ABSTRACT
Although the existence of an English Areopagus centered upon the Countess of Pembroke has long been dismissed, it ought nevertheless not be forgotten that the writers who gathered informally about her at Wilton in the 1580s and ’90s did have important literary and religious aims in common. They were implicitly dedicated to continuing the Sidnean spirit in English life and literature – and they were also united by a common Calvinist piety. Indeed, the Sidnean spirit is as much tempered by Calvin as by Castiglione. Although Sidney was held to embody all of Castiglione’s desired qualities for a courtier, he was also admired for his piety, dedicating his life to “above all things the honour of his Maker”. 1 According to Greville’s significant phrase, which juxtaposes the dual elements of Sidney’s life, he “sweetly yoked fame and conscience together in a large heart”. 2 The influence of Calvinism on English courtly ideals and life is a promising area for scholarly investigation. 3
