"María de Agreda was and is well-known but rarely read. The debate about her Mystical City of God at the Sorbonne and her role as advisor to King Philip IV have contributed to the legend of her extraordinary capabilities. Colahan's translation contributes to the study of women's and religious history by making accessible to English speakers texts never before translated. . . . The original archival and manuscript research is thorough and has produced some interesting comparisons among texts and plausible arguments for authenticity." --Stacey Schlau, co-editor of Untold Sisters: Hispanic Nuns in Their Own Works