As one of the strongest women in history, how appropriate that the most famous portrayal of Eleanor of Aquitaine was by
Katharine Hepburn, in the 1968 film she won Best Actress Oscar for,
The Lion in Winter. Go and read
Grzcyrgba's writeup on that, for its tales of
betrayal and
adultery and power struggles; the exact story of
The Lion in Winter is fictional, but it follows on a long tradition.
You can see a picture of Queen Eleanor, in her effigy at Fontervault in Anjou where she died, showing her reading peacefully:
http://www.womeninworldhistory.com/EofAreturns.html
Here is an ancient folk song, collected by William Motherwell in 1827 (Minstrelsy ancient and modern), which refers to the historical events and rumours surrounding her, though it's not true in its details - as far as we know. It is a moving and sharp depiction of a love triangle, but also funny in the quaking of the Earl Marshal and the increasing fury of the King.
There's a lovely version sung by Maddy Prior, which however omits the poison verses.
Queen Eleanor's Confession
Queen Eleanor was a sick woman and sick just like to die;
And she has sent for two
friars of France to come to her speedily.
The King called down his nobles all, by one, by two, by three.
Earl Marshal, I'll go
shrive the Queen and thou shalt wend with me.
A
boon, a boon, quoth Earl Marshal, and fell on his bended knee:
That whatsoever the Queen may say, no harm thereof may be.
Oh, you put on a
grey friar's gown and I'll put on another;
And we will away to fair London town like friars both together.
Oh no, oh no, my Liege, my King, Such things can never be:
For if the Queen hears word of this hanged she'll cause me to be.
I swear by the sun, I swear by the moon, and by the stars so high;
And by my
sceptre and my crown, the Earl Marshal shall not die.
The King's put on a grey friar's gown; the Earl Marshal's put on another;
And they were away to fair London town like friar's both together.
When that they came to fair London town and came into
Whitehall;
The bells did ring, the choirs sing, and the torches did light them all.
And when they came before the Queen, they knelt down on their knee.
What matter, what matter, our gracious Queen, you've sent so speedily.
Oh, if you are two friars of France, it's you that I wished to see;
But if you are two English lords, you shall hang on the
gallows tree.
Oh we are not two English lords, but two friars of France we be;
And we sang the
Song of Solomon as we came o'er the sea.
Oh, the first vile sin I did commit, tell it I will to thee:
I fell in love with the Earl Marshal, as he brought me o'er the sea.
Oh, that was a great sin, quoth the King, but pardoned it must be.
Amen, amen, said the Earl Marshal, with a heavy heart spake he.
Oh the next sin that I did commit, I will to you unfold:
Earl Marshal had my
virgin dower beneath his
cloth of gold.
Oh that was a
vile sin, quoth the king, May God forgive it thee.
Amen, amen, groaned the Earl Marshal, and a very
frightened man was he.
Oh the next sin that I did commit, tell it I will to thee:
I poisoned a lady of noble blood for the sake of King Henry.
Oh that was a great sin, said the King, but pardoned it shall be.
Amen, amen, said the Earl Marshal, and still a frightened man was he.
Oh the next sin that I ever did, tell it I will to thee:
I have kept strong
poison these seven long years to poison King Henry.
Oh that was a great
sin, said the King, but pardoned it must be.
Amen, amen, said the Earl Marshal, and still a frightened man was he.
Oh don't you see two little boys playing at the
football:
Oh yonder is the Earl Marshal's son and I like him best of all.
Oh don't you see yon other little boy playing at the football:
Oh that one is King Henry's son and I like him worst of all.
His head is like
black bull's head, his feet are like a bear.
What matter, what matter, cried the King, He's my son and my only
heir.
The King plucked off his friar's gown and stood in his
scarlet so red.
The queen, she turned herself in bed and cried that she was
betrayed.
The King looked over his left shoulder and a
grim look looked he.
Earl Marshal, he said, but for my
oath, thou hadst swung on a gallows tree.