How can I close my Elizabethan era speech?

Question

I've been working on this speech for the past hour and am getting extremely tired. If you could read through it and help me figure out a way to end it--it would be MUCH appreciated. (This speech is for my English class. I've invented a fictional person.)
"My name is Constance Townsend and I was born in the 14th century in England. At age 14, I began to work as a seamstress. My daily life includes making my own patterns and measurements, hand-sewing, and keeping the shoppe in good order. I normally make clothing for the growing middle class, especially those who are in the wool trade. All the clothing I make is hand-sewn and requires care and patience to finish. The type clothing I make most is dresses for the women of the middle class. The dressmaking process can take anything from weeks to months, depending on the style of the dress and the season it is for.
[I have to post it by paragraph.]

"The Sumptuary Laws play a large role in my occupation. They dictate which colors, furs, materials, necklines, and accessories a person can wear according to their rank. When everyone is dressed according to rank, it makes identifying rank and privilege very simple. Royalty and nobility are allowed furs such as ermine and fox while lower classes are not allowed the luxury of fur. Lower class colors are beige, brown, russet, grey, and yellow. Nobility is allowed gold, silver, purple, crimson, and black. Materials such as satin, silk, velvet, taffeta, and damask are reserved for the upper classes. Wool, linen, and sheepskin are the lower class’s materials for all of their clothing. Deep necklines are only permitted to women of nobility. Lower class women are not to be dressed finer than those of high rank, so they are not granted a revealing neckline of any sort. Accessories such as enameled chains, buttons, and aglets are granted only to the higher class. ...

...Lower classes are allowed accessorize with embroidery and trim.
"Anyone of lower class who violates the Sumptuary Laws may receive harsh punishment—fines, loss of property, and even death. Though it is frowned upon, higher classes can wear colors, material, and necklines of the lower classes without punishment. If I were to make a piece of higher class clothing for someone of lower class, I could also face punishment."

Any idea how to finish this off?

Answer 1

I think I would probably end the speech by giving how I felt about the law. Maybe how it affects my trade?

Answer 2

I have a couple of suggestions for you. By the way, I think you've done great work already. Your speech seems darn good to me.
But here we go: -

[1] This is not about an Ending. It is actually about your beginning. You say that it is to be an "Elizabethan era speech", but you start by saying that you (Constance, that is) were born in the 14th Century. There is a 150 year + gap between those two periods. I suspect that I know how you got there (the various Sumptuary Laws were being enacted throughout that time). But it can't be both "Elizabethan era" and "14th Century". You have to choose. And, while you're at it, why not give Constance a year of birth? You made up her name, so what's the problem with her saying "I was born in 1545" (or some such year)?

[2] As for a suggested ending ...

In your last (current) sentence you talk about the prospect of being punished if you make something for a customer in contravention of the Sumptuary Laws. So maybe your ending should use that concern about punishment as a starting point.
You could either [A] say why you aren't really worried, because the laws are not normally rigorously enforced (they were not).
Or [B], you could chill the audience with a description of the punishment you might face if caught and found guilty.
Or [C], you could combine [A] and [B]: say that you are going to take the risk of being caught, because hardly anyone ever does get caught breaking the Sumptuary Laws; but that, if you do get caught and are found guilty, you could be fined and/or have an ear clipped off, or be branded with a hot iron as a punishment.
Please note: I don't know if those punishments were ever inflicted on someone who broke the Sumptuary Laws as a supplier. But I do know that they were common punishments for petty crime by lower class people in Elizabethan England.

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I hope this helps. Good luck!

Answer 3

Well, one thing you have to worry about is that the "Elizabethan Era" refers to the reign of Queen Elizabeth I who ruled from 1558 to her death in 1603. The 14th century is better known for the Black Death (1348-49) and the start of the 100 Years War (1337-1429).
Other than that, I like your speech and it's very well written. If you're okay to use the 14th century rather than specifically the Elizabethan era, you could close with how the Black Death has taken your family and most of your customers...?

Answer 4

Make sure to end your talk with a

"God Save the Queen!"