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Welcome to Episode #80 of That Shakespeare Life, the podcast that takes you behind the curtain and into the life of William Shakespeare.

The superstitions surrounding the ideas of ghosts, death, and what happened to your soul as your body approached it’s demise were all inspiring topics for the plays of William Shakespeare. It turns out that these superstitions were not only fuel for dramatic presentations on the stage, but formed the foundation of pretty creepy tales about the real life of one of England’s most famous monarchs, Queen ELizabeth I. 

According to tales from her handmaiden, Elizabeth was paranoid to a fault, scared of dying, and left specific orders in her will for how her body was to be handled that defied the traditions of the land, and left a set of at least 6 individuals doing work that was scarier than grave digger in Shakespeare’s Hamlet.

Here this week to share with us the real life history of the three weeks after the death of Elizabeth I and the surprising, often macabre, realities of what those weeks entailed by order of the Queen is the man who wrote his PhD thesis on the Living Death of Elizabeth I, Dr. James Alsop. 

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James Alsop is a teacher and researcher of English literature. He writes about early modern drama, living death, and education. James' thesis, “Playing Dead: Living Death in Early Modern Drama,” takes a look at occurrences of what he calls “living death” – a liminal state that exists between life and death, and which may be approached from either side – in early modern English drama and combines a broadly historicist approach with explorations of dramaturgy, ideas of stagecraft and performance. Connect with James on his blog here.

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In this episode, I’ll be asking James about :

🎃 Elizabeth left instructions for how her body was to be treated after she died. How did she communicate these wishes, was this part of her will?

🎃 It is my understanding that coffins would not become a normal aspect of burial practices until after Elizabeth’s death. Why did she choose a coffin, and was she laid out in the coffin while her maids were attending to her body?

🎃 Was this kind of after death pampering a normal occurrence in 16th century England or was Elizabeth I suggesting something bizarre for her time period?

… and more!

Photo:  All rights reserved by Brian Domander Source
Visit Elizabeth's tomb and find more information on Tudor Tour's website here.

Using a coffin was non-traditional

Coffins became a staple in England for burial practices after Elizabeth. In fact, some historians think William Shakespeare (who died several years after Elizabeth I) was buried in a shroud, as opposed to a coffin, or similar reasons. 

James explains that at the time of Elizabeth's death, a coffin was a choice made by the uber wealthy of the 16th century, and that most people were buried in a shroud. The use of a coffin was unique for Elizabeth.

Traditionally, the deceased would be ceremonially placed in the ground. However, for someone like Elizabeth, who would be required by law to lie in state for the royal funeral, a coffin allowed her body a place to reside while the funeral arrangemnets were made.

Her body was wrapped in lead covering, then placed inside a wooden coffin. 

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A pregnant woman sitting in a birthing chair is being attended to by three midwives, one ready to receive the baby, the second standing behind the chair, and the third standing at the woman's side comforting her. Implements are on a table in background. Rueff, Jakob, ca.1500-1558, Author. Source

Pregnancy Conspiracy Theory

When Elizabeth I wrote up her will, she very specifically let it be known that she did not want to be embalmed. Embalming was a widespread and ordinary part of the after death process and burial preparation, so it was notable and odd for her to decline that part of the burial. One of the most persistent conspiracy theories surrounding why the Queen might not have wanted her body embalmed is that such a process would require a medical professional to examine her body in detail. Such an examination could reveal hidden secrets about her physical health, including not only any ailments she may not have wanted to make public, but it would have proven definitively whether or not the Queen was indeed a virgin, as she claimed.

Many conspiracy theorists maintain that the Queen was not only pregnant, but the possibility that she secretly gave birth or that there is an heir out there somewhere which no one knows about. Obviously, these tales are soundly in the category of conspiracy, and to date no reputable historians have uncovered substantial evidence of her not having been the virgin queen she purported. However, since the embalming did not occur, and no records remain of what, if anything, was found upon inspection of her body, we may never remove all doubt.

The Audio Shakespeare Pronunciation App

Audio Shakespeare Pronunciation App gives you the correct pronunciation of words found in the text of Shakespeare's plays, with audio accesibility at the click of a button. This app lets you keep a professional voice coach right in your back pocket. 
 Download the app here.

This app is an official sponsor of That Shakespeare Life.

The Death of Elizabeth I, Queen of England, by Paul Delaroche. Source

Her body was attended like she was alive

Elizabeth I was scared of dying, with reports circulating that she had stood upright for up to 15 hours, afraid that if she rested, she would not rise up again. Perhaps it was a product of this fear, or perhaps the Queen was merely very concerned with her care after death, but Elizabeth I left elaborate instructions for her body's care after she died. Not only was her body to continue to be cared for, but she instructed her ladies in waiting to attend to her body as if it was still alive. They brought her meals to her body, which presumably sat there untouched until time for the next meal. They would bring her dressing acqoutrements, as well as apply treatments like oils and lotions to her body, in the same manner, order, and routine as had occured when the Queen was living. This kind of after-death pampering was highly unusual, lasted several weeks, and is reported to have been a very disgusting experience for the handful of maids and servants whose job it became to carry out the Queen's orders. 

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Robert Cecil was born around 1563, the son of William Cecil, the Queen's primary advisor. Robert followed in his fathers footsteps. He became Secretary of State under Elizabeth and stayed on under her successor James I. He also became Lord Privy Seal and Lord High Treasurer. He died in 1612. Source

Robert Cecil Defied the Queen's Orders

Possibly from the stench, or simply because someone had to step in to address what was becoming a ridiculous situation, Robert Cecil eventually stood up and defied the orders of the Queen to have her body embalmed and buried. 

Robert Cecil loved Elizabeth and would have been dismayed at her body being treated this way, as well as the disrespect the entire situation created for Elizabeth's reputation. The legend of the situation indicates that Elizabeth fought back against Cecil, and accoding to one account of Katherine Southwell, one of Elizabeth's ladies in waiting, the passage of time between her death and them trying to embalm her created the normal gases a body develops post mortem. When they attempted to begin the embalming process, her body physically burst, with all of the gory display you might imagine. It was Katherine's opinion that this occurence was designed by Elizabeth to achieve her goal of not being embalmed. Exactly what occured afterwards is unclear, but Elizabeth was embalmed and buried. If they found anything regarding Elizabeth's physical status during the embalming process remains a mystery. 

Books James Alsop recommends:

James Alsop's desert island book selection is:

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