Queen Elizabeth I

Elizabeth was also a patron of arts and literature, and loved watching plays,  masques, and other dramatic performances. She had her own company of actors, called “The Queen's Players”, and these would often perform plays for her and her courtiers. Robert Dudley also had his own company, and he would pay them to perform before the Queen.

Elizabeth was also an incredibly gifted scholar, and loved learning. She reputedly would often study for two or three hours a day, and was well read in the Classics, as well as having a very extensive knowledge of history. Her skill for languages meant that she could read books in Latin or French, and especially as she grew older, she loved to translate Classic works into English. She also liked to write poetry, and a few of her poems still survive. 

Embroidery was also a popular pastime for women. Mary Queen of Scots was a very gifted embroideress, and Elizabeth too would sometimes spend an evening embroidering with her maids of honor and ladies in waiting.

There were also games that the Queen could play on wet days or winter nights, such as backgammon, or chess, or cards. Queen Mary I had been an avid gambler, and it is likely that Elizabeth too enjoyed a wager with her courtiers. She also liked to write poetry, and a few of her poems still survive.