The Correspondence (c.1626-1659) of Dorothy Percy Sidney, Countess of Leicester

Book excerpt: Fully transcribed and edited here for the first time, Dorothy Percy Sidney's letters eloquently convey how intensely demanding were the multifaceted roles expected of an aristocratic early modern Englishwoman. This volume contains a biographical and historical introduction, the complete text of her letters to her husband, her correspondence with the Sidney family solicitor, and other family and business letters. Also included are her husband's account of her last moments in 1659, and testamentary directions relating to her will.