Table of Contents - 6 Preface and Acknowledgments - 18 1. Women’s Writing from the Low Countries 1200-1575 - 22 2. Women’s Writing from the Low Countries 1575-1875 - 40 3. Conclusion - 65 Anthology - 70 1. The Daring Flight of a Soaring Bird - 72 2. The Agony and the Ecstasy of Divine Love - 80 3. Inspired and Resolute - 94 4. An Urban Anchoress - 100 5. ‘As Sister Souken was wont to say…’ - 114 6. ‘Some say that this book was written by a woman named Christine’ - 122 7. Recording Practical Experience for Posterity - 131 8. What Every Midwife Needs to Know - 139 9. ‘Just Like a Rose in Bloom’ - 146 10. Word as Weapon in a Holy Mission - 161 11. Adamant Voices from Prison: Female Anabaptists - 177 12. The Gift of Beautiful Words - 192 13. A Blind Guide - 208 14. A Model of Godly Reformed Womanhood - 218 15. A Staunch Catholic - 223 16. Poetic Wit and Self-Deprecation - 233 17. The Truest of Friends - 245 18. Choosing the Better Part - 253 19. Obstinately Pursuing Her Own Course - 261 20. Uncommon Communal Songs from the Brussels Beguinage - 268 21. Anchoress and Autobiographer - 278 22. Contesting the Laurel Crown - 287 23. Opportunities for Women in the Chambers of Rhetoric - 303 24. A Life of Books - 309 25. Courageous and Broad-Minded - 318 26. Strong and Independent - 321 27. The Mystical Songs of an Ambitious ‘Spiritual Daughter’ - 331 28. Unorthodox in Everything - 339 29. Victim of Distortive Editing - 345 30. A Pietist Autobiography - 354 31. Poet for the Love of Her Country - 357 32. The Epitome of an Enlightenment Woman - 375 33. At the Heart of a Student Poetry Society - 386 34. The Unknown International Bestselling Author - 397 35. Fast Friends - 404 36. Writing as a Way of Life - 419 37. Rural Idylls - 429 38. Love, Death and Suffering - 447 39. A Blind Beacon - 455 40. A Manly Spirit in a Sickly Body - 464 41. A Pioneer of Girls’ Education - 472 42. Good Cheer at the Beguinage in Lier - 481 43. The Dutch Joan of Arc - 491 44. An Everyday Patriot - 501 45. Female Psychology - 513 46. Social Criticism from the Belgian Beecher Stowe - 521 47. Competing with the Best - 529 48. A Versatile Pen - 540 49. A Witty Pioneer of Realism - 549 50. A Superb Duo - 560 Bibliography - 577 Index of Names and Subjects - 599 Index of Titles and First Lines - 613 Illustrations - 624 Notes on the Editors, Contributors and Translators - 624