Diary of a Puritan Noblewoman

Lady Margaret Hoby (née Dakins) (1571-1633) was married three times - first, in 1589 to Walter Deverux, who died in the seige of Rouen in 1591; secondly, in 1591 to Thomas Sidney (who died in 1595), brother of the poet Sir Philip Sidney; and third, in August 1595 to Sir Thomas Posthumous Hoby. On the third anniversary of her marriage to her third husband (in 1599) she commenced writing a spiritual diary, the first known diary written by an Englishwoman, and continued writing in it until at least 1605. She cared for the sick in her area as a nurse; her diary entries mention her labors in this regard, and in the management of her estate, as well as her private and public spiritual exercises. She was childless, except for a young female relative, who came to live with her, and her husband was absent often due to official duties and travel, but she oversaw the spiritual welfare of her servants as well. She mentions in her diary that she often (almost exclusively) sang psalms: for example, she "talked and song psalmes with divers that was with me"; and she "sang a psalme with some of the servants"; and in her husband's absence, she "practiced [her] voyce in the singing of psalms," likely from the Sterhold & Hopkins edition. She often read Scripture, wrote notes on her Bible reading, repeated sermons and lectures heard by the chaplain of the manor and at church twice on the Lord's Day, catechized her servants, and engaged in family and private devotions. She read the works of Puritans Richard Greenham and Nicholas Bownde, was a friend of William Perkins, and a patron of Nicholas Byfield.

Here are two representative extracts from her diary, which was not written for the public, but centuries later provides a window into the life of a Puritan noblewoman:

Tuesday, August 28, 1599

In the morning, after private prayer, I read of the Bible, and then wrought [embroidered] till 8 o'clock, and then I ate my breakfast; after which done, I walked into the fields till 10 o'clock, then I prayed, and not long after I went to dinner; and about one o'clock I gathered my apples till 4; then I came home, and wrought till almost 6, and then I went to private prayer and examination, in which it pleased the Lord to bless me; and beseeched the Lord, for Christ his sake, to increase the power of this spirit in me daily, Amen, Amen; till supper time I heard Mr. Rhodes read of [a book by the Puritan scholar Thomas] Cartwright, and soon after supper, I went to prayers, after which I wrote to Master Hoby, and so to bed.

The Lord's Day, November 18, 1599

After private prayer I went to Church, and when I came home, I praised God for his mercies there offered me. After I dined, I went to church again and heard catechizing and sermon; then I talked and sang psalms with divers that was with me, and after that I prayed privately and examined myself with what intergrity I had spent the day, and then went to supper; after that, to public examination and prayers, and so to bed.

Recreation

Far from being killjoys, Puritans aimed to do all to the glory of God, so they not only worked hard but played hard, when it was appropriate to do so. Below is a snapshot of Puritan views on recreation in general and particularly with respect to the Lord's Day.

William Burkitt, A Help and Guide to Christian Families, p. 27:

It being impossible for the mind of man to be always intent upon business, and for the body to be exercised in continual labours, the wisdom of God has therefore adjudged some diversion and recreation (the better to fit both body and mind for the service of their Maker) to be both needful and expedient: such is the constitution of our bodies, and the complexion of our minds, that neither of them can endure a constant toil without some relaxation and delighting diversion. As a bow, if always bent, will prove sluggish and unserviceable; in like manner will a Christian's mind if always intent upon the best things: the arrow of devotion will soon flag, and fly but slowly towards heaven. A wise and good man perhaps could wish that his body needed no such diversion; but finding his body tire and grow weary, he is forced to give way, and choose such recreations as are healthful, short, and proper to refresh both mind and body.

William Perkins, The Order and Causes of Salvation and Damnation in The Works of William Perkins, Vol. 1, pp. 57-58:

Recreation is an exercise joined with the fear of God, conversant with things indifferent, for the preservation of bodily strength and the confirmation of the mind in holiness (Eccl. 2.2; Isa. 5.12; 1 Cor. 10.9; Luke 6.25; Deut. 12.7). To this end hath the Word of God permitted shooting (2 Sam. 1.18); musical consort (Neh. 7.67); putting forth riddles (Judges 14.12); hunting of wild beasts (Cant. 2.15); searching out or the contemplation of the works of God (1 Kings 4.33).

James T. Dennison, Jr., The Market Day of the Soul: The Puritan Doctrine of the Sabbath in England, 1532-1700, Appendix 2: The Puritan Attitude Toward Recreation, pp. 174-176:

Appendix 2

The Puritan Attitude Toward Recreation

The Puritans were not opposed to recreations per se. Lawful ("honest") recreations were encouraged on the other six days of the week. Bownd's remark was typical: "I am not of that minde...to thinke that men should never take delight, and that all recreation were sinfull..."1 However, even honest recreations were to be suspended on the Lord's day because they interfered with the proper sanctification of the Sabbath.2 The Puritans also cited Isaiah 58:13-14 in defense of their position; God had clearly revealed His opposition to taking one's own "pleasure" on the Sabbath.3

Some would counter the Puritan arguments with the observation that recreation was not possible on any day other than Sunday.4 The Puritan reply is significant: "If men will allow seruants recreations, let them allow part of their owne time, and be liberall in that which their owne, and not in that which God hath giuen them no such warrant to bestow on their seruants."5

Labor was not to be exploited. Men were to be allowed honest recreations Monday through Saturday.6 Though the general rule was that Sunday was playday, people did find time for sport on week-days; witness Bridenbaugh's remark: "...young men who would 'endure long and hard labour in so much that after twelve hours hard work they will go in the evening to football, stoole ball, cricket, prison-base, wrestling, cugel throwing, or some such like vehement exercise.'"7

Richard Baxter maintained that the argument from lack of spare time on week-days was a "sad argument to be used by them that by racking of rents do keep them (laboring people) in poverty."8 The Puritan protest against Sabbath profanation was also a protest against overwork on the other six days of the week.

But the truth is, it is not the minds of poor laboring men, that are overworked and tired on week-days, but it is their bodies; and therefore there is no recreation so suitable to them as the ease of the body, and the holy and joyful exercise of the mind, upon their Creator, and their Redeemer, and their everlasting rest.9

1 Bownd, Sabbathum Veteris, p. 271; cf. Dudley Fenner, A Short and Profitable Treatise, of lavvful and unlavvful Recreations; William Perkins, 1558-1602: English Puritanist, ed. by Thomas F. Merrill (Nieuwkoop, 1966), pp. 217-22 with extracts from Perkins' The Whole Treatise of Cases of Conscience, Book 3.
2 Elton, An Exposition of the Ten Commandments, pp. 54-56; George Walker, The Doctrine of the Holy Weekly Sabbath (London, 1641), p. 157; Richard Baxter, The Divine Appointment of the Lord's Day, pp. 440, 444-445.
3 Cf. Nicolas Bifield (Byfield), The Beginning of the Doctrine of Christ, or, A Catalogue of Sinnes (London, 1636), p. 63.
4 For a survey of the relative truth of this point, see Carl Bridenbaugh, Vexed and Troubled Englishmen, 1590-1642 (New York, 1968), pp. 109-118.
5 John Dod and Robert Cleaver, A Plaine and Familiar Exposition of the Ten Commandments (London, 1628), p. 140.
6 Percy Scholes (The Puritans and Music in England and New England (London, 1934), pp. 104-111) mentions the provisions of a bill presented to Parliament in 1647 which allowed every other Tuesday to be designated as a holiday. Scholes' judicious treatment of the Puritan attitude toward recreation is refreshing as well as accurate; cf. also pp. 302-331. Compare Hugh Martin, Puritanism and Richard Baxter (London, 1954), pp. 101-106.
7 Bridenbaugh, Vexed, p. 115.
8 Baxter, Divine Appointment, p. 444.
9 Ibid., p. 445.