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16	<Metadata name="Author">Marilee Mongello</Metadata>
17	<Metadata name="Content">Queen Elizabeth I: Biography, Portraits with commentary, Primary Sources Elizabeth Tudor 1533 to 1603 The Virgin Queen Gloriana</Metadata>
18	<Metadata name="Page_topic">Queen Elizabeth I: Biography, Portraits with commentary, Primary Sources Elizabeth Tudor 1533 to 1603 The Virgin Queen Gloriana</Metadata>
19	<Metadata name="Title">Queen Elizabeth I: Biography, Portraits, Primary Sources</Metadata>
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42	<Content>
43
44	<table border="0" cellpadding="3" width="100%" height="667">
45	<tr>
46	<td width="25%" height="29"></td>
47	<td valign="top" width="50%" height="29"><p align="center">&nbsp;</td>
48	<td width="25%" height="29"></td>
49	</tr>
50	<tr>
51	<td width="25%" height="3"></td>
52	<td width="50%" height="3">
53	<p align="center">
54	<IMG height=98 alt="Queen Elizabeth I"
55	src="_httpdocimg_/eliz1-queenuse.gif" width=422></td>
56	<td width="25%" height="3"></td>
57	</tr>
58	<tr>
59	<td width="25%" height="610"></td>
60	<td valign="top" width="50%" height="610">
61	<p align="center">
62	<IMG height=444
63	alt="'The Rainbow Portrait' of Elizabeth I, c1600"
64	src="_httpdocimg_/eliz1-rainbow.jpg" width=350 align=center border=2><blockquote>
65	<p align="left">
66	&nbsp;</blockquote>
67	<DIV align=left>Visit
68	<a href="_httpextlink_&amp;rl=0&amp;href=http:%2f%2fwww.marileecody.com%2feliz1-images.html">Elizabethan
69	Images</a> to view portraits of the queen and her courtiers, with
70	commentary.<BR>Read poems, letters, and speeches by the queen at <A
71	href="_httpextlink_&amp;rl=1&amp;href=http:%2f%2fenglishhistory.net%2ftudor%2fprimary.html">Primary
72	Sources</A>.<BR>&nbsp;</DIV>
73	<DIV align=left>Read ES Beesly's 1892 biography of Queen
74	Elizabeth I at <a href="_httpextlink_&amp;rl=1&amp;href=http:%2f%2fenglishhistory.net%2ftudor%2fsecondary.html">
75	Secondary Sources</a>.<BR>&nbsp;</DIV>
76	<DIV align=left>Visit <A
77	href="_httpextlink_&amp;rl=1&amp;href=http:%2f%2fenglishhistory.net%2ftudor%2fmonarchs%2fboleyn.html">the Anne
78	Boleyn website</A> to learn more about Elizabeth's mother.<BR>Visit <A
79	href="_httpextlink_&amp;rl=1&amp;href=http:%2f%2fenglishhistory.net%2ftudor%2frelative%2fmaryqos.html">the Mary,
80	queen of Scots website</A> to learn more about Elizabeth's
81	cousin.<BR><BR>Test your knowledge of Elizabeth's life and times at <A
82	href="_httpextlink_&amp;rl=1&amp;href=http:%2f%2fenglishhistory.net%2ftudor%2ftudor1.html">Tudor
83	Quizzes</A>.</DIV>
84	<DIV align=left>&nbsp;</DIV>
85	<DIV align=left>Meet other Elizabethan enthusiasts at
86	<a href="_httpextlink_&amp;rl=0&amp;href=http:%2f%2fwww.alassea.net%2ffl%2felizabeth">The Virgin Queen
87	fanlisting</a>.</DIV>
88	<DIV align=left>&nbsp;</DIV>
89	</td>
90	<td width="25%" height="610"></td>
91	</tr>
92	</table>
93
94	<blockquote>
95	<blockquote>
96	<blockquote>
97	<p>&nbsp;</p>
98	<p><B>Elizabeth Tudor is considered by many to be the greatest monarch in
99	English history.&nbsp; When she became queen in 1558, she was twenty-five
100	years old, a survivor of scandal and danger, and considered illegitimate
101	by most Europeans.&nbsp; She inherited a bankrupt nation, torn by
102	religious discord, a weakened pawn between the great powers of France and
103	Spain.&nbsp; She was only the third queen to rule England in her own
104	right; the other two examples, her cousin Lady Jane Grey and half-sister
105	Mary I, were disastrous.&nbsp; Even her supporters believed her position
106	dangerous and uncertain.&nbsp; Her only hope, they counseled, was to marry
107	quickly and lean upon her husband for support.&nbsp; But Elizabeth had
108	other ideas.&nbsp;</B> <BR><B>She ruled alone for nearly half a century,
109	lending her name to a glorious epoch in world history.&nbsp; She dazzled
110	even her greatest enemies.&nbsp; Her sense of duty was admirable, though
111	it came at great personal cost.&nbsp; She was committed above all else to
112	preserving English peace and stability; her genuine love for her subjects
113	was legendary.&nbsp; Only a few years after her death in 1603, they
114	lamented her passing.&nbsp; In her greatest speech to Parliament, she told
115	them, 'I count the glory of my crown that I have reigned with your
116	love.'&nbsp; And five centuries later, the worldwide love affair with
117	Elizabeth Tudor continues.</B></p>
118	<hr>
119	</blockquote>
120	</blockquote>
121	<p><font size="4">'Proud
122	and haughty, as although she knows she was born of such a mother, she
123	nevertheless does not consider herself of inferior degree to the Queen,
124	whom she equals in self-esteem; nor does she believe herself less
125	legitimate than her Majesty, alleging in her own favour that her mother
126	would never cohabit with the King unless by way of marriage, with the
127	authority of the Church....&nbsp; <BR>She prides herself on her father and
128	glories in him; everybody saying that she also resembles him more than the
129	Queen does and he therefore always liked her and had her brought up in the
130	same way as the Queen.' </font><FONT size=-1>&nbsp; <I>the Venetian
131	ambassador Giovanni Michiel describes Elizabeth; spring 1557</I></FONT></p>
132	<blockquote>
133	<blockquote>
134	<hr>
135	<p>Elizabeth Tudor was born on 7 September 1533 at Greenwich
136	Palace.&nbsp; She was the daughter of <A
137	href="_httpextlink_&amp;rl=1&amp;href=http:%2f%2fenglishhistory.net%2ftudor%2fmonarchs%2fhenry8.html">King Henry
138	VIII</A> and his second wife, <A
139	href="_httpextlink_&amp;rl=1&amp;href=http:%2f%2fenglishhistory.net%2ftudor%2fmonarchs%2fboleyn.html">Anne
140	Boleyn</A>.&nbsp; Henry had <A
141	href="_httpextlink_&amp;rl=1&amp;href=http:%2f%2fenglishhistory.net%2ftudor%2ffaq.html#Eleven-b">defied the
142	papacy</A> and the Holy Roman Emperor to marry Anne, spurred on by love
143	and the need for a legitimate male heir.&nbsp; And so Elizabeth's birth
144	was one of the most exciting political events in 16th century European
145	history; rarely had so much turmoil occurred on behalf of a mere
146	infant.&nbsp; But the confident predictions of astrologers and physicians
147	were wrong and the longed-for prince turned out to be a princess.&nbsp;
148	</p>
149	<P>Eustace Chapuys, the Imperial ambassador and enemy of Anne Boleyn,
150	described the birth to his master as 'a
151	<IMG height=324 alt="portrait of Elizabeth's mother, Anne Boleyn"
152	src="_httpdocimg_/elizmom.jpg" width=250 border=2 align="left">great disappointment and sorrow to
153	the King, the Lady herself and to others of her party.'&nbsp; But for the
154	next two years, Henry VIII was willing to hope for a son to join this
155	healthy daughter.&nbsp; Immediately after Elizabeth's birth, he wrote to
156	his 17 year old daughter, <A
157	href="_httpextlink_&amp;rl=1&amp;href=http:%2f%2fenglishhistory.net%2ftudor%2fmonarchs%2fmary1.html">Princess
158	Mary</A>, and demanded she relinquish her title Princess of Wales and
159	acknowledge both the annulment of his marriage to her mother, <A
160	href="_httpextlink_&amp;rl=1&amp;href=http:%2f%2fenglishhistory.net%2ftudor%2fmonarchs%2faragon.html">Katharine of
161	Aragon</A>, and the validity of his new marriage.&nbsp; Mary refused; she
162	already blamed Anne Boleyn (and, by extension, Elizabeth) for the sad
163	alteration of her own fortunes.&nbsp; In December, she was moved into her
164	infant half-sister's household.&nbsp; When told to pay her respects to the
165	baby Princess, she replied that she knew of no Princess of England but
166	herself, and burst into tears.&nbsp; </P>
167	<P>Henry already ignored Mary and Katharine's constant pleas to meet; now
168	he began a more aggressive campaign to secure Anne and Elizabeth's
169	position.&nbsp; For one mother and daughter to be secure, the other pair
170	must necessarily suffer.&nbsp; Most Europeans, and indeed Englishmen,
171	still believed Katharine to be the king's valid wife.&nbsp; Now old and
172	sickly, imprisoned in one moldy castle after another, she remained a very
173	popular figure.&nbsp; Anne Boleyn was dismissed in polite circles as the
174	king's 'concubine' and their marriage was recognized only by those of the new
175	Protestant faith.&nbsp; Henry attempted to legislate popular acceptance of
176	his new queen and heiress.&nbsp; But the various acts and oaths only cost
177	the lives of several prominent Catholics, among them <A
178	href="_httpextlink_&amp;rl=1&amp;href=http:%2f%2fenglishhistory.net%2ftudor%2fcitizens%2fmore.html">Sir Thomas
179	More</A> and Bishop John Fisher.&nbsp; The English people never accepted
180	'Nan Bullen' as their queen.&nbsp; </P>
181	<P>But while she had the king's personal favor, Elizabeth's mother was
182	secure.&nbsp; And she held that favor far longer than any had
183	expected.&nbsp; It was only after she miscarried twice that Henry began to
184	consider this second marriage as cursed as the first.&nbsp; The last
185	miscarriage occurred in January 1536; Katharine died that same
186	month.&nbsp; With her death, the king's Catholic critics considered him a
187	widower, free to marry again.&nbsp; And this next marriage would not be
188	tainted by the specter of bigamy.&nbsp; It was only necessary to get rid
189	of Anne, and find a new wife - one who could hopefully deliver a
190	son.&nbsp; The king already had a candidate in mind; her name was <A
191	href="_httpextlink_&amp;rl=1&amp;href=http:%2f%2fenglishhistory.net%2ftudor%2fmonarchs%2fseymour.html">Jane
192	Seymour</A>, a lady-in-waiting to both Katharine and Anne.&nbsp; </P>
193	<P>In the end, Henry VIII was not merely content to annul his marriage to
194	Anne.&nbsp; She was arrested, charged with a variety of crimes which even
195	her enemies discounted, and executed on 19 May 1536.&nbsp; Her little
196	daughter was now in the same position as her half-sister, Princess
197	Mary.&nbsp; However, all of Europe and most Englishmen considered Mary to
198	be Henry's legitimate heir, despite legislation to the contrary.&nbsp; No
199	one believed Elizabeth to be more than the illegitimate daughter of the
200	king.&nbsp; Also, there were already disparaging rumors of her mother's
201	infidelities; perhaps the solemn, red-headed child was not the king's
202	after all?&nbsp; It was to Henry's (small) credit that he always
203	acknowledged Elizabeth as his own, and took pride in her intellectual
204	accomplishments.&nbsp; As she grew older, even Catholic courtiers noted
205	Elizabeth resembled her father more than Mary did.&nbsp; </P>
206	<P>Henry married Jane just twelve days after Anne's execution and his
207	long-awaited son, <A
208	href="_httpextlink_&amp;rl=1&amp;href=http:%2f%2fenglishhistory.net%2ftudor%2fmonarchs%2fedward6.html">Prince
209	Edward</A>, was born in October 1537.&nbsp; Elizabeth participated in the
210	christening, carried by Thomas Seymour, the handsome young brother of the
211	queen.&nbsp; Jane died shortly after the birth of childbed fever.&nbsp;
212	Henry VIII married <A
213	href="_httpextlink_&amp;rl=1&amp;href=http:%2f%2fenglishhistory.net%2ftudor%2fmonarchs%2fcleves.html">Anne of
214	Cleves</A> on Twelfth Night (6 January) 1541.&nbsp; The marriage was a disaster,
215	and Henry quickly divorced Anne and married <A
216	href="_httpextlink_&amp;rl=1&amp;href=http:%2f%2fenglishhistory.net%2ftudor%2fmonarchs%2fhoward.html">Catherine
217	Howard</A>.&nbsp; Catherine was a cousin of Anne Boleyn; they were both
218	related to Thomas Howard, 3rd duke of Norfolk and perhaps Henry's most
219	nervous peer.&nbsp; The king enjoyed a brief few months of happiness with
220	his fifth wife.&nbsp; But Catherine was thirty years younger than Henry
221	and soon enough resumed an affair with a former lover.&nbsp; She was
222	executed in February 1543 and buried beside Anne Boleyn in the Tower of
223	London.&nbsp; </P>
224	<P>For Elizabeth, these changes in her father's marital fortunes did not
225	pass unnoticed.&nbsp; She was part of her half-brother Edward's household;
226	her days were spent mostly at lessons, with the occasional visit from her
227	father.&nbsp; As a child, no one expected her to comment upon her
228	various stepmothers.&nbsp; It was only when she reached adulthood and
229	became queen that its psychological effects were revealed.&nbsp; Elizabeth
230	had a dim view of romantic love and, given her father's example, who can
231	blame her?&nbsp; </P>
232	<P>It was Henry's sixth and final wife, <A
233	href="_httpextlink_&amp;rl=1&amp;href=http:%2f%2fenglishhistory.net%2ftudor%2fmonarchs%2fparr.html">Katharine
234	Parr</A>, who had the greatest impact upon Elizabeth's life.&nbsp; A kind
235	woman who believed passionately in<img border="2" src="_httpdocimg_/eliz1-scrots.jpg" align="right" alt="Princess Elizabeth, c1546, attributed to William Scrots" width="370" height="495"> education and religious reform,
236	Katharine was a devoted stepmother.&nbsp; Understandably, she had far more
237	of an impact with the young Edward and Elizabeth than with Mary, who was
238	just four years her junior.&nbsp; Katharine arranged for 10 year old
239	Elizabeth to have the most distinguished tutors in England, foremost among
240	them Roger Ascham.&nbsp; As a result, Elizabeth was educated as well as
241	any legitimate prince, and she displayed a genuine love and aptitude for
242	her studies.&nbsp; 'Her mind has no womanly weakness,' Ascham would write
243	approvingly, 'her perseverance is equal to that of a man.'&nbsp; And
244	later, 'She readeth more Greek every day, than some Prebendaries of this
245	Church do in a whole week.'&nbsp; And so she did; Elizabeth's love of
246	scholarship never faltered and, in an age when women were considered
247	inferior to men, she was a glorious exception.&nbsp; </P>
248	<P>
249	Along with
250	such classical subjects as rhetoric, languages, philosophy, and history,
251	Elizabeth also studied theology.&nbsp; Ascham and her other tutors were
252	famous Cambridge humanists who supported the Protestant cause.&nbsp;
253	Likewise, Katharine Parr was devoted to the reformed faith.&nbsp; Unlike
254	their half-sister Mary, both Edward and Elizabeth were raised Protestant
255	during its most formative years.&nbsp; Yet while Edward was known for his
256	piety and didacticism, Elizabeth already displayed the pragmatic character
257	which would make her reign successful.&nbsp; She studied theology and
258	supported the Protestant cause; she had been raised to do so and knew
259	only Protestants recognized her parents' marriage.&nbsp; But she was never
260	openly passionate about religion, recognizing its divisive role in English
261	politics.&nbsp; </P>
262	<P>&nbsp;Most people viewed the adolescent Elizabeth as a serious young
263	woman who always carried a book with her, preternaturally composed.&nbsp;
264	She encouraged this perception, which was as accurate as any, by dressing
265	with a degree of severity virtually absent at the Tudor royal court.&nbsp;
266	But she was not so serious that she avoided all the material trappings of
267	her position.&nbsp; Her household accounts, which came under the
268	management of William Cecil (who later became her secretary of state),
269	show evidence of a cultivated and lively mind, as well as a love of
270	entertainment:&nbsp; fees for musicians, musical instruments, and a
271	variety of books.&nbsp; As she grew older and her position more prominent,
272	her household also expanded.&nbsp; During her brother Edward's reign, she
273	lived the life of a wealthy and privileged lady - and apparently enjoyed
274	it immensely.&nbsp; </P>
275	<P>Elizabeth was thirteen years old when her father died.&nbsp; They
276	were never particularly close though he treated her with affection on her
277	few visits to his court.&nbsp; He even occasionally discussed the
278	possibility of her marriage for, in the 16th century, royal bastards were
279	common and often used to great advantage in diplomacy.&nbsp; Under the
280	1536 'Second Act of Succession', which declared both her and the 19 year
281	old Mary illegitimate, Parliament gave Henry the ability to determine his
282	children's status, as well as the actual succession.&nbsp; Typically for
283	Henry, he simply let both his daughters live as princesses and gave them
284	precedence over everyone at court except his current wife.&nbsp; But they
285	had no real claim to the title of 'princess' and were known as 'the lady
286	Elizabeth' and 'the lady Mary'.&nbsp; This was often followed by the
287	explanatory 'the king's daughter.'&nbsp; It was an awkward situation which
288	the king saw no reason to resolve.&nbsp; His will did recognize his
289	daughters' crucial place in the succession.&nbsp; If Edward died without
290	heirs, Mary would inherit the throne; if Mary died without heirs,
291	Elizabeth would become queen.&nbsp; He also left them the substantial
292	income of 3000 pds a year, the same amount for each daughter.&nbsp; </P>
293	<P>Did Elizabeth mourn her father?&nbsp; Undoubtedly so, for at least
294	under Henry VIII she was three steps from the throne and protected by his
295	rough paternal affection.&nbsp; After his death, she had good cause to
296	wish him alive again.&nbsp; Ten year old Edward was king in name
297	only.&nbsp; The rule of England was actually in the hands of his uncle,
298	the Lord Protector Edward Seymour, soon titled duke of Somerset.&nbsp;
299	Elizabeth was now separated from her brother's household, moving to
300	Katharine Parr's home in Chelsea.&nbsp; This was perhaps the happiest time
301	of her adolescence.&nbsp; </P>
302	<P>But Katharine married again quickly, to the man she had loved before
303	Henry VIII had claimed her.&nbsp; Her new husband was Thomas Seymour, the
304	younger brother of Lord Protector Somerset and uncle to the new King
305	Edward.&nbsp; He was handsome, charming, and very ambitious.&nbsp; He also
306	had terrible political instincts.&nbsp; Seymour was not content to be
307	husband of the Dowager Queen of England.&nbsp; He was jealous of his
308	brother's position and desperate to upstage him.&nbsp; And so he
309	inadvertently played into the hands of the equally ambitious John Dudley,
310	earl of Warwick.&nbsp; Dudley wished to destroy the Seymour protectorship
311	and seize power for himself.&nbsp; He allowed the feuding brothers to
312	destroy each other.&nbsp; </P>
313	<P>For Elizabeth, the main problem with Seymour was his inappropriate and
314	very flirtatious behavior.&nbsp; As a teenaged girl with little experience
315	of men, she was flattered by his attention and also a bit
316	frightened.&nbsp; Certainly it placed great strain on Katharine Parr, who
317	had become pregnant soon after her marriage.&nbsp; The queen originally
318	participated in Seymour's early morning raids into Elizabeth's room, where
319	he would tickle and wrestle with the girl in her nightdress.&nbsp; But
320	while Katharine considered this simple fun, her husband was more
321	serious.&nbsp; He soon had keys made for every room in their house and
322	started visiting Elizabeth while she was still asleep and he was clad in
323	just his nightshirt.&nbsp; She soon developed the habit of rising early;
324	when he appeared, her nose was safely in a book. Edward's council heard
325	rumors of these romps and investigated.&nbsp; Elizabeth proved herself
326	circumspect and clever; she managed to admit nothing which would
327	offend&nbsp; </P>
328	<P>She left the Seymour home for Hatfield House in May 1548, ostensibly
329	because the queen was 'undoubtful of health'.&nbsp; Elizabeth and
330	Katharine exchanged affectionate letters, but they would not meet
331	again.&nbsp; The queen died on 4 September 1548 of childbed fever.&nbsp;
332	</P>
333	<P>After her death, Seymour's position became more dangerous.&nbsp; It was
334	rumored that he wished to marry Elizabeth and thus secure the throne of
335	England in case Edward died young.&nbsp; He had already bought the
336	wardship of <A
337	href="_httpextlink_&amp;rl=1&amp;href=http:%2f%2fenglishhistory.net%2ftudor%2frelative%2fjanegrey.html">Lady Jane
338	Grey</A>, a Tudor cousin and heir in Henry VIII's will.&nbsp; He planned
339	to marry Jane and Edward, thus securing primary influence with his
340	nephew.&nbsp; Eventually, his grandiose plans unraveled and he was
341	arrested.&nbsp; Perhaps the most damning charge was his planned marriage
342	to Elizabeth.&nbsp; Immediately, the council sent Sir Robert Tyrwhit to
343	Hatfield with the mission to take control of Elizabeth's household and
344	gain her confession.&nbsp; He immediately arrested Elizabeth's beloved
345	governess Kat Ashley and her cofferer, Thomas Parry; they were sent to the
346	Tower.&nbsp; Now, Tyrwhit told the princess, confess all; he wanted
347	confirmation of the charge that Seymour and Elizabeth planned to
348	wed.&nbsp; If she confessed, Tyrwhit said, she would be forgiven for she
349	was young and foolish - her servants should have protected her.&nbsp; </P>
350	<P>
351	<IMG height=122 alt="Elizabeth's signature as Princess of England"
352	src="_httpdocimg_/elizsig-sm.jpg" width=200 align=left border=2>Elizabeth did not hesitate to demonstrate her own wit and
353	learning.&nbsp; Indeed, she drove Tyrwhit to exasperation; 'in no way will
354	she confess any practice by Mistress Ashley or the cofferer concerning my
355	lord Admiral; and yet I do see it in her face that she is guilty and do
356	perceive as yet she will abide more storms ere she accuse Mistress
357	Ashley,' he wrote to Somerset, 'I do assure your Grace she hath a very
358	good wit and nothing is gotten of her but by great policy.'&nbsp;
359	Elizabeth refused to scapegoat her loyal servants and defiantly asserted
360	her complete innocence.&nbsp; She told Tyrwhit she cared nothing for the
361	Admiral and when he had mentioned some vague possibility of marriage, she
362	had referred him to the council.&nbsp; She also secured permission to
363	write to Somerset and, upon doing so, demanded a public apology be made
364	regarding her innocence.&nbsp; She also demanded the return of her loyal
365	servants for if they did not return, she said, her guilt would be
366	assumed.&nbsp; She read Ashley and Parry's 'confessions' in which they
367	described Seymour's romps with her at Katharine Parr's home.&nbsp; The
368	details were undoubtedly embarrassing but she recognized their
369	harmlessness.&nbsp; In short, she demonstrated every aspect of her
370	formidable intelligence and determination.&nbsp; Poor Tyrwhit left for
371	London with no damaging confession.&nbsp; </P>
372	<P>But the council didn't need Elizabeth's confession to execute
373	Seymour.&nbsp; He was charged with thirty-three other crimes, and he
374	answered only three of the charges.&nbsp; He was not given a trial; a
375	messy execution was always best passed by a Bill of Attainder.&nbsp; He
376	was executed on 20 March 1549, dying 'very dangerously, irksomely,
377	horribly... a wicked man and the realm is well rid of him.'&nbsp; Contrary
378	to some biographies, Elizabeth did not say, 'This day died a man with much
379	wit, and very little judgment.'&nbsp; The 17th century Italian novelist
380	Leti invented this, as well as several forged letters long supposed to be
381	hers.&nbsp; </P>
382	<P>Soon enough, Seymour's brother followed him to the scaffold.&nbsp;
383	Somerset was a kind man in private life and genuinely dedicated to
384	economic and religious reform in England but, as a politician, he failed
385	miserably.&nbsp; He lacked charisma and confidence; he preferred to bully
386	and bluster his way through council meetings.&nbsp; He simply did not
387	understand how to manage the divisive personalities of Edward VI's privy
388	council.&nbsp; Meanwhile, John Dudley had been quietly manipulating other
389	councilors and the young king to gain ascendancy.&nbsp; Upon Somerset's
390	execution, Dudley became Lord Protector; he was also titled duke of
391	Northumberland.&nbsp; He was the first non-royal Englishman given that
392	title.&nbsp; </P>
393	<P>For Elizabeth, these events were merely background noise at
394	first.&nbsp; Dudley took pains to cultivate a friendship with her, which
395	she wisely avoided.&nbsp; He sent her and Mary amiable letters.&nbsp;
396	Since Mary was a Catholic, and Dudley a Protestant who had benefited
397	materially from the Reformation, he was necessarily more friendly to
398	Elizabeth.&nbsp; For example, Edward VI had given Dudley Hatfield House,
399	which was currently Elizabeth's residence.&nbsp; Dudley graciously
400	returned it to her in exchange for lesser lands in her possession.&nbsp;
401	He also passed the patents to her lands, which allowed her more
402	income.&nbsp; This, of course, should have been done at Henry VIII's
403	death.&nbsp; So Elizabeth at first benefited from Dudley's rise to
404	power.&nbsp; She was now a well-respected and popular princess, a landed
405	lady in her own right with a large income and keen mind.&nbsp; She was
406	also an heir to the English throne, though still officially recognized as
407	a bastard.&nbsp; But she was shown every respect, and a degree of
408	affection from Edward VI completely lacking in his relations with their
409	sister Mary.&nbsp; </P>
410	<P>Their mutual faith was an important connection with the increasingly
411	devout Edward.&nbsp; Elizabeth visited Court occasionally, corresponded
412	with her brother, and continued her studies mainly at Hatfield.&nbsp; She
413	had always been excessively cautious and very intelligent, qualities she
414	displayed to great effect during the Seymour crisis.&nbsp; The only time
415	in her life when she demonstrated any recklessness had been during the
416	Seymour debacle; she had learned its lesson well.&nbsp; </P>
417	<P>She also cultivated the image of a sober Protestant young lady.&nbsp;
418	When queen, she became known for her love of beautiful gowns and
419	jewels.&nbsp; But before 1558, she took care to dress soberly, the image
420	of chastity and modesty.&nbsp; This was perhaps a conscious attempt to
421	distance herself from Mary, a typical Catholic princess who dressed in all
422	the glittering and garish finery she could afford.&nbsp; It is an ironic
423	note on Mary's character that she has become known as a dour, plain woman;
424	she was as fond of clothes and jewelry as her sister would become.&nbsp;
425	It was Elizabeth who dressed plainly, most often in severely cut black or
426	white gowns.&nbsp; She wore each color to great effect.&nbsp; She had
427	matured into a tall, slender and striking girl, with a fair, unblemished
428	complexion and the famous Tudor red hair.&nbsp; She wore her hair loose
429	and did not use cosmetics.&nbsp; When she traveled about the countryside,
430	crowds gathered to see her, a Protestant princess renowned for her virtue
431	and learning, her appearance modest and pleasing.&nbsp; In this respect,
432	she was emulated by her cousin Jane Grey.&nbsp; When Jane was invited to a
433	reception for Mary of Guise, the regent of Scotland, Mary Tudor sent her
434	'some goodly apparel of tinsel cloth of gold and velvet laid on with
435	parchment lace of gold.'&nbsp; Jane, a devout Protestant, was offended;
436	such apparel reflected the material trappings of Catholicism.&nbsp; When
437	her parents insisted she wear it, Jane replied, 'Nay, that were a shame to
438	follow my Lady Mary against God's word, and leave my Lady Elizabeth, which
439	followeth God's word.'&nbsp; </P>
440	<P>Elizabeth was honorably and extravagantly received at her brother's
441	court.&nbsp; For example, on 17 March 1552, she arrived at St James's
442	Palace with 'a great company of lords, knights and gentlemen' along with
443	over 200 ladies and a company of yeomen.&nbsp; Two days later she left St
444	James for Whitehall Palace, her procession accompanied by a grand
445	collection of nobles.&nbsp; The visit was a marked success for Edward was
446	open in his affection.&nbsp; She was his 'sweet sister Temperance,' unlike
447	Mary who continued to defy his religious policy.&nbsp; The Primary Sources
448	section of this site contains an excerpt from Edward VI's journal in which
449	he records a religious argument with Mary.&nbsp; In that matter, Elizabeth
450	remained distant, preferring to let her siblings argue without her.&nbsp;
451	</P>
452	<P>Edward's ministers, especially after the Seymour affair, were careful
453	with her.&nbsp; Dudley recognized Elizabeth's formidable
454	intelligence.&nbsp; When Edward VI became ill in 1553 and it was clear he
455	would not survive, Dudley had a desperate plan to save himself from Mary
456	I's Catholic rule - place Henry VIII's niece, Lady Jane Grey on the
457	throne.&nbsp; (This is discussed in great length at the <A
458	href="_httpextlink_&amp;rl=1&amp;href=http:%2f%2fenglishhistory.net%2ftudor%2frelative%2fjanegrey.html">Lady Jane
459	Grey</A> site.)&nbsp; Simply put, Dudley believed he would be supported
460	because Jane was Protestant and the English would not want the Catholic
461	Mary on the throne.&nbsp; Of course, the question arises - Elizabeth was
462	Protestant, so why not put her on the throne instead of Jane?&nbsp; The
463	main reason is that Dudley was well aware that Elizabeth Tudor would not
464	be his puppet, unlike Jane Grey whom he had married to his son
465	Guildford.&nbsp; As for Edward VI, he went along with the plan because of
466	two main reasons: Elizabeth was illegitimate so there might be resistance
467	to her rule and, as a princess, she might be persuaded to marry a foreign
468	prince and England would fall under foreign control.&nbsp; Jane was
469	already safely wed to an Englishman.&nbsp; </P>
470	<P>
471	<IMG height=228
472	alt="a profile portrait of Elizabeth's half-brother, King Edward VI"
473	src="_httpdocimg_/edward4-cr.jpg" width=150 border=2 align="left">Edward VI's decision should not indicate any great dislike of
474	Elizabeth.&nbsp; He was primarily determined to preserve the Protestant
475	regime in England.&nbsp; He believed this was necessary for his personal
476	and political salvation.&nbsp; He was also practical.&nbsp; He
477	disinherited Mary because of her Catholicism; however, it was officially
478	sanctioned because of her illegitimacy.&nbsp; Like Elizabeth, Mary had her
479	illegitimacy established by an act of Parliament during Henry VIII's
480	reign.&nbsp; Since he had ostensibly disinherited Mary because of this
481	act, he couldn't let Elizabeth inherit - it simply wasn't logical.&nbsp;
482	So the throne would pass to the legitimate - and Protestant - Lady Jane
483	Grey.&nbsp; As most know, she ruled for just nine days before Mary became
484	queen of England.&nbsp; It should be noted that Edward originally told
485	Dudley that, though he didn't want Mary to succeed him, he saw no logical
486	reason for Elizabeth to be disowned.&nbsp; It was Dudley who pointed out
487	the logical inconsistency - that Mary 'could not be put by unless the Lady
488	Elizabeth were put by also.'&nbsp; </P>
489	<P>Dudley attempted to place Mary and Elizabeth in his power while Edward
490	was dying.&nbsp; He knew that if he imprisoned the two princesses, they
491	would be unable to rouse popular support against his plan.&nbsp; But if
492	that failed, he was determined to prevent them from seeing Edward,
493	especially Elizabeth.&nbsp; Dudley feared that Edward's affection for his
494	sister, and Elizabeth's cleverness, might persuade Edward to rewrite his
495	will in her favor.&nbsp; Like her sister, Elizabeth would undoubtedly
496	destroy Dudley, making him the scapegoat for Edward's ineffectual
497	regime.&nbsp; In fact, Elizabeth had suspected her brother was ill and set
498	out from Hatfield to visit him just a few weeks before Edward died, but
499	Dudley's men intercepted her and sent her home.&nbsp; She then wrote her
500	brother a number of letters, inquiring about his health and asking
501	permission to come to Court.&nbsp; These were intercepted as well.&nbsp;
502	</P>
503	<P>But as Edward's health continued to deteriorate and death was imminent,
504	Dudley sent a message to Hatfield, ordering Elizabeth to Greenwich
505	Palace.&nbsp; She may have been warned of his intentions - more likely she
506	guessed them.&nbsp; She refused the summons, taking to her bed with a
507	sudden illness.&nbsp; As a further precaution, her doctor sent a letter to
508	the council certifying she was too ill for travel.&nbsp; As for Mary,
509	Dudley had told her that Edward desired her presence; it would be a
510	comfort to him during his illness.&nbsp; She was torn - though Dudley hid
511	the true extent of the king's illness, the Imperial ambassador had kept
512	Mary informed.&nbsp; He was the agent of her cousin, the Holy Roman
513	Emperor Charles V; Mary's mother had been his aunt.&nbsp; Conscious of her
514	sisterly duty, Mary set out for Greenwich from Hunsdon the day before
515	Edward died.&nbsp; </P>
516	<P>Dudley was enraged by Elizabeth's refusal but he could do
517	nothing.&nbsp; Soon enough, events moved too quickly for the princess to
518	be his primary concern.&nbsp; It was being whispered that Dudley had
519	poisoned the king to place his daughter-in-law on the throne.&nbsp; Of
520	course, this was untrue since Dudley needed Edward to live as long as
521	possible for his plan to work.&nbsp; To this end, he had engaged a female
522	'witch' to help prolong the king's life.&nbsp; She concocted a mix of
523	arsenic and other drugs; they worked, at least for Dudley's purpose.&nbsp;
524	The young king lived for a few more weeks though he suffered
525	terribly.&nbsp; Finally, on 6 July 1553, Edward VI died.&nbsp;
526	Immediately, Dudley had Jane Grey proclaimed queen, an honor she had not
527	sought and did not want.&nbsp; It was only Dudley's appeal to her
528	religious convictions which convinced her to accept the throne.&nbsp; </P>
529	<P>Meanwhile, Jane's cousin, Mary Tudor, was still on her way to Greenwich
530	to see her brother, until a sympathizer (sent by Nicholas Throckmorton or
531	William Cecil) rode out to meet her; the summons was a trap, he told her,
532	and Dudley intended to imprison her.&nbsp; Mary rode to East Anglia, the
533	conservative section of England where her support would be
534	strongest.&nbsp; Eventually she would realize the true extent of her
535	support.&nbsp; Protestants and Catholics alike rallied to her cause since
536	she was Henry VIII's daughter and the true heir under his will.&nbsp; As
537	she left for East Anglia, she didn't know her brother was already dead but
538	she sent a note to the Imperial ambassador Simon Renard; once she knew of
539	Edward's death, she said, she would declare herself queen.&nbsp; She sent
540	another note to Dudley, telling him she was too ill to travel.&nbsp; </P>
541	<P>The failure of Dudley's ambitions is discussed at the <A
542	href="_httpextlink_&amp;rl=1&amp;href=http:%2f%2fenglishhistory.net%2ftudor%2frelative%2fjanegrey.html">Lady Jane
543	Grey</A> site.&nbsp; Suffice to say, he was overthrown and executed and
544	Mary Tudor, at the age of thirty-seven, was declared queen of England in
545	her own right.&nbsp; During the nine days of Jane's reign, Elizabeth had
546	continued her pretense of illness.&nbsp; It was rumored that Dudley had
547	sent councilors to her, offering a large bribe if she would just renounce
548	her claim to the throne.&nbsp; Elizabeth refused, remarking, 'You must
549	first make this agreement with my elder sister, during whose lifetime I
550	have no claim or title to resign.'&nbsp; So she remained at her beloved
551	Hatfield, deliberately avoiding a commitment one way or another.&nbsp;
552	When word reached her that Mary was finally queen, she sent a letter of
553	congratulation to her sister and set off for London.&nbsp; On 29 July, she
554	entered the capital with 2000 mounted men wearing the green and white
555	Tudor colors.&nbsp; There she awaited Mary's official arrival into the
556	city.&nbsp; On 31 July, Elizabeth rode with her attendant nobles along the
557	Strand and through the City to Colchester, the same path her sister would
558	take.&nbsp; It was here she would receive her sister as queen.&nbsp; They
559	had not seen each other for about five years.&nbsp; </P>
560	<P>Mary had always disliked her half-sister for many reasons, not least
561	because she sensed an innate shiftiness in Elizabeth's character.&nbsp;
562	Elizabeth, Mary believed, was never to be trusted.&nbsp; Originally, this
563	dislike was because of Elizabeth's mother, Anne Boleyn.&nbsp; Mary had
564	long blamed Anne for her own mother's tragic end as well as the alienation
565	of her father's affections.&nbsp; After Anne died and Elizabeth, too, was
566	declared illegitimate, Mary found other reasons to hate Elizabeth, chief
567	among them religion.&nbsp; Like her mother, Mary was a devout Catholic;
568	she recognized Elizabeth's lack of religious zeal.&nbsp;<img border="2" src="_httpdocimg_/elizsister.jpg" align="right" alt="portrait of Elizabeth's half-sister, Queen Mary I; she ruled England from 1553 to 1558" width="350" height="522"> But at her
569	accession, the moment of her great triumph, she was prepared to be
570	conciliatory.&nbsp; </P>
571	<P>Mary ordered that Elizabeth share her triumphal march through
572	London.&nbsp; Their processions met at Wanstead on 2 August.&nbsp; There,
573	Elizabeth dismounted and knelt in the road before her sister.&nbsp; Mary
574	dismounted and raised her sister, embracing and kissing her with
575	affection.&nbsp; She even held her hand as they spoke.&nbsp; Their two
576	parties entered London together, the sisters riding side by side.&nbsp;
577	The contrast between their physical appearances could not have been more
578	striking.&nbsp; Mary, at thirty-seven, was old beyond her years.&nbsp; An
579	adulthood passed in anxiety and tribulation had marred her health and
580	appearance.&nbsp; She was small like her mother and thin, with Katharine's
581	deep, almost gruff voice.&nbsp; Elizabeth was nineteen years old, taller
582	than her sister and slender.&nbsp; While Mary was richly attired in
583	velvets covered in jewels and gold, Elizabeth was dressed in her usual
584	strikingly severe style.&nbsp; Neither sister was conventionally beautiful
585	but onlookers commented upon Mary's open compassion and kindness and
586	Elizabeth's innate majesty.&nbsp; And since Mary was thirty-seven, quite
587	old to have a child, Elizabeth was viewed as her probable heir.&nbsp; As
588	such, she was cheered as much as the new queen.&nbsp; </P>
589	<P>On 1 October, Elizabeth rode to Mary's coronation with Henry VIII's
590	discarded fourth wife, Anne of Cleves.&nbsp; She was once again accorded a
591	place of honor amongst the English ladies, though not the highest position
592	as was her due.&nbsp; The Imperial ambassador Renard reported that she
593	spoke often with the French ambassador de Noailles.&nbsp; For his part, de
594	Noailles reported that Elizabeth complained her coronet was too heavy and
595	made her head ache.&nbsp; He replied to her that, God willing, she would
596	soon wear a heavier crown.&nbsp; </P>
597	<P>This was dangerous talk, as Elizabeth soon discovered.&nbsp; Mary's
598	mood was fickle regarding her clever half-sister.&nbsp; For every kind
599	word or gesture, there were public statements dismissing Henry VIII as
600	Elizabeth's father, or allowing distant cousins precedent at court.&nbsp;
601	It was simply impossible for Mary to forget the past, etched so acutely
602	upon her spirit.&nbsp; She could not like Elizabeth, nor trust her.&nbsp;
603	Elizabeth responded to this emotional hostility by retreating to
604	Hatfield.&nbsp; There she continued her studies and attempted to remain
605	safe in the morass of English politics.&nbsp; </P>
606	<P>But however much she might wish for peace, she was not to have
607	it.&nbsp; She was destined to be the focal point for all discontent over
608	Mary's reign.&nbsp; And there was soon much reason for discontent.&nbsp;
609	Edward VI's council had left the economy in shambles; currency was debased
610	and near worthless.&nbsp; There was a series of bad harvests.&nbsp; Prices
611	rose and discontent spread.&nbsp; And worst of all, Mary soon decided to
612	marry King Philip II of Spain, son and heir of Charles V.&nbsp; This was
613	yet another example of her inability to forget the past.&nbsp; Philip
614	represented the homeland of her beloved mother, and a chance to bring all
615	the weight of the Holy Roman Empire to bear upon the heretics of
616	England.&nbsp; Mary was determined to turn back the clock on twenty years
617	of religious reform and make England a Catholic nation again.&nbsp; </P>
618	<P>Understandably, her subjects were less than thrilled.&nbsp; Even
619	English Catholics did not want their country to become a powerless
620	appendage of the Hapsburg empire.&nbsp; Certainly a queen had to marry,
621	but not the emperor's son!&nbsp; In this climate of rebellion and
622	repression, Elizabeth's life was in great danger.&nbsp; It could not be
623	otherwise; she was the only alternative to Mary's rule.&nbsp; </P>
624	<P>Elizabeth conformed outwardly to the Catholic faith.&nbsp; But she
625	could not distance herself too much from her Protestant supporters.&nbsp;
626	When Sir Thomas Wyatt, the son of her mother's great poetic admirer, led a
627	rebellion in January 1554, matters came to an unpleasant impasse.&nbsp;
628	Wyatt had written to Elizabeth that he intended to overthrow Mary but his
629	letter was intercepted, as was a letter from de Noailles to the king of
630	France.&nbsp; His letter implied that Elizabeth knew of the revolt in
631	advance, and repeated rumors that she was off gathering armed
632	supporters.&nbsp; The government was able to suppress the rebellion before
633	it spread very far and Wyatt was arrested.&nbsp; Mary's council could find
634	no real proof that de Noailles's suppositions were true but they decided
635	to summon Elizabeth back to London for questioning.&nbsp; She was
636	understandably frightened and ill; she sent word that she could not
637	travel.&nbsp; Two of Mary's personal physicians were sent to evaluate her
638	condition.&nbsp; They diagnosed 'watery humors' and perhaps an
639	inflammation of the kidneys.&nbsp; She was ill, they reported, but not too
640	ill to travel the 30 miles to London in the queen's own litter.&nbsp;
641	Three of the queen's councilors - Howard, Hastings, and Cornwallis, all of
642	whom were friendly with Elizabeth - escorted her back to London.&nbsp;
643	They traveled quite slowly, covering just six miles a day.&nbsp; </P>
644	<P>Elizabeth kept the curtains of the litter pulled back as she entered
645	the city, and the citizens were able to see her pale, frightened
646	face.&nbsp; She had good cause for her fear; the heads and corpses of
647	Wyatt and his supporters were thrust upon spikes and gibbets throughout
648	the city.&nbsp; The queen waited for her at Whitehall but they did not
649	meet immediately.&nbsp; First, Elizabeth's household was dismissed and she
650	was told that she must undergo close interrogation about her
651	activities.&nbsp; She was questioned by the unfriendly bishop of
652	Winchester, Stephen Gardiner, but she was not intimidated.&nbsp; She
653	denied any involvement in the rebellion and repeatedly asked to see the
654	queen.&nbsp; But she was told that Mary was leaving for Oxford where she
655	would hold a Parliament.&nbsp; Elizabeth would be leaving Whitehall as
656	well, though at first the council could not decide where to send
657	her.&nbsp; No councilor wanted the responsibility of keeping her in close
658	confinement at their homes; it was too unpleasant and potentially
659	dangerous.&nbsp; And so Gardiner and Renard had their way and she went to
660	the Tower of London.&nbsp; The earl of Sussex and the marquess of
661	Winchester were sent to escort her from Whitehall.&nbsp; </P>
662	<P>Elizabeth was terrified.&nbsp; The mere mention of the Tower was enough
663	to shatter her already fragile nerves.&nbsp; She begged to be allowed to
664	write to her sister, and the men agreed.&nbsp; The letter was long,
665	rambling, and repetitious - proof of her fear and trepidation:&nbsp; </P>
666	<BLOCKQUOTE>
667	<p>I have heard in my time of many cast away for want of coming
668	to the presence of their Prince....&nbsp; Therefore once again kneeling
669	with humbleness of my heart, because I am not suffered to bow the knees
670	of my body, I humbly crave to speak with your Highness, which I would
671	not be so bold to desire if I knew not myself most clear as I know
672	myself most true.&nbsp; And as for the traitor Wyatt, he might
673	peradventure write me a letter but on my faith I never received any from
674	him; and as for the copy of my letter sent to the French king, I pray
675	God confound me eternally if ever I sent him word, message, token or
676	letter by any means, and to this truth I will stand it to my
677	death.&nbsp; <BR>....Let conscience move your Highness to take some
678	better way with me than to make me be condemned in all men's sight afore
679	my desert know.</p>
680	</BLOCKQUOTE>
681	<p>After finishing, she carefully drew lines
682	throughout the rest of the blank sheet so no forgeries could be added, and
683	she signed it 'I humbly crave but one word of answer from yourself.&nbsp;
684	Your Highness's most faithful subject that hath been from the beginning
685	and will be to my end, Elizabeth'.&nbsp; </p>
686	<P>The letter had taken too long to write; they had missed the tide.&nbsp;
687	They could wait a few hours and take her to the Tower in the darkest part
688	of night, but the council disagreed.&nbsp; There could be an attempt to
689	rescue her under cover of darkness.&nbsp; They decided to wait until the
690	next morning, Palm Sunday, when the streets would be nearly deserted since
691	everyone would be in church.&nbsp; Meanwhile, her letter was sent to Mary
692	who received it angrily and refused to read it through.&nbsp; She had not
693	given permission for it to be written or sent, and she rebuked her
694	councilors fiercely.&nbsp; </P>
695	<P>The next morning, 17 March 1554, arrived cold and grey; there was a
696	steady rain.&nbsp; At 9 o'clock in the morning, Elizabeth was taken from
697	her rooms and through the garden to where the barge waited.&nbsp; She was
698	accompanied by six of her ladies and two gentleman-attendants.&nbsp; She
699	waited under a canopy until the barge began to slow; she then saw that
700	they would enter beneath Traitor's Gate, beneath St Thomas's Tower.&nbsp;
701	This was the traditional entrance for prisoners returned to their cells
702	after trial at Westminster.&nbsp; The sight terrified her and she begged
703	to be allowed entry by any other gate.&nbsp; Her request was
704	refused.&nbsp; She was offered a cloak to protect her from the rain but
705	she pushed it aside angrily.&nbsp; Upon stepping onto the landing, she
706	declared, 'Here landeth as true a subject, being prisoner, as ever landed
707	at these stairs.&nbsp; Before Thee, O God, do I speak it, having no other
708	friend but Thee alone.'&nbsp; She then noticed the yeoman warders gathered
709	to receive her beyond the gate.&nbsp; 'Oh Lord,' she said loudly, 'I never
710	thought to have come in here as a prisoner, and I pray you all bear me
711	witness that I come in as no traitor but as true a woman to the Queen's
712	Majesty as any as is now living.'&nbsp; Several of the warders stepped
713	forward and bowed before her, and one called out, 'God preserve your
714	Grace.'&nbsp; </P>
715	<P>She still refused to enter the Tower.&nbsp; After the warder's
716	declaration, she sat upon a stone and would not move.&nbsp; The Lieutenant
717	of the Tower, Sir John Brydges, said to her, 'You had best come in,
718	Madame, for here you sit unwholesomely.'&nbsp; Elizabeth replied with
719	feeling, 'Better sit here, than in a worse place, for God knoweth where
720	you will bring me.'&nbsp; And so she sat until one of her attendants burst
721	into tears.&nbsp; She was taken to the Bell Tower, a small corner tower
722	beside Brydges's own lodgings.&nbsp; Her room was on the first floor, and
723	had a large fireplace with three small windows.&nbsp; Down the passageway
724	from the door were three latrines which hung over the moat.&nbsp; It was
725	not as destitute or uncomfortable as she had feared, but it was still the
726	Tower of London and she was a prisoner.&nbsp; </P>
727	<P>This was the beginning of one of the most trying times of her
728	life.&nbsp; </P>
729	<P>Elizabeth spent just two months in the Tower of London, but she had no
730	idea that her stay would be so brief - and it did not feel particularly
731	brief.&nbsp; She truly believed some harm would come to her and she dwelt
732	most upon the possibility of poison.&nbsp; She knew Mary hated her and
733	that many of her councilors constantly spoke ill of her, encouraging
734	either her imprisonment or execution.&nbsp; </P>
735	<P>However, Elizabeth had enough popular support that she would not face
736	death at her sister's orders.&nbsp; But Lady Jane Grey, the unfortunate
737	Nine Days' Queen, and her husband were neither so popular or lucky.&nbsp;
738	They, too, had lived in the Tower under threat of execution; both had been
739	convicted of treason.&nbsp; But Mary had always been fond of Jane and was
740	close friends with her mother Frances; she allowed her cousin to live very
741	comfortably in the Tower while her fate remained undecided.&nbsp; Mary
742	probably intended to release Jane as soon as the country settled under her
743	own rule.&nbsp; But Renard wanted both Jane and her husband
744	executed.&nbsp; He warned Mary that the emperor would not allow Philip to
745	enter England as long as Jane lived.&nbsp; She was a traitor, and it was
746	only a matter of time before the Protestants tried to place either Jane or
747	Elizabeth upon the throne.&nbsp; Mary was not persuaded by Renard's
748	arguments, but his threat carried greater force - she wanted to marry
749	Philip and he would not come to England until it was safe.&nbsp; The small
750	rebellion led by Jane's father clearly did not help matters.&nbsp; And so
751	Jane and the equally unfortunate Guildford Dudley were executed.&nbsp;
752	Elizabeth herself arrived at the Tower just six weeks later, and her
753	cousin's fate must have weighed heavily on her mind.&nbsp; After all, she
754	and Jane had lived and studied together briefly under Katharine Parr's
755	tutelage, and Jane's admiration of Elizabeth had been open and
756	obvious.&nbsp; </P>
757	<P>It was abundantly clear to Elizabeth that her position was precarious
758	and dangerous.&nbsp; During the first weeks of her imprisonment, she was
759	allowed to take exercise along the Tower walls but when a small child
760	began to give her flowers and other gifts, Brydges was told to keep her
761	indoors.&nbsp; Elizabeth had always been active, both physically and
762	mentally.&nbsp; She chafed at her confinement and its boring
763	routine.&nbsp; She was occasionally interrogated by members of Mary's
764	council, but she held firm to her innocence.&nbsp; She had faced such
765	interrogations during Thomas Seymour's fall from grace, and could not be
766	easily intimidated.&nbsp; Still, the stress - which she handled with
767	outward aplomb - took its toll on her physical health.&nbsp; She lost
768	weight, and became prone to headaches and stomach problems.&nbsp; </P>
769	<P>Ironically enough, it was the impending arrival of Philip of Spain
770	which led to her freedom.&nbsp; Renard had urged Mary to execute Jane and
771	imprison Elizabeth so that Philip would be safe in England.&nbsp; Philip,
772	however, was far more sensitive to the political implications of such an
773	act.&nbsp; He knew the English were acutely sensitive to any shift in
774	Mary's policies simply because she had chosen to marry a foreigner.&nbsp;
775	If she made an unpopular decision, it would be blamed upon his
776	influence.&nbsp; He knew, too, that the Protestant faith was still popular
777	in the country, and that Elizabeth embodied its greatest hope.&nbsp; If
778	she were harmed in any way, his arrival in England would be even more
779	unpopular and dangerous.&nbsp; And the Wyatt rebellion had merely
780	reinforced Philip's natural inclination to tread lightly.&nbsp; His
781	intention was to wed Mary, be crowned king of England, and find a suitable
782	husband for Elizabeth, preferably one of his Hapsburg relations.&nbsp;
783	Then, if Mary died without bearing a child, England would remain within
784	the Hapsburg sphere of influence, a willing and useful adjunct of the
785	empire.&nbsp; </P>
786	<P>Accordingly, Philip wrote to Mary and advised that Elizabeth be set at
787	liberty.&nbsp; This conciliatory gesture was not appreciated by Mary,
788	always inclined to believe the worst in her half-sister, but - once again
789	- her eagerness for Philip's arrival made her desperate to please
790	him.&nbsp; She dispensed with Renard's advice and on Saturday 19 May at
791	one o'clock in the afternoon, Elizabeth was finally released from the
792	Tower; incidentally, her mother had been executed on the same day eighteen
793	years earlier.&nbsp; She spent one night at Richmond Palace, but it was
794	clear that her release had not lifted Elizabeth's spirits.&nbsp; That
795	night she summoned her few servants and asked them to pray for her, 'For
796	this night,' Elizabeth said, 'I think to die.'&nbsp; </P>
797	<P>She did not die, of course, but she was still frightened and
798	lonely.&nbsp; She had been released into the care of Sir Henry
799	Bedingfield, a Catholic supporter of Queen Mary whose father had guarded
800	Katharine of Aragon during her last years at Kimbolton Castle.&nbsp; He
801	had come to the Tower on 5 May as the new Constable, replacing Sir John
802	Gage, and his arrival had caused Elizabeth no end of terror.&nbsp; She
803	believed he was sent to secretly murder her for, not long before, a
804	credible rumor had reached her; it was said that the Catholic elements of
805	Mary's council had sent a warrant for her execution to the Tower but that
806	Sir John Brydges, the strict but honest Lieutenant, had not acted upon it
807	because it lacked the queen's signature.&nbsp; With Bedingfield's arrival,
808	Elizabeth lost her almost preternatural self-control and she asked her
809	guards 'whether the Lady Jane's scaffold was taken away or no?'&nbsp; When
810	told it was gone, she asked about Bedingfield, and if 'her murdering were
811	secretly committed to his charge, he would see the execution
812	thereof?'&nbsp; </P>
813	<P>From Richmond, Bedingfield took his cowed charge to Woodstock, a
814	hunting-lodge miles from London and once favored by her Plantagenet
815	grandfather, Edward IV.&nbsp; She was neither officially under arrest nor
816	free, a nebulous position which confused nearly everyone.&nbsp; She could
817	not be received at court, but she could not be set at liberty in the
818	countryside.&nbsp; And so Bedingfield was essentially her jailer, but not
819	referred to as such; and Woodstock was her prison, but also not called
820	such.&nbsp; The journey to Woodstock certainly raised her spirit.&nbsp;
821	She was greeted by throngs of people shouting 'God save your grace!' and
822	other messages of support.&nbsp; Flowers, sweets, cakes and other small
823	gifts were given to her.&nbsp; At times, the reception was so enthusiastic
824	that Elizabeth was openly overwhelmed.&nbsp; It was now clear to her that
825	the English people loved her, perhaps as much as they did Queen
826	Mary.&nbsp; </P>
827	<P>But the love of the people was small comfort when faced with the
828	dilapidation of Woodstock.&nbsp; The main house was in such disrepair that
829	Elizabeth was lodged in the gatehouse.&nbsp; The queen had ordered that
830	her sister be treated honorably and given limited freedom; Elizabeth was
831	allowed to walk in the orchard and gardens.&nbsp; She also requested
832	numerous books.&nbsp; After a few weeks, her initial fear of Bedingfield
833	had settled into a bemused appraisal of her jailer.&nbsp; She now
834	recognized him for what he was - a conscientious, unimaginative civil
835	servant with a difficult assignment.&nbsp; They got on tolerably well, and
836	Bedingfield even forwarded her numerous letters to the Council and the
837	queen.&nbsp; Elizabeth was concerned that her imprisonment in the
838	countryside would remove her too much from the public eye and her
839	ceaseless letter-writing was an attempt to reassert her position as
840	princess of England.&nbsp; Mary did not read the letters and angrily order
841	Bedingfield to stop sending them along.&nbsp; </P>
842	<P>At the end of June, Elizabeth fell ill and asked that the queen's
843	physician Dr Owen be sent to her.&nbsp; But Dr Owen was busy tending to
844	Queen Mary and told Bedingfield that his charge must be patient.&nbsp; He
845	recommended the services of Drs Barnes and Walbeck.&nbsp; Elizabeth
846	refused to allow their examination; she preferred to commit her body to
847	God rather than to the eyes of strangers, she told Bedingfield.&nbsp;
848	Finally, on 7 July, Mary finally sent permission to Woodstock for
849	Elizabeth to write to her and the Council about her various
850	concerns.&nbsp; Elizabeth was petulant and took her time with the
851	composition of this most important letter.&nbsp; When it was finally sent,
852	written in Bedingfield's hand from her dictation, it was a typically
853	shrewd and pointed document.&nbsp; Elizabeth wanted the Council to
854	consider 'her long imprisonment and restraint of liberty, either to charge
855	her with special matter to be answered unto and tried, or to grant her
856	liberty to come unto her highness's presence, which she sayeth she would
857	not desire were it not that she knoweth herself to be clear even before
858	God, for her allegiance.'&nbsp; Elizabeth specifically requested that the
859	members of the queen's council who were executors of 'the Will of the
860	King's majesty her father' read the letter and be allowed to visit with
861	her.&nbsp; It was a pointed reminder that despite her deprived
862	circumstances, she was still next in line to the English throne.&nbsp; The
863	Council heard the document uneasily.&nbsp; </P>
864	<P>Mary, however, had other matters on her mind.&nbsp; Finally, on 20
865	July, even as Elizabeth mulled over her letter, Philip II of Spain finally
866	landed at Southampton.&nbsp; The handsome, fair-haired 27 year old King
867	was already a widow with a male heir; his first wife Maria of Portugal had
868	died in childbirth in 1545 after two years of<IMG height=480
869	alt="another portrait of Elizabeth's half-sister, Queen Mary I"
870	src="_httpdocimg_/mary1-eworth.jpg" width=332 border=2 align="right"> marriage.&nbsp; He was a
871	conscientious and pious man who impressed all who met him with his
872	discipline and work ethic.&nbsp; But he also had a tendency toward
873	religious asceticism which worsened as he grew older.&nbsp; As a child, he
874	had accompanied his father to the inquisition in Spain, watching
875	impassively as heretics were burned alive.&nbsp; But his marriage to Mary
876	was one of political necessity and Philip had no intention of threatening
877	its success with unpopular religious policies.&nbsp; He was willing to
878	move England slowly back into the Catholic fold; faced with Mary's
879	impatience, it was Philip who advised moderation.&nbsp; He wed his cousin
880	at Winchester Cathedral on 25 July in a splendid ceremony.&nbsp; On 18
881	August they finally entered London in triumph, its citizens plied with
882	enough free drinks and entertainment to greet Philip
883	enthusiastically.&nbsp; But there were already signs of trouble; the
884	anonymous pamphlets condemning foreigners and the queen's marriage
885	circulated, and Philip's Spanish entourage were unhappy over a number of
886	petty slights and insults from their English hosts.&nbsp; </P>
887	<P>Elizabeth had hoped the marriage would result in some change in her
888	circumstances.&nbsp; But she was sadly mistaken.&nbsp; Instead she passed
889	the months needling Bedingfield for more books, scribbling more letters,
890	and listening to the occasional rumor from her servants.&nbsp; The rumors
891	were hardly comforting.&nbsp; The queen was reportedly pregnant and she
892	and Philip would open Parliament together on 12 November.&nbsp; From then
893	on, the reunion between England and the papacy could begin in force.&nbsp;
894	Mary was the happiest she had been since childhood, but the problem of
895	Elizabeth remained.&nbsp; Gardiner wanted her executed; he argued that
896	Protestantism could not be completely eradicated until its great hope,
897	Elizabeth herself, was gone.&nbsp; But Philip and most other councilors
898	were more pragmatic.&nbsp; Parliament had already agreed that if Mary died
899	in childbirth, Philip would be regent of England during their child's
900	minority.&nbsp; However, if both mother and child died, then Elizabeth
901	once again assumed prominence.&nbsp; Philip, always prudent, preferred to
902	know his sister-in-law before making an enemy of her.&nbsp; With his
903	encouragement, and flush with happiness at her marriage and pregnancy,
904	Mary finally invited Elizabeth to court.&nbsp; </P>
905	<P>In the third week of April 1555, almost a year since she was sent to
906	Woodstock, Elizabeth was brought to Hampton Court Palace.&nbsp; Mary had
907	gone there to prepare for her lying-in.&nbsp; They did not meet
908	immediately.&nbsp; Elizabeth was brought into the palace through a side
909	entrance, still closely guarded.&nbsp; According to the French ambassador,
910	Philip visited her three days later but Mary never came.&nbsp; Two weeks
911	later, the most powerful members of the council appeared to chide her for
912	not submitting to the queen's authority; she was told to admit her past
913	wrongdoing and seek the queen's forgiveness.&nbsp; Elizabeth replied that
914	she had done nothing wrong in the past and wanted no mercy from her sister
915	'but rather desired the law'.&nbsp; She told Gardiner she would rather
916	remain in prison forever than admit to crimes she had never
917	committed.&nbsp; He went off immediately to tell Mary of her sister's
918	continued stubbornness.&nbsp; The queen was not pleased.&nbsp; The next
919	day, Gardiner told Elizabeth that the queen marveled that 'she would so
920	stoutly use herself, not confessing that she had offended'.&nbsp; Did
921	Elizabeth really believe she was wrongfully imprisoned? Gardiner asked.&nbsp;
922	Elizabeth refused the bait.&nbsp; She did not criticize her sister
923	explicitly, telling him only that the queen must do with her as her
924	conscience dictated.&nbsp; Gardiner replied that if she wanted her liberty
925	and former position, she must tell a different story; only by admitting
926	her past faults, confessing all sins, could she hope for
927	forgiveness.&nbsp; It was a stalemate.&nbsp; Elizabeth again told him she
928	would rather be unjustly imprisoned than gain freedom with lies.&nbsp;
929	</P>
930	<P>The next week passed with no word from anyone.&nbsp; And then, around
931	10 o'clock one evening, a message arrived that the queen would see
932	her.&nbsp; Elizabeth had begged for an interview for more than a year but
933	now that the moment had at last arrived, she was understandably
934	nervous.&nbsp; She was accompanied into Mary's apartments by one of her
935	own ladies-in-waiting and Mary's close friend and Mistress of the Robes
936	Susan Clarencieux.&nbsp; The queen's bedroom was lit with flickering
937	candlelight; the queen herself was half-hidden in shadow.&nbsp; Without
938	asking permission, Elizabeth immediately prostrated herself and declared
939	her innocence.&nbsp; And though she and Mary sparred for a short while,
940	the queen was willing to be generous at her own moment of triumph.&nbsp;
941	It was rumored that Philip watched the sisters from behind a curtain;
942	whether or not he was there, Mary was content to make peace of
943	sorts.&nbsp; She sent Elizabeth away amicably enough and a week later poor
944	Bedingfield was relieved of his duties.&nbsp; Elizabeth would remain at
945	Hampton Court, still under light guard but with her own household and
946	permission to receive certain guests.&nbsp; It was the end of over a year
947	of tiresome captivity and she was delighted.&nbsp; </P>
948	<P>While she enjoyed her newfound liberty, the burning of Protestant
949	heretics began in earnest.&nbsp; These killings have earned Mary the
950	nickname 'Bloody Mary' and blighted her reputation.&nbsp; In truth, the
951	roughly 300 people killed (about 60 women) was not considered excessive by
952	Mary's European contemporaries; and in the government's mind,
953	Protestantism had become dangerously linked with treason, sedition, and
954	other secular crimes.&nbsp; For Mary, who was perhaps the most personally
955	kind and gentle of the Tudor rulers, the killings were necessary to save
956	the heretics' souls as well.&nbsp; It is a telling feature of her
957	character that she could often forgive treason against herself, but would
958	not countenance treason against God.&nbsp; </P>
959	<P>The burnings, coupled with the Spanish marriage, caused enough
960	resentment; but, unfortunately for Mary, famine and poverty added to her
961	list of woes.&nbsp; But the greatest tragedy of all for the queen was the
962	humiliating and heartbreaking realization that her pregnancy was not
963	real.&nbsp; Mary had truly believed she was pregnant; her stomach had
964	become swollen and she had felt the child quicken.&nbsp; But she had
965	always suffered from digestive and menstrual troubles.&nbsp; It is
966	probable that she developed a tumor in her stomach which, combined with
967	the lack of a cycle and her own fervent prayers, made her believe she was
968	pregnant.&nbsp; All of April was spent in a state of readiness.&nbsp;
969	Dozens of nurses and midwives crowded into Hampton Court, joined by a
970	throng of noble ladies who would assist in the delivery.&nbsp; On 30 April
971	a rumor reached London that a male child had been born and celebrations
972	ensued.&nbsp; But it was a false alarm; the next three months were spent
973	in a state of suspended disbelief.&nbsp; Finally, on 3 August, the queen's
974	household departed to Oatlands and the pregnancy was not mentioned
975	again.&nbsp; </P>
976	<P>Mary's heartache was soon worsened by the impending departure of
977	Philip.&nbsp; He had spent over a year in a country he disliked, married
978	to a woman he pitied but did not love.&nbsp; He used the excuse of
979	pressing business in the Low Countries to leave England.&nbsp; Mary
980	protested passionately, begging him to stay; it was clear to everyone that
981	she truly loved her husband.&nbsp; But Philip was equally determined to
982	go.&nbsp; It was perhaps clear to him that Mary was seriously ill and
983	would never have children.&nbsp; If that was the case, he had no reason to
984	remain in England.&nbsp; He left explicit instructions that she treat her
985	sister well.&nbsp; </P>
986	<P>Elizabeth was sent to a small manor house a few miles from Oatlands
987	where she played another waiting game, only this time with some measure of
988	freedom and hope.&nbsp; But it was to be another three years before she
989	would become queen of England.</P>
990	<P>&nbsp;</P>
991	<CENTER>
992	<P><B><A
993	href="_httpextlink_&amp;rl=1&amp;href=http:%2f%2fenglishhistory.net%2ftudor%2fmonarchs%2feliz2.html">CONTINUE
994	READING</A></B> <BR>&nbsp; </P>
995	<P><FONT size=-1><A
996	href="_httpextlink_&amp;rl=1&amp;href=http:%2f%2fenglishhistory.net%2ftudor%2fmonarchs.html">to Tudor
997	Monarchs</A></FONT></P>
998	</blockquote>
999	</blockquote>
1000	</blockquote>
1001
1002
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1006	</Content>
1007	</Section>
1008	</Archive>

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