ABSTRACT
As the rule of Elizabeth, in her 67th year, entered the last decade of the 16th century, her realm was strained by a series of bad harvests, and she had been driven into wars she had no wish to wage. Those wars imposed a heavy personal cost, as well as a serious financial drain. Elizabeth's surviving female friends of long standing included Lady Margery Norris, whom she had long since nicknamed her ‘Black Crow’ and whose family history indicates the price Elizabeth's elite could pay for their status. In 1597, Elizabeth wrote a moving letter of condolence after the death of Lady Norris's most renowned soldier son, who died in the queen's service in Ireland. By late 1599 another four of Lady Norris's six sons had died in Elizabeth’ service; that year their mother also died.
