Mother's Advice Books: Printed Writings 1500-1640 (Early Modern Englishwoman: a Facsimile Library of Essential Works) (Pt.2)

Early modern works of advice fall into a variety of categories: advice on family conduct, manners, study plans and piety. A close relation of these works of advice was the parental advice book, usually written by a father to his son. It was not until the early 17th century that the mother's advice book evolved. The contents of the present volume, ordered chronologically by the date of the first edition of each advice book, are limited to works attributed to named mothers, even though information about these historical figures is not always abundant. "Miscellanea" was the attempt of Elizabeth Grymeston to distill advice to her only surviving son, at a time when her own health was failing. Elizabeth Clinton wrote her advice book when she was had become a countess-dowager. It was dedicated to her daughter-in-law and addresses an area where she had appparently been deficient - the imperative directed at early modern women by domestic conduct boks that mothers should nurse their own children. Elizabeth Brook Joceline composed her "Legacy" whilst awaiting the birth of her first child, having become convinced that she would die in childbirth.