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Nelson's Oxford Biography Vol.3:no.1 "Let me not to the marriage of true minds admit impediments..." Fall 2003 William Drive, they said Camden As the year winds down amid revised Shake- What did he say, and speare bios, authorship novels and anti-Oxford- when did he say it? ian tracts, is there any doubt who’s driving? By Paul H. Altrocchi, MD n the 20 years since Charlton Ogburn’s The Truth hath a quiet breast. (Richard II) IMysterious William Shakespeare reignited the he prolific William Camden is authorship debate there has recognized as England’s first been a steady progression of Tinfluential historian. Born in 1551 interest in the issue and a and buried in Westminster Abbey in 1623, regular appearance of it in his 72 years spanned all but the first year of both the major media (PBS’s Edward de Vere’s life and bridged the entire Frontline, Atlantic Monthly, life of William Shaksper of Stratford-on- Harpers, Time, US News and Avon. World Report, The New York Camden graduated from Oxford at age Times, etc.) and on the cam- puses of some academic in- 20, then toured Europe before joining the Two books published this summer have upped the ante stitutions. In addition, the faculty of Westminster School in 1575, on the centuries-old authorship debate. Michael Wood’s In emergence of the internet in becoming headmaster in 1593. One of his Search of Shakespeare (r) and Prof. Alan Nelson’s biography of the 1990s has undoubtedly pupils was Ben Jonson. As a hobby, Camden Oxford, Monstrous Adversary (l) are a one-two punch counter- offensive that belie the notion that there is no authorship debate. fostered even more interest traveled throughout the British Isles (Continued on page 6) collecting information on its cities and towns, including their worthy citizens and Book Review their contributions to English culture. Two generations of Oxfordians have known that Camden, in describing Nelson’s new Oxford biography noteworthy persons from Stratford-on- Avon in his Britannia, failed to mention One man’s interpretation of the record either William Shaksper or the playwright By Richard Whalen 1,1a William Shakespeare. The details of Monstrous Adversary: The Life of speare because of the scandalous incidents that important omission, not hitherto Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Ox- in his life and his allegedly poor spelling. described, are presented here and the ford. By Alan H. Nelson. Liverpool Nelson admits to a “harsh judgment” of significance for the authorship debate is University Press, 2003. Oxford’s character, a judgment that is reassessed. largely justifiable. Oxford did lead an ec- fter trolling for primary source docu- centric, tumultuous, sometimes scandal- Camden’s books ments in the archives for years, Alan ous life, but that does not preclude him ANelson has emerged with a flawed from having written the great plays and Camden’s major works were:2,2a biography of the 17th Earl of Oxford as an poems. To the contrary, it argues that like Elizabethan curiosity who, by the way, many other writers of genius who were (Continued on page 12) could not have written the works of Shake- (Continued on page 20) page 2 Shakespeare Matters Fall 2003 Chamberlain’s Men or the King’s Men.” To the Editor: Letters: Wrong, Al! In 1947 the renowned Ox- fordian scholar A. Bronson Feldman found It occurs to me that your readers may To the Editor: the connection between Robert Armin be interested to learn of developments that (called “Shakespeare’s Jester” by T. W. followed my recent article concerning the As an attendee of the Smithsonian semi- Baldwin) and Oxford, whom Armin de- lost letter of Wilton, and the Shakespeare nar detailed so ably by Peter Rush in your scribes as his “Maister,” and whom he plans House(“We have the man Shakespeare,” last issue (Summer 2003), I enjoyed the to visit in Hackney. The only “Maister” Shakespeare Matters, Spring 2003, pp. 1, author’s popping of several Stratfordian Armin could have served who lived in Hack- 8-13). balloons. And I agree with Rush that future ney at the time he wrote (1599) was the In August I was approached by a jour- debates should be framed: “Resolved: 17th Earl of Oxford (see the Shakespeare nalist working for the German TV Com- Shakespeare of Stratford is the author of Oxford Society Newsletter, Autumn, 1973, pany, WDR, who asked me to give an inter- Shakespeare’s poems and plays.” Posed pp. 9-12). view at Wilton House. A film crew had been this way, Stratfordians are forced to pro- If the quality of the alleged “proofs” sent over to England to prepare a documen- vide positive evidence for a shaky hypoth- that Prof. Nelson promises in his forthcom- tary for their German audience concerning esis and our side has only to knock it down, ing book Monstrous Adversary are of the the connection between de Vere and Shake- plus have the last word. This letter is only to quality as his Smithsonian statements, Ox- speare. Filming took place in September at add my own two cents worth. fordians have little to fear. Wilton House in front of the Holbein Porch, Of all the comments made by panelists referred to in the past as Shakespeare’s on either side, the most bordering on ob- Gordon C. Cyr House. noxious were those of Prof. Alan Nelson Baltimore, Maryland I therefore had ample opportunity to (U.C. Berkeley). A single smug assertion of 7 August 2003 examine it, take photographs and make his (cited by Rush on page 13) is typical of further enquiries. In the course of doing so, the tone set by his arguments. In one breath, (For some initial reaction to Nelson’s just I was informed that the Porch had recently it contains at least two egregious abuses of published biography of Oxford (Monstrous been surveyed and it was then confirmed legitimate debating tactics: “I’ve been in Adversary), see Richard Whalen’s review begin- that it did indeed date back to the time of Sir this business [for years] [argumentum ex ning on page 1, and also Roger Stritmatter’s Philip Sidney’s sister, Lady Mary Herbert. cathedra], and I’ve never heard that sugges- commentary on pages 8-9, re: Nelson’s anti- At the top of the porch I observed the feudal tion, (see below) and it seems to me abso- Oxfordian agenda in publishing Monstrous. — coats of arms to which previous reference lutely impossible [hyperbole].” Ed.) has been made, although their detail is now Indeed, the professor’s overuse of the adverb “absolutely” drew frequent laugh- ter from the audience, especially after Jo- Shakespeare Matters Subscriptions to Shakespeare Matters are seph Sobran uttered an exasperated rejoin- Published quarterly by the $40 per year ($20 for online issues only). der to Nelson’s constant putdowns of The Shakespeare Fellowship Family or institution subscriptions are $60 per year. Patrons of the Fellowship are $75 and up. Oxford’s verse and prose: “I wish I were as Send subscription requests to: certain of anything as he [Nelson] is of Honorary Trustees: Sir Derek Jacobi, Michael York The Shakespeare Fellowship everything.” P.O. Box 561 If Alan Nelson really “never heard” that Editorial Offices Belmont MA 02478 plays were performed in private homes, P.O. Box 263 The purpose of the Shakespeare Fellowship this statement in itself raises serious ques- Somerville, MA 02143 is to promote public awareness and acceptance tions about the professor’s qualifications of the authorship of the Shakespeare Canon by to lecture anti-Stratfordians on any aspect Editor: Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford (1550- William Boyle 1604), and further to encourage a high level of of “this business” in which he claims such scholarly research and publication into all long experience. The contrary position that Contributing Editors: aspects of Shakespeare studies, and also into the Nelson favors—i.e. that Shakespeare only Mark Anderson, Dr. Charles Berney, history and culture of the Elizabethan era. Charles Boyle, Dr. Felicia Londre, The Society was founded and incorporated wrote plays for “his company,” the Lord Lynne Kositsky, Alex McNeil, in 2001 in the State of Massachusetts and is Chamberlain’s Men—was demolished 95 Dr. Anne Pluto, Elisabeth Sears, chartered under the membership corporation years ago by Sir George Greenwood in The Dr. Roger Stritmatter, Richard Whalen, laws of that state.It is a recognized 501(c)(3) Hank Whittemore, Dr. Daniel L. Wright non-profit (Fed ID 04-3578550). Shakespeare Problem Restated (London, Dues, grants and contributions are tax- 1908). Phone (Somerville, MA): (617) 628-3411 deductible to the extent allowed by law Fax (Somerville, MA): (617) 628-4258 All contents copyright ©2003 And speaking of Shakespeare’s alleged email: [email protected] The Shakespeare Fellowship company, Nelson misstates the facts when Shakespeare Matters welcomes articles, essays, he is quoted on page 14 as saying that commentary, book reviews, letters and news items. Contributions should be reasonably concise and, when “there is no connection whatsoever be- appropriate, validated by peer review. The views expressed by contributors do not necessarily reflect those of the tween Oxford and any aspect of the Lord Fellowship as a literary and educational organization. Internet Ed. (©2003, The Shakespeare Fellowship - not for sale or distribution without written consent) Fall 2003 Shakespeare Matters page 3 largely indistinct from a ground view. From the Editor There are also several portrait busts accompanying these emblems, but no at- Reality check tempt has been made by the House to iden- tify who they were intended to represent. As we begin our third year of publishing mines the realities of William of Stratford’s Shakespeare Matters there is no shortage family and life—along with the politics of Inside the Porch are pedestals standing in of news in the ongoing Shakespeare au- Elizabethan England—to make him more each corner.
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