Le Livre de la Cité des Dames
Book 1.
Here begins the Book of the City of the Ladies.
Chapter 1.
The first chapter speaks about the reasons and the motive why this book was written.
One day as I was sitting alone in my study surrounded by books on all kinds of subjects, devoting myself to literary studies, my usual habit, my mind dwelt at length on the weighty opinions of various authors whom I had studied for a long time. I looked up from my book, having decided to leave such subtle questions in peace and to relax by reading some small book. By chance a strange volume came into my hands, not one of my own, but one which had been given to me along with some others. When I held it open and saw its title page that it was by Mathéolus, I smiled, for though I had never seen it before, I had often heard that like books it discussed respect for women. I thought I would browse through it to amuse myself. I had not been reading for very long when my good mother called me to refresh myself with some supper, for it was evening. Intending to look at it the next day, I put it down. The next morning, again seated in my study as was my habit, I remembered wanting to examine this book by Mathéolus. I started to read it and went on for a little while. Because the subject seemed to me not very pleasant for people who do not enjoy lies, and of no use in developing virtue or manners, given its lack of integrity in diction and theme, and after browsing here and there and reading the end, I put it down in order to turn my attention to more elevated and useful study. But just the sight of this book, even though it was of no authority, made me wonder how it happened that so many different men – and learned men among them – have been and are so inclined to express both in speaking and in their treatises and writings so many wicked insults about women and their behaviour. Not only one or two and not even just this Mathéolus (for this book had a bad name anyways and was intended as a satire) but, more generally, from the treatises of all philosophers and poets and from all the orators – it would take too long to mention their names – it seems that they all speak from one and the same mouth. Thinking deeply about these matters, I began to examine my character and conduct as a natural woman and, similarly, I considered other women whose company I frequently kept, princesses, great ladies, women of the middle and lower classes, who had graciously told me of their most private and intimate thoughts, hoping that I could judge impartially and in good conscience whether the testimony of so many notable men could be true. To the best of my knowledge, no matter how long I confronted or dissected the problem, I could not see or realise how their claims could be true when compared to the natural behaviour and character of women. Yet I still argued vehemently against women, saying that it would be impossible that so many famous men – such solemn scholars, possessed of such deep and great understanding, so clear-sighted in all things, as it seemed – could have spoken falsely on so many occasions that I could hardly find a book on morals where, even before I had read it in its entirety, I did not find several chapters or certain sections attacking women, no matter who the author was. This reason alone, in short, made me conclude that, although my intellect did not perceive my own great faults and, likewise, those of other women because of its simpleness and ignorance, it was however truly fitting that such was the case. And so I relied more on the judgement of others than on what I myself felt and knew. I was so transfixed in this line of thinking for such a long time that it seemed as if I were in a stupor. Like a gushing fountain, a series of authorities, whom I recalled one after another, came to mind, along with their opinions on this topic. And I finally decided that God formed a vile creature when He made woman, and I wondered how such a worthy artisan could have designed to make such an abominable work which, from what they say, is the vessel as well as the refuge and abode of every evil and vice. As I was thinking this, a great unhappiness and sadness welled up in my heart, for I detested myself and the entire feminine sex, as though we were monstrosities in nature and in my lament I spoke these words:
"Oh, God, how can this be? For unless I stray from my faith, I must never doubt that your infinite wisdom and most perfect goodness ever created anything which was not good. Did You yourself not create woman in a very special way and since that time did You not give her all those inclinations which it please You for her to have? And how could it be that You could go wrong in anything? Yet look at all these accusations which have been judged, decided, and concluded against women. I do not know how to understand this repugnance. If it is so, fair Lord God, that in fact so many abominations abound in the female sex, for You Yourself say that the testimony of two or three witnesses lends credence, why shall I not doubt that this is true? Alas, God, why did You not let me be born in the world as a man, so that all my inclinations would be to serve You better, and so that I would not stray in anything and would be as perfect as a man is said to be? But since Your kindness has not been extended to me, then forgive my negligence in Your service, most fair Lord God, and may it not displease You, for the servant who receives fewer gifts from his lord is less obliged in his service." I spoke these words to God in my lament and a great deal more for a very long time in sad reflections, and in my folly considered myself most unfortunate because God had made me inhabit a female body in this world.
Chapter 3.
Here Christine speaks of how Lady Reason explained to her their purpose and announced to her that she was to build a city with the help of these three ladies.
"[W]e have come to vanquish from the world the same error into which you had fallen, so that from now on, ladies and all valiant women may have a refuge and defence against the various assailants, those ladies who have been abandoned for so long, exposed like a field without a surrounding hedge, without finding a champion to afford them an adequate defence, notwithstanding those noble men who are required by order of law to protect them, who by negligence and apathy have allowed them to be mistreated. It is no wonder then that their jealous enemies, those outrageous villains who have assailed them with various weapons, have been victorious in a war in which women have had no defence. Where is there a city so strong which could not be taken immediately if no resistance were forthcoming, or the law case, no matter how unjust, which was not won through the obstinance of someone pleading without opposition? And the simple, noble ladies, following the example of suffering god commands, have cheerfully suffered the great attacks which, both in the spoken and the written word, have been wrongfully and sinfully perpetrated against women by men who all the while appealed to God for the right to do so. Now it is time for their just cause to be taken from Pharaoh's hands, and for this reason, we three ladies who you see here [i.e., Lady Reason, Lady Rectitude, and Lady Justice], moved by pity, have come to you to announce a particular edifice built like a city wall, strongly constructed and well founded, which has been predestined and established by our aid and counsel for you to build, where no one will reside except all ladies of fame and women worthy of praise, for the walls of the city will be closed to those women who lack virtue.
Chapter 9.
This is about the questions Christine asked Lady Reason, and how Lady Reason responded.
"I know another small book in Latin, my lady, called the Secreta Mulierum, The Secrets of Women, which discusses the constitution of their natural bodies and especially their great defects."
She replied, "You can see for yourself without further proof, this book was written carelessly and coloured by hypocrisy, for if you, have looked at it, you know that it is obviously a treatise composed of lies. Although some say that it was written by Aristotle, it is not believable that such a philosopher could be charged with such contrived lies. For since women can clearly know with proof that certain things which he treats are not at all true, but pure fabrications, they can also conclude that the other details which he handles are outright lies. But don't you remember that he says in the beginning that some pope – I don't know which one – excommunicated every man who read the work to a woman or gave it to a woman to read?"
"My lady, I remember it well."
"Do you know the malicious reason why this lie was presented as credible to bestial and ignorant men at the beginning of the book?"
"No, my lady, not unless you tell me."
"It was done so that women would not know about the book and its contents, because the man who wrote it knew that if women read it or heard it read aloud, they would know it was lies, would contradict it, and make fun of it. With this pretence the author wanted to trick and deceive the men who read it."
"My lady, I recall that among other things, after he has discussed the impotence and weakness which cause the formation of a feminine body in the womb of the mother, he says that Nature is completely ashamed when she sees that she has formed such a body, as though it were something imperfect."
"But, sweet friend, don't you see the overweening madness, the irrational blindness which prompt such observations? Is Nature, the chambermaid of God, a greater mistress than her master, almighty God – from whom comes such authority, who, when He willed, took the form of man and women from His thought when it came to His holy will to form Adam from the mud of the ground in the field of Damascus and, once created, brought him into the Terrestrial Paradise which was and is the most worthy place in this world here below? There Adam slept, and God formed the body of woman from one of his ribs, signifying that she should stand at his side as a companion and never lie at his feet like a slave, and also that he should love her as his own flesh. If the Supreme Craftsman was not ashamed to create and form the feminine body, would Nature then have been ashamed? It is the height of folly to say this! Indeed, how was she formed? I don't know if you have already noted this: she was created in the image of God. How can any mouth dare to slander the vessel which bears such a noble imprint? But some men are foolish enough to think, when they hear that God made man in His image, that this refers to the material body. This was not the case, for God had not yet taken a human body. The soul is meant, the intellectual spirit which lasts eternally Just like the Deity. God created the soul and placed wholly similar souls, equally good and noble in the feminine and in the masculine bodies. Now, to turn to the question of the creation of the body, woman was made by the Supreme Craftsman. In what place was she created? In the Terrestrial Paradise. From what substance? Was it vile matter? No, it was the noblest substance which had ever been created: it was from the body of man from which God made woman."
"My lady, according to what I understand from you, woman is a most noble creature. But even so, Cicero says that a man should never serve any woman and that he who does so debases himself, for no man should ever serve anyone lower than him."
She replied, "The man or the woman in whom resides greater virtue is the higher; neither the loftiness nor the lowliness of a person lies in the body according to the sex, but in the perfection of conduct and virtues. And surely he is happy who serves the Virgin, who is above all the angels."
"My lady, one of the Catos – who was such a great orator – said, nevertheless, that if this world were without women, we would converse with the gods."
She replied, "You can now see the foolishness of the man who is considered wise, because, thanks to a woman, man reigns with God. And if anyone would say that man was banished because of Lady Eve, I tell you that he gained more through Mary than he lost through Eve when humanity was conjoined to the Godhead, which would never have taken place if Eve's misdeed had not occurred. Thus man and woman should be glad for this sin, through which such an honour has come about. For as low as human nature fell through this creature woman, was human nature lifted higher by this same creature. And as for conversing with the gods, as this Cato has said, if there had been no woman, he spoke truer than he knew, for he was a pagan, and among those of this belief, gods were thought to reside in Hell as well as in Heaven, that is, the devils whom they called the gods of Hell – so that it is no lie that these gods would have conversed with men, if Mary had not lived."
Chapter 10.
More of the same exchanges and answers.
"My lady, men have burdened me with a heavy charge taken from a Latin proverb, which runs, 'God made women to speak, weep, and sew, which they use to attack women."
"Indeed, sweet friend, she replied, "this proverb is so true that it cannot be held against whoever believes or says it. Early on, God placed these qualities in those women who have saved themselves by speaking, weeping, and sewing. And in answer to those who attack women for their habit of weeping, I tell you that if our Lord Jesus Christ – from whom no thought is hidden and who sees and knows every heart – had believed that women's tears come only from weakness and simple-mindedness, the dignity of His most great Highness would never have been so inclined through compassion to shed tears Himself from the eyes of His worthy and glorious body when He saw Mary Magdalene and her sister Martha weep for their dead brother Lazarus the leper and then to resurrect him. What special favours has God bestowed on women because of their tears! He did not despise the tears of Mary Magdalene, but accepted them and forgave her sins, and through the merits of those tears she is in glory in Heaven. Similarly, He did not reject the tears of the widow who wept as she followed the corpse of her only son as it was being carried away for burial. And our Lord, the fountain of all pity, moved to compassion by her tears as He saw her weep, asked her, 'Woman, why do you weep?' and then brought her child back to life. God has performed other miracles, which are found in the Holy Scriptures and would take too long to relate, on behalf of many women because of their tears, and continues to do so, for I believe that many women, as well as others for whom they pray, are saved by the tears of their devotion. Was not Saint Augustine, the glorious Doctor of the Church, converted to the Faith by his mother's tears? For the good woman wept continuously, praying to God that it would please Him to illuminate the heart of her pagan, unbelieving son with the light of faith. Saint Ambrose, to whom the holy lady often went to ask that he pray to God on behalf of her son, told her for this reason, 'Woman, I believe it is impossible that so many tears could be shed in vain.' O blessed Ambrose who did not think that women's tears were frivolous! And this might answer those men who attack women so much, because thanks to a woman's tears does this holy luminary, Saint Augustine, stand at the fore of the Holy Church which he completely brightens and illuminates. Therefore, let men stop talking about this question.
"Similarly, God endowed women with the faculty of speech – may He be praised for it – for had He not done so, they would be speechless. But in refutation of what this proverb says, (which someone, I don't know who, invented deliberately to attack them), if women's language had been so blameworthy and of such small authority, as some men argue, our Lord Jesus Christ would never have deigned to wish that so worthy a mystery as His most gracious resurrection be first announced by a woman, just as He commanded the blessed Magdalene, to whom He first appeared on Easter, to report and announce it to His apostles and to Peter. Blessed God, may you be praised, who, among the other infinite boons and favours which You have bestowed upon the feminine sex, desired that woman carry such lofty and worthy news."
"All those who are jealous of me would do best to be silent if they had any real my lady," I said, "but I smile at the folly which some men have expressed and I even remember that I heard some foolish preachers teach that God first appeared to a woman because He knew well that she did not know how to keep quiet so that this way the news of His resurrection would be spread more rapidly."
She answered, "My daughter, you have spoken well when you call them fools who said this. It is not enough for them to attack women. They impute even to Jesus Christ such blasphemy, as if to say that He wished to reveal this great perfection and dignity through a vice. I do not know how a man could dare to say this, even in jest, as God should not be brought in on such joking matters. But as for the first question, regarding talking – in fact it was fortunate for the woman from Canaan who was so great a talker and who would not stop yelling and howling after Jesus Christ as she followed Him through the streets of Jerusalem, crying, 'Have mercy on me, Lord, for my daughter is sick.' And what did the good Lord do? He in whom all mercy abounded and abounds and from whom a single word from the heart sufficed for Him to show mercy! He seemed to take pleasure in the many words pouring from the mouth of this woman ever perseverant in her prayer. But why did He act like this? In order to test her constancy, for when He compared her to the dogs – which seemed a little harsh because she followed a foreign cult and not that of God – she was not ashamed to speak both well and wisely when she replied, 'Sire, that is most true, but the little dogs live from the crumbs from their master's table.' 'O most wise woman, who taught you to speak this way? You have won your cause through your prudent language which stems from your good will.' And one could clearly see this, for our Lord, turning to His Apostles, testified from His mouth that He had never found such faith in all of Israel and granted her request. Who could sufficiently sum up this honour paid to the feminine sex which the jealous despise, considering that in the heart of this little bit of a pagan woman God found more faith than in all the bishops, princes, priests, and all the people of the Jews, who called themselves the worthy people of God? In this manner, at equal length and with great eloquence, the Samaritan woman spoke well on her own behalf when she went to the well to draw water and met Jesus Christ sitting there completely exhausted. 0 blessed Godhead conjoined to this worthy body! How could You allow Your holy mouth to speak at such length for the sake of this little bit of a woman and a sinner who did not even live under Your Law? You truly demonstrated that You did not in the least disdain the pious sex of women. God, how often would our contemporary pontiffs deign to discuss anything with some simple little woman, let alone her own salvation?"
"Nor did the woman who sat through Christ's sermon speak less wisely. For she was so fired up by His holy words that – as they say, women can never keep quiet – she then fortunately spoke the words which are solemnly recorded in the Gospel, which she loudly pronounced after having stood up through great force of will, 'Blessed is the womb which bore You and the breasts which You sucked.'"
"Thus you can understand, fair sweet friend, God has demonstrated that He has truly placed language in women's mouths so that He might be thereby served. They should not be blamed for that from which issues so much good and so little evil, for one rarely observes that great harm comes from their language."
"As for sewing, truly has God desired that this be natural for women, for it is an occupation necessary for divine service and for the benefit of every reasonable creature. Without this work, the world's estates would be maintained in great chaos. Therefore it is a great wickedness to reproach women for what should redound to their great credit, honour, and praise."
Chapter 11.
Christine asks Lady Reason why it is that women do not sit and hear pleadings and arguments.
"Very high and honoured Lady, your beautiful reasons very largely satisfy my thoughts. But tell me also, if it pleases you, the truth why it is that women do not plead in the courts of justice nor find facts nor pronounce judgements, for these men say that it is because some woman, I don't know who, sat in justice and handled it poorly."
"Daughter, these are frivolous and wickedly invented things that are said about her, but if you wanted to ask the causes and reasons of all things, there would be too much to answer; even Aristotle, no matter how much he speaks about it in his book of Problems or that of Proprieties, could not satisfy this. But as for this question, fair friend, you could as well ask why God did not also order that men do women's work if he ordered women to do men's work. The answer to this question is that a wise ruler orders and establishes his affairs so that different tasks are taken care of the one by one person, the other one by another person, and what one does, the other one does not do. Similarly, God has established man and woman to serve him in different ways, and so that they help, comfort and accompany each other, each does what is given to them to do, and to each sex He has given such a nature and inclination as befits and becomes their duties. As humans often fail in their duties, He has given to men very strong bodies so they can go and come, and speak strongly, and therefore, men who have this nature learn the laws and do their duty by keeping the world in a just order. And in the event that nobody wants to obey the laws they have established, they ensure that those laws are obeyed by their physical strength and by armed forces, whose use is not given to women, who, however great understanding God may have given them – and however many there may be – nevertheless for the honesty to which they are inclined, would not be fit to be seen sitting in judgement like men, for there are already enough who are. Why would one send three men to lift a bundle that two can easily carry?
"But if anyone wanted to say that women didn't have enough understanding to learn the law, the contrary is shown by the evidence that has been and is still being given of several women, of whom hereafter shall be spoken, who were very great philosophers and learned even more difficult and higher sciences than those of the laws written and established by men. And against those who would want to propose that women have not the natural sense to make policy and govern, I will give you the example of several great female rulers of the past. And I will even tell you about some women from your own time, so that you can better see the truth of my words; women who became widows, whose good government, in all their affairs after the death of their husbands, manifestly prooves that a woman with understanding is fit to do anything."
Chapter 14.
More exchanges and arguments between Christine and Lady Reason.
"Certainly, my Lady, you speak well and my spirit is much in accord with your reasons. But no matter how much they are in agreement, it is proven that women have a weak body, tender and unable to exhibit strength, and are naturally timid. And these things in the men's judgement much diminish the weight and the autority of the female sex, for they say that inasmuch as a body lacks perfection in something, so to is lowered and diminished its virtue and consequently it has lesser weight."
Response: "Dear daughter, this conclusion is not valid and not sustainable. For without fail one often sees that if Nature has refrained from giving something to a body that she had made with as great perfection as any other, if she has made it imperfect or deformed in any way, or in its beauty or in any weakness or feebleness of its members, she has compensated it by giving it another gift, bigger than the one she has withheld. For example, it is said about the great philosopher Aristotle that he was ugly, having one eye that sat lower than the other one, and a strange physiognomy, but if his body had any shortcomings, Nature truly compensated him greatly in his understanding and his senses, as is obvious from his own writings. This compensation of a great mind was more valuable to him than if he had had the body of Absalom.
"Similarly, one can say of the great emperor Alexander that he was very ugly, small and of a narrow chest, and nevertheless his courage gave him so much obvious virtue. And so it is with many others. If you consider, fair friend, that a big and strong body does not also give a person a virtuous and strong spirit, so, too, comes from virtue a natural strength given by God, who concedes to Nature to make some men more reasonable than others, and permits that another's impulse is curtailed in the understanding or the spirit and not in the strength of his body and its members. We often see great and strong men fail and be vanquished by others who are small and weak of body, but firm and strong of disposition, and so, too, it is with other virtues, but as far as the firmness and strength of the body is concerned, God (and Nature) has done enough for women by not giving them strength. For at the very least they are, because of this convenient defect, free from the charge of committing horrible cruelties, such as the murders and great and grievous extortions which their strength has made and continues to make some men commit in this world. If these cases are not punished as is required, it is and would have been better for the souls of some stronger men to spend their pilgrimage in this world in a female and feeble body. And indeed I say and return to my proposition that if Nature has not given great strength of bodily members to women, she has well compensated them in inclination and virtuous disposition, such as in loving their God and following His commandments; and those who are disposed otherwise are unnatural.
"But see nevertheless, dear friend, how it seems that God still wanted to show to men that, even if women are not all as strong and firm of body as men generally are, they shall not say or believe that therefore the female sex has no bodily strength and hardiness at all. It is obvious that several women have shown the great courage, strength and firmness to undertake and achieve very hard things, in the same way as did the great holy men, conquerers and knights of whom so great mention is made in treatises, of which I will hereafter give you an example."
Chapter 33.
Christine asks Lady Reason whether there were ever any women who made scientific discoveries heretofore unknown.
I, Christine, concentrating on these explanations of Lady Reason, replied to her regarding this passage: "My lady, I realise that you are able to cite numerous and frequent cases of women learned in the sciences and the arts. But I would then ask you whether you know of any women who, through the strength of emotion and of subtlety of mind and comprehension, have themselves discovered any new arts and sciences which are necessary, good, and profitable, and which had hitherto not been discovered or known. For it is not such a great feat of mastery to study and learn some field of knowledge already discovered by someone else as it is to discover by oneself some new and unknown thing."
She replied, "Rest assured, dear friend, that many noteworthy and great sciences and arts have been discovered through the understanding anbd subtlety of women, both in cognitive speculation, demonstrated in writing, and in the arts, manifested inmanual works of labor. I will give you plenty of examples.
"First I will tell you of the noble Nicostrata whom the Italians call Carmentis. This lady was the daughter of a king of Arcadia, named Pallas. She had a marvelous mind, endowed by God with special gifts of knowledge: she was a great scholar in Greek literature and had such fair and wise speech and venerable eloquence that the contemporary poets who wrote about her imagined she was beloved of the god Mercury. They claimed that a son whom she had with her husband, and who was in his time most learned, was in fact the offspring of this god. Because of certain changes that came about in the land where she lived, this lady left her country in a large boat for the land of Italy, and in her company were her son and a great many people who followed her. She arrived at the river Tiber. Landing there, she proceeded to climb a high hill which she named the Palentine, after her father, where the city of Rome was later funded. Here, this lady and her son and all those who had followed her built a fortress. After discovering that the men of that country were all savages, she wrote certain laws, enjoining them to live in accord with right and reason, following justice. She was the first to institute laws in that country which subsequently became so renowned and from all the statutes of law derive. This lady knew through divine inspiriation and the spirit of prophecy (in which she was remarkably distinguished, in addition to the other graces she possessed) how in time to come this land would be ennobled by excellence and famous over all the countries of the world. Therefore it seemed to her that once the grandeur of the Roman Empire, which would rule the entire world, had been established, it would not be right for the Romans to use the strange inferior letters and characters of another country. Moreover, in order to show forth her wisdom and the excellence of her mind to the centuries to come, she worked and studied so hard that she invented her own letters, which were completely different from those of other nations, that is, she established the Latin alphabet and syntax, spelling, the difference between vowels and consonants, as well as a complete introduction to the science of grammar. She gave and taught these letters to the people and wished that they be widely known. This was hardly a minor or unprofitable contribution to learning which this woman invented, nor one for which she merits slight gratitude, for thanks to the subtlety of this teaching and to the great utility and profit which have since accrued to the world, one can say that nothing more worthy in the world was ever invented. The Italians were not ungrateful for this benefit, and rightly so, since for them this discovery was so fantastic that they not only deemed this woman to be greater than any man, but they also considered her a goddess and even honoured her during her lifetime with divine honours. After her death they erected a temple to her, built at the foot of the hill where she had resided. To ensure eternal remembrance of this lady, they used many names taken from the science she had discovered and gave her name to many other things, so that the people of this country even called themselves Latins in honour of the science of Latin developed by this lady. Moreover, because ita, which means oui in French, is the strongest affirmation in Latin, they were not satisfied calling this country the 'Latin land,' but rather they wished that all the country beyond the mountains, which is quite large and contains many diverse countries and dominions, be called Italy. Poems were named carmen in Latin, after this lady, Carmentis, and even the Romans who lived long afterward, called one of the gates of the city of Rome the Carmentalis. Regardless of the prosperity which the Romans enjoyed and the majesty of some of their emperors, the Romans did not change these names, jsut as it is apparent in the present-day since they still survive.
"What more do you want, fair daughter? Can one say anything more solemn about any man born of woman? And do not think for a minute that she was the only woman in the world by whom numerous and varied branches of learning have been discovered!"
Book 2.
Which speaks of how the City of the Ladies was walled, built, and populated.
Chapter 4.
Of several ladies who were prophets.
"But these ... were not the only ladies in the world prophesying thanks to a remarkable gift from God, rather there were a great many others indeed, in all the religions that have been followed. For if you seek in the Jewish religion, you will find many of them, like Deborah, who was a woman prophet during the time when judges ruled over Israel. The people of God were delivered from servitude to the king of Canaan, who had held them as slaves for twenty years, by this Deborah and by her intelligence. Likewise, was not the blessed Elizabeth, cousin of our Lady, a prophet when she declared to the glorious Virgin who had come to see her, 'How does it happen that the Mother of God has come to me?' Yet without the spirit of prophecy Elizabeth would not have known that Mary had conceived of the Holy Spirit, just like Simeon the prophet, to whom our Lady presented Jesus Christ at the altar of the temple during the Feast of Lights. And the holy prophet knew that this was the Saviour of the World and he took the child in his arms when he said, 'Nunc dimittis.' And as soon as the good lady Anna, who was walking through the temple as she performed her duties, saw the Virgin holding her child enter the temple, she knew in her spirit that this was the Saviour, and so she knelt and adored Him and said in a loud voice that this was He who had come to save the world. You will find many other women prophets in the Jewish religion, if you pay attention, and in the Christian religion you will find almost an endless number, along with numerous holy women. But let us proceed beyond these ladies – because one could say that God favoured them with a special boon – and let us speak more about pagan women again. "Holy Scripture mentions that when the queen of Sheba, who was endowed with superior understanding, heard about Solomon, whose fame had spread throughout the world, she desired to see him. For this reason she travelled from the regions of the Orient, from the farthest corner of the world, leaving her country and riding through the lands of Ethiopia and Egypt, accompanied by a distinguished entourage of princes, lords, knights, and noble ladies of high estate and carrying many precious treasures, she arrived in the city of Jerusalem in order to see and visit wise King Solomon and to test and verify what was said about him throughout the world. Solomon received her with great honour, as was fitting, and she spent a long time with him, testing his wisdom in many fields. She put many problems and questions to him, as well as several obscure and cryptic riddles, all of which he solved so well as soon as she would propose them that she declared that he possessed such extraordinary wisdom not because of human wit but thanks to a special gift from God. This lady gave him many precious presents, including the saplings of small trees which product sap and yield balm and which the king had planted near a lake called Allefabter, ordering that they be carefully cultivated and tended there. And the king likewise gave her many precious jewels. "Several writings mention this woman's wisdom and prophecies. They relate that while she was in Jerusalem and Solomon was leading her to see the noble temple which he had had built, she saw a long board lying over a mud puddle which served as a plank to cross this mire. Thereupon, seeing this board, the lady stopped and worshipped it, saying, 'This board, now held in such great contempt and set under foot, will, when the time comes, be honoured above all other pieces of wood in the world and adorned with precious gems from the treasuries of princes. And He who will destroy the law of the Jews will die on the wood of this plank.' The Jews did not take this pronouncement as a joke but removed the board and buried it in a place where they thought it would never be found. But what God wishes to save is well protected, for the Jews did not know how to hide it so well that it was not rediscovered during the time of the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ. And it is said that from this plank the Cross was fashioned upon which our Saviour suffered His death and passion, and thus this lady's prophecy was fulfilled."
Chapter 30.
Christine speaks of the great good that has come into the world and still comes into it daily because of women.
"My lady, I see the endless benefits which have accrued to the world through women and nevertheless these men, claim that there is no evil which has not come into the world because of them."
"Fair friend," she answered, "you can see from what I have already said to you that the contrary of what they say is true. For there is no man who could sum up the enormous benefits which have come about through women and which come about every day, and I proved this for you with the examples of the noble ladies who gave the sciences and arts to the world. But, if what I have said about the earthly benefits accruing thanks to women is not enough for you, I will tell you about the spiritual ones. Oh, how could any man be so heartless to forget that the door of Paradise was opened to him by a woman? As I told you before, it was opened by the Virgin Mary, and is there anything greater one could ask for than that God was made man? And who can forget the great benefits which mothers bring to their sons and which wives bring to their husbands? I implore them at the very least not to forget the advantages which touch upon spiritual good. Let us consider the Law of the Jews. If you recall the story of Moses, to whom God gave the written Law of the Jews, you will find that this holy prophet, through whom so much good has come about, was saved from death by a woman, just as I will tell you."
"In the time when the Jews were in servitude to the kings of Egypt, it was foretold that a man would be born among the Hebrews who would lead the people of Israel out of servitude to these kings. When Moses, that noble leader, was born, his mother, not daring to nurse him, was forced to place him in a small basket and send him downstream. So it happened – according to the will of God who saves whatsoever pleases Him – that Thermutis, the daughter of Pharaoh, was playing on the riverbank at the very moment when the little basket floated by on the water, and she immediately had the basket brought to her in order to find out what was inside. When she saw that it was such a lovely child that a more beautiful child could not be imagined, she was terribly glad. She had him nursed and claimed him as her own, and, because through an oracle he would not take the breast of a woman of a foreign religion, she had him nursed by a Hebrew woman. When Moses, elected by God, was grown, it was he to whom our Lord gave the Law and who delivered the Jews from the hands of the Egyptians, and he passed through the Red Sea and was the leader and guide of the children of Israel. And this great benefit came to the Jews thanks to the woman who saved him."
Chapter 36.
Against those who say that it is not good for women to be educated.
Following these remarks, I, Christine, spoke, "My lady, I realise that women have accomplished many good things and that even if evil women have done evil, it seems to me, nevertheless, that the benefits accrued and still accruing because of good women – particularly the wise and literary ones and those educated in the natural sciences whom I mentioned above – outweigh the evil. Therefore, I am amazed by the opinion of some men who claim that they do not want their daughters, wives, or kinswomen to be educated because their mores would be ruined as a result."
She responded, "Here you can clearly see that not all opinions of men are based on reason and that these men are wrong. For it must not be presumed that mores necessarily grow worse from knowing the moral sciences, which teach the virtues, indeed, there is not the slightest doubt that moral education amends and ennobles them. How could anyone think or believe that whoever follows good teaching or doctrine is the worse for it? Such an opinion cannot be expressed or maintained. I do not mean that it would be good for a man or a woman to study the art of divination or those fields of learning which are forbidden – for the holy Church did not remove them from common use without good reason – but it should not be believed that women are the worse for knowing what is good. Quintus Hortensius, a great rhetorician and consummately skilled orator in Rome, did not share this opinion. He had a daughter, named Hortensia, whom he greatly loved for the subtlety of her wit. He had her learn letters and study the science of rhetoric, which she mastered so thoroughly that she resembled her father Hortensius not only in wit and lively memory but also in her excellent delivery and order of speech – in fact, he surpassed her in nothing. As for the subject discussed above, concerning the good which comes about through women, the benefits realised by this woman and her teaming were, among others, exceptionally remarkable. That is, during the time when Rome was governed by three men, this Hortensia began to support the cause of women and to undertake what no man dared to undertake. There was a question whether certain taxes should be levied on women and on their jewelry during a needy period in Rome. This woman's eloquence was so compelling that she was listened to, no less readily than her father would have been, and she won her case."
"Similarly, to speak of more recent times, without searching for examples in ancient history, Giovanni Andrea, a solenm law professor in Bologna not quite sixty years ago, was not of the opinion that it was bad for women to be educated. He had a fair and good daughter, named Novella, who was educated in the law to such an advanced degree that when he was occupied by some task and not at leisure to present his lectures to his students, he would send Novella, his daughter, in his place to lecture to the students from his chair. And to prevent her beauty from distracting the concentration of her audience, she had a little curtain drawn in front of her. In this manner she could on occasion supplement and lighten her father's occupation. He loved her so much that, to commemorate her name, he wrote a book of remarkable lectures on the law which he entitled Novella super Decretalium, after his daughter's name."
"Thus, not all men (and especially the wisest) share the opinion that it is bad for women to be educated. But it is very true that many foolish men have claimed this because it displeased them that women knew more than they did. Your father, who was a great scientist and philosopher, did not believe that women were worth less by knowing science; rather, as you know, he took great pleasure from seeing your inclination to learning. The feminine opinion of your mother, however, who wished to keep you busy with spinning and silly girlishness, following the common custom of women, was the major obstacle to your being more involved in the sciences. But just as the proverb already mentioned above says, 'No one can take away what Nature has given,' your mother could not hinder in you the feeling for the sciences which you, through natural inclination, had nevertheless gathered together in little droplets. I am sure that, on account of these things, you do not think you are worth less but rather that you consider it a great treasure for yourself; and you doubtless have reason to."
And I, Christine, replied to all of this, "Indeed, my lady, what you say is as true as the Lord's Prayer."
Chapter 47.
Christine speaks of evidence against what is said about the inconstancy of women, and then Lady Rectitude in her answer mentions the inconstancy and frailty of certain emperors.
"My Lady, you certainly tell me about wonderful constancy, strength and virtue and firmness of women, so can one say the same thing about men? And yet, among all the vices that men, and their books too, cry out with one voice that are in women, it is always said that they are changeable and inconstant, fickle and light and of frail spirit, darting about like children, that there is no firmness in them at all. Are men then so constant that any change of mind is entirely outside their habits, or not common to them, that they so accuse women of inconstancy? And surely, if they are not firm, it is ugly of them to accuse another of their own vice or to demand a virtue that they themselves don't possess."
Response: "Fair sweet friend, have you not yet heard the saying that the fool sees well enough a small cut in the face of his neighbour, but he disregards the great gaping one above his own eye? I will show you the great contradiction in what the men say about the changeability and inconstancy of women. It is true that they all generally insist that women are very frail by nature. And since they accuse women of frailty, one would suppose that they themselves take care to maintain a reputation for constancy, or at the very least, that the women are indeed less so than they are themselves. And yet, it is obvious that they demand of women greater constancy than they themselves have, for they who claim to be of this strong and noble condition cannot refrain from a whole number of very great defects and sins, and not out of ignorance, either, but out of pure malice, knowing well how badly they are misbehaving. But all this they excuse in themselves and say that it is in the nature of man to sin, yet if it so happens that any women stray into any misdeed (of which they themselves are the cause by their great power and longhandedness), then it's suddenly all frailty and inconstancy, they claim. But it seems to me that since they do call women frail, they should not support that frailty, and not ascribe to them as a great crime what in themselves they merely consider a little defect. For it is neither the law nor written anywhere else that if they are free to sin, women's vice is any less excusable. But in fact they claim such authority that they do not want to tolerate women, so they do and say, several have suffered much outrage and grievances, nor do they deign to call women strong and constant if they in turn endure their harsh outrages. And so in all respects the men want to be in the right and want both ends of the stick. And of that you have spoken enough in your Letter to the God of Loves.
"But regarding that which you have asked me, whether men are so strong and constant that they have grounds to accuse anyone else of inconstancy, if you look all the way from the ancient times and ages until today, I refer you to the books and to what you have seen in your own age and can see every day with your own eyes, and not among simple men and men of low standing, either. And in the greatest you can see and recognise the perfection, strength, and constancy they have, and see how widespread is for the most part the dire need of wise, constant and strong men.
"And if you want me to give you proof from this time and ancient times to see why, if in men's spirit there truly is neither inconstancy nor fickleness, they so accuse women of this vice, look at the most powerful princes and greatest men, who weigh more than others. What can I tell you about the emperors? I ask you where there was ever such frail spirit in a woman, so much weakness or meanness, or if any was ever less constant than the emperor Claudius? He was so fickle that whatever he ordered at one hour, he despised at another, and never was any firmness found in his words. He agreed with any counsel. He had his wife killed by his own folly and cruelty, and then in the evening he wanted to know why she did not come to bed. And he sent to to his relatives, whose testicles he had had cut off, so that they would come and play with him. He was of so miserable courage that at times he trembled and fled for nothing. What shall I tell you? All bad things pertaining to morals and spirit were in this miserable emperor. But why am I telling you this? Was he the only one in the empire who was so full of frailty? The emperor Tiberius, how much better was he? All inconstancy, all changeability, all fickleness, was there not more of it in him than in any woman?"
Book 3.
Which speaks of how and by whom the high rooftops of the towers were made and which noble ladies were elected to live in [the City's] big palaces and high towers.
Chapter 2.
Of the sisters Holy Mary and Magdalene.
"Now the incomparable Empress [Mary] resides with us, regardless of whether it pleases the malicious slanderers. Her blessed sisters and Mary Magdalene also dwell with her, for they stayed steadfastly with her, next to the Cross, during the entire Passion of her Son. What strong faith and deep love those women possess who did not forsake the Son of God who had been abandoned and deserted by all His Apostles. God has never reproached the love of women as weakness, as some men contend, for He placed the spark of fervent love in the hearts of the blessed Magdalene and of other ladies, indeed His approval of this love is clearly to be seen."
The Three Virtues, or, The Treasury of the city of Ladies
Book 1.
Which is addressed to princesses.
Chapter 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.
If any neighbouring or foreign prince wars for any grievance against her lord, or if her lord wages war against another, the good lady will weigh the odds carefully. She will balance the great ills, infinite cruelties, losses, deaths, and destruction to property and people against the war's outcome, which is usually unpredictable. She will seriously consider whether she can preserve the honour of her lord and yet prevent the war. Working wisely and calling on God's aid, she will strive to maintain peace. So also, if any prince of the realm or the country, or any baron, knight, or powerful subject should hold a grudge against her lord, or if he is involved in any such quarrel and she foresees that for her lord to take a prisoner or make a battle would lead to trouble in the land, she will strive toward peace. ...
Mindful of such terrible possibilities, the good lady will strive to avoid destruction of her people, making peace and urging her lord (the prince) and his council to consider the potential harm inherent in any martial adventure. Furthermore, she must remind him that every good prince should avoid shedding blood, especially that of his subjects. Since making a new war is a grave matter, only long thought and mature deliberation will devise the better way toward the desired result. Thus, always saving both her own honour and her lord's, the good lady will not rest until she has spoken, or has had someone else speak to those who have committed the misdeed in question, alternately soothing and reproving them. While their error is great and the prince's displeasure reasonable, and though he ought to punish them, she would always prefer peace. Therefore, if they would be willing to correct their ways or make suitable amends, she gladly would try to restore them to her lord's good graces.
With such words as these, the good princess will be peacemaker. ... The proper role of a good, wise queen or princess is to maintain peace and concord and to avoid wars and their resulting disasters. Women particularly should concern themselves with peace because men by nature are more foolhardy and headstrong, and their overwhelming desire to avenge themselves prevents them from foreseeing the resulting dangers and terrors of war. But woman by nature is more gentle and circumspect. Therefore, if she has sufficient will and wisdom she can provide the best possible means to pacify man. Solomon speaks of peace in the twenty-fifth chapter of the Book of Proverbs. Gentleness and humility assuage the prince. The gentle tongue (which means the soft word) bends and breaks harshness. So water extinguishes fire's heat by its moisture and chill.
Queens and princesses have greatly benefitted this world by bringing about peace between enemies, between princes and their barons, or between rebellious subjects and their lords. The Scriptures are full of examples. The world has no greater benevolence than a good and wise princess. Fortunate is that land which has one. I have listed as examples many of these wondrous women in The Book of the City of Ladies.
What results from the presence of such a princess? All her subjects who recognise her wisdom and kindness come to her for refuge, not only as their mistress but almost as the goddess on earth in whom they have infinite hope and confidence. Keeping the land in peace and tranquility, she and her works radiate charity.
Chapter 12.
Wherein is described the lifestyle of the wise princess according to the admonitions of Prudence.
... After [morning service], the lady who governs will go to her council on those days when it meets. There she will carry herself with such presence, such bearing, and such a countenance that, seated on her high throne of office, she will indeed appear to be the ruler of them all. Everyone will revere her as a wise mistress of great authority. She will listen diligently to all propositions and to the opinions of everyone present. Carefully remembering the principal points of each problem and the suggested conclusions, she scrupulously will note which members speak the best, with most due consideration, and which offer the finest possible advice. Then she will weigh the wisest, most lively, most honourable opinions. Naturally, she will consider the causes and reasons inspiring the speakers' diversity of opinions, instructing herself on the cause of each effect. When her own time comes for speaking or replying, her reasoning will be so wise that nothing could be further from simplicity or ignorance. Moreover, she will be informed in advance of what will be proposed in the council. Such preparation for important matters by wise advice will permit her to speak and act to her own advantage.
Moreover, the lady will have appointed a certain number of wise gentlemen as advisers, those she knows to be good, intelligent, upright, and free from greed. Greedy retainers shame everyone. The encourages of certain princes and princesses sadly demonstrate that counsellors who are known to be greedy give false advice to the ones they counsel. Those having this defect will not give loyal, dependable advice either for profit of the soul or for honour of the body. Therefore, a prudent lady will test in advance her counsellors' honour and suitability. With them, she then will take counsel daily at a particular hour concerning the duties which she and they must execute.
After this morning session she will go to table, which on certain feast days, or more frequently, will be set in the great hall. There she will be seated among her ladies, handmaidens, and other significant people, each placed according to proper protocol of rank. She will be served the foods befitting her status as ruler, and throughout the meal will maintain the fine old custom of having some worthy man standing by her table to recite poems about ancient deeds of virtuous ancestors, or to tell exemplary tales. Beneficent order will rule the hall. After grace has been offered and the tables removed, she will hold court. Lords, knights, squires, ladies, or strangers who have come to see her, each will she receive correctly, in her customary gracious manner, as one well trained for such duty. She will offer each due honour so that everyone will be content. Speaking politely and showing a cheerful face, she will address the elderly more seriously and the young more gaily. So agreeably will she welcome those coming simply to talk or to hear an entertainment that all will say she is charming and a true lady for all seasons.
After spices have been served at the feast's end, the lady will go to her private apartment. ...
After [vespers], particularly if it is summertime, she will enjoy herself in the garden until suppertime. She will meander here and there for recreation, but if some of her subjects need her, she will welcome them to come in and will listen to their petitions. ...
Yet other pleasures delight ladies, such as hunting, boating on the river, dancing (if they are young), and certain games. I do not prescribe or teach these, preferring to leave them to the discretion and wish of the ladies themselves and their husbands. Such sports and entertainments can be allowed without hesitation to even the most virtuous ladies when time and place are suitable, disporting themselves with moderation, always avoiding excess.
Chapter 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.
All people are not alike; some men and women are so perverse that no matter what good advice and teaching they are given, they will persist in following their foolish or wicked inclinations. Trying to teach them otherwise is a waste of time and will result only in provoking their hatred. Therefore, I will speak here of how the instructor ought to conduct herself if she has in her charge some young princess or noble lady unwilling to profit by wise, good counsel who thus strays into illicit love.
A certain young princess or noble lady might be so deficient in knowledge or constancy that she is unable or unwilling to resist the blandishments of the man making every effort to attract her to his love by various semblances and manners. Men know so well how to do this. The lady who has charge of the princess perceives by various signs and indications that her heart is most susceptible, whatever she may give her governess to understand by her words. Or she might nor even deny it or say the contrary. The older woman will be grieved from the bottom of her heart. But in spite of her mistress's possible resentment or that of anyone else, she will do her duty to admonish her for her own good. Not dissembling or concealing her views, she will not fail to speak to the young woman in private, now kindly, now severely, if she sees her persist. She will remind her of the great evil, peril, and misfortune which could result. She will continue to pursue the matter on the chance that realisation of the truth or the very force of her words will influence her mistress and dissuade her before folly has gone too far. ...
[If her mistress nevertheless persists in the affair,] the good lady, being well advised in all matters, must use every bit of her great knowledge. She will maintain her silence about all this, not speaking further to her mistress of good or evil, nor giving the impression by her face or bearing that she is in any way displeased in her heart. But as soon as she can, by any good way she had prepared for herself in advance when she saw her mistress's intentions change, she will forthwith take leave of the court. With her lord's good will, if possible, or if not she wisely will take care that he does not realise why she wants to leave. If she knows that he would prefer above all to keep her, she will fabricate a reason: illness or age or some weakness or difficulty within her own body.
From the book of The Duke of True Lovers comes the letter Sebile de la Tour is said to have written to her duchess which will be included in the following chapter. Anyone who already has read it may skip it but it is good and profitable for all high-born ladies and any others to whom it might apply.
Here follows the letter that the wise woman may send to her mistress.
It could happen that, following the things described in the previous chapter, the young woman might behave so badly after the departure of her governess that gossip compromises her reputation and spreads so widely that the good wise woman of whom we have spoken, who used to have charge of her but now lives at home, hears about it. She is so saddened that the honour of her mistress, whom she has tried so hard to bring up well and teach, has been compromised, that she will bear it no longer.
Not knowing what to do at first, after a great deal of thought, she finally decides to write, whether the outcome will be good or bad, for sometimes what is written in letters is better remembered and makes a deeper impression on the heart than that which is merely spoken. Therefore she will write and express in her letter the warning she has already often spoken, so that perhaps some good may come of it. The letter will be written in words such as these by a reliable priest and sent to her very secretly:
My very noble lady –
... I have heard rumours about your conduct which make me desperately sad and I fear the loss of your reputation. It seems to me that it is the duty of every princess and high-born lady, excelling in honour and status above all others, to excel in goodness, wisdom, manners, temperament and conduct, so that she can serve as an example on which other ladies and all other women can model their behaviour. Thus it is fitting that she should be devoted to God and have a calm, gentle and tranquil manner, restrained in her amusements and never intemperate. ...
Ah, my dearest lady, take care for heaven's sake! Remember who you are and consider the high position in which God has placed you. Don't allow your soul and your honour to be forgotten for the sake of some foolish pleasure. Don't be deceived by fantasies, as many young women are, leading them to believe that there is no harm in passionate love as long as there is no sinful act – for I am certain that you would rather die than even think of such a thing – and that they can live more happily if they make some man more brave and famous for ever. Nonsense! My dear lady, this is not true. For heaven's sake, don't allow yourself to be deceived. ...
Noble lady, ... I can well understand the reasons which motivate any young woman to be tempted by this kind of love. It is youth, comfort and leisure which can make her say to herself: "You are young, you can enjoy yourself and you can love without doing wrong, for there can be no evil where there is no sin. You will inspire an ordinary man to be fearless. You will have a more happy life and you will acquire a true servant and loyal friend." She may use many other such excuses. Beware, my dear lady! For heaven's sake be careful! Don't let these foolish ideas deceive you. There are a hundred thousand times more griefs, bitter experiences and perilous dangers in such love affairs, especially for the lady, than any prospect of happiness. Such love brings many sorts of troubles; the loss of her honour, should the affair be discovered, is a high price to pay for such pleasure. And to say that there is no evil because there is no sin, alas! My lady, no matter how good her intentions, no one can be sure of herself in such a relationship.
Certainly, if it becomes known, ... the situation becomes impossible; there is no fire without smoke but there is often smoke without fire. And as for saying: "I will inspire a man to be fearless", I say that is great foolishness to destroy oneself to augment another, even assuming he really could be made fearless. She who destroys herself to augment another only dishonours herself. And as for saying: "I will have gained a true friend and servant, dear God! In what way could such a friend serve a lady? If she had any need of him, he would not be able to assist her for fear of dishonouring her; what would be the value of a servant who could not assist her in time of need? But there are those men who say that they serve their ladies in other ways, such as in feats of arms or in other ways. But I say that they are only serving themselves, because the honour and fame belongs to them and not to the lady. ...
And finally, my very respected lady, I must speak of the endless perils and dangers which accompany such love. The first and most important is that it angers God; next, if the husband or his relatives should hear of it, the woman is finished, or she is held in such deep disdain that she can never recover from it. You might suppose that none of these disasters will happen because the lovers are loyal, discreet and truthful. Men usually are not but instead they are untrustworthy, deceiving women by saying what they would never think or do. Also, the ardor of such love does not last long, and this is the case with even the most loyal love. Ah, dear lady, what will you do when this love is over and when the lady who has been blinded by clouds of foolish pleasure begins to be bitterly repentant, remembering the folly and many dangers she has risked; and how she wishes, whatever the cost, that it had never happened and that she had never given cause for such reproach. Surely you can never imagine what great repentance and regret linger in her heart. ...
Most respected lady, what more can I say? Be sure that you may as well try to dig a bottomless pit than recount all the perils of this amorous life. And don't think otherwise, for this is the truth. And because of this, very dearest lady, do not allow yourself to fall into such danger; if you had any thought of it, for God's sake change your mind before any greater harm comes from it. It is better early than late but better late than never. You can already see what gossip will spread if you continue in your new habits; they have already been noticed and discussed in various places. ...
Book 2.
Which is addressed to ladies and demoiselles and first of all to those who live at the court of the princess or lady.
Chapter 1.
This first chapter tells how the three Virtues, Reason, Rectitude, and Justice, summarise briefly what has been said thus far.
Now, we have instructed queens, princesses, and ladies of high degree in the doctrine which is useful to them: teachings which touch the soul's welfare and virtuous morals becoming to nobility. Our lesson in this second part of the discourse is addressed to ladies, demoiselles, and other women, those who live at the court of a princess to serve her and to maintain her estate and likewise those who live on their own lands and in their own castles or manor houses, or in enclosed or open cities. We insist that this doctrine applies to ladies, demoiselles, and indeed all women. On certain matters affecting the soul, the virtues, and good habits, we will not repeat all we have said before. It would be needless effort and easily might bore our readers. So let what has earlier been said benefit everyone where it fits. May each one take from it what she thinks she may need for the good and profit of her soul and her behaviour.
Equally for ordinary women and great mistresses, it is important always to have the love and fear of Our Lord before their eyes in all their undertakings and ever in their memories. This will remind them of the blessings they receive from Him: the soul created in His image will possess the Kingdom of Heaven forever, if only they expend a little effort and care. God gives many gifts: the ability to know Him and to know what is good and evil; bodily strength to put the good into effect; health; and many other good graces. Women should be grateful for the love they owe Him. As the first Commandment says: "You will love God above all things." Women must never forget this love, nor the fear of the Lord, nor the grievous punishment from His justice, which imperils any creature who does not follow the straight path. This love and fear will protect them from vice and lead them to virtues, vanquish pride and enthrone humility, destroy anger and stimulate patience, eliminate avarice and substitute charity, root out envy and plant instead true love for neighbours. This love and fear will discourage idleness and encourage care and diligence to do good, and will make women despise gluttony and love sobriety, banish luxury and invite chastity. So it will endow these ladies with all virtues helpful to the soul while driving out vices which could harm it. Likewise, Worldly Prudence must order the manner of life of all ladies and demoiselles in a suitable fashion, each according to her estate. May they love honour, good reputation, and excellent praise as much as the princesses. Thus we will begin.
Chapter 2.
Wherein it speaks of four points, two which are to be observed, the other two to be avoided.
... Let us explain more clearly what flattery is, so no one will be deceived by it. If you serve well and loyally, to the best of your abilities, you carefully protect the well-being, honour, and advantage of any master or mistress. You give care and effort to serving and pleasing in all licit and honest affairs. This is your duty, not merely a ploy to gain favour or reward. You always should respond to your master's or mistress's fortunes: If they suffer misfortune, you should be distressed, but you must be greatly pleased by their well-being and prosperity. You should feel sad and discontented to see your mistress displeased and joyous at her good luck, not only in her presence but behind her back. You should make proper excuses for her if you hear evil spoken of her and testify to her honour and good renown. These things done with good heart are not flattery, but rather show the true love and pure loyalty a good servant appropriately demonstrates to master or mistress.
On the other hand, flattery takes many false forms. If you know that your master has some vicious tendency which undermines the good of his soul, his honour, and his morality, and nevertheless you encourage him by giving him advice to confirm and sustain his despicable ways, by flattery you support his action in word or deed. If you hear him malign someone else or maintain wicked, false, or dishonest opinions, and you say: "My lord (or my lady) speaks the truth," this is flattery. If, contrary to the dictates of your conscience, you tell him that something truly evil would be pleasant, good, or wise, you would not only be a flatterer but would sin mortally, thus damning yourself. Likewise, you would contribute to his damnation. Certain servants, particularly of young people, will try to curry favour with and gain profit from their masters and mistresses by encouraging their various vices and sinful habits. Such people are not loyal servants at all.
They are false and reprehensible. However, those who keep them in service themselves are so blinded, they pay no heed. A holy doctor of the Church has said it well: "The flatterer by his word drives a nail into his master's or his mistress's eye. The flatterer blinds with blandishments."
But to return to your duty. You might ask: "If I serve a princess and find that my mistress wants to give her heart to some man in a foolish love, am I obliged by loyalty to support her behaviour?" Certain women would think it most important to protect their mistress's honour and conceal her action. They would say: "Though I have had no responsibility in arranging this affair, my mistress wants it; she has confided in me, and if I refuse to help her, she will confide in someone else who would perhaps not conceal the matter as well as I."
The proper reply to your question is very simple. You would do wrong and there is no excuse for wrongdoing. You cannot support your mistress in sin without sinning yourself and participating in the wrong. Besides, suppose you say you are doing it to protect her honour. If you examine your conscience carefully, you will find other reasons prompting you. Perhaps you want to parlay her good will to your own advantage. Whatever motive inspires you, you are doing wrong. Like a blind woman leading another blind woman, you both will fall into a ditch.
If you want to use good judgement and preserve good conscience, here is what you should do. If your mistress trusts you enough to tell you her secrets, you should reply: "Madam, I thank you for confiding in me. Never fear for a moment that I will reveal your private thoughts. But it pains me greatly that you are considering an affair or even that you are so tempted. The only things that can result are the perdition of your soul and dangerous dishonour to your body. There is nothing I would not do to dissuade you from this idea and intention. And please pardon me, but my soul and my conscience would be seriously burdened by what you ask of me. Therefore, I will not do your bidding. Even if you may hate me and cast me out from your good service, I would prefer that you hate me for doing your good rather than that you love me for consenting to evil. Rather than involving myself in your affair, I would prefer to die. I know well that I am yours to obey you, but in this case I would be committing a mortal sin. That I am not obliged to do for any living person." ...
If any real mishap overtakes the mistress, the good servant will protect her from all perils and defend her as if she were her own child. One lady was saved from being discovered in a compromising situation by her maid-in-waiting, who, when she realised the danger, immediately set fire to the grange so that everyone, thus distracted, would run in that direction and her mistress could escape from her awkward predicament.
Another had a mistress so desperate that she wanted to kill herself because she was pregnant without being married. The maid comforted her and dissuaded her from this unwise idea. Then she told everyone she herself was pregnant, so that when the child was born she could say it was hers. In this way, she saved her mistress from death and protected her from dishonour. In cases like these, once the deed is done and the decision made, if your deception will keep another from despair or from further sin, it is not wrong but rather great charity as long as one does not show approval of the sin. Pity the sinner. God does nor wish her death, but rather that she should repent and live a good life. Again, however, the servant should refuse to obey her mistress nor only in the case of love affairs but also in any case involving sin or vice. No one is obliged to obey another and thereby to disobey God.
Chapter 3.
Which speaks of the lady baronesses and the sort of knowledge which may be useful to them.
Now it is time to speak to the ladies and demoiselles who live in castles or other sorts of manors on their own lands, in walled cities, or in smaller market towns. For them this advice should be helpful. Because their estates and powers vary, we must differeniate among them in our discussions of certain things: their status and their style of living. As for their morals and good deeds on God's behalf, certainly they can profit from our advice in the earlier chapters to princesses and women living at court. All women can learn to cultivate virtue and avoid vice. However, the women I address now are powerful women: baronesses and great land owners who nevertheless are not called princesses. Technically, the name "princess" should not be applied to any but empresses, queens, and duchesses. Yet in Italy and elsewhere, wives of men who because of their land holdings are called princes, after the names of their territories, may be called princesses. Although countesses are not universally called princesses, because they follow duchesses in rank according to the importance of their lands, nonetheless we have included them among the princesses. First we address these baronesses of whom there are many in France, in Brittany, and elsewhere.
These baronesses surpass in honour and power many countesses, even though their titles are not as distinguished. Certain barons have enormous power because of their land, domains, and the nobility that goes with them. Thereby, their wives have considerable status. These women must be highly knowledgeable about government, and wise – in fact, far wiser than most other such women in power. The knowledge of a baroness must be so comprehensive that she can understand everything. Of her a philosopher might have said: "No one is wise who does not know some part of everything." Moreover, she must have the courage of a man. This means that she should not be brought up overmuch among women nor should she be indulged in extensive and feminine pampering. Why do I say that? If barons wish to be honoured as they deserve, they spend very little time in their manors and on their own lands. Going to war, attending their prince's court, and traveling are the three primary duties of such a lord. So the lady, his companion, must represent him at home during his absences. Although her husband is served by bailiffs, provosts, rent collectors, and land governors, she must govern them all. To do this according to her right she must conduct herself with such wisdom that she will be both feared and loved. As we have said before, the best possible fear comes from love.
When wronged, her men must be able to turn to her for refuge. She must be so skilled and flexible that in each case she can respond suitably. Therefore, she must be knowledgeable in the mores of her locality and instructed in its usages, rights, and customs. She must be a good speaker, proud when pride is needed; circumspect with the scornful, surly, or rebellious; and charitably gentle and humble toward her good, obedient subjects. With the counsellors of her lord and with the advice of elder wise men, she ought to work directly with her people. No one should ever be able to say of her that she acts merely to have her own way. Again, she should have a man's heart. She must know the laws of arms and all things pertaining to warfare, ever prepared to command her men if there is need of it. She has to know both assault and defence tactics to insure that her fortresses are well defended, if she has any expectation of attack or believes she must initiate military action. Testing her men, she will discover their qualities of courage and determination before overly trusting them. She must know the number and strength of her men to gauge accurately her resources, so that she never will have to trust vain or feeble promises. Calculating what force she is capable of providing before her lord arrives with reinforcements, she also must know the financial resources she could call upon to sustain military action.
She should avoid oppressing her men, since this is the surest way to incur their hatred. She can best cultivate their loyalty by speaking boldly and consistently to them, according to her council, not giving one reason today and another tomorrow. Speaking words of good courage to her men-at-arms as well as to her other retainers, she will urge them to loyalty and their best efforts.
Such courses of action are suitable for the wise baroness whose absent husband has given her the responsibility and commission to take his place. This advice would be useful if an aggressor or some baron or powerful man should defy her. So, also, the baroness will find particularly expedient the advice in the chapter on widowed princesses. For if during a baron's lifetime his wife knows everything about the management of his affairs, then if left a widow, she will not be ignorant of her rights if anyone dares to try to take advantage of her and make away with her inheritance.
Book 3.
Which is addressed to women living in cities.
Chapter 2.
How women of property and city women should be suitably dressed, and how they should protect themselves against those who would deceive them.
... What should a wise young woman do to avoid the blame, harm, and dishonour which are the only possible results of [illicit] love affairs? Never listen to ... men-about-town. Do not behave like certain idlers who are only too pleased to be pursued with grandiose gestures. They think it fine to say, "I am loved by everyone – a sure sign I am attractive and have considerable merit. I won't love any one but will please them all. I will keep the world guessing." That is no way to protect your honour. Indeed, no woman can maintain this state of affairs for long. Her reputation will plummet, whoever she is. Therefore, the moment the wise woman notices any sign that a man has designs upon her, she should give him every opportunity to withdraw. Persistently discouraging him by her words and her manner, she must persevere until he realises he does not attract her. Yet, if he challenges her, she should reply in this fashion:
"Sire, if you have any romantic thoughts about me, kindly stop thinking them. I swear to you I have no interest in such a love affair, nor ever will I any day of my life. No man nor anything in creation will be capable of changing my mind. Take it for certain that I will persevere in this idea throughout my life. You waste your time if you give it another thought. Control yourself. Don't look at me that way. Don't say such things to me. On my word, I will be greatly displeased and try never to go near you. I tell you this now, once and for all, nor will I ever have anything more to say on this subject. Now, good-bye!"
Thus briefly, without lingering at length, the good, wise young woman who cherishes her honour will reply to every man who makes propositions to her. Her looks must be in keeping with her words. Her glances and bodily signs must not give any encouragement to a man who for any moment might think he has a chance of success.
If he sends her any gift whatsoever she must refuse it definitively. She who accepts a gift sells herself. If anyone gives her a message from a man, she must say pointedly and with a severe expression that she does not want to hear another word about him. If any household maid or servant dares to speak of this matter to her, she must dismiss that person from her service. Such an imprudent servant is not dependable. Therefore, she must find some pretext for eliminating this servant without disrupting her household and, above all, without her husband hearing of it. For, despite her good intentions, such information might provoke him to some rash fury of action which, no matter how she might try to calm him, would be dangerous and unnecessary. She must protect herself prudently, keep her peace, and be persistent: In the long run, there is no man who will not give up.
For the same reasons, she should not discuss this with a neighbour or anyone else. Gossip always is repeated. A spiteful man who cannot bear a woman's rejection will devise ways to avenge himself if he hears that his exploits are being discussed among the women. To soothe himself, he will boast of the affair among the men, there being no point in his not speaking of it. This reflects poorly upon the woman.
