ABSTRACT
As Mall grew up, we have a rich source of information in her father’s correspondence. In addition to the letters of Robert Sidney to his wife Barbara, we also have the lively and detailed letters of Sidney’s agent Rowland Whyte, who sent Sidney extensive reports on family and court matters while Sidney was in the Netherlands on Queen Elizabeth’s service; Whyte undoubtedly wrote additional letters, but even his surviving letters to Sidney, dating from September 1595 through December 1602, would fill two volumes. Whyte, Sidney’s trusted friend as much as servant, accompanied Sidney to university and on his European travels, and he often cared for Sidney’s family when Sidney was away (Brennan, “Your Lordship’s”). So, although Whyte’s reports were officially about court and international business, and about his efforts to present Sidney’s various suits to Queen Elizabeth-the park at Otford, a position as warden of the Cinq Ports or as the queen’s vice-chamberlain, or his father’s positions in Ireland or Wales, and constantly, his leave to come home-Whyte took a real interest in the family and seems to have genuinely cared for the children. He frequently traveled with them and sometimes stayed with them, especially in Baynards Castle. He also knew that Sidney, who so longed to be home, would be eager for accounts of his children. No doubt the children had their naughty days and sibling squabbles, but Whyte ignored such normal childhood problems and reported frequently on their health and their progress with their studies, as well as on their interactions with the court. We thus have more information on Mall’s childhood homes, travels, activities, and associations than we do for almost any other early modern writer.
