Comments on: Did They or Didn’t They?

By: Anne Barnhill

Anne Barnhill — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 20:30:58 +0000

Ah, the big question! We’ll never know of course, but I like to think that at some point, they did conssumate their love–and I believe the best possible time for that would have been early on, when she couldn’t keep her hands off him! He surely would have known of birth controls they had–the fine linen or guts, there’s always the rhythm method to be used in conjuction, various herbs….who knows? I hope they did for such a love is rare==then again, maybe it lasted because they didn’t. Lots to consider. Thanks for the great artilcle and I await the book as well!

By: Rose

Rose — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 20:12:30 +0000

I always think that Robert Dudly and Elizabeth’s ‘love story’ is so romantic! – She falling in love with a man she could never marry. (For more than one reason!) He dosen’t seem as bad as most people wrote/said of him – although i have heard that he acted differently around the queen than to others. Was this because of his love for her, or the throne? (He must have known that she would, if married, want to keep her authority?!) So much is left unanswered – i’ll just have to write a book for myself!

By: sandra

sandra — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 20:49:07 +0000

I believe that they were lovers and quite honestly I think it was cruel of everyone around them to want to keep them apart, she may have joked and toyed with the idea of other men but nothing could top Dudlley and same to other way around as to Amy Robsart well as you say he was not stupid and everyone knew that so they should all know that it was a “misadventure” and get over it. As to the virgin part it is said she took that so that the people would worship her if they were in such a desperate need of The Virgin Mary, vain but still it seems to have worked

By: Claire

Claire — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 10:11:51 +0000

Ah, I see! I thought you meant that you went to one of my wiki sites! I found that wikipedia article when I was doing some research on female hysteria (as you do!). Yes, I can see how it might be a bit different from Sears!! The reference to Sears in the article went completely over my head but I’ve just clicked on the wiki link for Sears so I know all about it now! Love the description of their electric woman’s appliance, made me laugh!

By: lisaannejane

lisaannejane — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 10:04:46 +0000

I used the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Female_hysteria and got an eyeful of objects that are not associated with farming equipment! Sears began as a way for farmers who lived long distances from towns to get farming and household equipment. It was very popular in rural locations.

By: Claire

Claire — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 08:05:53 +0000

Hi Lisa,
Which wiki site? The Elizabeth or Anne one? I’ve been too snowed under with the regular sites to spend muct time on the wiki sites recently – must check in and do some work on those sometime. I’m a Brit so I haven’t got a clue what your comment means about the Sears catalogue! Sorry!

By: lisaannejane

lisaannejane — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:29:48 +0000

The more I find out what Elizabeth had to endure, the more I admire her. And the more I learn about Marie Antoinette, the sorrier I feel for her. I focused a bit on the history of Rome and I knew how dirty Roman politics could get, but I guess mean spirited comments have been around forever. I heard of Gallien but I thought he primarily worked for the army and imperial family. I have to mention Claire that I looked up your wiki website and all I can say is that my view of the Sears catalogue has certainly changed.

By: Lexy

Lexy — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 20:58:35 +0000

Thanks Claire, for the article and for what you said!
Lisaanne, it was surely very humiliating for Elizabeth to hear the rumor that she had just “a small hole to piss” and that she had refused the intervention that would have made the other hole bigger. One of these days I’ll translate and put on this site the extract of Brantôme ( you had probably remarked that I often refer to that man, who knew both Elizabet and Anne Boleyn, a good mine of informations) where he talks of that. Concerning Marie Antoinette, as often, crispy things are omitted in historical shows. These rumors belonged to the world of pamphlets, people who knew her knew the truth. You can look for the excellent book “La reine scélérate”, I don’t know if it’s translated: the pamphlets can be found in it, and it is HOT. In one of them her little dog complains that her human lovers stole his place. In Sofia Coppola’s movie, it is mentioned when Polignac describe an image wher she is sucking Marie’s toes. Whet these women experienced is really unbelievable!

By: Claire

Claire — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 17:35:56 +0000

You've all inspired me to write a page on Tudor Contraception - see http://www.elizabethfiles.com/info/tudor-life/tudor-contraception/. Thanks for all the brilliant comments!

By: Claire

Claire — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 14:57:52 +0000

The belief in female hysteria lasted for centuries and the vibrator was actually invented for doctors to use on women to relieve them of their hysteria – just don’t ask!! There’s a great article on wiki about it – see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Female_hysteria.