Date:1625 - 1635 (c.)
Description:Katherine’s letters refer in detail to the rituals of courtship practised in the early seventeenth century. Her letters indicate that the exchange of gifts, particularly gifts with a personal significance, was an important part of the courtship process, confirming that the couple were engaged. Katherine refers in one letter to the exchange of rings. She writes ‘Sir, according to your command I have sent you a ring only to see the bignes, for otherwise it is most unworthy your exseptance. You may see it is a ring which is esteemed by me& by the show how much, it hath bin worne.’ She adds that the ring is ‘the furst of any sorte that ever I gave to any man.’ Katherine's letters also include details about the type of gifts suitable for men to give to women. In one letter it appears that Sir Richard had written to Katherine enquiring about the sort of gift he ought to send to her. She writes: ‘truly sir I am very ignorant what belongs to these serimonies’. She suggests ‘I think men give no garters nor ribense, but gloves and poyntes but I am not sure whot the fashions now are, as well in those thinges as others’. Click on the image on the left to read more about the rituals of Early Modern courtship.
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The Sutherland Papers include a number of letters written to Sir Richard Leveson by his wife Katherine ...
Katherine’s letters to Sir Richard suggest that there was some controversy over their marriage. In one ...
Katherine’s letters refer in detail to the rituals of courtship practised in the early seventeenth century. ...
Despite Katherine’s romantic and submissive tone in many of her letters, one letter amongst the collection ...
A further letter from Lady Katherine refers to the practical arrangements for the engagement/wedding ...
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