| | Acknowledgments | |
| | A Note on Transcriptions | |
| | Introduction: Rereading Women's Literary History | 1 |
| Ch. 1 | Legal Documents / Women's Testimony | 15 |
| 1.1 | The Deposition of Margaret Christmas, "Suttill contra Suttill," Canterbury Consistory Court Deposition Book (1589-92) / Lena Cowen Orlin | 20 |
| 1.2 | Elizabeth I, "Her Majesties most Princelie answere" (1601) / Nely Keinanen | 24 |
| 1.3 | Elizabeth Caldwell, Letter from prison, A True Discourse Of the practises of Elizabeth Caldwell, master Jeffrey Bownd, Isabell Hall widdow, and George Fernely, on the parson of Master Thomas Caldwell, in the County of Chester, to have murdered and poysoned him, with divers others (1604) / Randall Martin | 26 |
| 1.4 | Woodcut of the execution of Elizabeth Abbott, The Apprehension, Arraignment, and execution of Elizabeth Abbot, alis Cebrooke, for a cruell and horrible murther, committed on the body of Mistris Killingworth in S. Creechurch parish neere Aldgate in London (1608) / Catherine Loomis | 29 |
| 1.5 | The Evidence against Joane Waters, the Deposition of George Ireland, London Consistory Court (1609/10) / Loreen L. Giese | 32 |
| 1.6 | The Star Chamber Deposition of Lady Elizabeth Vaux (1622) / Mary Blackstone | 35 |
| 1.7 | The Information of Mary Hall, Westminster Sessions Roll (1626) / Martin Ingram | 40 |
| 1.8 | The Original Will of Elizabeth Whipp, Midwife (1645/6) / Doreen Evenden | 43 |
| 1.9 | The Examination of Anne Peace, Yorkshire Sessions (1659) / Laura Gowing | 47 |
| 1.10 | Leticia Wigington, The Confession and Execution of Letitia Wigington of Ratclif, who suffered at Tyburn, on Fryday the 9th of this instant September, 1681, written by her own band in the Gaol of Newgate two days be-fore her death, being Condemned for whiping her Apprentice Girl to Death (1681) / Philip D. Collington | 50 |
| Ch. 2 | The Status of Women | 55 |
| 2.1 | Jane Anger, Jane Anger Her Protection for Women (1589) / Linda Vecchi | 62 |
| 2.2 | Ester Sowernam, Ester hath bang'd Haman (1617) / Matthew Steggle | 64 |
| 2.3 | Constantia Munda, the Worming of a madde Dogge (1617) / Matthew Steggle | 66 |
| 2.4 | Rachel Speght, "To the Reader," A Mouzell for Melastomus (1617) / Christina Luckyj | 68 |
| 2.5 | Rachel Speght, A Mouzell for Melastomus (1617) / Christina Luckyj | 70 |
| 2.6 | Isabella Whitney, A Sweet Nosgay, or Pleasant Posye, with "Wyll and Testament" (1573) / Linda Vecchi | 72 |
| 2.7 | Rachael Fanc, Page of her school notebook (c. 1628) / Caroline Bowden | 74 |
| 2.8 | Anna Maria van Schurman, The Learned Maid; or, Whether a Maid may be a Scholar? (Latin treatise, Paris, 1638; Leiden, 1641; English translation, London, 1659) / Jennifer L. Andersen | 78 |
| 2.9 | Margaret Cavendish, Marchioness of Newcastle, The Worlds Olio (1655) and Philosophical and Physical Opinions (1655) / Sylvia Bowerbank | 80 |
| 2.10 | Anonymous, "Verses made by a Maid under 14" (c. 1657-8) / Robert C. Evans | 82 |
| 2.11 | Bathsua Makin, An Essay to Revive the Antient Education of Gentlewomen (1673) / Mark Houlahan | 84 |
| 2.12 | Mary More, "The Womans Right" (c. 1680) / Margaret Ezell | 86 |
| 2.13 | Mary Astell, A Serious Proposal to the Ladies (1694) / Heather Campbell | 89 |
| 2.14 | Catharine Trotter (Cockburn), "To the Excellent Mr. Lock," A Defence of the Essay of Human Understanding (1702) / Anne Kelley | 92 |
| Ch. 3 | Mothers' Legacies and Medical Manuals | 97 |
| 3.1 | Isabella Whitney, "A Modest Meane for Maides" (1573) / Linda Vecchi | 102 |
| 3.2 | Elizabeth Grymeston, Miscelanea. prayers. meditations. memoratives (1604) / Roxanne Harde | 104 |
| 3.3 | Dorothy Leigh, The Mothers Blessing (1618) / Roxanne Harde | 106 |
| 3.4 | Elizabeth (Knyvet) Clinton, Countess of Lincoln, The Countesse of Lincolnes Nurserie (1622) / Marjorie Rubright | 108 |
| 3.5 | Elizabeth Joscelin, "The Mothers Legacy to her Unborn Childe" (1622) / Jean Ledrew Metcalfe | 111 |
| 3.6 | M. R., The Mothers Counsell or, Live within Compasse. Being the Last Will and Testament to her dearest Daughter (c. 1630) / Roxanne Harde | 114 |
| 3.7 | Elizabeth Richardson, Baroness Cramond, A Ladies Legacie to Her Daughters (1645) / Roxanne Harde | 116 |
| 3.8 | Sarah Jinner, An Almanack and Prognostication for the year of our Lord 1659 (1659) / Alan S. Weber | 118 |
| 3.9 | Jane Sharp, The Midwives Book (1671) / Joan Curbet | 120 |
| 3.10 | Hannah Wolley, A Supplement to the Queen-like Closet (1674-75) / Elaine Hobby | 122 |
| 3.11 | Mary Trye, Medicatrix, or The Woman-Physician (1675) / Marie Loughlin | 124 |
| 3.12 | Elizabeth Cellier, To Dr. -, an Answer to his Queries, concerning the Colledg of Midwives (1688) / Joan Curbet | 126 |
| Ch. 4 | Religion, Prophecy, and Persecution | 131 |
| 4.1 | Anne Askew, The Lattre Examynacyon of Anne Askew (1546) / Jennifer L. Andersen | 138 |
| 4.2 | Elizabeth (Cooke), Lady Russell, "To the Right Honourable my most entierly beloved and onely daughter, the Lady Anne Herbert," A Way of Reconcilitation of a good and learned man, touching the Trueth, Nature, and Substance of the Body and Blood of Christ in the Sacrament. (1605) / Elaine Beilin | 140 |
| 4.3 | Eleanor Davies (Lady Douglas), "Bathe Daughter of BabyLondon" (c. 1630) / Mark Houlahan | 142 |
| 4.4 | Sister Joan Seller, English nun's oath of obedience (1631) / Caroline Bowden | 145 |
| 4.5 | Alice Sutcliffe, "Epistle Dedicatory," Meditations of man's mortalitie, or, A way to true blessednesse (1634) / Darcy Maynard | 148 |
| 4.6 | Elizabeth Warren, The Old and Good Way Vindicated in a Treatise Wherein Divers Errours (both in judgement and practice, incident to these declining Times) are unmasked, for the Caution of humble Christians (1646) / Linda C. Mitchell | 150 |
| 4.7 | Hannah Allen, publisher of The Exceeding Riches of Grace Advanced by the Spirit of Grace, in an Empty Nothing Creature, Viz. Mris Sarah Wight (1647) / Jennifer L. Andersen | 152 |
| 4.8 | Woodcut of Mother Shipton, Foureteene strange Prophesies (1648) / Alan S. Weber | 154 |
| 4.9 | Mary Cary (Rande), Little Horns Doom and Downfall and A New and More Exact Mappe of the New Jerusalems Glory (1651) / Rachel Warburton | 156 |
| 4.10 | Anonymous, "To my Sisters" and "To the Reader," Eliza's Babes (1652) / Liam E. Semler | 158 |
| 4.11 | Anonymous, "The Royal Priest-hood," Eliza's Babes (1652) / Liam E. Semler | 160 |
| 4.12 | Anna Trapnel, The Cry of a Stone: Or a Revelation of Something Spoken in Whitehall (1654) / Linda C. Mitchell | 162 |
| 4.13 | Hester Biddle, A Warning from the Lord God of Life and Power (1660) / Rachel Warburton | 164 |
| 4.14 | Elizabeth Calvert, publisher of Mirabilis annus, Or, the Year of Prodigies and Wonders (1661) / Jennifer L. Andersen | 168 |
| 4.15 | Katharine Evans and Sarah Chevers, A short Relation of some of the Cruel Sufferings (For the Truths Sake) of Katharine Evans & Sarah Chevers, To the Inquisition in the Isle of Malta (1662) / Elizabeth Skerpan-Wheeler | 170 |
| 4.16 | Katherine Sutton, A Christian Womans experiences of the glorious working of Gods free grace (1663) / Elizabeth Skerpan-Wheeler | 173 |
| 4.17 | Anne Wentworth, A Vindication of Anne Wentworth, Tending to the Better Preparing of All People for Her Larger Testimony, which is Making Ready for Publick View (1677) / Elizabeth Skerpan-Wheeler | 176 |
| 4.18 | Hannah Allen, A Narrative of God's gracious dealings (1683) / Elizabeth Skerpan-Wheeler | 179 |
| 4.19 | Barbara Blaugdone, An Account of the Travels, Sufferings & Persecutions of Barbara Blaugdone (1691) / Elizabeth Skerpan-Wheeler | 182 |
| Ch. 5 | Letters | 187 |
| 5.1 | Lady Elizabeth Cavendish (Bess of Hardwick) to Francis Whitfield (14 November 1552) / James Daybell | 192 |
| 5.2 | Elizabeth I, "The true copie of a letter from the Queenes Majestic, to the Lord Mayor of London, and his brethren: conteyning a most gracious acceptation of the great ioy which her Subjectes tooke upon the apprehension of divers persons, detected of a most wicked conspiracie, read openly in a great assemblie of the Commons in the Guildhall of that Citie" (22 August 1586) / Nely Keinanen | 196 |
| 5.3 | Grace O'Malley to Elizabeth I (1593) / Brandie Siegfried | 198 |
| 5.4 | Elizabeth I to Sir Richard Bingham (6 September 1593) / Brandie Siegfried | 202 |
| 5.5 | Elizabeth I to Frances (Howard) Seymour, Countess of Hertford (November 1595) / Nely Keinanen | 205 |
| 5.6 | Lettice Gawdy to her father Sir Robert Knollys (c. 1620) / Minna Nevala | 208 |
| 5.7 | Elizabeth (Tanfield) Cary, Viscountess Falkland, to Susan (Villiers) Fielding, Countess of Denbigh (c. December 1626) / Heather Wolfe | 211 |
| 5.8 | Eleanor Davies (Lady Douglas) to her daughter Lucy Hastings (7 December 1629) / Mark Houlahan | 215 |
| 5.9 | Katherine (Sprakeling) Oxinden to her son Henry Oxinden (14 January 1636) / Minna Palander-Collin | 218 |
| 5.10 | Mary (Mildmay) Fane, Countess of Westmorland, to Secretary of State Windebanke (6 May 1639) / Gerald W. Morton | 221 |
| 5.11 | Elizabeth Richardson, Baroness Cramond, Autograph dedicatory epistle to Sir Edward Dering, A Ladies Legacie to her Daughters (1645) / Roxanne Harde | 225 |
| 5.12 | Dorothy Osborne to William Temple (1652-4) / Carrie Hintz | 228 |
| 5.13 | Anne (Finch) Conway, Viscountess Conway, to Henry More (28 November 1660) / Sarah Hutton | 232 |
| 5.14 | Mary (Jepp) Clarke to her husband Edward (6 January 1695-96) / Sara Mendelson | 235 |
| Ch. 6 | Life-writing: Nonfiction and Fiction | 241 |
| 6.1 | Frances Matthew, "The birthe of all my children" (1583-1629) / Jane Bird | 247 |
| 6.2 | Elizabeth Southwell (Dudley), "A True Relation of what succeeded at the sickness and death of Queen Elizabeth" (1607) / Catherine Loomis | 250 |
| 6.3 | Grace (Sherrington) Lady Mildmay, "The Autobiography of Grace Lady Mildmay" (1617-20) / Randall Martin | 253 |
| 6.4 | Elizabeth (Tanfield) Cary, Viscountess Falkland, The History of the Life, Reign, and Death of Edward II (1627-28; pub. 1860) / Randall Martin | 256 |
| 6.5 | Martha Moulsworth, "The Memorandum of Martha Moulsworth, Widdowe" (1632) / Eric Sterling | 258 |
| 6.6 | Anne or Lucy Cary, "Lady Falkland: Her Life" (c. 1645) / Kristin Lucas | 262 |
| 6.7 | Joyce Jefferies, spinster, Financial Diary (1638-49) / Robert Tittler | 265 |
| 6.8 | Mary Penington, "An account left by my dear mother Mary Penington of her Exercises from her Childhood till her convincement," transcribed by her son John Penington (1655-1710) / Marie Loughlin | 272 |
| 6.9 | Elizabeth With of Woodbridge, Elizabeth Fools Warning (1659) / Robert C. Evans | 277 |
| 6.10 | Lady Anne Clifford, Countess Dowager of Dorset, Pembroke and Montgomery, "Lives of the Lady Anne Clifford, Countess of Dorset, Pembroke and Montgomery (1590-1676) and of her parents, summarized by herself" / Heather Easterling | 280 |
| 6.11 | Lucy (Apsley) Hutchinson, "The Memoirs of the Life of Colonel Hutchinson" (c. 1664) / Mark Houlahan | 283 |
| 6.12 | Agnes Beaumont, "Divine Appearances. Or A very Wonderfull Account of the Dealings of God with Mrs. Agnes Beamount ... written by her self" (c. 1674) / Kathleen Lynch | 286 |
| 6.13 | Elizabeth Freke, "Elizabeth Frek Her Book" (1705) / Aki Beam, Daniel Woolf | 288 |
| 6.14 | Lady Mary (Sidney) Wroth, Title page, Urania (1621) / Julie D. Campbell | 294 |
| 6.15 | Lady Mary (Sidney) Wroth, Last page of Part 1, Urania (1621) / Julie D. Campbell | 297 |
| 6.16 | Lady Mary (Sidney) Wroth, Pamphilia to Amphilanthus, appended to Urania (1621) / Naomi J. Miller | 300 |
| 6.17 | Lady Hester Pulter, "The Unfortunate Florinda" (c. 1660) / Sarah Ross | 302 |
| 6.18 | Mary Carleton, The case of Madam Mary Carleton, lately stiled the German Princess (1663) / Brooke Stafford | 305 |
| 6.19 | Aphra Behn, Love-Letters Between a Nobleman and His Sister (1684) / Francis Steen | 308 |
| 6.20 | Aphra Behn, Dedication, Oroonoko (1688) / Deborah Uman | 310 |
| Ch. 7 | Translations / Alterations | 317 |
| 7.1 | Stanzas from Thynne's 1532 edition of Chaucer's Workes belonging to the debate about women, copied into the Devonshire Manuscript (c. 1530-1545) / Elizabeth Heale | 323 |
| 7.2 | Jane, Lady Lumley, Euripides' Iphigenia at Aulis (c. 1554) / Stephanie Hodgson-Wright | 326 |
| 7.3 | Anne (Cooke), Lady Bacon, John Jewel's An apologie or answere in defence of the Churche of Englande (1564) / Elaine Beilin | 330 |
| 7.4 | Margaret Tyler, Dedication, The Mirrour of Princely Deeds and Knighthood (1578) / Jane Farnsworth | 332 |
| 7.5 | Mary (Sidney) Herbert, Countess of Pembroke, Antonius (1592) / Joan Curbet | 334 |
| 7.6 | Lady Anne Southwell, Commonplace book entry on Ralegh's "The Lie" (after 1592) / Victoria Burke | 336 |
| 7.7 | Ann Bowyer, Commonplace book entry on Ralegh's "The Lic" (after 1592) / Victoria Burke | 340 |
| 7.8 | Dame Alice L'Estrange and Lady Hobert in "Merry Passages and Jeasts," collected by Sir Nicholas Le Strange (c. 1650) / Pamela Allen Brown | 343 |
| 7.9 | Katherine (Fowler) Philips, Pompey, a Tragedy (1663) / Marguerite Corporaal | 347 |
| 7.10 | Aphra Behn, Fontenelle's A Discovery of New Worlds (1688) / Lisa Schnell | 350 |
| 7.11 | Aphra Behn, Cowley's Of Plants. Book VI. "Of trees" (1689) / Deborah Uman | 352 |
| 7.12 | Anne (Finch), Viscountess Conway, The Principles of the most Ancient and Modern Philosophy (Latin translation, 1690; translated back into English, 1692, by an unknown hand) / Kristin Downey | 354 |
| Ch. 8 | Poetry | 359 |
| 8.1 | Anne Locke, Preface, A Meditation of a Penitent Sinner: Written in Maner of a Paraphrase upon the 51. Psalme of David (1560) / John Ottenhoff | 364 |
| 8.2 | Isabella Whitney, The Copy of a Letter (1567) / Linda Vecchi | 367 |
| 8.3 | Queen Elizabeth I, "The doubt of future foes" (c. 1570; pub. 1589) / Nely Keinanen | 370 |
| 8.4 | Anne Dowriche, The French Historie (1589) / Randall Martin | 372 |
| 8.5 | Aemilia Lanyer, Salve Deus Rex Judaeorum (1611) / Mary Silcox | 374 |
| 8.6 | Rachel Speght, Mortalities Memorandum, with a Dreame Prefixed, imaginarie in manner; reall in matter (1621) / Christina Luckyj | 376 |
| 8.7 | Mary (Sidney) Herbert, Countess of Pembroke, "To the Angell Spirit of the most excellent, Sir Phillip Sidney" (1623) / Deborah Uman | 378 |
| 8.8 | Diana Primrose, A chaine of pearle (1630) / Jane Farnsworth | 380 |
| 8.9 | Alice Sutcliffe, "Of our losse by Adam," Meditations of man's mortalitie (1634) / Darcy Maynard | 382 |
| 8.10 | Anonymous, "Wings my Doves you have now obtain'd," Eliza's Babes (1652) / L. E. Semler | 384 |
| 8.11 | An Collins, "A Song composed in time of the Civil Warr, when the wicked did much insult over the godly," Divine Songs and Meditacions (1653) / W. Scott Howard | 386 |
| 8.12 | Lady Hester Pulter, "Then if your Husbands rant it high and Game" (1640-65) / Sarah Ross | 389 |
| 8.13 | Rachel Jevon, Exultationis carmen (1660) / Joseph Crowley | 392 |
| 8.14 | Katherine (Fowler) Philips, Epitaph on her mother-in-law (1667) / Robert C. Evans | 395 |
| 8.15 | Philo-Philippa, "To the Excellent Orinda" (1667) / Robert C. Evans | 398 |
| 8.16 | Anne Bradstreet, "The Author to her Book," Several Poems (1678) / Margaret Thickstun | 400 |
| 8.17 | Ephelia, A Poem as it was Presented To His Sacred Majesty, On the Discovery of the Popish Plott (1679) / Maureen E. Mulvihill | 402 |
| 8.18 | Aphra Behn, "Young Jemmy" (1681) / Francis F. Steen | 404 |
| 8.19 | Sarah Fyge (Egerton), The female advocate: or, An Answer to a late satryr against the pride, lust and inconstancy, & c. of woman (1686) / Robert C. Evans | 406 |
