The pomander of prayer, newly madeThe pomaunder of prayer, newly made

¶ Of Maids.

¶ Of Mayds.

There is nothing that becometh a maid better than silence, shame fastness & chastity of both body and mind. For these things ⟨image 19⟩being once lost, she is no more a maid but a Strumpet in the sight of God: howsoever she disguiseth her self & dissembleth with the world I therefore most humbly beseech thee (O merciful Father) from whom cometh every good and perfect gift, and without whom we are able to do nothing, that thou wilt so order my tong, and dispose my talk that I speak nothing but that become mi state, age and person, nether that I delight to hear any ⟨p. 18⟩talk, that might in any point move me to lewdness, seeing that evil words corrupt good manners. Give me also such shame fastness as may pluck me away from the delectation either of thinking speaking, hearing, seeing, or doing evil, that my whole delight may be in virtue, in godliness in eschewing idleness, in giving my self continually to some godly exercise, but above all things in thinking and speaking of thee in reading ⟨image 20⟩thy blessed word and heavenly law, which is a lam tern to my feet and a light to mi paths. Moreover suffer neither my mind to be defiled with evil thoughts nor my body to be corrupted with any kind of uncleanness, but give me grace so to order my self in eschewing idleness and wanton wicked company, that my mind being free from evil affects, and my body clear from all uncleanness, I may be found a mete temple for the holy Ghost to inhabit ⟨p. 19⟩and if it be thy good pleasure hereafter to call me unto the honourable state of Matrimony, that I may bring also unto my husband a pure and undefiled body, and so live with him in thy fear unto the praise and glory of thy blessed name.