Elizabethan rock 'n' roll - shred that lute baby!

Following on from my recent Elizabethan spycraft article about Watnall's Anthony Rolleston, it turns out his spymaster boss was quite the Elizabethan rock star. 

Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, was executed for treason in 1601 after he rebelled against Elizabeth I but prior to that he'd been one of the Queen's favourite suitors at court.

Competing for the Virgin Queen's favours was a serious business and the competition was stiff. Essex is known to have addressed poems to the Queen and written song lyrics. 

One of the hit songs of the period by composer John Dowland was called Can She Excuse My Wrongs? It came to be known as The Earle of Essex Galliard and the lyrics were attributed to Essex. It's a sorry tale of being banished from court but remarkably it features an epic "guitar lick" that Jimmy Page would be proud of.

Played on the lute (guitars weren't invented yet) it is still covered by both rock stars and classical guitarists today. 

Here's a great video talking about the song and showing some modern cover versions including Sting's cover of it in a medieval castle! Rock on! Wait for that lute solo at 10:35...