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Vol. 39: No.3 "The history of the world is bllt the biography o.(great men:' - Thomas Carlyle Summer 2003 Globe's Authorship The Ten Restless Ghosts of Mantua Conference Shakespeare's Specter Lingers over the Italian City

Roundly Successful By John Hamill

The Shakespearean ne-third of Shakespeare's plays are set in Italian cities, and many scholars have written Authorship Trust's Sold-Out O about the author's remarkable knowledge of Italy. There is no record, however, that Event at London's Globe Shakspere of Stratford went there or even left England. It is an enigma that haunts academia and feeds the polemical Shakespeare authorship debate. To explain it, many orthodox Sparks Future Plans scholars maintain that Shakespeare's knowledge of Italy is general and in some cases erroneous. It is usually ignored or downplayed because the Stratford Man's known By Gerit Quealy biography does not support it, and it detracts from his claim to the authorship. ne thing Mark Rylance knows how to Even more damaging to the Stratfordian theory is the fact that some of Shakespeare's O do is put on a show. This stands to Italian references require knowledge of Italian and Latin languages, and access to places reason as he is not only the Chairman of the open only to the nobility. Mantua and the Forest of Mantua are specified settings in two Shakespearean Authorship Trust (SAT), Shakespeare plays: The Two Gentlemen ofVerona (ActIV, scene 1 and Act V, scene 3), and sponsor of this conference at the Globe, he Romeo and JIIliet (Act V, scene 1), and are the only direct references to Mantua in the is also the artistic director and primary canon. This two-part article will uncover ten indirect allusions to, or particular details actor of the famed theater. about, the city of Mantua in Shakespeare that suggest he traveled there, or would have had So the morning of Saturday, June 14 reason to travel there. How Shakespeare obtained this information remains a mystery, but began with a symbolic gesture to solemnize for Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford, leading candidate for the Shakespeare authorship, the occasion: the lighting of a candle. And it is explainable. Oxford toured Italy for almost one year (1575-1576) and although we have the reading of a sonnet. Mr. Rylance (cont'donp.12) acknowledges that he often turns to Shakespeare for wisdom and inspiration in the moment, flipping through the sonnets and letting fate choose the page. This time fate chose Sonnet XCVIII: From YOII have J been absent in the spring . .. subtly suitable for the subject at hand - and the ensuing proceedings were thus dedicated to the work of Shakespeare, whomever he may be. Much like an acting exercise, participants were invited to close their eyes and picture in their minds eye what the writer might look like: hair, proportion of chin to head, Shakespeare's eyes, what he looks like laughing; in short, a highly individualized image, designed to try and take a fresh look at the subject - and "the miracle of his work," Mr. Rylance explained, which is different from any other writer, such as Tennessee Williams or Harold Pinter. Rylance asserted that there is an intentional

(colli'd on p. 4) Map of Mal1flla, 1575 page 2 Summer 2003 Shakespeare Oxford Newsletter

Shakespeare Oxford SOS Conference Update Newsletter New York City, October 23-26 Published quarterly by the Shakespeare Oxford Society 1555 Connecticut Ave. N.W. Suite 200 on't miss this once-in-a-lifetime coverage of the authorship issue over the Washington, D.C. 20036 D opportunity! This year, the 27th Annual years. Journalist Mark Anderson will reveal ISSN 1525-6863 Shakespeare-Oxford Society conference research from his upcoming biography of www.shakespeare-oxford.com will be held October 23-26th in New York De Vere as regards the earl's European Editor: City, capital of the theater world and travels. KatheIine Chiljan publishing industries, hence the theme: Richard Whalen, author of Shake,lpeare: Performance & Publishing. This yearmarks Who Was He?, explores Shakespeare's Editorial Board: Robert Barrett, Jr., the 400th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth's audience-who were the plays really written Katherine Chiljan, Ramon Jimenez, death and the eve ofthe 400th anniversary of and performed for? Authoress Robin Joe C. Peel, Gerit Quealy, the death of Edward de Vere in June of Williams will present her compelling theOlY James Sherwood, Susan Sybersma, 1604. A number of luminaries from the and research on Mary Sidney as the possible Richard Whalen worlds of theater and the media will be on Bard. Robert Brazil looks at the paper trail Layout and Printing hand to lend support to the events. of key Elizabethan publications linking St. Martin de Porres Lay Dominicans The conference kicks off with a debate Edward de Vere to Shakespeare's name rd New Hope, Kentucky Thursday night, October 23 , moderated and works. John Shahan outlines his plan Phone: 202-207-0281 by Lewis Lapham, H arpa's magazine's for accelerating a paradigm shift in email: [email protected] renowned editor who published the 1999 authorship research. Bill Farina, co-founder article, "The Ghosts of Shakespeare," in ofthe Chicago Oxford Society, will explain All contents copyright © 2003 which a number of our speakers participated. the direct links between the Earl of Oxford Shakespeare Oxford Society The panelists include Prof. Alan Nelson and the Elizabethan theater world. Ron The Newsletter welcomes research articles. book (with his newly published biography of Hess will outline his research concerning reviews, letters and news items. Contributions should be reasonably concise and, when appropri­ Edward de Vere, Monstrolls Adversary, on Anthony Munday's involvement in the ate, validated by peer review. The views of con­ hand), and Irvin Matus, author of Shakespeare publishing "empire." tributors do not necessarily ret1ect those of the Shakespeare, In Fact. Oxfordian writer and Christopher Paul unveils his astounding Shakespeare Oxford Society as a literary and edu­ researcher Robert Brazil and author Hank research into the silence at Oxford's death cational organization. Whittemore will take them on in the debate. and the impact of Philip Sidney'S OUJ'([nia The Beard ofAvon, a play involving the on the authorship question. We will have a Shakespeare Authorship Question, will sumptuous award banquet with musical Board of Trustees debut in NYC at the end of October. We are entertainment illuminating Oxford's early Shakespeare Oxford Society fortunate to have the playwright, Amy Freed, poetry, as well as some surprise guests! tentatively scheduled to be our luncheon Sunday's lineup at The Producers Club Lifetime HOl/orm:\, Tl'lIstees speaker on Saturday, October 25th. in the heart of Times Square has a D.'. GOI'don Cy.· and Charles Boyle We have an extraordinary lineup of performance bent: Richard Desper, Ph.D., 2002·2003 speakers appearing at the beautiful 19th will discuss the connections to Oxford in BOARD OF TRUSTEES century historic landmark, the National Arts Much Ado About Nothing. Hank Whitte­ President Club, in Gramercy Park: Peter Dickson more appears again to take us on his wild Dr. Frank Davis tackles the impact of Michael Woods' new ride through Ben Jonson's involvement in Vice-Presidellt biography of Shakespeare, the Catholic the Shakespeare mystery. Ramon Jimenez Katherine Chiljan question and Derby's involvement. Daniel examines Edmond Ironside as an early Recording Secretary Wright, Ph.D, will be unveiling further Shakespeare/Oxford play, with actors Wayne Shore evidence of chicanery in early authorship illustrating his points in various excerpts Treasllrer research as well as an exploration of the from the text. Joe C. Peel Shakespeare history plays as regards And the final event is a theater panel character and plot. Best-selling author Sarah discussing what effects exploring the Robert Barrett Barboura Flues Smith, Ph.D, will discuss her new novel, authorship question have on understanding John Hamill Chasing Shakespeares, and its impact on the text, characters and story. Moderating Ramon Jimenez audiences as regards the authorship the panel will be author and teacher Kristin Michael Forster Pisapia question. New York Times writer and editor Linklater, theater chair at Columbia Gerit Quealy William Niederkorn, author of the 2002 University, joined by Broadway producer James Sherwood Susan Sybersma article on the authorship question, will give Edgar Lansbury and Caleen Jennings, a visual presentation of the Gray Lady's 50S COI(t'erellce (COI1l'(/ 011 p. 8) Shakespeare Oxford Newsletter Summer 2003 page 3 Aeolian Stinking Pitch: Tempestuous Shipwreck on the Island of Vulcano Another Oxfordian View on The Tempest's Locale

By Paul H. Altrocchi, MD

The sky, it seems, would pour down Naples. De Vere modified the story stinking pitch, line in The Tempest but uses similar Butthat the sea, mounting to th' welkin's Italian names, e.g.": Prospero, the cheek, rightful Duke of Milan; Antonio, the Dashes the fire ouL -The Tempest (1.2. usurping Duke of Milan, brother of 3) Prospero; Alonso, King of Naples; Ferdinand, Alonso's son; Gonzalo, hakespeare's The Tempest is an honest old counselor of Naples. S difficult to understand for How often are cities of Italy playgoers and readers alike, so mentioned? Milan eighteen times pervasive is the symbolism. Yet we and Naples sixteen. Cities in North are pulled back again and again by Africa? Tunis seven times, Carthage certain unforgettable passages. What four, Algiers twice. De Vere tells us human who has ever loved, or exactly where the ship was headed: imagined love, isn't captivated by The dangerous narrow strait between the island of Lipari these entrancing lines of Ferdinand? Ariel: And for the rest o'th'fleet, (background) with its treacherous rock pinnacles, the Which I dispersed, they have all met Faraglioni, and the island ofVulcano (foreground), a For several virtues again, Have I liked several women; possible site of the shipwreck in The Tempest. And are upon the Mediterranean float never any Bound sadly home for Naples, With so full soul but some defect in Vulcano, one of seven Aeolian Islands in Supposing that they saw the King's her the lower Tyrrhenian Sea off the upper ship wrecked, Did quarrel with the noblest grace coast of Sicily.2 The other Aeolian islands And his great person perish. (1.2.233- are Stromboli, Lipari, Salina, Panarea, she owed 238) And put it to the foil. But you, 0 you, Filicudi and Alicudi. All are volcanic, with So perfect and so peerless, are created Stromboli constantly spewing lava and So the ships were on their way to Naples. Of every creature's best. (III.IA2) Vulcano full of hot bubbling mud and From whence? steaming sulfurous fumaroles but without Who isn't beguiled by the loving response Gonzalo: Methinks our garments are lava dramatics recently. Charlton Ogburn, of Miranda? now as fresh as when we put them on in Jr. also thought the shipwreck island was Afric, at the marriage of theKing' s fair one of the Aeolians, named after Aeolus, How features are abroad daughter Claribel to the King of Tunis. Greek god of winds. Even some English I am skilless of; but, by my modesty, (11.1.73-76) The jewel in my dower, I would not wish professors have bolted away from the Any companion in the world but you; Stratfordian Bermuda hypothesis and Where in Tunisia? believe the shipwreck island is somewhere Nor can imagination form a shape Adrian: Widow Dido said you? You Besides yourself to like of. (111.2.53) between Tunis and Naples.3 The location of make me study of that: The Tempest's shipwreck island is the The Tempest begins with a disastrous She was of Carthage, not of Tunis. subject of this article, based upon clear and shipwreck, casting the survivors on an Gonzalo: This Tunis, sir, was Carthage. repeated statements within the play itself. unnamed island. Taking the lines, "Mercy Adrian: Carthage? on us! We split, we split!" as his jumping Gonzalo: I assure you, Carthage. (11.1.86- off place, John Barton recently suggested Geographical Clues in 90) that the mysterious isle is his own native The Tempest De Vere reminds us again in Act 2: Mersea Island off the English coast of Essex. l In 1549, William Thomas' History of Antonio: ...How shall that Claribel It was Richard Roe, premier Oxfordian Italy was published, telling the story of Measure us back to Naples? Keep in Italianate, who told this author with Prospero Adorni, a lieutenant of the Duke Tunis, conviction in 1994 that the island Edward of Milan, who rose to be governor of Milan And let Sebastian wake! (11.1.264-266) de Vere describes in The Tempest is through the help of Ferdinando, King of (cont'd on p. 18) page 4 Summer 2003 Shakespeare Oxford Newsletter

Globe's Conference (cont' d from cover) masking of these plays, and that "that And one strong point: How could the secret Kabala and the Hermetic Stream, and masking is to be respected. That he [the be kept for so long? Wouldn't people have positing that Bacon's writings and writer] loves to be known as much as he noticed that he couldn't answer questions involvement were part of the whole loves to be not known." And who better to about the plays? That his handwriting was Renaissance movement to better humanity, explain that the "plays above everything different than the plays, and why would the alluding to the possibility that the plays else include the exquisite timing of when deception continue? It all "strains credulity," represent an integral part ofthat movement. things are hidden and when they are he concluded. He noted that Bacon was recognized as a revealed." In short, Mr. R ylance established Edward de Vere was up next, his case poet and playwright, mentioned his what the thrust of the meeting was to be - an explicated by Nicholas Hagger, one of the connections to the Inns of Court, Gray's open-minded exploration of the question­ SAT trustees. He offered a synthesis of why Inn, and the Rosicrucians, stressing that undertaken with reverence, expansiveness the Oxfordian case is "strong and things call be kept secret. Among his many and an understanding heart. compelling" citing Oxford's many points, Dawkins also addressed the issue of In concluding his opening remarks, Mr. biographical parallels in the works, the the "purposely" enigmatic inscription on Rylance felt the need the Stratford effigy to underscore that the and it's connection to Globe itself takes no Bacon. position regarding The Chairman of authorship and that The Marlowe Soc­ the SAT was a iety, Mike Frohns­ separate entity renting dorff, rounded out the space there for the day with his advocacy event. He also of Christopher Mar­ stressed, as a preface lowe, noting that the to introducing the preceding speakers speakers, that he was reinforced his own keen that the view that all the conference be non­ candidates "played a adversarial and that part in Shakespeare's each representative works in some way." speak positively He addressed the about their candidate. primary Marlovian Professor William stumbling block of the Rubinstein began, .g wliter'sdeathin 1593, somewhat tongue in ,.., noting that the recent The New Globe Theatre, London, site of SAT's authorship conference. cheek if anyone is window erected for familiar with his the playwright in August, 2001 History Today article, by advantage of his early schooling/ Westminster Abbey placed a question mark saying it was "paradoxical and insulting" know ledge/tutors, access to extensive in lieu of a date for Marlowe's death. that anyone should have to defend the libraries and opportunities to acquire Frohnsdorff extolled the extensive research Stratford man, delineating 12 reasons why knowledge including the fact that his uncle of Calvin Hoffman and especially Dolly "any rational person should not doubt" his and tutor was Arthur Golding, the first Wraight on the sonnets, expressing the belief authorship. The reasons included the translator of Ovid' s Metamorphoses. that the sonnets "fit as the work of an exile," standard name on the title page of the First Hagger noted Oxford's foreign travel, and cited research indicating computer Folio; the puns on the name Will in several especially in Italy, his titles, court position, analysis "cannot tell the difference between of the sonnets; Shakspere's neighbor and connections with other playwrights of Marlowe and Shakespeare." Hamnet Sadler and Katherine Hamner's the day. And the curious prologue in the Mr. Rylance setthe tone forthe day with drowning near Stratford as connections to second edition of the first Quarto (1609) of the extraordinary quality of his attention to Hamlet; Sonnet CXLV, "I hate from hate Troillis & Cressida which mentions the each speaker and moderated questions from away she threw ..." referring to Anne Grand Possessors (suggesting that they were the audience, which comprised various Hathaway and so on. Reasons requiring other than the King's Men). supporters of each candidate such as De more of a stretch included that an actor Peter Dawkins of the Francis Bacon Vere Society members, Baconians, could have easily learned the craft of Research Trust spoke gently and eloquently Marlovians, Stratfordians, as well as playwriting, that the accumulated on Francis Bacon's candidacy for newcomers to the question and some know ledge was unusual but not impossible, authorship, citing Bacon's "love oflife, all members of the press. Thus concluded the and that that many scholars can't be wrong. life," his predilection for philosophy, the first day's program and many of the Shakespeare Oxford Newsletter Summer 2003 page 5 attendees rushed off to enjoy the Globe's York City on October 23-26 will be treated is more helpful to me than that of the presentation of Richard 11 that evening, to a more extensive presentation (with Stratford life." In the end, he concluded, with Mr. Rylance giving an excellent visuals) of her research. that "my life has been very much enriched" performance, both humorous and heart­ In the flurry of excitement that by investigating this question and that he is breaking, in the lead role. The event was developed as members of the audience and "very hopeful" because "we haven't gotten made especially poignant in that it was speakers alike expostulated on their to the bottom of all the evidence in this preceded by a birthday commemortion of respective theories and ideas, Mark case." No one present could disagree with Sam Wanamaker, the Globe's founder, Rylance poured oil on the waters by that and it was suggested that if all the which included awards presented to two acknowledging the power of the issue. He various candidates worked together, we theater companies by Mr. Wanamaker's pointed out that "an unfortunate byproduct might be able to accelerate the timetable for brother, William. of this issue" is the Stratfordian insistence changing the status quo. Sunday's program began with a similar that they "know better," but begged the In view of the enthusiastic response (the ritual of candle lighting and sonnet reading audience's indulgence by brilliantly event was sold out), discussion has begun by Mr. Rylance preceding the panel illustrating what is at stake for these on making the conference an annual event. discussion. All the previous day's speakers scholars with a physical slide down the "We learned a great deal from this first one, assembled to discuss why Richard 11 was wall, "keep in mind [that] you're asking reported Jasmine Lawrence, Secretary to written from the point of view of their them to give up, give over their whole lives. the Shakespearean Authorship Trust. "We respective candidates. A lively discussion 'My degree, my books, my profession, my have started talking about the next ensued between the speakers and the life, my wife, my children ... ", conference - it will be quite different from audience, resulting in some surprise In looking towards the future, Mr. this one," she stated, explaining that they moments, such as several people Rylance announced that he was "particularly are still in the preliminary planning stages announcing th".\t they had new candidates pleased that the ISGC (International for next year's event. "We will hold the for the authorship. Shakespeare Globe Center) has been so conference in a different room as we were A late addition to the program was Robin open" to the authorship question, citing that at full capacity and turning people away at Williams, authoress of a new book the display on the issue included in the the door," said Ms. Lawrence. "And the proposing Mary Sidney Herbert as the most Globe Exhibition has been so popular that tickets were more expensive than we had probable candidate. Ms. Williams gave a "they've come back and asked for a larger hoped." So next year's attendees can look compelling overview for her thesis, citing exhibit." In addition, the playbill includes a for a more affordable ticket price as well. how she came to investigate and develop page discussing the authorship question In fact, plans are underway to dovetail this theory, positing that the "procreation and candidates, which will henceforth be a the SAT conference with a celebration sonnets were written by Mary to her brother regular feature in the program. Since over by the UK's De Vere Society for the Philip Sidney," that Mary's estate, Wilton 200,000 people a year come to 400th anniversary of Edward de Vere's House, was on the A von River (see related Shakespeare's Globe, this is an enormous death. By connecting the programs, article ,page 6) and that she also was known coup for spreading the word. Mr. Rylance Oxfordians will be able to attend both as the Swan (cf. her portrait wearing a lace looks forward to creating a "proper center events and a wider audience will be ruff with embroidered swans). Attendees to of study for authorship," explaining that the introduced to the celebratory intention this year's annual SOS Conference in New "working life of 'Shakespeare' in London for Oxford himself.

The Great Shakespeare Hoax The Dark Side of Shakespeare "All the whys of the great hoax" Vol. I by W. Ron Hess Historical discovery! by Randall Baron (211 pgs., $20.00) A vail able for $30.00 Three hundred coded signatures have been found in Hamlet Phone: 1-877-823-9235 identifying De Vere as author! Against This Rage "A new Oxfordian novel ... Shakespeare "Hess ... doesn't shy from proposing Order Marilyn Gray's investigations in England . .. murder, linkages, motivations and ingenious The Real Shakespeare intrigue, new theories" theories to make sense of the historical by Robert D'Artagnan (Randall Baron) $22 from iUniverse.com (563 pgs., $30.00) records and answer the many questions Slimp, durable, trade paperbacks about Oxford's life. His work on Don (877) 823-9235 Order eitller book from: Juan of Austria may ... have opened a by credit card ISBN # 0-595-19191-6. Randall Baron new perspective." - Richard Whalen 2535 East Saratoga Street See also: Gilbert AZ 85296 http://www.home.earthlink.netJ-beornshali/index.html www.shkspeare.homestead.com email: [email protected] ISBN # 0-595-24777-6 cash, check, or money order page 6 Summer 2003 Shakespeare Oxford Newsletter The Temple in Lord Pembroke's Garden The Truth about the Wilton Shakespeare Shrine

By Gerit Quealy

'\"1 Jilton House, the ancestral home of was built at Wilton, and known as Shakespeare." Regarding the letter, he adds V V the Herbert family, has long been a Shakespeare's House. 5 that it "remains, to this day, unprinted. source of fascination for Oxfordians for Possibly it has since been lost or, even, This excerpt leads understandably to the several reasons. The estate, situated about inadvertently destroyed. But whatever supposition that the temple was built in the an hour and a half outside London by train, reason the family had for keeping the letter early 171h century, roughly conCllITent with was the home of Mary Sidney from 1577, at secret in the past, Lady Herbert's chance the 1603 visit, as Roper alludes to in his her marriage to Henry Herbert, 2nd Earl of conversation with William Cory, and the article, but a closer reassessment of the Pembroke until his death. Many believe interest that followed publication of what excerpt indicates that it is unclear as to Mary to be a significant key in unraveling he had been shown, has done nothing to when the temple would have been erected. the Shakespeare mystery. change the importance of its content. To further complicate matters, Roper cites One of the primary points of interest in CUITently, the House remains noncommittal an excerpt from a piece by Edward Rose in this aspect of the mystery is a legend of a about the letter. .. "7 the August 6,1887 Illustrated London News: letter. This legend was well explored in a So what is the truth about the letter? " a visiting feature writer, who was received recent article by David Roper in Although scholars have questioned the at Wilton House some years after Cory, Shakespeare Matters. 1 The letter, actual existence ofthis letter, historians at described both the temple and its approach: supposedly stating that "we have the man Wilton House today believe it to exist and Shakespeare with us," was purportedly Straight from the terrace leads a pretty have recommenced the search for it - written in 1603 by Mary Sidney to her son walk, between trees of infinite shades of despite the fact that Michael Brennan was Philip,2 entreating him to bring James I to delicate green; to its right is the great allowed to examine the 17th Earl of Wilton House for a performance of As You green-house; and to the left the gardens Pembroke's archives and private library Like It - the author's presence being an slope gently to the little river. in the mid-1980s and found nothing. In his obvious enticement. The problem is that At the end of the shady walk is a little 1986 article, Brennan wrote: "When the the letter is a third-hand account by William building which has been christened by incident about the Cory letter became Cory3 in his diary on a visit to Wilton House Wilton ... Shakespeare's House. For known in 1897, the 14th Earl reported that more than 250 years later, in 1865. Cory there is a story, in no way improbable, it could not be found at Wilton. E. K. chronicled his visit, reporting that the then that once upon a time Shakespeare and Chambers himself looked into the matter, Lady Pembroke, Elizabeth Herbert, told his actors "gave a play" at Wilton House and reported on it in his William him about the letter. Roper provides the - before what a company one may Shakespeare: Facts & Problems."R.9 foIlowing citation from Extracts Fom the imagine! There is documentary evidence that the Letters and Journals of William Cory, In memory of this a little temple has Earl of Pembroke entertained King James published five years after Cory's death: been built: classic as to its pillars, feudal at Wilton House between September and as to the devices of arms above, with December of 1603, and that the King's Men Aug. 5. The house (Lady Herbert said) is portrait busts, and an inscription on the were paid for performing there in early full of interest: above us is Wolsey'S waIl from the wondelfullines in M acbcth December. This evidence was known in room; we have a letter, never printed, - Life's but a walking shadow; a poor 1865, so Lady Herbert was aware of it. The from Lady Pembroke to her son, telling player,lThat struts and Fets his hour only evidence for the name of the play is him to bring James I from Salisbury to upon the stagc,lAnd thcn is heard no Cory's recollection of Lady Herbert's see As YOII Like It; 'we have the man more ... recollection of the contents of the letter. Shakespeare with us.' She wanted to Close to Shakespeare's House passes According to Sir Hugh Trevor-Roper, Lady cajole the king in Raleigh's behalf - he one of the three little rivers which pass Herbert was "an ingenious lady, much came." through the park - not, as it might addicted to Shakespeare fantasies" who Faith Compton Mackenzie, a descendent appropriately have been, the Avon, but "had a fertile imagination. "10 and mid-20lh century biographer of William the less romantic Nadder. An Avon is, And what about the shrine? When Cory, reports the incident of the however, the chief of the three streams, questioned about the shrine on the property, conversation about the letter, adding: the other two being its tributaries ... "6 Will Herbert (Lord William as he is referred to by the staff), a recent graduate of Sheffield That would have been an agreeable Roper alludes to possible obfuscation Hallam University and heir to the Pembroke occasion. The excellent play, the author by Wilton House about the shrine, stating, title, was genuinely unaware of the legend present, and the King lured from "Wilton House remains strangely subdued or the existence of a shrine. " I know of no Salisbury. To commemorate it a temple about this particular connection with shrine to Shakespeare on the property ... " Shakespeare Oxford Newsletter Summer 2003 page 7 he said in recent email, and very kindly set with a room built behind it where the com­ up a personal tour to investigate. I I missioned copy of the Shakespeare statue In fact, there was a "shrine" to was placed, behind the great wooden door. Shakespeare, which very well could have So indeed, when Edward Rose visited in been termed "Shakespeare's House," but it the summer of 1887 (and perhaps William came into existence in the 19th century. The Cory, too, in 1865, although Cory does not confusion could have resulted from the seem to directly mention the temple), he following: In 1743, Henry Herbert, 9th Earl would have gone, "Straight from the terrace of Pembroke commissioned Flemish [on] a pretty walk, between trees of infinite sculptor Peter Scheemakers (1691-1770) shades of delicate green ... At the end of to copyl2 the Shakespeare statue in the shady walk is a little building which has Westminster Abbey erected in 1740. The been christened by Wilton statue was placed in what is called the Shakespeare's House." He would have Holbein Porch. 13 Erected circa 1556, the stepped into the Holbein Porch erected Holbein Porch originally stood in the there several decades before and seen the courtyard against the north side of the oldest Westminster copy inside. The Shakespeare fa~ade of the house. It is considered to be a statue was removed from that place in the particularly fine piece of English early 1900s to what is now the front entrance of Renaissance architecture, carved at the top the house. It does indeed have the inscription with busts and the coat of arms of the 1st from Macbeth - differing from the statue in Earl and his legendary ancestors, as well as Westminster Abbey, which has an adapted the Knight of the Garter motto: HOlli Soit excerpt from the Tempest. The remnants of Qui Mal y Pense, roughly translated, the Holbein Porch remain on the private "Shame (be) to him who grounds, with the room thinks evil of it" (i.e., the where the statue once The Holbein Porch,front and back, Wilton HOllse. Order of the Garter). stood sadly gaping at the Entry to the porch was back. gained by going under the Thus resolves the archway of what Roper mystery of the calls the Wolsey Tower, l-l Shakespeare shrine at but what historians at Wilton House, but the Wilton call the Tudor mystery of the letter still Tower. In the early 19 th remains - not only the century, James Wyatt was whereabouts of the letter commissioned to provide (many still have high a way of getting around hopes that the original the house without going will be found) but its from room to room, as implications. Scholars of well as to provide some all stripes would be privacy from servants and pleased to find the letter­ "house-gazers." He tangible evidence of a live added the Cloisters to the playwright named inner courtyard of the Shakespeare. Aside from house, which meant Chambers, J. Dover dismantling the Holbein Wilson and M. C. Porch. In 1812, The Gentleman's Magasine central walk start ji'om the Library Bradbrook thought the story to be true, reported that it "has lately been destroyed," window." Atthe far west was an old "grove although Sidney Lee doubted it. As Roper but in fact the Holbein Porch was taken or shmbbery (that) partakes so much of accurately states, if Shakespeare "was with" apart brick by brick, numbered and stored both as not to be decidedly either; openings Lady Mary, did he come through the back to make way for the renovations. in it are wanted to views into the Park door as a "poore player" or was he a proper When Wyatt restyled the West Front, he across the River; and a better seat, or a guest, meaning that he would have had to suggested "Ifthat partwhichfor/1ls a Stage building or some finish, at the western have been of noble rank. And ifhe was, then inji'ont of the Library is to be devoted to a end." Lord Pembroke agreed and the who was he? Flower Garden, a piece of good sculpture Holbein Porch was re-erected to the right of might be selected for the centre and a the house in the private gardens in 1826, (cont" don p. 8) page 8 Summer 2003 Shakespeare Oxford Newsletter

The Temple (cant' dfrolll p. 7) Addendum: Visitors to Wilton House Ben Jonson room. He was a visitor to the poet. He is still noted for having written The can glimpse the porch from the far end of House though." Eton Boating Song (1865) and for having later the gardens near the Palladian bridge, but published the much acclaimed, Heraclitus in Notes 10nica. His Guide to Modern English History would need special permission for a closer I. David Roper, "We Have the Man Shakespeare: was not a commercial success, although look. However, there are a number of other critically described as "unrivalled for Edward de Vere and the Lost Letter of Wilton," treasures and mysteries still open to luminous appreciation of character." See contemplation at Wilton House. There footnote I. are portraits of Philip Sidney, Oxford's 4. Francis WaITe-Cornish, Extracts from tennis court "rival" as well as a portrait the Letters and Journals of William Cory, of Henry de Vere, Oxford's son by Oxford, 1897, p. 168. 5. Faith Compton Mackenzie, William Elizabeth Trentham, who would have Cory, A Biography, London, 1950, p. 88. been his youngest daughter Susan's 6. Edward Rose, "English Homes No. XI, half-brother. Susan Vere married Philip Wilton House," ll!ustrated London News, Herbert, 4th Earl of Pembroke and one August 6,1887, p. 177. of the "Incomparable Paire of brethren" 7. Personal correspondence from Wilton to whom the First Folio is dedicated, in House to David Roper, 15 May 2002. December 1604. Dominating the 8. Michael Brennan, '''We have the man Shakespeare with us': Wilton House and Double Cube room is the large group As You Like It," Wiltshire Arclweological portrait of Philip and his family painted Magazine, vol. 80, 1986, pp. 225-7. by Van Dyck in 1634-35. Portrait 9. E. K. Chambers, William Slwke.lpeare; scholars are divided as to whether the A Study ofFacts & Problems, vol. 2, p. 329. woman depicted in the painting is See also vol. 1, p. 76. Philip's second wife Anne Clifford, or 10. Correspondence with Ramon Jimenez. a posthumous depiction of his beloved II. Personal correspondence from William Herbert, 14 June 2003. first wife Susan who was the mother of 12. At a cost of £100 18s 4 1/2 d. the five children appearing in the 13. It is not known whether Holbein himself portrait. was directly involved with the design of the Additionally Roper mentions: Porch. However, it is thoughtthat the Porch " ...when Ben Jonson subsequently was used as a stage for plays in its original came to the House, and a room was set location, and could very well have been aside for his use, would he not have where As You Like It and/or Twelfth Night was performed in the early 17 th century. If been moved to moments of reflection so, then how incredibly fitting that it later upon seeing the "Shakespeare House" contained the statue of "Shakespeare" as a standing nearby, and the time spent at Scheemakers' copy of the Westminster Abbey statue of sort of shrine. Wilton by the man he loved and did Shakespeare (commissioned by the 9th Earl of Pembroke in 14. There is a Wolsey room although honour "(on this side Idolatry) as much 1743) was movedfrom the Holbein Porch in the early historians at Wilton don't seem to know why it is so called. Ramon Jimenez notes as any"? Was it, then, to that "memory," 1900s to the front entrance of Wilton H Ollse. he addressed his immortal epithet: that "Cardinal Wolsey died 14 years before the 1st Earl of Pembroke acquired the property 'SWEET SWAN OF AVON'?" Obviously, Shakespeare Matters, Spring, 2003. vol. 2, no. in 1544 and built the house," and speculates 3, p. 1. with this information, Jonson would not that "it is conceivable that a portrait or some 2. From private correspondence with Robin have seen the temple because it wasn't other artifact relating to Wolsey was housed in Williams, authorofMGlY Sidney, Sweet Swan of there yet. And there are rumors that there is Avon. a particular room in the house in the 19th it a Jonson room in the house, to which 3. William Cory (1823-1892) established an century, and came to be called the Wolsey Room." historians at Wilton reply: "There isn't a enviable reputation as both translator and lyric

SOS Conference (cont'dfrom p. 2) amazing hotel rates (for NYC): The attendees a special rate of $140. Call 800- theater professor at American University in Hampton Inn-Chelsea (a 1O-minute walk to 221-4083, and again, don 'tforget to mention Washington D.C., and actor James Gramercy Park) has a special conference the Conference. Newcombe of the Oregon Shakespeare rate of $129 until October 15. Call 1-800- Nearest airports: JFK, LaGuardia, and Festival in Ashland. HAMPTON and please mention the Newark. Jackets and ties required at the Register now at www.shakespeare­ Shakespeare Oxford Society. The Gramercy National Arts Club. oxford.com and click on 27th Annual Park Hotel (around the corner from the And it's autumn in New York - hope Conference - spaces are limited. We have National Arts Club) is offering conference to see you all at this landmark event! Shakespeare Oxford Newsletter Summer 2003 page 9

Oxfordian News

New Evidence Identifies important to note what Hunt does make works to him." Nelson's work will be only Stratford Man as Actor Only clear with his remarks. In associating the second complete Oxford biography, the "Shakespear" with Roscius, he identifies first being B.M. Ward's, The Seventeenth Dr. Paul H. Altrocchi has discovered a him as an actor - not a playwright. He Earl ofO.'.ford, published in 1928. Expected heretofore-unknown reference to William doesn't, in any way, associate him with the to enflame the authorship debate for years of Stratford that possibly was written less dramatic world as a writer. In this respect, to come, Nelson's book can be ordered than twenty years after his death. Last April, Hunt's annotation reinforces all the evidence directly from the publisher's website at Concordia University's Edward de Vere that ever has been amassed about Stratford (www.Iiverpool-unipress.co. ukl Studies Conference, Dr. Altrocchi revealed Will: he was, at best, in his public home.html) or through International that an annotator - presumably the Rev'd involvement with the theater, an actor - not Specialized Book Services (800) 944-6190 Richard Hunt, a Warwickshire vicar and a playwright - and, moreover, Hunt's ($32.00 paperbound, $85.00 clothbound). near-contemporary of the Stratford Man - annotation confirms that it was as an actor had marginalized a reference to that the Stratford Man was known by people New York Times Article "Shakespear" in a 1590 edition of William who may have been acquainted with him on "Co-authorship" Camden's Britannia. Dr. Altrocchi personally. discovered the annotation while he was Stratfordians want to suggest the The Shakespeare authorship question studying a microfilm copy of Camden's annotation proves that the Stratford Man was mentioned in theNew York Times book work at the University of Hawaii (the was the playwright Shakespeare, but it does review (September 2, 2003) of Brian annotated copy is owned by the Huntington nothing of the kind; in fact, it argues strongly Vickers' Shakespeare, Co-Author, a book Library in San Marino, Califol1lia). against it. The annotation can no more be that "has brought clarity" to the long debated The annotation was written next to used to argue that Stratford Will was a "co-authorship" question of Shakespeare's Camden's brief description of Stratford­ playwright than a modern reference plays. Vickers examined research of the upon-Avon and its two famous sons: John indicating Charles Bronson was an actor past 100 years that gave evidence of a co­ de Stratford, an Archbishop of Canterbury; can be used to argue that Bronson was a author in five Shakespeare plays, concluding and Hugh Clopton. The not-entirely-clearly playwright. The Hunt annotation, that: George Peele wrote one-third of Titlls penned Latin annotation has invited months accordingly, is important proof that even in Androniclls; Thomas Middleton wrote two­ of examination by both Oxfordian and his own time, the Stratford Man elicited no fifths of Timon ofAthens; George Wilkens Stratfordian scholars, most of whom agree recognition as England's celebrated poet wrote two of five acts of Pericles; John that it reads, "Et Gulielmo Shakespear and playwright from people who knew him Fletcher wrote over half of Henry F1ll and Roscio plane nostro," which probably is best and who, as neighbors, were in a three-fifths of The Two Noble Kinsmen. best interpreted as: "And to William position to boast of his achievements if they The reviewer, William S. Niederkol1l, Shakespear, our very own Roscius." were. The Stratford Man's acclaim, the wrote that Anti-Stratfordians "might well Why is this of such monumental Hunt annotation confirms, was acclaim for see a parallel between the derision they face importance to Oxfordians? For two reasons: an actor - not for a poet, and certainly not and the ridicule co-authorship scholars were the Rev'd Hunt was apparently adding to for a playwright. - Daniel Wright, Ph.D long subjected to." In the article, Diana Camden's list the name of another Stratford Price, author of Shakespeare's Unorthodox notable. Secondly, Roscius, who lived in Nelson's Oxford Bio is Out! Biography, commented on Vickers' thesis: the first century B.C., rose from lowly "Was it an interactive collaboration or an beginnings to become an acclaimed and Prof. Alan H. Nelson's long-awaited ex-post-facto revision? Did Fletcher get honored actor and retired a wealthy man. new work, Monstrous Adversary, The L(fe hold of an unfinished manuscript and finish Roscius's professional biography bears of Edward de Fere, 17tll Earl of Oxford has Henry FllJ?" Vickers' response was that strong resemblance to that of the Stratford become available. The publisher, Liverpool this question is "hard to settle," but he Man who, similarly, began life in fiscally University Press, describes the biography would be "very unhappy" if his "exposure constrained circumstances, became an actor, as "the first documentary biography of an of Shakespearians' shilly-shallying on the won a bit of notoriety, and retired from the Elizabethan Court poet who since 1920 has co-authorship issue were to be exploited by stage in prosperity. lived a notorious second, wholly illegitimate the so-called Anti -Stratfordians." Whether the Rev' d Hunt was alluding to life as the putative author of the poems and Niederkol1l wrote last year's in-depth article these associations with Roscius's career plays of William Shakespeare. The work exploring Oxford's claim to the Shakespeare when he compared him to "Shakespear" is reconstructs Oxford's life, assesses his authorship in the Times, and has spoken at something we may never know, but even if poetic works, and demonstrates the several Oxfordian conferences. Hunt's comparisons were unintended, it is absurdity of attributing Shakespeare's Oxfordian News (cont'd all p. 17) page 10 Summer 2003 Shakespeare Oxford Newsletter Elizabeth Exhibited The National Maritime Museum outside London presents the largest exhibit honoring the Tudor Queen

s you step into the great red room that and mediations of Henry's last wife, Spanish Armada event, all of which led to A begins the most comprehensive Katharine Parr are also in this section, also England becoming a global imperial collection ever exhibited to mark the 400'h with a portrait, previously identified as lady power. anniversary of the Tudor Queen's death in Jane Grey, which looks remarkabl y like the Cecil's copy of the first commonwealth 1603, you are greeted by a large, sparkling 1940s actress Gloria Graham. atlas is in this section. Open to the page with replica of her royal signature emblazoned In fact, the exhibition is filled with America, it is filled with his annotations in gold across a mesh metal wall. From portraits of the Tudor family, Elizabeth's revealing his extreme intelligence-gathering there, seven rooms display in succession doctored (c.1600) coronation portrait, operation and foreign policy, one of his the 69-year span of her life and her nearly portraits of her sister Mary, and Edward VI, responsibilities being detailing expenditures 45-year reign with letters, documents, as well as her lady in waiting Kat Ashley such as Frobisher's third voyage to artic books, musical instruments, objets Canada in 1578. As in the Folger d' art, paintings, portraits, clothes exhibit, there is another copy of and jewels. David Starkey, the the Bishop's Bible, with a mention historian whose BBC productions regarding the 1560 Geneva Bible and attendant books on her life - that Queen Elizabeth felt was have been quite popular, guest too extreme in its Calvinist curated the exhibit. commentary. The journey through Much is made of the many Elizabeth's remarkable life begins marriage negotiations Queen with the well-known backs tory of Elizabeth was involved in Henry VIII's dissolution of including a letter to the Duke of marriage with Katharine of Anjou, Cecil's 1567 manuscript Aragon, and the split with the recounting the advantages of her Roman Catholic church, to marry marriage to Archduke Charles of Anne Boleyn. A chalk drawing of Austria, and portraits of Robert a woman identified as "probably Dudley, including his last letterto Anna Bollein (1507-1536)" has her before he died six days later, the accompanying description by leaving her a jewel of emeralds a contemporary: as of "middle and diamonds and a rope of some stature, swarthy complexion [with 1 600 pearls. She kept this letter in a eyes which are black and casket by her bed for the rest of her beautiful." Accompanying trinkets life. complete the display including a Other letters include those from remarkably small locket ring of Sir Christopher Hatton, one of rubies and diamonds which opens Elizabeth's principal favorites, to reveal enameled tiny portraits according to Starkey who, of Queen Elizabeth and Anne "typically wrote to her in the Boleyn. The Queell's Nell' Year's Git; Roll ()li588 at the Natiollal Maritime language of a lover." A cipher at Other items on display in the Museum's exhibit Oil Elizabeth!. the beginning of the letter refers to first room depicting Elizabeth's Hatton as "lids" a "pet name young life include armor belonging to and documents pertaining to the allegations [perhaps] because he had unusual eyelids."

William Herbert, I sl Earl of Pembroke; toys of sexual misconduct between the young He signs off with EveR to bring out her and clothes that would have belonged to princess and Thomas Seymour. initials, Elizabeth Regina. wealthy young children of the era; a Subsequent rooms address the political The 1588 New Year's Gift Roll on manuscript with embroidered cover of climate, the religious issue, and the display reveals a present "By the Countess Elizabeth's translations into Latin, French tremendous strides made during her reign of Oxford," a "bodkin [a hair ornament] and Italian, as well as the Latin preface to on everything from stabilizing the money with a pendant of 3 opaBs, 4 rubies, and 2 the only surviving letter from Elizabeth to and a standardizing system of weights and little diamonds. Triangle (?) pendant and her father referring to her royal decent and measures to the many shipping ventures one little diamond in the middle." Queen family relationship to Henry. The prayers undertaken under her reign, as well as the Elizabeth reportedly liked gold because it Shakespeare Oxford Newsletter Summer 2003 page 11 could be melted down into plate - as such interchangeable pieces like ruffs, sleeves, posed to Elizabeth's reign. And the last she may be the inventor of "regifting." panels and kirtles. room is devoted to the rise and fall of the An inventory dated July, 1600 Several hundred portraits of the Queen Earl of Essex, along with a huge book documents "her clothes, jewels, &c.," listing have survived and many of them are on depicting her funeral procession. over 1200 items in the Great Wardrobe view here: Queen Elizabeth with the pelican All in all, it is a very comprehensive including crowns, scepter, clocks, cups, emblem which symbolized her loving care study of the life of the Queen. But bowls, candlesticks, fans, and mirrors. The for her subjects, and the Armada and something's missing. There is virtually no record includes items damaged, given away Ditchley portraits, as well as pictures of mention of Shakespeare or the Elizabethan or eaten by rats. The inventory lists 99 other prominent figures in her court like Sir theater world. An article on the exhibit in robes,260 gowns, 125 petticoats, and more. Walter Raleigh. Thomas Howard, 4'h Duke the July 23 Arts section of The New York Several items of clothing contemporary to of Norfolk, is pictured all in black with the Times perpetuates the myth that the Merry the period on are on display such as sleeves shock of a white hand displaying a thumb Wives of Windsor was commissioned by embroidered with glass beads [bugle beads] ring and its very detailed depiction of his the Queen because she was so fond of the and boots of leather and cork, with the crest. And nearby, a letter from Elizabeth to Falstaff character, although this is not in the explanation: Prominent Elizabethans Cecil regarding Howard's execution in June exhibition. There is only a small card next enjoyed spending vast sums on their 1572. There is also a letter from John Dee to to a Hilliard miniature of the young Earl of wardrobes which entailed rich fabrics, the Queen from Bohemia where he was Southampton (from the Fitzwilliam detailed embroidery, jeweled decorations living in 1588. A large room is dedicated to collection) that notes he was Shakespeare's to suggest the wearer's status; Mary, Queen of Scots and the threat she patron. That is all. -G.Q.

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Tell Restless Ghosts (collt'dfrom cover) no direct evidence that he visited Mantua, ape; he so near to Hermione, hath done him as a sculptor when there was his known travels in northern Italy extended Hermione that they say one would speak to Michelangelo, Cellini and Sansovino? The to Genoa, Milan, Venice, Padua, Florence her and stand in hope of an answer." implication is that he was specifically aware and Siena, 1 and Mantua is on a main road in (V.2.109) In the next scene, Leontes and of Giulio's sculptures, and almost all of close proximity to these cities, Polixenes discuss the statue: them happened to be in Mantua. The Pietro Mantua, the birthplace of Virgil, would Strozzi monument, for example, with four Leontes: See my lord, have been a prime stopping point for caryatids supporting his tomb at the church Would you not deem it breathed? Englishmen touring Renaissance Italy, of San!' Andrea, is one of Giulio's most And that those veins especially noblemen with a penchant for famous works. Did verily bear blood? literature, theater, and art During the But Shakespeare's details go a step Polixenes: Masterly done! Renaissance, Mantua was a major cultural further. The Winter's Tale describes the The very life seems warm upon hub featuring art and architecture of statue of Hermione, in a chapel setting, as her lip. (V.3.63-65) international fame, including the Cathedral, so life-like that Perdita says, "Give me that the Church of Sant' Andrea, the Ducal Giulio Romano (1492-1546) was hand of yours to kiss," only to be prevented Palace, the largest palace in Europe after considered the most brilliantly gifted of by Paulina: "0, patience! The statue is but the Vatican, and especially the Palazzo newly fixed, the color's Not dry." Te, 2 a masterpiece of the late Renaissance (V.3.46-48) The implication is that the style called Mannerism The ruling family "statue" was painted. Giulio was one of of Mantua was the Gonzaga, whose court the few Renaissance artists who also rivaled those of Rome, Venice, Florence, worked in realistic painted wax funeral Urbino, and Milan, The Gonzaga statues. What would be more life-like patronized schools, the theater, and than a painted wax statue to inspire artists, including Mantegna, Correggio, Leontes' line: "The very life seems wann Parmigiani no, and Rubens, Writers and upon her lip." Giulio's most renowned artists with whom we know Shakespeare wax figure was probably of Federigo was familiar - Baldassare Castiglione, Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua, in his 1540 Pietro Aretino, and Giulio Romano, funeral monument, later destroyed by known as Giulio - all lived and worked the French.s The Church of Santa Maria in Mantua. delle Grazie was so full of polychrome Just as a ghost may call attention to a statues that it would remind "the visitor crime, these ten restless ghosts of Mantua of the figures of Madame Tussaud' s suggest the presence of Shakespeare in Museum, making the church a theatrical Mantua. Part one will reveal and spectacular place."6 Shakespeare's knowledge of the works "We came to see the statue of our of Giulio and Aretino that were specific queen: your gallery have we passed to Mantua. Part two will emphasize through, not without much content in many Shakespeare's know ledge of Castiglione singularities" (V.2.9-12), says Leontes, a and the Gonzaga family. line that could describe the Mantuan church. Perhaps the reason Giulio is Part One - Giulio Romano Self-portrait, Gil/lio Romano (d. 1546). identified as "that rare Italian master" is and Pietro Aretino in Mantua because he was one of the few sculptors Raphael's many pupils, and succeeded him who, besides working in marble, terracotta 1. Winter's Tale - Giulio's as the Vatican's court painter after his death. 3 and plaster, also created wax polychrome Sculptures in Mantua His fame during Shakespeare's time rested statues, statues seen only by visitors to on his paintings, palatial architecture, and Mantua. Ironically, many orthodox scholars The only direct reference Shakespeare his illustrations in Aretino's Postures (see claim that Shakespeare's misunderstanding makes to a Renaissance artist is in The below), but Shakespeare praised him as a of Giulio' s artistic reputation is proof of his Winter's Tale, where the statue of Hermione sculptor. Even today, his reputation as a inferior knowledge of Italy. Boyce repeats is said to have been "A piece many years in sculptor is not well known, although the the still common perception "that Shakespeare doing, and now newly performed by that early art historian Giorgio Vasari made ... should mistakenly make him (Romano) rare Italian master, Julio Romano." (V.2.96- mention of his life-like sculptures.4 But a sculptor suggests that the playwright and 8) The artist is further described as someone Vasari's work was not translated into presumably his audience did not know his " ... who, had he himself eternity, and English until 1850, so how would work very well."7 could put breath into his work, would beguile Shakespeare know that Giulio was a There is further evidence of Nature of her custom, so perfectly is he her sculptor? Why would Shakespeare praise Shakespeare's knowledge of Giulio in The Shakespeare Oxford Newsletter Summer 2003 page 13

Winter's Tale. Giulio's notoriety during No puritan himself, the author probably Frederick Hartt describes Giulio's the Renaissance and later rested on the identified with Giulio' s pseudo-classical, achievement: "The idea of a battle raging erotic frescoes he painted in Rome and half-pagan, erotic style, full of sexual around the entire cornice as in real space is Mantua. It is alleged that in 1524, perhaps innuendoes and practically void of religious a new and immensely influential stage in over a payment dispute, Giulio painted at themes "Shakespeare's vivid and the development of illusionism in the late the Vatican sixteen murals of different extensive interest in sexual material is well Renaissance and Baroque." Hartt believed sexual postures. Called I Modi, the murals known."13 For someone coming from a that Giulio' s fantastic depiction "would were remarkable for their sexual country that had just destroyed much of its have been the wonder of the young Rubens explicitness. A set of engravings based on artwork and was heading towards when he came to Mantua"15 in 1600. them became the first widespread iconoclasm and puritanism, the vigorous The first scholar to make the connection commercial erotic art in Europe. Their sensuality of Giulio' s art could have been a between the Trojan Room and Lucrece, notoriety spread after Aretino published revelation. Giulio' s works also reflected an among other Shakespeare allusions to Italian The Postures (1527), a group of licentious extensive knowledge of classical paintings, appears to have been Gregor sonnets that described them. R In Volpone mythology, especially Ovid's M eta­ Sarrazin in 1894. 16 Henry Reed's 1952 play, and The Alchemist, Ben Jonson made morphoses, an interest he shared with The Great Desire I Had, 17 puts Shakespeare explicit references to these sonnets. 9 Shakespeare. in Italy for inspiration to write an epic on In Act V, scene 2 of The Winter's Tale, the Siege of Troy. In the final scene, Shakespeare mentions Giulio Romano, as 2. The Rape of Lucrece - Shakespeare is in the Trojan Room amidst noted above; in the following scene, after The Trojan Mural in the Giulio's huge frescoes. The Duke of Mantua Hermione is revealed as a statue, Leontes Ducal Palace of Mantua advises him to quit the Trojan epic and exclaims, "Her natural posturel/Chide me, write about the frescoes, resulting in dear stone, that I may say indeed/Thou art In the long poem, The Rape of Lucrece, Llicrece. Reed's play recognizes the need Hermione (V.3.23). "Giulio Romano" and Shakespeare included twenty-six verses to have Shakespeare physically in Mantua "posture" - a word that Shakespeare (202 lines) in which Lucrece describes at to study this particular group of paintings. introduced to the English language - both length and in minute detail a painting In The Italian Influence in English Poetry placed so closely within the play, were depicting many scenes from the fall of (1955), A. Lytton Sells agreed with this clearly a reference to Aretino's Postures, Troy. "At last she calls to mind where hangs analysis: " ... basing ourselves only on which only became available in England in a piece / Of skillful painting, made for established facts, we may be allowed to the late 16th century. to Shakespeare also Priam's Troy:/ Before the which is drawn suppose that the passage in Lucrece was used "posture" with clear sexual innuendo the power of Greece. " Later Lucrece "throws founded on Giulio Romano's pictures and inAntony and Cleopatra: "I shall see/Some her eyes about the painting round, / And that Shakespeare took certain additional squeaking Cleopatra boy my greatness/ I' whom she finds forlorn she doth lament." details from Virgil. "18 No single painting the posture of a whore. (V.2.221) This digression has nothing to do with the could account for the various scenes that After the publication and scandal of I plot except in the vaguest way: Lucrece has Lucrece describes, but they are reflected in Modi, Giulio traveled to Mantua with his been despoiled, as was Troy. It is clear that the Trojan Room murals in the palace at friend, Count Baldassare Castiglione, who Shakespeare's descriptions of the fall of Mantua. arranged his patronage by Federigo, Duke Troy were based on Virgil'sAeneid, Ovid's Over a century later, the Trojan Room of Mantua. Castiglione had seen in Giulio Fasti and Metal1101phoses, and Homer's connection with Lucrece is still being the ideal painter-architect for the libertine Iliad, but what inspired the lengthy observed. Professor Michael Delahoyde Duke. "While in Mantua, Giulio was description of a painting? believes that Giulio's Trojan Room and engaged for more than twenty years in Sir Walter Ralegh, the famous 19 th the painting description in Lucrece are too filling Federigo' s palaces and retreats with century English professor, in writing about close for mere coincidence. 19 Further­ traditional erotic subjects as well as more both The Rape of Llicrece and Venus and more, he notes that the Trojan Room had individual renderings of cuddling Adonis stated: "It would not be rash to say served as a guest room for visiting harvesters, affectionate putti, and pederastic that these two poems were suggested by nobility. A commoner, much less an actor, gods."1l More than any other artist, Giulio pictures, and that they should be read and would never have had access to it. Hilda helped propagate the erotic style of art so appreciated in the light of this fact."14 The Amphlett conjectured, "at the home of the fashionable during the seventeenth century, only room in Europe completely dedicated Gonzagas [Oxford] would have seen and it is mainly through his influence that to scenes from the Trojan War is in the Romano's paintings of the Siege of Troy; religious painting in Europe declined after Ducal Palace in Mantua, rendered by Giulio so rich in their imaginative beauty and l600. 12As a result, Mantua, Giulio's city, in 1538. The frescoes not only surround all newly painted colour that the memory rather than Rome, became the artistic focus four walls but also extend to the ceiling. would have remained indelibly on his of the seventeenth century. It is ironic that The visual impact on someone already mind until at length it had to find verbal Giulio is largely overlooked today, and familiar with the story of the Trojan War outlet. "20 considered a second-rank artist. would have been dramatic. Art historian (collt'd all p. 14) page 14 Summer 2003 Shakespeare Oxford Newsletter

Ten Restless Ghosts (cont'dfrom p. 13) Two passages fromLlicrece. in which Lucrece' s thoughts evoke paintings in the Trojan 3. Venlls and Adonis - Room are juxtaposed with the scene that may have inspired them: The Hall of the Horses, Palazzo Te, Mantua

One (}f several murals of horses in the Pala::co Te

Shakespeare also describes a painting in Paris abducting "the stmmpet" Helen. his other long poem, Venlls and Adonis. Here he again digresses, this time for thirteen 1. Show me the strumpet that began this verses, to describe a blood-stock mare and stir, stallion that have little to do with the plot of That with my nails her beauty I may the poem. tear. Thy heat of lust, fond Paris, did incur Look when a painter would surpass the This load of wrath that burning Troy life doth bear. .. (lines 1471-75) In limning out a well-proportioned steed, His art with nature's workmanship at strife, As if the dead living should exceed: So did this horse excel a common one In shape, in courage, color, pace and bone. Round-hoofed, short-jointed, fetlock shag and long, Broad breast, full eye, small head, and nostril wide, High crest, short ears, straight legs and passing strong, Thin mane, thick tail, broad buttock, tender hide: Look, what a horse should have he did not lack, Save a proud rider on so proud a back. (lines 290-30 I) Sinon jJoi11fing to the wooden horse and telling the Trojans that it is safe and will bring them luck. It appears that the Palazzo Te in Mantua, 2. The well-skill' d workman this mild image considered by many to be Giulio's drew architectural masterpiece, inspired Shakes­ for peljur'd Sinon, whose enchanting peare. The Palazzo's main entrance, called story "Loggia of the Muses," leads to the "Hall of the credulous old Priam after slew ... the Horses," the main reception room and (lines 1520-22) the palazzo's largest rool11. Featured on all Shakespeare Oxford Newsletter Summer 2003 page 15

four walls are life-size paintings by Giulio fine horses had been reared be collapsing. It is Jove and his assistants of racehorses, riding in the stud of the Marquis of destroying the Titans, horses, and fine Barbary steeds. The Mantua, Francesco Gon­ "hideous giants crushed racehorses or "Barberi" are believed to be zaga, who at one time owned among their crashing, broken ancestors of today's thoroughbred as many as three hundred of temples. Dickens called it an racehorse. them, and from whose apoplectic performance, Mantua was well known for producing stables Barbary horses were which had the effect of a fine horses and the Palazzo Te was originally bought for all the courts of violent rush of blood to the a stable. It was later rebuilt as a pleasure Europe. "24 Oxford's interest head."27 John Upton in retreat for the mistress ofFederigo, Duke of in horses is well known. He Critical Observations Oil Mantua, and designed as a showplace of won at least two jousting Shakespeare (1742) was the dramatic and sensuous art. It also served as tournaments before Queen first critic, followed by a residence for important visitors. The most Elizabeth in 1571 and 1581, Wellesley, to associate famous visitors were Charles V, Holy and he issued a jousting "signor Junio' s giant Cupid" Roman Emperor and King of Spain, who challenge in Palermo in with a Giulio painting.2~ stayed there twice in the 1530s, and Duke 1576. Oxford's excellent Shakespeare's reference Ludwig X of Bavaria, who was so impressed horsemanship was often to the dwarf seems to be a after his visit there that he had a replica built noted by his contem­ stray comment, since it has in Bavaria in 1542.21 poraries, including Giles no association with the story In his 1930 article on Shakespeare's Fletcher and John Soothern. inL01'e' s Labour' ~Lost. Just knowledge of Aretino, J. Lothian identified like the statue of Hermione, several parallels between the horse passages 4. Love's Labour's the Trojan Mural and the in Venlls and Adonis and Aretino's play, Lost- description of the horse, Orazia. Aretino, who greatly admired Giulio The Hall of the these lines appear to be and visited Mantua often, seems to be A portmit of'the dwarf', Gradasso allusions to the works of describing the same painting."" The Giants, Berrettai, by Gililio Giulio.In 1874 the orthodox at the Vaticall following is one example, three lines from Palazzo Te, Mantua Orazia, followed by three corresponding In L01'e's Labour's Lost, lines from Venlls and Adonis: Berowne describes Cupid: "This He quivers, snorts, kicks and neighs wimpled, whining, purblind boy/ aloud, This senior-junior giant dwarf, Then after some dextrous and strong Dan Cupid" (III.I.182). leaps, Unfortunately, the second line has Shakes the strong and furious path (verse been altered by modern editors of 47) Shakespeare. The First Folio line (page 129 of the Comedies And forth she rushes, snorts, and neighs section), which borrowed text aloud (line 262) from the 1598 first quarto edition, Imperiously he leaps, he neighs, he reacl: "This signior .fllnios gyant bounds (line 265) drawfe,don ClIpid . .. "Rev. Henry The bearing earth with his hard hoofs he Wellesley in his Stray Notes 011 wounds (line 267) the Text qt'Shakespeare (1865) But this play was only ,wail able in Italian, read it as: "This Signior Julio's The sallie face oj'Berrettai in the Hall oj'Giants- "signor funic!' s giant ClIpid" ? and because Shakespeare is not known to giant dwarf, Don Cupid."25 have visited Italy, or understood Italian, the "Signior Giulio" Romano portrayed Shakespearean scholar Karl Elze noted the V 01llS and Adonis connection with the Gradasso Berrettai, nicknamed "Don still current dilemma: "either Shakespeare Palazzo Te murals is usually overlooked by Cupid," the dwarf of Cardinal Ippolito dei must have studied Vasari, (in Italian and academia and consequently has become Medici, in the Hall of the Giants, Palazzo Latin to learn that Romano was a sculptor another restless ghost. Te. Giulio previously featured the same and a painter) or he had been in Mantua and Oxfordians J.J. Dwyer2l and Amphlett dwarf in 'The Vision of Constantine" at the had there seen Romano's works." Dwyer also noted the close correspondence between 26 Vatican. The Hall of the Giants is believes Oxford's "head was full of Romano Venlls ([Ild Adonis and Barbery steed considered the most dramatic of Giuilo­ after all he had seen in Mantua," which paintings "so photographically life-like that decorated rooms in the Palazzo. To the spilled forth onto his plays. they are a marvel of chiaroscuro ... These visitor upon entering, the room appears to (collt'd on p. 16) page 16 Summer 2003 Shakespeare Oxford Newsletter

Tell Restless Ghosts (COllt' d from p. 15) 5. Twelfth Night­ He fearlessly satirized emperors, popes, 9. Bette Talvacchia, "The Rare Italian Master and Aretino in Mantua kings and cardinals by revealing their the Postures of Hennione in the Winter's Tale," personal scandals and peccadilloes in printed Literatllre Intelpretation Theory (LIT), vol. 3, While he was in Mantua from 1523-27, 1992, p. 170. plays and poems that were immediately Pietro Aretino wrote the bawdy comedy II 10. Robert Melville, Erotic Art ()fthe West, New distributed throughout Europe . .l 2 The Marescalco, published in 1533, based on an York, 1973, p. 68, and Talvacchia, pp. 167-169. scandalous Postures crossed the limit with Talvacchia especially references Shakespeare's actual event at the Gonzaga court of Pope Clement VII and it became prudent for erotic use of "posture" in relation to Giulio and Federigo, Duke of Mantua, and set in the Aretino and Giulio to leave Rome and find Aretino. Palazzo Te. The story involves the courtiers' refuge in MantuaY II. James M. Saslow, Ganymede in the strenuous efforts to make the Duke's Master None of Aretino's plays was translated Renaissance, Yale Univ. Press, 1986, p. 140. of the Horse, Marescalco, who was "reluctant 12. The Catholic Encyclopedia, vol. IX. into English in Shakespeare's time. with women," comply with the Duke's 13. Stanford S. Apseloff, "Shakespeare's Giulio However, four Italian-language comedies, command to take a wife. The Duke and the Romano: The Winter's Tale," The Shakespeare including II Marescalco, were published Newsletter, 52:3, No. 254, Fall, 2002, p. 87. comt played a trick on the officer, dressing together by John Wolfe in England in 1588. 14. A. Lytton Sells, The Italian b!f/uence in the Duke's page, Carlo, as a girl and Oxford, who was fluent in Italian and Latin, English PoetJ)"Indiana Univ. Press, 1955,p. 191. arranging that Marescalco be forced to marry was accused by Henry Howard and Charles 15. Frederick Hartt, Giulio Romano, vol. 1, Yale the boy. The dismayed Marescalco is led to Arundel in 1580/81 of being familiar with University Press, 1958, p. 179. believe that he must take a wife in order to 16. Gregor Sarrazin, "Shakespeare in Mantua?" the "bawdy" content of Aretino' s Postures. 3~ please his prince. His increasingly frantic Jahrbuch del' Delltschell Shakespeare­ In many of Shakespeare's plays and poems, efforts to escape such a fate culminate in a Gesellschaft, vol. 29-30, 1894, pp. 249-54. direct allusions to passages in Aretino's public declaration of impotence and he tries 17. Roger Savage, The Radio Plays ()f Henry plays attest to his influence on Shakespeare. Reed, Cambridge Univ. Press, 1981, pp. 158-190. to escape. To Marescalco's relief, the Duke Shakespeare's knowledge of Aretino and 18. Sells, p. 194. finally reveals that the bride is a boy.29 A other untranslated Italian works convinced 19. Michael Delahoyde, "Edward de Vere' s Rape similar but slightly different trick based on Lothian that "Shakespeare knew Italian." To ofLucrece," paper presented atthe De Vere Studies cross-dressing occurs in Twelfth Night: Viola Conference, P0l11and, Oregon, ApJi113, 2003. this we may add that he also knew Mantua, pretends to be a man called Cesario in order 20. Hilda Amphlett, Who Was Shakespeare? and took from it a host of indelible to woo a woman (Olivia) for Duke Orsino. London, 1955. RepJinted 1971,p. 121. (Amphlett impressions that found their way into his At the same time the Duke is attracted to incorrectly locates the Trojan Mural in the plays and poems. Palazzo Te; it is in the Ducal Palace of Mantua.) Cesario and is relieved at the end to learn he In part two, five more ghosts of 21. Chris Murray, ed., Cultural Atlas of the is a she, and they marry. Besides influencing Shakespeare's knowledge of Mantua will Renaissance, 1993, Prentice Hall General Twelfth Night, II Marescalco is an accepted reveal themselves, and await recognition­ Reference, p. 156, and Selwyn Brinton, The source for the sexual ambiguity in Ben Gonzaga - Lords of Mantua, London, 19.2:, p. ghosts involving Castiglione and the Jonson's Epicoene, which was also 157; both works discuss the many famous VISItors GonzagafamilyofMantua. 1h influenced by Twelfth Night. 30 It is wOlth to 16 century Mantua. 22. J. Lothian, "Shakespeare's Knowledge of noting that II Marescalco makes specific Notes Aretina's Plays," The Modern Language Review, 1. Alan H. Nelson, Monstrous Adversary mention ofGiulio.1t seems that Shakespeare XXV, October, 1930, p. 420. The Life ofEdward De Vere, 17th Earl of040rd, and Aretino were the only Renaissance 23. J.J. Dwyer, Italian Arts in the Poems and Liverpool Univ. Press, 2003, pp. 128-137. playwrights to mention Giulio in a play. Plays of Shakespeare, Colchester, 1946, p. 6. 2. The Catholic Encyclopedia, ed. C. G. Her­ Lothian discovered language parallels 24. 'Amphlett, p. 122. belmann, et aI., New York, 1907-1912, vol. VI. 25. Karl Elze, Essays on Shakespeare, London, between II Marescalco and Twelfth Night: 3. Rene Huyghe, ed., Larousse Encyclopedia of 1874, p. 290. (Translated by Dora Schmitz.) "In the Marescalco, where the speaker Renaissance alld Baroque Art, 1958, p. 202. 26. J.1. Dwyer, p. 14. described the method pursued in wooing 4. Dr. Noemi Magri, "Italian Renaissance Al1 in 27. Kate Simon, A Renaissance Tapestry; The Shakespeare, Giulio Romano and The Winter's and how he would act the pmt of 'uno ass as­ Gonzaga of Mantua, New York, 1988, p. 128 Tale" The De Vere Society Newsletter, July, 2000, sinato d' Amore.' - 'I will build a escarpment 28. H.H. Fumess, ed.,Love' s Labour's Lost, New p. 7.' Dr. Magri provides an extensive review of of velvet for you at your feet,' 'I will write Variorum, 1904, Dover, (reprinted 1964). Giulio's career emphasizing his work as a sculptor. madrigals in your praise,' 'I will compose to 29. James M. Saslow, Ganymede in the 5. Rita Severi, "What's in a Name. La Fortuna di Renaissance, Yale University Press, 1986, p. 83. the fields loyal songs to you.' This is not Giulio Romano Nel PeJiodo Shakespeariano," 30. R.V. Holdsworth, ed., Epicoene: or The Silent very remote from Viola's account of how Giulio Romano e I' espansione europea del Woman/Ben Jonson, New York, 1979, pp. xxiii­ she would woo- 'Make me a willow cabin Rinascimento, Mantova, Palazzo Ducale, Teatro xxviii. scientifico del Bibiena, 1-5 ottobre 1989, at your gate,' 'Write loyal cantons of 31. Lothian, pp. 415-424. Accademia nazionale virgiliana, 1991, p. 405. contemned love,' 'Halloo your name to the 32. Will Durant, The Renaissance, New York, 6. Ibid, p. 409. reverberated hills,' etc. (I.V.287 ff.)"31 1953, p. 657. 7. Charles Boyce, Shake.lpeare A to Z, New York, Aretino, Giulio' s close friend and 33. Ibid., p. 654. 1990, p. 216. 34. Alan H. Nelson's website: http:// collaborator, was one of the most famous 8. Joseph J. Thorndike, Jr. ed., The Horizon Book socrates.berkeley.edu, section on Oxford's Libels. wits and dissolutes of the Italian Renaissance. of the Renaissance, 1961, p. 311. Shakespeare Oxford Newsletter Summer 2003 page 17

Oxfordian News (collt'dfi'OIll p. 9) Westminster Abbey theater area, the Union is a small theater, Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, will discuss Memorial to Oxford and is a two-minute walk from the his book, Shakespeare: For All Time, and underground tube station. Nearby is the speak about how Shakespeare wrote his Professor Daniel Wright announced at th Globe Theatre, Tate Modern, Jerwood plays. On October 29 , British filmmaker last April's Edward de Vere Studies Space and the Old Vic Theatre. Tickets can and author Michael Wood (see Book Conference at Concordia University that be booked now. Phone: 011-44-20 7261 Review) will discuss his new book,111 Search contributors provided over $10,000 in 9876; [email protected]. of Shakespeare, and give participants a donations to fund a memorial window to virtual walking tour of London, illustrated Edward de Vere in the Poets' Corner at Stratfordians Speak in D.C. with "Victorian photographs of 16th century Westminster Abbey. In June, Prof. Wright For those who would like to see buildings that have remained standing for met with the Very Rev. Dr. Wesley Carr, prominent orthodox Shakespeare scholars 400 years." Book signing available after the Dean of the Abbey, and presented him in action, the Smithsonian in Washington each program. General admission: $15-20. with news of the successful fundraising for D.C. is sponsoring two evening events. On For more information, contact Smithsonian the memorial as well as letters of October 27, Stanley Wells, chairman of the Associates (202) 357-3030. endorsement from Concordia University President Dr. Charles Schlimpert, Prof. Steven May, Dr. Roger Stritmatter, Prof. Ren Draya and Prof. William Rubinstein. Dr. Wright also gained Sir eyfie }lnnua[ Journa[ of tfie Sfiakfspeare Oxfora Society DerekJ acobi' s pledge to help further efforts in obtaining the Abbey's official recognition of De Vere' s contribution to English letters. The achievement of this memorial would be a fitting tribute for a writer who - if his cousin, Percival Golding, was correct - already may lie within the Abbey, yet New 2003 Edition - THE OXFORDIAN unacknowledged. Abbey authorities are not This sixth volumne of The Oxfordian is now available. Here's a preview: expected to reach a decision until next year. Author Richard Whalen presents evidence that Macbeth was the work of Oxford's extreme youth, tying it to his relationship with Lord Burghley and his involvement in Oxford Play in London the Scottish border war of 1569-70. Edward's Presents, a play written by Ramon Jimenez, an accomplished historian who has published several history Oxfordian Sally Llewellyn, will run from books in the mainstream press, reveals Oxford as the author of Edmond Ironside, January 6 to 24, 2004, at the Union Theatre, an early play extant only in manuscript before 1927. 204 Union Street, in London. Edward's Fran Gidley delves into the manuscript play, The Book of Sir Thomas More, and Presents tells the background story of ends up in Oxfordian territory; one section, in "Hand D," has already been accepted Shakespeare's Sonnets and A Midsummer by many scholars as Shakespeare's own work. Night's Dream with the assumption they were written by Edward de Vere, and the Peter Dickson examines the history of the "Catholic Question," i.e., was Shakspere two works are embedded in the play. Set in of Stratford a Catholic, and includes the responses of Shakespeare scholars to the early 1590s, the play opens with Lord evidence that he was. Burghley arranging the marriage between George Warren makes a detailed statistical comparison of Shakespeare's use of De Vere's daughter, Elizabeth, and Henry certain rare words with that of eight other early-modern playwrights. Wriothesley. But Elizabeth loves William Finally, my own piece about Mary Sidney, Countess of Pembroke, who may be the Stanley, which is the first of several love true author of the John Webster canon. triangles to follow. "I've invented one or - Stephanie Hopkins Hughes, Editor, The Oxfordian [email protected]. two things for dramatic purposes, to show the theme ofloss linked to a deadly struggle between madness and creativity. As a THE OXFORDIAN is the Society's outstanding annual journal of information, psychotherapist I'm particularly interested insights and ideas in the field of Shakespeare Authorship research. in the motivation behind Oxford / Free for SOS members with $50 sustaining membership Shakespeare's creativity," says Llewellyn, For Non-members: $20/year or $45 for a 3-year SUbscription who will provide notes to the audience on For Libraries: $45 for a 3-year subscription what is invention and conjecture in the Back or single issues: $20 US; $25 overseas & Canada play. Located in Southwark, Shakespeare's Subscribe to: THE OXFORDIAN 1555 Connecticut Avenue, N.W. Suite 200, Washington DC, 20036 page 18 Summer 2003 Shakespeare Oxford Newsletter

Aeolian Stinking Pitch (cont'dfrom p. 3) And again in Act II: island, including beaches. Thus, whereas of years on nearby Stromboli, an Aeolian most beaches are tan or beige, The Tempest island also famous for Roberto Rossellini's Stefano: If I can recover him and keep talks of "yellow sands" (I. 2. 377). film of the same name. If Edward de Vere him tame and get to Naples with him. Vulcano is separated from Lipari Island did visit Vulcano in early 1576, after his trip (II.2.68-69) by a navigationally hazardous half-mile to Sicily where he issued a general jousting For the last time in the epilogue, lines 310 wide strait with two jagged rock pinnacles, challenge in honor of his Queen, the most to 314: the Faraglione, jutting treacherously into recent volcanic eruption was only 26 years the narrowing is this the location of The before, in 1550. The true definition of pitch Prospero: And in the morn Tempest's shipwreck? Vulcano is twelve is an asphalt from transformed petroleum, I'll bring you to your ship, and so to miles from the hydrofoil port of Capo but surely De Vere is using the word to Naples, Milazzo on Sicily's north coast and also describe molten lava: "The sky, it seems, Where I have hope to see the nuptial easily reachable by ferry from Naples. would pour down stinking pitch." Since Of these our dear-belov' d solemnized; Vulcano's 500 inhabitants work in Stromboli's volcano is usually covered in And thence retire me to my Milan. agriculture, livestock, or fishing. Rain is clouds, it is the sky which seems to pour How can we disagree with the playwright sparse, ti'esh water sources limited. The forth torrents of lava. Stinking? Most who repeatedly tells us that the wrecked climate, albeit windy, is mild and serene assuredly, as those experiencing close ship was bound from Tunis to Naples, a even in winter. 7 In The Tempest, Adrian proximity to volcanoes well know. Sulfur­ commercially important shipping route for says, "The air breathes upon us here most impregnated clouds of steam are not only more than two thousand years? sweetly" (II.2.49). All of these geographic, noxious but so stifling that it is often impossible to breathe. The Island's Location: Welkin is from the Middle Other Key Clues English word with Germanic roots, R The island in The Tempest is welkene, meaning cloud. Welkin described as hard rock with a rocky describes the vault of heaven, the shore. This nicely describes Vulcano sky, the air. "Welkin's cheek" is an which had eruptions in 43 AD, 1444, original way for De Vere to say the cheek of the air, the enveloping cloud 155~ 1626, 1727 to 1739, 1771 to 1786, 1812 to 1831, 1873 to 1879, of fog above the hot descending lava. and 1886 to 1890.5 Thus many parts The veil of fog and the sea meet of the island are hard lava, with lava where the fiery orange-black lava is columns extending into the sea, extinguished, dashing the fire out as without time for new plant growth. the lava sinks beneath the sea. Pliny the Elder (24-79 AD) described Stromboli is among the most active Vulcano's eruption of 43 AD that volcanoes in the world. On a nightly littered the sea with dead fish.6 His basis one can see minor eruptions The Grand Fossa of\iulcano with its spouting fumarole and fiery lava. Let's see how well a own fascination with the science of and steaming sulfurous vapors. volcanoes lured him into the danger recent description in a tourist book 9 zone of central Naples and he succumbed matches that of De Vere : geological, and sociological features are from the gases and ashes of the catastrophic At night the streams seem to be eminently compatible with Vulcano as The eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD, as fantastic torrents of fire whilst the Tempest's shipwreck island. did the inhabitants of Herculaneum and darkness becomes dispersed by Pompeii. Stinking Pitch luminous bands of enflamed slag, the In Act 1, scene 2, line 340, De Vere vivid flashes of which reflect describes the island as having "fresh springs, Are there other powerful textual clues in sinisterly on the sea. At times the brine-pits, barren place and fertile." The Tempest? Let's look at Act I, scene 2, incandescent streams seem Vulcano, eight by four miles in dimension, lines 3 to 5: motionless and suspended in the air has fertile valleys with vineyards, citrus The sky, it seems, would pour down owing to a cUltain of fog which usually groves, and vegetable crops as well as cattle stinking pitch, envelops the slope. and sheep. There are barren areas covered But that the sea, mounting to th' welkin's with volcanic ash, and hot mud ponds and Another diagnostic clue which makes cheek, the Aeolian island of Vulcano much more mineral springs where one may soak to get Dashes the fire out. rid of writer's cramp. The smell of sulfur likely than Bermuda or Mersea is in Act I, permeates the air, usually faint, repugnant This well describes many years of scene 2, lines 325 and 326. The slave Caliban at first but becoming curiously appealing. volcanic eruptions in Vulcano's history as annoyedly responds to Duke Pro spero of Bright yellow sulfur aggregations dot the well as daily volcanic activity for hundreds Milan, his master: "A southwest blow on Shakespeare Oxford Newsletter Summer 2003 page 19 ye,/And blister you all o'er." Needless to published until 1625, it circulated in us, and what Shakespeare meant to write say, there is no wind in England so hot and manuscript. So it seems clear that was "still-vexed Bermudas." So important dry that it blisters one all over! This is a Shakespeare wrote The Tempest is this interpretation that English professors classic descJiption of the sirocco, defined during the later part of 1610 or in have actually changed the word to as "a hot, oppressive, dust-laden wind from 1611Y "Bennudas."15 Is this based upon superior the Libyan deserts, experienced on the knowledge, supreme confidence or academic So even though Straclley' s letter was not northern Mediterranean coast, chiefly in sleight of hand? And what does the passage published until nine years after the grain Italy, Malta, and Sicily."IO imply? "Clearly" that The Tempest's merchant Shaksper' s death, "it seems clear" shipwreck island is Bennuda, based upon that "he seems to have known" the letter The Stratfordian Dogma irrefutable internal evidence, but like many which must have "circulated in manuscript" Shakespeare allusions, Stratfordians can't Stratfordians have constructed a from London to the widely known literary explain the meaning of the lines. seriously tlawed theory that places The center of Stratford-on-Avon which had no It was eminent Oxfordian researcher Tempest in Bermuda and which they say public library and contained no known Richard Roe who first pointed out the true provides solid prima facie evidence that books other than the Bible. and original meaning of those two lines: I. the Stratford Man is the great playwright Further Stratfordian evidence is derived Dew means alcohol produced by distillation, and even proves Edward de Vere could not from the King's Men playing The Tempest i.e., "home-brew." 2. Still is the apparatus be Shakespeare. Their logic-impoverished before King James I at Whitehall on used for heat -induced vaporization and then theory is an excellent example of the fallacy November I, 1611 13 and which, therefore, condensation in the rapid amateur alcohol of starting with a desired conclusion and must have been a new play. By similar then manufacturing evidence as distillation process. 3. Vexed is used proof. in the sense of plagued or Despite thousands of shipwreck afflicted. "Still-vexed" means that narratives throughout recorded there are many liquor stills in the history, including the Bible, II area. 4. Bermoothes in the early Stratfordians state that Shakespeare 1580s, when The Tempest was unequivocally based his shipwreck written according to Oxfordian play upon William Strachey's chronology,16 was a place ofrefuge description of the Sea Venture's 1609 or sanctuary, outside of po lice destruction on Bennuda' s coral reefs. control, forminorcriminals, vagrants Even Oxfordians know that by 1609 and prostitutes. 17 Edward de Vere had been dead for Bermoothes was a dingy westem five years. A more detailed suburb of London out Drury Lane description of the shipwreck and its past Convent Garden with cheaply aftermath is given by Stratfordian built houses, narrow lanes, brothels, crowded taverns, and dark basements Professors Wells and Taylor: A closer I'iew of \llIlmIlO' s crater rim with its bright orange full of sailors, dockworkers, and yellow liquid and solid sulfllr (//ld st}'(lngely enticillg An expedition of nine ships itinerants and busy stills.IR The steamy vapors. taking 500 colonists from sentence in question, without any Plymouth to Virginia set sail mysterious import about Bermuda, merely Stratfordian pseudo-logic, when KingJames inMay, 1609. On29 July the flagship, has the airy spirit Ariel reminiscing or ordered fourteen Shakespeare plays be the Sea Adventure, was wrecked by a imagining being asked one midnight to go presented at Court over Christmas, 1612, storm on the coast of the Bermudas. fetch some alcohol from one of many liquor perhaps in honor of the death of Elizabeth She was presumed lost, but on 23 stills in the Bermoothes. The lovely coral Trentham, 14 widow of Edward de Vere, all May, 1610 those aboard her arrived island of Bermuda fulfills virtually none of fourteen must have been newly written safely in Jamestown, Virginia, having the volcanic descriptive qualities of The Shakespeare plays never before found shelter on the island of Bermuda Tempest's shipwreck island except meager presented. Additional Stratfordian "proof' where they were able to build the fresh water. The only fiery volcanic activity is that the playwright actually tells the world pinnaces in which they completed in Bermuda is provided by the many coup les that The Tempest is set in Bermuda (1. 2. their journey. that honeymoon there. 229), in the words of Ariel, an airy spirit The Tempest describes a boatload of Accounts of the voyage soon reached attendant upon Prospero, the legal Duke of Italians sailing from Tunisia to Naples, England; the last-written that Milan: "Thou called'st me up at midnight encountering a storm and being shipwrecked Shakespeare seems to have known is to fetch dew/From the still-vexed on the Aeolian Island of Vulcano. The a letter by William Strachey, who Bermoothes ... " was on the Sea-Adventure, dated 15 Bermoothes is the way Spaniards (COliI'd 011 p. 20) July, 1610; though it was not pronounce "Bermudas," Stratfordians tell page 20 Summer 2003 Shakespeare Oxford Newsletter

Aeolian Stinking Pitch (cont' d ji-om p. 19) Shakespeare Oxford Society: Stratfordian theory that the shipwreck island is Bermuda is untenable and appears to be The Blue Boar Shop falsely contrived. With a copy of The LIMITED SUPPLY - Tempest on one's lap, anyone keen on BBO II The Relevance of Robert Greene Discovering Shakespeare Shakespeare may sit quietly on the rim of by Stephanie Hughes. $10.00 by Edward Holmes - $25 plus shipping Vulcano's Grand Fossa, pondering its red BBOl2 Oxford & Byron and black-pumiced crater sprinkled with 2003 SHAKESPEARE-OXFORD by Stephanie Hughes. $8.00 brilliant yellow and orange sulfur. How CALENDAR easily one becomes entranced by its wisps by Gerit Quealy- $15 BB013 The Conscience of a King and clouds of strangely seductive sulfurous by Charles Boyle. $5.00 fumes emerging with sputtering gurgling OTHER FINE OFFERINGS: BB014 Hedingham Castle Guide, brief sounds from mounds and contorted BBOOI Shakespeare Identified history of Castle and Earls of Oxford. excrescences around the interior crater and by 1. Thomas Looney. $20.00 $3.50 rim.IY One can then shift one's eyes to the BB002 The De Veres of Castle other six volcanic Aeolian cones, lonely BB015 Firing Line VHS videotape, Hedingham by Verily Anderson. $35.00 sentinels in a shimmering sea of sapphired 1984, Charlton Ogburn, Wm. F. blue standing guard over the distant misty BB003 The Letters & Poems of Edward, Buckley. $35.00 coast of Sicily. Gazing down on Vulcano Earl of Oxford by Katherine Chiljan. Back issues of The Oxfordian, and at the treacherously narrow strait $22.00 S. Hughes, editor: between Vulcano and Lipari, it is easy to BB004 The Mysteriolls William Shake­ become convinced that Vulcano is indeed OXVOI The Oxfordian, Vol. I (1998) speare by Charlton Ogburn (892 pp). the setting for The Tempest. OXV02 The Oxfordian, Vol. 2 (1999) $40.00 (The later 1998 reprinting) OXV03 The Oxfordian, Vol. 3 (2000) Notes BB005 The Anglican Shakespeare OXV04 The Oxfordian, Vol. 4 (2001) 1. John Barton. "Prospero' s Island," Shakespeare by Daniel Wright. $19.95 OXV05 The Oxfordian, Vol. 5 (2002) Oxford Newsletter, vol. 39, no. 1, Winter, 2003. - all issues $20.00 each 2. Richard Roe. Personal communication at SOS BB006 The Man Who Was Shakespeare Conference, Carmel, 1994. by Charlton Ogburn (94 pp.). $6.95 Back issues of the Society Newsletter: 3. Stanley Wells and Gary Taylor, eds. William NL3703 SO Newsletter, Fall 2001 BB007 Shakespeare: Who Was He? Shakespeare: The Complete Works, Oxford, NL3801 SO Newsletter, Winter 2002 1991, p. 1167. by Richard Whalen. $19.95 NL3802 SO Newsletter, Spring 2002 NL3803 SO Newsletter, Summer 2002 4. Ibid., p. 1168. BB009 A Hawkfrom a Handsaw 5. Carmelo Cavallaro and Vittorio Famularo. NL3804 SO Newsletter, Fall 2002 by Rollin De Vere. $12.00 The Aeolian Islands, Sagep, Genoa, 1988, p. 28. NL390I SO Newsletter, Winter 2003 6. Laura Mulassano and Gloria Vanni. Arcipelago BBO I 0 Shakespeare's Law NL3902 SO Newsletter, Spring 2003 Siciliano, Arnoldo Mondadori Editore, Milan. by Sir George Greenwood - all $ I 0.00 each 7. Ibid., p. 13. (FUl1her Newsletter back issues are also available at (M. Alexander ed.). $10.00 8. Webster's International Dictionmy, 2nd ed., $10 each. 25% discount for 5 issues or more). Springfield, Mass., 1934, p. 2900. 9. Cavallaro and Famularo, p. 42. Name: ______Item Price 10. Webster's International Dictionary, p. 1203. 11. Peter Moore, "The Tempest and the Belmuda Address: ______Shipwreck of 1609," Shakespeare Oxford Newsletter, vol. 32, no. 3, Summer, 1996. City: ______State: ZIP: ____ 12. Wells and Taylor. 13. Ibid. 14. Dorothy and Chariton Ogbum. This Star of Check enclosed: Credit Card: MC__ Visa__ Subtotal: England, New York, 1952, p. 1203. 10% member 15. Wells and Taylor, p. 1171. Card number: ______discount: 16. Eva Turner Clark. Hidden Allusions in Exp. date: _____ Shakespeare's Plays, New York, 1931. Subtotal: 17. Personal communication with Richard Roe. Signature: ______P&H, books 18. Paul H. Altrocchi. Most Greatly Lived: A ($1.00 each): Biographical Novel of Edward de Vere, Mail to: P&H (per order): $ 2.50 Seventeenth Earl of Oxford, Whose Pell Name Shakespeare Oxford Society was William Shakespeare. Xlibris, Philadelphia, 1555 Connecticut Avenue N.W. 2000. Grand Total: Suite 200, Washington, D.C. 20036 19. Ibid., p. 203. Shakespeare Oxford Newsletter Summer 2003 page 21

Book Review

Attributing Authorship: An Introduction throughout his life, using such devices as a an amusing explanation for American by Harold Love, Cambridge University bogus entry in Who's Who. critics' higher opinion of the poem and Press 2002 (271 pages) The subject of detecting the writer has greater willingness than English critics to not only a lengthy history, but a broad range ascribe it to Shakespeare - "much By Ramon Jimenez as well - from the concept of authorship Elizabethan poetry sounds better with an itself (or, as Michel Foucault puts it, "the American accent simply because it is closer The identity of the creator of the author-function") to some of the ultra­ to that of Elizabethan times than modern Shakespeare canon is only one of the many modern methods of detection, such as "dated RSC [Royal Shakespeare Company] authorship mysteries that Harold Love examples of word-processor fonts" English." discusses in this entertaining and thought­ possessed by the FBI. Of the two types of As expected in a book about attributing provoking history of scholars' attempts to evidence used, external and internal, the authorship, Love devotes a full chapter to find out who wrote what. The author is a external - primarily bibliographic and what he coyly calls "Shakespeare and Co." professor of English at Monash University biographic - has traditionally been given Even without the issue of the pseudonym in Victoria, Australia. His stated purpose is greater credence. But since the 1960s "the and the identity of its user, the Shakespeare to "mediate" between "computer-based balance of confidence has shifted back in canon has long been a gold mine for work on attribution studies" of the last four favour of the internal." Two reasons for this attributionists. Questions about decades and the traditional approaches to are that new external evidence is rare, and Shakespeare's authorship of poems and such studies, which extend as far back as techniques for detecting and evaluating plays and parts of plays, both in and out of pre-Christian Athens, where Aristotle internal evidence have improved the four Folios, probably began as soon as pondered the authenticity of Homeric texts. exponentially. his name appeared in print, and surely by Attributions also occupied the compilers of One type of internal evidence, stylistics, 1595, when the initials "W. S." appeared on the Jewish and Christian Bibles. "It was as it is called by the practitioners, includes the qUaI10 of Locrine. recognized early that the Pentateuch could everything from broad comparisons of For his discussion of the basic authorship not be more than partly the work of Moses, vocabulary and imagery to the counting of question, Love appears to rely on John though it was customary to present this fact the frequency of a single letter. Toward this Michell's relatively unbiased Who Wrote with some delicacy." latter end of the spectrum, stylistics passes Shakespeare (1996), but his approach is far An author's identity may be unknown or into stylometry, one definition of which is from objective. He has no doubts that the concealed in several different ways - "the exact quantitative measurement, man he calls "Will the player" was the anonymity, deli berate or accidental; tabulation, and interpretation of designated Kings Men's "house dramatist" - pseudonymity, including the use of another aspects of verbal performance." functioning as "a play-doctor for work by person's name; forgery; or fakery, which Love quotes some startling assessments others" and "a reviser of older scripts when might include several methods. Love of "non-traditional attribution studies" - they were brought back into the company's illustrates each method with a variety of those "employing the computer, statistics, repertoire." He also briskly clears up several examples. Pseudonyms, for instance, have and stylistics." One expert suggested in the of the minor authorship questions that have been rife in every place and period, and in late 1990s that the field was "a quagmire plagued editors and critics all these years. every genre from classical texts to modern full of half truths and flawed techniques," For those who have muddled over the romances. Some were involuntary. The and asserted that after thirty years and 700 authorship of Henry VIII, The Two Noble name of Jesus' apostle John was attached published studies, "there is more wrong Kinsmen and em'denio, it is helpful to read by church officials after his death to five with attribution studies than there is right." Love's pronouncement that they are "known Biblical books by one or more anonymous Stylometry's status as a legitimate science to be collaborations with John Fletcher." It authors. Most, however, are self-adopted, is still debated, and the inepressible Eric is also revealing to learn that Timon of but with differing degrees of intent. In Sams once equated stylometry with Athens, M easurefor Measure, and Macbeth 1586, William Camden issued hisBritannia phrenology, adding that "nobody has ever "probably contain contributions by Thomas under the initials "M. N.," the last letters of proved that minds can be measured by Middleton and are to be included in the new his name, and we are all familiar with the bumps, or style by numbers." Oxford University Press edition of transparent "W. S." Another "W. S." was Even though he presumably finished his Middleton' s Works." (This publication has William Sharp, who, in the nineteenth­ book in 2001, Love does not report the apparently not yet been issued.) century, published biographies and novels sudden resolution of the most recent Love approaches the anti-Stratfordian under his own name, and "Celtic fiction" authorship calise celebre-Donald Foster's argument in the usual manner of the under the name "Fiona Macleod." He attribution of A Funeral Elegy to (collt'dollp.22) resolutely concealed Fiona's identity Shakespeare. He does, however, provide page 22 Summer 2003 Shakespeare Oxford Newsletter

Book Reviews (collt'dfrol7l p. 21) orthodox critics - by disparaging its once as "the best for comedy." These facts forms - thou/you, that/which, etc. - seemed proponents and their alleged motives. But are outweighed by the scant evidence that to reflect his birth date, with one startling instead of the hoary "snobbery" argument, Shakespeare of Stratford was an actor and exception. Instead of the expected similarity he sees sociological forces at work: "The a part-owner of two theaters. To explain the of usage between Marlowe and Shakespeare Baconian cause, with its reliance on ciphers intimate and accurate knowledge of the law of Stratford, both born in 1564, Hope found and elaborate mathematical arguments, and legal concepts revealed in the plays, that the author of the Shakespeare canon represented an attempt to appropriate Love offers his own variant of the quaint had the socio-linguistic habits of a man Shakespeare for the emerging, number­ "Mermaid Tavern" theory, suggesting that significantly older than Marlowe. He based culture of scientists, engineers, if Shakespeare needed legal knowledge "it suggested that this anomaly might be evolutionary biologists and political was easier to extract this from Inns-of­ explained by the Stratford man's arithmeticians. Subsequent attempts to Court drinkers in the Devil Tavern than to "southwestern upbringing" in, as John claim authorship for such colourful search volumes of precedents." Rollett once put it, "darkest Warwickshire," characters as Marlowe and the literary Love's excursion into the authorship far removed from the linguistically aristocrats of the Elizabethan courtrepresent question leads him to the issue of advanced London scene. an anti-scientistic move to reappropriate circumstantial evidence. He cites B. R. The Shakespeare authorship question the plays for the older literary culture." Ward's connection of Shake-speare's involves an unusual set of circumstances - How and where he would fit Whitman, Sonnets to Edward de Vere through the a literary genius who concealed his writings Twain, James, or Freud into either of these onlie begetter' Mr. W. H. ---+ William Hall under a pseudonym throughout his life for groups is unclear. Continuing along this ---+ George Eld --. Hackney ---+ King's Place as yet undetermined reasons; the continued line, Love dismisses the Baconian argument ---+ Earl 0/040rd series of links as typical concealment of his authorship after his death by describing one of its more eccentric of a circumstantial chain that breaks by those who knew about it, including his proponents. Turning to Marlowe, he calls wherever one of its links cannot be proved. descendants; the deliberate substitution of him an "aggressive drunk" who "pulled a True enough that there are weak links in an alternative author; and the intentional knife on Ingram Frizier," and rejects the this chain, but there is not even a thread of falsification of physical and literary idea of the fake murder on the grounds that similar connections, much less a chain, evidence to perpetuate the fable into the it is based on the "arbitrary assertion" that between the publication in 1609 of Shakes­ ensuing centuries. It appears that a hoax of Marlowe was W alsingham ' slover. peare's Sonnets and the retired grain­ this scope and audacity is beyond the As for the "literary aristocrats," Love hoarder in Stratford-upon-Avon. Love then detective capacity of scholars who scrutinize vigorously demolishes one straw man after undercuts his own reasoning by citing a documents and count words. This another, such as the "implied assumption" nineteenth-century judge's observation that introduction to attribution studies is a useful that literary genius was a genetic quality circumstantial evidence is not a chain-like survey of the subject that inadvertently "more likely to emerge in noble families." series of links only as strong where it is reveals the astonishing failure of its He then naively claims that the case for weakest, but a rope of many strands that practitioners to solve, or even to seriously Oxford is "hampered from the start by the would still bear the weight of the argument address, the greatest mystery in world fact that he died in 1604, whereas new plays if one or two of them were broken. literature. attributed to Will the player continued to Some Oxfordians might think that Love appear for a number of years after that hit the nail on the head with his conclusion date." He does not seem aware of the same that "the only sensible reason ... why The aile Novel that tells problem in the three or four previously members of the aristocracy might have the Tl'lIe History, unknown plays that appeared in the First wanted their plays to be performed on the MystelY, and Romance Folio in 1623, seven years after Will's public stage is as a programme of political of Edward de Vere death. propaganda masterminded from the court." SHAKESPEARE'S GHOST Another reason for rejecting Oxford and Strangely, Love does not cite, or even by James Webster Sherwood every other alternative author is that "the mention, one of the most revealing of the writing of a play for the Elizabethan public recent attempts to distinguish authentic "A work a/poetry, .. . /ullny, stage was a highly technical activity," and Shakespearean texts from bogus ones - heartbreaking, magnificent" "the candidates are invariably amateurs." Jonathan Hope's The authorship 0/ 384 Pages / $25.00 (incl. S&H) According to Love, actors know that the Shakespeare's plays, A socia-linguistic stage-savvy Shakespeare had to have been study (1994). Using "socio-historical" Send check to: one of their own. This rules out everyone linguistic evidence to identify certain OPUS BOOKS but Will the player. There is no mention that gradual changes in English usage, Hope 5 Central Drive Oxford was a published poet, a patron of a found distinctive patterns among five Plandome, NY 11030 playing company (as was his father), a selected dramatists - Marlowe, Dekker, www.opusbooks.com lessor of a public theater, and was cited in Fletcher, Massinger, and Shakespeare. Each ISBN 0-9661961-1-2 print three times as a leading playwright, author's use of half-a-dozen changing word- Shakespeare Oxford Newsletter Summer 2003 page 23

In Search of Shakespeare had been written, at the latest, by a mature The purpose Michael Wood. BBC Worldwide Ltd Shakespeare in 1598-9, and proposes that of the London, 2003 ., the beautiful boy was William Herbert Shakespeare born in 1580, who became the earl of By Derran Chariton Pembroke in 1601, and had first come to Oxford Society court in 1597, around the time of his is to establish Edward de Vere , Michael Wood, a fellow of the Royal seventeenth birthday. The dark lady is 17th Earl of Oxford, ~istorical Society, has written a lavishly proposed as Elizabeth Lanier - the late A.L. (1550-1604) as the true author Illustrated book: III Search ofShakespeare, Rowse's candidate - and the other of the Shakespeare works, an elegant Stratfordian interpretation of candidates are ignored. Shakespeare's "true to encourage a high level Shakespeare's enigmatic life. Oxfordians sorrow" is usually explained as a response will criticize Wood's book as being written of scholarly research to his separation from the boy, but Wood, from a Stratfordian angle, which it is, but and publication, and to quoting Sonnet 33, claims that this cannot nonetheless it and the supportive four-part foster an enhanced be the whole story as his love is "absolute, BBC documentary are visual delights that appreciation and enjoyment intense, overwhelming," in the way a father incorporate many probing aspects, including of the poems and plays. feels for a dead child. He relates Shakspere' s Shakspere's family and ancestors, the vast feelings on the death of his son Hamnet. The Society was founded and size of his father's wool-dealing operations, Oxfordians might disagree. Wood fully incorporated in 1957 the Somerville Plot, the execution of Edward covers the Catholic influence on in the State of New York Arden, theater as propaganda, Christopher Shakespeare, detailing the Catholic and was chartered under the Marlowe's murder, the death of Hamnet Reformation and the enforcement of the membership corporation laws Shakspere, the Wilton "academy," the of that state as a non-profit, anti-Catholic laws, the Catholic will of Oldcastle scandal, the Boys companies and educational organization. Shakspere's grandfather, and Shakspere's the War of the Poets, the Essex Rebellion purchase on the morning of 10 March 1613 Dues, grants and contributions are tax­ and the deposition play, the death of deductible to the extent allowed by law: of the gatehouse at Blackfriars - a Catholic Elizabeth and the accession of James, and IRS No. 13-6105314; New York 07182. safe house. the King's Men. The richest part of Wood's book is, I Sumptiously illustrated, the emblems at suggest, the pertinent references to the the chapter headings and on the contents charismatic Jesuit priest Robert Southwell page are taken from Geoffrey Whitney's "An intellectual tour de force. who was distantly related to Shaksper~ Choice of Emblems (1586) and other Finally the definitive through the Ardens (as was Edward de Elizabethan books. The maps of Vere through the same Arden and Trussel Judeo-Christian interpretation of Shakespeare's London, of the Shored itch families). Essentially, William Shakspere Hamlet. I simply cannot recom­ theater district, Bishopsgate and the theater and Edward de Vere were distantly related. mend this book more highly!" inns, Southwark ("a licensed stew" as one Wood carefully explains how the poet - TR Eckhardt, Playwright. Puritan preacher called it), "Shakespeare's" Southwell drafted "An Humble 1?02 to ca. 1606 neighborhood, including Supplication to Her Majesty," addressed to Hamlet-Christ Silver Street, are choice, as are the Victorian the queen herself, insisting that it was photographs of the local Elizabethan by possible to be both patriotic and Catholic - topography taken ca. 1880. Odysseus Er an extraordinary response to the In dealing with Shakspere's biography, government's anti-Catholic measures of Over 440 pages. Wood's book incorporates the usual Autumn, 1591. His poems, some startling Each scene of Hamlet is analysed in suppositions, for example: "But in trying to in their fantastic and original imagery, first detail. Besides the Judeo-Christian get a sense of Shakespeare's early education printed in 1595, went through thirteen analysis, it also includes three levels we shouldn't exaggerate the importance of editions in a generation, and were counted of historical analysis: ancient, books. The household in Henley Street among the most successful of the age, Medieval, and Elizabethan. might have possessed the odd book; a Bible, alongside Shakespeare's Fcnlls alld Adonis. for example, an old prayer book or primer." Together they represent the twin poles of Softcover $25.00 He fails to mention that there is not a single Elizabethan devotional poetry, the one to (includes shipping and handling) reference to any book (not even a Bible), God, the other to love. unpublished manuscripts, nor a musical Send check or money order payable Southwell's ideas were recorded in a instrument, in Shakspere's will. to: NonconfOlmist Press remarkable and influential letter composed, . Wood also attempts to marry biography 822 Clay land Street perhaps, just before his capture in July, with S.hakespeare' s sonnets. He suggests St. Paul MN USA 55104 1592, and circulated as a preface to a th~t a sizeable number ofthe sonnets dealing Website: nonconf01111istpress.com wIth the "fair youth" anc! the "dark lady" (COliI'd all p. 24) page 24 Summer 2003 Shakespeare Oxford Newsletter

Book Reviews (cont' dfrol7l p. 23) manuscript collection of his poems. The death) his ini tials are gi ven. They are" W. S." letter was addressed to his "loving and In the documentary (soon to debut in good cousin" who, he said, had encouraged America on PBS), Stratfordian "insights" him to publish his poetry. His cousin, he are given on location by Edmund Fairfax­ asserted, was a far superior poet, but Lucy re the legend of the Charlecote deer Southwell took him to task over the role of poaching; Sir Bemard de Houghton relates poets in such an age, insisting on their the Shakeshafte mystery; Lord Montague Volunteer For The Society obligation to write spiritual work. In a is interviewed about his ancestor, the Earl Volunteers make a difference dedicatory poem to the reader, Southwell of Southampton; Stanley Wells refers to in the Shakespeare Oxford Society's spelt out precisely what he had in mind: Wilton House; and the present Duke of success. Volunteers are needed "StilI the finest wits are (di)stilling Venus' Rutland discusses Burbage and Shakspere' s for the newsletter, research, rose ... playing with pagan toys ... " links to the Rutland Impressa. The conference and event planning, Was this mere convention? Venus, after documentary features performances by the membership, the website, etc. all, is at the heart of all love poetry. Or had Royal Shakespeare Company, and visits to Please contact us at Southwell read Venus and Adonis the New Globe, the College of Arms, the [email protected] (published 1593) during his time at BIackfriars, British Library, the Stationers' or write us at: Southampton's mother's Holbom house? Hall, the Public Records Office, the Bodleian Several poets in the early 1590s were Library, the National Portrait Gallery, and Executive Director affected by Southwell's plea, most famously naturally, Stratford-upon-Avon. Shakespeare Oxford Society the protestant Edmund Spenser, and Thomas The book is interesting in places, but 1555 Connecticut Ave. N.W., #200 Lodge. In the final lines of the letter, infuriating in its lack of references and its Washington, D.C. 20036 Southwell smiles about his own "ditties" tendency to assert, as true, things that are compared with the much finer verse of his unknown. Most frustratingly, neither De loving cousin. Although in the early editions Vere nor the Authorship Question is the addressee is called "my loving and good mentioned! In summary, Michael Wood cousin," in the one brought out in 1616 has written an intriguing but largely (coincidentally or not,just after Shakspere' s irrelevant book and documentary.

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Ten Restless Ghosts of Mantua (cover) Globe's Authorship COl1ference (cover) SOS Conference Update (page 2) Aeolian Stinking Pitch (page 3) The Temple in Lord Pembroke's Garden (page 6) Oxfordian News (page 9) Elizabeth Exhibited (page 10) Book Review (page 21)

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