Life
Speght was born the daughter of a Calvinist minister in London, England in 1597. "She was brought up in the heart of London's clerical and mercantile community. She had three surviving siblings, and two that died in infancy. Her siblings were Sara, Rebecca, and Samuel." Her writings reveal that she was unusually well educated in rhetoric, logic, classical and Christian texts, and Latin, and that she had a thorough knowledge of Christian scripture. "Rachel's education was unusual for a young woman of her time and social position in its thoroughness, and exceptional in that it was based on a classical curriculum."
The identity of her mother is unknown, but she seems to have been a profound influence on her. Speght refers to her mother’s death as an inspiration for her Mortalities Memorandum. Speght’s godmother Mary Moundeford (née Hill), wife of the eminent physician Thomas Moundeford, was another influence; Speght dedicated Mortalities Memorandum to her.
James Speight, Rachel's father, was an ordained doctor of divinity from Christ's college in Cambridge. He was the rector of two London churches, St. Mary Magdalen, Milk Street (1592–1637) and St. Clement, Eastcheap (1611–1637), and was also an author of religious tracts. "At the time of Rachel's birth he was about thirty-three years old and an established figure in clerical circles." His salary allowed his family to live comfortably.
From Speght’s work it can be discerned that her mother died after the publication of Mouzell in 1617 and before the publication of Mortalities Memorandum in 1621; Speght’s father was remarried in February 1621; he died in 1637.
Rachel Speght was married at age 24, on 2 August 1621, to a Calvinist minister named William Procter at St Mary Woolchurch Haw in London. Her father did not perform the ceremony, but gave his blessing. She lived with her husband in Upminster, Essex, until 1627, then in London at St. Giles, Cripplegate, until 1634. They had three children, Rachel (1627), William (1630) and Joseph (1634). Rachel and William were baptised at St Giles Cripplegate.
After 1634 she lived in Stradishall in Suffolk. William Procter was ejected from his parish over a controversy concerning his Laudian sympathies in 1644. Rachel Procter was named as a participant in the controversy. Procter died in Stradishall in 1661, and it is likely that his wife predeceased him, as she is not mentioned in his will.
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