8-1London

What was London like in Elizabethan England? //Answer prepared by Bill W.// At this time, London was the heart of England during the Elizabethan Age. London was the leading center of culture as well as trade. Its poets and actors were very famous throughout London like Shakespeare. London in the 16th century underwent a transformation; its population grew 400% during the 1500s, increasing to nearly 200,000 people in the city. London would become one of the most famous cities throughout Europe because of its wonderful luxury or so people thought.

Here is a letter that a tourist wrote to his family about the luxury he found in London. “It abounds with every article of luxury, as well as with the necessities of life. But the most remarkable thing in London is the wonderful quantity of wrought silver. I do not allude to that in private houses, but to the shops of London. In one single street, named the Strand, leading to St Paul's, there are fifty-two goldsmith's shops, so rich and full of silver vessels, great and small, that in all the shops in Milan, Rome, Venice, and Florence put together, I do not think there would be found so many of the magnificence that are to be seen in London. And these vessels are all either salt cellars or drinking cups or basins to hold water for the hands, for they eat off that fine tin [//pewter//] which is a little inferior to silver. These great riches of London are not occasioned by its inhabitants being noblemen or gentlemen.” To some of the rich or upper classmen of London, this city was full of riches and was amazing. This place had rich luxury such as gold and silver jewelry and lots of entertainment such as gossip, tennis and bowl. Although London was considered a very wealthy place, it was also very dirty. According to Maggi Ros’s website, "The streets were narrow, cobbled, slippery with the slime of refuse. Houses were crammed together, and there were a lot of furtive alleys. Chamber pots, or jordans, were emptied out of windows. There was no drainage."

London was always famous for its taverns that many people went to get tipsy. Nobody drank water, and tea had not yet come in. Ale was the standard drink, and it was strong. Ale was drunk for breakfast, lunch and dinner so mainly everybody in London was almost always drunk.

According to the __Daily Life in Elizabethan England__ by Jeffrey L. Singman, the Elizabethan government was a complex one and divided into national bodies, and then these bodies are again divided into regional bodies. Then there were the country and the community bodies and the court system of the Elizabethan government. In order for the Queen to pass a law, she must draw a bill and have it forwarded it to Parliament. So, England and America have a similar government. There is also the Privy Council which was a group of advisers that aided the Queen on many issues such as religion, security, economics and the welfare of the people.

Theater in London, England was very popular to the rich and poor. Plays were either performed outdoors or inside. It was quite a party when inside a movie theater. If the actors were very good, then the theater could be packed with people. Some famous movie theaters are: The Globe, Bankside, Surrey Amphitheater and the Red Bull, Clerkenwell Amphitheater.

Although London wasn’t always so wealthy and pretty, it was still considered a very important spot during the Elizabethan Era. London was the most important city for commerce, selling food, entertainment and to get drunk. London was and still is the most important city during this era. Works Cited "Elizabethan England Life." 2008. Travel Prague. 14 Apr 2009 .

Pressley, John. "Elizabethan England." __Shakespeare Resource Center__. 2009. Shakespeare Resource Center. 8 Mar 2009 .

Ros, Maggi. "The City of London." __Elizabethan England__. 2008. Elizabethan England. 8

Mar 2009 [].

Singman, Jeffrey. //Daily Life in Elizabethan England//. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood

Press, 1995. Print.

Stewart, Gail. __Life in Elizabethan London__. San Diego, California: Lucent Books, 2003. []  