Elizabeth of York: A Tudor Queen and Her World Read Online Free

jelly, “coneys of high grease,” “mutton royal richly garnished,” “Valence baked” (raisins or almonds), “custard royal,” “tart poleyn”—probably baked in the shape of the piece of armor that protected the kneecap, “leyse damask” (lees—residual yeast from ale or wine—in rosewater), ruby-red fruit “sinopia,” “fruit
formage
”
—formage
being old French for cheese; and another subtlety, which is not described.
    The tables were then cleared for the second course, which was heralded by another fanfare of trumpets and the parading of a third subtlety, this time served with hippocras (spiced wine). A further twenty-seven dishes were offered: mawmenny (rich beef or chicken broth) garnished with lozenges of gold leaf; roast peacock in hackle, i.e., re-dressed in its plumage; bitterns, pheasants, “browes” (broth or gravy), “egrets in beorwetye” (possibly a beer sauce), cocks, partridge, sturgeon with fresh fennel, plovers, suckling rabbit, “seal in fenyn [leeks] entirely served richly,” red shanks, snipe, quails, “larks engrailed” (presumably in a pie with an indented crust), crayfish, “venison in paste royal” (pastry), baked quinces, marchpane royal, cold baked meats, “lethe of Cyprus” and “lethe ruby” (milk puddings), fritters, “castles of jelly in temple-wise made,” and a last subtlety. 19 During the meal the King’s minstrels “played a song before the Queen.”
    After the feast, Elizabeth distributed largesse three times, as was customary at coronations, and Garter King of Arms, “with other kings of arms, heralds, and pursuivants, did their obeisance, and in the name of all the officers, gave the Queen thanks, saying, ‘Right high, mighty, most noble and excellent Princess, most Christian Queen, and all our most dread sovereign and liege lady, we, the officers of arms and servants to all nobles, beseech Almighty God to thank you for the great and abundant largesse which Your Grace has given us in honor of your most honorable and righteous coronation, and to send Your Grace to live in honor and virtue.’ ” And he cried her largesse “in five places of the hall.”
    “Then played the Queen’s minstrels, and after them the minstrels of other estates.” A bowl and towel were presented so the Queen could wash her hands, whereupon the trumpets sounded, “fruit and wafers” were served to her, and the Lord Mayor, Sir William Horne, came forward and offered her the traditional golden goblet of hippocras—wine infused with costly spices—in return for which she gave him a covered gold cup in fee. “And after the feast the Queen departed with God’s blessing and the rejoicing of many a true Englishman’s heart.”
    Verses were composed in her honor, such as this one, “Prophecy for the Crowned Queen,” probably written by Bernard André:
    Descend, Calliope, from your sacred ridge, descend, bearing the quill of clean-shaven Apollo, and come with your Pythian lyre, first of the Muses.
    The Queen, progeny of highest Jove, whiter than the roses of spring, bears her crown as Diana leaps brightly from the midst of rose gardens.
    Sprung from the noblest gods of heaven, you were joined by divine majesty to so great a prince, who excels all the earth with becoming virtues.
    O nymph, who gave wondrous birth to such a prince, and who surpasses the divinities in virtue, you are blessed more than the mother of Phoebus, begotten of a great father.
    Her chastity, sworn by united compact, restored increased limits of justice for all ages in which the peaceful Sibyl reigns in love.
    O Commonwealth, the Queen with joyous heart takes up her glorious crown.
    Rejoice for both roses, and ever celebrate them with honour.
    With “divine inspiration,” André “foretold the success of the happy prince,” Arthur, while lauding his “distinguished mother.” Calliope, the goddess muse of epic poetry, was the inspirer of this panegyric, along with Apollo, or Phoebus, the god