Working Life of Women in the Seventeenth Century — John Shaqi
Working Life of Women in the Seventeenth CenturyClark, Alice
History
Working Life of Women in the Seventeenth Century
Clark, Alice
Women -- Employment -- Great Britain -- History -- 17th century; Women -- Great Britain -- History -- 17th century
After a description of her methods for instruction in these arts the
biographer continues: “She brought it to that pass that they there made
broad-cloth so fine ... that her Lord being Deputy wore it. Yet it came
to nothing; which she imputed to a judgment of God on her, because the
overseers made all those poor children go to church; ... and that
therefore her business did not succeed. But others thought it rather
that she was better at contriving than executing, and that too many
things were undertaken at the very first; and that she was fain (having
little choice) to employ either those that had little skill in the
matters they dealt in, or less honesty; and so she was extremely cozened
... but chiefly the ill order she took for paying money in this ...
having the worst memory in such things in the world ... and never
keeping any account of what she did, she was most subject to pay the
same things often (as she hath had it confessed to her by some that they
have in a small matter made her pay them the same thing five times in
five days).”[12]
Footnote 12:
_Falkland, (The Lady), Her Life_, pp. 18-20.
Lady Falkland received small sympathy from her husband in her dealings
with affairs—and though her methods may have been exasperating, their
unfortunate differences were not wholly due to her temperament. He had
married her for her fortune and when this was settled on their son and
not placed in his control, his disappointment was so great that his
affections were alienated from her.
Of her efforts to further his interests Lord Falkland wrote to Lord
Conway:
“My very good Lord,
By all my wife’s letters I understand my obligations to
your Lordship to be very many; and she takes upon her to have
received so manifold and noble demonstrations of your favour to
herself, that she begins to conceive herself some able body in
court, by your countenance to do me courtesies, if she had the
wit as she hath the will. She makes it appear she hath done me
some good offices in removing some infusions which my great
adversary here (Loftus) hath made unto you ... it was high time;
for many evil consequences of the contrary have befallen me
since that infusion was first made, which I fear will not be
removed in haste; and must thank her much for her careful pains
in it, though it was but an act of duty in her to see me righted
when she knew me wronged ... and beseech your Lordship still to
continue that favour to us both;—to her, as well in giving her
good counsel as good countenance within a new world and court,
at such a distance from her husband a poor weak woman stands in
the greatest need of to dispatch her suits,” ... etc., etc.
“Dublyn Castle this 26th of July, 1625.”[13]
Footnote 13:
_Falkland (The Lady), Her Life_, pp. 131-132.
Later he continues in the same strain:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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