I describe all of this, at considerable length, in my Edward De Vere was Shake-speare: at long last, the proof. The lovers could see
that disaster was looming. All came to a head on March 21, 1581 [O.S.].
134. When
Vavasour delivered a son, in March of the year, concealment was no longer
possible.[1]
They had made a plan to escape to Spain but it never came to
fruition. Vavasour was sent to The Tower. Edward went into hiding.
The following letter shows Elizabeth’s Vice-Chamberlain, Christopher
Hatton, to have been an ally of Edward’s father-in-law, Baron Burghley, if not
necessarily of Oxford himself. Only hinted at, however, The Earl of Leicester appears to have
taken advantage of the opportunity to undermine De Vere in every private way. His provocations of the family
of Anne Vavasour bore fruit the next year.
144. …On February 21st,
Oxford and servants accompanying him were set upon by Thomas Knyvet, Gentleman
to the Privy Chamber and uncle to Anne Vavasour, and his retainers. The place of the attack is not recorded but
it was probably in London. Both Knyvet
and Oxford were injured — the Earl more seriously.[2]
The following letter provides a good deal of our available information about the event.
LORD BURGHLEY TO SIR CHRISTOPHER HATTON.
Good Mr. Vice-Chamberlain, My lack of health and strength
serveth me not to write as much as I have cause; but yet many urgent
necessities constrain me to write somewhat for ease of my mind, which I pray
you to interpret after your friendly manner.
I perceived yesterday by my Lord of Leicester that you had
very friendly delivered speeches to her Majesty tending to bring some good end
to these troublesome matters betwixt my Lord of Oxford and Mr. Thomas Knyvet;
for the which your doings I do heartily thank you, and beseech you to continue
your former good meaning, though the event expected and desired hath not
followed.
And now perceiving by my Lord of Leicester some increase of
her Majesty's offence towards my Lord of Oxford, and finding by Mr. Thomas
Knyvet that he only being called and demanded of her Majesty what he would say
herein, he did, as served his turn, declare to her Majesty that his men were
evil used by my Lord of Oxford's men, and namely that one of his men was killed
by a man of my Lord of Oxford's, and no redress had, I cannot but think that
her Majesty had just occasion given by such an information to be offended
towards my Lord of Oxford, or his man, and did therefore, like a Prince of justice
and God's minister, command the matter to be examined, which was done yesterday
at great length by my Lord of Leicester, to his trouble and my grief; and I
doubt not but my Lord of Leicester will honourably declare to her Majesty how
my Lord of Oxford resteth untouched, or at least unblotted, in any kind of
matter objected by Mr. Knyvet, whom we heard at great length, and his men also.
But because Mr. Knyvet's man, called Long Tom, that once served and was
maintained by my Lord of Oxford, a bad fellow to serve any honest man, came to
his death, I am bold to send to you the inquisition before the Coroner of
London, with the verdict of the jury and the depositions of the ocular witnesses;
by all which, and by a new acquittal at Newgate, Gastrell, the party named my
Lord of Oxford's man, and yet was not then his man, nor yet is, though Mr.
Knyvet report him so to be, was and standeth acquitted of the death of the said
Long Thomas; so as, where her Majesty had just cause to conceive somewhat
hardly of my Lord of Oxford, I doubt not but when her Majesty shall be informed
by my Lord of Leicester of the truth which he hath seen and not disproved, her
Majesty will diminish her offensive opinion : and I trust also, after you shall
have read these writings, which I will on my credit avow to be true, you will
be of the same mind, and, as opportunity may serve, will also move her Majesty
in this case to think otherwise hereof than the informer meant to induce her to
think.
As to the rest of the brabbles and frays, my Lord of
Leicester can also declare upon what small occasions of repute and light
carriages of tales, whereof my Lord of Oxford is nowise touched, these brabbles
are risen. And for the quarrel of one Roper, of the Guards, against Gastrell,
my Lord of Oxford's man, it is confessed that Roper challenged Gastrell that he
had complained of him; whereas in truth yourself knoweth it was my Lord of
Oxford that did complain to you of Roper and of one Hall, so as Roper was
therein too busy. And hereupon he wrote a long epistle to Gastrell to challenge
him to fight, and so also Costock made the like challenge, whereby appeareth
that these frays grow by challenges made to my Lord of Oxford's men : and yet
it must be informed that my Lord of Oxford's men do offer these frays. [Cont'd>>>]
[1] Purdy,
Gilbert Wesley. Edward De Vere was Shake-speare: at long last, the proof
(2013, 2017). 134. https://www.amazon.com/dp/1543136257/
[2] Ibid.
144.
Also at Virtual Grub Street:
- A Life of John Dee, Part 1. January 17, 2022. “In reality, John Dee was a man born out of due season. His age was not ready for him.”
- How Shakespeare gave Ben Jonson the Infamous Purge. November 7, 2021. “Of course, De Vere could not openly accuse Jonson of having outed him as Shakespeare.”
- 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?”
- 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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