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 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 hâ—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 A praier to be said of a daughter in lawe that is married 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 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 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 counsellâ—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 aâ— 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 Another praier to be vsed of a daughter in lawe 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 contemptâ—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 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 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 A praier to be said of anie woman when she is woed of anie man to be his wife 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 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
me wretched woman for thy beloued sonne Iesus Christes sake who liueth and reigneth with thee and the holie Ghost one God euer world without end Amen God the Father of all comfort and consolation blesse keepe and defend me from all the illusions and suggestions of sathan now and euermore also giue me grace to walke in thy feare Amen Reade more of this in the Quéenes meditation page 10. and 16. 17. c. in the second Lampe A praier of Marie Magdalens repentance 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 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 Another praier of the woman taken in adulterie 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 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 A praier to be said of anie damsell daughter or maiden child 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 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 Another verie necessarie praier to be said of anie daughter or maiden child 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 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
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 Or praie thus 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 child-birth 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 Adde this blessing 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 A praier of instruction to be vsed of the women in health attendant about the sicke and languishing woman in sore trauell for themselues 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 adâ—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 fellow-heires 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 Another godlie and effectuall praier to be hartilie said of the women assistant if the woman in sore trauell or child-bed lie in the pangs of death and be a passing this life 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 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 Weioâ—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 needs drinke of the cup of Rahels and Phinees wiâ—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 When she is departing and yeeldeth vp the ghost then adde and saie this that 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 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 Amen Amen Another praier while she yeeldeth vp the ghost 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 After hir departure let the women kneele downe also and giue thanks as followeth 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 A praier and thanks-giuing to be vsed of the mother or women about hir after the child is baptised 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 If the child or yong infant be verie sicke and lie sore pained with anie greefe or whensoeuer else it be visited with anie dreadfull diseaâ—e praie ouer it and saie as followeth Lord heare our praiers And let our crie come vnto thee Let vs praie 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 strong and stout but also to the weake and simple as babes infants and children we here assembled most hartilie desire and praie
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 liueth and reigneth with thee and the holie ghost in all honour and glorie worlds without end Amen A praier to be said of all deuout women for the light of ladie Vertues lampe and recouerie of hir frends and hand-maids grace repentance faith hope and saluation lost and for the ransoming of their soules from the captiuitie of sinne 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 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 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 sâ—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 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