“She [Elizabeth I] later claimed to have learnt Spanish in order to converse with Philip.”
—
Rodríguez-Salgado, M., & Adams, S. (1984). IV The Count of Feria’s Dispatch to Philip II of 14 November 1558. Camden Fourth Series,29, 302-344. Note 9 to the text.
Returning to this post for I have new exciting information to add. As can be seen above, the claims of Elizabeth having learnt Spanish to communicate with Philip II originates from the source written in French. It is the record of Zweveghem’s audience to Elizabeth on 1 November, 1574.
Recently I learnt that there has been made the English translation of the part where Elizabeth speaks about her Spanish and Philip II. Its author is @genretuvoiswho not only shared her work (the modernized French version and the translation itself) with me but also most kindly allowed me to post it on my blog. As the author of the translation informed me, Zweveghem was delivering the letter to Elizabeth from the Grand Commander of Castile Luis de Requesens (who also served as the Governor of the Netherlands at the time) representing Philip II. The letter was written in Spanish. The Spanish merchant Antonio de Guaras, who in the absence of a Spanish ambassador in London was notifying Philip’s government about the situation there, mentioned the audience in his 7 November report: “As M. de Zweveghem will report, he was well received at Court with the King’s letter.” For further context: on 21 August 1574 building on the agreement reached in the previous year the Treaty of Bristol was concluded between England and Spain renewing trade between the two countries that had been ceased since 1569, and both sovereigns managed to secure their fragile relationship for some time.
The modernized French text and translation
“Elle […] confessa librement de le [le castillan] savoir et de l’avoir appris à si bonne occasion qu’elle espérait ne l’oublier jamais, à savoir pour pouvoir être entendue de Sa Majesté, lorsqu’elle était sa prisonnière, combien qu’elle ne lui parla alors que comme le perroquet, selon qui lui était commandé ; souhaitant avec affectioné regret et exclamation sa venue aux Pays-Bas, pour avoir occasion d’aller l’attendre et le recevoir en ses ports, et lui dire sa gorgée avec plus de liberté qu’elle ne pouvait alors, et déclarer l’obligation qu’elle lui tient, et l’entier amour qu’elle lui porte, et assurer tellement la confiance que S.M devait prendre d’elle, que les mauvaises langues ne seraient plus écoutées, que c’était un grand déplaisir aux princes de ne se pouvoir entretenir et sans personnes interposites, déclarer l’un à l’autre le fond de leurs pensées, que, si cela était donné, serait tant empêché à remouvoir les suspicions lesquelles s’engendrent souvent sans cause par de mauvais ministres »
“She confessed freely that she knew it [Castilian] and that she learned it for a very good reason she hoped never to forget, that is to be understood by His Majesty, for when she was his prisoner, she talked to him like a parrot and how she was commanded to. She wished with affectionate regret and force that he came to the Netherlands, to have the opportunity to wait for him and receive him in her ports, and tell him what she truly has in her heart with more freedom than before, and to declare her commitment to him, and the full love she bears him, and to assure him that he can trust her, that the malicious gossips won’t be heard anymore ; that it was a great displeasure that princes cannot confer with each other and without intermediaries, declare to one another the true meaning of their thoughts ; that, if it was possible, would prevent the suspicions which are caused often without reason by bad ministers.”
Apart from revealing her motivation to learn Spanish, Elizabeth once again makes clear that she had met Philip and, as she had done before, expresses her wish to see him again. But what I find particularly interesting about it is the line “when she was his prisoner, she talked to him like a parrot and how she was commanded to”. This is the only reference I have seen thus far where Elizabeth not only refers to their meeting but also alludes to how their meeting might have gone!
“You have a duty—a duty to every one around you—a duty in which the high dignity of your profession is particularly apparent.” —Ursula St. Barbe, Lady Walsingham in a letter to her husband.
Helen Mirren reprises her role as Elizabeth I, Queen Regnant of England (HBO’s Elizabeth I*)forThe Platinum Jubilee Celebration: A Gallop Through History in honour of Elizabeth II, Queen Regnant of The United Kingdom
*Both of the costumes are from this production and designed by Mike O'Neill excluding the Breast Plate, shoes and stockings.
