The Monument of Matrones Volume 3 (Lamps 5–7)

Essential Works for the Study of Early Modern Women, Series III, Part One, Volume 6

Colin B. Atkinson

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2017
• Print ISBN: 9780754631118
• eBook ISBN: 9781351885553
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: Literary Criticism
• Index: Literature

As its compiler Thomas Bentley writes, The Monument of Matrones (1582) is a 'domesticall librarie plentifullie stored and replenished'. This 1500-page book is one of a long line of books of secular prayer reaching from the Middle Ages through the sixteenth-century English compilations of prayer and meditations that grew out of the English Reformation. It is unique because it is addressed specifically to women and contains prayers and meditations written by women as well as for them. The Monument helped define women's roles in the Anglican Church and is intertwined with the whole nature of the Protestant Reformation and the place of women in it. The work is divided into seven numbered parts which Bentley titles 'Lamps'. This structural theme is based on a fusion of the imagery of the wise and foolish virgins and their lamps in Matthew 25: 1-13 with the vision of the seven lampstands (or seven-branched candlestick) in Rev.1: 20-2: 1. In this facsimile edition Volume 1 contains Lamps 1-3, Volume 2 contains Lamp 4, and Volume 3 contains Lamps 5-7. The Introductory Note that appears in each of the three volumes provides an overview of the contents of The Monument which will help the reader to appreciate the riches of this immense book. It is also significant in identifying, for the first time, the compiler Thomas Bentley as the churchwarden of St Andrew Holborn, City of London. The copy reproduced in this edition is the British Library copy; where necessary, pages from The Huntington Library copy have been substituted.

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Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• Preface by the General Editors
• Introductory Notes
• The Fift Lampe of Virginitie: Conteining sundrie forms of christian praiers and meditations, to bee vsed onlie of and for all sorts and degrees of women, in their seuerall ages and callings; as namelie, of Virgins, Wiues, Women with child, Midwiues, Mothers, Daughters, Mistresses, Maids, Widowes, and old women. A Treatise verie needfull for this time, and profitable to the Church: now newlie compiled to the glorie of God, & comfort of al godlie women, by the said T. B. Gentleman.
• 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.
• The Seuenth Lampe of virginitie, conteining the acts & histories, liues, & deaths of all maner of women, good and bad, mentioned in holy Scripture, as well by name, as without name, set forth in alphabeticall order, with the signification and interpretation of most of their names: and in some part paraphrastically explaned and enlarged for the better vnderstanding of the story, and benefite of the simple reader. Whereunto are added (for the affinitie they haue with some part of the Scripture) the liues and storyes of sundrie suche other women, as are mentioned in the thirde book of Macchabees, and Josephus. A treatise very necessary, pleasant, and profitable for sundrie good vses and purposes, especially to the true imitation of vertue, and shunning of vice, by example in all womenkinde. Newly collected, and compiled to the glorie of God, and benefite of his Church, by the saide T. B. G.