Recueil des exemples de la malice des femmes, et des malheurs venus à leur occasion

A sprawling collection of short anecdotes and moral reflections, this early‑modern work surveys, in the author’s unmistakably polemical voice, the many ways women were thought to bring trouble to the men around them. Drawing on tales of vanity, deceit, and marital intrigue, it weaves together vivid, often exaggerated stories that illustrate the writer’s belief that female behavior could be a source of both personal and social misfortune. The prose is richly baroque, filled with rhetorical flourishes that aim to shock and persuade the reader of the dangers hidden behind a seemingly charming exterior.

Beyond its sensational tone, the text offers a revealing glimpse into the gender anxieties of its time, especially around marriage, wealth, and reputation. Listeners will hear a blend of satire and earnest moralizing that reflects the cultural climate of 16th‑century France, making the work a fascinating, if controversial, window onto historical attitudes toward women.