Chapter 19 Summary

Elizabeth is now forty years of age, nervous and irritable. The doctors believe that the healing of the ulcer on her leg will increase the frequency and duration of her monthly periods. Leicester and Elizabeth no longer carry on like young lovers, and he marries Lettice Devereaux. Elizabeth has an abscessed tooth, which she finally agrees to have pulled after the Bishop of London has a tooth pulled.

Queen Elizabeth continues marriage negotiations with Prince Alenzon, with control of Europe at stake. When she learns of Leicester's marriage to her cousin, she is wounded, betrayed and angry. She orders Leicester arrested and put in the Tower out of her sight. Leicester feigns grave illness, and Elizabeth relents, her fury being spent.

Prince Alenzon arrives in London. He is puny, much pitted from smallpox, with a very large nose, but he is also ardent...