Biography
Katherine Phillips (1 January 1632 - 22 June 1664), born Katherine Fowler, was a distinguished female poet
during the time of the Restoration. Her parents were both Puritans, and her father, John Fowler, worked as a
merchant in London. Katherine's linguistic talents were evident from an early age, and it was during her school
years that she met one of her lifelong companions, Mary Aubrey. After marrying James Philips at the age of sixteen,
Katherine began writing poetry and founded the "Society of Friendship," a small literary circle consisting of Anne Owen,
Charles Cotterell, and other close friends. During this time, Philips became aligned with the Royalist movement, and
often expressed her political and religious views in her work. Although her career was brief, Philips wrote over 130
poems and letters, and was revered by her contemporaries and later writers for her elaborate depictions of female friendship.