Lady+Mary+Wroth

**Lady Mary Wroth Biography:** Born: October 18, 1587 Parents: Barbara Gamage - wealthy Welsh heiress and 1st cousin to Sir Walter Ralegh Robert Sidney - governor of Flushing, 1st earl of Leicester and Viscount Lisle of Penhurst Place Education: Household tutors provided by her mother when girls typically didn't receive an education Young Life: Belonged to Queen Anne's close group of friends and participated in Masques and Court Entertainment Marriage: September 27, 1604 married by James to Robert Wroth of Loughton Hall; Robert Wroth was a drunk and a gambler; their marriage was unhappy from the start with difficulty of payment from Robert Sidney of her dowry; Letters to Queen Anne from Lady Mary Wroth tells of money losses because of her husband Middle Life: Known for her literary activities and performances within the court - 1605 Masque of Blackness and 1608 Masque of Beauty Children: February of 1614 gave birth to a son James - one month later Robert Wroth dies and leave the two in huge debt Her son James dies at the age of two leaving the estate to the closest male relative of Robert Wroth, John Wroth Relationship with William Herbert: While scholars believe Mary was faithful to her husband, after his death it is known that Mary and her cousin William entered a relationship together and produced a daughter Catherine and a son William. Being cousins, they grew up together and shared the same interests in literature. Later years: Wrote //The Countess of Montgomery's Urania// and it was published without her permission. Noblemen ridiculed the work and Mary Wroth for calling attention to the court's lifestyle and private lives. Withdrawed from sale in December 1621. Ben Jonson, author of the Masques she performed in, greatly praised Wroth's writing and said it taught him to become a better writer and lover. Edward Denny called her a "hermaphrodite" and a "monster". After the discourse between Denny and Wroth, Wroth left King James' court and was later abandoned by William. Wroth face financial problems until her death in either 1651 or 1653. Major Works: //The Countess of Montgomery's Urania, Pamphilia to Amphilanthus, A Crowne of Sonnets dedicated to Love,// and //Love's Victory//