The monument of matrones conteining seuen seuerall lamps of virginitie, or distinct treatises; whereof the first fiue concerne praier and meditation: the other two last, precepts and examples, as the woorthie works partlie of men, partlie of women; compiled for the necessarie vse of both sexes out of the sacred Scriptures, and other approoued authors, by Thomas Bentley of Graies Inne student.

A godlie and fruitfull praier to be said in time of bloudie battell.

O Lord our heauenlie Father, and euerliuing God, we thy wretched and most miserable creatures confesse and acknowledge, wee haue woorthilie deserued the rod of thy cor∣rection and punishment: and doo merit manie sharpe and bitter stripes, that knowing thy blessed and glori∣ous will, haue of set purpose contemned thy diuine and heauenlie precepts; for which cause the sentence of thy wrath is sharpelie kindled against vs, euen as it hath beene against thy chosen people Israel, in the daies of our forefathers, who glorieng in their wic∣kednesse, were plagued in the fulnesse of thine indig∣nation. The sword of their enimies beset them round about, and hemmed them in on euerie side. The Iebu∣sites,

the Ammonites, the Philistines and the Amo∣rites oppressed them diuerselie: their strong holds were rased, their cities were besieged, their houses were ransacked, their goods and their riches were ca∣ried awaie by force of the bloud-thirstie enimie: their yoong men were led awaie captiue, their virgins were wofullie defloured. But in fine, when thou Lord God didst behold their hartie and earnest contrition, thou didst withdrawe thy frowning countenance, & sentest them speedie and safe deliuerance.

One while thou Lord sentest them Moses, to bring them out of the seruitude of Pharao, the stonie and stubborne-harted king of the Aegyptians: another while Iephthah set them free from the sword of the Ammonites, wherewith they were greeuouslie afflic∣ted: and to make thy power and excellent glorie fullie knowne, thou gauest Samson much fortitude to bri∣dle the proud Philistines. Ouer & besides these, thou of thy loue and miraculous goodnes hast made feeble wo∣men mightie and victorious conquerors. Debora was a shield to thy people: Iudith comforted the distressed Bethulians, & cut off the head of proud Holophernes: that thy selfe good Lord, when thou beholdedst their teares, and hartie sorowe for their offences, didst pre∣pare thy selfe to go foorth with their hoasts. Thou thy selfe, I saie, with the breath of thy nostrils, didst con∣found and ouerthrowe their enimies.

So good Lord, be thou now present with vs in the fulnesse of thy diuine power: looke vpon vs with the eies of thy fauourable pitie. Forget our corrupt and most filthie offences: let our contrite and sorowfull harts be a meane to vanquish thy displeasure concei∣ued against vs: be thou present with vs in this time of necessitie and trouble: set thy hand to helpe and as∣sist vs against the enimie: be thou present with vs in this time of perill and danger: go thou foorth with our

hosts: then shall we be assured to preuaile: let not the multitude of furious foes dismaie vs. For victorie we doo knowe consisteth not in the power nor strength of manie men, horses, armour nor weapons; but it is thou, O mercifull Father, that giuest the conquest, where and to whom thou pleasest. To thee therefore in this great extremitie we flie and appeale; beseech∣ing thee of thine inestimable loue and kindnesse, for the loue of our Sauiour Iesus Christ, to looke vpon our true repentant harts, and in the fulnesse of thy mise∣rations and pities, to set vs free from the power of the raging enimie, and to pardon our sinnes and greeuous offences, that hencefoorth we may vow and dedicate our harts and minds wholie to walke in integritie and newnesse of life: which grant good Lord, to whom with thy sonne Christ Iesus, and the holie Ghost, be praise and glorie attributed for euer and euer, world without end,

Amen.