Sir Robert Cecil.
I have always found myself beholding to you, for many kindnesses,
and courtesies. Wherefore I am bold, at this present, which gives occasion of
many considerations, to desire you as my very good friend and kind brother-in-law
to impart to me what course is devised by you of the Council, & the rest of
the lords, concerning our duties to the king’s Majesty whither you do expect
any messenger before his coming to let us understand his pleasure, or else his
personal arrival, to be presently or very shortly. And if it be so, what order
is resolved on amongst you, either for the attending, or meeting of his Majesty.
For by reason of my infirmity, I cannot come among you so often as I wish. And
by reason my house is not so near, that at every occasion I can be present, as
were fit, either I do not hear at all from you, or at least with the latest, as
this other day it happened to me, receiving a letter at nine of the clock, not
to fail at eight of the same morning to be at Whitehall. Which being
impossible, yet I hastened so much as I came to follow you into Ludgate, though
through press of people and horses I could not reach your company as I desired,
but followed as I might.
I cannot but find a great grief in myself, to remember the mistress which we have lost, under whom both you and myself from our greenest years have been in a manner brought up. And although it has pleased god, after an earthly kingdom to take her up into a more permanent and heavenly state, wherein I do not doubt but she is crowned with glory, and to give us a prince wise, learned, and enriched with all virtues, yet the long time which we spent in her service, we cannot look for so much left of our days, as to bestow upon another. Neither the long acquaintance, and kind familiarities, wherewith she did use us, we are not ever to expect from another prince, as denied by the infirmity of age, and common course of reason. In this common shipwreck, mine is above all the rest. Who least regarded, though often comforted, of all her followers, she has left to try my fortune among the alterations of time, [ ] and chance, either without sail whereby to take the advantage of any prosperous gale, or with anchor to ride until the storm be overpassed. There is nothing therefore left to my comfort, but the excellent virtues, and deep wisdom wherewith god has endued our new master, and sovereign Lord, who does not come amongst us as a stranger but as a natural prince, succeeding by right of blood, and inheritance, not as a conqueror, but as the true shepherd of Christ’s flock to cherish and comfort them.
Wherefore I most earnestly desire you of this favour, as I have written before, that I may be informed from you concerning these points, and thus recommending myself unto you I take my leave.
Your assured friend and unfortunate Brother-in-Law
(signed) E. Oxenford
Addressed (in Oxford’s hand): To the right honorable my very
good Brother in Law, Sir Robert Cecil, principal secretary [seal: boar]
Endorsed: 25.27 April 1603 Earl of Oxford to my Master
Also at Virtual Grub Street:
- On Shakespeare and Drinking Smoke. January 4, 2021. “The debate raged for some time: Had Shakespeare smoked pot? Tobacco? Both?”
- On the Question “Who knew Edward de Vere was Shakespeare?” December 14, 2020. “But was the word going around that his wife, the Countess of Oxford, conceived two children in his absence?”
- A 1572 Oxford Letter and the Player’s Speech in Hamlet. August 11, 2020. “The player’s speech has been a source of consternation among Shakespeare scholars for above 200 years. Why was Aeneas’ tale chosen as the subject?”
- Shakespeare’s Funeral Meats. May 13, 2020. “Famous as this has been since its discovery, it has been willfully misread more often than not. No mainstream scholar had any use for a reference to Hamlet years before it was supposed to have been written.”
- Check out the English Renaissance Article Index for many more articles and reviews about this fascinating time and about the Shakespeare Authorship Question.
- Check out the Letters Index: Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford for many letters from this fascinating time, some related to the Shakespeare Authorship Question.
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