My loving people, I have been persuaded by some that are careful of my safety, to take heed how I commit ourselves to armed multitudes for fear of treachery. But I tell you that I would not desire to live to distrust my faithful and loving people. Let tyrants fear. I have so behaved myself that under God I have placed my chiefest strength and safeguard in the loyal hearts and goodwill of my subjects. Wherefore I am come amongst you at this time but for my recreation and pleasure, being resolved in the midst and heat of the battle to live or die amongst you all; to lay down for my God, and for my kingdom, and for my people mine honour and my blood even in the dust. I know I have the body but of a weak and feeble woman, but I have the heart and stomach of a king, and a king of England too. And take foul scorn that Parma or Spain, or any Prince of Europe should dare to invade the borders of my realm. (i)
Elizabeth may have had professed herself as 'a weak and feeble woman,' but during her time as England's Queen, Elizabeth turned around the hindrance of her 'femaleness,' making it a strong political tool. Elizabeth's persona of 'Virgin' Queen made all men at her court potential wooers, all of them seeking, wishing and desiring the position of being first in her favours. As the years went by, the courtiers' wooing resembled more that of rituals enacted to their Gloriana, the aging Elizabeth finding a hiding place in the cult her monarchy had become.
But England's first Queen Elizabeth is not the only capable Tudor woman worthy of examination. From Elizabeth own grandmother, to most of her father's wives- to mention only just a few- the Tudor period abounds with stories of powerful, patient, pragmatic and wonderful women- women dominating- often in ways not obviously apparent to their menfolk- - in a male dominated society. So much for the common held view that 'women were weak, frail, impatient, feeble and foolish!'
(i) Elizabeth !, Collected Works, Edited by L. Marcus, Janel Mueller and M.Rose, page 325-6
(ii) The reign of Elizabeth, J.B. Black, London, 1964, Page 176
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