Patricia Crawford argues that religion in the early modern period cannot be understood without a perception of the gendered nature of its beliefs, institutions and language. The book focuses on women and their apprehensions of God in early modern England. Contemporary religious ideology reinforced the assumption that women were inferior to men but, as Patricia Crawford shows, it was possible for some women to transcend these beliefs and profoundly influence history within a social structure which was not of their making. The book is organized around three broad themes: the role of women in...

This volume presents a collection of source materials on women's lives in 16th and 17th century England. The book introduces a diverse group of women and a series of voices that have rarely been heard in history, from Deborah Brackley, a poor Devon servant, to Katharine Whitstone, Oliver Cromwell's sister, and Queen Anne. Drawing on archival materials, the text explores the everyday lives of ordinary early modern women, including their: experiences of work, sex, marriage and motherhood; beliefs and spirituality; political activities; relationships; and mental worlds. In a time when few women...

This volume presents a collection of source materials on women's lives in 16th and 17th century England. The book introduces a diverse group of women and a series of voices that have rarely been heard in history, from Deborah Brackley, a poor Devon servant, to Katharine Whitstone, Oliver Cromwell's sister, and Queen Anne. Drawing on archival materials, the text explores the everyday lives of ordinary early modern women, including their: experiences of work, sex, marriage and motherhood; beliefs and spirituality; political activities; relationships; and mental worlds. In a time when few women...