...shine forth. Farewell most happily, you who are at once the honor, ornament, and glory of the most noble women and princes, perfect in every way.

THE DECLAMATION OF HENRY CORNELIUS AGRIPPA

On the Nobility and Preeminence of the Female Sex.

[Decorative initial D] GOD, the best and greatest original: "Deus optimus maximus." A traditional Roman title for Jupiter, here adopted by Renaissance humanists to describe the Christian God., the creator of all things, father and the source of good for both sexes, most full of fruitfulness, created man in his own likeness; male Genesis 1 and female he created them. Indeed, the distinction between these sexes consists of nothing except the differing arrangement of the parts of the body, in which the practice of procreation required a necessary diversity. Truly, he bestowed the same and altogether identical form of soul upon both the male and the female. Between these souls, there is absolutely no distance of sex. Woman herself has been allotted the same mind, reason, and speech as man; she strives toward the same end of blessedness, where there will be no exception made for sex. For according to the Gospel truth: Luke 20 Mark 12 those rising again in their own sex shall not perform the function of sex, but the likeness of angels is promised to them. Matthew 22 Therefore, based on the essence of the soul, there is no preeminence of nobility of one over the other between man and woman. Rather, there is an innate freedom of dignity equal to both. However, regarding those things in a human being that remain besides the divine essence of the soul, in these the illustrious lineage of women excels the harsh race of men almost infinitely, which then—

A 4 — This is a signature mark, used by early modern printers to keep the folded sheets of paper in the correct order for binding.