Pamela’s Prayer (Arcadia III.6)

And so she might perceaue that Pamela did walke vp and down, full of deep (though patient) thoughts. For her look and countenance was setled, her pace soft, and almost still of one measure, without any passionate gesture, or violent motion: till at length (as it were) awaking, & strengthning her selfe, Well (said she) yet this is the best, & of this I am sure, that how soeuer they wro[n]g me, they cannot ouermaster God. No darknes blinds his eyes, no Iayle barres him out. To whome then else should I flie, but to him for succoure? And therewith kneeling down, eue[n] in the same place where she stood, she thus said. O all-seeing Light, and eternal Life of all things, to whom nothing is either so great, that it may resist; or so small, that it is contemned: looke vpon my miserie with thine eye of mercie, and let thine infinite power vouchsafe to limite out some proportion of deliuerance vnto me, as to thee shall seem most conuenient. Let not iniurie, ô Lord, triumphe ouer me, and let my faultes by thy handes be corrected, and make not mine vniuste enemie the minister of thy Iustice. But yet, my God, if in thy wisdome, this be the aptest chastizement for my inexcusable follie; if this low bondage be fittest for my ouer-hie desires; if the pride of my not-inough humble harte, be thus to be broken, O Lord, I yeeld vnto thy will, and ioyfully embrace what sorrow thou wilt haue me suffer. Onely thus much let me craue of thee, (let my crauing, ô Lord, be accepted of thee, since euen that proceedes from thee) let me craue, euen by the noblest title, which in my greatest affliction I may giue my selfe, that I am thy creature, & by thy goodnes (which is thy self) that thou wilt suffer some beame of thy Maiestie so to shine into my mind, that it may still depende confidently vpon thee. Let calamitie be the exercise, but not the ouerthrowe of my vertue: let their power preuaile, but preuaile not to destruction: let my greatnes be their praie: let my paine be the sweetnes of their reuenge: let them (if so it seem good vnto thee) vexe me with more and more punishment. But, ô Lord, let neuer their wickednes haue such a hand, but that I may carie a pure minde in a pure bodie. (And pausing a while) And ô most gracious Lord (said she) what euer become of me, preserue the vertuous Musidorus.