Margaret of Oingt was born around 1240 into a noble family in the French Beaujolais region, and became prioress of the Carthusian charterhouse of Poletains, visionary and mystic, her writings are intelligent and humorous. Includedhere are the Page of Meditations, on sin and salvation, the Mirror, a vision of Christ, the Life of the Virgin Saint Beatrice of Ornacieux, an exemplary text, and letters and stories, including comments on her problems as prioress. They are translated from the Latin and Francoprovencal with an introduction, notes, and interpretative essay.

Renate Blumenfeld-Kosinski is Chair, Department of French and Italian, and Professorof French, at the University of Pittsburgh.