0:00:17 > 0:00:20Imagine everything that's ever happened.
0:00:22 > 0:00:26- The whole of history. - One small step for man...
0:00:26 > 0:00:31Imagine you could go to any place, any time, and see what people saw,
0:00:31 > 0:00:35understand what they thought and appreciate what they felt.
0:00:35 > 0:00:43So much of what we know now goes directly back to England's Golden Age, the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.
0:00:43 > 0:00:47Who wouldn't want to travel back in time and see it first-hand?
0:00:49 > 0:00:55Elizabethan England is dominated by the rich and powerful, but this is a world enjoyed
0:00:55 > 0:00:58by a privileged few.
0:00:58 > 0:01:02For most people, life is very different.
0:01:02 > 0:01:07In the countryside, many people are poor and they face great hardship.
0:01:14 > 0:01:16'You've arrived in England in 1558.
0:01:18 > 0:01:22'Elizabeth has just been crowned Queen.
0:01:22 > 0:01:26'It's very unlikely you'll land in a castle or a rich man's house.
0:01:26 > 0:01:30'You're much more likely to find yourself somewhere like this.
0:01:33 > 0:01:38'An open heath. In this case, Hothfield in Kent.
0:01:40 > 0:01:46'About a quarter of England is like this - wild moors, heaths, hills and wasteland.
0:01:50 > 0:01:53'Today we might describe Hothfield as quiet and scenic.
0:01:55 > 0:01:59'To the Elizabethans, however, it is anything but.'
0:02:01 > 0:02:05The heaths, woods and moorlands are dangerous places.
0:02:05 > 0:02:09There are no roads across them, only trackways and muddy paths.
0:02:09 > 0:02:14Elizabethan people see them as horrific. Anything but beautiful.
0:02:15 > 0:02:21'Given that this is what the locals think of such places, I suggest you find shelter, and quickly.'
0:02:21 > 0:02:24RUMBLE OF THUNDER
0:02:41 > 0:02:46'Dotted around the countryside you'll find small, thatched cottages,
0:02:46 > 0:02:49'some already hundreds of years old.
0:02:49 > 0:02:56'And when you first spot one, don't have any ideas that life in the countryside is pleasant.
0:03:02 > 0:03:06'The family you'll meet here is very poor indeed.
0:03:07 > 0:03:13'It's not unusual to find as many as seven or eight people living in a house like this.'
0:03:17 > 0:03:23Imagine you've come to stay with one of your ancestors in the 1560s and you're going to stay here.
0:03:23 > 0:03:28The thing that will strike you most is that it is dark.
0:03:28 > 0:03:30Very dark.
0:03:30 > 0:03:34You can't just turn on a light in a house like this.
0:03:34 > 0:03:38In fact, it's very unlikely you'll see colours indoors at all.
0:03:38 > 0:03:40It's just too dark.
0:03:40 > 0:03:45You'll go to sleep in darkness and you'll wake in darkness.
0:03:45 > 0:03:49'Inside, you'll find it's very basic.
0:03:49 > 0:03:51'Just one room with an earth floor.
0:03:51 > 0:03:55'In the middle, you'll see a fire permanently lit,
0:03:55 > 0:04:00'but what will really hit you is the thick smoke filling the whole room.
0:04:01 > 0:04:06'To prevent you suffocating, they've made an opening in the roof.
0:04:09 > 0:04:13'And the windows are no more than just holes in the wall.'
0:04:15 > 0:04:20Because the windows are unglazed, covered only by a shutter, they let in the cold,
0:04:20 > 0:04:28so they're small to retain as much heat as possible. Even in summer, very little light enters your home.
0:04:28 > 0:04:32Candles, you might think, are the obvious answer.
0:04:32 > 0:04:38Today we just take them for granted, but in Elizabethan times candles are expensive
0:04:38 > 0:04:43and a poor family simply can't afford lots of light.
0:04:44 > 0:04:48This family's only possessions are a few pots,
0:04:48 > 0:04:51some spoons and ladles,
0:04:51 > 0:04:53a basket and a bench.
0:04:53 > 0:04:58You'll find yourself sleeping on the floor or, if you're lucky,
0:04:58 > 0:05:02on one of their thin straw mattresses.
0:05:02 > 0:05:08In this world of darkness, you won't just see differently, you'll listen differently, too.
0:05:08 > 0:05:13You pay attention to the things you hear, the small sounds of the house,
0:05:13 > 0:05:19the crackling of the fire, the sighing of a child in the cradle,
0:05:19 > 0:05:22the raindrops on the roof.
0:05:47 > 0:05:53'It's also important to understand that Elizabethan society is strictly divided
0:05:53 > 0:05:57'according to the class into which you are born.'
0:05:57 > 0:06:03It's explained in this book from 1577, A Description of England by a clergyman, William Harrison.
0:06:05 > 0:06:12'Harrison describes the ordinary sort of people that you will meet on the road or in a village ale house.
0:06:12 > 0:06:16'Most country men fall into one of three categories.
0:06:16 > 0:06:21'A yeoman might own or rent his farm and employs workers.
0:06:21 > 0:06:26'A husbandman rents the land that he works on.
0:06:26 > 0:06:30'Labourers simply work on other people's farms.
0:06:33 > 0:06:40'A dark, smoke-filled house is one reason why these people spend the whole day out of doors.
0:06:47 > 0:06:53'As an unknown poor person looking for work in the countryside, your options are extremely limited.
0:06:53 > 0:06:59'Your best bet is to go from farm to farm offering your services as a labourer.
0:06:59 > 0:07:03'If you ask around among the local yeomen and husbandmen,
0:07:03 > 0:07:09'you might find someone who will employ you on a casual basis and allow you to sleep in a barn,
0:07:09 > 0:07:12'but be prepared for a hard slog.'
0:07:15 > 0:07:19The working day starts at dawn and continues until sunset.
0:07:19 > 0:07:24If you're employed as a labourer, what's your reward for this toil?
0:07:24 > 0:07:26Just a groat.
0:07:26 > 0:07:31You may be disappointed to see that your first day's pay is a thin coin
0:07:31 > 0:07:34roughly the same size as a 20p piece.
0:07:34 > 0:07:40Made of pure silver, the groat has been part of the English currency since Medieval times.
0:07:40 > 0:07:44You'll also hear it referred to as fourpence.
0:07:45 > 0:07:48What does this sum really mean?
0:07:48 > 0:07:56There's no easy way of comparing the value of Elizabethan money to the money we use today.
0:07:56 > 0:08:02When a labourer earns fourpence a day, a chicken costs fourpence a day and a lemon threepence.
0:08:02 > 0:08:09If chickens were as valuable to us in the 21st century as in the 16th, they'd cost about £100 each
0:08:09 > 0:08:12and a single lemon would cost £75.
0:08:13 > 0:08:19So lemon chicken is off the menu, but what can you buy on wages of fourpence a day?
0:08:19 > 0:08:24A loaf of bread and a small amount of butter and cheese every day,
0:08:24 > 0:08:28four small pieces of meat and three pieces of fish per week,
0:08:28 > 0:08:33and some ale to drink. Ale because water is polluted.
0:08:33 > 0:08:39It all adds up to about 6,000 calories per day, which is enough for a working man and his wife,
0:08:39 > 0:08:46but it leaves nothing for firewood, nothing for rent, nothing for clothing, nothing for the children.
0:08:46 > 0:08:52Unless you grow vegetables in your garden and make your own clothes and forego some food for rent,
0:08:52 > 0:08:54you won't be able to raise a family.
0:08:54 > 0:09:00Lots of ordinary things like getting married and having children may not be possible
0:09:00 > 0:09:06if you can't afford enough food. Life for the poor in the Elizabethan countryside
0:09:06 > 0:09:08is a real struggle to survive.
0:09:30 > 0:09:34You may have heard that Elizabethans don't travel.
0:09:34 > 0:09:36That's a myth.
0:09:36 > 0:09:42You'll pass a large number of people on the roads, most heading into towns and cities.
0:09:46 > 0:09:53'On arrival in any town, you'll be drawn instantly to the hustle and bustle of the market.
0:09:53 > 0:09:58'A town can double in size on market day with all its many visitors.'
0:09:58 > 0:10:03Every town has at least one market open at least one day a week.
0:10:03 > 0:10:08This is where you'll need to come to buy eggs, butter,
0:10:08 > 0:10:11cheese, meat and fish.
0:10:11 > 0:10:15This is also where you'll come to buy stuff.
0:10:15 > 0:10:21You'll certainly recognise some of what's on sale, but you'll need to know what things are called.
0:10:21 > 0:10:26Another word for calf-length boots is a pair of buskins.
0:10:28 > 0:10:30Biggins are close-fitting caps.
0:10:32 > 0:10:35Knee-length trousers or breeches are known as slops.
0:10:37 > 0:10:42People spend many hours at the market, so various fast foods are available.
0:10:42 > 0:10:46Cooked meats, pasties and pies are all on offer.
0:10:46 > 0:10:49So are tasty treats.
0:10:49 > 0:10:54They're pricey, so you might stretch only to some herbs or an onion to make a soup.
0:10:54 > 0:11:01You'll notice women with baskets wandering around. They're selling oysters, seafood and herbs.
0:11:01 > 0:11:06Also look out for a man carrying a flame from door to door.
0:11:06 > 0:11:12Most people find it too difficult to light their fires using only a tinderbox and some kindling
0:11:12 > 0:11:17so they pay for somebody to light them instead.
0:11:24 > 0:11:28As the day ends and the noisy activity of the market dies down,
0:11:28 > 0:11:33the town seems a little less friendly and a little less safe.
0:11:33 > 0:11:36In fact, after dark it's terrifying.
0:11:38 > 0:11:41Where there is poverty, there is often crime.
0:11:41 > 0:11:46Half the entire Elizabethan population is under the age of 22.
0:11:46 > 0:11:50For comparison, the middle mark in modern times is 39.
0:11:50 > 0:11:54People have so much less life experience and, being younger,
0:11:54 > 0:11:58they're more aggressive and hot-headed. They're also armed.
0:11:58 > 0:12:02Most young men carry a dagger and many will wear a sword.
0:12:05 > 0:12:07ANIMALS HOWL
0:12:09 > 0:12:13Desperate times call for desperate measures
0:12:13 > 0:12:19and there is no doubt that the poor are desperate. If you are tempted by a life of crime,
0:12:19 > 0:12:23just bear in mind that the penalty for any felony is death.
0:12:23 > 0:12:29And that includes the theft of just 13 pence-worth of goods.
0:12:29 > 0:12:35Helping yourself to a fine shirt off a washing line or some silver spoons from a rich man's house
0:12:35 > 0:12:39can lead you straight to the gallows.
0:12:39 > 0:12:44There are, in total, five different ways in which you can be executed.
0:12:44 > 0:12:48The first is straightforward hanging on a gallows.
0:12:48 > 0:12:53The second is the traitor's death of hanging, drawing and quartering.
0:12:53 > 0:12:55Third, there's beheading.
0:12:55 > 0:12:58Fourth, burning at the stake.
0:12:58 > 0:13:01And fifth, peine forte et dure.
0:13:01 > 0:13:07That last one means hard and strong punishment.
0:13:07 > 0:13:12You are laid on the ground and a sharp rock is placed under your spine.
0:13:12 > 0:13:17Heavy weights are then added, one by one, to a board on your body.
0:13:18 > 0:13:22It could well take 12 hours for you to be crushed to death.
0:13:23 > 0:13:29If you're found guilty of witchcraft in England, it is likely you'll be hanged,
0:13:29 > 0:13:33unlike in Catholic countries, where witches are burnt at the stake.
0:13:33 > 0:13:39This journey as a poor person through Elizabethan England has shown you many peculiar things,
0:13:39 > 0:13:44but witchcraft is probably the strangest of them all.
0:13:44 > 0:13:48Today science has taught us that witches don't really exist
0:13:48 > 0:13:52and that evil spells and lucky charms don't actually work.
0:13:52 > 0:13:57But in the 16th century, if you deny that witches exist,
0:13:57 > 0:14:00people will think you are insane.
0:14:04 > 0:14:09'While the poor in Elizabethan England have a particularly hard time,
0:14:09 > 0:14:14'there's one cause of suffering that's a threat to everyone - the weather.
0:14:14 > 0:14:19'And we're not talking here about a few spots of rain.'
0:14:20 > 0:14:23One bad summer and the crops fail.
0:14:23 > 0:14:28Food becomes scarce and prices rise. Whole families suffer from malnutrition.
0:14:28 > 0:14:33If the harvest fails for two years in succession, they starve to death.
0:14:33 > 0:14:40If it fails for three years in a row, as it does in the years 1594-1597, thousands die.
0:14:42 > 0:14:47Failed harvests mean that many people in the countryside have no work
0:14:47 > 0:14:51and without a job they can't afford to stay in their homes
0:14:51 > 0:14:58In the 16th century, it's against the law to look after a homeless person not from your neighbourhood.
0:14:58 > 0:15:03You can be fined £1 for taking in a perfectly innocent homeless couple.
0:15:05 > 0:15:11As a consequence, lots of people end up walking for miles up and down the country for work or food,
0:15:11 > 0:15:13constantly being moved on.
0:15:13 > 0:15:20There are even cases of people migrating to Kent on foot from as far as Lancashire and Yorkshire.
0:15:23 > 0:15:28'In 1597, three years into the worst famine seen in living memory,
0:15:28 > 0:15:33'England is about to make some major changes to the law.
0:15:33 > 0:15:39'Across the country, there was a feeling that something has to be done to help the poor.
0:15:41 > 0:15:47'In October, Elizabeth's government passes an act for the relief of the poor.
0:15:47 > 0:15:51'For the first time, people are taxed locally
0:15:51 > 0:15:57'and the money is given to parish overseers to provide for the very poorest people.
0:15:57 > 0:16:02'This is a major change and has to count as one of the turning points in English social history.
0:16:02 > 0:16:07'From now on, helping the poor isn't just left to individual acts of charity.
0:16:07 > 0:16:10'It's a duty that everyone shares.
0:16:10 > 0:16:17'The new law establishes the system of caring for the poor for the next 200 years.
0:16:19 > 0:16:24'As a poor person, life may seem much better under the new laws,
0:16:24 > 0:16:30'but lurking in the shadows there's another ever-present threat, especially for the poor.'
0:16:31 > 0:16:37Death is the thing that all fear and due to the high levels of disease in society,
0:16:37 > 0:16:43it features very prominently in daily life. Most children lose one parent by the time they grow up.
0:16:43 > 0:16:47And most parents lose half their children.
0:16:47 > 0:16:52In Stratford in the 1560s, there are, on average, 63 children baptised every year
0:16:52 > 0:16:55and there are 43 buried.
0:16:56 > 0:17:01There are just so many diseases you can catch.
0:17:03 > 0:17:08The one you'll certainly hear most about from people in the street is the plague.
0:17:10 > 0:17:15The 1578 Plague Orders decree that if plague is found in a house,
0:17:15 > 0:17:21it is to be boarded up and guarded until everyone inside is either dead or has survived for six weeks.
0:17:37 > 0:17:43It has been known for some people feeling the symptoms to dig their own graves and to lie down in them
0:17:43 > 0:17:45waiting for death.
0:17:45 > 0:17:49So what can you do to avoid what seems like certain death?
0:17:49 > 0:17:54Some medical manuals have strange recipes.
0:17:56 > 0:18:00For example, live swallow chicks ground up in a pestle and mortar.
0:18:00 > 0:18:04But the more serious ailments require the attention of a physician
0:18:04 > 0:18:10and then you might get a surprise because the medicines he prescribes won't just depend on your illness.
0:18:10 > 0:18:16They'll also depend on how wealthy you are. Expensive medicines with the best ingredients
0:18:16 > 0:18:21are given to the rich. The poor receive a cheap alternative.
0:18:22 > 0:18:26Life in the towns and cities of Elizabethan England is tough.
0:18:26 > 0:18:31There is great poverty and many people struggle to feed and house their families.
0:18:32 > 0:18:39While the Poor Laws go some way to improving this, there are still many hardships to overcome.
0:18:39 > 0:18:45The punishments for even the smallest crimes are harsh and disease is rife.
0:19:05 > 0:19:10As your guide to the 16th century, I'd like to show you the very best
0:19:10 > 0:19:16that the Elizabethan period has to offer. Where better to start than at one of the Queen's
0:19:16 > 0:19:19magnificent royal palaces?
0:19:19 > 0:19:23Here it is all about what you wear and how you look.
0:19:26 > 0:19:31Hampton Court is one of 20 royal residences inherited by Elizabeth I
0:19:31 > 0:19:35and was one of her father's favourites.
0:19:35 > 0:19:42She gives seven of them away and now spends an average of £4,000 per year looking after the remainder.
0:19:43 > 0:19:48£4,000 is a huge amount of money in the 16th century.
0:19:48 > 0:19:52The average worker earns just £5 a year.
0:19:52 > 0:19:56Everybody has their place in Elizabethan society
0:19:56 > 0:20:02and to be accepted in this world it is important to know where you stand.
0:20:02 > 0:20:09Servants, visitors, royal courtiers - virtually every level of society is represented here.
0:20:09 > 0:20:13You won't have any difficulty telling them apart.
0:20:13 > 0:20:18Everyone's status in society is given away by their clothes.
0:20:21 > 0:20:25Exactly what you wear will depend on when you are here.
0:20:25 > 0:20:29Get your dates wrong, even by as little as a year or two,
0:20:29 > 0:20:31and you risk ridicule or rejection.
0:20:34 > 0:20:39Courtiers travelling abroad carry the latest trends back from the continent
0:20:39 > 0:20:45either in person or by sending fashion dolls dressed in miniature outfits.
0:20:51 > 0:20:57'Fashions become steadily more lavish as the Queen's reign progresses,
0:20:57 > 0:21:01'much to the disapproval of the Puritans.
0:21:01 > 0:21:06'For a wealthy traveller like you, gorgeous clothing is an absolute must.
0:21:06 > 0:21:10'One of the best examples of this is the ruff.
0:21:13 > 0:21:17'At the beginning of the Elizabethan period,
0:21:17 > 0:21:23'both men and women start showing the collar of their smocks or shirts over the tops of their tunics.
0:21:23 > 0:21:25'As this becomes the fashion,
0:21:25 > 0:21:29'it grows into a separate garment which is easier to wash.
0:21:29 > 0:21:33'Starch allows it to grow even bigger until, by the 1580s,
0:21:33 > 0:21:36'it uses a full six yards of linen
0:21:36 > 0:21:40'and requires a circular board to support it.'
0:21:46 > 0:21:52If you really want to show off, vibrant colour is another very effective way to demonstrate wealth.
0:21:52 > 0:21:57It is the law that only the aristocracy and landed gentry are able to wear certain fabrics,
0:21:57 > 0:22:03such as cloth of gold and silver, red and blue velvet, embroidery and silk.
0:22:04 > 0:22:11To create a bright crimson colour, you need cochineal insects from South America.
0:22:11 > 0:22:17Obtaining a single ounce of purple dye requires around 30,000 Mediterranean whelks
0:22:17 > 0:22:22so dressing flamboyantly certainly doesn't come cheap.
0:22:22 > 0:22:27But a word of caution - if you arrive in the early part of Elizabeth's reign,
0:22:27 > 0:22:32don't look too flamboyant. The Queen is still very modest in her attire.
0:22:32 > 0:22:37She often wears stark black and white for constancy and purity.
0:22:37 > 0:22:42Together, these symbolise eternal virginity, an image she is keen to project.
0:22:42 > 0:22:49So it might not be a good idea to turn up at court and risk upstaging the Queen in a cloak of bright red.
0:22:52 > 0:22:56'Once you have taken stock of the latest royal dress code,
0:22:56 > 0:23:02'you'll be keen to find out if it makes the correct impression in the presence of the Queen.'
0:23:05 > 0:23:09But as Hampton Court is not one of the Queen's favourite residences,
0:23:09 > 0:23:13most of the time you'll find that she's absent.
0:23:13 > 0:23:20'Unless she is staying at one of her other palaces, there's a good chance you've arrived while she's away
0:23:20 > 0:23:24'on one of her famous royal progresses.
0:23:24 > 0:23:31'On two dozen occasions during her reign, the entire royal court packs up and takes to the road.
0:23:33 > 0:23:39'Tapestries and paintings are removed from the walls and put into storage, along with silverware
0:23:39 > 0:23:45'and other valuables, while servants keep the palace clean, aired and ready for her return.
0:23:50 > 0:23:57'These outings are a major task requiring between 300 and 400 carts and wagons
0:23:57 > 0:24:00'and up to 2,400 horses.'
0:24:00 > 0:24:04Progresses form a vital part of Elizabeth's queenship.
0:24:04 > 0:24:08They allow people to see her in the flesh and even to meet her.
0:24:08 > 0:24:14She, in turn, can become acquainted with her subjects. Some courtiers are quietly amused by her claiming
0:24:14 > 0:24:18to be personally familiar with thousands of the landed gentry,
0:24:18 > 0:24:22but she does know many because of these progresses.
0:24:22 > 0:24:29It's another example of Tudor visual propaganda in which the Queen herself becomes a living portrait.
0:24:29 > 0:24:34During your travels, you'll need somewhere to stay.
0:24:34 > 0:24:39Just like the Queen on a royal progress, the house of a gentleman makes an ideal place
0:24:39 > 0:24:46for you to lay your head. In Elizabethan times, there's a rapidly increasing number.
0:24:46 > 0:24:50Hundreds of these handsome manor houses spring up during her reign
0:24:50 > 0:24:55as more and more people become rich enough to build their own.
0:25:15 > 0:25:21The great houses built during Elizabeth I's reign are among the finest England will ever see
0:25:21 > 0:25:25and Hardwick Hall in Derbyshire is one of the greatest of them all.
0:25:29 > 0:25:35Every detail of a great house is designed to demonstrate the wealth and sophistication of its owner.
0:25:35 > 0:25:39This need to show off can have both positive and negative consequences.
0:25:39 > 0:25:44The positive ones are obvious - national as well as local prestige,
0:25:44 > 0:25:49perhaps leading to a position at court. The negative ones are the sheer expense -
0:25:49 > 0:25:55the cost of building the house in the first place, equipping it and maintaining all the servants.
0:25:55 > 0:26:02Ultimately, success might lead to the financially ruinous privilege of entertaining the Queen herself.
0:26:05 > 0:26:10When the Queen pays a visit to the Cambridgeshire home of Lord North in 1577,
0:26:10 > 0:26:14she arrives accompanied by about 2,000 people.
0:26:14 > 0:26:20The total cost of the two-day visit is £642 four shillings and tuppence
0:26:20 > 0:26:25and this doesn't include a present for the Queen of a jewel worth £120.
0:26:26 > 0:26:32Lord North's expenses include decorating the rooms, putting up a temporary banqueting house
0:26:32 > 0:26:35and building several temporary kitchens.
0:26:35 > 0:26:40There are candles and torches to buy and extra pewter ware must be hired from London.
0:26:40 > 0:26:46Just doing the dishes costs the equivalent of a worker's wages for three months.
0:26:48 > 0:26:53To give you an idea of the scale of preparation required, look at the grocery list.
0:26:53 > 0:26:5611½ cows, 17½ veal calves,
0:26:56 > 0:26:598 stags and 16 bucks for pasties,
0:26:59 > 0:27:031,200 chickens, over 2,500 pigeons,
0:27:03 > 0:27:07a cartload and two horse loads of oysters. And so the list goes on.
0:27:07 > 0:27:13When you consider that a single cow is the equivalent of an average worker's wages for 6 months,
0:27:13 > 0:27:19you can see that a royal visit is a mixed blessing for the host who has to foot the bill.
0:27:20 > 0:27:25Life at Elizabeth I's court is full of luxury and privilege,
0:27:25 > 0:27:29but you'll have to work hard to stay in the Queen's favour.
0:27:29 > 0:27:35It is very important for a wealthy Elizabethan to give the right impression - your clothes and house
0:27:35 > 0:27:41are key symbols of your wealth and status. The greatest honour you can receive
0:27:41 > 0:27:47is a visit from the Queen herself, but this could also prove to be dangerously expensive.
0:28:08 > 0:28:12Take almost any painting from Elizabethan England
0:28:12 > 0:28:16and what do you see? Royal courtiers dressed in silk and velvet,
0:28:16 > 0:28:20magnificent jewels and ostentatious ruffs,
0:28:20 > 0:28:24extravagant feasts and joyous dancing.
0:28:24 > 0:28:28These artworks always depict the lives of the very rich. Why?
0:28:28 > 0:28:32Only they can afford such luxuries as paintings.
0:28:32 > 0:28:37But while these people may have more money than anyone else, they don't have all the power.
0:28:37 > 0:28:41There is another important group of people known as the gentry.
0:28:41 > 0:28:46Not all the gentry are super rich, but they are by no means poor
0:28:46 > 0:28:49and they are certainly powerful.
0:28:49 > 0:28:54They don't just control the people around them - the villagers and their own servants.
0:28:54 > 0:28:58They practically own and run the whole country.
0:28:58 > 0:29:02From the ranks of the gentry, magistrates and sheriffs were drawn
0:29:02 > 0:29:08and almost every official in central and local government. In Parliament, too, it's the gentry
0:29:08 > 0:29:10who fill the House of Commons.
0:29:10 > 0:29:16As a wealthy traveller, you might stay at an inn, but only if you really have to.
0:29:16 > 0:29:21You'll feel much more at home if you arrange to stay at the house of a gentleman.
0:29:25 > 0:29:29Look around and you'll see the signs of the owner's wealth and status -
0:29:29 > 0:29:34the carved wood, perhaps a portrait or two, maybe even a mirror.
0:29:34 > 0:29:40You'll also find carpets, but they're laid across the tops of tables and over chests.
0:29:40 > 0:29:45Only the exceptionally wealthy ever put them on the floor.
0:29:45 > 0:29:50Another clear sign that you're in the house of a gentleman is the presence of servants.
0:29:53 > 0:29:58From just one or two in a modest household to 20 or more in a wealthier one.
0:29:58 > 0:30:04Every manservant will cost you about £2 per year and every female domestic helper about half that.
0:30:04 > 0:30:11As a guest of the house, you deserve pleasant sleeping quarters which brings us to the bedchamber.
0:30:11 > 0:30:15The first thing you must do on waking up in the house of a gentleman
0:30:15 > 0:30:18is to attend to your personal hygiene.
0:30:18 > 0:30:22Cleanliness is an important part of culture and sophistication
0:30:22 > 0:30:27and the rich will expect you to do something about any bodily odours you might have.
0:30:27 > 0:30:30The obvious answer is to have a bath,
0:30:30 > 0:30:34but the Elizabethans do not share our obsession with soap and water.
0:30:34 > 0:30:37In fact, they believe that unclean water can make you unwell
0:30:37 > 0:30:41by entering the pores of your skin. In that, they're not far wrong.
0:30:44 > 0:30:49Rainwater collected from the roof is pure since it comes directly from God,
0:30:49 > 0:30:54but this is a luxury reserved for washing the parts of the body that show.
0:30:54 > 0:31:00Since anything else such as river water may indeed carry infection and disease,
0:31:00 > 0:31:04you should follow the example of your fellow Elizabethans
0:31:04 > 0:31:06and avoid bathing in it.
0:31:08 > 0:31:13Linen towels called rubbers are used to rub your skin and even your hair clean.
0:31:13 > 0:31:19Shirts, smocks and other undergarments which soak up sweat and catch dirt are changed daily.
0:31:19 > 0:31:25As you can see, you keep yourself clean by washing not your body, but your clothes.
0:31:25 > 0:31:30The rich also make use of perfumes and pomades to improve the smell
0:31:30 > 0:31:33of their clothes, bodies and hair.
0:31:34 > 0:31:40And while getting rid of your bodily odours, you mustn't forget to take care of your breath.
0:31:41 > 0:31:44In the absence of dental floss, you might use a toothpick
0:31:44 > 0:31:47made of wood, bone or the quill of a feather.
0:31:47 > 0:31:51There are no toothbrushes, so instead, you'll clean your teeth
0:31:51 > 0:31:54with a tooth cloth which is a strip of linen.
0:31:54 > 0:31:58As for freshening your breath, you might chew cumin seeds or aniseed.
0:31:58 > 0:32:04Either of these is probably going to be more advisable than doing what some physicians recommend
0:32:04 > 0:32:09which is washing your mouth out with white wine, followed by spirit of vitriol.
0:32:09 > 0:32:12Spirit of vitriol is sulphuric acid.
0:32:12 > 0:32:17Just in case you don't know, sulphuric acid is dangerously corrosive.
0:32:17 > 0:32:22You may be surprised to learn that the Elizabethans travel a great deal,
0:32:22 > 0:32:25irrespective of their wealth.
0:32:25 > 0:32:28But poor people rarely go more than a few miles
0:32:28 > 0:32:34and when they do travel, it is almost always on foot.
0:32:34 > 0:32:40As a member of the gentry, you wouldn't dream of travelling in such a dangerous, dirty and vulgar way.
0:32:40 > 0:32:42What you want is a set of wheels.
0:32:42 > 0:32:47Coaches have soared in popularity as a result of the Protestant revolution.
0:32:47 > 0:32:53Gentlemen and their families coming back from the continent have brought with them the customs
0:32:53 > 0:32:57of places like Antwerp where there are 500 coaches on the streets of the city.
0:32:57 > 0:33:01The greater number of coaches in England means the price drops,
0:33:01 > 0:33:05allowing even the lower reaches of the gentry to travel in this way.
0:33:06 > 0:33:08In the 1570s, for instance,
0:33:08 > 0:33:12you can pick up a second-hand coach for around £8
0:33:12 > 0:33:17and a team of four horses for an additional £10.
0:33:18 > 0:33:24For the budget traveller, you can even hire one for 16 shillings per day, plus food for the coachman.
0:33:24 > 0:33:27But don't forget to allow for horse feed
0:33:27 > 0:33:32which can easily cost more than the meals for yourself and your servants.
0:33:32 > 0:33:37During your long journey, you may wish to rest at an inn or tavern
0:33:37 > 0:33:39for a much needed meal and a drink.
0:33:39 > 0:33:42But be very careful what you say to strangers
0:33:42 > 0:33:45and make sure your servants do the same.
0:33:45 > 0:33:51While your servants may believe they're just having a casual chat with their newly made acquaintances,
0:33:51 > 0:33:55perhaps mentioning your name, their words may find their way back
0:33:55 > 0:33:58to the Queen's secretary, courtesy of his spy network.
0:33:58 > 0:34:02There are spies everywhere, even in your own household,
0:34:02 > 0:34:08listening to your every word and reporting back to the Queen's chief adviser, Sir William Cecil.
0:34:08 > 0:34:12But why go to such lengths? Why the suspicion?
0:34:13 > 0:34:17It's because the Queen has no shortage of enemies.
0:34:17 > 0:34:22There are Puritans who disagree with Elizabeth over their religious beliefs.
0:34:22 > 0:34:28There are also many Catholics in England and abroad, including the Pope and Philip II of Spain,
0:34:28 > 0:34:32who do not like the idea of a Protestant Queen on the throne.
0:34:32 > 0:34:35This puts Elizabeth I in danger.
0:34:35 > 0:34:41In the 1580s, there is an attempt on the Queen's life almost every year.
0:34:41 > 0:34:45One of these schemes in particular shows the lengths
0:34:45 > 0:34:51to which plotters will go and the effectiveness of this Elizabethan secret service.
0:34:52 > 0:34:58In 1586, a group of conspirators, led by a young Catholic gentleman called Anthony Babington,
0:34:58 > 0:35:00hatch a plot to kill the Queen.
0:35:00 > 0:35:05Their plan is to assassinate her and, with the help of a Spanish invasion,
0:35:05 > 0:35:08to put Mary Queen of Scots on the throne instead.
0:35:08 > 0:35:14Babington smuggles coded letters in and out of Mary's prison using waterproof wallets in ale barrels.
0:35:14 > 0:35:21Walsingham's spies intercept these letters and break the code, but they don't raise the alarm immediately.
0:35:21 > 0:35:24Instead, they put the letters back in the barrels,
0:35:24 > 0:35:27so Babington and his friends don't realise the game is up.
0:35:27 > 0:35:32It's a brilliant move. Not only do the conspirators incriminate themselves further,
0:35:32 > 0:35:37they also unwittingly deliver proof to Walsingham that Mary herself is complicit.
0:35:37 > 0:35:41Eventually, no fewer than 14 of the conspirators are caught.
0:35:41 > 0:35:45They are sentenced to death and so is the Scottish queen.
0:35:47 > 0:35:52Assassination plots and treason are mainly of concern to the cream of society.
0:35:52 > 0:35:56The poor are far too busy simply trying to survive
0:35:56 > 0:36:00and such treachery is dealt with by the very highest authority.
0:36:00 > 0:36:03Star Chamber is a special court,
0:36:03 > 0:36:08so called because it meets in the Star Chamber in the Palace of Westminster.
0:36:10 > 0:36:14The mere mention of its name is enough to strike fear into the heart
0:36:14 > 0:36:18and you had better pray you are never summoned to appear before it.
0:36:18 > 0:36:20There is no jury in the Star Chamber
0:36:20 > 0:36:25and rumour alone can be enough to find you guilty of treason.
0:36:25 > 0:36:30Worse still, you can be punished by just about any method seen fit -
0:36:30 > 0:36:34imprisonment in the Tower, whipping or branding,
0:36:34 > 0:36:38cutting off your ears or hands or slitting your nose.
0:36:39 > 0:36:45Public executions are a means of demonstrating government power and social control,
0:36:45 > 0:36:48as well as removing some enemies of the state.
0:36:48 > 0:36:52For the masses, they're also hugely popular as forms of entertainment.
0:36:52 > 0:36:56The most common method of execution is hanging,
0:36:56 > 0:37:01the standard punishment for everything from theft to witchcraft.
0:37:03 > 0:37:07As a nobleman, you might be able to avoid this
0:37:07 > 0:37:12by begging the Queen to allow you to have your head cut off instead.
0:37:14 > 0:37:18But these methods of execution are positively humane
0:37:18 > 0:37:21compared to the one reserved for traitors.
0:37:22 > 0:37:27The unbelievably grisly sight of someone being hanged, drawn and quartered
0:37:27 > 0:37:32is arguably the most infamous and graphic demonstration of the appetite for cruelty.
0:37:32 > 0:37:36This is the fate that awaits the Babington conspirators.
0:37:36 > 0:37:42These executions serve as a stark reminder that at a moment's notice,
0:37:42 > 0:37:47even the most privileged may lose their riches, their power and their lives.
0:37:49 > 0:37:52These are dangerous days, uncertain times,
0:37:52 > 0:37:57and it's worth remembering that those who have the most also have the most to lose.
0:38:16 > 0:38:22Elizabeth I's reign is a time of great change in England, especially for the middle classes.
0:38:24 > 0:38:28Your journey begins at the very heart of the country.
0:38:28 > 0:38:32In towns like Stratford, a revolution is taking place.
0:38:32 > 0:38:35It transforms the lives of ordinary people
0:38:35 > 0:38:38and changes the face of every street in the land.
0:38:38 > 0:38:42It's not a scientific discovery. It's not a political development.
0:38:42 > 0:38:45It is, in fact, the humble chimney.
0:38:49 > 0:38:53Chimneys mean that buildings can expand upwards
0:38:53 > 0:38:56and you can now heat every room in your home.
0:38:56 > 0:39:02The arrival of the chimney is just the beginning of what becomes a social revolution.
0:39:02 > 0:39:06Driving this innovation is the availability of cheap bricks.
0:39:06 > 0:39:12Mass production means they are now affordable for the many, not just the few.
0:39:12 > 0:39:19Chimneys were previously found in castles and grand houses, but never in the homes of ordinary people.
0:39:21 > 0:39:26Thanks to the humble chimney, you can now live in a state-of-the-art, two-storey townhouse,
0:39:26 > 0:39:30not an unfashionable, single-storey medieval home...
0:39:32 > 0:39:35..essential if you want to show you're on the up.
0:39:36 > 0:39:42And bear in mind that Elizabethan England is on average two degrees colder than you're used to
0:39:42 > 0:39:46with very cold snaps in the 1570s and the 1590s,
0:39:46 > 0:39:50so a chimney means your stay will be a lot more comfortable,
0:39:50 > 0:39:57especially if you want your own bedchamber, rather than sleep in the hall with everyone else.
0:39:57 > 0:40:01In 1558, a chimney is the way to keep up with the Joneses,
0:40:01 > 0:40:06but in 1598, it's glass that is the ultimate status symbol.
0:40:06 > 0:40:09From now on, moderately wealthy gentlemen can afford
0:40:09 > 0:40:13to flood their houses with natural light, but it's still expensive.
0:40:13 > 0:40:19You may have glass at the front of your house to show off and still make do with shutters at the back.
0:40:19 > 0:40:26In towns like Stratford, old buildings are being converted or demolished everywhere you look.
0:40:26 > 0:40:31It seems as if almost everyone is moving into the town and, in fact, many are.
0:40:34 > 0:40:37It's not just Stratford that is growing rapidly.
0:40:37 > 0:40:39Over the 45 years of the Queen's reign,
0:40:39 > 0:40:43the population of England rises from 3.2 million to 4.1 million.
0:40:43 > 0:40:47That's more than 25% more people to feed, clothe and house.
0:40:47 > 0:40:53England won't see such a high level of growth again until the end of the 18th century.
0:40:56 > 0:40:59Elizabethan England sees several positive changes
0:40:59 > 0:41:04that make a real difference to the lives of the ambitious middle classes.
0:41:04 > 0:41:10Without a doubt, the most far-reaching of these is the publication of books in English.
0:41:10 > 0:41:16Over the course of the 16th century, the proportion of books published in English increases rapidly.
0:41:16 > 0:41:21This in turn encourages many ordinary people to read.
0:41:21 > 0:41:25For prosperous townsmen, this is a major revelation.
0:41:25 > 0:41:31Suddenly, they too can acquire knowledge and explore their world through literature.
0:41:31 > 0:41:35Books are soon published on a wide range of subjects,
0:41:35 > 0:41:39everything from cookery to medicine and even how to fire a cannon.
0:41:41 > 0:41:45But it's the Bible in English which is the real best-seller of the age.
0:41:45 > 0:41:50For the first time, people can read the word of God in their own homes
0:41:50 > 0:41:52and consider its meanings for themselves.
0:41:52 > 0:41:55It becomes the ultimate self-help book.
0:41:57 > 0:42:00To read is to better yourself and move up the social ladder.
0:42:01 > 0:42:05But as you can already read, you're at a major advantage.
0:42:06 > 0:42:11Literacy can be your ticket to greatness in Elizabeth's England.
0:42:14 > 0:42:19At the start of the 16th century, only one in ten men can read and write,
0:42:19 > 0:42:23but by the end of Elizabeth's reign, that has increased to one in four.
0:42:23 > 0:42:29Even more strikingly, the proportion of women who can read and write increases from 1% to 10%.
0:42:29 > 0:42:33That's a tenfold increase. It marks a revolution.
0:42:33 > 0:42:37From now on, men aren't the only readers. Women can read too.
0:42:37 > 0:42:39And they can publish.
0:42:39 > 0:42:44The publishing of books in English has a major impact on literacy,
0:42:44 > 0:42:50but for the ambitious and brightest, there's another, more formal route to education - school.
0:42:50 > 0:42:56Traditionally, a formal education has only been available to the wealthy few,
0:42:56 > 0:43:00but increasingly, new grammar schools,
0:43:00 > 0:43:04that is, schools that teach boys to read and write in Latin,
0:43:04 > 0:43:07are springing up across the country.
0:43:08 > 0:43:15Printing is one of three things identified by the great English philosopher, Francis Bacon,
0:43:15 > 0:43:19as making the Elizabethan age so different from what went earlier.
0:43:19 > 0:43:22The other two are gunpowder and the compass.
0:43:25 > 0:43:27In Elizabeth's England,
0:43:27 > 0:43:32advances and scientific knowledge go hand in hand with exploration.
0:43:35 > 0:43:39Perhaps the most famous adventurer of them all is Sir Francis Drake.
0:43:39 > 0:43:44He is the very embodiment of an Elizabethan self-made man.
0:43:44 > 0:43:48From humble beginnings in Devon, he rises to become one of the richest
0:43:48 > 0:43:51and most celebrated men in the kingdom.
0:43:52 > 0:43:57In 1577, he sets out in command of a fleet of five ships with 200 men.
0:43:57 > 0:44:01Three years later, having sailed round the world,
0:44:01 > 0:44:06he returns with just one ship and 56 men, but a mountain of treasure.
0:44:10 > 0:44:14Drake is a man whom you will definitely want to meet.
0:44:18 > 0:44:23No-one knows exactly how much he brings back from the ships and ports he has attacked,
0:44:23 > 0:44:27but the Spanish, from whom he steals most of his loot,
0:44:27 > 0:44:29put the figure at £600,000,
0:44:29 > 0:44:33which is an absolute fortune at this time.
0:44:33 > 0:44:36Drake, a man from an ordinary family,
0:44:36 > 0:44:39rises all the way to the top of Elizabethan society
0:44:39 > 0:44:42with the help of stolen Spanish gold.
0:44:42 > 0:44:44Men like Drake use a compass
0:44:44 > 0:44:48and other new technologies to navigate their way round the world,
0:44:48 > 0:44:52but it's gunpowder and cannon that allow them to make their fortunes.
0:44:54 > 0:44:57Drake's Golden Hind is armed with 18 cannon.
0:44:57 > 0:45:0114 of these are capable of sending an iron cannonball,
0:45:01 > 0:45:04weighing some four pounds,
0:45:04 > 0:45:08into the packed decks and sails of his enemy's ships.
0:45:09 > 0:45:13Drake, along with other Elizabethan adventurers,
0:45:13 > 0:45:17begins to challenge the Spanish for control of the world's oceans.
0:45:17 > 0:45:23If you are serious about voyaging into the great unknown with Francis Drake,
0:45:23 > 0:45:26there are a few things to bear in mind.
0:45:28 > 0:45:32Life aboard an ocean-going ship is unbelievably hard.
0:45:32 > 0:45:36As a crew member, you won't have any private space.
0:45:36 > 0:45:40The food is atrocious and it's likely you'll get scurvy on a long voyage.
0:45:40 > 0:45:45You'll probably lose some teeth, your gums will start to rot and your breath will stink.
0:45:45 > 0:45:48There are no washing facilities,
0:45:48 > 0:45:53so the smell of your body will soon overpower even that of your reeking breath.
0:45:53 > 0:45:58You can't shave, so your beard will start to grow and insects will grow in your beard.
0:45:58 > 0:46:01Your whole body will be covered in lice and fleas.
0:46:02 > 0:46:08And unfortunately, if you do seek out adventure, you probably won't live very long.
0:46:08 > 0:46:1382% of sailors are under 30 as death rates are so high.
0:46:15 > 0:46:20After his rampaging voyage around the globe and success against the Spanish,
0:46:20 > 0:46:23Drake returns to England a hero.
0:46:23 > 0:46:25You too can bask in his glory.
0:46:25 > 0:46:29That is, if you make it back to England alive.
0:46:30 > 0:46:36Drake shares his fortune with the crown and, reluctantly, Queen Elizabeth knights him.
0:46:36 > 0:46:39He has risen from simple, unsophisticated beginnings
0:46:39 > 0:46:43to become one of the most famous men of the age.
0:46:47 > 0:46:53Having travelled the globe, English explorers and adventurers bring back a mass of new discoveries
0:46:53 > 0:46:57that help transform the understanding of the natural world.
0:46:57 > 0:47:03Explorers from all over Europe, including Englishmen such as Francis Drake and Walter Raleigh,
0:47:03 > 0:47:08bring back plants and animals from the New World with which you'll be very familiar -
0:47:08 > 0:47:11the potato, the tomato, tobacco and the turkey.
0:47:11 > 0:47:14These discoveries cause great excitement,
0:47:14 > 0:47:20for they support the idea that when God created the world, he created cures for all mankind's diseases.
0:47:20 > 0:47:25The result is an expansion in botanical gardens which are stocked with every plant
0:47:25 > 0:47:28that might prove useful to the Elizabethans.
0:47:28 > 0:47:33You might want to discuss these new discoveries with John Gerard,
0:47:33 > 0:47:35the leading herbalist of the age.
0:47:39 > 0:47:44Gerard compiles the most comprehensive catalogue of plants yet undertaken
0:47:44 > 0:47:48and the science of botany takes a huge leap forward.
0:47:50 > 0:47:56John Gerard is keen to explore the medicinal and nutritional properties of every plant he can find.
0:47:56 > 0:48:00Of the tomato he writes, "They yield very little nourishment to the body
0:48:00 > 0:48:03"and are only cultivated for their colour."
0:48:03 > 0:48:08Prosperous Elizabethans put tomatoes and potatoes on their banquet tables not to eat,
0:48:08 > 0:48:10but for exotic decoration.
0:48:10 > 0:48:14In short, the tomato is a status symbol.
0:48:14 > 0:48:19For you, today, tobacco, potatoes and tomatoes are everyday items
0:48:19 > 0:48:22that will barely get a second glance,
0:48:22 > 0:48:25but to the Elizabethans, these are exotic novelties
0:48:25 > 0:48:30that prove there is a whole world out there waiting to be discovered.
0:48:31 > 0:48:36If you visit England at the start of the Queen's reign and then again at the end,
0:48:36 > 0:48:39you'll find a profoundly different place.
0:48:39 > 0:48:43Scientific and geographic knowledge have been transformed beyond recognition
0:48:43 > 0:48:47and everyday life has undergone a revolution.
0:49:08 > 0:49:13Elizabethan London is unlike any other city or town in England.
0:49:13 > 0:49:17It has a much bigger population, covers a larger area
0:49:17 > 0:49:19and is much richer.
0:49:23 > 0:49:27As you near the city, you'll pass a bizarre collection of people -
0:49:27 > 0:49:33royal messengers, sheep drovers, physicians hurrying to bedsides
0:49:33 > 0:49:36and foreign travellers in new-fangled carriages,
0:49:36 > 0:49:39all streaming in and out of the city.
0:49:41 > 0:49:47There are numerous must-see attractions on any wealthy tourist's itinerary.
0:49:47 > 0:49:49Firstly, the Tower of London.
0:49:49 > 0:49:51Here, you can hire a tour guide.
0:49:51 > 0:49:54You'll see Henry VIII's armour, the Royal Mint,
0:49:54 > 0:49:57a collection of exotic animals
0:49:57 > 0:50:01and the dungeons where Catholics and others are tortured.
0:50:01 > 0:50:03But tourism doesn't come cheap.
0:50:03 > 0:50:07If you want to do the full Tower experience in Elizabeth's reign,
0:50:07 > 0:50:11it will cost 12 weeks' wages for the average labourer.
0:50:14 > 0:50:17But the one thing you simply have to see is London Bridge.
0:50:17 > 0:50:20It's what every visitor to the city talks about.
0:50:20 > 0:50:23It's more than just a simple bridge.
0:50:23 > 0:50:26It's a magnificent ancient structure of 20 arches.
0:50:26 > 0:50:30It's 800 feet long, 60 feet high and 28 feet wide.
0:50:30 > 0:50:32It towers above the river.
0:50:35 > 0:50:37The bridge is covered in buildings
0:50:37 > 0:50:42from wealthy merchants' houses to shops and even public toilets.
0:50:43 > 0:50:46It also has impressive gates and fortifications,
0:50:46 > 0:50:49designed to protect the city.
0:50:53 > 0:50:57In 1599, the Swiss tourist Thomas Platter remarks
0:50:57 > 0:51:01that "London is not in England, but England is in London,"
0:51:01 > 0:51:06an observation about crowding in echoed by almost every foreign visitor to the city.
0:51:06 > 0:51:12London is not just the most crowded place. It is also the centre of government, international trade,
0:51:12 > 0:51:15the law and, of course, culture.
0:51:15 > 0:51:20It is also a place of wonder and horror, of great wealth and abject poverty.
0:51:21 > 0:51:24Over the 45 years of Elizabeth's reign,
0:51:24 > 0:51:29the city's population increases from 70,000 to an astonishing 200,000
0:51:29 > 0:51:33as multitudes flock to the capital to seek their fortune.
0:51:33 > 0:51:39Queen Elizabeth doesn't like London expanding so close to her land and palaces
0:51:39 > 0:51:44and so she declares that no new building can take place outside the city walls.
0:51:45 > 0:51:49In London, space is at a premium.
0:51:49 > 0:51:52This plan shows you how closely packed together all the houses are
0:51:52 > 0:51:55and gives you a sense of how cramped life is.
0:51:55 > 0:51:57It also shows you all the latrines.
0:51:57 > 0:52:04This bit of London isn't too badly served for such facilities, due to the proximity of the River Fleet.
0:52:04 > 0:52:10Even so, you might have to cross your legs as it shows just ten loos for the 30 properties on the map,
0:52:10 > 0:52:13let alone the hundreds of other houses nearby.
0:52:14 > 0:52:20For those who come to live in the city, life is crowded, cramped, unhygienic,
0:52:20 > 0:52:22and little more than a struggle.
0:52:22 > 0:52:26Tensions are increased by having to live so close to your neighbours.
0:52:28 > 0:52:32The lack of space means houses are rising fast,
0:52:32 > 0:52:37sometimes up to seven storeys high, all supported by nothing but timber beams.
0:52:46 > 0:52:50The rapid growth of London also means that sanitation suffers.
0:52:50 > 0:52:54Without flushing toilets or effective drains,
0:52:54 > 0:52:59the smell of Elizabethan London is going to take some getting used to.
0:52:59 > 0:53:05Strange though it may seem, to most Londoners, the smell of sewage is the smell of progress
0:53:05 > 0:53:08because it's also the smell of lots of people.
0:53:08 > 0:53:12Although the sanitation might leave a little to be desired,
0:53:12 > 0:53:15the city is where you can better yourself and improve your lot.
0:53:15 > 0:53:20London attracts everyone hoping to make a fortune or a name for themselves.
0:53:20 > 0:53:24When visiting London, the River Thames is your constant companion.
0:53:24 > 0:53:30It's the lifeblood of the city and for many wealthier Londoners, it is by far the best way to get about.
0:53:30 > 0:53:34This is one reason why there are so many boats on the river
0:53:34 > 0:53:40from the practical barges carrying everything from dung to wine and the Queen's glass-sided barge
0:53:40 > 0:53:43to thousands of wherries, as water-borne taxis are known.
0:53:43 > 0:53:46These river taxis operate in all weathers.
0:53:46 > 0:53:49It will cost you a penny to cross from the city
0:53:49 > 0:53:54to the many entertainments of Southwark on the south bank of the river.
0:53:54 > 0:53:57The River Thames also provides the city with its port
0:53:57 > 0:54:02and it's this that makes London such a centre of international trade,
0:54:02 > 0:54:05new ideas and opportunities to make money.
0:54:06 > 0:54:11London's middle classes are only too pleased to spend their new-found wealth.
0:54:11 > 0:54:16And it's London's bustling port that satisfies the demand for novelties,
0:54:16 > 0:54:18as well as basic commodities.
0:54:18 > 0:54:24Luxury items such as sugar, exotic spices, carpets, cakes of soap and even marmalade
0:54:24 > 0:54:28are imported from Europe, the Far East and the New World.
0:54:28 > 0:54:33If it's the finer things in life you're after, London is definitely the place to be.
0:54:33 > 0:54:37The constant movement of people and cargoes in and out of the city,
0:54:37 > 0:54:43along with the filthy and overcrowded streets, makes London the perfect breeding ground
0:54:43 > 0:54:47for the most terrifying thing you'll encounter in Elizabethan England - the plague.
0:54:48 > 0:54:52When planning your visit, you really must avoid 1563.
0:54:52 > 0:54:58In that one year alone, over 17,000 Londoners die of bubonic plague.
0:54:58 > 0:55:01But let's say you do visit during an epidemic.
0:55:01 > 0:55:06Are there any precautions you can take to avoid catching this dreaded disease?
0:55:07 > 0:55:10You can never predict where it might strike.
0:55:10 > 0:55:13Outbreaks occur all over the country at different times.
0:55:13 > 0:55:19But bear in mind that it is carried by rat fleas and they don't travel very fast.
0:55:21 > 0:55:25If you hear that the plague is in town, leave immediately.
0:55:25 > 0:55:30Poor areas are more severely affected than rich ones, so avoid slums.
0:55:30 > 0:55:36Plague can also be spread through infected garments, so don't borrow or wear someone else's clothing.
0:55:36 > 0:55:40Finally, bear in mind that plague can be spread in the breath.
0:55:40 > 0:55:45Don't get over-familiar with strangers and keep the kissing to a minimum.
0:55:45 > 0:55:50So what should you do if you feel painful buboes in your groin and armpits
0:55:50 > 0:55:54and find yourself suffering from a rapid pulse, fever and headache?
0:55:54 > 0:56:00Medicine won't help you. There are supposed cures for plague, but none will do the slightest bit of good.
0:56:00 > 0:56:06A physician won't even come near you. I'm afraid, in such circumstances, the outlook is bleak.
0:56:06 > 0:56:08There is nothing you can do.
0:56:09 > 0:56:13If you are unlucky enough to catch plague,
0:56:13 > 0:56:18the laws enacted in 1578 mean you are subject to strict control measures.
0:56:18 > 0:56:21You can't buy your way out of this one.
0:56:21 > 0:56:25You'll be boarded up inside your house for a minimum of six weeks.
0:56:25 > 0:56:29You, your family and servants, sick and healthy,
0:56:29 > 0:56:31all in it together.
0:56:33 > 0:56:38No matter how rich, ambitious or knowledgeable you are,
0:56:38 > 0:56:41nothing can save you from the plague.
0:56:44 > 0:56:51As well as horrific events like plague, Elizabethan England also sees several positive changes
0:56:51 > 0:56:56that make a real difference to the lives of the middling sort of people.
0:56:59 > 0:57:06On the south bank of the Thames at Southwark, you'll see a revolution unfolding before your eyes.
0:57:06 > 0:57:10To many, it's the high point of Elizabeth's England -
0:57:10 > 0:57:12the theatre.
0:57:13 > 0:57:18If you visit the Globe Theatre in 1599, you might just be lucky enough
0:57:18 > 0:57:22to see the work of the man who has come to be regarded
0:57:22 > 0:57:26as the foremost Elizabethan of them all - William Shakespeare.
0:57:26 > 0:57:28Here at the Globe,
0:57:28 > 0:57:32Shakespeare's plays provide rich entertainment for the crowds.
0:57:32 > 0:57:37One in three of all adult Londoners watches a play every month.
0:57:37 > 0:57:41You'll certainly want to join these middle-class theatre-goers.
0:57:41 > 0:57:46When you arrive, you'll be one of the 2,000-strong audience waiting with excitement
0:57:46 > 0:57:48for the entertainment to begin.
0:57:48 > 0:57:53Be on guard against pickpockets who are everywhere in the bustling audience.
0:57:53 > 0:57:57- You wouldn't want to lose some of your hard-earned fortune.- Oi, you!
0:57:59 > 0:58:03The Globe is just one of the many things you've seen
0:58:03 > 0:58:07that put London at the centre of Elizabethan England.
0:58:07 > 0:58:14The historian John Stow describes it as "the fairest, largest and best inhabited city in the world".
0:58:14 > 0:58:19Elizabeth's reign sees dramatic changes across the whole country,
0:58:19 > 0:58:24but the changes seen in London make it the foremost city on Earth.
0:58:49 > 0:58:52Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd