A Medieval Woman's Mirror of Honor: The

This is the sequel to the classic Book of the City of Ladies. A medieval instruction book for women of all classes -- from peasant to princess -- it provides a firsthand glimpse into how women of the Middle Ages lived.

Christine de Pizan (1364-1429?) was France's first professional woman of letters. She wrote more than twenty distinguished works, most concerning the political life of France or the defense of women. Her Book of the City of Ladies has attained the stature of a world classic Charity Cannon Willard is widely acknowledged as the foremost scholar of Christine de Pizan. She is the author of Christine de Pizan: Her Life and Works and the editor of Selected Writings of Christine de Pizan Madeleine Pelner Cosman is Director of the Institute for Medieval and Renaissance Studies at City College, City University of New York and the author of many books on medieval culture, medicine, and law

Acknowledgments

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Christine de Pizan's Well-Tempered Feminism An Essay

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Madeleine Pelner Cosman

Christine de Pizan's Advice to Women An Essay

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Charity Cannon Willard

A Note on the Text

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Illustrations

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A Medieval Woman's Mirror of Honor: The Treasury of the City of Ladies

BOOK I

69

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1. The first chapter, which tells how the Virtues, by whose command Christine had composed and compiled The Book of the City of Ladies, appeared once more and commissioned her to write this present book.

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2. Wherein it tells how the three Virtues exhort all princesses and great ladies to come to their college, where the first and basic teaching is to love and fear Our Lord.

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3. Wherein the sort of temptations which can assail a great princess are described.

72

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4. Which tells how the good princess who loves and fears Our Lord can resist temptation through divine inspiration.

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5. Where the helpful advice and knowledge which come to a good princess through the love and fear of Our Lord are set forth.

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6. Which describes the two holy ways, the contemplative and the active.

79

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7. Here is set forth the way the good princess, counseled by God, will decide to follow.

81

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8. Which shows how the good princess wishes to attract virtue to her.

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9. Wherein it is explained how the good and wise princess will attempt to make peace between the prince and his barons if there is any difficulty between them.

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10. Which speaks of the paths of devout charity which are to be followed by a good princess.

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11. Which begins to expound the moral teachings which Worldly Prudence will give the princess.

90

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12. Wherein is described the lifestyle of the wise princess according to the admonitions of Prudence.

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13. Here begins the discussion of Prudence's six principal teachings which should be observed by every princess who loves and desires honor. The first of these concerns her lord and master.

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14. Which sets forth Prudence's second teaching: The way in which the princess will conduct herself toward her lord's relatives.

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15. Which sets forth Prudence's third teaching: How a wise princess will carefully arrange the upbringing of her children.

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16. Which speaks of Prudence's fourth teaching: How the princess will maintain a discreet manner even toward those whom she well knows do not like her and are envious of her.

104

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17. Which sets forth Prudence's fifth teaching: How the wise princess will try to be in the good graces and the kind thoughts of all her subjects.

107

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18. Which prescribes the sixth teaching of Prudence: How the wise princess will organize the women of her court.

112

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19. Which sets forth the seventh teaching: How the wise princess will oversee her revenues, and how her finances will be managed, and which speaks of the state of her court.

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20. Which explains how the gifts and largesse of the wise princess should be distributed.

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21. Which discusses what excuses are suitable for the good princess who for some reason cannot put into practice the precepts set forth in this book.

117

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22. Which speaks of the government of a wise princess who is widowed.

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23. Concerning the same, but especially young widowed princesses.

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24. Wherein it speaks of the supervision which should be provided for the newly-married young princess.

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25. Which teaches the manners which the wise lady who has charge of a young princess should observe to keep her mistress in good repute and in her lord's affections.

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26. Which tells of the young noble lady who might wish to stray into illicit love, and the teaching which Prudence gives to her governess.

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27. Hereafter follows the letter that the wise lady may send to her mistress.

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BOOK II

149

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1. This first chapter tells how the three Virtues, Reason, Rectitude, and Justice, summarize briefly what has been said thus far.

149

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2. Wherein it speaks of four points, two which are to be observed, the other two to be avoided.

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3. Which discusses the second point, also good for women to remember, which is that they should avoid certain sorts of acquaintances.

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4. Which sets forth the third point (the first of the two which are to be avoided), which is to say the envy reigning at court and how it affects women who are living there.

157

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5. Which speaks further on the same subject, explaining to women of the court how they may harbor the vice of envy.

158

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6. Which speaks of the fourth point, the second of those to be avoided. It tells how women of the court should be careful to avoid telling falsehoods; whence these falsehoods come; and for what reason.

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7. Concerning the same, and how women at court should guard against speaking ill of their mistress.

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8. Which tells how unsuitable it is for women at court to talk about each other and to say unkind things.

166

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9. Which speaks of the lady baronesses and the sort of knowledge which may be useful to them.

168

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10. Which explains how ladies and demoiselles who live on their lands should conduct themselves with respect to their households.

170

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11. Which speaks of those who are extravagant in their dress, headgear, and other ornaments.

174

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12. Which speaks against the pride of certain women.

176

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13. Which speaks of the manners suitable to women in religious orders.

179

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BOOK III

185

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1. The first chapter explains how all that has already been said can apply to some women as well as to others, and it speaks of the kind of management a woman of position should observe in her household.

185

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2. How women of property and city women should be suitably dressed, and how they should protect themselves against those who would deceive them.

189

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3. Wherein it speaks of the wives of merchants.

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4. Which speaks of widows young and old.

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5. Which concerns unmarried girls.

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6. Which discusses how older women should conduct themselves toward younger women and what customs they should observe.

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7. How young women should conduct themselves toward their elders.

206

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8. Which speaks of artisans' wives and how they should conduct themselves.

209

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9. Which speaks to women servants and chambermaids.

211

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10. Which speaks of the instruction of women of light morals.

214

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11. Which speaks in praise of honest and chaste women.

217

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12. Which speaks to the wives of laborers.

219

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13. Which speaks of the situation of the poor.

221

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14. Conclusion and end of this present book.

224

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Glossary

227

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Bibliography

261

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A Medieval Woman's Mirror of Honor: The Treasury of the City of Ladies

Summary

Author Biography

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials