A History of Britain 07.docx

A History of Britain 07.docx

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AHistoryofBritain07

AHistoryofBritain07.TheBodyoftheQueen（1of28）

Inherlastsickness,withthesenseofherendcomingonfast,ElizabethIhadtheringshehadwornsincehercoronationfiledawayfromtheroyalfinger.

Itwasatrickyoperation,fortheskinhadgrowninoverthegold,butthenitwassupposedtobeatightfit.

Thiswas,inamannerofspeaking,herweddingband,putonwhenshehadjoinedherselftoEngland,45yearsearlier.

Nowitseemedthetwoweretobeputasunder.

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