Doran Susan - Elizabeth I and her circle: Susan Doran

I owe a great debt to friends and colleagues who have read and commented most helpfully on part or all of this book: Joanna Coates, Alan Doran, Alexandra Gajda, Paulina Kewes, Judith Richards, and Corinna Streckfuss. Additionally, Paulina has my deep gratitude for her encouragement, advice, and generosity in sending me essays and articles that I would otherwise have missed, while I cannot thank Corinna enough for checking the text and the many footnotes, and recommending amendments. All remaining mistakes are of course mine. I am also very grateful to Natalie Mears and Charlotte Merton, who kindly sent me copies of their important unpublished theses, which I have cited frequently, and Caroline McManus, who emailed me her article in the Ben Jonson Journal. Caroline Warman translated a difficult French passage, for which I also offer thanks.

I am immensely grateful to Jesus College Oxford for the award of a Major Research Grant that enabled me to spend a month at the Huntington Library, San Marino, California. At the library, the then archivist Mary Robinson was particularly helpful, as was Edward Rinderle in arranging the photographic reproduction of HM 68350. The kind offer of accommodation by Carole Levin near the Folger Shakespeare Library allowed me to consult their collection.

Finally, I must thank Luciana O Flaherty and Matthew Cotton at Oxford University Press for commissioning the book, accepting the changes to my original proposal, and allowing me more time than originally agreed. Their support has been very much appreciated. I would also like express my thanks to everyone in the production team at OUP.