Bicause in hir, our grandmother Eue, as in the first transgressour, we are all spotted, haue lost our innocencie, and haue sinned to eternall death, and should therefore haue beene dam­ned for euer, vnlesse through thy mercie, O God, in the promised seede, the seede of the woman, Christ Ie­sus thy sonne, which brake the head of the serpent, we did ground our assured faith and confidence to be saued.

I beseech thee, and that most humblie, O louing fa­ther, to haue mercie vpon thine inheritance, the whole generation and ofspring of our old parents Adam and Eue; & so worke in the harts of all vs women, that we especiallie may haue in our remembrance the originall of our spot & corruption, of our frailtie, deadlie fall, and most readie inclination to all wickednes: and to crie continuallie vnto thee, to attaine such strength of thine heauenlie grace, through the working power of thine holie spirit, that the sleights of satan may be preuen­ted, & we inwardlie purged of all bitternes, fiercenes, lightnes, inconstancie, idlenes, pride, stoutnes, and of all impuritie, and wickednes: and to liue in our calling with meeknes, mildnes, peace, humblenes, quietnes, exercising all maner of puritie, clennes, sobernes, god­lines, and holines, as becommeth vnfeigned professors, and the true daughters of holie Sara, following hir example in all obedience and well dooing, to thine ho­nour and glorie, and our eternall saluation; through Iesus Christ thy sonne our euerlasting Sauiour, who [Page 199] liueth and reigneth with thee and the holie ghost,in all honour and glorie, worlds without end,

Amen.

O Most mightie God and heauenlie king, vouchsafe to haue respect vnto vs miserable women, which are so wrapped in wretchednes in this world, that we are altogither vn­worthie to be comprehended within the compasse of thy compassion: O Lord of all flesh, if it be lawfull for vs disobedient seruants, to charge thee our beneficiall Lord and master, with thy freendlie & vndeserued pro­mises; behold then we thy hatefull hand-maids craue, that thou haue no pleasure nor delight in the death of vs filthie sinners. Thou art the same God thou wert, when thou didst redeeme vs with the pretious sanguin oile of thy deere sonne: thy grace is yet as great, thy goodnes no lesse glorious, thy power is inuincible, thy diuine Deitie not diminished, thy bountie nothing aba­ted, and that which must be our onelie helpe, thy mer­cies as much manifold. It pleased thy maiestic to send messengers into the world, that they might encounter with the seruants of satan; namelie thy grace, ladie vertues pilote, to encounter with vaine desires; re­petance, to banish sinne; ladie vertue, with hir freends faith and hope, to driue awaie the dread of death and desperation; and finallie saluation, to preuent the force of the hellish furies.

But alas thou seest, O Lord, how fraillie we haue dealt with thee, & with thy messengers: thou knowest likewise, that we haue not beene in readines willinglie [Page 200] to receiue or accept the light of ladie vertues lampe, when it shined vpon vs, to guid vs in the waie to euer­lasting life; but haue too retchleslie extinguished it with worldlie vanities, and wilfullie shadowed it with our sinnes, whereby we haue fallen from vertue; not she by vs, but we by wanting hir, doo vade: faith, not by vs, but we with want of faith doo faint: hope, not by vs, but we with want of heauenlie hope doo halt: they of themselues are strong, but we without them are weaker than weaknes it selfe. Recouer vs in them, O God, that we (who now shame to shew our selues in thy presence) may find through Christ, some occasion of countenance, when we come with our lamps of pure faith, cleerlie burning in our hands, to meete the bridegrome, and implore thy fauourable sentence in the great iudgement daie of thy comming.

O vouchsafe yet once againe to extend thy manifold mercies, for ransoming our soules from the captiuitie of sinne. We without thine aid, are miserable: we without thy fauourable regard, are more than misera­ble, and woorse than woorst wretched. Suffer not the works of thine hands, which thou hast ordeined for the increase & multiplieng of thy kingdome, to be flames of infernall fire, and to burne in the gulfe of horrible hell, as we iustlie haue deserned, for so be astlie abusing our selues, and the gifts of nature and grace, which thou hast giuen vnto vs. It is thy power, not our pri­uiledge; it is thy grace, not our goodnes; it is thy mer­cie, not our merits, that must stand vs in steed. To vse circumstances in our sute, O God, what auaileth it? Thou knowest our desire, before we demand; thou knowest our want, before we wish; thou knowest what we need, before we aske; thou knowest our sute, before we seeke. O vouchsafe therefore to supplie what we sue for; heare vs, and helpe vs; make vs worthie to at­taine vnto that freedome which we haue forsaken: let [Page 201] thy mercie preserue that which thy power hath made, and wisedome beautified. Thy glorie, O God, shall be thine; if anie benefite be ours, thou knowest our neces­sitie, and we hope thou dooest pitie our miserie.

Yet bicause it pleaseth thee to be praied vnto, we therefore come vnto thee, humblie in spirit, though fraile in flesh. It is thou, not our s [...]lues, that must make the flesh agreeable to the spirit. It is thou, not our selues, that must ouer-rule our nature with thy grace, our lusts with thy loue, our soules with reason. And although thou knowest how to bring it to passe, better than can be surmised in our thoughts; we craue yet, Lord, that thou wilt graffe in vs thy grace, make vs readie to repentance, let the light of ladie vertues lampe shine still on vs, to guid vs in the waie to euerla­sting happines. Uouchsafe also to haue fauourable re­gard vnto those, on whom the light of hir lampe hath shined; and that such, on whom it hath not shined, may be at thy will and pleasure vnshadowed. Grant, I saie, that wheresoeuer shee curteouslie offereth the vse of hir lightned lampe, it may be freendlie accepted both in court and countrie. Let manie buie it, but mo vse it; let manie craue it, but mo hold it; and when they haue it, let them not shadowe or extinguish it with worldlie vanities, nor quench it with the water of sinne: and when they receiue it, let them be in readines, both to vse and preserue it with all diligence & willingnes. Fi­nallie, grant that all may mainteine the light thereof, not onelie during their naturall liues, but after to all posteritie, at the disposition of thy diuine power and prouidence. Moreouer frame in vs a fixed faith, to the fort of thy felicitie. Let hope haue onelie respect to sal­uation, that we may supplie the place thou hast prepa­red for the wise virgins. Let thy diuine power direct the discontinuing of our soules captiuitie. Let thy pi­tie be prest, to make thy mercie mitigate our miserie. [Page 202] Let thy grace guide vs, and thy mercie O God obteine freedome for vs, that our lamps beeing replenished with the oile of thy merits, we may walke in the light thereof with hartie hope to the gates of heauen, now wide open, to meete the great King, and all the migh­tie multitude of angels, who with vnspeakeable glo­rie shall come, readie to receiue vs most royallie, and intirelie to entertaine and accompanie vs to the cele­stiall palace and paradise of all pleasure, there with all the holie companie of Angels, Archangels, Powers, Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs, Confes­sors, Uirgins, yea, & our owne parents & Kindred, to en­ter and sing psalmes of praise, and songs of thanks-gi­uing to thine immortall Maiestie, to whom with thy Sonne and holie Ghost, be euerlasting laud, perpetu­all praise, and greatest glorie, both now and for euer,

Amen.

O Lord Iesu Christ, thou good spouse and heauenlie bridegroome, giue me grace like the wise virgins, both with a right intention, and vpright dealing, to doo good works, and also to perseuere and continue in the same watchfullie and diligentlie vnto the end. And bicause it is not sufficient, to haue once giuen my selfe to followe thee, vnlesse I continue; doo thou teach me wiselie to make prouision in time, that hauing plentie of the oile of thy grace and gifts in the lampe of my soule, I may neuer contemne thine honor, nor faile in the mid-way; but be­ing found readie and watchfull, I may be thought worthie to enter ioifullie with thee vnto the wedding. I beseech thee also, O Lord, make knowne vnto mee [Page 203] mine end before it come, and suffer me not to depart this life, before I haue confessed my faults, and thou haue forgiuen me my sins, that in the hour of my death, neither thy wrath may fall vpon me, nor the power of darkenes hurt or inuiron me; but let me be found such a one at the daie of examination and triall, as I did appeare and shew my selfe at the day of my regenera­tion and baptisme, through Iesus Christ our Lord,

O Almightie God my heauenlie fa­ther, I confesse and acknowledge that I am a miserable and wret­ched sinner, & haue manifold waies most greeuoustie transgressed thy most godlie commandements, tho­rough wicked thoughts, vngodlie lusts, sinfull words, and detestable deeds in my whole life. In sin am I borne and concei­ued, and there is no goodnes in me, inasmuch as if thou shouldest enter into thy narrowe iudgement with me, iudging me according to the same, I were neuer able to abide or suffer it; but must needs perish and be dam­ned for euer, so little helpe, comfort, or succour is there either in me, or in anie other creature. Onlie this is my comfort, O heauenlie father, that thou didst not spare thine onlie deere beloued Sonne, but didst giue him vp, vnto the most bitter and most vile & slanderous death of the crosse for me, that he might so paie the ransome for my sins, satisfie thy iudgement, still and pacifie thy wrath, reconcile me againe vnto thee, and purchase me thy grace, fauour, and euerlasting life. Wherefore, through the merit of his most bitter death and passion, [Page 204] and through his innocent bloud-shedding, I beseech thee O heauenlie father, that thou wilt vouchsafe to be gratious and mercifull vnto me, to forgiue and pardon me all my sins, to lighten my hart with thy ho­lie spirit, to renew, confirme, and strengthen me with a right and a perfect faith, and to inflame me in loue to­wards thee and my neighbour, that I may hence­foorth with a willing and glad hart walke as it becom­meth me in thy most holie commandements, and so glo­rifie and praise thee euerlastinglie.

And also, that I may with a free conscience, and quiet hart, in all manner of temptations, afflictions, or ne­cessities, and euen in the verie pangs of death, crie boldlie and faithfullie vnto thee, and saie, I beleeue in God the father Almightie, &c.

But O Lord God heauenlie father, to comfort my selfe 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 praied vnto, and called vpon for it, I come vnto thee, to praie and be­seech thee both for that, and for all other things neces­sarie for me and thy whole Church, euen as thy deere beloued Sonne our Sauiour Christ Iesus hath him­selfe taught vs, and from the verie botome of my hart I crie and saie, O our father which art in heauen, &c.

O God, most excellent creator and preseruer of all things, we cast our selues downe be­fore the feet of thy maiestie, and inwardlie feeling how vnworthie we are to haue our praiers heard of thee, we dare not lift vp our eies to heauen.

Neuertheles, whereas we are conceiued in sin, and therefore (as all Adams children) deserued vntimelie [Page 205] death, yet thy fatherlie hand hath brought vs foorth, and caused vs to be borne, yea and granted vs to liue in this blessed time of thy Gospell, to the intent that dieng with Christ, we should rise againe to eternall life.

But alas (wretches that we are) we haue deserued thy iust indignation, by returning to our old vomit; and yet thy grace surmounteth our sinne, continuallie calling vs to thy sheepfold, by the voice of thy gospell. Blessed be thy holie name for sending vs that light, when we were in darknesse; that spirituall drinke, when we were in deadlie thirst; that heauenlie foode, when we were hunger-sterued. And like honour and praise be ascribed to thee onelie, O Lord, for giuing vs such, so wise, so zealous, so godlie, and carefull gouer­nours of thy chosen Church of England, whom thou hast raised vp by the light of thy gospell, to guid vs in the same thy light, and to feed vs with the same thy heauenlie food.

We magnifie thy name daie and night, for that in­estimable benefit of thine, bestowed vpon vs thy peo­ple of England, in calling thy chosen creature, the nurse of this thy church, our Queene, and Gouernour, from worldlie vanities, to the care of thy kingdome, and into the communion of thy saints, by the preaching of the Gospell; when we gaue not sufficientlie atten­tiue, and diligent eare to thy blessed word, albeit thou didst correct hir, and other ingratfull creatures of this our nation, with thy rod; yet euen in this point also thy clemencie surmounteth our double wickednes. For behold, when as thy iustice might haue depriued vs of hir, thou of thine infinite mercie didst deliuer hir out of prison, set hir free from the lions iawes, crowned hir with a diadem of gold, and put the roiall scepter of this realme in hir hand.

Moreouer, O singular and most pretious treasure of [Page 206] treasures, thou through hir meanes and ministerie, hast brought againe Christ Iesus, once banished out of England.

These, most mercifull Father, be the principall ie­wels of thine inestimable riches bestowed vpon vs; which the more excellent they are, the lesse are we wor­thie of them; bicause we haue misbehaued our selues towards thy maiestie, in dailie sinning more and more against thee; in so much that feeling the same in our conscience, we be driuen well neere to despaire. But when we call to mind thy sure and sweet promises in Christs pretious blood, we are thereby refreshed, and recouering strength by hope, approch to thy throne boldlie, not offering anie thing for the satisfaction of our sinnes, but onelie crauing, that the oblation of thine annointed, which is the iustifier and sanctifier of all that are to be iustified and sanctified, may make vs cleane, and so receiue vs 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 mortall race in shewing foorth thy praise, and keeping thy holie will.

And forasmuch as thou hast thought good to set vp thy seruant our Queene, a woman, and a fraile vessell, ouer vs, to gouerne this kingdome, and that she must render an account thereof (a hard thing so to doo) be­fore the iudgement seat of thy Sonne Christ: send downe, we beseech thee, O Father, send downe such grace from thy high throne, vpon thy daughter our Queene Elizabeth, as thou knowest most necessa­rie for the performance and execution of so great a charge.

Thou hast giuen hir Councellers; grant that she may vse their counsell happilie: indue them with god­lie, righteous, and carefull harrs, that they may be [Page 207] both willing and able simplie & faithfullie to consult, and also prouidentlie to prouide, aswell for thy church, as for hir, and vs hir people.

It is thy grace, O Lord, that we hir people renew­ed with thy word, doo suffer our selues to be nouri­shed with the same: send foorth therfore faithfull shep­herds, godlie and true teachers, to feed vs: and driue a­waie all hirelings, and rauening woolues, from this flocke of thine, and of thy sonne Iesus Christ.

Besides this, so blesse vs the sheepe of thy pasture, that we may neuer denie thee the chiefe honour, our Queene thy deputie hir obedience, and our neighbours mutuall loue.

Furthermore, of thy goodnes mainteine peace and tranquillitie, defend our Queene, hir kingdome and countrie, from bloudie warres: and especiallie protect hir, and vs, from hollowe harts, & from ciuill tumults and conspiracies, which haue shaken the greatest part of Christendome.

And bicause the affliction of euerie poore creature apperteineth to hir, in so much as she is thine; inspire the magistrates vnder hir with thy holie spirit, that they may willinglie and carefullie mainteine iustice, and prouide for the releefe of Christs poore members, whose treasures both she, and we, and all others are, whom thou hast blessed with thy earthlie benefites. Heare our praiers, we beseech thee, for the sake of thy sonne Iesus Christ our redeemer: to whom with thee, and thy holie spirit, bee all honour and glorie for euer,

Amen.

ALmightie and eternall God, my Creator and louer; I praise, adore, and blesse thee, for that in mine of­fences and vngratefulnes thou hast so mercifullie and leisurelie forborne and suffered me to liue euen vnto this houre, wherevnto by thy bene­fites thou hast brought me, giuing to me thine vnworthie and reprochfull hand-maid, both life and necessaries therevnto belonging, appointing angels to be my keepers. O good God, who knoweth whether til euening my life shall be prolonged, or what death is appointed for me: Oh mercifull Lord God, and heauenlie Father, that I may with hartie repentance truelie repent my sinnes, and inwardlie bewaile that euer I offended thy godlie maiestie; suffer not my soule to depart this bodie, before it be (through thy mercie perfectlie reconciled & adopted vnto thee by thy grace) bedeckt with thy merits and vertues, inflamed with perfect charitie and acceptable vnto thee, according to thy will.

O mercifull Lord Iesu Christ, if these things which I desire, doo stand with thy pleasure, grant them, I be­seech thee, although I be not worthie to be heard. Yeeld and giue, I beseech thee of thine infinite mercie, that by the merits of thy passion I may be purged from all my sinnes, and that at the houre of my death I may be striken with true and vehement contrition, and bee­ing knit with thee in perfect charitie, I may immediat­lie die vnto thee my sooeet Redeemer, safelie and freelie, from all damnation. Neuertheles in all these my re­quests, [Page 209] O best beloued Iesu, I doo fullie and wholie of­fer and resigne my selfe vnto thee, to be altogither 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 fragilitie, vn­worthines, vnstablenes, and miseries; togither with thine owne goodnes and most charitable mercie, prai­eng thee neuer to forsake or leaue me, but that thou wilt alwaies possesse and gouerne me, according to thy will,

Amen.

OH Lord my God, and most benigne Sauiour Iesus Christ; who, when I was not, didst creat and make me capable of the souereigne and one­lie good, and being made a thrall and bondslaue through my forefathers trespasse, didst redeeme me with thy most pretious blood, and losse of thy sacred life, abiding the torments due to my trespasses, to acquite and rid me from the same. For these, O Lord, and all other thine inestimable benefites; namelie, for hauing preserued me this night past, and all the time and daies of my life hitherto, I yeeld thee most humble, zealous, and obedient thanks, offering my selfe wholie to thee, as I am wholie thine; beseeching thee also of thine infinite clemencie, to preserue me this daie, and euer, from anie waies offending thee, and to direct all my thoughts, words, and works, to thine euerlasting glorie. Mine estate and calling is, as thou knowest, O Lord, inuironed with manie difficulties and dangers; and through mine euill customes and wicked inclina­tions, hardlie can I, without thy speciall assistance, passe this daie, no not one minute thereof, without of­fending thee in manifold sinnes. Keepe vnder therefore, [Page 210] O Lord, my concupiscence, and refresh my conscience with the dewes of thy diuine grace. O giue me strength, I praie thee, to fight the good fight of faith, more coragiouslie and perseuerantlie than hitherto I haue done, and make thou me able to subdue all wic­ked suggestions of the enimie.

Trulie Lord, heere in humilitie and sinceritie of hart, I protest neuer willinglie by thy gratious fauour to offend thy lawes and commandements anie more. I detest all sin, and whatsoeuer may anie waies displease thy sacred maiestie. I desire to loue thee, feare thee, and serue thee this daie and euermore, and to direct all mine actions to thine honor and glorie. Assist me Lord with thy grace, and enrich my pouertie with the plen­tie of thy merits, for in the vnion of that charitie, wher­with thou discendedst from heauen in the blessed vir­gins wombe, and afterward offredst vp thy selfe on the crosse in sacrifice for our sinnes, in the vnion of this thy incomprehensible charitie, I saie, I offer vnto thee whatsoeuer I shall doo, thinke, or speake this day; besee­ching thee, through thy mercifull goodnes, to accept, gouerne, blesse, and enrich me, and all that I go about, in such sort as thy glorie may be thereby procured, my neighbours welfare occasioned, and mine owne soule better fortified and prouided. To thee my sweet and on­lie sauiour Christ, with the Father, and the holie ghost, be all glorie and praise euerlastinglie,

Amen.

O Most gratious Lord, and mercifull Fa­ther, I thy sinfull creature, and most vnworthie hand-maid, prostrate in my hart before thine high maiestie, most humblie beseech thee of mercie and forgi­uenes of all my sinnes & iniquities that I haue this day committed against thee: yea and euer [Page 211] sith the time that I was conceiued in my mothers wombe vnto this present instant: and most hartilie I thanke thee, that thou hast preserued me hitherto from all such offences, as I haue not fallen in, and where­into anie other person through his owne fault and thy sufferance hath fallen, into the which I also without doubt should haue fallen, hadst not thou with thy grace preuented me, saued me, supported me, and susteined me. That I haue fallen manie waies, my great fault and blame it is, for the which in most humble wise I aske mercy and forgiuenes of thee. That thou hast pre­serued me, thy great goodnes, mercie, and grace it is, for the which with all my hart I thanke thee. And now I beseech thee most mercifull father, that thou wilt no more be angrie with me, neither hencefoorth forsake me; but that thou wilt continuallie, not onelie assist, fortifie, and strengthen me, against the assalts of the diuel, but also be my succour, and defence in this night, and alwaies to my liues end, against all sinne & iniqui­tie. And that thou wilt vouchsafe also of thine abun­dant bountifulnes, if it be thy will, to refresh my brittle bodie so with conuenient rest this night, that I may the more readilie, freshlie, and promptlie with all dili­gence serue thee to morow, according to that state that thou hast set me, and called me vnto; so that all my life may please thee, and through thine assistance be so or­dered and gouerned, that after this vaine and transi­torie life, I may attaine the life euerlasting: through Iesus Christ our Lord, So be it.

O Lord Iesus Christ, whose bottomlesse good­nesse we haue to thanke for all things, who hast giuen the most cleere light of the daie time, as well to the good as to the euill, to go [Page 212] about such affaires and busines as we haue to doo: and hast mercifullie giuen the louelie silence of the night for the strength of our weake and feeble bodies, to be refreshed with lieng at rest, and to put awaie the carefulnes of our minds, and for the asswaging of our harts sorrowes; whereas to all them that loue thee, thou thy selfe doest much better accomplish and per­forme all those things within in the hart, to whom towards all dueties and acts of godlie conuersation, thou doest for their faith sake, much more cleerelie shew the lampe of thy light, than the sunne shineth bright vnto the world, and whom thy promises doo not suffer at anie time to waxe weerie, the comfort and consola­tion of thy spirit doth much more effectuallie wash a­waie all heauines of hart, than doth the sleepe of the bodie: so that the whole man doth not in anie more safelie, or more sweetlie repose him selfe, than in thy mercie, our most gratious Redeemer. I beseech thee, that whatsoeuer I haue this daie committed or done through humane frailtie and negligence, that hath of­fended thine eies, thou according to thine accustomed goodnes forgiue it me. And also grant thou, that this night to come, thou prospering, it may be luckie vnto me; thou being my keeper, it may be pure, and thou being my defender, it may be safe from all mightie il­lusions of the wicked spirits: so that this rest & sleepe which I shall now take, may restore both my bodie and my soule more fresh and lustie against to morrowe, to ferue thee in the perfect obedience of a Christian wo­man. And forasmuch as this life hath not so much as anie one houre of assurance vnto vs, when the euen­tide thereof shall come, and the sleepe of this bodie and flesh shall grow vpon vs (out of the which we shall not awake, vntil such time as at the angels trumpet, euen the dead also shall be raised) I beseech thee, that thou wilt at that time lighten the eies of my soule, so that [Page 213] the lampe of my faith may not then be extinguished with the fiue foolish virgins, and I sleepe in euerlasting death: but contrariwise, with the fiue wise virgins, hauing my lampe of pure faith cleerlie burning, I may be accepted and peaceablie rest in thee, vnto whom e­uen the dead doo liue, which liuest and reignest with God the father, and the holie ghost, for euer and euer, world without end, Amen. Our Father which art, &c.

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 keepe vs that we fall not, and to present vs faultles before the presence of his glorie with ioie; that is, to God, onelie wise, our Sauiour, be all glorie and maiestie, dominion and power, praise and thanksgiuing, both now and for euer;