A widow named Elizabeth Menson had lived in the town for forty years by 1570 and claimed to be eighty years old. At the other end of the social scale, as in the poorest streets of Norwich in 1570, the elderly were also often active, but through necessity. In an age when men and women were expected to work until they could not physically do so, Elizabeth was doing nothing unusual in retaining her firm grasp on affairs. There was, of course, no question that she should retire, although, as one contemporary observed, “this crown is not like to fall to the ground for want of heads that claim to wear it.” Soon, her subjects would proudly boast that she was “that good old princess the now queen, the eldest prince in years and reign throughout Europe or our known world.” At Windsor, her thirty-five years on the throne were marked with “a great triumph” of plays, masques, and tournaments. Following this important birthday, she celebrated her accession day with particular splendor. No other Tudor monarch had reached that number. Elizabeth I turned sixty in September 1593-old by anyone’s standards at the time.
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