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| Life During her Reign Elizabeth
I took the throne when her sister Mary died in 1558, and her reign lasted until
her death, in 1603. In her lifetime she made herself a powerful image of female
authority and national pride. She became famous not only for the great change
she took in her country, in economy, in religion and in arts (during her period
Christopher Marlowe, Ben Johnson and William Shakespeare lived), but also for
her decision not to marry. She really thought she was born a servant of God and
said her kind of life was a choice of God and that satisfied her completely.
Maybe she loved an aristocratic called Robert Devereux, who was not accepted by
the government, and other rumours said that probably she had a malformation
which did not allow her to have children. Once she said:- I’m already bound
with a husband, which is the Kingdom of England.- Here
are some lines of Elizabeth’s speech where she answered to a delegation of the
government who petitioned her to marry a foreigner (1559): /.../
to the first part I may say unto you that from my years of understanding since I
first had consideration of myself to be born a servitor of almighty God, I
happily chose this kind of life in which I yet live, which I assure you for my
own part hath hitherto best contented myself and I trust hath been most
acceptable to God. /.../ so constant have I always continued in this
determination, although my youth and words may seem to some hardly to agree
together, yet is it most true that at this day I stand free from any other
meaning that either I have had in times past or have at this present; with which
trade of life I am so thoroughly acquainted that I trust God, who hath hitherto
therein preserved and led me by the hand, will not now of his goodness suffer me
to go alone. For
the other part, the manner of your petition I do well like of and take in good
part, because that it is simple and containeth no limitation of place or person.
If it had been otherwise, I must needs have misliked it very much and thought it
in you a very great presumption, being unfitting and altogether unmet for you to
require them that may command or those to appoint whose parts are to desire, or
such to bind and limit whose duties are to obey, or to take upon you to draw my
love to your liking or frame my will to your fantasies; for a guerdon
constrained and a gift freely given can never agree together. Nevertheless if
any of you be in suspect, that when so ever it may please God to incline my
heart to another kind of life, you may well assure yourselves my meaning is not
to do or determine anything wherewith the realm may or shall have just cause to
be discontented. /.../ For I assure you /.../ I will never in that matter
conclude anything that shall be prejudicial to the realm, for the weal, good and
safety whereof I will never shun to spend my life. /.../ albeit it might please
almighty God to continue me still in this mind to live out of the state of
marriage, yet it is not to be feared but He will so work in my heart and in your
wisdom as good provision by his help may be made in convenient time, whereby the
realm shall not remain destitute of an heir. That may be a fit governor, and
peradventure more beneficial to the realm than such offspring as may come of me.
For although I be never so careful of your well doings and mind ever so to be,
yet may my issue grow out of kind and become perhaps ungracious. And in the end
this shall be for me sufficient, that a marble stone shall declare that a Queen,
having reigned such a time, lived and died a virgin. And
here I end, and take your coming unto me in good part, and give unto you all
eftsoons my hearty thanks, more yet for your zeal and good meaning than for your
petition. |
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