'ltbe ~bakegpeare <!&xforb Newsletter A Publication of the Shakespeare Oxford Society "Dedicated to Researching and Honoring the True Bard" Vol. 4 2: No. 2 "I am not what I am. " Othello Ii S ring 2006 Did Shakespeare OXFORD AND THE Read From FIRST BLACKFRIARS t he 17th Earl of Part Two of Dr. Davis's previous article: "William O:xford's Personal Shakspere, Oxford, Elizabethan Actors, and Playhouses" Library? As near as can be determined conclu­ open it up to the public who would pay to sively, Oxford was involved directly in only see these "practice" plays. He obtained W. Ron Hess, one Elizabethan playhouse, and that was his lease from Sir William More who had assisted by Alan Tarica the "first" Blackfriars, the third dedicated acquired the property from Lord Cobham theater established in Elizabethan times. The who in turn had procured it from Sir Henry A real-life, reading, writing, history of this playhouse is most interesting Neville. It is interesting that Neville ap­ book-owning Bard: and certainly relevant to our discussion, parently helped (through his connections) clearly introducing Oxford into the theater Fan'ant with the acquisition. Orle of our greatest Oxfordian advantages world. Farrant consummated the lease from is that::: the 17th Earl of Ox ford demonstrably To begin, we need to recall that Black­ More on December 20, 1576, and pro­ read a.nd wrote, whereas the family of Mr. friars was a monastery for the Dominican ceeded to renovate the property, causing Shaks pere of Stratford were afflicted with (or "Black") friars until Henry VIII broke him to become seriously indebted. (In a "cong enital illiteracy" (quoth Irv Matus in a with the Catholic Church (or vice versa), and subsequent law suit, More complained that 1994 d ebate), and there is little to contradict Henry either destroyed or confiscated the the renovations had put the property into a the ia:ference that Mr. Shakspere was illiter­ monasteries ofEngland as he did with Black­ state of "great ruin.") For the "training" of ate to<). As to "Shakespeare," the author of friars in 1538. He presented (by "letting") boy actors, Farrant sought to combine the the w o rks we cherish, there's little doubt that Blackfriars to his supportive aristocrats so Children of Windsor with the Children of he rea d and wrote "in over-plus," not just in that during Elizabeth's reign the properties the Royal Chapel for whom William Hunnis English but also in Latin, French, Italian, were held privately. Blackfriars was in an was master. In 1580, Moore was planning and p ossibly Spanish. Moreover, whole upscale area of west London (at the time) action against Farrant for utilizing the prop­ (cont'donp.13) (Adams 91-110), and though it was within erty continually as a playhouse, not just for the city wall, it was under the jurisdiction rehearsal. Unfortunately, this was the year of the crown as opposed to the Council of Farrant died. Anne Farrant, his widow, was • INSIDE· London. It consisted of a number of build­ now saddled with the debt problem without Pres i dent's LetterlEditorial Greeting 2 ings and numerous gardens. In and around the ability to run the theater. She wrote a SOS & SF Joint Conference 3 the property lived important gentry such as letter to More asking permission to sublet Pers onal Adventures with the Lord Cobham and the French ambassador. the premise, which she did, although later Autborship Question 4 Numerous court activities had occurred More denied giving such permission. The Re i ew of the Annual Meeting there during Henry VIII's reign including widow made a formal lease (sublet) in De­ of th e De Vere Society 7 the hearing of the case against Catherine cember, 1580 to William Hunnis and John Letters to the Editor 9 of Aragon and later the Parliament hearing Newman for £20 l3s 4d per annum. This The "Prince Tudor" Hypothesis 10 charges against Cardinal Wolsey. was a little over £6 that she had to pay More A S 1.Iarp B lade, a Tall Man Following the success of James Bur­ for her lease. In 1583, Hunnis and Newman and a Good Whore? 19 bage's Theater and Curtain in 1576-7, a transferred their lease to a Welshman, Henry Anto ny and Cleopatra: Richard Farrant sought to convert one of Evans. This was done without More's con­ the ~omen's Voices 22 the buildings to an enclosed playhouse. His sent and constituted a definite breach of the Review: "Searching for Shakespeare" ostensible plan was to use the playhouse original lease agreement. More declared the Exh.ibition 26 for practicing of the Children of the Royal original lease invalid, but Evans, who was Oxt<:>rdian Archives 28 Chapel, but to no one's surprise, he would (cont'd on p. 5) page 2 Spring 2006 Shakespeare Oxford Newsletter Shakespeare Oxford President's Page Newsletter Published quarterly by the Dear Fellow Shakespeare Lovers: cal schools and community groups; Shakespeare Oxford Society Sponsor a series oflectures or confer­ P.O. Box 1854 Countdown to the ences on the authorship question; Seek funding fi'om individuals, and Silver Spring, MD 20902 Ann Arbor Conference foundations to support our ongoing Tel: (301) 946-8333 educational and outreach programs. Fax: (301)946-1313 (November 9-12, 2006) Please share any ideas you have about how Email: [email protected] It's hard to believe our conference in Ann best to mark our Golden Anniversary. ISSN 1525-6863 Arbor is only three months away! www.shakespeare-oxford.com This will be our second joint confer­ New Yahoo! Email ence with the Shakespeare Fellowship. Editors: We're hoping for a great turnout from both Discussion Group Lew Tate organizations, as well as from as many non­ The Board of Directors recently voted to Editorial Board: members as we can attract. A big draw for create a new Shakespeare Oxford Society Dr. Frank Davis this conference - in fact one of the main discussion group on Yahoo! The group has Susan Sybersma reasons we opted for this venue during these now been created and all SOS members Ramon Jimenez dates - is the presence at the University of are invited to participate. Simply visit Brian Bechtold Michigan of famed Shakespearean actor ShakespeareOxfordSociety-su bscri be@ ya­ Dr. James Brooks Patrick Stewart and the Royal Shakespeare hoogroups.com to subscribe to the group. Joe Peel Company the same week of our conference. Let me be clear: This new Yahoo! group is James Sherwood We're exploring the technological feasibility exclusively for members of the Shakespeare Dr. Richard Smiley of "beaming up" Patrick Stewart and others Oxford Society, about the Shakespeare Layout and Printing from the RSC into our conference. More Oxford Society. There are other groups out St. Martin de Porres Lay Dominicans on that later! there for broader discussions regarding the New Hope, Kentucky We have secured tickets for conference All contents copyright © 2006 participants (maximum of three tickets per (collt'd all p. 25) Shakespeare Oxford Society registrant) for Julius Caesar (Thursday The Newsletter welcomes research articles, book evening), The Tempest (Friday evening), reviews, letters and news items. Contributions and Antony alld Cleopatra (Saturday eve­ GREETINGS should be reasonably concise and, when appro- ning). Please see the Registration insert or priate, validated by peer review. Assignment of Whereas we have many words to fit in the SOS website for more details. These copyright is required for publication. The views the newsletter, and whereas brevity is the tickets are in great demand, so I encourage of contributors do not necessarily reflect those of soul of wit, ... the Shakespeare Oxford Society as a literary and you to register and order your tickets as I wish to thank the scholars/writers for educational organization. soon as possible. the tremendous content of this issue. Also, Another Countdown - Our several of them deserve thanks for adjust­ ing to a hurry-up deadline enabling us to 50th Anniversary in 2007 Board of Trustees inch closer to a reasonable schedule. If you Shakespeare Oxford Society Over the next several months, your Board are working on a project for the 'summer" Lifetime HOllorary Trustees of Directors and hopefully all members newsletter, try for a mid September sub­ Dr. Gordon Cyr and Charles Boyle of the Society will be exploring ideas for mission. While on submissions: a) if at all 2006 celebrating our 50th anniversary next year. possible, please submit digitally; b) please President: Matthew Cossolotto I hope we will all take this opportunity to use MLA, particularly in documentation; First Vice President: Dr. C. Wayne Shore "Think Big" so we make the most of the c) if not MLA, please indicate the format Second Vice President: John Hamill "golden" PR and marketing opportunities you are using and stick with that format; offered by our Golden Anniversary in 2007. d) please remember that you can report on Treasurer: Virginia Hyde Among other things, we should consider: DeVerestudies activities, educational strate­ James Sherwood Setting an ambitious goal forexpand­ gies, personal experiences; e) keep digging. Dr. Frank Davis ing our membership; Michael Pisapia You may be the one to find the document, Marking the anniversary year with Randall Sherman authenticated by your good work, that says, Dr. Richard Smiley a series of special authorship and "I am damn tired of writing the name of that Oxford-related "Hot Topics" publica­ Elliot Stone rube from Podunk, Warwickshire." tions; Susan Sybersma Signed, Edward Oxen ford Dr. Richard Joyrich Establishing an active Speakers Bu­ reau ofmembers willing to speak to 10- Lew Tate, ed. tate321I @bellsouth.net Shalce speare Oxford Newsletter Spring 2006 page 3 SOS and SF Joint Conference November 9-12, 2006 in Ann Arbor, Michigan T h e Ann Arbor Authorship Conference,jointly sponsored by the the hotels directly and mention either the SOS or the Shakespeare Shake speare Oxford Society and the Shakespeare Fellowship, will Fellowship.