Tomb search could end riddle of Shakespeare's true identity [Fulke Greville]

Telegraph ^ | Sunday, August 9th, 2009 | David Harrison

[SunkenCiv]

Parishioners at St Mary's church in Warwick have sought permission to examine the contents of the 17th century monument built by Fulke Greville, a writer and contemporary of Shakespeare who some believe is the true author of several of the Bard's works... the search has been prompted by the discovery by an historian of clues in Greville's writings which suggest he had several manuscripts buried there, including a copy of Antony and Cleopatra. A radar scan of the sarcophagus has already indicated the presence inside of three "box like" shapes. The searchers believe these could contain documents and a further examination is now being proposed which they hope will finally prove the link between Greville and Shakespeare. The initial search, using ground penetrating radar, was approved by the parochial church council and the diocesan council. The team now wants to use an endoscope -- a tiny video camera on a long thin tube -- to be inserted into the monument to test his claims... The parochial council also wants the sarcophagus to be opened because it believes that any new evidence will bring extra visitors and save the church, the foundations of which date back 900 years, from bankruptcy... However, the diocesan advisory committee and the Church Buildings Council are resisting the new search, on "ethical grounds" and a final decision could now be taken by the diocese's consistory court. The search has been prompted by the work of the historian AWL Saunders. He believes there are several clues suggesting Greville, who is a distant ancestor, is responsible for writing a number of Shakespeare's works.

[Lmo56]

There is definitely something down there and we want to find out what it is.”

***

Per chance, dost yon copy of the Obama’s longe-forme birth charter lay there amongst the bones of good citizen Hoffa ???

[SkyDancer]

Yummm - bacon ... you been following the bacon stuff on FARK? Funny ....

[SkyDancer]

During homeschooling I read different things about how Francis Bacon could have written Shakespere’s stuff ... but then, there’s all this conspiricy about him like was he really real?

[SkyDancer]

Conspiracy theorists have a need for existence ... didn't you see that movie with Mel Gibson - Conspiracy???

[GOPJ]

There is definitely something down there and we want to find out what it is."

I'm waiting for the follow up post too...

[JoeProBono]

[wildbill]

Calling Geraldo! Calling Geraldo!

[Daffynition]

[dangus]

I always wondered: Didn’t Shakespeare write Shakespeare? Why the conspiracy theories?

[Gatún(CraigIsaMangoTreeLawyer)]

“I believed it to be Edward Devere (7th Earl of Oxford). Joseph Sobran made a good case for him in Alias Shakespeare”

I agree with you.

[VR-21]

There's very little that is known about the man from Stratford who we all think of as the author of the works (I was astonished to find out how much of what we read about him is purely speculative). There's very little about him that suggest that he could have the classical education and intimate knowledge of life as a nobleman to have authored those works, and there's a school of thought among scholars that the man of Stratford was a 'front-man' for a nobleman who was the actual author. Writing plays, poetry and involvement with the theatre was considered very inappropriate for the aristocracy. Sir Francis Bacon (as mentioned by another poster) is mentioned as is Christopher Marlowe and Edward DeVere (7th Earl of Oxford), but the best evidence in my view points to Oxford. His life contained much of what is written about in the plays, and it is his relationship with the young Earl of Southhampton that is thought to be the inspiration behind The Sonnets (seemingly a journal of a two year long homosexual affair that would also have been frowned upon at that time in history). It is a long (one of the most outspoken 'Oxfordians' was Samuel Clemens) and surprisingly intense debate among scholars. Many actors and playwrights, including Orson Wells and Henry James are 'Oxfordians.' I'm anything but a scholar myself, but I do enjoy Shakespeare, and I found Sobran's book Alias Shakespeare fascinating. The Shakespeare-Oxford Society website, http://www.shakespeare-oxford.com has some good information about it.

[Blind Eye Jones]

I think the real Shakespeare was the Queen of England, Elizabeth I, who, by all accounts knew about medicine, history, astro travel, law, book keeping, dentistry, astronomy and poisons. What she didn't know she had the trusted Earl of Oxford and Francis Bacon to advise and inform her. Between wars with Spain she always had a lot of time on her hands and this was a constructive way to keep her idle hands busy. Not having any children she was free to read her Machiavelli, spawn and quash some court intrigues and play the biggest literary prank known to only a few of her most devoted sycophants.

[Jaded]

One book by one wackadoo has turned into a cottage industry serving generations of cranks.

Not the first time.

[redhead]

"Per chance, dost yon copy of the Obama’s longe-forme birth charter lay there amongst the bones of good citizen Hoffa ???"

Heh! GOOD one!

[colorado tanker]

Why do so many people believe in Shakespeare conspiracy theories?

Well, duh, why do so many believe in contemporary conspiracy theories . . . .

[Gatún(CraigIsaMangoTreeLawyer)]

VR-21, thank you for your post.

We need to talk. But give me until tomorrow to answer you.

In particular, I need to find out the name of a book that was published probably in the ‘80s which I wanted to buy but can’t remember the title or the name of the author. It was a thick book. It was probably the first book that came out naming Edward DeVere as the author of Shakespeare’s plays.

Between you and me and the rest of FR, my father purchased it for me, he passed away, and a family member, an in-law, grabbed it and took it home. I am sure to this day she has never read page 1 of it.

Never the less, I have been crazy to find that book so I can order it.

Thank you. I will write tomorrow. I need to get my thoughts in line (brain).

[AdmSmith]

Are there any accessible databases on the Internet with the original texts from Shakespeare, i.e. not adjusted text transcribed into modern (or semi-modern) English. The original language with typos etc.

[Joe 6-pack]

"Believe it or not, when I was securing an elite liberal arts education at Bowdoin College..."

Interesting...I briefly explored Greville while securing my elite liberal arts education at Gettysburg College. Looks like we both went to schools with a Joshua Chamberlain connection ;-)

[VR-21]

"Are there any accessible databases on the Internet with the original texts from Shakespeare, i.e. not adjusted text transcribed into modern (or semi-modern) English. The original language with typos etc."

I'm not aware of any, but there are several "societies" devoted to the study of Shakespeare who have websites and I think they would be your best bet.

[SunkenCiv]

Shakespeare First Folio (this is etext, but scanned with OCR then hand corrected)

http://etext.virginia.edu/shakespeare/folio/