In the much expanded version of Ulysses and Agamemnon of 1599 — known to us as Troilus and Cressida — when Achilles/Leicester has Hector/Norfolk executed, with the help of his minions, Troilus continues as the heir apparent to lead the Trojan faction.
how he looks, and how he goes! O
admirable youth! he ne'er saw three and twenty. —
Go thy way, Troilus, go thy way!1
He is 22 years old.
Norfolk's single comment here regarding the 22 year old Oxford tells us a great deal about the state of matters in the English court circa 1572. Some 10 years later, the pamphlet called Leicester's Commonwealth and the play Ulysses and Agamemnon will appear at nearly the same time — the complaints against Leicester in the one and Achilles in the other being nearly identical, the authors clearly being different persons allied against Elizabeth I's great favorite.
Now to the letter written four days after Norfolk, found guilty of treason, was sentenced to death.
Having heard this decree, the prisoner, with much presence of mind, answered: “Sentence is passed upon me as upon a traitor! I have none to trust to but God and the queen: I am excluded from your society, but hope shortly to enjoy the heavenly. I will fit myself to die. Only this one thing I crave, that the queen will be kind to my poor children and servants, and take care that my debts be paid.’
The duke was then taken back to the Tower, with the usual forms of a condemned person, and being told that an early day would be appointed for his execution, he prepared himself to meet it, with a nobleness of soul, which at once characterised the Christian, and dignified the man. On the twentieth of January, the fourth day after his trial, he addressed from the Tower, a long and excellent letter of advice to his children, pointing out to them, in the most affectionate and sensible manner, the paths to pursue, and the dangers to shun, in their future course in life.
The letter is quite long and not to any historical point. For this reason we quote from the portion written to his eldest son as the new head of the family. The full letter may be read in Bayley.2
I forbear, son Philip, to put these particulars hereafter remembered into the general letter sent unto you all, because most part of these things pertain chiefly to your self. I made certain conveyances which save to you the greatest part of my landes, which can by no means be taken from you, but by act of parliament; and to prevent that, you must seek, by good dealing, to get your self as many to be your good lords and friends as you can. My Lord Burghley hath been ever my friend, and therefore I hope he will be yours. My cousin of Oxford is too negligent in his friend's causes, or else he might do you more good then any kinsman you have. The Master of the Rolls, and the Attorney, have been ever friendly unto me, and if you seek their friendship I hope you shall find them willing. Mr. Hatton is a marvelous constant friend, one that I have been much beholding unto. Write unto him, and seek his good will, and I believe you shall find him assured. After sometime is overblown, write an humble letter to the queen's majesty, laying your self prostrate at her highness' feet, declaring your lamentable case. By this means I hope you shall assuage her majesty's ire, and thereby that land which is left you, be without danger of rigour by parliament. This bearer hath been so faithful unto me, as if you be not mindful to recompense him, if you be able, you shall show yourself unnatural to me; therefore let your dealing be such towards him, as he may think the faithful and dangerous service that he did to your father not to be forgotten. Credit him in that he shall say by mouth to you from me, for I have committed diverse things to his credit to be reported by word. He is contented to spend his time with you: hear him, he will advise you nothing but for the best.
1 Troilus and Cressida, I.ii.
2 Bayley, John. The History and Antiquities Tower of London (1825). II.470-
Also at Virtual Grub Street:
- Rocco Bonetti's Blackfriars Fencing School and Lord Hunsdon's Water Pipe. August 12, 2023. “... the tenement late in the tenure of John Lyllie gentleman & nowe in the tenure of the said Rocho Bonetti...”
On Shakespeare's lameness and historical-fiction biography, etc. August 5, 2023. “Those who support Sogliardo of Stratford and other authorship candidates generally stop by from time to time to remark...”
- 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!”
- Robert Greene and the Construction Shakespeare Never Used. August 9, 2022. 'Our first foray “staring intently into” the texts of Robert Greene has noted that his work utilized far fewer feminine endings than Shakespeare’s.'
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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