Born into the Cheshire gentry, Isabella Whitney (c.1550-?) went into service in London and published two volumes of poetry.Mary Sidney, Countess of Pembroke (1561-1621) worked in close literary collaboration with her brother, Sir Philip Sidney, and continued to write after his death.Aemelia Lanyer (1569-1645), a devotional poet, was raised in the Countess of Kent's household and married an Italian musician. Danielle Clarke is a lecturer in English at University College, Dublin.

• Edited by Danielle ClarkeAcknowledgmentsIntroductionFurther ReadingTable of DatesA Note on the TextsIsabella Whitneyfrom A SWEET NOSGAYTo the worshipfull and right vertuous yong Gentylman, George Mainwaring Esquier...The Auctor to the ReaderCertain familier Epistles and friendly Letters by the Auctor: with RepliesTo her Brother. G.W.To her Brother. B. W.A modest meane for Maides... to two of her yonger Sisters servinge in LondonTo her Sister Misteris. A.B.To her CosenA carefull complaynt by the unfortunate AuctorIS. W. to C.B. in bewalylynge her mishappesTo my Friend Master T.L. whose good nature I see abusdeIS W. beyng wery of wrtyng, sendeth this for AnswereThe Auchtour (though loth to leave the Citie) upon her Friendes procurement, is constrained to departe...and maketh her Wyll and Testament...A comunication which the Auctor had to London, before she made her WyllThe maner of her Wyll, and what she left to London: and all those in it: at her departing***THE COPY OF A LETTER, lately written in meeter, by a yonge Gentilwoman: to her unconstant Lover...I.W. To her unconstant LoverThe admonition by the Auctor, to all yong Gentilwomen: And to al other Maids being in Love***The lamentation of a Gentilwoman upon the death of her late deceased frend William Gruffith Gent.Mary Sidney, Countess of PembrokeTHE SIDNEY PSALTER"Even now that Care"To the Angell spirit of the most excellent Sir Phillip SidneyThe Psalmes of Mary Sidney, Countess of Pembroke***A Dialogue betweene two shepheards, Thenot, and Piers, in praise of Astrea...***THE TRIUMPH OF DEATH TRANSLATED OUT OF ITALIAN BY THE COUNTESS OF PEMBROOKEThe first chapterThe second chapterAemilia LanyerSALVE DEUS REX JUDAEORUMTo the Queenes most Excellent MajestieTo all vertuous Ladies in generallThe Authors Dreame to the Ladie Marie, the Countesse Dowager of PembrookeTo the Ladie Lucie, Countesse of BedfordTo the Ladie Margaret, Countesse Dowager of CumberlandTo the Ladie Anne, Countesse of DorcetTo the Vertuous ReaderSalve Deus Rex JudaeorumThe Description of Cooke-hamAbbreviations and Short Titles Used in the Notes and Textual ApparatusNotesTextual Apparatus

Born into the Cheshire gentry, Isabella Whitney (c.1550-?) went into service in London and published two volumes of poetry.Mary Sidney, Countess of Pembroke (1561-1621) worked in close literary collaboration with her brother, Sir Philip Sidney, and continued to write after his death.Aemelia Lanyer (1569-1645), a devotional poet, was raised in the Countess of Kent's household and married an Italian musician. Danielle Clarke is a lecturer in English at University College, Dublin.

• Edited by Danielle ClarkeAcknowledgmentsIntroductionFurther ReadingTable of DatesA Note on the TextsIsabella Whitneyfrom A SWEET NOSGAYTo the worshipfull and right vertuous yong Gentylman, George Mainwaring Esquier...The Auctor to the ReaderCertain familier Epistles and friendly Letters by the Auctor: with RepliesTo her Brother. G.W.To her Brother. B. W.A modest meane for Maides... to two of her yonger Sisters servinge in LondonTo her Sister Misteris. A.B.To her CosenA carefull complaynt by the unfortunate AuctorIS. W. to C.B. in bewalylynge her mishappesTo my Friend Master T.L. whose good nature I see abusdeIS W. beyng wery of wrtyng, sendeth this for AnswereThe Auchtour (though loth to leave the Citie) upon her Friendes procurement, is constrained to departe...and maketh her Wyll and Testament...A comunication which the Auctor had to London, before she made her WyllThe maner of her Wyll, and what she left to London: and all those in it: at her departing***THE COPY OF A LETTER, lately written in meeter, by a yonge Gentilwoman: to her unconstant Lover...I.W. To her unconstant LoverThe admonition by the Auctor, to all yong Gentilwomen: And to al other Maids being in Love***The lamentation of a Gentilwoman upon the death of her late deceased frend William Gruffith Gent.Mary Sidney, Countess of PembrokeTHE SIDNEY PSALTER"Even now that Care"To the Angell spirit of the most excellent Sir Phillip SidneyThe Psalmes of Mary Sidney, Countess of Pembroke***A Dialogue betweene two shepheards, Thenot, and Piers, in praise of Astrea...***THE TRIUMPH OF DEATH TRANSLATED OUT OF ITALIAN BY THE COUNTESS OF PEMBROOKEThe first chapterThe second chapterAemilia LanyerSALVE DEUS REX JUDAEORUMTo the Queenes most Excellent MajestieTo all vertuous Ladies in generallThe Authors Dreame to the Ladie Marie, the Countesse Dowager of PembrookeTo the Ladie Lucie, Countesse of BedfordTo the Ladie Margaret, Countesse Dowager of CumberlandTo the Ladie Anne, Countesse of DorcetTo the Vertuous ReaderSalve Deus Rex JudaeorumThe Description of Cooke-hamAbbreviations and Short Titles Used in the Notes and Textual ApparatusNotesTextual Apparatus