A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country/Pakington, (Dorothy, Lady)
Although this excellent lady was celebrated by the best and most learned divines of her time, yet scarce any pen will be thought capable of adding to the reputation which her own has acquired, if it shall appear, that she was the author of The whole Duty of Man.
That the lady Pakington was capable of such a work, and that she only had a right to this in question, we shall produce the folowing testimonies.
The first witness is, the famous Dr. George Hickes, the vicinity of whose deanery to Westwood, his intimacy in the family, his known probity and unshaken integrity, will make his authority appear beyond all exception. The doctor in his preface to his Anglo-Saxon and Mœso-Gothic Grammars, printed before his Thesaurus, and inscribed to the late Sir John Pakington, having given an excellent character of his grandfather, proceeds in the following manner in relation to this excellent lady. He writes in Latin, which being translated, runs thus:
'But your grandmother, the daughter of the most renowned Thomas lord Coventry, keeper of the great seal, was remarkably illustrious for all virtues, especially such as consist in the practical part of a Christian life. She had moreover an excellent judgment, and a talent of speaking correctly, pertinently, clearly, and gracefully. In which she was so accomplished, particularly in an evenness of stile and consistent manner of writing, that she deserved to be called and reputed the author of a book concerning the Duty of Man, published in English by an anonymous person, and well known through the Christian world for the extraordinary completeness of a work of that kind. Hammond, Morley, Fell, and Thomas, those eminently learned men, averred she was as great an adept in the sacred scriptures, as themselves were, and as well versed in divinity, and in all those weighty and useful notions relating to Duty, which have been recommended and handed down to us, either by profane or Christian philosophers. I have heard also, she was so far from being unacquainted with the antiquities of her own country, that she knew almost as much as the greatest proficient in that kind of knowledge. Nor is this to be much wondered at, since she had in her youth the most excellently learned Sir Norton Knatchbull, Bart. for her tutor and preceptor; and, after she was married, the famous Hammond, and others his cotemporaries, very celebrated men, for her companions and instructors.'
He also affirmed that he had seen the manuscript written with her own hand; which from the many erasures, alterations, and interlinings, he was fully satisfied was the very original book.
The next evidence is, the author of the Baronetage, who tells us, 'that she was one of the most accomplished persons of her sex for learning; and the brightest example of her age for wisdom and piety. Her letters and other discourses still remaining in the family, and in the hands of her friends, are an admirable proof of her excellent genius and vast capacity; and as she had the reputation of being thought the author of The whole Duty of Man, so that none who knew her well, and were competent judges of her ability, could in the least doubt of her being equal to such an undertaking; though her modesty would not suffer her to claim the honour of it; but as the manuscript under her own hand now remains with the family, there is hardly room to doubt it.
'By her great virtues and eminent attainments in knowledge, she acquired the esteem of all our learned divines, particularly Dr. Hammond, bishop Morley, bishop Fell, bishop Pearson, bishop Henchman and bishop Gunning; who were ever ready to confess, they were always edified by her conversation, and instructed by her writings. These learned and pious gentlemen never failed of an agreeable retreat and sanctuary at Westwood, as far as those dangerous times would permit. And it ought to be remembered to the honour of this good lady and her husband, that the famous Dr. Hammond found a comfortable subsistence in their family several years, and, at last reposed his bones in their burial place at Hampton-Lovett, in a chapel built by Sir Thomas Pakington, anno 1561.'
The third proof is taken from a quarto pamphlet, entitled, A Letter from a Clergyman in the Country, to a dignified Clergyman in London, vindicating the Bill brought in the last Session of Parliament, for preventing the Translation of Bishops. Printed at London, 1702; in the third and fourth pages of which may be found the following passage: 'But before I enter upon the nature, tendency and usefulness of the bill, give me leave to say something concerning that worthy member. Sir John Pakington, who brought it into the house.
'His zeal for the church and monarchy descend to him, as it were, by inheritance. I must write a history, if I would deliver at large how many proofs his ancestors have given of their being the fastest friends to both: but his grandfather's spending 40,000£, and being tried for his life during the late civil wars, because he vigorously endeavoured to prevent the martyrdom of king Charles I., and the destruction of episcopacy; the uninterrupted correspondence of his grandmother with the learned and pious Dr. Morley, bishop of Winton, and Dr. Hammond, and his supporting the latter when deprived, and who is by several eminent men (archbishop Dolben, bishop Fell, and Dr. Allestry, declared this of their own knowledge after her death, which she obliged them to keep private during her life) allowed to be the author of the best and most masculine religious book extant in the English tongue (the Bible excepted) called The whole Duty of Man, will serve instead of a heap of instances, to shew how great regards this family have formerly paid to the church and kingly government.'
To the foregoing we might add the testimony of Mr. Thomas Caulton, vicar of Worksop, in Nottinghamshire, who, on his death-bed, declared in the presence of several worthy persons, that Mrs. Eyre, daughter of lady Pakington, told him who was the author of The whole Duty of Man; at the same time pulling out of a private drawer a manuscript tied together and stiched in octavo, which she declared was the original written by lady Pakington her mother.
Upon the whole, it is presumed, that lady Pakington's title to this performance is by far the clearest of all those to whom it has been ascribed; but whether it is absolutely ascertained, must be left to the judgement of the candid and impartial.
Full of years and good works, she died 1679, and was interred in the church of Hampton Lovett, in Worcestershire; where is a small memorial of her, inscribed at the bottom of the monument erected for the late Sir John Pakingcon, as follows:
In the same church lyes Sir John Pakington, knt. and bart. and his lady, grandfather and grandmother to the said Sir John; the first tryed for his life, and spent the greatest part of his fortune in adhering to king Charles I.; and the latter justly reputed the authoress of The whole Duty of Man, who was exemplary for her great piety and goodness.