Justice declares that the Empress, the Virgin Mary, now lives in the city. Next to her will sit her sisters and Mary Magdalene, who stayed by the cross during Christ’s passion when all the apostles had fled. Justice explains that this demonstrates how much God values women’s love, despite claims by some men that it is a paltry thing.

Justice announces the city’s most revered inhabitants will be virgin martyrs, beginning with Saint Catherine of Alexandria. The Emperor Maxentius tried to convince Catherine to abjure her faith and woo her. When she refused, he had her beaten and starved for 12 days, during which angels sustained her. Catherine was executed by being crushed on a wheel. Milk poured from her body instead of blood and angels carried her corpse to Mount Sinai.

Justice tells of Saint Margaret of Antioch who was beheaded after she refused the prefect Olybrius, She intercedes for all those who remember her martyrdom, especially pregnant women.

Justice tells of Saint Lucy of Rome, kidnapped by the barbarian king Aucejas. When he tried to rape her, her preaching converted him. He honored her in his palace, where she lived a holy life for 20 years, bringing him success. When she received a vision telling her to return to Rome for martyrdom, the saddened king accompanied her. In Rome, as Lucy was about to be beheaded, Aucejas laid his head next to hers, declaring himself a Christian, and was martyred alongside her.

Justice tells of the virgin Martina of Rome. When she was tortured under the Emperor Alexander to recant her faith, milk and a sweet scent poured from her wounds, angels beat her exhausted torturers, and her body healed overnight. Other miracles occur to show she has God’s favor. When she was killed, a voice from heaven welcomed her. Emperor Alexander died that day in agony.

Justice tells of Saint Lucy of Syracuse, who received a vision of Saint Agatha promising that Syracuse will become famous through her. When a judge threatened to send her to a brothel, she became so heavy that neither oxen nor any beasts could drag her.

Justice mentions Saint Benedicta, who spread Christianity across many lands with 12 converted virgins, before all were martyred. She tells of 14-year-old Saint Fausta, who was protected by God from pain and torture during her martyrdom under the Emperor Maximian.

Justice introduces Saint Justine of Antioch, who vanquished a devil sent by a necromancer on behalf of a suitor. Her purity defeated the demon and converted both men. She died a martyr.

Justice tells of 12-year-old Saint Eulalia, who cast down pagan idols and embraced martyrdom. She tells of Saint Macra, whose severed breasts were healed by an angel. She tells of Saint Foy, crowned by an angel during her martyrdom. She tells of Saint Marciana, who was miraculously protected from a rapist. She tells of Saint Euphemia, who out-argued the governor Priscus, emerged unharmed from a furnace, and was worshiped by wild beasts before praying for death.

Justice tells of Theodosina, who debated the judge Urban while being tortured. During her martyrdom, various miracles were performed and her soul departed as a white dove.

Justice tells of Saint Barbara, locked in a tower by her father for being a Christian. After her father beheaded her, he was immediately struck by lightning.

Justice tells of Saint Dorothy who performed miracles during her martyrdom that inspired others.

Justice tells the story of Saint Christine of Tyre, Christine’s patron saint. Aged 12, her father, Urban, tortured her for distributing his wealth to the poor, after which Urban was tormented by the Devil and died. A judge, Dyon, tortured her, but she protects herself with a miracle. This converts 3,000 men while Dyon went “mad” and died. A third judge, Julian, set poisonous snakes on her, but they killed their handler instead—whom Christine resurrected. Julian had her tongue cut out, but she continued speaking eloquently. She spit the remains at Julian, blinding him in one eye. Saint Christine was then martyred by two arrows.

Justice speaks of mothers who gave up their children to martyrdom. Saint Felicity comforted her seven children as they were tortured before her eyes, urging them to remain steadfast. After this, she chose the same fate. Saint Julitta watched her young son Cyricus tortured. Saint Blandina watched her 15-year-old daughter tortured and martyred, consoling her with the promise of salvation before going to her own death with a heart as “glad as a bride meeting her bridegroom” (224).

Justice tells of Marina, whose father placed her in a monastery disguised as a boy, Brother Marinus. When an innkeeper’s daughter became pregnant, she falsely accused Brother Marinus. Rather than reveal she was a woman, Marina accepted the blame and was expelled. She lived outside the gate for five years, even raising the child left with her. Eventually readmitted, she performed the most unpleasant tasks with great humility until her death. When monks prepared her body for burial, they discovered she was a woman and were horrified at the wrong they had done. Miracles occurred at her tomb, including the cure of the girl who had falsely accused her.

Justice tells of Euphrosyna of Alexandria, who entered a monastery disguised as a youth to preserve her virginity and escape a forced marriage. She was known as Brother Smaragdus. Her despairing father frequently visited the abbot for comfort, who suggested he speak with the pious young monk. Euphrosyna comforted her father for many years without revealing herself, prophesying he would see his daughter before he died. After 38 years, she died clutching a letter that no one could remove—until her father arrived, and her hand opened, revealing her identity. Her father was so moved that he joined the monastery himself.

Justice tells of Anastasia, a wealthy Roman lady who cared for Christian martyrs in prison. Her acts of compassion were reported to Publius, a nobleman who wished to marry her; he put her under house arrest. While confined, Anastasia continued to communicate with the imprisoned Saint Chrysogonous through letters. After Publius died and Anastasia was released, she dedicated herself entirely to serving the martyrs, selling her belongings and gathering a group of Christian women, including three virgins: the sisters Agape, Chionia, and Irene.

The Emperor imprisoned the sisters because they refused to renounce Jesus, and Anastasia visited them day and night. The Emperor tasked the prefect Dulcitus with torturing Christian prisoners to force them to worship pagan idols. Dulcitus became infatuated with the sisters, and when they rejected him, he attempted to seize them. That night, overwhelmed by lust and confusion, he mistakenly embraced pots and pans in his kitchen, covering himself in soot. When he emerged, his men fled, thinking he was a devil, and he was publicly mocked, eventually retreating home.

Dulcitus was replaced by another judge, who again tried to force the sisters to worship idols. When they refused, he ordered them stripped and beaten, but his men could not remove their clothes. He then threw them into a fire, but the flames did not harm them. The sisters prayed to God to let them die, and He granted their request. When the fire subsided, there was no evidence that they or their clothes had burned. They died as glorious martyrs, and Anastasia buried their bodies.

Justice tells of Theodota, Anastasia’s companion, who refused to marry Count Leucatius. She and her three children were martyred together.

When Anastasia was imprisoned without food for 30 days, God sent the spirit of her deceased companion Theodora to give her food and comfort. When Anastasia was placed on a scuttled ship, Theodora’s spirit led her safely across the sea to an island of exiled holy men. The emperor had everyone on the island killed, including Anastasia.

Justice tells of Nathalia, whose husband Adrian was imprisoned after converting. Nathalia risked dangers to visit and comfort him. After his death, she kept one of his hands as a holy relic. Pressured to remarry, she prayed for deliverance. Adrian appeared in a dream, telling her to go to Constantinople and bury martyrs. She obeyed and, when he appeared a second time calling her to heaven, she died instantly.

Justice tells of Afra, a former sex worker who converted to Christianity. Brought before a judge and told to sacrifice to pagan gods, she refused, saying that Christ did not despise sex workers but allowed them to sit and eat with him. Sentenced to be burnt, she prayed to the Lord, offering her body as a sacrifice to Christ. God later performed many miracles on her behalf.

Justice states that holy texts contain countless virtuous women who showed extraordinary constancy and charity. She cites examples: Drusiana sheltered Saint John the Evangelist; Maximilla endangered her life to cut Saint Andrew down from the cross and bury him; Queen Helen of Adiabene fed the saints during a famine; Plautilla gave her veil to Saint Paul at his execution; Basilissa preserved her virginity by mutual pact with her husband and converted vast numbers of women through her teachings. Justice declares her task of completing the city is done: She hands the city to Christine and departs.

Christine addresses all honorable ladies, announcing that the City of Ladies is complete. All women who love virtue can now be lodged in splendor within its walls, sheltered against their attackers. She urges them to follow the humble example of their queen, the Virgin Mary. She advises married women with good husbands to praise God, and those with cruel husbands to endure patiently. She advises young virgins to be wary of seducers. She exhorts all women to refute criticism by living virtuously. She commends herself to the ladies and prays for God to grant everlasting joy to them all.