Virtual Grub Street: John Chamberlain to Dudley Carleton, March 9, 1622.

This is another letter entered in the Edward de Vere Letter Index due to its relationship to the events taking place during the publication of the Shakespeare First Folio. This letter being quite chatty, it also touches upon persons surrounding Shakespeare's masque in Act IV of The Tempest.

The Countess of Bedford was the patron to whom Samuel Daniel dedicated his Masque of the Twelve Goddesses in 1603. As I've shown in my Shakespeare's The Tempest: the Wedding Masque for Susan de Vere¹ both Susan and her sister, Elizabeth de Vere, appeared in the Twelve Goddesses along with Bedford. Also appearing in the masque were a number of “things” repurposed for Act IV of The Tempest.

The Lord Chamberlain mentioned was, of course, William Herbert, 3rd Earl of Pembroke, brother-in-law to Susan de Vere and lover of her bestie, Mary Wroth. It was Herbert who issued the injunction to the Stationers' Guild, in 1620, that brought an end to the first attempt at a Shakespeare folio, midway through its publishing process, and marked the beginning of assembling and publishing the First Folio we have.² All were present, by every indication, at the first performance of The Tempest for Susan de Vere's marriage celebration on St. John's Day, 1604. Pembroke was actively involved in the production at various points including appearing as a masquer.

Others related to Shakespeare at various removes are every bit as interesting. The “late Lord Chauncellor” was Francis Bacon. The beginning of his disgrace, earlier in the year, was due to his being deeply in debt. His favorite money-lender for many years was Robert Cecil's friend and secretary Michael Hickes, the son of Julia Penn, who was the model for the Hostess in Shakespeare's Henry IV plays³.

Dudley Diggs was the brother of Leonard Diggs⁴ who together with John Mabbe belonged to the stable of writers kept by Edward Blount, one of the publishers of the FF, and who each would donate a poem to the front matter. In some 20 years Kenelme Digbie would become the executor of Ben Jonson's manuscripts and leave us yet another resounding reason why the Stratford man did not write the works of Shakespeare.

TO SIR DUDLEY CARLETON.

[S. P. Dom., Jac. I, cxxviii, 41.]

[London, March 9, 1622.]

My very goode Lord:

After the decease of Sir Henry Savile, there was some doubt made whether the promise of his place to Thomas Murrey might stand goode, but after some litle pause the King wrote to Eaton to have him elected and admitted: as for the wardenship of Merton College yt is yet in suspence, for though the fellowes and seniors with full consent made choise of Master Brent (together with two other obscure persons as the manner is) and offered him with all the formes requisite to the Lord Archbishop s who is to nominate; yet by reason the Prince wrote in the behalfe of Sir Isaac Wake, my Lord of Caunterburie makes stay till his highnes maye be satisfied, and withall Sir Isaac Wakes frends have made such meanes to the Countesse of Bedford and the Lord Chamberlain, that many questions are made about the validitie of the election, because two or three of the seniors were away, and for that they proceded with such haste: but touching the seniors two of those that were absent have alredy confirmed what was don; so that now the Prince is come to towne, yt is likely the matter will shortly be ended. He came on Monday from Theobalds, where the King still continues by reason of a defluxion first into his arme, but now is fallen downe into his legge where yt settles like a gout, but not so painfull, but that he goes abrode in his litter to see his deere. The States ambassadors

were there this weeke but could not be admitted. On Shrovetewsday they were feasted by Sir Edward Cecill with that temperance that they came all sober away, as having had but sixe healths that went round: Sir Henry Rich came thether poste that morning from Petworth whether he went with the Lord of Doncaster, who is to return shortly into Fraunce yf his Ladies sicknes will geve him leave, and is saide to lie now at the last cast. The Lord Digbie and his Lady are still upon going. There passed some unkind speaches twixt him and the Lord Treasurer about monie matters, which the King wold have to be forgotten, and reconciled them without repetition. One Burrowes that was secretarie to the late Lord Chauncellor, and hath an office of keping the records in the Towre is sent to call home the Countesse of Arundell, but whether from the King, or her Lord, I cannot say. There is a match spoken of twixt the Lord President Montacutes eldest sonne and the Lord Fieldings daughter, and that the Lord President is like to succeed the Lord Keper, but the world thinckes he was well enough before yf he could so have kept him. The commissioners for Ireland have order to be at Holyhead by the 25th of this moneth, where a ship is to attend them for theire transportation. Theyre allowance is thirtie shillings a day to begin from the 20th of Februarie, and every one hath 100^li delivered him aforehand by way of imprest. I remember no more of their names but Sir ... Jones that was lately Lord Cheife Justice there and is now a judge of the common-pleas, Sir Dudley Diggs, Sir Fraunces Blundell, Sir Nathaniell Rich, Sir James Perrot, Sir ... Penruddocke, Sir John Jephson, and Thomas Crew. The Lenton sermons kepe their usuall times before the Prince: here is a note of the Preachers names as like wise a copie of certain letters twixt the Spanish ambassador and the Companie of the Sommer-ylands. The other paper are certain bitter verses of the Lord Dennies upon the Lady Marie Wroth,1s for that in her booke of Urania she doth palpablie and grossely play upon him and his late daughter the Lady Hayes, besides many others she makes bold with, and they say takes great libertie or rather licence to traduce whom she please, and thincks she daunces in a net: I have seen an aunswer of hers to these rimes, but I thought yt not worth the writing out. So with the rememorance of my best service to my goode Lady I commend you to the protection of the Almighty. From London this 9^th of March 1621.

Your Lordships most assuredly

at commaund

JOHN CHAMBERLAIN.

To the right honorable Sir Dudley Carleton knight Lord Ambassador for his Majestie with the States of the United Provinces at the Hag[ue].

Source: McClure, Norman Egbert. The Letters of John Chamberlain (1939). II.425-7.

1 Purdy, Gilbert Wesley. Shakespeare's The Tempest: the Wedding Masque for Susan de Vere (2024). https://www.amazon.com/Shakespeares-Tempest-Wedding-Masque-Susan-ebook/dp/B0CY5YYG1F/

2 See my Edward De Vere was Shake-speare: at long last, the proof (2013, 2017). https://www.amazon.com/dp/1543136257/

3 See my Edward de Vere's Retainer Thomas Churchyard: the Man Who Was Falstaff (2017). https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077LVLXY2/

4 See my “Leonard Digges and the Shakespeare First Folio.” Virtual Grub Street, November 30, 2017. https://gilbertwesleypurdy.blogspot.com/2017/11/leonard-digges-and-shakespeare-first.html

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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.