“Yet with Brian Gunter we are dealing with a man who obviously had a reputation for being contentious, who had committed a homicidal assault in his fifties, and who could plausibly be accused of leading a couple of riotous assaults as an octogenarian. Anne’s statement to the Star Chamber suggests the pressures that came from having such a man as this as her father.” (p.37)

I think it’s important to focus on the fact that Brian Gunter was a man who had done terrible things and had a great temper when looking at Anne’s compliance with the ruse relating to her status as a ‘witch’. Anne may have been a 20-something woman at the time but that still doesn’t negate the fact that Brian Gunter was a man who got his way and did bad things to do the people who wronged him. He was not a man you wanted to dislike you, even more so if you were basically shackled to him as most women would be until they could find a spouse.

“The expectations that the queen would marry were strong, but there was also the conflict and contradiction that the queen was ruler while a wife was to be ruled by her husband.”

This quote pretty perfectly sums up Elizabeth’s conundrum. She knows that marrying will certainly introduce a lot of difficulty and complexity into her reign as a queen. A man that is so close to her in such a position of power would be an issue in maintaining the look and outward appear of a true sovereign. On the other hand, Elizabeth is still a human like anyone else. While she may have outwardly proclaimed that marriage is not something she wants or would ever consider she certainly went deep into courtships and at least played with the idea of being wed at some points in her life.

“The air grew thick with complaints, lies were invented, slander was added to slander, and no corner of the monastery was free from the sound of poisonous whisperings. One man said to another, ‘What on earth has happened? Whoever saw the like? … Look at how the abbot has appointed a clerk over a monk!” (p. 70-71)

This quote demonstrates the rigidity of the social structure and value of tradition in the Abbey. Even a man as respected as Samson is ridiculed and slandered behind his back because he chose to do something that is not totally in line with the customary procedure. It’s interesting how they don’t discuss the possible merits of the solution or how the clerk may be deserving of the role, instead devolving into a storm of complaints. Obviously the Church is not known for being quick to take to change but for even such a small thing to set off such a large reaction is surprising to me. It almost seems like the abbey is functioning like a group of children who didn’t get what they wanted.

“‘let Daire himself bring me the bull and I’ll grant him a piece of the smooth plain of Ai as big as all his lands, and a chariot with thrice seven bondmaids, as well as the friendship of my own thighs.’” (pg. 6)

When Medb learns that she is short a prize bull, she sends her messengers to treat with the owner of the bull with the conditions specified in the quote. What I found so interesting about this is that she offers sexual favors to this man in order to get the bull. This is very different than the typical relationship between a queen and a king, as sleeping with other men is normally off-limits. So either this is commonplace in early Ireland and this is a reflection of the status quo for the nobility of the time or this is a commentary on Ailill. As we know, throughout the novel Ailill bends to Medb, is fairly meek, and allows her to sleep with Fergus. In this scenario I’m inclined to believe that this shows that Ailill is a weak king and husband and merely lets Medb do what she pleases with reckless abandon.