ELIZABETH I. SPEECH TO HER LAST PARLIAMENT. 1601 The text chosen for the analysis is an extract of one of the surviving versions, printed after 1628, of the historical speech known as “The Golden Speech” also called “Queen Elizabeth’s Farewell Speech”. It is believed to be written and checked by Queen Elizabeth I of England herself as she expected its publication later on. These were the last words delivered by the Queen to Parliament November 30th, 1601 at Whitehall Palace so it is considered a political text that marks the end of the Queen’s reign and Britain’s “Golden Age”. The contents of this famous transcript can be described as persuasive, inspiring and motivating because it is written to convince the audience about the validity of the speaker’s argument through feelings and emotions. To understand the power of these words and to explain their meaning it is essential to know about Queen Elizabeth’s background. The Tudor Dynasty became obsessed in ensuring stability and security through male heirs. Elizabeth the I, the last Tudor monarch, was born at Greenwich palace, near London, 7th of September 1533 after her half-sister Mary. She was the daughter of Henry VIII’s second wife Anne Boleyn who was executed on false charges of adultery because she did not give birth to a boy. Both sisters were considered illegitimate. Finally, the King had a male heir Edward VI but he died at the early age of 16 so Mary, even though a female, was proclaimed queen in July 1553. Elizabeth was well-educated by her governess Katherine Champernowne and her tutor Roger Ascham in subjects such as astronomy, geography, history, philosophy, politics, diplomacy also in arts such us music and literacy. She soon proved to be a gifted and highly intelligent child speaking six languages fluently. In her early years, she achieved good oratory skills and soon she became a great public speaker. Queen Mary was determined to restore Catholicism as the official religion therefore she burnt over 250 protestants at the stake and Elizabeth was imprisoned in the Tower of London because she would not be converted to Catholicism and because Mary feared a revolt, too. “Bloody Mary’s” reign came to an end when she died on November 17th 1558, when 25 year old Elizabeth was released and placed on the throne. She returned England to Protestantism and she was proclaimed by the Parliament as “Supreme Governor of the Church of England” establishing through the “Act of Uniformity” of 1559 the uses, prayers and manners of the cult included in i n the “Book of Common Prayer”. As we can see Religion was one of the most important matters at the time for any Sovereign and it was one of the reasons cruel and terrible acts were commited even to their own relatives or to begin a war in name of their cult. Kings and Queens usually claimed that they were doing God’s will and usually sent a message to their people of being close to God. If any good or bad things happened this was always God’s will. She used to receive marriage marriage proposals from those who desired power through marriage but she always cried: “I’m already married to England”. The sentence clarifies the devotion she had for her people and her country country but there are some historians that agree agree in her being afraid of giving birth. She often used her single state to her benefit for diplomacy and political issues. This Era is considered the “Golden “ Golden Age”, the most glorious years in England’s history for everything she achieved. The “Virgin Queen” reformed the currency and she prepared expeditions of colonisation to America and expanded trading with the East India Company. She created the “Poor Laws” to help those in need and she achieved great victories, the most important being against the “Spanish Armada” but all these campaigns were very expensive so she left behind large debts.
Meanwhile, “Gloriana” (Queen Elizabeth), “motto” used by artists, had became very popular among the people. However, years passed by and after taking difficult decisions such us executing Mary Queen of Scotland in 1587 and her beloved Robert Devereaux, Earl of Essex in 1601 she began to feel tired and lonely as her most trusted ministers and advisors had passed away. Corruption had appeared on the scene, as we have seen through history in long-term governments. Ministers were taking decisions without consulting the Queen. There were holders of “letter patents” who had control over some areas of the market which resulted in very high prices for primary articles such as salt or flour. The Tudor Parliament consisted of the House of Lords or Upper House and the House of Commons or the Lower House. The House of Lords was formed by bishops and aristocrats and the Commons by those elected by people. Of course, only men with important incomes could vote. It is precise to recall that Parliament was not as powerful as it is today. The main function of Parliament was to pass laws and to provide money for the Queen when ever she needed it. The Queen could make laws without the consent of Parliament, these were called “Royal Proclamations”. A Parliament could only be summoned by the Queen and she usually did so when she needed cash for her campaigns. Over her long reign she summoned Parliaments ten times. Parliament somehow forced the “Good Queen Bess” (another “motto” she had) to take care of the economic situation in exchange of a subsidy, so she cancelled some of the bussiness rights or licenses (letters patent approved by Royal Proclamation) and allowed the Courts to act consequently towards the other holders. On November 30th 1601, she invited 141 members of the house of Commons to Whitehall Palace. Those who assisted wished to thank her for her intervention with the patents. Among those who were present were the Speaker, Mr John Croque, the Controller, Mr William Knollys, Earl of Banbury and the Secretary, Mr Robert Cecil, Earl of Salisbury. Everyone was expecting a speech from the Queen about England’s economic problems but instead she announced that this would be her last speech. During the act, she also talks about her position as Queen and what she had sacrificed on behalf of the nation and about the love and respect she felt for her country, the Members of Parliament and her people. She ends her speech leaving a new successor to the crown the son of Mary Queen of Scots, James and asking everyone to kiss her hand. The name “The Golden Speech” first appeared in a version printed near the end of the “Puritan interregnum” which had a headline beginning: “This speech ought to be set in letters of gold”. The “Faerie Queen” muse of poets died at Richmond Palace on March 24th 1603 at the age of 69 after refusing to take any medicine to cure herself. In my opinion, she clearly knew that having no heir and being an aging queen was increasing the numerous plots around her and she could be murdered at any time. She had no trusted advisors left nor true friends and the Crown had become a lonely path and after executing her very dear Essex she was no longer enthusiastic and I supposse she had no strength left to carry on. One of her nicknames “Semper eadem” (always the same) had tumbled as well as her appearance that she had tried to maintain as long as she could by using red wigs, fine jewelry, ostentatious clothing and heavy make up but it was no longer effective. She had been seen using a cane and she had been suffering in silence from facial pain and leg ulcers which might explain certain aspects of her character.
I think she had wished to be remembered young and pure as the Virgin Queen she had been and powerful as the great Queen that showed up in battlefield before her troops at Tilbury in 1588 dressed up as the goddess of War. This great strategist made her last move by trying to avoid death by giving up the Crown and putting her life in the hands of those that she had loved the most the Commons, the People of England and by finally becoming a legend. We can divide the text in three parts: lines 1 - 19, the Queen receives the thanks from the Commons as a very valuable present while they knelt before her position and she enumerates the different tasks she had supported as Queen and she also justifies the large debt behind the Irish campaigns by saying that it wasn’t for her own profit but for the benefit of her subjects. Line 1, “Your comming is to present thanks to vs” Lines 3-4, “...Loyaltie, loue and Thanks I account them inualuable.” Line 14, “My heart was neuer set vpon any worldly goods” line 18, “I would wish you and the rest to stand vp” lines 20 - 50, Queen Elizabeth I uses the Commons’ complaint about the monopolies of goods and services (letter patents) first by thanking them for the report received about a situation unknown by her and assuring she would not allow those who had been priviledged with these business licenses to abuse her people so she repaired the error on some patents. Parliament was to take care of the rest. She also reminded them of her advanced age. Line 22, “...onely for want of true information” Other versions say “...only for lack of true information” Line 27, “Our Princely Dignitie shall not suffer it” Line 28, “I could giue no rest vnto my thoughts vntil I had reformed it” Line 29, “...abusers of my bountie, shall know I will not suffer i t.” line 43, “I haue euer set the last Iudgement day before mine eyes and so to rule...” lines 51-72, The Queen finally offers her respects to the Crown, gives up the throne for the sake of the country and puts her life in her loved ones hands. Lines 62-63, “were it not for conscience sake to discharge the duti that God hath layd vpon me” Liline 63-64, “...to maintaine his glorie, and keepe you in safetie...I should be willing to resige the place I hold to any other...” lines 65-68, “it is not my desire to liue nor to reign longer then my life and reigne shall be for your good. And though you haue hath and may haue many mightier and wiser Princess sitting in this Seat you neuer had nor shall haue any that will loue you better.” Line 69, “I commend mee to your loyal loues” Throughout the speech we find reminders of her beliefs about God making her Queen, using her as an instrument and being God the only one to question her acts. Line 4, “God hath reaysed Mee High” Line 6, “God hath made Mee to bee a Queene” Lines 38-39, “And God that gaue me here to sit, and placed me ouer you,...” Line 42, “It is God that hath delivered me” Line 44, “...I shall be Iudged and answer before a higher Iudge...” Line 63, “...the duti that God hath layd vpon me...” There is an expression I want to highlight as she uses it to declare that though a female she could realise difficult tasks because it was God’s will.
Lines 55-56, “I ascribe any of these things vnto my selfe, or my sexly weaknesse, ..., I haue receiued at Gods hands...”
Let’s have a look, to end this analysis, at some differences between the spelling used in this text and today’s English spelling: -
U instead of v, ex. Haue - have, loue - love, perceiue - perceive, conserue - conserve V instead of u, ex. Vs – us, vnder – under, vpon - upon i instead of j, ex. Ioy - joy th instead of d, ex. hath – had, manifesteth - manifested a instead of e, ex. Soveraign – Sovereigne ee instead of e, ex. Mee – me, bee – be ie instead of y , ex. Infamie - infamy e after consonant, ex. My selfe – myself, thankes – thanks, againe – again, speake – speak, griefe – grief e between two consonants, ex. Onely – only missing an e before r, ex. Intrests - interests
Finally,I want to end my analysis with one of Elizabeth I’s quotes:
“I know I have the body of a weak and feeble woman, but I have the heart and the stomach of a King, and of a King of England too.”
Bibliography consulted: * Anglophone worlds from a historical and cultural perspective: United Kingdom and Ireland 2nd edition, by Antonio Sagredo Santos y Mª Luz Arroyo Vázquez, Ed. Ramón Areces * The Norton Anthology of English Literature 7th edition Vol 1 * The Short Oxford History of English Literature 2nd edition by Andrew Sanders * The myths Surrounding Queen Elizabeth, by Claire Ridgway Sites consulted: www.elizabethfiles.com www.royalty.nu/Europe/England/Tudor/ElizabethI.html www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/tudors/elizabeth_i_01.shtml www.elizabethi.org/uk/power/parliament.html www.royal.gov.uk/historyofthemonarchy www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/elizabeth1.html www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Golden_Speech www.litencyc.com/php/stopics.php?rec=true&UID=323
