Lyly's Euphues. the Anatomy Of Wit had already been published in 1579 and his Euphues and His England the next year. Both were #1 best sellers. At the time of this letter, Lyly had written the most celebrated prose works of his times. Euphuism would inform many of the finest English works for over a decade to come, including those of Shakespeare.
He had probably become a private secretary to Oxford shortly after the publication of the first book. The second had been dedicated:
To the Right Honourable my
very good Lorde and Maister, Edward de Vere,
Earle of Oxenforde, Vicount Bulbeck, Lorde of
Escales and Badlesmere, and Lorde great
Chamberlaine of England, lohn Lyly
wisheth long lyfe, with encrease
of Honour.
Whatever had been the matter, Oxford purchased the lease to Blackfriars theater and worked together with Lyly ⸻ to whom he soon signed it over ⸻ to put on the first of the plays history clearly recognizes as “Elizabethan”: plays by Lyly, Marlowe, Peele and Oxford himself.
It is endorsed, presumably by Burleigh's secretary, 'Julij 1582, John Lilly to my L.', and superscribed
To ye right honorable, ye L. Burleigh, L. high Tresorer of England.
My duetie (right honorable) in most humble manner remembred. It hath plesed my Lord vpon what colour I cannot tell, certaine I am vpon no cause, to be displesed wt me, ye grief wherof is more then the losse can be. But seeing I am to liue in ye world, I must also be iudged by the world, for that an honest seruaunt must be such as Caesar wold haue his wif, not only free from synne, but from suspicion. And for that I wish nothing more then to commit all my waies to yor wisdome, and the deuises of others to yor judgment, I heere yeld both my self and my soule, the one to be tried by yor honnor, the other by the iustic of god. and I doubt not but my dealings being sifted, the world shall find whit meale, wher others thought to shew cours branne. It may be manie things wil be objected, but yt any thing can be proued I doubt, I know yor L. will soone smell deuises from simplicity, trueth from trecherie, factions from iust servic. And god is my witnes,before whome I speak, and before whome for my speach I shall aunswer, yt all my thoughtes concerning my L. haue byne ever reuerent, and almost relligious. How I haue dealt god knoweth and my Lady can coniecture, so faithfullie, as I am as vnspotted for dishonestie, as a suckling from theft. This conscinc of myne maketh me presume to stand to all trialls, ether of accomptes, or counsell, in the one I neuer vsed falshood, nor in the other dissembling, my most humble suit therefore vnto yor L. is yt my accusations be not smothered and I choaked in ye smoak, but that they maie be tried in ye fire, and I will stand to the heat. And my only comfort is, yt he yt is wis shall iudg trueth, whos nakednes shall manifest her noblenes. But I will not troble yor honorable eares wt so meinie idle wordes only this vpon my knees I ask, yt yor L. will vousalf to talk wt me, and in all things will I shew my self so honest, y' my disgrac shall bring to yor L. as great meruell, as it hath done to me grief, and so thoroughly will I satisfie everie objection, yt yor L. shall think me faithfull, though
infortunat. That yor honnor rest p'suaded of myne honest mynd, and my Lady of my true servic, that all things may be tried to ye vttermost, is my desire, and the only reward I craue for my iust, (1 iust I dare tearme it) seruic. And thus in all humility submitting my Caus to yor wisdome and my Conscinc to ye triall. I commit yor L. to the Almghtie.
' Yor L. most dutifullie to commaund
'Jhon Lyly.'
for yt I am for some few daies going into the countrie, yf yor L. be not at leasure to admitt me to yor speach, at my returne I will giue my most dutifull attendaunc, at wch time, it may be my honesty may ioyne wt yor L. wisdome and both preuent, that nether, wold allow. In the meane season what color soever be alleged, if I be not honest to my L. and so meane to bee during his plesure, I desire but yor L. secret opinion, for as I know my L. to be most honorable, so I besech god in time he be not abused. Loth I am to be a prophitt, and to be a wiche I loath.
Most dutifull to commaund,
Jhon Lyly.
Also at Virtual Grub Street:
Shakespeare CSI: Sir Thomas More, Hand-D. April 22, 2023. “What a glory to have an actual hand-written manuscript from the greatest English writer of all time!”
Edward de Vere Birthday Backgrounder: April 12 (2023). April 7, 2023. "Edward De Vere was born April 12th, in the year 1550, at Hedingham Castle, in Essex, to John De Vere, the 16th Earl of Oxford, and his second wife Margery De Vere (née Golding)."
Edward de Vere in the Lives of his Daughters. February 27, 2023. "At least they take some comfort from their belief that De Vere had no demonstrable relationship with his daughter, the Countess of Montgomery, Susan de Vere."
- Shakespeare’s Character Names: Shylock, Ophelia, etc. July 13, 2021. “The name Ophelia was, by all indications, quite rare in the 16th century.”
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 Shakespeare Authorship 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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