Page "Elizabeth I of England" Paragraph 8

Elizabeth's first Lady Mistress, Margaret, Lady Bryant, wrote that she was " as toward a child and as gentle of conditions as ever I knew any in my life ".

By the autumn of 1537, Elizabeth was in the care of Blanche Herbert, Lady Troy who remained her Lady Mistress until her retirement in late 1545 or early 1546.

Catherine Champernowne, better known by her later, married name of Catherine " Kat " Ashley, was appointed as Elizabeth's governess in 1537, and she remained Elizabeth's friend until her death in 1565, when Blanche Parry succeeded her as Chief Gentlewoman of the Privy Chamber.

Champernowne taught Elizabeth four languages: French, Flemish, Italian and Spanish.

By the time William Grindal became her tutor in 1544, Elizabeth could write English, Latin, and Italian.

Under Grindal, a talented and skilful tutor, she also progressed in French and Greek.

After Grindal died in 1548, Elizabeth received her education under Roger Ascham, a sympathetic teacher who believed that learning should be engaging.

By the time her formal education ended in 1550, she was one of the best educated women of her generation.

By the end of her life Elizabeth was also reputed to speak Welsh, Cornish, Scottish and Irish in addition to English.

The Venetian ambassador stated in 1603 that she " possessed languages so thoroughly that each appeared to be her native tongue ".

Historian Mark Stoyle suggests that she was probably taught Cornish by William Killigrew, Groom of the Privy Chamber and later Chamberlain of the Exchequer.