OF SIX MEDIEVAL WOMEN 



up a woman's life, have generally been taken 

 for granted by writers. Then the few mediaeval 

 historiographers and chroniclers were principally 

 engaged in recounting the deeds of kings and 

 feats of arms. Then again, although probably 

 many MSS. of the time still lie undiscovered in 

 libraries, those that are known to us are scattered 

 far and wide. Furthermore, self-advertisement 

 was not a mediaeval fashion. It is perhaps 

 difficult for us nowadays to understand a spirit 

 of self-effacement. Self-esteem, which may de- 

 velop for either good or ill, has perhaps always 

 existed in the human breast, but certainly since 

 the time of the Renaissance, when it seemed to 

 have its own special revival, it has grown apace, 

 and is to-day like unto the Mustard Tree of 

 Holy Writ. But it is not proposed to contrast 

 this our modern attitude with the impersonal 

 one, if so it may be called, of the Middle Ages, 

 because, whilst there were many humble, zealous 

 workers then, just as there are now, it is possible 

 there were other and perhaps more potent factors 

 to account for this apparently humble attitude. 

 In mediasyal days, the subject of a narrative or 

 didactic work was considered so important, that 

 an author would scarcely venture on any inde- 

 pendent treatment of a theme for fear of incurring 

 censure for a contempt of authority, or, if he did 

 so venture, he would probably deem it wiser to 



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