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.

Another praier for the Queenes Maiestie, and for the state present, and to come in our posteritie.

O Most gratious Lord GOD, and King almightie, iust & euerlasting, vpon whose wil dependeth the rule, staie and direction of althings both in heauen and in earth; giuing men power and dominion ouer the peo∣ple and nations of the world, to whom being obedient to thy most holie will and commandements, thou giuest wise, careful, industrious, vertuous, happie, and prosperous kings, princes, rulers, and magistrates, to rule and to gouerne, to the peace, blessing, comfort and wealth of the same: but the vnrighteous people, lasciuious, con∣temptuous, idolatrous, superstitious, blasphemous, and rebellious against thy word and Maiestie, shall be deliuered ouer to the hands and tuition of foolish, idle, dissolute, negligent, and vnfortunate princes, rulers, and gouernours; by whose brutish disorder, loosenesse, and follie, the state, beautie, strength and bonds of peace, iustice, loue and gouernement shall be neglected, broken, disturbed, spoiled, and by intestine hatred and discords, or else by forren vanquishments and discom∣fitures destroied: whereby both land and people are left a praie to the inuasion, spoile, and rauine of the greedie and victorious destroier, who in his mercilesse rage executeth the plagues of thy iust wrath, O Lord; so that man, woman, child, beast, foule, nor fish, scapeth the stripes thereof. Their countries, townes, cities, and dwellings burnt, spoiled, rent, torne, and made waste: iustice, lawe, discipline, nurture, ciuill fellow∣ship,

honest arts and exercises, religion, knowledge, and feare of thee scorned, banished, and persecuted: and the land being filled with abhomination, beastlie tyrannie, slaughter, bloud, robberie, theeuerie, rapine, and murder: the people killed, strangled, starued, spoi∣led, and mocked, bound, and caried awaie to be sold (as beasts) in the market; to seruitude and slauerie, there to consume their daies in miserable thrall and sorows: the kingdome and inheritance transported to the pos∣session of the destroier, who raised vp in thy wrath, and armed with the power of thy displeasure, ministreth due punishment for the sinne and disobedience of ech reuolting nation that falleth away from thee, and will not be reconciled to grace: witnesse of all the states, empires, kingdoms, tongues, nations, peoples, and kindreds of the earth from the beginning of the world to this daie: but in these latter daies, speciallie of the Iewes, Aegyptians, Armenians, Graecians, Italians, Hunga∣rians, Polonians, and others, whose seruile thrall and ca∣lamities ought neuer to be out of our remembrance, which should mooue vs continuallie to behold the bles∣sing of thy loue, and the heauie sorrowes of thy dis∣pleasure.

Wherefore in the abundance of thy mercies and lo∣uing kindnesse, and for loue of thy deere Sonne, whom through the gift of thy grace we professe in the truth of his Gospell: we beseech thee, O mercifull Father, fa∣uourablie to looke vpon this Realme and people of England. Turne not awaie thy face, O Lord: take not thy grace and holie spirit from vs: let vs still en∣ioie the blisse and comfort of thy louing countenance: keepe vs in thy waie, and couer vs vnder the shadowe of thy wings: suffer vs not to be taken from thee: make vs to followe and to put our whole trust and confi∣dence in thee, then shall we be safe. Thy mightie hand, O God, giueth the victorie, and in the power of thy fa∣uour

shall the enimie be vanquished, and his strength brought to nothing. Safe is the citie where thou, O Lord, art the watch-man: but who so standeth out of thy tuition, he is a readie praie vnto y^e destroier: there∣fore go not farre from vs, O God. For thine elect sake were the heauens and the earth, with all their imple∣ments, formed & made of nothing: for their preserua∣tion & maintenance was rule & gouernment deuised and stablished. And for their sakes are empires, king∣doms, countries and nations preserued, saued and blessed: and for iniurie and ignominie done to them, and to thy truth and holie name are they changed, plaged, subuerted, and destroied. Great is thy mercie & compassion, O Lord, long suffering, & ready to forgiue: behold vs, O Father, and haue mercie vpon vs, re∣member not our iniquities, nor the iniquities of our forefathers; take not iust vengeance of our sinnes, nei∣ther reward thou vs after our deserts. Spare vs, good Lord; spare vs: and for thy sweet Sonnes sake Christ Iesus our Sauiour, haue mercie vpon vs. Yea; Lord, haue mercie vpon vs, and vpon our posteritie, holding continuallie thy holie hand ouer vs, and blesse vs. In∣crease our faith, & make our children, & childers childrē obedient to thy word; and through holie conuersation in thy Sonne our redeemer, make vs and them accep∣table vnto thy selfe, O GOD, that being sanctified in faith and loue toward thy heauenlie will and Maie∣stie, we and they may be deliuered from thy wrathfull displeasure for euermore.

Powre foorth abundance of thy grace and blessing vpon our Queene, that in the fulnesse of thy gratious fauour, she may haue long life in health and happie daies, aided with faithfull, vertuous, & prudent coun∣sellers and ministers, to doo all things to the nourish∣ing and maintenance of true religion and vertue. In∣crease the light of thy Gospell, & the number of faith∣full

and godlie preachers and ministers of thy word, whose industrie and labour by the peace and tranquil∣litie of thy Church may largelie augment the num∣ber of thy Saints to the glorie of thy name, and to the ioie and blessing of the land and people. For the preser∣uation and continuance whereof, in the bowels of thy fatherlie care and fauor, remember vs, O louing God. Leaue neither vs nor our posteritie headlesse, neither put vs ouer to the yoke of a strange nor irreligious Prince; but after the blisse-full daies of this thy gra∣tious handmaid our Queene, (whom, O Father, let it please thee to reserue in happie and ioifull state to the end) giue peace and concord to thy people, with a ver∣tuous, wise, godlie, and fortunate Prince, whose con∣stant zeale, care, industrie, and endeuour towards the cherishing and aduancement of thy truth and glorie, may purchase thy fatherlie loue and furtherance, to fill the land and people with all maner of blessings, as thy heauenlie wisedome knoweth necessarie, where beau∣tified with vertue and godlinesse, it shall prosper and triumph in continuall peace and victorie, giuing honor and gladsome thanks to thy glorious Maiestie, that with thy deere Sonne our Lord and Sauiour, and with the holie Ghost, reignest in vnitie of power, glorie and dominion, praised for euer and euer,

Amen.