The Shakespeare

:N"ewsIetter

Vo l. 38 :No. 2 "What Ilews/i'o/JI 040rd? Do thesejusts and triumphs hold?" Richard 11 5.2 Spling 2002

A Portrait of Edward de Vere, Philip Sidney, Southampton? and the Battle of Agincourt,

wo London newspapers, the "(9 (9 (9 in brawl ridiculous" T Observer and the Daily Mail, and The New York Time s have recently featured articles claiming that a newly By Ramon Jimenez found portrait depicts Henry This is the final part of Jimenez's three­ Oxfordian scholars have seen Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton, part series on Shakespeare's Hemy IV-V satirizations of Sidney in Love's the dedicatee of Shakespeare's poems, trilogy. The paper was presented at the Labour's Lost, The Merry Wives of Venus and Adonis and Lucrece, and Sixth Annual Edward de Vere Studies Windsor, and Twelfth Night. Now, a almost universally agreed as the "Fair Conference. previously unnoticed connection Youth" of Shakespeare's Sonnets. The between Sidney'S An Apology fo r reason the picture has made such a he relationship between Sir Philip Poetl)" and several of Shakespeare's splash in the media is that for all T Sidney and William Shakespeare, history plays has revealed a startling appearances, it is a portrait of a woman pseUdonym of Edward de Vere, 17th and historic exchange between - or so it was thought until recently, Earl of Oxford, has long been a subject Elizabeth's two most brilliant courtier­ thus reawakening "speculation over the of literary interest. Although neither poets. possible bisexuality of Shakespeare," referred to the other in In an article in the says theNY Time s. But is this attribution his letters, their Summer , 2001, justified? contemporaries record Shakespeare Oxford The wood panel portrait is owned by that between 1569, Newsletter, I summarized Alec Cobbe, a designer and art restorer, when the fifteen-year­ the overwhelming and has been in his family for over 300 old Sidney was briefly evidence that Edward de years. Cobbe took an interest in the a rival of De Vere's for Vere was the author of the painting a few years ago while the hand of Anne anonymous play The cataloging the family treasures at the Cecil, and Sidney'S Famous Victories of manor of Hatchlands Park, Surrey, for death in 1586, they Henry the Fift h, and that an exhibition. On the back of it was a came into contact on it was probably his first label with a faded inscription, later several occasions. In play, certainly his first determined to be the handwriting of their notorious "tennis history play, written Archbishop Cobbe of Dublin (1686- court quarrel" in 1579, before 1577, and 1765), an ancestor to the current Mr. Oxford was said to probably in 1574. This Cobbe. The label identified the sitter as have called Sidney a SirPhilipSidll ey crude and short prose "Lady Norton, daughter of the Bishop "puppy," but a clear effort of about fifteen- of Winton." picture of their relationship before that hundred lines, which bears the subtitle By happenstance, the painting was incident, or during Sidney's last years, Containing the Honourable Battell of seen by Alastair Laing, an art advisor has not emerged. Their literary Ag in-collrt, clearly represents the to the National Trust. Laing came to the connections are more apparent, and author's first attempt to dramatize the conclusion that the label was incorrect, scholars have found numerous action and events of the subsequent Prince and that the painting featured a young passages in Sidney's writings that they Hal plays, Henry IV, Parts I and 2 and male sitter, not a female. The figure is think are echoed, imitated, or reworded Hem)' V. The characters, plot, language, seen with a beautiful face, rouged in the Shakespeare canon. Beginning and sequence of events in the cheeks, lipstick, a large decorative with John T. Looney in 1920, several Shakespearean trilogy are obviously and (cant 'd all p. 10) (coll t 'd all p. 12) page 2 Spring 2002 Shakespeare Oxford Newsletter

Shakespeare Oxford Oxford Document Bought Newsletter Published quarterly by the by Film Composer Shakespeare Oxford Society 1555 Connecticut Ave. N.W. By Katherine Chiljan Suite 200 Washington, D.C. 20036 s reported in the Winter 2002 poster" - a broadside, dated circa 1600 ISSN 1525-6863 A Newsletter, the SOS did get a letter - advertising the trial of the Earl of passed on to the new owner of the letter Essex with a list of the accusations Editor: Robert Brazil th Editorial Director: Katherine Chiljan patent signed by the 17 Earl of Oxford, against him. which was auctioned last year at Born in New Zealand, Revell now Editorial Board: Katherine Chiljan, Ram6n Jimenez, Sotheby's. Graeme Revell contacted us lives in the Los Angeles area and is a Gerit Quealy, Jack Shuttleworth, recently and agreed to an interview, film composer. He's written over sixty Richard Whalen and we're happy to report that he indeed film scores including, The Hand that Phone: 202-207-0281 is an Oxfordian, "obsessed" with the Rocks the Cradle, The Saint, Dead topic since about 1995, when he read an Calm (for which he won the equivalent email: [email protected] abridged version of Charlton Ogburn's of the Australian Academy Award), All contents copyright © 2002 The Mysterious William Shakespeare. and most recently Collateral Damage, Shakespeare Oxford Society "I've read most of the material that's High Crimes and Human Nature. The newsletter welcomes articles, essays, commentary. around," said Revell, "and basically "I came out of performance art and book reviews, letters and news items. Contributions should be reasonably concise and, when appropriate, have become completely convinced in rock and roll so my skills are fairly validated by peer review. The views expressed by contributors do not necessarily reflect those of the the subject. I think this story resonates contemporary, so I get to work on films the society as a literary and educational organization. because of the idea of somebody who like Tomb Raider, not so highbrow as I was more or less cheated out of might like." intellectual property is, I think, a very Revell is convinced that a feature contemporary story." He has since kept film of the Oxford story could turn Board of Trustees abreast of the issue by reading the SOS history around, "almost the same way Shakespeare Oxford Society website. "Somebody asked me recently, that the Queen used Edward de Vere , Are you convinced this is a true story?' the English theater as propaganda. You Lifetime HO/lOrmJ' Trustees and I said it's exactly like the O.J. can write a thousand books on the Dr. Gordon Cyr Simpson trial: the evidence for one guy subject, but if you make one film the Charles Boyle is about a quarter inch long, and for the whole debate would turn on a dime."

2001-2002 other guy, it goes around the universe. He would love to write the score for the BOARD OF TRUSTEES Which one do you believe?" Edward de Vere story. "I would like to Graeme Revell is a rare book collector start from the older material. Some of President who recently bought at auction four the music from that period has the most Aaron Tatum Shakespeare quartos that were owned gorgeous melodies - Byrd, Dowland by the late Sir John Gielgud: The ... I'd like to update those and First Vice-President . Dr. Jack Shuttleworth Merchant of Venice, King Lear, and orchestrate them in a slightly more two editions of Romeo and Juliet. He contemporary way." Perhaps soon Mr. Second Vice-President believes that detailed research could Revell may have his chance, as at least Dr. Frank Davis show some differences in the quartos three Oxford films are in development.

Recording Secretary that might be very illuminating for the When asked how he felt about Wayne Shore Oxford case. About six months ago, owning a piece of De Vere, Revell Revell bid unsuccessfully for a replied: "I suppose it's similar to Treasurer transcript (in manuscript) of the Essex reading one of the first editions I own Joe C. Peel trial: "I think that was a very key event - a feeling of awe and privilege to be with Oxford being up on the bench at holding in my hands a memento of such Katherine Chiljan Barboura Flues the time, and I really wanted to find out genius and dedication. It's very John Hamill what was in there." The document sold inspirational and challenging to my Michael Forster Pisapia for about $20,000. Besides Revell's new meager art. More particularly, in the Gerit Quealy acquisition of the 1592 Oxford case of the De Vere document, it's a James Sherwood document, the only other Elizabethan challenge to all of us to keep working to Susan Sybersma manuscript he owns is a "wanted reveal the truth." Shakespeare Oxford Newsletter Spring 2002 page 3

Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens Argues for Oxford's Authorship of Shakespeare

Supreme Court Justice John Paul or Bottom, on the other. Is it merely Queen Elizabeth's principal adviser. Stevens is a strong advocate for the the secondary meaning derived from Nine years later Cecil became Lord Earl of Oxford as the true Shakespeare . knowledge about those characters Burghley and De Vere married his Ju stice Stevens took office in 1975 that produces the different reaction daughter, Anne. The ceremony was and in the past quarter century has to the sound of their names, or do the performed in Westminster Abbey and earned respect as a brilliant justice sounds themselves have attended by the Queen. and legal scholar, thus his research, independent significance? Some Most scholars agree that the �writings and public sp eeches about authors not only pick the names of character Polonius, the King's the Shakespeare Authorship problem their characters with special care, principal adviser in Hamlet, is a are not easily dismissed. In 1992, he but also create special names for caricature of Burgh ley. Ifwe assume published a landmark legal opinion themselves. Do the names Mark that Hamlet represented the author, on Shakespeare in the University of Twain, O. Henry, or George Eliot it is only a small step to think of Pennsylvania Law Review (140: 1372- convey the same message as the Polonius' daugh ter Ophelia as 86), titled, "The Shakespeare Canon names Samuel Clemens, William representing Anne. One more step of Statutory Construction. " On Octo­ Sidney Porter, or Mary Anne Evans? would find an analogy between ber 17, 2001, Justice Stevens ad­ Rather than identifying the true Polonius' employment of Reynaldo dressed the Beverly W. Pattishall In­ source of a written work, a to spy on his son Laertes in Paris, augured Lecture in Trademark Law at pseudonym may conceal the author's and Burghley's use of a spy to learn the John Marshall Law School in identity but nevertheless provide about his own son's Parisian vices. Chicago. The following excerpts come some distinctive assurance about the This scenario suggests that a better from a transcript of that sp eech. The quality of the work. We know what a understanding of the Burghley entire sp eech can be read on the Coca Cola will taste like even if we household, and the extent of the internet at: 1v1vw.jmls. edu/ripl/ know nothing about the company Stratford man's relationship to it, default.l1tm. that produces it. may shed more light on the The fact that a play or a poem was authorship controversy. ith your indulgence, I propose written by William Shakespeare gives The earliest of the plays now W now to comment briefly on the rise to a presumption that it is worth attributed to William Shakespeare question whether a rose would really reading. Would that presumption be were originally published without be as attractive under an entirely equally strong if we were persuaded naming their author. The first work different name. In the early days of that the true author of the using that name to designate its my law practice, I occasionally was Shakespeare Canon was Edward de author was the poem Venus and required to consider whether an ad­ Vere, the 17th Earl of Oxford, who Adonis. The preface to the poem is a vertised brand of a product such as elected to write under another name? dedication to Henry Wriothesley, the milk, that commanded a higher retail I suppose Juliet would say that the third Earl of Southampton, signed by price than an unadvertised brand of same presumption would prevail, but "William Shakespeare" and referring the identical product, was a good "of it is at least possible that more to the poem as "the first heir of my like grade and quality" within the knowledge about the true author invention." Whether the word meaning of the Robinson-Patman might lessen or indeed, it might "invention" refers to the nom de Act. A straightforward application strengthen - that presumption. plume of the author or to the work of Juliet's observation about roses Edward de Vere was a brilliant, itself is not entirely clear, but it is provides us with an easy answer, but well-educated and well-traveled clear that the identity of the dedicatee I have often wondered whether trade­ nobleman, a patron of acting is significant. For, apart from the mark lawyers or economists might companies and a favorite of Queen dedication itself, and a comparable have a different view. Elizabeth. In 1562, when he was 12 dedication to Southampton of the Consider names like Desdemona, years old, his father (the 16th Earl of later poem, The Rape of Lucrece, Ophelia, Rosalind, Maryan, or Oxford) died and Edward moved to there is no evidence that the man Romeo, on the one hand, and names London to become a ward of the from Stratford ever met, or had any like Iago, Shylock, Caliban, Anselmo, Crown. He resided with William Cecil, (col1t'd 011 p. 21) page 4 Spring 2002 Shakespeare Oxford Newsletter

The Sixth Annual Edward de Vere Studies Conference

By Gerit Quealy

n Thursday, April 11til, the Sixth Berney focused on the 1723 sketch by Kositsky giving a sprightly chronicle O Annual Edward de Vere Studies George Vertue, which used the Chandos of the perils of being an Oxfordian Conference at Concordia University, portrait of Shakespeare as a model for author in the "bunny-eats-bunny" Portland, Oregon was kicked off to a the face. He posited that perhaps this world of children's publishing. A rousing start with music - madrigals, to drawing was commissioned for the screening of the infamous Firing Line be specific. At St. Michael's Lutheran purpose of replacing the bust of the program hosted by William F. Buckley, Church, adjacent to the Concordia grain merchant with one that could be featuring Charlton Ogburn pitted campus, Eric Altschuler, M.D., Ph.D., taken for a poet, although ultimately against Professor Maurice Charney was presented "De-fragmenting this was not done. This was followed punctuated by hoots and hollers from Shakespeare: Does Oxford by Reverend John Baker, a Marlovian the audience, followed by the official

Shakespeare = Weelkes?" Altschuler, who genially joins Oxfordian welcome by Professor Charles Kunnert, along with fellow researcher William proceedings, contributing a new thesis Ph.D, Dean of the College of Arts and Jansen, argue that 16th Century on New Place, entitled "Will Sciences at Concordia. Professor Daniel composer Thomas Weelkes' s music Shakespeare: Actor, Theatre Manager Wright continued the welcome, reading bears a striking resemblance to what we and ... Hostel Owner?" Rev. Baker letters from actor Michael York, Mark know of Oxford's musicianship as well explored the possibility that Rylance, actor and artistic director of as what we know as Shakespeare's Shakespeare's big beautiful new house Shakespeare's Globe, London, and compositions. The paper was was not a testimony to his London Lewis Lapham, Editor of Harper's, who "illustrated" by a sextet of singers, the success as a playwright (as observed that The New York Times Portland State University Madrigals Stratfordians claim), but instead served finally "condescended" to write about Ensemble, who filled the chapel with a as a hostelry. Because it was built wide Oxford (William Niederkorn, the cappella madrigals of the works in along the street front, rather than deep article's author, was an attendee at the question. A CD of Weelkes' Madrigals as was heretofore thought, the dormer conference), and that the "De Vere star and Anthems performed by the Consort structure of the fayade was more has begun to rise, still low in the East of Musicke in England was available in indicative of hostels of that time rather and obscured by clouds of drifting the bookstore, but quickly sold out. than a mansion solely for the use of the cant," but he hopes that "in ten years Preceding this was a talk by Charles owner and his family. This hypothesis the star will be at its zenith." Berney, Ph .D. on "The Adventure of would certainly be more in keeping with The Keynote speaker, Hank the Stratford Bust," a foray into the what we know of Will's mercenary ways. Whittemore, offered a cunning mysteries of the unusual effigy in Friday, April 12th, Edward de Vere's "reconstruction" of the relationship Trinity Church. Examining early birthday in 1550 (see related article pg. between Ben Jonson and Will drawings depicting the monument, Dr. 6), began early with author Lynne Shakspere, which could have been subtitled "Ben and Will: The Untold Story" - a complex and fascinating examination of the connection between the two, involving spy rings, sedition, and plagiary (Jonson coined the term) and Jonson's role in the cover-up of the true author. Barbara Burris spoke next, further elucidating her research on the Ashbourne portrait at the Folger Shakespeare Library, the 300 page file there, and the extent to which the institution may have gone to obscure vital pieces of evidence in the painting found in Charles Wisner Barrell's x­ rays, including the fact that some "original paint was rubbed away so This is the ollly known "authentic" illustration of Nell' Place. which was pulled vigorously that perforations were made down in 1702. The sketch was made by George Vertue ''ji'om memory" in 1737. in the canvas." She asserted that the Shakespeare Oxford Newsletter Spring 2002 page 5

Folger seemed to wish to prove it was May has done exhaustive work unequivocal "No." Concordia's own anyone but Oxford and that former SOS compiling all the printed texts of poems Professor Kevin Simpson presented a president Gordon Cyr may have been of the Elizabethan Age, much of which summation of his ongoing research on misled into agreeing that the portrait is in his book The Elizabethan Courtier the subj ect of "Greatness. "He explored was of London's Lord Mayor, Hugh Poets (Pegasus Press). He explained the artistic temperament and the Hamersley (an identification the Folger why writing poetry was a fashionable "requirements" for those who achieve claims to this day). and popular pastime for noblemen of greatness in a particular field, alluding Hank Whittemore returned to speak the time, describing the immediate to the fact that Oxford meets many, if on "A Real Life Inspiration for Hamlet's poetic and cultural context out of which not all, of these precepts, contrasting it Mousetrap," detailing a performance these poems grew. May elaborated on with the disparity in the Stratford man's of a play given before Queen Elizabeth the commonality of language and its biography. (and possibly De Vere) which upset her uses, offering the conclusion that, Stephanie Hughes, editor of The so much she left in the middle. Jonni based on the few poems we have from Oxfordian, submitted a compelling case Lea Dunn followed with an excerpt from Oxford's pen, De Vere doesn't exhibit for Mary Sidney using the pseudonym her thesis on Oxford's Literary the talent to have written the works of John Webster in her paper, "Who Was Sponsorship, hoping to reverse the Shakespeare (needless to say, Prof. 'The Duchess of Malfi'? The Relevance perception of Oxford's lingering bad May is not an Oxfordian). He also of John Webster to the Authorship reputation by focusing on the good he offered a list of places where material Question." did in his life, iII ustrating with the may exist in manuscript form, a gauntlet After lunch, Richard Roe disclosed statement, "flattery in dedications thrown down for any assiduous more of his absorbing research on cannot be taken as sycophantic or Oxfordian researcher. Shakespeare in Italy. Roe has spent insincere," ergo the dedications to Saturday's papers began with extensive time in Italy identifying all Oxford were well earned. Professor Paul Altrocchi, M.D. on "Did the places Shakespeare mentions in the Friday's events concluded with Prof. Edward de Vere Die of 'Ye Plague'?" Italian plays, proving the author's Steven May, Ph.D. on "The Earl of and after examining and explicating the intimate knowledge of Italyfrom having

Oxford's Poetry in Context." Professor extant documents, his answer: an (cont'd on p. 20)

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New Evidence Confirms Oxford's Birth Date

By Robert Brazil

his year, 2002, brought us the 452nd reigned from 1553-58. Oxford first took up his seat in T birthday of Edward de Vere. For some Edward VI was a devoted Protestant, Parliament on April 2, 1571. Perhaps the time, Oxford's nativity has been a debated and his Privy Council were as well. So DNB editors subtracted 21 years from issue, and the exact fixing of Oxford's while we have no record of the ceremony, that date, missing the true mark by only birth date has been a challenge. Now it is extremely likely that Oxford was ten days. B. M. Ward gave the ultimately there is new information - that a ch ristened in an Anglican, Protestant correct date of April 12, 1550 as did the christening cup was delivered out of the ceremony. This is relevant as the Veres Ogburns, Senior and Junior, Ruth Loyd Royal Treasury in April, 1550, on behalf had historically been Catholics, like all Miller, and other scholars on Oxford. of King Edward VI, as a gift to the 16th the old nobility, and thus there has been There are now several documentary Earl of Oxford on the christening of his speculation, in the absence of evidence, sources that confirm the April 12, 1550 son and new male heir, Edward de Vere. that Edward de Vere might have had a birth date: a Burghley diary entry of 1576, Perhaps this 27.25 oz. gold and silver fact secret Catholic baptism. The record of a manuscript by Percival Golding circa will help settle the matter once and for all. the christening gift by the Protestant 1618, documents relating to Oxford's U. C. Berkeley Professor Alan Nelson King and Council strongly suggests that freedom from wardship and suing his found the relevant document, and posted it was a Protestant baptism. livery in 1571, and now the Treasury the infonnation on his website. 1 Here is th e Baptism and christening generally warrant for the christening cup. entry, updated into modern English. refer to the same event, in both Catholic One source for Oxford's birth date is and Anglican practice. Though baptism the Table of Progeny of the Veres. This To our loving friend Sir Anthony was an initiation rite for adults in the manuscript was written circa 1618-1625 Aucher, Knight, Master of the early Church, infant baptism gradually by Percival Golding, but clearly King's jewels and plate. The King's became standard practice within Roman incorporated earlier notes. Portions of Majesty's pleasure, by our advice, Catholicism. The Tudor-founded Church this manuscript were printed, is that you deliver unto Phillip of England carried over the practice of inaccurately, by W. Kittle in his Manwaring (Gentleman Usher to the infant baptism. As life was often brutal posthumous 1942 book: Edward de Vere King's Majesty): One standing cup, and quite short, it was thought to be a I 7th Earl of Oxford and Shakespeare. gilt with a cover, weighing twenty very good and wise thing to baptize In 1999, I obtained a copy of the seven (and a quarter) ounces - By infants quickly, guaranteeing entry into actual Golding manuscript (Harleian MS him to be delivered, as the King's heaven, should they die in childhood. 4189), and posted the relevant section Majesty's gift at the Christening of The central feature of baptism is on the web. (See graphic on next page.) our very good Lord, the Earl of 3 purification by water, which represents Here follows the entry, in modern Oxford's Son. And these, our letters the sacrament of Spirit, and removal of English. shall be your sufficient warrant and sin. The central feature of christening is discharge therein. Given at the Edward de Vere, only son of John, the officialnaming of the infant or initiate. King's Majesty's Manor at born the twelfth day of April, Anno Thus it is a technical triviality Greenwich the 17th of April, the 4th 1550, Earle of Oxenford, High whether we refer to Oxford's baptism year of his Highness' most Chamberlain, Lord Bolebec, or his christening. The document uses prosperous Reign - King Edward Sandford and Badlesmere, Steward the word "christening. " 2 the Sixth 1550. of the Forest in Essex, and of the In establishing Oxford's date of birth Privy Council to the King Majesty The document in question is a as an historic fact, the first problem was that now is. Of whom I will only warrant, a standard authorization for the to sort out the disagreements among speak what all men's voices delivery out of the royal treasury of any modern published sources. There has confirm: He was a man in mind and sum of money or particular piece of been a strange discrepancy in the various body absolutely accomplished treasure. Sir Anthony Aucher was, in reference volumes which have printed with honorable endowments. He fact, the Master of the Jewel House of birthdays of Edward de Vere. died at his house at Hackney in the the Tower of London at that time. In the first Oxfordian treatise, month of June, Anno 1604, and The monarch of England was the boy Shakespeare Identified, 1920, 1. T. lieth buried at Westminster. King, Edward VI, only 17 years old in Looney gave April 2, 1550 for Oxford's 1550. He died in 1553 and was followed on birth date. Looney's knowledge of Oxford This evidence for Oxford's birthday is the throne by Jane Grey, who ruled all was based almost entirely on the also notable as the only documentary of nine days, and then by his elder Dictionary of National Biography source for the controversial notion that sister "Bloody" Mary I of England, who entry, which includes the fact that our Poet actually lies buried in Shakespeare Oxford Newsletter Spring 2002 page 7

Westminster. It also seems to be the centuries later. countries as occurring on two conflicting main source that proclaims or confirms When "correcting" dates from the past dates. The Elizabethans were the first that Oxford served on James' Privy there is a sliding scale, not a static formula. generation in England to experience this Council. A careful reading of the line: English dates from 1582-1700 require a strange problem first hand. " ... Steward of the Forest in Essex, and ten day correction. Dates from 1700-1752 When Oxford was writing, or anytime of the Privy Council to the King Majesty require an eleven day correction; 1752 is after October 1582, one could receive a that now is" allows that Golding is the year Great Britain and her colonies letter sent from Paris and read it on a saying that the King "that now is," i.e. fixed their system. 4 date before it had been written, as circa 1618, is the same King that Oxford Russia however, didn't correct its France was ten days ahead on the briefly served in 1603-4. So that line is calendar until the Bolshevik revolution. Catholic calendar. not necessarily an anachronism by So for Russian dates between Shakespeare may have been thinking Golding. 1700-1800 there's an 11 day about this dilemma when he wrote: correction, for 1800-1900 a 12 day The time is out of joint "The time is out of joint, cursed spite correction, and from 1900-1920 a 13 0 that ever I was born to set it right." A curious aspect of all late 16th day correction. (Hamlet Act I, scene 5) Century dates is tied to the Gregorian Now here's the rub. If Edward de calendar reform of 1582. Because of a Vere was born April 12, 1550 (by local Endnotes technical error in the Julian calendar, the reckoning) then the "corrected" or seasons were gradually slipping away modern equivalent is often stated to be 1.The manuscript reference number is: British from calendric expectations. This was April 22. Such a correction, however, is Libraty MS Add. 5751A, f. 283. The original putting Easter out of synch with the only useful to astrologers, as today's spelling of the document is on Dr. Nelson's actual occurrence of spring, and forced April 22 Sun location is in an website along with his comments : http :// socrates.berkeley.edu/-ahnelsonlbirth.html. the church to issue a correction. Ten analogous position to April 12 of the 2. There are several mentions ofchristening in days were added in the Catholic countries, old calendar. Shakespeare. Note the following line, "two in October 1582, to re-synchronize the As a general rule: Historians have Noblemen bearing great standing-bowls for church calendar and restore Easter to its no reason to correct any dates prior the christening gifts" in Henry Eighth Act V rightful time. The Julian problem and its to October 4, 15 82. Thus, the given scene 5. solution involved the question of how birthdays of Queen Elizabeth, Leicester, The palace - Enter TRUMPETS, many leap years should be counted in a and dozens of other Elizabethans born sounding; then two ALDERMEN, LORD century. From the adoption of the Julian prior to 1582 are always printed in MAYOR, GARTER, CRANMER, calendar in 46 B.C. to the 16th Century, history books without correction. DUKE OF NORFOLK, with his the slippage and error had added up to Shaksper of Stratford, who was baptized marshal's staff, DUKE OF SUFFOLK, ten days. on April 26, 1564, and is given an two Noblemen bearing great standing­ By officialdecree of Pope Gregory XIII, "assigned" birthday of April 23 (to link bowls for the christening gi fts; then four Noblemen bearing a canopy ... October4, 1582 was followed immediately with St. George's day) never gets a ten by Oct. 15, 1582. Was that adding 10 day correction to May 2nd. 3. You can see the original document at: days or stealing 10 days? England noted So there is no precedent, nor http ://www.geocities.com/A thensl the change with skepticism and laughter. reason to use April 22 as "Oxford's Thebes/4260/pgoldingms.html. 4. Chesterfield's Act of March 1751 All of the Protestant countries, birthday." April 12 is the accurate decreed that throughout all of the including England and Germany, and day to celebrate this historic nativity. dominions of the British crown, Russia (which kept the old Orthodox Retroactive date correction is used in Wednesday, September 2, 1752 would be calendar), ignored, mistrusted, and modern historical chronology when fo llowed by Thursday, September 14, refused to enact the 1582 correction and correlating accounts of a single event 1752. only came to their senses one by one, which has been described in neighboring

The entry on Edward de Vere in Golding's Progeny of the Veres page 8 Spring 2002 Shakespeare Oxford Newsletter

Oxfordian News Don Foster Recants ElegyAttribution

n a stunning reversal, Vassar College California, and stated his opinion that The attendees a�sembled into one Iprofessor Donald Foster has recanted there was a positive relationship of four workshops. Topics were: 1) his 1995 thesis that Shakespeare was the between the DVS and the SOS. He The best examples of connections author of the 1612 poem, A Funeral pointed out that both organizations are between events or characters in the Elegy, signed "W.S." Foster had working together in trying to develop plays and events in Edward de Vere' s received world-wide attention for his the international conference in life; 2) The maintenance of the claim, and the poorly written Elegy was Cambridge during July, 2004. Funding pseudonym open secret or subsequently included in three major is needed to allow this conference to conspiracy of silence?; 3) What was editions of the works of Shakespeare. occur, and a go/no decision will have to Shakspere of Stratford's part in the An article in the May issue of The Review be made by April, 2003. Shakespeare venture?; and 4) The Way of English Studies by Gilles D. Following lunch there was a tour of Forward - fundraising, widening the Monsarrat, professor of languages at Sutton House focusing on Hackney in circle/recruiting, research topics. Each the University of Burgundy in France, Edward de Vere's time. Sutton House is group made a record of its discussion, compares the text of the Elegy with the located about one-halfmile from King' s and reported to the entire conference. works of John Ford (1586-1640) and Place where De Vere lived. The house is This format was excellent for allowing concludes Ford is the likely author of no longer standing, having been maximum participation from the the Elegy. demolished in 1964. A walk of about 300 attendees. A new book on Ford and the Elegy yards from Sutton House to St. The conference was concluded with by Prof. Brian Vickers, director of Augustine's Churchyard took members a coach tour of Hackney with stops at Renaissance Studies at the Swiss to the burial place of Edward de Vere. the sites of King's Place, De Vere's Federal Institute of Technology in Only the bell tower of the original church house, and St. Mary's Old Church, all Zurich, will be published in August. In is still standing. The guide indicated in Stoke Newington, and Curtain Road an interesting twist, Vickers that the National Trust is trying to get in Shoreditch which contained a plaque acknowledges that Oxfordian researcher an archaeological dig of the grassy area mentioning Edward de Vere. Richard Kennedy was the first to where the original church stood to see The day' s activities were arranged identify Ford as the author of the poem. if anything, including tombs or markers, by Sally Hazelton and Mike Llewellen This turn-around can be seen as a can be found. who reside in Hackney. The next DVS victory for the Oxford theory, because Sally Hazelton made a presentation meeting will be on July 20th in Henley­ the Elegy was promoted by some as concerning Shakespeare's "Will" on-Thames. proof of a still-active Shakespeare sonnets, with a focus on Sonnet 136. Barbara and Wayne Shore author circa 1612. Oxford died in 1604. She made the point that there were several possible layers of meaning for Los Angeles London several of the words in the sonnet. Michael Dunn, a writer and actor The De Vere Society Annual Meeting The liveliest discussion was in based in Los Angeles, has developed a and Conference was held on April 13, response to Brian Hicks's motion which multimedia theater piece called "Sherlock 2002 in historic Sutton House (built in stated: "The De Vere Society considers Holmes and The Shakespeare Mystery," the 1500s) in Hackney, London. In the Prince Tudor theory to be aimed primarily at the college market. An addition to English Oxfordians, unsubstantiated by any sound SOS member, Dunn wants to popularize attendees were in from Italy, Germany, documentary evidence, and by claiming the Oxford story by presenting evidence The Netherlands, and the United States. otherwise, its proponents are harming in a cogent and entertaining fashion. During the elections, Brian Hicks the Oxfordian cause. Therefore the De His one-man show has been well was re-elected Chairman and Vere Society will not provide a platform received in three public performances, Christopher Dams was re-elected for discussion or promotion of the subject and Dunn is looking for additional Honorable Secretary. Richard Malim until evidence for the validity can be venues. Ifthere are any Oxfordian groups was elected to serve on the DVS produced." Although no argument was around the country that might be Committee to replace Den'an Charlton made for the Prince Tudor theory, it was interested in featuring his presentation, whose term had expired and was unable finally decided that the motion should be Dunn has a 14-minute video excerpt and to serve another term due to ill health. tabled until it could be considered by a brochure that he would be pleased to Brian Hicks reported on his visit to larger membership group. The motion is send out. For more details visit his the SOS conference in Carmel, to be reported in a future DVS newsletter. website: www.truebard.com. Shakespeare Oxford Newsletter Spring 2002 page 9

San Francisco Earl of Oxford at the historic Nevada City David Skidmore and Laura St. John. Over one hundred people attended the Theater (located 60 miles north of Afterwards, TSP Artistic Director Mara Shakespeare Authorship evening at the Sacramento) - an appropriate venue Polster declared the panel discussion Mechanics' Institute Library on April 25 , considering that anti-Stratfordian Mark "excellent." The weekend concluded with which featured presentations by SOS Twain also spoke there. In 1998, the an open discussion at the Feltre School. trustee Katherine Ch iljan and Stratfordian Theater hosted a "Trial of Shakespeare" professor Alan Nelson. In defending in which fOlmer SOS president Randall New York Oxford, Chiljan emphasized Shakespeare's Sherman was subpoenaed as an expert A new weekly pUblication, the New extensive knowledge and experience, witness and presented evidence in favor York Sun, offered a significant article on which can be accounted for in Oxford, but of Oxford to a fully booked house. Since the Oxfordian approach to Shakespeare. not the Stratford Man, and stressed that that time, the city has become well versed The April 23 article, timed to coincide it was Oxford's family (the Earls of on the authorship question and eagerly with the traditional Shakespeare Pembroke and Montgomery) who were anticipate this subsequent presentation. birthday, was called: "What's in a Date? responsible for the first complete edition The city newspaper, The Union, plans to The Pearl Celebrates Shakespeare, But of Shakespeare's plays. Prof. Nelson feature a front-page article on Ch arles Skeptics Say 'Unhappy Birthday,'" and stressed that those who question (and James, his seven year old son), so was written by Jeremy McCarter. He Shakespeare's authorship are amateurs, the expected attendance is high. writes: and that beyond one or two professors, For more information, contact Devotees of Shakespeare's works no one in academia takes the issue Randall Sherman at 530-265-2004 or celebrate his birthday today - except, seriously. He also said that the [email protected]. that is, for the people who think authorship cover-up would have to Shakespeare didn't write them. A small have been a large conspiracy involving Chicago but growing number of dissenters finds First Folio editors Heming and The Chicago Oxford Society celebrated little reason to join with the marching CondeII. After a question and answer its second anniversary, along with the bands, parades and Elizabethan period, actors from the American birthdays of Edward de Vere (and Will of impersonators who on April 23 mark the Conservatory Theater performed selected Stratford), with a series of three events on birthday of the man they consider to be readings from Shakespeare's plays and April 25, 26 and 27. The total attendance the greatest impersonator of them all. sonnets. was about 60 people, and a very high level Aaron Tatum, president of the of interest in the authorship issue was Shakespeare Oxford Society, said Palo Alto, CA shown, both in the quantity and quality of that on April 23, the traditionalists The Hoover Institution at Stanford questions asked of the speakers. have little choice but to roll out the University has recently acquired the On April 25, Bill Farina presented a "buttons and whistles and parades, entire collection of Firing Line, the slide show entitled "Snippets of since they lack historical facts. It's political talk show hosted by Shakespeare: Venus and Adonis (and taken 400 years to dig up what they conservative William F. Buckley. The Oxford)" at the Newberry Library in have, and it's very little," he said. collection includes the show' s conjunction with National Poetry Month. transcripts, archives, and 1,504 television On April 26, keynote speaker Dr. Jack This piece in theNY Sun follows closely broadcast tapes, one of which featured Shuttleworth, Professor Emeritus of on the heels of the momentous February an authorship debate between Charlton English at the United States Air Force lOth article in The New York Times by Ogburn and Prof. Maurice Charney that Academy and SOS board member, gave an William Niederkom. The New York media was taped on December 11, 1984 (program address entitled "To Be or Not to Be Will are finally warming up to the many no. 630). In his responses to Ogburn's Shake-speare" at the Feltre School. This controversies surrounding Shakespeare, pro-Oxford argument, Charney used the was preceded by a Bill Farina slide show all formerly taboo SUbjects. words "preposterous," "totally "Snippets of Shakespeare: The Tempest preposterous," "wildly preposterous," and Oxford" to coincide with the new Ashland,OR and "a chain of absolute fabrications," production by the Chicago Shakespeare The Oregon Shakespeare Festival but later softened by saying that Theater. will host a lecture/discussion at noon Ogburn's then newly published The On April 27 , The Shakespeare Project Friday, August 9, entitled "Shakespeare: Mysterious William Shakespeare was a of Chicago gave a staged reading of "The The Authorship Dilemma," featuring "beautifully written book and it' s very 50-Minute Hamlet" at the Harold Shakespeare actor, instructor and learned." Washington Library Center Auditorium. dramaturg Barry Kraft, and Tom Mr. Farina presented a slide show Woosnam, a physics teacher and Nevada City, CA "Snippets of Shakespeare: Hamlet and chairman of the science department at On August 7, 2002, Charles Beauclerk Oxford" and moderated a panel Crystal Springs Uplands School (in the (formerly Earl of Burford) will lecture on discussion with Dr. Shuttleworth and San Francisco area). The lecture will be the authorship of Shakespeare and the two actors from the Shakespeare Project, (cont'd all p. 18) page 10 Spring 2002 Shakespeare Oxford Newsletter

Southampton (conf'd./i'omp. 1) earring, and an elaborate hairdo (radiocarbon, featuring a long tress down the front. dendochronology, A delicate hand is held over the etc.) which apparently sitter's heart. In reexamining his family have not been history, Cobbe discovered that his done. He also has family had close links to the to explain why this Wriothesleys, the Earls of painting is not of a Southampton, as far back as the 16th woman, or present Century. Cobbe claims he had an "Aha" evidence of male moment, earlier this year, when he transvestism in 16th suddenly realized that the youth in the Century England, painting resembled the well-known beyond practice on portraits of the 3rd Earl of the stage. It would Southampton. When compared to other also help his case if early portrayals of Southampton by he could present Hilliard and De Cri tz (of Henry in the other examples of Tower with his cat), it looks like the Elizabethan same fellow. portraits of men In determining the portrait's that look like provenance, Cobbe now believes that women. the "Lady Norton" mentioned in the According to inscription refers to Lady Elizabeth the NY Times, Norton, who was Southampton's Catherine great-granddaughter. She could have MacLeod (curator received the painting from her of the National grandfather, the 4th Earl, who died Portrait Gallery) leaving no male heir. The painting then initially noted, would have passed to the Cobbe "the flat lace collar children through Honor Norton in ill the portrait was the early 18th Century, where an early 17th eventually Archbishop Cobbe either Century fashion, guessed at an Aunt Norton, or had a which suggested family legend to draw on. that the portrait was painted no earlier embraced this theory, most recently For the sitter to be the young than 1600." There are numerous Joseph Sobran in his Alias Southampton, the portrait must have examples of this. Before Cobbe claims Shakespeare. It is fact that Oxford been rendered in the early 1590s. this portrait is of Southampton, knew young Southampton, as his Evidence for this dating was provided perhaps he should look for portraits daughter was nearly engaged to him, by Diana Scarisbrick, an expert on of his daughters Penelope, Anne and and Oxford was accused of Elizabethan costume and jewelry, who Elizabeth, as well as his homosexuality by Henry Howard and claims the complicated lace-work collar granddaughters Elizabeth, Rachel, Charles Arundel in 1581 after Oxford the sitter is wearing was Italian and a and Elizabeth, one of who may very revealed their treasonable activity to style that was in vogue in the early well be the actual sitter. the Queen. 1590s; it was also extremely expensive. If the Cobbe portrait can be proven Whatever the truth is regarding The evidence presented so far by to be the young Southampton affecting the Cobbe portrait, its recent Cobbe is fairly slim - a similar lace a feminine pose, then it would help revelation proves the public's pattern dated to 1590s Italy, and a strengthen the case that the continual fascination of anything resemblance to the Earl of Shakespeare sonnets addressed to the touching upon the autobiography Southampton, who is his ancestor. Fair Youth are homosexual in nature. of Shakespeare. What hasn't been established is The implication that an aesthetic or whether this painting definitely dates romantic involvement may have been Source Articles: Observer, April 21, to the 1590s. Several art experts of that at play between Shakespeare and the 2002, article by Anthony Holden; Daily period should be able to confirm this, Fair Youth has been debated for over Mail, April 22, 2002; The New York beyond scientific dating methods a century. Some Oxfordians have Times, May 6,2002. Shakespeare Oxford Newsletter Spring 2002 page 11 Book Review Elementary, My Dear Holmes

By Ramon Jimenez

Discovering Shakespeare - A that stimulates one of Mycroft's lectures, has written with a more instinctive grasp Handbook/or Heretics by Edward such as The Blue Boar Inn in Rochester of a woman's psychology. His women are Holmes (Mycroft Books, 2001) ("where Shakespeare and Falstaff drank"), miracles of sympathetic invention. But at which the friends lunch after their visit Shakespeare's men reject them. They see hose who pick up this new Oxfordian to the storied Gad's Hill. Mycroft pulls out them as light, or lewd, or fickle,or shrewish. Tcontribution to the Authorship an old map on which the place-name When he lets his women speak for Question will find a fast-moving and wide­ "Shakespeare" appears at the edge of the themselves we find ourselves in the ranging discussion that is both Thames marshes, about a mile from St. company of creatures of grace and poise entertaining and frustrating, as well as not Mary's Hoo. The name has disappeared and virtue, a class above the men, without entirely reliable. The author describes his from modern maps, but local tradition has a hint of feminist envy." book as "an examination of the source it that an Elizabethan house once stood on In a similar context he suggests that material of Shakespeare's plays," and the site now occupied by a Victorian, "Shakespeare has to work self­ presents his argument in the form of a described as "a lonely house by the sea" consciously at the banalities of 'true love'; series of congenial conversations between at "the place called Shakespeare." There he does not seem very interested. Yet the his "alter ego" Mycroft Holmes and we are left wondering, while Mycroft conventional amorists look pale beside himself. The two men travel around mutters "the matter is crying out for the fruitless passion of the ideal love Southern England, stopping regularly at attention. " dedicated to the boy in the sonnets." such places as The Blue Boar, The Green In a later chapter the pair make another The author devotes three or four Man, or The Dog and Duck for a pint or a visit to "the house called Shakespeare," chapters to the Italian plays, relying ploughman's lunch. Mycroft the and this time Mycroft associates it with heavily on Georges Lambin's 1962 researcher makes his case for Oxford inthe the house by the sea that Timon of Athens Shakespeare's Travels in France and course of twenty-four conversations built for himself. Ruminating further on Italy. He does not seem to be aware of the addressed to "my dear Holmes." Timon, he says, "We are very close to the work of Stratfordians Ernesto Grillo and The newcomer will be frustrated by the centre of the author's personality here," Louise Clubb, or of the Oxfordians who scattered approach to the question, and and "Timon is too raw, too real for comfort. have documented Shakespeare's the lack of a satisfactory background or It was begun too close to the catastrophe knowledge of Italy and Italian settings. introduction. Those familiar with the which prompted it. That must be why it One citation in the Othello chapter - "J. subject and the literature will be frustrated was left artistically undigested, Fitzmaurice-Kelly. Oxford. 1922" - might by careless citations, questionable or incomplete." Such pungent reveal another source if it could be found outdated sources, and so many obvious pronouncements flavor every chapter, and in the "Selected Bibliography," or errors as to jeopardize any confidence in few will draw arguments from Oxfordians. otherwise identified. the author's assertions. The reader might As might be expected, Mycroft is not In his conversation about Pericles, excuse garbled references, such as those without wit; he describes Oxford as "the Mycroft locates the tournament in Act II to Henry Farmer, Honan Park, Thomas archetypal patrician bankrupt" and on the island of Kos, which he suggests Thorny, and the "Friedman brothers." On Shakespeare as "the mercenary midget De Vere visited on his way to Turkey. He the other hand, claims that John from Stratford." Nor is he gentle with notes that there is no known source for the Shakespeare was imprisoned in 1586, that Oxfordians: "Oh, I grant you the heretics tournament scene, and hints that it is Oxford wrote letters from Milan in 1576, have been largely routed. Only the based on an ancient tale preserved on and that Philip Sidney was a "Royal Ward" Oxfordians have survived. But I am afraid Kos. "It is indeed curious," he says, "that in the care of Lord Burghley - all made they prove their own worst enemies. Their this analogue of our play should have without documentation - are seriously case has been poorly represented; they been discovered in the village of misleading. over-claim without justification and omit Asphendion on this tiny island of Kos in Even so, the author's easy and genial what they find disagreeable ... It is a sad 1910, written by now in the dialect of the style and deft topical touches - as a fact that the case for a defensible Oxford village and collected by one Jacob character Mycroft has at least two alternative has yet to be made... " He also Zarraftis."There the matter ends, and the dimensions - are hard to resist, and hurry offers a few well-worded insights. " ... it curious reader is left with an endnote for the reader along from play to play and is difficult to appreciate Shakespeare's the source of this information that refers place to place. Often it is a physical place delineation of women," he says. "No one him to "Dawkins," a name found nowhere (cont'd on p. 22) page 12 Spring 2002 Shakespeare Oxford Newsletter

Agincollrt (collt'd ji'OIll p. 1) precisely based on those in the anonymous of England. play, which were then refined, expanded, dJ( According to Irving Ribner, the well­ and improved upon by the maturing known historian of Elizabethan drama, it playwright. APOLOGIE was the author of The Famolls Victories In a second article in the Fall, 200 I, who introduced the dramatic device of Shakespeare Oxford Newsletter, I fo r Poetrie. alternating comic scenes with those presented evidence that the Chorus depicting English history, a technique role in Henry V, and most probably the Written by the right noble, vertU� duplicated in the Shakespearean trilogy.) entire play, was written not in 1599, as om , and learned, Sir PhIllip Thus, when Philip Sidney objected in nearly all Shakespearean scholars claim, Sidney, Kllig/)f. - 1582 to the "mingling" of kings and but in the winter of 1583/84. According clowns, it is highly probable that he to this new evidence, the well-known Od; profanllm1m/ gln,er aruo. had seen Oxford's first three Prince passage in the Act V Chorus about Hal plays, and had in mind the man Queen Elizabeth's general returning who first brought English kings and from Ireland refers not to the Earl of clowns together on the stage. Essex in 1599, but to Sir Thomas Butler In another passage in the same and his campaign in Ireland in 1583. A digression, Sidney protested that "our logical inference from this is that Oxford comedians think there is no delight wrote the Henry IV plays, and very likely without laughter," and explained that all the other history plays except Henry "Delight hath a joy in it, either permanent

VIII, in the ten years prior to 1584. It is AT LONDON, or present. Laughter hath only a scornful in Hem)' V, Oxford's fourth Prince Hal Printedfo r HenryOln ey,and are to be fo ld at tickling." Furthermore, English play, that we find his reaction to Philip his lhop in Paules Churcb.lI«d, at the figne playwrights "stir laughter in sinful of ehe Georg., nee" to Cheap-g.!!c:. Sidney'S comments about his dramatic e/fnn" I J 91. things, which are rather execrable than techniques in the first three. ridiculous: or in miserable, which are Philip Sidney's An Apology for Poetry a king appear in the same scene. rather to be pitied than scorned. For is a discourse on the nature and purpose But in The Famous Victories, most what is it to make folks gape at a wretched of poetry that remains a seminal work of likely written in the 1570s, three comic beggar or a beggarly clown; or against Elizabethan criticism. Although it was not figures, including Sir John Oldcastle, the law of hospitality, to jest at strangers published until 1595, Sidney's biographers progenitor of Falstaff, appear with Prince because they speak not English so well uniformly assign it to the years 1581-83 , Hal, the future King Henry V, in the very as we do?"4 most agreeing on 1582. 1 Near the end of the first scene. There are five comics Apology, Sidney digresses from his main surrounding Prince Hal in scene four, subject and inserts a fourteen-hundred­ when he gives the Chief Justice a box on ((The Famous word commentary that is highly critical of the ear, and in scene five Prince Hal cuts Victories is so the English drama. In it are what appear to up with Ned, Tom, and Oldcastle until be at least three references to Oxford's King Henry IV enters, accompanied by riddled with clowns Prince Hal plays. the Lord of Exeter. In scene nine, the new In the middle of his digression Sidney King Henry V chastises Ned, Tom, and that it might rightly criticizes his country's playwrights because Oldcastie, and orders them to keep ten "all their plays be neither right tragedies, miles from him, on pain of death, just as be called a comedy nor right comedies, mingling kings and he does in Shakespeare's Hem)' IV, Part clowns not because the matter so catTieth it, Two. Five of the next eleven scenes punctuated by but thrust in clowns by head and shoulders, contain only clowns. historical relief" to play a part in majestical matters, with A play ostensibly about England's neither decency nor discretion, so as neither renowned warrrior-king, The Famous the admiration and commiseration, nor the Victories is so riddled with clowns that it A survey of Elizabethan drama right sportfulness,is by theirmongrel tragi­ might rightly be called a comedy reveals that "strangers," or foreigners, comedy obtained."2 punctuated by historical relief. speak broken English in only two At the time Sidney wrote, the English A few years later, in his two Henry IV surviving plays that were staged before stage had seen less than half-a-dozen plays plays, Oxford brought the technique of Sidney wrote An Apology for Poetry. s now extant that included in their casts a king mingling clowns and kings to its finest The anonymous Mo rality, We alth and and a clown, that is, a comic character. Two moment with his most memorable comic Health was staged fifteen years before of these were Robert Preston's Call1byses character, Sir John Falstaff, sharing the Sidney wrote, and The Rare Triumphs of and Richard Edwards' Damo n and Pythias. stage, the action, the language, and the Love And Fortune, also anonymous, was However, in neither ofthese did a clown and affection of the audience with two kings staged at the end of 1582, possibly after Shakespeare Oxford Newsletter Spring 2002 page 13

he wrote. Sidney may have been referring of English. If Sidney found foreigners because that is exactly what takes place to these two, or others that have been speaking broken English unfunny on the at the opening of scene fifteen, when the lost, but another play he might have seen stage, he must have hated Hemy V. stage direction "The Battle" signals a was The Famo lls Victories, in which Some years later, in The Men)) Wives depiction of the Battle of Agincourt. The scene thirteen consists entirely of a oj Windsor, a play closely related to the evidence for this conclusion is the comical conversation among three Henry IVand V plays, Oxford assigned to lengthy satirical response to Sidney's French soldiers, a drummer, and a Dr. Caius the identical mistakes made by compaints that Oxford made in the next Captain. Although the Captain speaks the Frenchmen in The Famous Victories play he wrote, culminating in an

perfect English, the others misuse "me" - further evidence that they were written extraordinary retort by the playwright for "I," "sh" for "ch," and "t" for "th." by the same man. when he again presented the Battle of Sidney's An Ap ology jo r Poetry was Agincourt on stage. not published until 1595, nine years after In Henry V, where the second half of his death, but it is well known that The Famo lls Victories is more fully ((IfSidn ey fo und manuscripts of his works circulated dramatized, Oxford used the device ofa among the literati years before they fo reigners sp eaking Chorus to respond to Sidney's criticism. appeared in print. 6 Thus there is a strong The Choruses preceding each of the likelihood that Edward de Vere had access broken English five acts in Henry Vare monologues by to a copy shortly after it was written in an actor who sets the scene, explains 1582, and the evidence for this is found unfunny on the stage, the action, and urges the audience to in Hemy V, composed the next year, he must have hated suspend disbelief and imagine the where he reacts to Sidney's complaints physical circumstances suggested by by expanding and elaborating one of the HenryV." the dialogue. The first Chorus, or offending dramatic devices, and then Prologue, is devoted entirely to mocking and retorting sarcastically to answering Sidney'S complaint that the another. There is even stronger evidence of this audience must imagine too much: I suggest that in response to Sidney's historic exchange between these two giants o for a Muse of fire, that would ascend criticism ofthe use of strangers and their ofElizabethan literature. Sidney complains, The brightest heaven on invention, broken English in The Famous Victories in the same section on drama inAn Ap ology A kingdom for a stage, princes to act, Oxford turned it up a notch in Henry In jo r Poetl)), that English playwrights abuse V. And monarchs to behold the swelling that play he not only retained the French the Aristotelian principle of unity of place, scene! soldier scene, but added scenes between and make outrageous demands upon their Princess Katherine and her maid in Act audiences' imagination. '" Can this cockpit hold III (scene 4), and between Katherine and The vasty fields of France? Now ye shall have three ladies walk to Henry V in Act V (scene 2), in which he Or may we cram Within this wooden 0 gather flowers, and then we must exploited Katherine's ignorance of the velY casques [helmets] believe the stage to be a garden. By English for comic purposes. The former That did affright the air at Agincourt? and by we hear news of shipwreck in scene then drifts into sexual innuendo of the same place, and then we are to Suppose within the girdle of these walls a kind that embarrasses even modern blame if we accept it not for a rock. Are now confin'd two mighty Shakespearean scholars.7 Although Upon the back of that comes out a monarchies, Shakespeare's plays are full of sexual hideous monster with fire and smoke, Whose high upreared and abutting puns and bawdy repartee, this was and then the miserable beholders are fronts perhaps an extra dose intended to twit bound to take it for a cave. While in the The perilous narrow ocean parts the priggish Sidney, who was a well­ meantime two armies flyin, represented asunder; known advocate of propriety and with four swords and bucklers, and Piece out our imperfections with your decorum in poetry. then what hard heart will not receive it thoughts; Furthermore, in Henry V, Oxford for a pitched field?8 Into a thousand patiS divide one man, introduced three additional characters, And make imaginary puissance; each of whom contributes his own regional At the time Sidney wrote, few pitched Think, when we talk of horses, dialect and stereotypical behavior. In the battles, as distinguished from two-man that you see them second scene of Act III, sometimes called duels, had been presented on the English Printing their proud hoofs the "international scene," Fluellen, a stage,9 and it is highly probable that any I' th' receiving earth. Welshman, Macmorris, an Irishman, and he had seen would have been in Oxford's Jamy, a Scotchman, join the Englishman history plays. His complaint about "two The speaker ends this rather tongue-in­ Gower in a conversation about the tactics armies" flying in, "represented with four cheek appeal with a last request: of siege warfare that becomes a swords and bucklers," may well have Admit me Chorus to this histOlY; celebration of the comic mispronunciation been directed at The Famolls Victories (cont'd on p. 14) page 14 Spring 2002 Shakespeare Oxford Newsletter

Agincol//'t (col1t'dji-om p. 13) Who, prologue-like, your humble And so our scene must to the battle fly, other than facetiously, would the patience pray Where - 0 for pity! - we shall much playwright in the six Chorus speeches Gently to hear, kindly to judge, ourplay. disgrace in Henry Vrefer to the limitations of his With four or five most vile and ragged stage, and ask the forbearance of his Less than four hundred lines later, at the foils, audience more than thirty times? Why beginning of Act II, the Chorus is again Right ill-disposed in brawl ridiculous, would the playwright, in at least his asking the audience to bear with him: The name of Agincourt. Yet sit and see, ninth or tenth history play, a rich The King is set from London; and the Minding true things by what their panorama of the English past, filled scene mockeries be. with marches, voyages, and desperate Is now transported, gentles, to battles - all reduced to the same modest Southampton. stage, the same limited company, and There is the playhouse now, there ((We may have, in the same compressed time period - must you sit; why would he for the first time lament And thence to France shall we convey the Choruses of the confines of his theater and you safe, repeatedly apologize? My answer is And bring you back, charming the HenryV, that he did so to rebuke the fatuous narrow seas Sidney, who, a few years before, on the To give you gentle pass; or, if we may Shakespeare s tennis court, he had called "a puppy." We'll not offend one stomach with Although several commentators have our play. fi rst response noticed the connection between Sidney's complaints and the Henry V Choruses, Before Act III a similar exhortation by to a bad review. " only one that I know of has taken the next the Chorus ends with the line: step and suggested a motivation. In a ... Still bekind, 1987 article, Sharon Tyler wrote: "It is And eke out our performance with your "0 for pity!", Oxford says, that "we tantalizing but pure speculation to see mind. shall much disgrace" the name of Shakespeare deliberately taking up the Agincourt by portraying it with just four artistic gauntlet flung by Sidney."15 1t is The Choruses to Acts IV and V, each or five fellows armed only with light and more than tantalizing, it is irresistible. about fifty lines long,IO are similar blunted weapons used in fencing. This is Oxford takes Sidney's contemptuous adjurations to suspend disbelief, and it is clearly a reference to Sidney's "two phrase about "four swords and in the Chorus to Act IV that we find what armies ...represented with four swords bucklers," turns it into poetry, and then must be a personal retort to Sidney by and bucklers," and many editors have flings it back in Sidney'S face: Oxford about his method of portraying pointed to the similarity of the two battles in the playhouse. The speaker sets four or five most vile and ragged phrases. But most of them merely quote the scene - and one can easily imagine foils, the passage in Sidney or direct the reader Edward de Vere himself on the stage I I by Right ill-disposed in brawl ridiculous to it. In the latest Arden edition, T.W. describing the fear and tension in the Craik comments that "Shakespeare echoes French and English camps on the night But then, instead of attempting any Sidney's CritIcIsm of stage before Agincourt. But in the last six lines serious depiction of a battle, as he did in conventions ..."12 But with the exclamation he speaks about the battle itself: the Henry VI plays, he inserts only two "0 for pity!" Oxford is not "echoing" words in the stage directions - "Alarm" Sidney, he is deriding him. The phrase is and "Excursions." He then trots out Pistol facetious, even sarcastic. In fact, the entire and his Frenchman, and the Boy, who device of apologetic Choruses before each engage in another comic dialogue in act in Henry Vis best read as a witty rebuff French and English that takes its humor of Sidney's complaint that English from Pistol's bluster and fractured dramatists strain their audiences' French. We may have, in the Choruses of imagination with the exotic settings of Henry V, Shakespeare's first response their plays. 13 to a bad review. Samuel Johnson was the first critic to If these Choruses are actually the remark on the incongruity of the Chorus's retort to Sidney that they appear to be, apologies. " ... nor can it be easily they supply further evidence that the discovered," he wrote, "why the same man wrote The Famous Victories intelligence given by the Chorus is more and the Shakespearean trilogy. necessary in this play than in many others Secondly, this clear connection where it is omitted."14 between Henry V and Sidney's An Henry V fr om Stow's Chronicle s, 1580 Today, we are entitled to ask why, Apology fo r Poetl)) strongly suggests Shakespeare Oxford Newsletter Spring 2002 page 15

that the two were written close in time king succeed, 10. In the First Folio there is no Choms to each other, in the early 1580s. Whose state so many had the preceding Act IV, which is actually marked Oxford's response to Sidney must have managing "Actus Tertius." The second half of the original Chorus to Act III (marked "Actus Secundus" in been written before Sidney's death in That they lost France and made the Folio) was transferred to its current place 1586. his England bleed, preceding Act IV by later editors. As we know, Sir Philip died of wounds Which oft our stage has shown; II. "I am inclined to believe ...that ...the part sustained in a cavalry charge on the and for their sake, of the Choms ...had been originally ...played battlefield,and was given a hero's funeral In your fair minds let this by an actor called William Shakespeare." John of a type usually reserved for great acceptance take. Dover Wilson (ed.), KingHem)! V. Cambridge, noblemen. He was an extremely popular 1947, p. xiii. As there are no other extant King Hem)! V, supporter and patron of literature, and 12. T. W. Craik (ed.), The Arden Elizabethan plays about Henry VI, Shakespeare. London: Routledge, 1995, p. 256. the recipient of more than forty literary virtually all modern scholars agree that 13. Alwin Thaler makes the same observation on dedications. On his death almost every Shakespeare completed the Henry VI­ pp. 19-20 of Shakespeare and SirPh ilip Sidney, English poet composed verses in his Richard III tetralogy before his Prince Cambridge, MA, 1947. Another commentator Hel1lY V, praise. It is unlikely that after this hero's Hal series, and most of them think that on Robert Ornstein, writes that "the apology is as sly as it is gratuitous" inA Kingdom death Oxford would have openly mocked the H el11)' VI trilogy, to the extent that his opinions about the English drama. fo r a Stage, Cambridge, MA, 1972, p. 176. A he wrote it, was his first attempt to similar viewpoint is expressed, albeit with some Further evidence of a connection dramatize English history. This rough confusion, by Peter B. Erickson in '''The Fault between Sidney and Oxford can be found sequence accords with the evidence / My Father Made': The Anxious Pursuit of in another passage in An Apology fo r presented above, but only in terms of HeroicFame in Shakespeare'sHel1l)! V" ,Model'll Poetry, where Sidney criticizes exotic sequence. With the exception of Henry Language Studies 10, 1979, pp. 10-25. Samuel Jo hnsonon "similitudes In certain printed VIII, Shakespeare's history plays must 14. H. R. Woudhuysen (ed.), Shakespeare, London, 1989, p. 211. discourses" as being "rifled up," "a most be dated to the decade brfore 1584. The tedious prattling," and "as absurd a 15. Sharon Tyler, "Minding tme things: the traditional dating of ca. 1588-1599 can Choms, the audience, and Henry V" in Th e surfeit to the ears as possible."16 Critics no longer be sustained. Th eatrical Space, Th emes in Drama 9, James have identified this passage as an Redmond (ed.), New York, 1987, pp. 69-80. Endnotes unmistakable reference to ElIphlies 16. Duncan-Jones (ed.), A Critical Edition, op. 1. Katherine Duncan-Jones, SirPh ilip Sidney, (1578) and Euphlles and his England cit. p. 247. Co urtier Po et. New Haven: Yale University (1580), both by Oxford's protege John 17. Geoffr ey Shepherd (ed.), An Apology fo r Press, 1991, p. 230; F. G. Robinson (ed.) An Lyly, who dedicated the latter to him. 17 In Po etl)!, Manchester: Manchester University Apologyfo rPo efly. Indianapolis, 1970, p. xvi. Press, 1973, p. 230; Duncan-Jones, Courtier her biography of Sidney, Katherine 2. Katherine Duncan-Jones (ed.), Sir Ph ilip Po et, op. cit. p. 237. Duncan-Jones suggests that in another Sidney, A Critical Editio n ofth e Major Wo rks . 18. Duncan-Jones, Courtier Po et, op. cit. p. 237. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1989, p. 244. passage, where he complains about 19. Duncan-Jones (ed.), A Critical Editio n, op. 3. Irving Ribner, Th eEnglish HistOl)! Pl ay inth e "derivative and unconvincing love cit. p. 241. poets," Sidney is referring to Thomas Age of Sh akespeare. New York, 1979, pp. 70- The author can be reached at: Watson and his collection of one hundred 1. 4. Duncan-Jones (ed.), A Critical Editio n. op. ramj [email protected] poems about love Hekatompathia ­ cit. p. 245. which Watson dedicated to Ox ford in the 5. Wilson O. Clough, "The Broken English of The Great Shakespeare Hoax spring of l582.18 Foreign Characters ofthe Elizabethan Stage." "Allthe whys ofthe great hoax " The fact that neither Oxford's plays Ph ilological Quarterly 12 (1933) pp. 255-68, by Randall Baron nor Sidney's Apology reached print Table I. Clough also lists Hy menaeus (1579), (211 pgs., $20. 00) until about fifteen years afterthey were but its text is in Latin, and Fredericus, the Against This Rage written reflects their authors' "foreigner" employs a medley of Latin, Dutch, and German. "A new Oxfordian novel ... Shakespeare indifference to publication, indeed, their 6.H. R. Woudhuysen, SirPh ilipSidne y and th e investigations ill England ... murder, distaste for poets whom Sidney Circulatio n of Manus cripts 1558-1640. New intrigue, new theories " described as those "who think it enough York: Oxford University Press, 1996, p. 234; by Robert D 'Artagnan (Randall Baron) if they can be rewarded" by the printer.19 K. Duncan-Jones. A Critical Editio n, op. cit. p. (563 pgs., $30.00) 397, n. 7. There is one last clue in Henry V to Shmp, durable, trade paperbacks the chronological order of Oxford's 7. John 1. Norwich, Sh akespeare's English history plays. In the Epilogue, which is Kings. New York: Simon and Shuster, 1999 p. Order either bookfi'01n : 212. Randall Baron a precise fourteen-line Shakespearean 8. Duncan-Jones (ed.), A Critical Edition, op. 2535 East Saratoga Street Gilbert AZ 85296 sonnet, the last six lines read: cit. p. 243 . Henry the Sixth in infant bands 9. Charles Edelman, Brawl ridiculo us , email: [email protected] Swo rdfigh ting in Sh akespeare's Plays. crowned King cash, check, or money order Manchester: Manchester University Press, Of France and England, did this 1992, pp. 13, 52. page 16 Spring 2002 Shakespeare Oxford Newsletter

Shakespeare's "Fluellen" Identified as a Retainer of the Earl of Oxford

By Charles Wisner Barrell

For I do know Fluellen valiant, the golden age of English drama, comes his stage counterpart are, as a matter of And, touch'd with choler, to light between the lines of the fact, identical. The parallels embrace hot as gunpowder, Shakespeare plays as unmistakably as not only broad outlines of appearance, And quickly will return an injury... his hidden features and personal nativity and calling, but extends to Henry V, Act 4, sc. 7, 171 symbols have been brought to the those known tricks of speech , surface of the most ancient of the peculiarities of reasoning, and reaction From time to time the Shakespeare painted portraits of the Bard. to events, as well as the telling defects Oxford Newsletter will reprin t We are in the position to prove, of character which lend verisimilitude significant articles by pioneering beyond all reasonable doubt, that it is to all true portraits. Oxfordian scholars that are not in this man's life and activities that the No one who studies the generally available to contemporary true and satisfying answers to the most contemporary account of Sir Roger readers. The following article thorny questions of the Shakespearean Williams, together with the published appeared in a slightly longer form in creative background are to be found. writings of this remarkable the August, 1941, issue of the News­ Edward de Vere provides the human swashbuckler - with his delightful Letter, the publication of the American solution to every problem that has gone mixture of bravery, impulsiveness, branch of the Shakespeare Fellowship by default when submitted to the native honesty, chauvinism, pawky of England. uncouth and inarticulate businessman humor and resolute devotion to of Stratford who had such difficulty in "discipline" - can for one moment doubt he opening chapter of Prof. E.E. writing his own name legibly. that the author of Henry the Fifth had T Stoll's new book, Shakespeare and Instead of Stratfordian assumptions, this particular Elizabethan notable Other Masters, provides a good example based upon familiarity with the printed before his mind's eye when he created of the ill-natured, opinionated works without attempting to account Fluellen. The two men think, speak and belittlement which professional for the human agency which made them act exactly alike. They even use the Stratfordians offer in lieu of logical possible, Oxfordians offer facts relating same verbal similes and the same rebuttal of the Oxford-Shakespeare to the many-sided genius of the cruelly historical incidents to drive home evidence. misunderstood peer who looked like identical arguments. Meanwhile, Oxfordian research Shakespeare, wrote like Shakespeare, In his sketch of Sir Roger Williams in industriously continues to pile and had so many of the personal the Dictionary of National Biography, documentary proof upon documentary experiences and personal associations Sir Sidney Lee tells us that the Welsh proof that the literary nobleman, Edward which are adumbrated in the plays and hero was born in Monmouthshire de Vere amply certified by his poems. The discovery of a new and (exactly the same county which Fluellen contemporaries as the foremost poet at highly significant Shakespearean so pridefully claims as his birthplace); Elizabeth's Court- is inextricably bound association of the literary Earl can now 1540 is the year given as the most up with the very warp and woof of the be announced. This brings to our probable date for this event. Anthony Shakespearean creative mystery. Where attention one of the most picturesque a Wood says that Williams studied at William Shakspere of Stratford-upon­ real life notables of Elizabethan times, Brasenose College, Oxford, beginning Avon fails most signally to present the doughty Sir Roger Williams, the in 1554, and that soon after he left credentials of personal Welsh soldier of fot·tune, who is said by Oxford, he became a soldier of fortune. accomplishment, Lord Oxford appears all modern editors of King Hel1lY the From other sources, including his in person to answer the oft-repeated Fifth to have been the prototype of own writings, it is known that Williams question: "How could Shakespeare Shakespeare's characterization of was among the British soldiery to serve have known that point of law, that Captain Fluellen. Both Sir Sidney Lee on the Continent during Elizabeth's particular bit of Court etiquette - or and Prof. John Dover Wilson of reign. In fact, nearly all of his mature that Elizabethan notable so well 7" Cambridge have written at length to life can be shown to have been spent in The long-obscured personality of prove that the dramatist had Williams active service in the Lowlands, in France this eccentric genius who disposed bit clearly in mind when he drew the colorful and other continental countries. In by bit of one of the greatest earldoms in figure of the Welsh firebrand. The referring to Sir Roger's character, Lee the Tudor realm to help bring to flower idiosyncrasies of the living soldier and states: "He rapidly acquired a wide Shakespeare Oxford Newsletter Spring 2002 page 17

reputation for exceptional courage and of military discipline, which he suggests, "a few disputations with you, daring. Like Shakespeare's Fluellen, he expatiates upon endlessly and uses in as partly touching or concerning the was constitutionally of a choleric the wording of two of his book titles. disciplines of the wars." At the end of temper and blunt of speech, but the This same insistence upon "discipline" his chapter describing the Battle of defects of judgment with which he is becomes a catchword with Fluellen: "the Middleburgh in the Actions, Williams commonly credited seem exaggerated." disciplines of the wars," "the disciplines exclaims in the unmistakable Serving under Henry of Navarre during of the pristine wars of the Romans," phraseology of Fluellen: "But I will the late 1580s and early 1590s, after a "the true disciplines of the wars," ad dispute against any souldier, that no long experience in the Low Countries, infinitum. In his amusing encounter fight hath been comparable unto it by Sir Roger Williams finally returned to with the Irish engineer, Captain sea, these five hundred yeares ... " London in 1594 with the French Macmorris, Fluellen immediately These are but a few of the verbal Ambassador. His first book, A Brief (cont'd on p. 24) Discourse of War, with his Opinion concerning some part of Military Discipline had been published in Carmel Shake-speare Festival presents London in 1590. It was not until 1618, however, that the volume upon which his literary fame rests, The Actions of the Lmve Countries, was finally printed. Broken in health, Williams did not long survive his return to Elizabeth's Court in 1594. His death was the occasion of public mourning during the following year. Henry IV PARTS I & II While the evidence proving Sir Roger Williams to have been the prototype of Henry V Shakespeare's Fluellen is too Aug 9 - Oct 20 voluminous and clear-cut to admit of Golden Bough Theatre doubt, no particle of proof has ever been adduced to show that William James I

The Shakespeare Oxford Society 26th Annual Conference in Washington,D.C., October 10th to 13th, 2002

he Shakespeare Oxford Society will be returning to the nation's Capitol to hold its 26th Annual Conference. TWashington, D.C. has hosted the Society's Annual Conference six times in the past - in 1980, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985 and 1987. In 1987, David Lloyd Kreeger, a Washington lawyer, businessman, philanthropist, and fellow Oxfordian, organized a moot court debate on the authorship question which was presented before a panel composed of his old friendsHarry Blackmun, William Brennan and their fe llow Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens.

Featured speakers include Prof. Peter Usher (Pennsylvania State Univ.) on astronomy and Ha mlet; Dr. Frank Davis on the dating of Twelfth Night; Stephanie Hughes on John Webster's The Wh ite Devil; Robert Brazil on Oxford's Books; Bill Farina and Dick Desper, each speaking on The Wi nter 's Ta le, as well as Prof. Alan Nelson, Prof. Jack Shuttleworth, Dr. Daphne Pearson, Joseph Sobran, Katherine Chiljan, Sally Mosher, Ramon Jimenez, Peter Dickson, and Derran Charlton.

There will be a panel of experienced high school teachers and two college faculty for local teachers, and an open session on an Introduction to the Authorship Question for interested locals in the D.C. area.

Sponsored by the Gertrude C. Ford Foundation, the 26th Annual Conference will be held at the Crystal Gateway Marriott in Arlington, Virginia, which is conveniently located near a subway stop for easy access to downtown D.C. Conference planning is still in progress, but points of interest will include the Folger Shakespeare Library and Theater, the Library of Congress, and the Kreeger Museum. The Shakespeare Theater, internationally recognized as one of America's foremost classical theaters and located in downtown D.C., will be presenting The Winter 's Tale in October.

Oxfordian News (cont'dfi'oll1 p. 9) held in Carpenter Hall, which holds about debate that has raged for over a century. 150 people; they expect the eventto be sold He discussed the parallels between the Call for Papers out fairly soon. Reservations can be made Earl of Oxford's life and Shakespeare's through the box office at 541-482-4331. Hamlet, including phrases that Oxford used For the 26th Annual Conference of This will be the third time that Woos nam, in his private letters that appear in the play. the Shakespeare Oxford Society, an SOS member, has lectured at the OSF. For example, Hamlet complains of "the sponsored by the Gertrude C. Ford law's delay" while Oxford complained of Foundation, members are Portland, OR "the delay of the law." Hamlet cites a especially invited to submit papers Concordia University's Institute for proverb about the horse that starves while (about 25 minutes in length) for Oxfordian Studies will be offering a waiting for the grass to grow; Oxford cited presentation in Washington, D.C., seminar this summer on August 11-17. the same proverb. Sobran mentioned that on October 10-13, 2002. The seminar will be conducted by Prof. the plays often quote or refer to verses in Daniel Wright and will feature guest Of particular interest are such topics the Bible. For example, The Me n]' Wives lecturers and special events. as new findings about Oxford, his of Windsor speaks of "Goliath with a Participants will live in the dormitories weaver's beam," and the verse in the possible relationship to The Winter s on campus. For further information, Geneva Bible that compares the shaft of Tale, his relationship to other writers contact Dr. Wright at Concordia Goliath's spear to "a weaver's beam" is and dramatists of the period, and University, 2811 NE Holman, Portland, underlined in Oxford's personal copy, now evidence for dating of the plays. We OR, 97211 ,or:[email protected]. at the Folger Library. No such parallels welcome scholars from other fields and disciplines who can provide Washington, D.C. can be found in Shakspere's life. Sobran On April 17th, Joseph Sobran spoke at concluded his talk with a quote from Orson context or questions for the study of Oxford's role in Elizabethan society. the Newberry Lecture Series at DACOR Welles: "I think Oxford wrote Shakespeare Contact: Dr. Jack Shuttleworth, 7770 (Diplomatic and Consular OfficersRetired) ... if you don't, there are some awfully Delmonico Dr., Colorado Springs, CO at their Washington D.C. headquarters. funny coincidences to explain away." A 809 19 Email: [email protected] Sobran, author of Alias Shakespeare, glowing review of the event appeared in detailed the Shakespeare Authorship the DACOR Bulletin, sent to its 3,000 members. Shakespeare Oxford Newsletter Spring 2002 page 19

Meet the SOS Trustees

Society), which now comprises about thirty with the prefix 'ex,' the ratio of 'and' to members. Only ten are Oxfordian convelts, 'but,' and so on. Typically, the researcher but Davis reports that the rest are slowly collects and examines much data, hoping gaining respect for the authorship question: that some small part of it will resolve a "We should care about the authorship question. " He also notes that stylometrics because it enlightens the understanding of was used to identify the writers of the the works, and we should always search for Federalist Papers: "My current effort is the truth, whoever is the true author." to bring to bear a wide variety of Dr. Davis believes that persuading stylometric techniques to determine: 1) academics is the biggest challenge for Did Shakespeare have a hand in writing Oxfordians. "Absolute proof that they some plays not generally attributed to will accept is unlikely to happen, and the him, and 2) did other authors have a preponderance of circumstantial hand in the Shakespeare canon? I realize evidence doesn't seem to persuade that this project is ambitious, perhaps Dr. Frank Davis them," he says. What Dr. Davis loves excessively so. It may ultimately fail, about Shakespeare: "The words with their but it's rewarding me with data that I "I grew up with Shakespeare, due to my profound expression. No matter how find very interesting." father's continual study of the canon," says many times you read a play or poem, you Shore believes that the Oxfordian Dr. Frank Davis, who was elected last year pick up on new thoughts and expressions. movement so far has failed to sufficiently atthe Carmel SOS Conference, "and I believe Also I enjoy the relevance to history of engage our rational people with their this helped shape my father's wonderful, the period. " rational people. "The first step is to get patient personality." Born in Montgomery, people to recognize that the authorship Alabama, Dr. Davis is a retired neurosurgeon Wayne Shore issue is unresolved. Without that, no living in Savannah, Georgia. Afterreading Wayne Shore, who was also elected to one will search for an alternative to Charlton Ogburn'sThe Mysteriolls William the SOS Board of Trustees at the Carmel Shakspere." He feels that resolution of Shakespeare, Dr. Davis was inspired to Conference, believes "Shakespeare's the authorship question will help us telephone Mr. Ogburn, who was listed in the expressions of a wide range of human understand the world in which we live. local phone book. "Afterspeaking with him conditions are quintessential." Shore was "Is the canon the product of immaculate for awhile, he invited my wife and I over for bom in High Point, North Carolina and perception, i.e., written by the unqualified tea with him and Vera. This was the start of resides in San Antonio, Texas. He got Shakspere, and therefore inexplicable? our friendship. ltwas uncanny how much he hooked into the authorship question after Or do the rules that we understand which reminded me of my father." seeing the Firing Line debate on television govern qualifications and productivity Ogburn presented Dr. Davis with a copy between Charlton Ogburn and Prof. hold? Are the Shakespeare works an of The Medical Mind of Shakespeare by Charney, and afterreading Ogburn'sbook. incomprehensible miracle, or a Aubrey Kail, encouraging him to look at "I like to tJy to solve puzzles using scientific superlative, but understandable Shakespeare's medical knowledge, which achievement?" got him statted in research. "I continue to methods," says Shore, who is a research look forreferences/significances regarding psychologist by education and the founder Shakespeare's knowledge of medicine, as oftwo companies performing scientificand well as studying other Elizabethan technical services. A retired Air Forc e officer, physicians and their contemporary Shore currently serves as a consultant for medicine." the Air Forc e performing data analysis He is also studying Willobie his Avisa projects. Shore also does Oxfordianresearch, and searching for the "lost" Fleming "but only in areas which can be quantified, manuscript of a "conceit" by Oxford. Dr. such as stylometrics, or areas for which Davis has also completed a paper on the probative evidence is possible." dating of Twelfth Night, which he plans to Shore explains that stylometrics is present at this year's SOS Conference. literally the measurement of an author's Beyond his research projects, Dr. Davis style. "Examples of a stylometric was also inspired to form a local Shakespeare approach are average sentence length, group (c alled the Southeastern Horatio average word length, percent of words Wayne Shore page 20 Spring 2002 Shakespeare Oxford Newsletter

Portland Conference (cont'df;'om p. 5) been there. Working from the premise Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford, in Venus & Adonis; Professor Ren that the author was "writing a play, not has gone to Liverpool University Press, Draya of Blackburn College asserted a travelogue," he explained that the to be released later this year. He felt that the sports and gambling mentioned dialogue describes the scene and why compelled to say that it is "not a in Henry V "reflect the strengths, it needs acute study by a perspicacious polemical book," but that "[you] cannot opinions, and background of Edward reader to identify the detailed write a biography without forming an de Vere;" and Ramon Jimenez on '''In information on Italian customs and idea of a person." brawl ridiculous': Philip Sidney, Oxford locations. Focusing on the Merchant Later that night, at the Annual and the Battle of Agincourt" postulated of Venice, Roe exposed the author's Awards Banquet held at the Columbia that the unusual Choruses in Henry V awareness of the intricacies of Jewish Edgewater Country Club, Professor were Oxford's reaction to Sidney'S society in 16th Century Venice and, Nelson accepted the university's Vero criticism of The Famous Victories, and because the "play provides bizarre Nihil Verius award for Excellence "Shakespeare's first response to a bad details about the ghetto and Shylock's in Scholarship from Concordia review" (see cover story). house," went on to reveal the exact site University President, Dr. Charles Richard Whalen (a former SOS of the house (still standing!) from clues Schlimpert. Dr. Schlimpert also president) also weighed in on the in the text. presented the award for Excellence in proceedings with a compelling Andrew Werth, a Concordia the Arts to Sir Derek Jacobi who was presentation on another and earlier graduate, continued his identification unfortunately unable to attend as he source for Macbeth, William Stewart's of Homeric sources in Shakespeare, was performing in The HollarI' Chronicles of Scotland - a work existing amusingly recounting the wide range Crown with Diana Rigg in Wellington, only in manuscript form in the mid- of confused and contradictory New Zealand, but his acceptance letter 1500s - and in the hands of the nobility Stratfordian scholarship over whether was read to the delight and amusement such as Burghley and Lady Lennox Shakespeare knew any Greek at all. of all. where Oxford would have had access Appropriately, our favorite Stratfordian Highligh ts of Sunday's papers to it. Whalen underscored this point scholar, Professor Alan Nelson ofU.C. included Mark Alexander exploring by citing Stratfordian scholarship Berkeley, concluded the day by "25 Curious Connections" between ascertaining that "in every case where illuminating the relationship between Shakespeare and Oxford. He compared Stewart differs from Holinshed, Edward de Vere and his stewardship the situation to that of a pointillist Shakespeare goes with Stewart!" (Nelson would say mishandling) of the painter: each dot, in and of itself, means All in all, the Sixth Annual Edward de Earl's Colne Grammar School. Professor nothing, but together they form an Vere Studies Conference was an Nelson's manuscript of his biography, astounding picture. Roger Stritmatter, undeniable success with the highest Monstrous Adversary: The Life of Ph.D. examined the imagery of the Boar attendance on record to date.

The SOS Newsletter welcomes your thoughtful letters to the editor; due to space limitations, however, they are subject to editing. The Shakespeare Oxford Society welcomes articles, essays, commen­ tmy, book reviews, letters and news items of relevance to Shakespeare, Edward de Vere, and the Authorship Discussion. The Rosetta stone Oxfordians have long been searching for. Contributions should be reasonably concise and when appropriate validated Paradigm Shift: Shake-speare bypeerreview. Submissions must include the author's contact information (Jonson's Introductory Poems and may be subj ect to editing for content and length. to the 1623 Folio and Oxford as Shake-speare) Text should be submitted in digital form to by Odysseus Er [email protected] Softcover $19.95 (includes shipping and handling) and photographs and graphics should be mailed to Editor, Shakespeare Oxford Society, 1555 Connecticut Ave., Send check to: Noncomformist Press N.W., Suite 200, Washington, D.C., 20036. 822 Clayland Street St. Paul MN 55104 Shakespeare Oxford Newsletter Spring 2002 page 21

Ju stice Stevens (cant 'd pam p. 3) connection whatsoever with, President's Letter Southampton. There is, however, abundant n a long-anticipated major step, the supporter of the Society for many years. evidence of a close relationship . I SocIety has recently relocated its The centerpiece of any national between De Vere and Southampton, national office and the Victor Creighton headquarters is an active local chapter beginning in 1581, when Southampton Library from Malden, Massachusetts to and the D.C. area members have come - as De Vere had some years earlier - Washington D.C. Our new address is together for five meetings this year already became a royal ward under the care of 1555 with 20 plus attendees at nearly every Lord Burghley. Connecticut Ave., N.W., Suite200, 20036, meeting. Joan Jungfleisch and Cindy Whether these facts will increase or Washington D. C. , and new Silberblatt, who are very active in the D.C. decrease the likelihood of confusion telephone number, 202-207-0281. chapter, have been appointed as the over the identity of the author of the Nonprofit Management Inc., a firm conference co-chairs. Edward Sisson, Shakespeare Canon; whether a different, specializing in management of nonprofit Esq., from the D.C. law firmof Arnoldand but nonetheless distinctive, name will organizations, will be administering our Porter, has been appointed to the Board of come to be associated with that venerable day-to-day operations so that board Trustees. We are most grateful to all of body of work; and whether the Canon members will be able to concentrate on these excellently qualified people for will remain as sweet if that is the case, are other programs and expansion. In the coming forward to join our cause. questions that I will leave in the more past two years, Joe Peel and Richard The Board of Trustees of the capable hands of literary scholars, Desper have been handling many of the Shakespeare Oxford Society would also trademark lawyers, and, perhaps, future functions that will now be administered like to offer special recognition to fellow lecturers in this series. by NMI. We especially want to thank For now, suffice it to say, far more Richard for his tireless work as trustee Katherine Chiljan, who organized than forty winters have besieged both Assistant Treasurer and Blue Boar and edited the last four issues of our my brow and the brow of Beverly fulfillment, and Treasurer Joe Peel for Newsletter; she did this on a volunteer Pattishall since the Coca Cola antitrust spending long hours putting the basis, outside of her regular full-time litigation caused our paths to cross. Society's tax returns in order and for job. The Board wishes to thank her for His writing may not equal finding and working out the details with this generous contribution to the Shakespeare's, but we can be certain NMI. Trustees Jim Sherwood and Society. In addition, the Board also that if he has given an opinion that it is Barboura Flues were instrumental in recognizes Gerit Quealy for the lawful to copy not only the recipe, but advising us in the early planning stages extensive writing and reporting she did also the design and the packaging of of the move, and a special thanks goes on the last issue of the newsletter. Banbury Tarts, it is safe to do so. to Boston-area member Jean Sullivan, The Board has named Robert Brazil who spent long hours preparing the as interim editor of the Newsletter. Mr. office and the library books for the Brazil is a writer and researcher, a former Historical discovery! move. History teacher, and an Oxfordian Three hundred coded signatures The Society's move to D.C. is since 1988. He presented his research have been found in Hamlet especially exciting now since the Capitol at the 1995 SOS conference in identifying De Vere as author! ! is the location of this year's conference, Greensboro, NC, and in 1999 in Newton, Order Marilyn Gray's scheduled for October 10-13 at the MA, and has authored books, articles, Gateway Marriott in Arlington, Virginia. and websites on the Oxford Theory. The Real Shakespeare The Gertrude C. Ford Foundation $22 from iUniverse.com Aa ron F. Tatum deserves our deepest gratitude for its (877) 823-9235 continued sponsorship of the Society's by credit card conferences, as well as for its substantial The purpose of the ISBN # 0-595-19191-6. donations to the Endowment Fund. The Shakespeare Oxford Society Foundation has given us $35,000; $5,000 is to establish Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford, (1550-1604) This issue's Banner quotation comes from of which is designated for the endowment as the true author of the Shakespeare works, to Shakespeare's Richard II: fund. The $30,000 is designated for the encourage a high level of scholarly research and publication, and to fo ster an enhanced appreciation YORK: Well, bear you well in this new conference sponsorship and that amount and enjoyment of the poems and plays. spring of time, Lest you be cropp' d before not used for the fall conference will be you come to prime. What news from Oxford? The Society was founded and incorporated in Do these justs and triumphs hold? Richard 11 allocated to the endowment, according 1957 in the State of New York and was chartered ActS, Sc.2 to the Ford Foundation's wishes. under the membership corporation laws of that state as a non-profit, educational organization. Just is an old or obsolete form of Joust. The Society has been blessed with Dues, grants and contributionsare tax-deductible to Some editions of Shakespeare use the modern several loyal individual contributors, for the extent allowed by law; spelling. A triumph was a public processional or IRS No. 13-6105314; festivity celebrating victory. which we are most grateful, especially New York 07182. James Hardigg, a constant friend and page 22 Spring 2002 Shakespeare Oxford Newsletter

Book Review (cont'd/i'ol/1 p. 11) else in the book, and otherwise Shakespeare Oxford Society: unidentified. From Kos (in the southeast The Blue Boor Shop Aegean), Mycroft takes De Vere to Troy, and then Trebizond on the Black Sea; from LIMITED SUPPLY OGBURN BBO 11 The Relevance of Robert Greene there into Syria and Antioch, and to Tyre, VIDEOTAPES WHILE THEY LAST: by Stephanie Hughes. $10.00 in modern Lebanon, and Alexandria, and BBO 15 Firing Line VHS videotape, 1984, BB012 Oxford Byron then back to Sicily. & Charlton Ogburn,Wm. F. Buckley. by Stephanie Hughes. $8.00 In his Preface the author admits that $35.00 Mycroft's work is unfinished,and that he BBO 13 The Conscience of a King only wishes to "stimulate investigation." OTHER FINE OFFERINGS : by Charles Boyle. $5.00 But although he supplies more than 260 BBOO I Shakespeare Identified BBO 14 Hedingham Castle Guide, brief end notes, many simply name a book, or by 1. Thomas Looney. $20.00 consist of an unhelpful phrase, such as histOl)! of Castle and Earls of Oxford. "Privy Council Papers," or "Cecil Papers, BB002 The De Veres of Castle $3.50 1575." Unfortunately, many of them are Hedingham by Verily Anderson. $35.00 also misnumbered or misplaced and,worse Back issues of The Oxfordian, BB003 The Letters Poems of Edward, & S. Hughes, editor: yet, dozens of quotations and assertions Earl of Oxford by Katherine Chiljan. go unidentified or undocumented. $22.00 OXV01 The O�fordian, Vol. 1 (1998) A related shortcoming is the lack of OXV02 The Oxfordian, VoI.2(1999) attention to recent research, especially by BB004 The Mysteriolls William Shake­ OXV03 The Oxfordian, Vol. 3 (2000) Oxfordians. Less than ten of the two­ speare by Charlton Ogburn (892 pp). OXV04 The Oxfordian, Vol. 4 (200 1) hundred-plus sources in the "Selected $40.00 (The later 1998 reprinting) all issues $20.00 each Bibliography" are post-1990. And aside BB005 The Anglican Shakespeare from a vague reference to recent "American Back issues of the Society Newsletter: by Daniel Wright. $19.95 Oxford Newsletters," no Oxfordian NL370 1 Shakespeare Oxford Newsletter, research later than This Star of England is BB006 The Man Who Was Shakespeare Spring 200 1 cited. by Charlton Ogburn(94 pp.). $6.95 NL3702 Shakespeare Oxford Newsletter, The well-read Oxfordian will find Summer2001 BB007 Shakespeare: Who Was He nothing new and much that is old in NL3703 Shakespeare Oxford Newsletter, by Richard Whalen. $19.95 Discovering Shakespeare, and the Fal12001 newcomer's head might whirl awhile, but BB009 A Hawkji'om a Handsaw all $10.00each both will be charmed and intrigued by the by RollinDeVere. $12.00 (Further back issues of the Newsletter loquacious Mycroft and his dutifulstraig ht are also available at the $10.00 price. man. BBO 1 0 Shakespeare's LaYV by Sir George Greenwood 25% discount for 5 issues or more). (M. Alexandered.). $10.00

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Letters to the editor: his clan, became chief of his nation Receiving the latest newsletter is Robert the Bruce, King Robert I of always the highlight of the day for What may be most intriguing and Scotland. One can only assume that the me, and I never skip over a word. rewarding toward establishing concrete use of the, as the Scots use it, or de, as Thank you for all you do; keep the evidence that Edward de Vere used the Normans use it, is simply the newsletters coming. "William Shakespeare" as his nom de plume designation for the most powerful and/ could lie in his European travels from or honored member ofthe clan or family. Elaine McFarland Radney March, 1575 to April, 1576. There may be The 17'h Earl of Oxford would, of course, Colorado Springs, CO Oxford's continental correspondences be Edward de Vere. The issue becomes that exist within the libraries that archived clouded and the usage erratic only when Regarding Mrs. Radney's observation: his foreign acquaintances. Those possible origins are not understood. What I was the same was true in Irish clans, even in letters of English ambassador to France, hoping Mr. Prechter would cover, or at Elizabethan times. The heads of the Valentine Dale or the seventy-year-old least addrresss, in his detailed article 0' Connor and 0'N eill clans were known as Sturmius,director of the Strasbourg was if the British adopted the custom "The O'Connor" and "The O'Neill. " Gymnasium in Germany, or the Italian from the Normans or if the Normans financier Baptista Nigrone, the Doge of learned it from the cross-culture that Richard Desper Venice, or acquaintances at Padua emerged in Britain after 1 066. Ayer, MA University may offer just a few of the many public or private venues of written communication with the Earl of Oxford. What treasure troves may exist concerning DeV ere's musings and artistic responses within the written impressions Th e .Jtnnua{Jo urna{ of the Shafiesyeare Oxfo rd Society of like-minded men , is to my knowledge, essentially little known. What influences of both literary and experiential nature exist during De Vere's foreign sojourn that seeded and imbued the creative mind of Shakespeare's works. Perchance, just perchance, the sources of the Bard toward Authorial Rights in Shakespeare's Time literary genius lie in the mind of their Robert Detobel ...... 5 author and in the pens of his European Advances in the Hamlet Cosmic AllegOly contemporaries. Peter Usher ...... 25

Ronald Harrison Fenn Shakespeare 's Knowledgeof Law: A Journey through the Dennis, MA HistOlY of the Argument Mark Andre Alexander ...... 51

While Bob Prechter's "Veres and De We Must Speak by the Card or Equivocation will Undo Us: Vere" in the latest newsletter was a good Oxford, Campion, and the Howard-Arundel Accusations of 1580-81 read, I think he missed the obvious answer Richard Desper ...... 121 to his question and failed to answer a Such Shaping Fantasies? Psychology & the Authorship Debate larger question. Those of us with Scots Sally Hazelton Llewellyn ...... 143 ancestry probably never wondered why the 17'h Earl of Oxford and indeed the 16 Th e Oxfordian earls before him were referred to as De is the SOS' outstanding annual journ al of information, insights and new Vere instead of the family name of Vere. discoveries in the fieldof Shakespeare Authorship research. The chiefs of clans (families) are distinguished from other members of the SOS members cost: free with $50 membership Non-members cost: $20/year or $45 for a 3-year subscl1ption clan by the addition of the - as in the Librmy cost: $45 for a 3-year subscription MacFarlane of MacFarlane. The Scottish Back or single issues: $20 US; $25 overseas or Canada king we all know as Robert the Bruce was, in fact, from a family not unlike the SUBSCRIBETODAY! Veres. His ancestor, whose family name Th e Oxjordiall, 1555 Connecticut Avenue, N.W. was Brus, came to Britain because of Suite 200, Washington, D.C. 20036 William the Conqueror in 1066, and in due course Robert de Brus, as chief of page 24 Spring 2002 Shakespeare Oxford Newsletter

Fluellen (cont'dfj-o/l1 p. 17)

parallels. Space does not permit at this of State. It is dated November 17, 1605, contemporary proof that the time of a complete presentation of the and evidently accompanied another playwriting Earl of Oxford knew the Williams-Fluellen characterization. The letter from one Thomas Morgan, a prototype of Shakespeare's Fluellen portrait is, indeed, so realistic that it is notorious spy, at this time in the pay of from personal contact! Merely a abundantly evident that the creator of certain continental interests desirous coincidence? But as these innumerable the stage Fluellen knew Sir Roger of stirring up trouble in England. The coincidences continue to come to light, Williams as intimately as Charles first paragraph of Vere's letter reads their cumulative effect creates a Dickens knew the original of the as follows: documentary case history of impressive irrepressible Mr. Micawber. Yet it is not proportions. Such evidence as this, I received the enclosed from susceptible of proof that the Stratford which shows the close relationship Thomas Morgan this morning by an native ever came into contact with the between Lord Oxford and the original Englishman, a stranger to me, but as Welsh soldier of fortune. What is the Fluellen, cannot but strengthen belief he says well known to Sir William answer of this riddle? that the Shakespeare plays are - Waad. lt was delivered to him by Sir As usual, we find a reasonable and contrary to orthodox pronunciamento Robert Dormer. The contents are satisfying answer in the documentation - full of topical allusions, and alive with strange to me, for I never borrowed relating to the 17th Earl of Oxford, the speaking portraits and biting satires of money of him, nor to my great concealed dramatist of Elizabeth's many famous Elizabethan characters. remembrance spake with him; but Court. In Volume 17 of the Calendar of It is undoubtedly this very quality of such a man I saw when I was very the Manuscripts of the Marquess of lifelike portraiture in the dramatic young at Paris, by reason of the Salisbll/Y, published 1938 by the Royal recreation of such personalities as Sir company I kept "with Sir Roger Historical Manuscripts Commission, I Roger Williams as Fluellen, the Great Williams and one Denys a have come across the transcript of a Lord Burghley as Polonius, Sir Frenchman, follmvers of my Lord of holograph letter written by Sir Francis Christopher Hatton as Malvolio, and Oxford's, to whom he sometimes Vere (1560-1609), favorite cousin and Oxford himselfas Hamlet that has given resorted. intimate friend of the 17th Earl of Oxford, these stage figures their deathless to Sir Robert Cecil, Principal Secretary Here we have unquestionable vitality down the centuries.

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"... in brawl ridiculous ": cover Southampton Portrait: cover Justice Stevens: page 3 Portland Conference: page 4 Oxford's Birthday: page 6 Oxfordian NeHlS: page 8 Book Revie"w: page 11 Shakespeare's Fluellen: page 16 Meet the SOS Trustees: page 19 President's Letter: page 21 Letters: page 23

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