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The Queen will
be met at the Guildhall by the Mayor of Cambridge Gerri Bird,
recreating the single appearance that Good Queen Bess made in
Cambridge in 1564. Councillor Bird commented on the upcoming event
“Cambridge has lots of Royal links- the city recently welcomed the
Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Now we have a Tudor Queen visiting
for the day.”
Following Elizabeth’s arrival there will be events for all the
family to enjoy. Great St Mary’s Church will be hosting displays of
Tudor crafts, baking and market traders after which the Queen will
emerge and take part in a parade along Trinity Street to St John’s
College.
Great St Mary’s heritage education officer Rosie Sharkey is the
brains behind the event and had this to say, “In 1564 Elizabeth I
came to Cambridge, visited all the Cambridge colleges and gave a
speech in Latin at St Mary’s. Professional and amateur re-enactors
are playing the parts of Elizabeth and her courtiers, who will
appear in authentic costumes to give a flavour of the grandeur of
the Virgin Queen and her entourage.”
As part of the parade and the fanfare two groups of musicians will
also be performing, The Ely Waits and A Merrie Noyse, will be
performing traditional Tudor music on early musical instruments
such as the sackbut and shawm.
When Queen Elizabeth I visited Cambridge in 1564 it was the first
time that a Monarch had been in the city since her father, King
Henry VIII, visited some 42 years previously. Rosie Sharkey
continued, “She is reported to have enjoyed her visit and would
have stayed longer if provision of beer and ale could have been
made. During her five day stay, Elizabeth attended church services,
watched plays and visited the colleges where she received gifts of
marzipan, gloves and gold coins.”
Queen Elizabeth I ascended the Throne on 17th November 1558 after
her half sister, Queen Mary I, died. Her reign saw her establish an
English church that helped shape a national identity and remains in
place to this day. It also saw the spectacular defeat of the
Spanish Armada as well as the flourishing of English drama led by
playwrights such as William Shakespeare and Christopher
Marlowe.
Ms Sharkey concluded by saying, “Elizabeth attended two debates
held at Great St Mary’s before an audience of scholars, masters and
dignitaries. Questions discussed ranged from political topics such
as ‘monarchy is the best form of government’ to dietary dilemmas
like whether its better to eat more at breakfast or dinner. The
Queen castigated the scholars for speaking in ‘small and not
audible’ voices and urged them, in Latin, to speak up.”
So if you have ever wanted to meet Good Queen Bess herself then the
Open Cambridge festival is going to be your best chance but do
remember that Gloriana passed some very strange laws during her
reign, so if you happen to meet her make sure you are not wearing a
cloak, wearing any clothing that is purple and if it is a Sunday,
do your best to ensure you are wearing a woolly hat, you don’t want
to risk being sent to the Tower now do you!
Photo credit: lisby1 via photopin
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