The following presents a preliminary list. At present it is mostly a chronology of women’s writings that were published during the specified period with linked texts when freely available online. This will grow with the project to include all writings by English women of the period. It has been derived from the following sources:
- George Ballard, Memoirs of Several Ladies of Great Britain who have been Celebrated for their Writings or Skill in The Learned Languages, Arts and Sciences (London: W. Jackson, 1752)
- Elaine Beilin, Redeeming Eve: Women Writers of the English Renaissance (Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1987), ‘List of Works by Women, 1521-1624,’ pp. 335–338
- Debapriya Basu, Other Voices, Other Selves: Problems of Identity and Selfhood in Some Women Poets of the English Renaissance 1560–1600, Appendix I (unpublished PhD thesis, Jadavpur University, 2012)
- The Stationer’s Register (Volume I and II)
- The Orlando database
| Date | Title | Author | Genre | Pub./MS Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1501 | Here begynneth a shorte treatyse of contemplacyon taught by her lorde Jhesu cryste, or taken out of the boke of Margerie kempe of lynn. | Margery Kempe | Prose treatise | London: Enprynted in Fletestrete by Wynkyn de worde, STC (2nd ed.), 14924. |
| 1524 (after 1 October)1 This date in the Orlando database and Elaine Beilin, Redeeming Eve | A deuoute treatise vpon the Pater noster, made fyrst in latyn by the moost famous doctour mayster Erasmus Roterodamus, and tourned in to englisshe by a yong vertuous and well lerned gentylwoman of. xix. yere of age. | Margaret More Roper | Prose treatise | Imprinted at London: In fletestrete, in the house of Thomas Berthelet nere to the Cundite, at the signe of Lucrece, (1526? STC (2nd ed.), 10477. Date conjectured by STC. Another edition, probably 1531, STC (2nd ed.) 10477.5. |
| 1544 | Psalmes or prayers taken out of holye scripture | Unattributed (Katherine Parr)2For attribution and the rest of the works of Queen Katherine see Janel Mueller Katherine Parr: Complete Works and Correspondence (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2011) | Translation of John Fisher’s Latin psalms published as Psalmi seu precationes D. Jo. Episcopi Roffensis (Cologne: H. Alopecius, [1525?]). | Imprinted at London in Fletestrete By Thomas Berthelet prynter to the kynges hyghnes, the. XXV day of Apryll, the yere of our Lorde.], Anno Domini M.D.XLIIII. STC (2 nd ed.) 3001.7 |
| 1545 | Prayers or meditacions, wherin the mynde is styrred paciently to suffre all afflictions here, to sette at nought the vayne prosperitie of this worlde, and alway to longe for the euerlastyng felicitie: collected out of certain holy woorkes by the moste vertuous and gracious princes Catharine, Quene of Englande, France, and Irelande | Katherine Parr | Anthology | Imprinted at london: In Fletestrete by Thomas Berthelet, printer to the kinges highnes, the seconde of Iune, the yeere of our lorde M. D. XLV. STC (2nd ed.) 4818–4824 |
| 1546 | The first examinacyon of Anne Askewe, latelye martyred in Smythfelde, by the Romysh popes vpholders, with the elucydacyon of Iohan Bale | Anne Askew | Prose | Imprented at Marpurg in the lande of Hessen [i.e. Wesel] Printed by D. van der Straten, 1546], STC (2nd ed.) 848. Another edition STC 849 (1585 [?]), STC (2 nd ed.) 851 (1547), STC (2nd ed.) 853 ( ca. 1560), STC (2nd ed.) 852 (1548), STC (2nd ed.) 852.5 (1550). |
| 1547 | The lamentacion of a synner, made by ye most vertuous Ladie, Quene Caterin, bewayling the ignoraunce of her blind life: set furth and put in print at the instaunt desire of the righte gracious ladie Caterin duchesse of Suffolke, [and] the earnest requeste of the right honourable Lord, William Parre, Marquesse of North Hampton. | Katherine Parr | Prose treatise | Imprinted at London: In Fletestrete at the signe of the Sunne ouer agaynste the conduyte by Edwarde Whitchurche, the. v. day of Nouember, in the yere of our Lord. 1547, STC (2nd ed.) 4827. |
| 1547 | The lattre examinacyon of Anne Askewe, latelye martyred in Smythfelde, by the wycked Synagoge of Antichrist, with the Elucydacyon of Iohan Bale | Anne Askew | Prose | Imprented at Marpurg in the lande of Hessen [i.e. Wesel] Printed by D. van der Straten, 1547, STC (2nd ed.) 850. |
| ca. 1544–48 | Personal Prayerbook | Katherine Parr | Autograph prayerbook | British Library Harley MS 2342, published in Janel Mueller’s edition mentioned above. |
| 1548 | A godly medytacyon of the christen sowle, concerninge a loue towardes God and hys Christe, compyled in frenche by lady Margarete quene of Nauerre, and aptely translated into Englysh by the ryght vertuouse lady Elyzabeth doughter to our late souerayne Kynge Henri the. viij. | Elizabeth Tudor | Prose translation of Marguerite de Navarre’s Le Mirroir de l’âme pécheresse (Paris: Antoine Augereau, 1533) | [Wesel]: Imprented [by Dirik van der Straten], in the yeare of our lorde 1548. in Apryll, STC (2nd ed.), 17320. Editor’s dedication signed Iohan Bale. Another edition, imperfect, probably 1568, STC (2nd ed.), 17320.5. |
| 1550 | The Lady Elizabeth Fane’s 21 Psalms and 102 Proverbs | Lady Elizabeth Fane | Unknown | London: Robert Crowland, Octavo.3Mentioned in George Ballard, Memoirs of Several Ladies of Great Britain, op. cit., p. 119. Now lost. |
| 1550 | Hecatodistichon. Full Title: Annae, Margaritae, Ianae, Sororum virginum heroidum anglarum in mortem Diuae Margaritae Valesiae nauarrorum Reginae, Hecatodistichon. Accessit Petri Mirarii ad easdem virgines Epistola: una cum doctorum aliquot virorum Carminibus. | Anne, Jane and Margaret Seymour, edited by their tutor Nicolas Denisot | Encomium | Parisii: ex officina. Reginaldi Calderii & Claudii ejus filii. Anno salutis 1550. Cum Privilegio4 See Brenda M. Hosington, ‘England's First Female-Authored Encomium: The Seymour Sisters' ‘Hecatodistichon’ (1550) to Marguerite de Navarre. Text, Translation, Notes, and Commentary,’ Studies in Philology, 93:2 (Spring, 1996) p. 117-163. |
| 1551[?] | Certayne sermons of the ryghte famous and excellente clerk master Barnardine Ochine, borne within the famous vniuersitie of Siena in Italy, now also an exyle in thys lyfe, for the faithful testimony of Iesus Christe. Faythfully translated into Englyshe | Anne Cooke Bacon | Translations of several of Bernardino Occhino’s sermons | Imprinted at London: By Jhon Day: dwelling ouer Aldersgate beneth S. Martins. These bookes are to bee solde at hys shop in Chepesyde, by the Litle Counduit at the sygne of the Resurrection. Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum. Per septenium, STC (2nd ed.), 18766. |
| 1551[?] | Fouretene sermons of Barnardine Ochyne, concernyng the predestinacion and eleccion of god: very expediente to the settynge forth of hys glorye among hys creatures. Translated out of Italian in to oure natyve younge by A.C. | Anne Cooke Bacon | Translations of several of Bernardino Occhino’s sermons | Imprinted at London : By John Day dwellynge ouer Aldersgate, [and] Wylliam Seres, dwellyng in Peter Colledge. Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum, STC (2nd ed.),18767. |
| 1551 | Le Tombeau de Marguerite de Valois Royne de Navarre faict premierement en Disticques Latins par les trois Soeurs Princesses en Angleterre. Depuis traduictz en Grec, Italien & François par plusieurs des excellent poëtes de la France. Avecques plusieurs Odes, Hymnes, Cantiques, Epitaphes, sur le mesme subiect | Anne, Jane and Margaret Seymour | Verse | À Paris: De l'imprimerie de Michel Fezandat, & Robert Granlon au mont S. Hilaire à l'enseigne des Grans Ions, & au Palais en la boutique de Vincent Sartenas. Reprint of Hecatodistichon (1550), see above. Contains an ode to the sisters by Ronsard. |
| 1553 | Iane, by the grace of God quene of England, Fraunce and Ireland, defendor of the faith, & of the Church of Englande, & also of Irelande under Christ in earth the supreme head to al our most louing, faithfull, and obedient subiects, and to euery of them greting | Jane Grey | Accession Proclamation | Londini: In ædibus Richardi Grafton, reg[inæa] typ[o]graphia [excu]sum, Anno Domini, M.D.LIII, STC (2nd ed.) 7846 |
| 1554[?] | An epistle of the Ladye Iane a righte vertuous woman, to a learned man of late falne from the truth of Gods most holy word, for fear of the worlde. Read it, to thy consolacion. Whereunto is added the communication that she had with Master Feckenham vpon her faith, and belefe of the sacraments. Also another epistle whiche she wrote to her sister, with the words she spake vpon the scaffold befor she suffered, anno. M.D.Liiii. | Jane Grey | Prose epistles | London?: J. Day[?] Imprint suggested by STC, entered to W. Pickering 1569-70 in the Stationers’ Register, STC (2nd ed.) 7279. Epistle reprinted in John Foxe, Actes and monuments (1563). ‘A certain efffectuall praier’ and ‘An exhortation’ printed in Thomas Bentley, A monument of matrones, Lamp 2 (1582). |
| 1560 | Sermons of Iohn Caluin, vpon the songe that Ezechias made after he had bene sicke, and afflicted by the hand of God, conteyned in the 38. chapiter of Esay. Translated out of Frenche into Englishe. | Anne Vaughan Locke | Prose translation and first original sonnet sequence in English, collectively titled ‘The Meditation of a Penitent Sinner’ | Imprinted at London, ouer Aldersgate, by Iohn Day. And are there to be solde at his shoppe vnder the gate, STC (2nd ed.) 4450. The sonnet sequence contains a separate title page. |
| 1564 | An apologie or answere in defence of the Churche of Englande, with a briefe and plaine declaration of the true religion professed and vsed in the same | Anne Cooke Bacon | Prose treatise | Londini: [Printed by Reginald Wolfe], Anno Domini M.D.LXIIII., STC (2nd ed.) 14591 |
| 1567 | The copy of a letter, lately written in meeter, by a yonge gentilwoman: to her vnconstant louer. With an admonition to al yong gentilwomen, and to all other mayds in general to beware of mennes flattery. By Is. W. Newly ioyned to a loueletter sent by a bacheler, (a most faithfull louer) to an vnconstant and faithles mayden | Isabella Whitney | Verse | Imprinted at London: by Richarde Jhones dwelling in the vpper end of fleetlane: at the signe of the spied Egle, STC (2nd ed.) 25439 |
| 1573 | A sweet nosgay, or pleasant posye: containing a hundred and ten phylosophicall flowers | Isabella Whitney | Verse | London: Richard Jones, 1573, TP missing, STC (2nd ed.) 25440 |
| 1578 | The mirrour of princely deedes and knighthood: wherein is shewed the worthinesse of the Knight of the Sunne, and his brother Rosicleer, sonnes to the great Emperour Trebetio: with the strange loue of the beautifull and excellent princesse Briana, and the valiant actes of other noble princes and knightes. Now newly translated out of Spanish into our vulgar English tongue, by M.T. | Margaret Tyler | Chivalric prose romance. Translated from Diego Ortúñez de Calahorra’s Espejo de príncipes y cavalleros (1555). English romance by a woman and first English romance to be translated directly from Spanish | Imprinted at London: By Thomas East, STC (2nd ed.) 18859. This is the first part of Part 1. Further parts of Part 1 are STC (2nd ed.) 18862-5. |
| 1582 | The monument of matrones: conteining seuen seuerall lamps of virginitie, or distinct treatises; whereof the first fiue concerne praier and meditation: the other two last, precepts and examples, as the woorthie works partlie of men, partlie of women; compiled for the necessarie vse of both sexes out of the sacred Scriptures, and other approoued authors, by Thomas Bentley of Graies Inne student | Various (Elizabeth Tudor, Katherine Parr, Lady Jane Dudley, Elizabeth Tyrwhit, Lady Frances Abergavenny, prayers of Agnes, Eulalia and Anne Askew before death, Dorcas Martin among unnamed others). Ed. Thomas Bentley. | Verse and prose prayers and meditations | London: printed by H. Denham, STC (2nd ed.), 1892. Prints pieces by Frances Abergavenny (‘The Praiers made by the right Honourable Ladie Frances Aburgavennie’), Anne Askew, Théodore de Bèze, Lady Jane Dudley, and others. Lamp 2 reprints ‘A godly medytacyon of the Christen sowle,’ a translation of Marguerite, consort of Henry II, King of Navarre’s Le miroir de l’âme pécheresse ; ‘The lamentacion of a sinner’ and ‘Prayers or meditacions’ by Catharine Parr (see above); ‘Morning and Euening praiers, with diuerse Psalmes, Hymnes, and Meditations’ by Elizabeth Tyrwhit and Dorcas Martin’s translation ‘An instruction for Christians [...] translated out of French into English.’ |
| 1584 | A handfull of holesome (though homelie) hearbs, gathered out of the goodlie garden of Gods most holie word; for the common benefit and comfortable exercise of all such as are deuoutlie disposed. Collected and Dedicated to all religious Ladies, Gentlewomen, and others; by Anne Wheathill, Gentlewoman. | Anne Wheathill | Religious prose | Imprinted at London by H. Denham. STC (2nd ed.) 25329. |
| 1589 | The French historie, that is, A lamentable discourse of three of the chiefe, and most famous bloodie broiles that haue happened in France for the Gospell of Iesus Christ namelie, 1. The outrage called the winning of S. Iames his streete, 1557, 2. The constant martirdome of Annas Burgans one of the K. Councell, 1559, 3. The bloodie marriage of Margaret sister to Charles the 9, anno 1572 / published by A.D. | Anne Dowriche | Verse history | Imprinted at London: By Thomas Orwin for William Russell, dwelling at Exeter, STC (2nd ed.) 7159. |
| 1589 | <>Iane Anger her Protection for women. To defend them against the scandalous reportes of a late surfeiting louer, and all otherlike Venerians that complaine so to bee ouercloyed with womens kindnesse. Written by Ia: A. Gent. | Jane Anger | Prose treatise with a few poems | At London: Printed by Richard Iones, and Thomas Orwin, 1589], STC (2nd ed.) 644 |
| 1590 | Of the markes of the children of God, and of their comforts in afflictions. To the faithfull of the Low Countrie. By Iohn Taffin. Ouerseene againe and augmented by the author, and translated out of French by Anne Prowse. | Anne Vaughan Locke | Prose translation | At London: Printed by Thomas Orwin, for Thomas Man, STC (2nd ed.), 23652; a variant imprint: [At London: printed by Robert Robinson for Thomas Man, 1597], STC (2nd ed.), 23652.5. |
| 1592 | A discourse of life and death. Written in French by Ph. Mornay. Antonius, a tragoedie written also in French by Ro. Garnier. Both done in English by the Countesse of Pembroke. | Mary Sidney | Prose translation of treatise and translation of closet drama in blank verse | At London: printed [by John Windet] for William Ponsonby, STC (2nd ed.) 18138. |
| 1595 | ‘Dolefvll lay of Clorinda.’ In Colin Clouts come home againe. By Ed. Spencer [Variant title: Astrophel] | Mary Sidney | Poem | London: printed [by T[homas] C[reede]] for William Ponsonbie], STC (2nd ed.), 23077. |
| 1595 | The tragedie of Antonie. Doone into English by the Countesse of Pembroke. | Mary Sidney | Translation of Philip Mornay’s Mark Antoine (1578) | Imprinted at London: [By P. Short] for William Ponsonby], STC (2nd ed.), 11623. Reprint, first published 1592, see above. |
| 1595 | The gentlemans academie. Or, The booke of S. Albans: containing three most exact and excellent bookes: the first of hawking, the second of all the proper termes of hunting, and the last of armorie: all compiled by Iuliana Barnes, in the yere from the incarnation of Chris 1486. And now reduced into a better method, by G[ervase].M[arkham]. For the 1881 facsimile of The Boke of Saint Albans edited by Wiliam Blades see here | Juliana Barnes. Attribution at the end of the original 1486 edition reads: ‘Explicit Dam Julyans Barnes in her boke of huntyng.’ | Treatise on hunting, hawking and angling. | London: Printed [by Valentine Simmes] for Humfrey Lownes, and are to be sold at his shop in Paules church-yard], STC (2nd ed.), 3314, Revised from the first edition, 1486. Selections from the 1486 edition was also published by Wynken de Worde: Here begynneth a treatyse of fysshynge with an angle [Imprynted at London: by wynkyn de worde, dwellynge in Flete strete at the sygne of the Sonne, (1533?)], STC (2nd ed.), 3313.5. See George Ballard, Memoirs of Several Ladies of Great Britain, pp. 5–7. |
| 1596 | The iaylors conuersion. Wherein is liuely represented, the true image of a soule rightlye touched, and conuerted by the spirit of God. The waightie circumstances of which supernaturall worke, for the sweete amplifications, and fit applications to the present time, are now set downe for the comfort of the strong, and confirmation of the weake. By Hugh Dowriche Batch. of Diuinitie. | Anne Dowriche | Acrostic on Valentine Knightley | London: Printed by Iohn Windet, dwelling at Pauls wharfe, at the signe of the crosse keyes, and are there to be solde, STC (2nd ed.) 7160. |
Notes
| ↑1 | This date in the Orlando database and Elaine Beilin, Redeeming Eve |
|---|---|
| ↑2 | For attribution and the rest of the works of Queen Katherine see Janel Mueller Katherine Parr: Complete Works and Correspondence (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2011) |
| ↑3 | Mentioned in George Ballard, Memoirs of Several Ladies of Great Britain, op. cit., p. 119. |
| ↑4 | See Brenda M. Hosington, ‘England's First Female-Authored Encomium: The Seymour Sisters' ‘Hecatodistichon’ (1550) to Marguerite de Navarre. Text, Translation, Notes, and Commentary,’ Studies in Philology, 93:2 (Spring, 1996) p. 117-163. |