354:
expectations by refusing to marry or produce heirs, instead opting to rule alone, with God and
England as her soul mates. Elizabeth practically claims that she is both King and Queen of England in the most famous line of the address, "I have the body of a weak, feeble woman; but I have the heart and stomach of a king, and of a King of England too." At the same time that she claims the power, she acknowledges her physical weakness and condescends to the level of soldiers and subjects to whom she lovingly refers in the speech. Elizabeth calls upon God in the speech and asserts confidence in her own faith and the salvation of herself and her people, thereby placing Spain and the Pope as the ones in the wrong, calling them "tyrants" and "enemies" of both Elizabeth and England.
22:
311:. The etymology of the name "Britomart" seems to suggest British military power. Spenser deliberately wrote the character to represent Queen Elizabeth I and so in essence, they are the same. Her subjects would have been familiar with both Athena and Britomart, and Elizabeth's adoption of their personas would have been fairly recognisable. Besides representing the figures, by wearing armour, Elizabeth implied that she was ready to fight for and alongside her people. However, as
573:"Cabala sive Scrinia sacra; mysteries of state and government: in letters of illustrious persons and great ministers of state. As well forreign as domestick, in the reigns of King Henry the Eight, Q: Elizabeth, K: James, and K: Charles: wherein such secrets of empire, and publick affairs, as were then in agitation, are clearly represented... To which is added several choice letters and negotiations, no where else published"
473:
of their lands; as also of her majesties great benignity and gracious answer, telling them, that she accounted herself rich enough in that she possessed such subjects, assuring them, that for her part, she would spend the last penny of her treasures for their defence, rather than she would be burthenous unto them. O happy people in such a princess, and happy princess in such a people!
173:
have placed my chiefest strength and safeguard in the loyal hearts and good-will of my subjects; and therefore I am come amongst you, as you see, at this time, not for my recreation and disport, but being resolved, in the midst and heat of the battle, to live and die amongst you all; to lay down for my God, and for my kingdom, and my people, my honour and my blood, even in the dust.
374:
fight, but come and let us fight the battle of the Lord. The enemy perhaps may challenge my sex for that I am a woman, so may I likewise charge their mould for that they are but men, whose breath is in their nostrils, and if God do not charge
England with the sins of England, little do I fear their force… Si deus nobiscum quis contra nos? (if God is with us, who can be against us?)
353:
After she had made her rounds through the troops, Elizabeth delivered her speech to them. Leonel Sharp's version is accepted as the speech that she gave, and it best captures her rhetorical strategies as opposed to the versions of
William Leigh and James Aske. In the past, Elizabeth had defied gender
373:
Come on now, my companions at arms, and fellow soldiers, in the field, now for the Lord, for your Queen, and for the
Kingdom. For what are these proud Philistines, that they should revile the host of the living God? I have been your Prince in peace, so will I be in war; neither will I bid you go and
288:
Elizabeth's physical appearance was vital to the historical event and just at least as important as the actual speech. Dozens of descriptions of
Elizabeth on that day exist, with slightly differing details. Similarities between descriptions indicate that she at least wore a plumed helmet and a steel
262:
in 1997 states that "substantial evidence exists for believing the
Tilbury oration is genuine, which falls into three categories: First, internal rhetorical characteristics link this oration very strongly to Elizabeth's others. Second, there is considerable contemporary evidence that she delivered a
201:
in an article, 'The
Sayings of Queen Elizabeth': "I see no serious reason for rejecting the speech. ... some of the phrases have every appearance of being the Queen's, and the whole tone of the speech is surely very much in keeping even with the few Elizabethan quotations that I have had room for in
152:
attended by noble footmen, Leicester, Essex, and Norris, then lord marshal, and divers other great lords. Where she made an excellent oration to her army, which the next day after her departure, I was commanded to redeliver all the army together, to keep a public fast". He also claimed: "No man hath
472:
I cannot here omit to speak a word or two, as well of the worthiness; and loyalty of those honourable gentlemen of her majesties court, who upon the approach of the
Spanish fleet, presented, not only their persons and lives for the defence of her majesty, but also a great portion and yearly revenue
172:
We have been persuaded by some that are careful of our safety, to take heed how we commit our selves to armed multitudes, for fear of treachery; but I assure you I do not desire to live to distrust my faithful and loving people. Let tyrants fear. I have always so behaved myself that, under God, I
187:
I know already, for your forwardness you have deserved rewards and crowns; and we do assure you on a word of a prince, they shall be duly paid. In the mean time, my lieutenant general shall be in my stead, than whom never prince commanded a more noble or worthy subject; not doubting but by your
293:, her demeanour was "full of princely resolution and more than feminine courage" and that "she passed like some Amazonian empress through all her army". That striking image is reminiscent of several literary and mythological figures. One of those is
184:, or any prince of Europe, should dare to invade the borders of my realm; to which rather than any dishonour shall grow by me, I myself will take up arms, I myself will be your general, judge, and rewarder of every one of your virtues in the field.
323:
in her middle fifties perched on a fat white horse, her teeth black, her red wig slightly askew, dangling a toy sword and wearing an absurd little piece of parade armor like something out of a theatrical property
202:
this article. ... I have little doubt that Sharp's version is a copy, at two or three removes, of a speech actually written by
Elizabeth herself". The speech has been accepted as genuine by the historians
148:
at
Tilbury during the threatened invasion of the Armada and he later became chaplain to Buckingham. Sharp wrote: "The queen the next morning rode through all the squadrons of her army as armed
263:
speech at Tilbury whose phrases, often remarked, were like those of the speech we have.... The internal evidence of the Tilbury oration provides the best argument for Elizabeth's authorship".
188:
obedience to my general, by your concord in the camp, and your valour in the field, we shall shortly have a famous victory over these enemies of my God, of my kingdom, and of my people.
961:
A Joyful Song of the Royall receiving of the Queenes most excellent Majestie into her highnesse Campe at Tilsburie in Essex on Thursday and Fryday the eight and ninth of August 1588
357:
If the speech is accepted as the true speech given at Tilbury, it is worth noting that Elizabeth wrote it herself. As a writer, she wrote many of her own speeches as well as poems.
297:, the Greek goddess of war, who was often classically portrayed as wearing a helmet and armour. Another figure that Elizabeth represented during this speech was
289:
cuirass over a white velvet gown. She held a gold and silver truncheon, or baton, in her hand as she rode atop a white steed. As quoted in J. E. Neale's
176:
I know I have the body but of a weak, feeble woman; but I have the heart and stomach of a king, and of a king of England too, and think foul scorn that
249:
157:. (pp.372-374) A late sixteenth- or early seventeenth-century copy of this speech (with minor variants to the published version) exists in the
1023:
277:
482:
Reports of the queen's visit to Tilbury circulated rapidly in the popular media of the day. On 10 August, one day after the speech, a
141:
145:
113:
980:
edited by Éva Antal, Csaba Czeglédi and Eszter Krakkó (Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2019), 251–267.
1033:
89:
272:
However, there are some historians who question its authenticity, such as Miller Christy, in 1919. Also sceptical were
117:
33:(1588), depicted in the background. Elizabeth's international power is symbolised by the hand resting on the globe.
494:, one of the most popular poets of the day, corresponds fairly closely to John Aske's description of the events in
177:
77:
1058:
269:
has written: "Whether she used these words, we do not know, although they have an authentic, theatrical ring".
515:
243:
1038:
509:
976:
Erzsébet Stróbl,"The Tilbury Speech and Queen Elizabeth: Iconic Moments of English History on Film," in:
69:
527:
258:
84:; two days later they were discharged. On the day of the speech, the Queen left her bodyguard before
1018:
93:
487:
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it but myself, and such as I have given it to". It was published in 1654 in a collection titled
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908:
253:
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Contemporary Perspectives on Language, Culture and Identity in Anglo-American Contexts,
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96:; he was followed by a page leading the Queen's charger and another bearing her silver
572:
136:
The version that is most widely considered to be authentic was found in a letter from
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387:, published in 1588, James Aske provides a version of the speech, reworked in verse:
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997:
498:. A second ballad on the same subject, likewise printed by Wolfe, also survives.
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on its way home, but troops were still held at ready in case the Spanish army of
65:
26:
21:
1002:
882:
The Public Speaking of Queen Elizabeth: Selections from Her Official Addresses.
491:
462:
454:
319:…an objective observer would have seen no more than a battered, rather scraggy
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223:
58:
30:
932:(Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1912), pp. 474–478; facsimile and transcript at the
1012:
871:
Ed. Julia M. Walker. Durham, North Caroline: Duke University P, 1998. p. 218.
672:, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Jan 2012, accessed 17 June 2013.
665:
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239:
924:
The Queenes visiting of the Campe at Tilsburie with her entertainment there
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266:
235:
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54:
34:
785:
Janet M. Green, "I My Self": Queen Elizabeth I's Oration at Tilbury Camp,
748:
A History of Britain, Volume 1: At the Edge of the World? 3000 BC–AD 1603
503:
298:
227:
198:
301:, originally a Greek nymph and more recently the allegorical heroine in
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describing the events was registered by the printer John Wolfe in the
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in Essex in preparation for repelling the expected invasion by the
100:
on a cushion; then came the Queen herself, in white with a silver
105:
101:
81:
339:
149:
97:
811:
Miller Christy, 'Queen Elizabeth's Visit to Tilbury in 1588',
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Parts of the speech were quoted in the television series
869:
Dissing Elizabeth: Negative Representations of Gloriana.
88:
and went among her subjects with an escort of six men.
365:
Another version of the speech was recorded in 1612 by
64:
Before the speech the Armada had been driven from the
562:(The University of Chicago Press, 2002), p. 325, n. 1
214:("...there is no reason to doubt its authenticity"),
197:
The speech's veracity was accepted by the historian
858:(Harcourt, Brace, and Company, Inc., 1934), p. 296.
53:of England to the land forces earlier assembled at
29:of Elizabeth made to commemorate the defeat of the
776:(London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2013), p. 179.
334:. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. p. 349.
655:(London: The Reprint Society, 1961), pp. 328–329.
558:Leah Marcus, Janel Mueller and Mary Rose (eds.),
283:
1010:
841:Susan Frye, 'The Myth of Elizabeth of Tilbury',
416:Shall hold as then our presence from their view:
642:(Boussod, Valadon & Co, 1899), pp. 234–235.
427:They well shall see we recke shall then betide.
867:Mary Villeponteaux, "Spenser's Amazon Queen."
441:Say, seargeant-major, tell them from our self,
900:
431:Let them not care they common there shall be:
408:To dare in field their fierce and cruel foes)
400:And though of love their duties crave no less
394:For sure we are that none beneath the heavens
72:eleven days earlier, and had by then rounded
789:, Vol. 28, No. 2 (Summer, 1997), pp. 421–445
396:Have readier subjects to defend their right:
392:Their loyal hearts to us their lawful Queen.
761:Monarchy: From the Middle Ages to Modernity
685:(London: Edward Arnold, 1994), pp. 239–241.
629:(London: Jonathan Cape, 1958), pp. 105–106.
439:In fervent love to those our subjects dear,
437:And this our speech and this our solemn vow
406:(In time of need shall ever call them forth
16:1588 speech by Queen Elizabeth I of England
443:On kingly faith we will perform it there…
433:The meanest man who shall deserve a might,
429:And as for honour with most large rewards,
897:Providence, RI: Brown University P, 1964.
329:
994:Photograph of a page of the Sharp letter
906:
435:A mountain shall for his desart receive.
398:Which happiness we count to us as chief.
20:
670:Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
418:But in the midst and very heart of them
412:Ne dear at all to us shall be our life,
404:And estimate of this their dearest zeal
1011:
709:The Warrior Queens. Boadicea's Chariot
402:Yet say to them that we in like regard
108:. She was flanked on horseback by her
477:
425:On common lot of gain or loss to both
116:on the right, and on the left by the
1005:on a website called tudorhistory.org
910:The State Papers of Sir Ralph Sadler
802:(Hambledon Continuum, 2003), p. 252.
750:(London: Bodley Head, 2009), p. 326.
554:
552:
550:
548:
546:
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461:written in 1595, which mentions the
453:A summary of the speech appears in
414:Ne palaces or Castles huge of stone
410:Will be ourself their noted General
80:, might yet attempt to invade from
13:
963:; facsimile and transcript at the
815:(1919) XXXIV (CXXXIII), pp. 43–61.
490:of London. The ballad, written by
14:
1070:
1003:Transcription of the Sharp letter
987:
541:
360:
144:. Sharp had been attached to the
965:English Broadside Ballad Archive
934:English Broadside Ballad Archive
926:, reprinted in Francis O. Mann,
698:(London: Phoenix, 1997), p. 591.
653:The Defeat of the Spanish Armada
378:
131:
78:Alexander Farnese, Duke of Parma
970:
954:
939:
917:
895:The Poems of Queen Elizabeth I.
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727:
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459:The Estate of English Fugitives
423:-like we mean as them to march;
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43:Speech to the Troops at Tilbury
711:(London: Arrow, 1999), p. 249.
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675:
658:
645:
632:
619:
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284:Physical appearance at Tilbury
49:(19 August New Style) 1588 by
1:
1024:Eighty Years' War (1566–1609)
884:New York: Columbia U P, 1951.
787:The Sixteenth Century Journal
724:(Vintage, 2009), pp. 393–394.
627:Essays in Elizabethan History
534:
519:(2005), as well at the films
763:(Harper Press, 2006), p. 87.
598:"Elizabeth's Tilbury speech"
560:Elizabeth I: Collected Works
7:
948:The Works of Thomas Deloney
929:The Works of Thomas Deloney
330:Mattingly, Garrett (1959).
10:
1075:
1034:Speeches by heads of state
448:
155:Cabala, Mysteries of State
45:was delivered on 9 August
913:. Edinburgh. p. 318.
907:Clifford, Arthur (1809).
843:Sixteenth Century Journal
813:English Historical Review
528:Elizabeth: The Golden Age
348:
259:Sixteenth Century Journal
666:Elizabeth I (1533–1603)
737:(Longman, 2000), p. 25.
681:Wallace T. MacCaffrey,
845:23 (1992), pp. 95–114.
475:
446:
376:
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256:in an article for the
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104:and mounted on a grey
92:walked ahead with the
38:
1059:16th-century speeches
880:George P. Rice, Jr.,
832:38 (May 1988), p. 38.
496:Elizabetha Triumphans
470:
389:
385:Elizabetha Triumphans
371:
369:. His version reads:
317:
254:Kent State University
216:Wallace T. MacCaffrey
167:
128:brought up the rear.
24:
722:Elizabeth: The Queen
664:Patrick Collinson, '
488:Stationer's Register
70:Battle of Gravelines
1039:History of Thurrock
893:Leicester Bradner,
826:If Parma Had Landed
772:Robert Hutchinson,
733:Christopher Haigh,
651:Garrett Mattingly,
638:Mandell Creighton,
606:The British Library
577:Wellcome Collection
159:Harleian Collection
122:Master of the Horse
774:The Spanish Armada
478:In popular culture
220:Lady Anne Somerset
169:My loving people.
142:Duke of Buckingham
110:lieutenant general
39:
522:Fire Over England
313:Garrett Mattingly
308:The Faerie Queene
244:Robert Hutchinson
232:Christopher Haigh
212:Patrick Collinson
208:Garrett Mattingly
204:Mandell Creighton
146:Earl of Leicester
114:Earl of Leicester
51:Queen Elizabeth I
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126:Sir John Norreys
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236:Simon Schama
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138:Leonel Sharp
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90:Lord Ormonde
86:Tilbury Fort
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1029:Elizabeth I
800:Elizabeth I
735:Elizabeth I
696:Elizabeth I
683:Elizabeth I
582:25 February
525:(1937) and
516:Elizabeth I
513:(2005) and
504:Elizabeth R
228:Alison Weir
199:J. E. Neale
1054:1588 works
1013:Categories
535:References
332:The Armada
278:Susan Frye
856:Elizabeth
299:Britomart
291:Elizabeth
47:Old Style
531:(2007).
507:(1971),
340:59008861
327:—
321:spinster
315:put it:
305:'s epic
74:Scotland
1049:Tilbury
611:3 March
449:Summary
421:Bellona
161:of the
140:to the
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