Letters: Earl of Oxford to Baron Burghley, March 14, 1596. [Spelling modernized.]

Cecil Papers 31/11, Oxford to Burghley; 14 March 1596. [Click here for original spelling.]

My very good Lord,

Whereas in my late notes I sent unto you concerning the preemption of Tin, I understand that there are some points whereof you would be satisfied. And for that, I am ignorant what they be, I know not how to do the same, unless it would please your Lordship by some means as you shall think best to notify them unto me.

And whereas I received a most favorable message from your Lordship by your servant Hicks this shall be to desire the continuance of so good ^an^ intention to further my suit unto her Majesty, who although I find of herself to have oftentimes sundry good motions, and dispositions to do me good, yet for want of such a friend as your lordship, that may settle her inclination to a full effect, I perceive all my hopes but fucate, and my haps to wither in the herb. But now settling an assured confidence in your Lordships proffered help, and of me, most earnestly, at this time desired, hereafter I will expect, a more fruitful harvest, of my long labor, putting my trust wholly in your lordship, whose honorable intention towards me I pray god to continue, and to give me hereafter means to acknowledge, according to your merit, and my desire. This present the 14 of March 1595.

Your Lordship’s to Command

(signed) Edward Oxenford

Addressed (in Oxford’s hand): To the right honorable & his very good Lord the Lord Treasurer of England. [seal]

Endorsed (in Burghley’s hand): 14 Martij; Earl of Oxford; Tin

 

Also at Virtual Grub Street:

• More on Thomas North as Shakespeare and author of Arden of Feversham. June 14, 2021. “This is also the reason why the title pages included the address of the shop that was selling the book.”
• 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?”
• Gutenberg, proto-Hack Writers and Shakespeare. May 26, 2020. “A less well known effect of the Reformation was that many young Catholic men who had taken religious orders in order to receive an education began to lead lives at large from monastic discipline.  Like Erasmus and Rabelais they took up the pen.”
• 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.