''The Monument of Matrones'' (1582) was the first published anthology of English women's writing.King, John N. (2005)
"Thomas Bentley’s Monument of Matrons: The Earliest Anthology of English Women’s Texts."
In ''Strong Voices, Weak History: Early Women Writers and Canons in England, France, and Italy.'' University of Michigan Press, , p. 216. A compilation of

prayer File:Prayers-collage.png, 300px, alt=Collage of various religionists praying – Clickable Image, Collage of various religionists praying ''(Clickable image – use cursor to identify.)'' rect 0 0 1000 1000 Shinto festivalgoer praying in front ...

s and meditations written largely by and for women published in London, its full title was ''The Monument of Matrones: Conteining Seven Severall Lamps of Virginitie, or Distinct Treatises; Whereof the First Five Concerne Praier and Meditation: the Other Two Last, Precepts and Examples''. The ''Monuments seven "Lampes" or books make up 1500

quarto Quarto (abbreviated Qto, 4to or 4º) is the format of a book or pamphlet produced from full sheets printed with eight pages of text, four to a side, then folded twice to produce four leaves. The leaves are then trimmed along the folds to produc ...

pages. The ''Monument'' was compiled by Thomas Bentley, then a student of

Gray's Inn The Honourable Society of Gray's Inn, commonly known as Gray's Inn, is one of the four Inns of Court (professional associations for barristers and judges) in London. To be called to the bar in order to practise as a barrister in England and Wale ...

, in a bid for royal patronage, and issued by the printer

Henry Denham Henry Denham was one of the outstanding English printers of the sixteenth century. He was apprenticed to Richard Tottel and took up the freedom of the Stationers' Company on 30 August 1560. In 1564 he set up his own printing house in White Cr ...

in 1582, just as the cult of

Elizabeth I Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was List of English monarchs, Queen of England and List of Irish monarchs, Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. She was the last and longest reigning monarch of the House of Tudo ...

as the Virgin Queen was emerging. The desired patronage was not forthcoming, and Bentley became churchwarden of St Andrews Holborn with the support of John Aylmer, Bishop of London, in 1584. Described in its Introduction as "diuers verie godlie, learned and diuine treatises, of meditationes and praier, made by sundrie right famous Queenes, noble Ladies, vertuous Virgins, and godlie Gentlewomen of al ages", Bentley's compilation provides virtuous examples and precepts for women, as well as prayers and devotional works. The second "Lampe" or treatise collects important works of

Protestant Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...

female piety, including Marguerite of Navarre's ''

Miroir de l'âme pécheresse Miroir (French "mirror") may refer to: * ''Miroir'' (film), 1947 with Jean Gabin * ''Miroir'' (album) by Marie-Mai 2012 *Miroirs, a suite by French composer Maurice Ravel Geography *Le Miroir, Saône-et-Loire *Le Miroir, hamlet Sainte-Foy-Tarent ...

'', a mystical narrative of the soul as a yearning woman translated by Queen Elizabeth as the ''Mirror of the Sinful Soul'', along with prayers and devotional works by

Anne Askew Anne Askew (sometimes spelled Ayscough or Ascue), married name Anne Kyme (152116 July 1546), was an English writer, poet, and Protestant preacher who was condemned as a heretic during the reign of Henry VIII of England. She and Margaret Cheyne ...

; Frances Neville, Lady Bergavenny; Queen

Catherine Parr Catherine Parr ( – 5 September 1548) was Queen of England and Ireland as the last of the six wives of King Henry VIII from their marriage on 12 July 1543 until Henry's death on 28 January 1547. Catherine was the final queen consort o ...

;

Lady Jane Grey Lady Jane Grey (1536/1537 – 12 February 1554), also known as Lady Jane Dudley after her marriage, and nicknamed as the "Nine Days Queen", was an English noblewoman who was proclaimed Queen of England and Ireland on 10 July 1553 and reigned ...

; and Queen Elizabeth herself, to whom the work was dedicated.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Monument of Matrones Prayer books British anthologies 1582 books