Mirror to Elizabeth

Queen Elizabeth's maids of honour are passing the time as best they can while waiting for news of the Armada; some anxious for lovers, one for her only brother, all highly strung. As they are noisily dancing, watched by the older ladies-in-waiting, the Queen sweeps angrily in to rebuke them. A page enters with the news of the Armada's defeat, and all rejoice except Penelope Wyndham whose brother has been killed. She rounds in wild accusation on the Queen, holding her to be callous and intoxicated with her position. Elizabeth is shattered by this plainspeaking, and it takes all the reassurance and sympathy of her waiting-woman before she is sufficiently herself again to face the people of England in their clamorous joy.