[ELIZABETH I (1533-1603)]. - photo 1
[ELIZABETH I (1533-1603)]. - photo 2
[ELIZABETH I (1533-1603)]. - photo 3

[ELIZABETH I (1533-1603)].

Lot 67
12.07.2023 00:00UTC +00:00
Classic
Sold
£ 18 900
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Event locationUnited Kingdom, London
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ID 993333
Lot 67 | [ELIZABETH I (1533-1603)].
Estimate value
£ 5 000 – 8 000
[ELIZABETH I (1533-1603)].

Manuscript, 'a sermon preached at Q[ueen] El[izabeth's] Funerall', [c. 28 April 1603].

In English. Title and 22 pages (plus blanks), 197 x 153mm, a neat text with a few emendations including on the last page a separate prayer 'of mans godlines'; in a contemporary Secretary hand (names and Latin words in italic), within ruled margins. Complete.



An epitaph for the Elizabethan golden age: a sermon on the occasion of Elizabeth I's funeral, possibly drawing on the lost sermon by Anthony Watson, Bishop of Chichester, at Westminster Abbey. No other funeral sermon for Elizabeth I is known to survive. Unpublished.



The sermon takes its Biblical text from 1 Chronicles 29, vv 26-28, on the death of King David, and draws an extended comparison between David and the late queen, opening with an analogy between David's dominion over 'all Israel', and the prospective union of the kingdoms of England and Scotland, with the hope that this may help in 'suppressing the longe trobles in Ireland'. The length of Elizabeth's reign is emphasised, encompassing '4: Emperors as manie Frenche kings twise as manie Popes ...', as also the wealth both of the Queen herself and of her kingdom at her death, as expressed in the building of a 'greate nomber of fayre & statelie howses', the construction of 'manie sumptuous Tombes' in churches, generous dowries for brides, the building of towns and the holding of fairs and markets, attributing this in part to the redistribution of the wealth of monastic houses. In comparing Elizabeth's character to that of King David, the writer evokes Elizabeth's 'invincible spirit ... & extraordinarie Magnanimitie ... farr farr to exceed her weake & frayle sexe' at the time of the Spanish Armada, making specific reference to the famous speech at Tilbury. The sermon concludes with a recitation of the lineage and qualities of the new king, James I, including an extraordinarily tactless (and prudently cancelled) reference to James's mother, Mary Queen of Scots, 'whoe was executed here in England'.



'... the invincible spirit of her Ma[jes]tie & extraordinarie Magnanimitie shewed it selfe, farr farr to exceed her weake & frayle sexe A[nn]o 88 Even at suche tyme as the proude insolent Spaniard w[i]th his invincible Navie as he falcelie termed it was upon o[u]r seas w[i]th power sufficient as he p[er]swaded him selfe, & resolute purpose bothe to have rooted out her Ma[jes]tie out of her throne, and us forthe of this o[u]r sweete & native Cuntrye At whi]ch tyme she in her owne p[er]son at Tilberye tooke a survey of her Campe and moste manfullie w[i]th Comfortable wordes encouraged the Souldiers to fighte in gods & her cause, for soe in deed they were united, gods cause was hers & hers was gods'.



It is tantalising in view of its title to connect the present manuscript with the sermon preached at Elizabeth's funeral at Westminster Abbey on 28 April 1603 by her Almoner, Anthony Watson, Bishop of Chichester, the text of which has not survived. Its themes of the increase of national wealth, the length of Elizabeth's reign and its peacefulness all reflect those in a contemporary account of Watson's sermon and although a reference within the present manuscript to 'our Diocesan, the Bishop of Lincoln' indicates that it was preached within the then very extensive Lincoln diocese, the possibility exists that the text is drawn more or less directly from Watson's sermon; at the very least, it provides a significant witness to the contemporary perception of the Elizabethan golden age in its immediate aftermath. This is apparently the unique copy of this text, and is presumably the original manuscript from which it was preached.

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12.07.2023 – 12.07.2023
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