Hello everyone and welcome to the History of England, episode 292 for Queen's Marriage.

A bit of housekeeping first, if I may. Well, I say housekeeping, in fact what I really

mean is advertising. The History of England shop has returned. It has mugs with, amongst

other designs, amusing phrases about pineapples, shirts, but also A3 and A2 posters listing

the dates of the Rollers of Anglican Saxon England and, one for early modern England and

the Rollers around. They are perfect for the back of the Ludoord to keep yourself occupied.

These go to the History of England website.

Now then, when Elizabeth came to the throne there was, as we have heard, much rejoicing.

However, in certain quarters there was also much gloom.

Elizabeth's reign is once surrounded by a constant feeling of external threat that makes

one long for the days of Henry VIII. Back then, Henry was able to spend his time on hobbies,

hunting, jousting, being painted, cutting the heads off his wives and so on. And all

the while, watching VALUA and Hapsburg rip, tear and beat seven bells out of each other.

And recorded in Tavine when there seemed to be an opportunity for a bit of Henry V imitation.

Elizabeth, on the other hand, was constantly surrounded by threat, whether by intervention

to wipe out her religious settlement or nibble at her possessions such as Ireland or even

an existential threat to the whole kingdom.

Elizabeth, though, does not appear to have been a naturally gloomy person, rather upbeat

actually on a good day, but of a banter-saurus. But her principal secretary, Cecil, now, he

comes across as a man accompany always by a little dark cloud, opening every so often to

release rain or hail should it be that he began to look happy, a man for whom every silver

lining had its cloud. Except possibly when on his grandestates like

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