Elizabeth I: One of England’s Greatest Orators?

Throughout history many rulers have been admired for their skill at public speaking. Elizabeth I, it seems, was a natural. Renowned for her eloquence, she used the spoken word to great effect throughout her reign. Here, Curator Charles Farris examines some of her most famous speeches.

The power of speeches

The works of William Shakespeare have had a huge impact on how we view many of England’s monarchs. One of the most powerful tools at Shakespeare’s disposal were dramatic monologues, which he often gave his royal protagonists. These speeches emphasised characteristics which have, for better or worse, influenced the reputation of many monarchs, including Richard II, Richard III, and Henry V.

Of course, Shakespeare’s plays were largely fictitious but he had hit upon an important theme which was particularly relevant in the reign of Elizabeth I, when he was first writing. Carefully worded speeches were an opportunity to shape a king or queen’s public persona and manage the royal image.

Elizabeth I gave many important speeches throughout her long reign which helped her project a certain image. Her style of oratory was a form of grand theatre, in which she conveyed to the nation a very specific and rehearsed vision of monarchy.

The Great Hall, looking north-east.

The Great Hall built by King Henry VIII replaces a smaller hall on the same site. The Hall is an entranceway to the King’s state apartments and was a communal dining room. Here up to 600 members of the court would eat in two sittings, twice a day.

Tapestry wallhangings can be seen, attributed to Pieter Coeck van Aelst (1502-50) they depict scenes from the life of the Prophet Abraham. Also shows part of the hammerbeam roof designed by King Henry VIII's Master Carpenter, James Nedeham. — *Image: The Great Hall at Hampton Court Palace where Shakespeare once performed. © Historic Royal Palaces.*

A new hope:

Elizabeth’s first speech to Parliament, 10 February 1559

When Elizabeth succeeded her Catholic half-sister Mary I (1516-1558) on 17 November 1558, the English throne was one of the most unsettled in Europe. Drought, famine, war, and religious unrest had plagued Mary’s final years as queen. The new Protestant queen promised a new hope for England.

Elizabeth took a new approach towards queenship, emphasising how committed she was to good rule and positive change. This commitment was made clear in her very first speech to Parliament on 10 February 1559, in response to calls that she must marry.

Although aged just twenty-six and new to public life, Elizabeth gave a spectacular performance. She declared:

I am already bound unto an husband, which is the kingdom of England.

Then, stretching out her hand, she showed the audience her coronation ring, a symbol of the mystical marriage between the sovereign and the nation, before proclaiming:

'…and reproach me so no more, that I have no children: for every one of you, and as many as are English, are my children'.

Elizabeth ended the speech by expressing her contentment not to have children, meaning there would be no direct heir to the throne:

'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.'

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Black and white engraving of Elizabeth I sitting in Parliament.

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Parliament as a stage

Elizabeth’s parliamentary speeches were like a theatrical performance, in the sense that there was a degree of pretense. Elizabeth was supreme in her authority. She did not need to persuade her audience, she could reject any petition, and she was, in practice, always assured of obedience.

In reality, it was wise to rule by consent, and Elizabeth clearly liked to charm her audience to avoid criticism or resentment. Parliament became Elizabeth’s stage and the MPs her audience. These performances were at once ceremonial, theatrical, and political.

Image: Queen Elizabeth in Parliament. The Met Museum (Public domain)

Losing her patience:

Elizabeth’s speech to Parliament, 5 November 1566

Despite Elizabeth I’s assertiveness, her leading subjects insisted on intermittently raising the question of her marriage and succession. On some occasions this may have been prompted by fears over the queen’s health, for example when she became ill with smallpox in 1562 while staying at Hampton Court Palace.

Parliament discussed the matter of the Queen’s marriage and succession in November 1566. Her response shows that she was clearly losing her patience with their meddling.

Elizabeth warned in her closing remarks to a joint delegation of Lords and Commons:

'Your petition is to deal in the limitation of the succession. At this present it is not convenient, nor never shall be without some peril unto you, and certain danger unto me.

But as soon as there may be a convenient time and that it may be done with least peril unto you, although never without great danger unto me, I will deal therein for your safety and offer it unto you as your prince and head without requests...'

Head and shoulders painting of a young woman wearing rich furs — *Image: Elizabeth I, c.1560. © National Portrait Gallery, London*

...For it is monstrous that the feet should direct the head.

It is clear that Elizabeth was not shy about using her speeches to admonish her leading subjects.

Warrior Queen:

Elizabeth’s speech at Tilbury, 9 August 1588

The Spanish Armada was probably the biggest challenge Elizabeth I faced as queen. As a woman, Elizabeth was unable to fight in battle as a king would have been expected to do, and as her father Henry VIII, had done.

Elizabeth’s land army was under the control of the ageing Robert Dudley who arranged for the queen to visit the army at Tilbury on 9 August 1588. Perhaps he knew that Elizabeth had an important weapon in her arsenal, and one which she had been perfecting since 1559: her mastery of oratory.

The speech Elizabeth gave before her 17,000 troops at Tilbury has gone down in history as one of the great royal speeches. In some ways Elizabeth was defying the expectations of a female ruler as she led, albeit symbolically, her loyal subjects into battle.

The sources for Elizabeth’s speech survive in a letter written in 1623 by Dr. Leonel Sharp, who was present at Tilbury but was writing from memory 35 years later. So, although we know the event happened, it may be that the wording was slightly different.

According to Sharp, Elizabeth’s speech included the famous lines:

Did you know?

Elizabeth may actually have drawn some inspiration from her half-sister Mary, who gave a rousing speech during the Wyatt Rebellion of 1554.

I know I have the body, but of a weak and feeble woman, but I have the heart and stomach of a king, and of a king of England too.

The queen was challenging her people to put their trust in her ability to lead them regardless of her gender. Elizabeth then went on to declare her intent to defy Spain and any other Prince that might threaten her borders, taking personal responsibility for generalship and rewards.

She closed with a defiant and rousing message of unity and kinship:

‘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.’

In fact, Elizabeth’s visit and speech came after the decisive Battle of Gravelines (7 August 1588), which saw the Armada pushed northwards to Scotland and Ireland. The queen had already reviewed her troops on 8 August 1588, but, in full splendour and theatre she did so again.

Dressed to impress

Accompanied by an honour guard of 1,000 cavalrymen and 2,000 infantrymen, Elizabeth mounted a white horse, and, as legend has it, was wearing an armoured breast plate over her white velvet dress. This was theatre with a huge cast and on a grand stage.

Regardless of the exact context of the speech, it was still arguably Elizabeth’s greatest performance. Indeed, the review of troops on 8 August 1588 reminds us of a dress rehearsal, and Elizabeth was clearly keen to get her performance just right. Her speech, and the dramatics that accompanied it, was therefore just as much about ceremony as it was about inspiring her army to fight.

Illustration of Elizabeth I on a victory procession. — *Image: Queen Elizabeth I (1558-1603) on her way to St Paul's Cathedral on 24 November 1588 to give thanks for England's victory over the Spanish Armada. © Historic Royal Palaces*

The elder statesperson:

'The Golden Speech', 30 November 1601

By 1601, Elizabeth was sixty-eight and may have felt as though she had nothing left to prove. However, in Renaissance Europe security was never assured. War with Spain and Ireland had depleted the royal treasury, so much so that Parliament was summoned in September 1601 to replenish the queen’s funds.

The queen was criticised for granting a range of privileges to individuals in commerce and industry, known as monopolies, in which it was observed that the good of the individual was put before the good of the community.

Protests in Parliament grew as lords attempted to pacify the situation. Ultimately, Elizabeth needed to intervene. On 30 November 1601, Elizabeth delivered what has become known as her 'Golden Speech' before 150 MPs at the Palace of Whitehall.

In her speech, which she entirely reworked at least once, she only briefly addressed the matter of monopolies, claiming ignorance of their harmful consequences. Instead, she proclaimed her deep love for her subjects, her concern for their welfare, and summed up her reign. She declared:

There will never Queen sit in my seat with more zeal to my country, care to my subjects, and that will sooner with willingness venture her life for your good and safety, than myself…And though you have had and may have many princes more mighty and wise sitting in this seat, yet you never had nor shall have any that will be more careful and loving.

Elizabeth and her parliament perhaps knew that this might be her last address to them, and so she skillfully transformed what could have been a tense political exchange into a deeply emotional display of state theatre.

She asked each of her 150 members to kiss her hand as they left. Each MP was left transfixed, with many crying as they departed. The issue of monopolies was seemingly forgotten.

The Golden Speech perhaps displays Elizabeth at her most heartfelt. Elizabeth knew her reign was coming to an end and perhaps viewed the occasion as an opportunity to offer reflection on her long rule. Like the Tilbury speech, however, there are many versions, each with slightly differing wording, but each was recorded by an MP who was in attendance.

A talented speaker

Although we may never know exactly what Elizabeth said in her speeches, we do know that she took considerable care when writing them and clearly had a keen eye for theatre and performance. This eye for detail and display can be detected in many aspects of her life: from her dress and jewels to the decoration of her palaces and splendid progresses.

Elizabeth dazzled, enthralled, brought to tears, entertained and even manipulated her audience. She should rightly be remembered as one of history’s great orators.