A Cyclopaedia of Female Biography/Pakington, Lady Dorothy
PAKINGTON, LADY DOROTHY,
Daughter of Lord Coventry, and wife of Sir John Pakington, was eminent for her learning and piety, and ranked among her friends several celebrated divines. "The Whole Duty of Man" was ascribed to her at first, though the mistake has been discovered. Her acknowledged works are, "The Gentlemen's Calling," "The Ladies' Calling," "The Government of the Tongue," "The Christian's Birthright," and "The Causes of the Decay of Christian Piety." Her theological works arc strictly orthodox, and evince ardent piety of feeling. She was, at the time of her decease, engaged in a work entitled "The Government of the Thoughts," which was praised, in high terms, by Dr. Fell; but this work she did not finish. Lady Pakington had received a learned education, which was not at that time uncommon to give to women of high rank; that she used her talents and learning wisely and well, we have this testimony in the writings of Dr. Fell. He says of her, "Lady Pakington was wise, humble, temperate, chaste, patient, charitable, and devout; she lived a whole age of great austerities, and maintained in the midst of them an undisturbed serenity." She died May 10th., 1679.