A preparative to marriage The sum whereof was spoken at a contract, and enlarged…A preparatiue to mariage The summe whereof was spoken at a contract, and inlarged…

Now I speak to one which is ¹a mother so soon as she is married: therefore peradventure you look that I should show the duty of ⟨p. 106⟩stepmothers. Their name doth show them their duty too; for a stepmother doth signify a stedmother, that is, one mother dyeth, & another cometh in her stead; therefore that your love may settle to those little ones as it ought, you must remember that you are their stedmother, that is, in stead of their mother, & therefore to love them, and tender them, and cherish them as their mother did. Further, these children are Orphans, and therefore you must not only regard them as children, but as Orphan children. Now, God requireth a greater care over Widows and ²Orphans, than over any other women or children. Lastly, you must remember that saying, As you measure unto other, so it shall be ³measured to you again. That is, as you entreat these children, so an ⟨p. 107⟩other may come after and entreat your children; for he which hath taken away the first mother, and sent you, can take away the second mother and send a third, which shall not be like a stedmother to yours, unless you be like a stedmother to these.

Now I speake to one which is ¹a mother so soone as she is maried: therefore peraduenture you looke that I should shewe the duetie of ⟨p. 106⟩stepmothers. Their name dooth shewe them their duetie too; for a stepmother dooth signifie a stedmother, that is, one mother dyeth, & another commeth in her stead; therfore that your loue may settle to those little ones as it ought, you must remember that you are their stedmother, that is, in sted of their mother, & therfore to loue them, and tender them, and cherish them as their mother did. Further, these children are Orphanes, and therefore you must not onely regarde them as children, but as Orphane children. Now, God requireth a greater care ouer Widdowes and