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.

Being new laid in your bed, saie this Psalme.

O Lord, thou hast searched me out, & knowne me, thou knowest my downe lieng, and mine vprising, thou vnderstandest all my thoughts long before.

Thou art about my path, and about my bed, and spiest out all my waies. For lo, there is not a word in my tongue; but thou, O Lord, knowest it alto∣gither.

Thou hast fashioned me behind and before, and laid thine hand vpon me. Such knowledge is too woonder∣full and excellent for me, I can not attaine vnto it.

Whither then shall I go from thy spirit? Or whi∣ther shall I go from thy presence?

If I clime vp into heauen, thou art there: if I go∣downe to hell, thou art there also: if I take the wings of the morning, and remaine in the vttermost parts of the sea; euen there also shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.

If I saie, Peraduenture the darkenes shall couer me, then shall my night be turned to daie: yea the dark∣nesse is no darkenesse with thee, but the night is as cleere as the daie: the darkenesse and light to thee are both alike.

For my reines are thine: thou hast couered me in my mothers wombe. I will giue thanks vnto thee, for I am fearefullie and woonderfullie made. Maruel∣lous are thy works, and that my soule knoweth right well.

My bones are not hid from thee, though I be made secretlie, and fashioned beneath in the earth. Thine eies did see my substance, yet being vnperfect, and in thy booke are all my members written, which daie by daie were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

How deere are thy counselles vnto me, O God? O how great is the summe of them? If I tell them, they are more in number than the sand, when I wake vp, I am present with thee.

Trie me, O God, and seeke the ground of my hart; prooue me, and examine my thoughts; looke well if there be anie waie of wickednesse in me, and leade me in the waie euerlasting.

Let me neuer imagine mischiefe vpon my bed, as doo the vngodlie that set themselues in no good waie, and can not sleepe before they haue done some harme; but make me to abhorre the thing that is euill, and to commune with mine owne hart, and in my chamber to be still, that with the Saincts I may be ioifull with glorie, and reioice on my bed with them that praise thee daie and night.

Finallie, grant that I may behold thy presence in righteousnesse, and when I awake vp after thy like∣nesse, bring to passe that I may be satisfied with it, and glorifie thee eternallie,

Amen.