Domesticity and Dissent in the Seventeenth Century : English Women Writers and the Public Sphere

Katharine Gillespie examines writings by seventeenth-century English Puritan women who fought for religious freedom. Seeking the right to preach and prophesy, Katherine Chidley, Anna Trapnel, Elizabeth Poole, and Anne Wentworth envisioned the modern political principles of toleration and the separation of church from state, as well as the issues of privacy and individualism. Gillespie's analysis of "pamphlet literatures" of the seventeenth century contributes to the scholarship on revolutionary writings that emerged during the volatile years of England's mid-seventeenth-century Civil War. Cover......Page 1 Half-title......Page 3 Title......Page 5 Copyright......Page 6 Dedication......Page 7 Contents......Page 11 Acknowledgments......Page 12 the adventures of the possessive self......Page 15 the lady and the baptists......Page 17 sabrina speaks......Page 22 notes......Page 29 1 “Born of the mother’s seed”: liberalism, feminism, and religious separatism......Page 39 notes......Page 68 2 A hammer in her hand: Katherine Chidley and Anna Trapnel separate church from state......Page 76 a woman’s place is in the home-based church......Page 80 the separation of home from state: the writings of katherine chidley......Page 89 a woman’s home is her castle: the female leveller petitions......Page 99 a suum of one’s own: the formation of a public sphere in anna trapnel’s report and plea......Page 106 notes......Page 120 3 Cure for a diseased head: divorce and contract in the prophecies of Elizabeth Poole......Page 129 the house of spirit......Page 145 curing the body......Page 153 divorcing the king......Page 160 the lady’s doctrine of virginity......Page 169 notes......Page 175 4 The unquenchable smoking flax: Sarah Wight, Anne Wentworth, and the “rise” of the sovereign individual......Page 180 interpellated women in history......Page 185 a tradition of popular sovereignty......Page 188 sarah wight: new sovereign woman......Page 195 anne wentworth: possessive individual......Page 216 notes......Page 224 5 Improving God’s estate: pastoral servitude and the free market in the writings of Mary Cary......Page 229 the subordinate’s plot......Page 230 improving god’s estate......Page 243 notes......Page 273 Conclusion......Page 276 notes......Page 279 Index......Page 281 In Domesticity And Dissent Katharine Gillespie Examines Writings By Seventeenth-century English Puritan Women Who Fought For Religious, Freedom. Seeking The Right To Preach And Prophesy, Women Such As Katherine Childley, Anna Trapnel, Elizabeth Poole, And Anne Wentworth Envisioned The Modern Political Principles Of Toleration, The Separation Of Church From State, Privacy, And Individualism. Gillespie Argues That Their Sermons, Prophecies, And Petitions Illustrate The Fact That These Liberal Theories Did Not Originate Only With Such Well-known Male Thinkers As John Locke And Thomas Hobbes. Rather, They Emerged Also From A Group Of Determined Female Religious Dissenters Who Used The Bible To Reassess Traditional Definitions Of Womanhood, Public Speech, And Religious And Political Authority. Gillespie Takes The Pamphlet Literatures Of The Seventeenth Century As Important Subjects For Analysis, And Her Book Contributes To The Growing Scholarship On The Revolutionary Writings That Emerged During The Volatile Years Of The Mid-seventeenth-century Civil War In England.--book Jacket. Sabrina Versus The State -- Born Of The Mother's Seed : Liberalism, Feminism, And Religious Separatism -- A Hammer In Her Hand : Katherine Chidley And Anna Trapnel Separate Church From State -- Cure For A Diseased Head : Divorce And Contract In The Prophesies Of Elizabeth Poole -- The Unquenchable Smoking Flax : Sarah Wight, Anne Wentworth, And The Rise Of The Sovereign Individual -- Improving God's Estate : Pastoral Servitude And The Free Market In The Writings Of Mary Cary. Katharine Gillespie. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Cover 1 Half-title 3 Title 5 Copyright 6 Dedication 7 Contents 11 Acknowledgments 12 Introduction: Sabrina versus the state 15 the adventures of the possessive self 15 the lady and the baptists 17 sabrina speaks 22 notes 29 1 “Born of the mother’s seed”: liberalism, feminism, and religious separatism 39 notes 68 2 A hammer in her hand: Katherine Chidley and Anna Trapnel separate church from state 76 a woman’s place is in the home-based church 80 the separation of home from state: the writings of katherine chidley 89 a woman’s home is her castle: the female leveller petitions 99 a suum of one’s own: the formation of a public sphere in anna trapnel’s report and plea 106 notes 120 3 Cure for a diseased head: divorce and contract in the prophecies of Elizabeth Poole 129 the house of spirit 145 curing the body 153 divorcing the king 160 the lady’s doctrine of virginity 169 notes 175 4 The unquenchable smoking flax: Sarah Wight, Anne Wentworth, and the “rise” of the sovereign individual 180 interpellated women in history 185 a tradition of popular sovereignty 188 sarah wight: new sovereign woman 195 anne wentworth: possessive individual 216 notes 224 5 Improving God’s estate: pastoral servitude and the free market in the writings of Mary Cary 229 the subordinate’s plot 230 improving god’s estate 243 notes 273 Conclusion 276 notes 279 Index 281 In Domesticity and Dissent Katharine Gillespie examines writings by seventeenth-century English Puritan women who fought for religious freedom. Seeking the right to preach and prophesy, women such as Katherine Chidley, Anna Trapnel, Elizabeth Poole, and Anne Wentworth envisioned the modern political principles of toleration, the separation of Church from state, privacy, and individualism. Gillespie argues that their sermons, prophesies, and petitions illustrate the fact that these liberal theories did not originate only with such well-known male thinkers as John Locke and Thomas Hobbes. Rather, they emerged also from a group of determined female religious dissenters who used the Bible to reassess traditional definitions of womanhood, public speech and religious and political authority. Gillespie takes the 'pamphlet literatures' of the seventeenth century as important subjects for analysis, and her study contributes to the important scholarship on the revolutionary writings that emerged during the volatile years of the mid-seventeenth-century Civil War in England