Elizabeth I as Poet: Some Notes on "On Monsieur's Departure" and John Dowland's "Now O Now I Needs Must Part"

The essay is about Queen Elizabeth I's famous poem on the Duke of Anjou's departure from London in February 1582. Both departure and poem marked the end of the long and unsuccesful marriage negotiations bewteen Elizabeth herself and the French Duke. The poem is generally considered to be authentic, but, despite this, it is impossible to discern whether it reveals the Queen's true thoughts and feelings. What we know for certain is that the duke, who was French and Catholic, was not welcome by Elizabeth's subjects. As a matter of fact, a lot of texts and songs were written against this royal wedding, pointing to persuade the Queen to turn down her suitor. John Dowland's song is just a case in point: it is based on a famous popular galliard and shares both feeling and contents of Elizabeth's poem.