Skip to main content

Primary sourceBookc. 1568-1571

The Doubt of Future Foes

Elizabeth I · c. 1568-1571

A poem written by Elizabeth I about the threat posed by her rival Mary, Queen of Scots, and the plots surrounding her.

Elizabeth wrote this poem herself, revealing her fears and resolve in the face of plots involving Mary, Queen of Scots.

Ask Elizabeth I about this sourceView the original(opens in new tab)
Source: Wikisource

About this source

What it is

This poem was written by Elizabeth I sometime between 1568 and 1571. It addresses her difficult relationship with her cousin and rival, Mary, Queen of Scots, who was living in England under Elizabeth's custody after being forced from the Scottish throne.

Why it matters

The poem was written against a backdrop of real danger: a Catholic uprising in Scotland aimed at placing Mary on the English throne, and a papal decree releasing Catholics from loyalty to Elizabeth. The poem shows Elizabeth's own voice responding to the political and religious threats of her reign, expressing determination to defend her rule.

Look closer

  • What words or images in the poem suggest how Elizabeth felt about the threats she faced?
  • Why might a monarch choose to express political anxieties through poetry rather than a formal document?
  • What does this poem suggest about the dangers monarchs like Elizabeth faced from rival claimants?

This book is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Elizabeth I on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

More Elizabeth I sources

Meet the AI Elizabeth I →
Speech

Primary source

Speech to the Troops at Tilbury

Elizabeth I of England · 1588

Engraved print of a woman in elaborate Elizabethan dress with a large ruff collar, jeweled headdress, pearl necklace, and an orb and sceptre. Below is the inscription 'ELIZABETHA REGINA' and a Latin motto.Painting

Secondary source

Queen Elizabeth I of England by Isaac Oliver

Isaac Oliver · 1620

Full-length painting of a woman in an elaborate black and gold-embroidered gown with a huge white lace ruff and pearl-studded jewelry, holding a globe with one hand. A jeweled crown sits on a table at left; a golden mermaid figure at right. Background panels show sailing ships on a calm sea and a stormy scene of ships battling waves.Painting

Primary source

Armada Portrait

Unknown English artist · 1588

Engraving of the monument to Queen Elizabeth I in Westminster Abbey: a tall arched canopy with columns, coats of arms, and a recumbent effigy of the queen on a tomb chest with lion sculptures. Latin inscriptions and a title line run along the bottom.Painting

Secondary source

Monument to Queen Elizabeth I in Westminster Abbey

Hubert Francois Bourguignon d'Anville Gravelot

Engraving of Queen Elizabeth I in a high, jeweled crown and a large lace ruff, holding a sceptre in her right hand and an orb in her left. She wears an ornate, pearl-studded gown. A dark oval frame surrounds her head and shoulders. Latin inscription below reads 'Elizabetha Regina' and two lines of Latin text.Painting

Secondary source

Queen Elizabeth I in parliamentary robes

Isaac Oliver · 1600-1699

Ready when you are

Start chatting with Elizabeth I now.

20 messages free · No credit card · Available in 50+ languages.

Trial Humy for freeGet a quote for institutions