into prison and built a gallows on which to hang her.
To Burghleyâs questions regarding specific castles and lands, because he misspelled their Gaelic names, she pretended that she had no knowledge of such places.
Granuaile waited in London while Lord Burghley studied her replies.
The waiting was a terrible time for her. If her answers were not acceptable she could still be thrown into prison. She had no idea if her son was still alive in Ireland or if Bingham had already executed him.
Then, in late July 1593, she received the news she had prayed for. The queen would see her at her palace of Greenwich.
Chapter 22
GOOD QUEEN BESS
A few miles from the city of London, Greenwich Palace looked out over the Thames.
It was Queen Elizabethâs favourite palace, especially in summertime, when the dirt and smells of London became too much and too dangerous for her health.
Elizabeth, known to her people as Good Queen Bess, was much-loved by them. By 1593 she had been on the throne for 35 years. During her reign, England had been peaceful and prosperous.
Her people looked on her as a goddess, their saviour from the Spanish invasion. For years she had steered her country safely through many dangers.
She had proved her critics wrong when they said that a woman on the throne would bring only misfortune to England. She had proved, as she said herself, that although she was a woman she had âthe heart and stomach of a kingâ.
Poets wrote sonnets and poems about her and the people cheered her wherever she went.
Elizabeth had never married. She feared that if she married a foreign prince or king, her husband would rule England instead of herself. If she married an English lord, it could divide her people and lead to a civil war.
âI will have but one mistress and no master,â she once said to the earl of Leicester, who wanted to marry her.
She had decided early in her life to sacrifice her own chance of happiness and of having children to make sure that her kingdom remained at peace and free from foreign rule. If she married a foreign prince she knew that instead of herself her husband would rule England.
Elizabeth was a brilliant scholar and could write and speak many languages, including Latin. She loved music and dancing, was an expert horsewoman and enjoyed hunting.
While she often gave great banquets for her court and for visiting nobles and ambassadors, she ate and drank very little herself.
She was tight-fisted with money and did not like waste. To save expense, each year she went on state visits to the castles of her richest nobles, bringing all her court and servants with her, which amounted to many hundreds of people. The noble had to foot the bill for the honour of entertaining Elizabeth and her court.
She loved to dress in magnificent gowns and dresses encrusted with rare gems, but there was a reason, other than fashion, for this display.
By her appearance Elizabeth created the image of a divine and untouchable goddess in the minds of her people and particularly in the minds of her nobles, in case they harboured any ideas of getting rid of her. She strutted through her court dressed like an exotic, tropical bird.
Elizabeth had a hot temper to match her flame-coloured hair. She was given to swearing and boxed the ears of her nobles when they displeased her.
She could be bad mannered, often spat and picked her teeth. She could also be very witty and had a razor-sharp tongue, which made many a nobleman quake in his boots before her.
Granuaile and Elizabeth were in many respects âbirds of a featherâ, being powerful women in what was, at that time, considered very much a manâs world.
It was perhaps fitting that they should come face to face.
Chapter 23
THE MEETING
On a summerâs day in July 1593, Granuaileâs galley tied up at the landing stage near Greenwich Palace. It had been a long wait but the moment she had hoped and prayed for was now at hand.
Granuaile and
To Burghleyâs questions regarding specific castles and lands, because he misspelled their Gaelic names, she pretended that she had no knowledge of such places.
Granuaile waited in London while Lord Burghley studied her replies.
The waiting was a terrible time for her. If her answers were not acceptable she could still be thrown into prison. She had no idea if her son was still alive in Ireland or if Bingham had already executed him.
Then, in late July 1593, she received the news she had prayed for. The queen would see her at her palace of Greenwich.
Chapter 22
GOOD QUEEN BESS
A few miles from the city of London, Greenwich Palace looked out over the Thames.
It was Queen Elizabethâs favourite palace, especially in summertime, when the dirt and smells of London became too much and too dangerous for her health.
Elizabeth, known to her people as Good Queen Bess, was much-loved by them. By 1593 she had been on the throne for 35 years. During her reign, England had been peaceful and prosperous.
Her people looked on her as a goddess, their saviour from the Spanish invasion. For years she had steered her country safely through many dangers.
She had proved her critics wrong when they said that a woman on the throne would bring only misfortune to England. She had proved, as she said herself, that although she was a woman she had âthe heart and stomach of a kingâ.
Poets wrote sonnets and poems about her and the people cheered her wherever she went.
Elizabeth had never married. She feared that if she married a foreign prince or king, her husband would rule England instead of herself. If she married an English lord, it could divide her people and lead to a civil war.
âI will have but one mistress and no master,â she once said to the earl of Leicester, who wanted to marry her.
She had decided early in her life to sacrifice her own chance of happiness and of having children to make sure that her kingdom remained at peace and free from foreign rule. If she married a foreign prince she knew that instead of herself her husband would rule England.
Elizabeth was a brilliant scholar and could write and speak many languages, including Latin. She loved music and dancing, was an expert horsewoman and enjoyed hunting.
While she often gave great banquets for her court and for visiting nobles and ambassadors, she ate and drank very little herself.
She was tight-fisted with money and did not like waste. To save expense, each year she went on state visits to the castles of her richest nobles, bringing all her court and servants with her, which amounted to many hundreds of people. The noble had to foot the bill for the honour of entertaining Elizabeth and her court.
She loved to dress in magnificent gowns and dresses encrusted with rare gems, but there was a reason, other than fashion, for this display.
By her appearance Elizabeth created the image of a divine and untouchable goddess in the minds of her people and particularly in the minds of her nobles, in case they harboured any ideas of getting rid of her. She strutted through her court dressed like an exotic, tropical bird.
Elizabeth had a hot temper to match her flame-coloured hair. She was given to swearing and boxed the ears of her nobles when they displeased her.
She could be bad mannered, often spat and picked her teeth. She could also be very witty and had a razor-sharp tongue, which made many a nobleman quake in his boots before her.
Granuaile and Elizabeth were in many respects âbirds of a featherâ, being powerful women in what was, at that time, considered very much a manâs world.
It was perhaps fitting that they should come face to face.
Chapter 23
THE MEETING
On a summerâs day in July 1593, Granuaileâs galley tied up at the landing stage near Greenwich Palace. It had been a long wait but the moment she had hoped and prayed for was now at hand.
Granuaile and
Similar Books
