A History of Britain 07文档格式.docx

A History of Britain 07文档格式.docx

《A History of Britain 07文档格式.docx》由会员分享，可在线阅读，更多相关《A History of Britain 07文档格式.docx（13页珍藏版）》请在冰豆网上搜索。

Shewassupposedtobeimmortal,ofcourse.

Andtheoddthingwas,despitethegarishauburnfrightwig,thewhitefacemaskandthewrinkledbosom,foreigndiplomatswhosawheratcourtandhadnoreasontobegallant,sworetheycouldstillseetheyoungwoman,nomorethan20yearsofage.

Itdoesn'

tdotobetoostarry-eyedabouttheVirginQueen.

ElizabethIwasonlytooobviouslymadeoffleshandblood.

Shewasvain,spiteful,arrogant,shewasfrequentlyunjust,andshewasoftenmaddeninglyindecisive.

Butshewasalsobrave,shockinglyclever,aneyefultolookatandonoccasionsshewasgenuinelywise.

Inotherwords,shehadallthequalitiesittooktomakethegeniuspoliticiansheundoubtedlywas.

JustafewfeetawayfromElizabeth'

stombinWestminsterAbbeyliesthebodyofanotherwoman,Mary,QueenofScots,whohadhauntedandfascinatedElizabethforsomuchofherlife.

Novirgin,that'

sforsure.

Nopoliticianeither.

Acompletedisasterasaruler,youwouldhavetosay,butMarymanagedsomethingthateludedElizabeth.

Shereproduced.

Thisisthestoryoftwoqueensand,moreimportantly,twowomen-oneapolitician,theotheramother.

It'

sthestoryofapainfulbirth,theunionofEnglandandScotland,thebirthofBritain.

AcherishedtraditionhasitthatwhenElizabethheardthenewsthatshewastobecomequeen,onNovember17th,1558,shewasseatedbeneathanancientoaktree.

HerfirstwordswerefromPsalm118,"

adominofactumestmirabileinoculisnostris"

-"

thisistheLord'

sdoinganditismarvellousinoureyes."

Shewasright,itwasmarvellous.

Infact,itwaslittleshortofamiraclethatshehadmadeittothatdayalive.

Tudorroyalpoliticswereabloodyaffair,especiallyforTudorwomen.

Shehadbeenonlytwo,afterall,whenhermother,AnneBoleyn,hadgonetothescaffold,hersin,inHenry'

smindatleast,beingherfailuretoproduceason.

Itmusthavebeenabodypossessedbyothers,bythedevil.

Anuncleanpieceofflesh,ithadtobecutaway.

SoElizabethwouldneverbefreefromsuspicion.

OutofherdarkBoleyneyes,shewatchedherselfbeingwatched.

Inevitably,thereweretimeswhenherguardwasdown.

Shewasbarelyateenagerwhentroublefirststruck.

Shewaslivingwithherguardian,KatherineParr,HenryVIII'

swidow,whenParr'

snewhusband,ThomasSeymour,startedpayingplayfulvisitstoherbedroom.

WhenKatherineParrdied,arumourstartedcirculatingthatSeymourhadhissightssetonmarryingElizabeth.

Toeventhinkofsuchathingwastreason.

Evenworse,somewaggingtonguessaidthatElizabethwaspregnantwithhischild.

IttookallofElizabeth'

salreadyextraordinarycomposureandself-confidencetopersuadeLordProtectorSomersetthatshewasinnocent.

MyLord,theregoethrumoursabroadwhichbegreatlyagainstmyhonour,whichbethese:

ThatIamintheTowerandwithchildbymyLordAdmiral.

MyLord,theseareshamefulslanders.

ImostheartilydesireyourLordshipthatImaycometothecourtandshowmyselfthereasIam.

Yourassuredfriendtomylittlepower,Elizabeth.

Shewas,remember,just14,buttherewasalreadythefortitude,theclarityandthecourage.

Justaswell,becauseshewouldneedthesequalitiesfiveyearslater,whenfacingthemosttraumaticanddangerouscrisisofherentirelife.

WhenherCatholichalf-sister,Mary,cametothethrone,Elizabethfoundherselfinevendeepertrouble.

ShefoundherselfintheTowerwhenaProtestantplottogetridofMarybackfired.

Elizabethmanagedtotalkherselfoutofbeingchargedwithtreason,butsheremainedunderclosesurveillance.

DangeronlyturnedtodeliverancefiveyearslaterwhenQueenMarydiedchildless.

Sohereshewas,Elizabeth,undertheoak,abouttobetheProtestantqueen.

Shehadsurvived,just,butshemusthavebeenfullofdarkknowledgeandexperienceabouthowdifficultitwasallgoingtobe.

Hermotherhadbeenkilledforproducingjustadaughterandastillborn,andhersisterMary'

swombproducedonlythetumourthatkilledher.

HoweverdazzlingElizabethlooked,howeverclevershewas,shemusthaveknownhowroughtheroadwasgoingtobeforarulerofthewrongsex.

The25-yearoldElizabethcameintoaninheritanceofhighhopesanddeepanxieties.

Thecelebrationsathercoronationwerecarefullydesignedtoshowofftheyoungqueenastheparagonofvi