If a man take a wife and when he hath lien with hir hate hir and laie slanderous things vnto hir charge and bring vp an euill name vpon hir and saie I tooke this wife and when I came to hir I found hir not a maid then shall the father of the maid and hir mother take and bring foorth the signes and tokens of the maids virginitie vnto the elders of the citie in the gate And the damsels father shall saie vnto the elders I gaue my daughter vnto this man to wife and he hateth hir and lo he laieth slanderous things vnto hir charge saieng I found not thy daughter a maid and yet lo these are the tokens of my daughters virginitie and they shall spread the vesture or shéet before the elders Then the elders of the citie shall take that man and chastise him and condemne him in an hundred sicles of siluer and giue them vnto the father of the maid bicause he hath brought vp an euill name vpon a maid in Israel and bicause the shame of the fact should haue lighted vpon the father therefore the recompense shall be made vnto him that is faultlesse and she shall be his wife still that complained and he may not put hir awaie all hir life time But if this thing be true that the maid be not found a virgin then they shall bring foorth the maid to the doore of hir fathers house and the men of the citie shall stone hir with stones to death bicause she hath wrought follie in Israel by plaieng the whoore in hir fathers house and loosing hir virginitie so thou shalt put euill awaie from among you Deut. 22 verse 15 c. If a maid damsell or virgin betrothed vnto an husband be found lieng with an other man in the towne they both shall be stoned to death the maid bicause she cried not being in the citie where she might haue had rescue But if a man find a betrothed maid in the field and force hir and lie with hir then the man onelie shall die and not the maid bicause there is in the maid no cause of death For as when a man riseth against his neighbour and woundeth him to death so is this matter For he found hir in the fields where though she cried yet was there no man to resist helpe or succour hir against the violence and force Therefore the innocent can not be punished Deut. 22 23 c. The woman shall not weare that which perteineth vnto the man neither shall a man put on womans raiment For that were to alter the order of nature and to despite God therefore All that doo so are abhomination vnto the Lord thy God Deut. 22 5. A maid that in hir virginitie is defiled or gotten with child in hir fathers house or otherwise is vnshamefast bold licentions and vseth much libertie shall bring both hir selfe and hir friends to publike infamie and open reproch of all Eccles. 42 10,11 A faire maid without discretion or good maners is like a ring of gold in a swines snout Prou. 16 22. Maidens damsels or women that are singers and dansers are not to be harkened vnto or kept companie withall Eccles. 9 4. Saie not thou O yoong woman after the maner of the wicked which desperatelie boast and saie Come let vs enioie the pleasures that are present and let vs chéerfullie vse the creatures as in youth Let vs fill our selues with costlie wine and ointments and let not the flower of youth passe by vs. Let vs crowne our selues with rose buds afore they be withered Let vs all be partakers of our wantonnesse Let vs leaue some tokens of our pleasures in euerie place For it is our portion and this is our lot O be not thou my daughter of this number I saie For they that imagine such things go astraie and their owne wickednesse hath blinded them â—o their sudden destruction which they shall vndoubtedlie féele and prooue but too late to repent of Wisd. 2 6. Ye maids damsels and virgins vse not the companie of them that are singers dansers and riotous men neither harken vnto them least you be snared and taken by their craftie allurements Eccl. 9,4 c. Gaze not on the beautie of anie man least thou fall by that which is pretious in him Cast not thy mind vpon ruffians in anie maner of thing least thou destroie both thy selfe and thine heritage Go not about gazing in the stréets of the citie neither wander thou in the secret corners or places thereof Turne awaie thine eies from a beautifull man and looke not vpon their comlie personages and feature of bodie For manie haue perished by such gazing and through it loue is kindled as a fire Euerie woman that is an harlot shall be troden vnder foot as doong of euerie one that goeth by the waie Sit not at all with another womans husband neither lie with him vpon the bed nor banket with him least thine hart incline vnto him and so through his inordinate desire of lust thou fall into destruction with him Delight not thou in the things that the vngodlie haue pleasure in but remember that they shall not be found iust vnto their graue Remember I saie that thou goest in the midst of snares that thou walkest vpon the towers of the citie in the view of euerie one Eccles. 9 verse 14. He that toucheth pitch shall be defiled with it and she that is familiar with the proud and vngodlie shall be like vnto them Eccl. 13,1 A shamelesse maid is compared to a dog but she that is shamefast reuerenceth the Lord. Eccles. 26 26. Let the yoonger women therefore be sober minded discréet chaste kéeping at home good and subiect vnto their superiors that the word of God be not euill spoken of Titus 2 4. Flie also from the lusts of youth and followe after righteousnesse faith loue and peace with them that call on the Lord with a pure hart For if anie woman separate hir selfe from the wicked and purge hir naturall corruption by Gods spirit she shall be a vessell vnto honour sanctified and méete for the Lord and prepared to euerie good worke 2. Tim. 2 22. A well nourtured and manerlie maid is as a polished stone of a palace yea she is the beautie of the citie and the honour of hir fathers house as appeareth by Dauids opinion in his Psalme 144 12. Bicause youth is most giuen to licentiousnesse and vaine pleasure and wanton delights of the world therefore the holie Prophet King Dauid chieflie warneth them to frame their liues béetimes to Gods word saieng Wherewithall shall a yoong maiden redresse hir waies Euen by taking héed and ruling hir selfe according to Gods word Psal. 119 9. Loue wisedome and séeke hir from thy youth For by hir shalt thou get glorie among the multitude and honor among the nations though thou be yet but yoong Yea by hir thou shalt obtaine immortalitie and leaue an euerlasting memoriall among them that come after thée
THE SIXT LAMPE OF VIRGINITIE Conteining a Mirrour for Maidens and Matrons OR The seuerall Duties and office of all sorts of women in their vocation out of Gods word with their due praise and dispraise by the same togither with the names liues and stories of all women mentioned in holie Scriptures either good or bad verie necessarie pleasant and profitable for all women to read and vse both for instruction and imitation Newlie collected and compiled to the glorie of God by T. B. Gentleman Ecclesiasticus 26 19. Perpetuall are the foundations that are laid vpon a strong rocke so are the commandements and precepts of God in the hart of an holie woman 1582 THE SIXT LAMPE OF VIRGINITIE ¶ Of Virginitie and the state of single life together with the dutie of Virgins of Maids or single Women NOw concerning virgins or the state of Uirginitie I saith S. Paule haue no commandement of the Lord yet giue I mine aduise counsell as one that hath obteined mercie of the Lord to be faithfull or beléeued I suppose therfore that the single life is good for the present necessitie in these afflictions and persecutions of the Church I meane that it is good for a man so to be single or a woman to be a virgin Art thou bound vnto a wife Séeke not to be loosed Art thou loosed from a wife Séeke not a wife but if thou marie and takest a wife thou sinnest not And if a virgin marie she sinneth not neuerthelesse such shall haue trouble in the flesh as worldlie cares of their children and familie but I spare you in wishing that you men could liue without wiues and you virgins without husbands And this I saie bicause the time is short the fashion of this world goeth awaie and I would haue you without care For the vnmaried careth for the things of the Lord how he may please the Lord but he that is maried careth for the things of the world onelie apperteining to this present life how he may please his wife There is difference also betwéene a virgin and a wife the virgin or vnmaried woman careth for the things of the Lord that she may be holie both in bodie and in spirit and attaine vnto it sooner than the maried wife bicause she is without cares but she that is maried careth for the things of the world how she may please hir husband And this I speake for your owne commoditie or profit not to intangle you in a snare not to bind your conscience to single life For that were presumption but for comlinesse sake that ye might folowe that which is honest and that ye may cleaue fast vnto the Lord without separation But if anie man thinke that it is vncomlie for his virgin if she passe the flower of hir age or time of mariage then and néed so require that she should marie to auoid fornication let him doo what he will he sinneth not let them be maried Neuerthelesse he that standeth firme in his hart and is fullie persuaded that he hath no néed but hath power ouer his owne will and hath so decréed in his hart that he will kéepe his virgin he doth well For the fathers will dependeth on his childrens will in this point of mariage insomuch as he is bound to haue respect to their infirmitie neither can he iustlie require of them singlenesse of life if they haue not the gift of God so to liue So then he that giueth his virgin to mariage doth well but he that giueth hir not to mariage doth better and more commodious for his children in preseruing them from cares The wife is bound by the lawe of matrimonie as long as hir husband liueth but if hir husband be dead she is at libertie to marie with whom she will onelie in the Lord but she is more blessed if she so abide in my iudgement and I thinke that I haue also the spirit of God 1. Cor. 7 25,26 c. Where note that S. Paule doth not here prefer single life as a thing more holie than mariage but in respect and by reason of the incommodities which mariage hath more than the other neither doth hée bind mens or womens consciences to single life or widowhood as to that which God hath left frée and therfore it were presumption in anie other to doo it But shewing what is most agréeable to Gods will according to the circumstance of the time place and persons as appeareth in that the Church was now when he wrote this in great persecution he would insinuate hereby that to heape one trouble or care vpon another by mariage was not so profitable for men and women to go on towards godlinesse as behooued during such afflictions If a virgin or maid vow a vow vnto the Lord of virginitie and bind hir selfe by a bond to liue chast being in hir fathers house in the time of hir youth hir father hearing of this hir vow and bond wherewith she hath bound hir selfe hold his peace and doo not gaine-saie but by silence approoue it then all hir vowes of virginitie shall stand and euerie bond wherewith she hath bound hir selfe shall remaine of force against hir but if hir father disalow of this hir vow and bond the same daie that he heareth thereof and doo not approoue or consent to the vow or bond wherewith she hath bound hir selfe then shall not that vow or bond be of value And the Lord will forgiue hir bicause hir father who hath authoritie ouer hir disalowed hir Numb 30,4,5 c. Now therefore slaie all the males among the children and kill all the women that haue knowne man by carnall copulation but all the virgins and women children that haue not knowne carnall copulation kéepe aliue for your selues to marie Note héere the prerogatiue of virginitie in the old lawe of armes Numb 31 16,17 Also when thou shalt go to war against thine enimie and the Lord thy God shall deliuer them into thine hands and thou shalt take them captiues and shalt sée among the captiues a beautifull woman and hast a desire vnto hir wouldest take hir to thy wife then thou shalt bring hir home to thine house and to signifie that hir former life must be changed before she be ioined to the people of God she shall shaue hir head and pare hir nailes and put off the garment that she was taken in and so shall she remaine in thy house and as she that hath renounced parents and countrie she shall bewaile hir father and hir mother a moneth long and after that shalt thou go in vnto hir marie hir and she shall be thy wife And if thou haue no fauour vnto hir then thou maist let hir go whither she will but thou shalt not sell hir for monie nor make merchandize of hir bicause thou hast humbled hir Note that this onlie was permitted in the warres otherwise the Israelites and people of God could not marie strangers Deut. 21 10,11 c.
before she was betrothed and therefore partlie bicause he would not reteine hir which by the lawe if it had béene true should haue béene maried to another and partlie for that by accusing hir he was loth to put hir to open shame for hir fact or to make hir a publike example to the world therefore he was minded to haue put the blessed virgin awaie secretlie vntill it pleased God to reueale the truth vnto him and to command him to take hir home vnto himselfe who did so and was verie louing tender and carefull ouer hir continuallie both for hir preseruation and hir blessed babes to the glorie of God and both his and our euerlasting ioie as you may read at large in the storie of the virgin Marie Matth. 1 c. Art thou bound to a wife Séeke not to be loosed 1. Cor. 7. Yea God to the end we should doo our best to conuert our wiues and cleaue inseparablie vnto them though they fall into follie and vncleannesse vpon hope of amendment sheweth by his prophet Hosea that he loueth his Church though it erre or fall into idolatrie which is spirituall whooredome and doth not withdrawe his loue from vs for all our sinnes if we abuse not his lenitie and patience too much but repent in time and beléeue his Gospell Hos. 3,1 Ezech. 24,16 See more in diuorcement Of Gods heauie iudgements against wedlocke breakers THou shalt not commit adulterie thou shalt not couet thy neighbours wife but be pure in hart word and déed Exo. 20 14 17. Thou husband drinke the water of thine owne well and the riuers that run of thine owne spring that is content thy selfe with thine owne wife so shall thy fountaine that is thy children which shall come of thée in great abundance be blessed For God blesseth mariage and curseth whooredome Reioice I saie and be glad with the wife of thy youth which thou didst marie of a virgin or when you were yoong let hir be as the louing Hind and pleasant Roe let hir brests alwaie satisfie thée and hold thée euer content with hir and delight thou in hir continuallie For why shouldest thou delight my sonne in a strange woman or imbrace the bosome of an harlot And knowe this that euerie mans waies are open in the sight of the Lord and he pondereth all their paths yea the wicked shall be taken in their owne iniquitie to their vtter confusion Thus we sée that except a man ioine to his wife both in hart and in outward conuersation that he shal not escape the iudgments of God Prou. 5 15. He that breaketh wedlocke and committeth adulterie shall find a wound and dishonour and his reproch shall neuer be put awaie For gelousie is the rage of a man therefore he will not spare in the daie of vengeance He can not beare the sight of anie ransome neither will he consent though thou augment the gift Whereby the holie Ghost sheweth that man by nature séeketh his owne death that hath abused his wife and God will vndoubtedlie punish him therefore Pro. 6,32 Take héed O thou husband that the Lord be not witnesse betwéene thée and the wife of thy youth against whom thou hast transgressed For she is thy companion or as the one halfe of thy selfe and the wife of thy couenant which was ioined to thée by a solemne promise and by the inuocation of Gods name before the congregation Therfore kéepe your selues in your spirit conteine your selues within your bounds and be sober in mind and bridle your affections and let none trespasse against the wife of his youth And if for hir faults thou hate hir yet hée that is godlie couereth the iniurie vnder his garment and thinketh it expedient for his owne honestie to kéepe his wife still and so as it were couereth hir fault saith the Lord by his Prophet Malac. 2 14 c. There is two sorts of men that abound in sinne and the third bringeth wrath and destruction A mind hot as fire that can not be quenched till it be consumed an adulterous man that giueth his bodie no rest till he haue haue kindeled a fire to lust and a man that breaketh wedlocke and thinketh thus in his hart Tush who séeth me I am compassed about with darknesse the wals couer me no bodie séeth me whom néed I to feare The most high will not remember my sinnes Such a man onelie feareth the eies of men and knoweth not that the eies of the Lord are ten thousand times brighter than the Sunne beholding all the waies of men and the ground of the déepe and looking euen to mens harts in the most secret places The same man shall be openlie punished in the stréets of the citie and shall be chased abroad like a yoong horse fole and when he thinketh least of it he shall be taken and openlie punished Thus shall the adulterous man that breaketh wedlocke be put to shame of euerie man bicause he would not vnderstand the feare of the Lord. And thus shall it go also with euerie wife that leaueth hir husband and getteth inheritance by a strange mariage Eccles. 23. Flie fornication and adulterie For doo ye not knowe that he which coupleth himselfe with an harlot is one bodie For two shall be one flesh 1. Cor. 6,16 Mariage is honourable among all men and the bed vndefiled but whooremoongers and adulterers God will iudge Heb. 13 4. If mine hart said holie Iob hath béene deceiued by a woman or if I haue laid wait at the doore of my neighbour then let my wife grind vnto another man and be made a slaue and let other men bow downe vpon hir For this is wickednesse and iniquitie to be condemned yea this is a fire that shall deuoure to destruction and which shall roote out all mine increase Iob. 31 9. Finallie we haue manie notable examples how greatlie the breach of mariage displeaseth God and how in all ages men were persuaded that Gods vengeance should light vpon wedlock-breakers as it may appeare euen in the heathen kings Herod and Abimelech who tooke Sara and Rebecca the wiues of Abraham Isaac to be their wiues and had almost lien with them for which GOD plagued them with great plagues as appeareth Gen. 12 20,26 c. The dutie of wiues towards their husbands THe woman was created of man to the end she should be an helpe and comfort méet for him but bicause she first transgressed Gods commandement and intised hir husband to doo the same therefore vnto hir God inioined this punishment of sorowe and subiection saieng vnto Eue and in hir to all wiues I will greatlie increase thy sorowes and thy conceptions In sorowe shalt thou bring foorth children and thy desire shall be subiect to thy husband and he shall rule ouer thée Gen. 2,20,3,6,16 This difference was betwixt the wife and the concubine in the old time The wife was taken with certaine solemnities of mariage and hir children did inherit as lawfullie begotten but the concubine
Gen. 38.26 If a woman vowe a vowe vnto the Lorde in hir fathers house in the time of hir youth and hir father heare hir vowe and hold his peace concerning hir then all hir vowes shall stande and hir bonde be good because hir father hath approued hir vowe and bonde by holdyng his peace but if her father by not approuing or consentyng to her vowe disalowe hir the same daye that hée heareth of hir vowe or bonde then they shall not bée of value and the Lords will forgiue hir because her father disaloweth hir vowe so made to huâ—â—ble hir soule and to mortifie it by abstinence or other bodyly exercise Whereby we sée howe the father hath authoritie to breake the vowes of his children made euen to God so long as they are single vnder his tuition but being married he hath no such authoritie For then the husband is to approoue or disproue the same as appeareth Leuit. 30.4 Giue not thy sonne thy wife thy brother nor friend power ouer thée while thou liuest and giue not away thy substaunce and goods to any other in thy life time least it repent it and thou be fayne to aske the same of them againe as long as thou liuest I say and haste breath giue not thy selfe ouer to any person For better it is that thy chyldren shoulde praye vnto thée then that thou shouldâ—st bée faine to looke vp to the handes of thy children At the time when thou shalt end thy dayes and finishe thy lyfe distribute thine heritance Eccle. 33.18 c. reade Gene. 25.5 Tob. 8. 21. If a man die and haue no sonnes then hée shall leaue his inheritaunce vnto his daughters and for default of daughters to his brethreÌ„ for lack of brethren to his fathers brethren c. Leuit. 27.8 read more Deut. 21.15 Galat. 4.36 The fathers vse to lay vp and prouide for the childreÌ„ and not the children for the fathers 2. Cor. 12.14 That parents may modestly mourne for the losse death or calamitie of their children so farre forth as they preferre not naturall affection to gods will it may appeare by many examples in holy scripture namely in Iacob Gen. 37.3.43,36 Aaron Leuit. 10.19 in Dauid 2. Sam. 19. in the Shunamyt 2. King 4.18 In Iob. 15,20 before Iere. 31.16 in Rachel The father being a Priest might not mourne for his daughter if she were married For being married she seemed to be cut off froÌ„ his familie but béeing a virgin and so dying hée might by Gods lawe mourne and lament for her death as appeareth Leuit. 21.3 Finally it is the duetie of all godly parentes as in their life to instructe and teache them Gods lawe so likewise when they lye in their death beddes to call their chyldren before them and to blesse them and to giue them ghostly admonitions and godly lessons to the glory of God and the amendement of their liues after the example of Iacob GeÌ„ 48. 49. of Dauid 1. King 2.2 of Iob. 15. of Tob. 4.2.5.16 of Mathathias 1. Mac. 2.49 of Antiochus 1. Mac. 6.14 The mother of the seuen brethrâ—n c. 2. Mac 7.20 and many moe The Daughters and childes duetie to her Parentes HOnour thy father and thy mother that thy dayes may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee Deut. 5.16 Exod. 20.12 Shee that smiteth her father or mother shall die the death and be slaine for it Exod. 21.15 Shée that curseth her father or mother shall bee put to death for it Exod. 21,17 Leuit. 20.9 If a priestes daughter fall to playe the whore shée polluteth her father thereâ—ore shall shee be burnt with fire Leuit. 21.9 The daughter that woorketh follie in Israel by playing the harlot or whore in her fathers house and is not founde a virgin shall bee brought forth to the doore of her fathers house and the men of the Citie shall stone her with stones to death Reade tit virg Deut. 22.21 Shée that mocketh her father or mother bringeth the cursse of God vpon her selfe as did Cam. Gen. 27.12 Thou shalt not vncouer the shame of thy father by lying with him the childe that so doth shall die the death her blood shall bée vpon her Leuit. 18.7 20,11 Lottes two daughters did so of whom came the wicked cursed generation of the Moabites Benammyts Gen. 19. Cursed is shée that lyeth with her father in lawe and committeth such villanie Deut. 27.23 so did Tamar Gen. 38.9 Cursed is shée that curseth or contemneth her father or her mother Deut. 27.16 Ye shall feare euery child your father and your mother Leuit. 19.3 If a man haue a daughter that is stubborne and disobedient which will not hearken vnto the voyce of her father and mother and they haue instructed her and chastened her and shée will not obey them nor be ruled by them then shall her father and mother take this their stubborne daughter and bring her out to the elders of the citie and vnto the gates of the place where shée dwelleth and shall say vnto the elders of her citie This our daughter is stubborne insolent and disobedient and shee will not obey our admonitions shée is a riotour and a drunkard a gadder abroade and of a shamelesse behauiour Then all the men of the citie shall stone her with stones vnto death in token that to disobey the parents is most horrible so thou shalt take away euill from among you that all Israel may heare and feare my iudgements or lawes Deut. 21.18.19 c. Woe bee to that childe that disobeyeth and rebelleth against father or mother refusing to bée corrected for amendement Esay 45.10 Woe bée to that daughter that riseth vp or rebelleth against her owne father Gen 30.14 And woe also bée to that daughter in lawe that striueth with her mother in law Mich. 7.6 Such were Iudith Bashmath the two daughters in lawe of Isaack and Rebecca Gen. 26.35 The child that robbeth father or mother saith it is no sinne thâ— same child is y e companion of a murderer or destroyer Prou. 28.24 So did Rachael steale away her fathers Idols Gen. 31.19 The child that robbeth the father or shutteth out the mother is a lewde and an vnworthy shamefull child Prou. 19.26 Pouerty shame is to that child that refuseth instructioÌ„ will not abide correction but that childe that regardeth discipline and geueth eare to the information of the parents shal come to honour Pro. 13. â— 18 Who so laugheth their father to scorne and set their mothers commandement at nought the rauens of the valley plucke out their eyes and deuoured bée that childe of the young Eagles Prouerbs 30.17 Shée that curseth her father or mother her light shal be put out in the depth of obscure darknesse Prou. 11.20 Shée that is a companion of riotous men and vseth banqueting with gluttons shameth her father Prou. 7.28 so did Dinah Gen. 34. 4. and Lots two daughters Gen. 19 32. Solomen Mark
Idols were the cause that Rahel and some of Iacobs family worshipped strange Gods as appeareth Gen. 35. where Iacob was commaunded by GOD to clense his houshold and to cause them to put away the strange Gods from among them and to worship God aright in Bethel So when Iacob Rahel were gone LabaÌ„ hasted after as fast as he could ouertaking Iacob Rahel at Mount Gilead there he chid Iacob for stealing away his heart carrying away his daughters without leaue taking of him made no litle ado with Iacob for his Gods saying Wherfore hast thou yet stollen away my Gods for he wist not y t Rahel his daughter had stollen them and therefore hee layde them to Iacobs charge But Iacob altogether ignoraunt of such matter guiltles bad Laban make search for his Gods saying search thou all y t I haue with whoÌ„ thou findest thy Gods let him not liue Wherevppon LabaÌ„ began and searched Iacobs tent Leas tent the two maydens tentes but found not his Gods and when he came to search Rahel his daughters tent she hauing hid his Idols in the Cammels lytter sate downe vpon theÌ„ as her father was ruffling about the place where she sate she said vnto him O my Lord be not angrie y t I caÌ„not rise vp before thee for the custome of women is vpon me so the thing for all his searching was not known TheÌ„ after a litle chiding had betwixt Iacob LabaÌ„ there was a couenaÌ„t of peace made betwixt them vppon condicion y t Iacob should vse Rahel Lea his wiues wel to take no mo wiues vnto theÌ„ to vexe them whervnto Iacob easily grauÌ„ted so LabaÌ„ hauing blessed Rahel Lea his daughters he took his leaueâ— departed back again Iacob went on his iourney to meet Esau his brother placing his wife Rahel her soÌ„ne Ioseph last y t they might be furthest froÌ„ daÌ„ger wheÌ„ she met her brother in lawe Esau Rahel drew neere did reuerence vnto him and so tooke her leaue departed safe with Iacob vnto Sichem And when she was going vp with her husbaÌ„d to Bethel to dwel she put away the strange Gods that she had stollen from Laban her father and earinges that houng in her eares and gaue them to Iacob when he reformed his housholde who tooke her Idols and superstitious trashe and hidde them vnder an Oke by Sichem And when she departed from Bethel and came within halfe a dayes iourney to Ephrath Rahel there by the way trauelled with her second child and in traueling beeing in greate paynes and sore labour the mydwife to comfort her sayde vnto her feare not Rahel for thou shalt haue this sonne also but she through sore and perillous labour being about to yeelde vp the ghost euen in the byrth called her childes name Benony y t is the sonne of my sorrow but his father Iacob called his name Beniamin and so she died in childbed in y e yeere of the world 2275. after that she had bin married 23. yeeres to Iacob shortly after y e death of her nurse Rebecca was buried in y e way to Ephrata which is BethleheÌ„ in y e border of BeÌ„iamin where Iacob caused a piller of stone to bee set vpoÌ„ her graue as a ceremony to testifie the resurrectioÌ„ to come not generally reueyled which piller was euer after called Rahels piller or graue or sepulchre stone Gen. 29.30.31.33.35.48.7 1. Sam. 10.2 After whose death y e prophet Ieremy loÌ„g after did coÌ„pare y e destruction captiuity of the Iewes to y e destructioÌ„ of the Beniamites or Israelits saying This saith y e Lord a voyce was heard on hye mourning bitter weeping Rahel weeping for her childreÌ„ refused to be coÌ„forted because they were not aliue but dead y t is the Beniamites Israelites were so destroyed y t if Rahel the mother of Beniamin coulde haue risen againe to seeke for her children she should haue found none remayning Ier. 31 15. Which prophecie of Rahel her children was afterward fulfilled at the byrth of our sauiour Christ Iesus when y e cruel blooddy tyrant king Herod renewed the sores of the Beniamites suffered long before by causing all the young children vnder 2. yeeres old y t were in Bethlehem to be slaine of purpose to kil Christ among them but al in vain for mauger his head Christ did doeth raygne a king blessed foreuer Math. 2.18 Rebecca or Rebekah sig great patience much sufferance she that hath beene well rewarded Gods glorie bearing afausone grosse or welfauoured wenche c. Shee was the daughter of Bethuell the sonne of Milcha the wife of Nahor Abrahams brother borne in the yere of the world 2118. and sister to Laban who being a very fayre maide and bewtifull virgin vnknowne of man as she went on a tyme with a pitcher vpon her head to the common wel without the Citie to drawe water it chaunced Abrahams seruant or stewarde whom he had sent to get a wife for Isaak his Sonne to stand by the same well with ten Camelles lying thereaboutes who when the mayde had filled her potte and set it vpon her head ready to goe away desired her that he might drinke a little of her water And she very courtuously set downe her potte and not only gaue him drinke but also shee powred out the reste into the water trough and ranne againe to the well and drewe water for his Camelles also vntill they had all dronken their fill Then Abrahams man perceyuing thereby that God had hearde his prayer and graunted his request to make his iourney prosperous in that hee sawe this was the woman whome God had prouided for his maisters Sonne tooke out two golden eareringes of two sicles weight which were worth 32 s and two bracelets of golde weighing ten sickels which were worth 23. poundes and gaue them to the mayde demaunding whose Daughter shee was I am quoth Rebecca the Daughter of Bethuel the Sonne of Milcha which shee bare vnto Nahor Then tell mee I praye thee sayde the man is there â—oome in thy fathers house to lodge in yea quoth shee there is both roome and lodging and also both lytter and prouender enough for your beastes Blessed bee God quoth hee that hath dealte so mercyfullye with my mayster and hath brought mee the right waye to my maysters Brothers house Then Rebecca hearing him speake of her fathers Brother ranne home and told al things what the man had sayd in the presence and hearing of Laban her brother who beholding the earinges and bracelettes vppon his sisters handes and marking what shee said ranne presentlye forth to meete the manne and with gentle entertainment brought him home into the house and sawe his Camelles drest and prouided for of prouender and when he had so done hee set meate also before the man to eate but the man would not eate before he had done his maisters message and declared the cause wherefore