'These essays harken to previously unheard voices in early modern Spain and shed new light on familiar texts. The authors expand our understanding of presence and power in important ways. Their studies present women of high class and those of less privilege, from the dominant group as well as the marginalized, the professional religious and those of other walks of life.' Elizabeth Rhodes, Associate Professor of Hispanic Studies, Boston College 'Based on extensive archival research and close readings of both familiar and little-known documents, this collection looks at women from a broad spectrum of ethnic, social, and geographic backgrounds ... Scholars of the early modern Hispanic and European world owe a debt to Vicente and Corteguera for contributing greatly to our understanding of women's roles, actions, and voice.' Magdalena S. Sánchez, author of The Empress, the Queen, and the Nun '... this intelligent and useful volume...' Sixteenth Century Journal