Matriarchal Piety in the Seventeenth Century: Lady Barbara Hyde and Her Network of Clergy Kinsmen

Abstract

arly modern women could express aspects of agency in their lives through their personal writings and in their involvement in family networks. In seventeenth-century England, women ’ s sermon notes provide insight into religious ideas and con-troversies, as well as the political climate, women ’ s place in the public sphere, and how rhetoric was used. 1 Although few examples survive, sermon diaries are often mentioned in funeral sermons, and taking notes during these occasions must have been a common practice for literate women. 2 Moreover, women ’ s note taking can provide insight into women ’ s speci fi c concerns and perspectives, adding to our grow-ing understanding of their participation in the multifaceted culture of sermons. 3 This article was developed from a case study in my PhD thesis, “ Collecting, Communicating, and Commemorating: The Signi fi cance of Thomas Plume ’ s Manuscript Collection, Left to His Library in Maldon, Est. 1704 ” (PhD diss., University of Essex, 2017). I would like to thank all those who advised me and commented on the various stages of this research. 1 (Cambridge: