She was executed as a Roman Catholic threat to the English throne, but during her long years of imprisonment by her Protestant cousin Elizabeth I, Mary, Queen of According to previously unpublished documents, the Scots were still treated like a queen.
The British Library has acquired official financial Accounts for 1580s detailing the finest foodstuffs and other luxuries given to the Scottish Queen during her captivity at Wingfield Manor. in Derbyshire and Tutbury Castle in Staffordshire.
Andrea Clark, librarian lead curator of medieval and early modern manuscripts, told Observer that it was a “luxurious conclusion”. They provide a really colorful shot. of [Mary’s] Existence in prison. The food listed is incredible, from basic – bread, butter, eggs – to a massive range of poultry, fish and meat, some of that I have never heard of and looked merrily up”.
Clarke curated a recent British Library exhibition, “Elizabeth and Mary: Royal Cousins, Rival Queens,” which explored their tumultuous relationship against the backdrop of plots espionage and betrayal with England and Scotland are deeply divided between Protestants and Catholics, and Europe is torn apart by religious conflicts and civil wars.
Mary was just six the days she became queen of Scotland in 1542 after death of her father, James V. feared like a catholic with claim to the English throne, she was targeted for conspirators and was eventually found guilty of betrayal and beheaded in 1587, aged 44.
in rolls of parchment, professional scribes listed all expenses incurred between December 1584 and February 1585. In the following British Library blog, Clark writes: “By the time financial accounts were drawn up in 1585 Mary was held in English captivity for almost 17 years old and recently transferred to custody of Sir Ralph Sadler, her newly appointed keeper. Sadler official correspondence for the same period shows the pressure he found himself under to provide for its charge is as cheap as possible … Accounts could be drawn up just to let you know cost-cutting an exercise.”
They are show that Mary dined on beef, lamb, veal, wild boar and poultry, as well as cod, salmon, eel and herring in spices with saffron, ginger and nutmeg and beaten with wine and ale. Oranges, olives, capers, almonds and figs were among her exotic treats. Sweet luxury included marmalade, caraway biscuits, and canned fruit. in syrup.
It was attended by a large family, and she dined under her canopy. of state where everyone of her courses offered a choice of up up to 16 individual dishes.
Itemized household expenditures include “mats for house Quenes” and soap “for Laundry Quenes, as well as with salaries of employees responsible for “mend the edge and clean of armor” and “installation up and doing of beds.”
Although Mary was only occasionally allowed to ride, she continued to keep her own horses, and the bills list stable expenses such as lanterns, hay and “show and medicine” of horses.” But the bills also remember that Mary was prisoner of English crown like them list salaries of 40 soldiers who was on duty over her.
