The Shakespeare Sonnet & Edward de Vere

FOR THE 400^TH ANNIVERSARY OF SHAK/OXSPEARE:

NEW EVIDENCE ©Eric Miller, January, 2016

Hank Whittemore in in a recent posting (1/3/2016) in his 100 Reasons why Edward de Vere is Shakespeare wrote, for number 7, the very suggestive “reason” that Shakespeare/Oxford’s family consisted of very prominent poets, including the one credited with the so-called invention of the Shakespearean Sonnet. Does Whittemore have a relevant point?

Perhaps I can add a note to the discussion from my current research on the early writings of Edward de Vere, and particularly comments in his piece, published in 1575, entitled: “Certayne Notes of Instruction concerning the making of verse or ryme in English, written at the request of Master Edouardo Donati.

In his “Hank Whittemore & The Shakespeare Sonnet,” Whittemore made the following opening statement:

This piece of circumstantial evidence that Oxford was “Shakespeare” really speaks for itself, without much additional comment needed from me.

Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey (1517-1547) - Beheaded a few years before Oxford, his nephew, was born; as a poet he introduced the "Shakespearean" sonnet into England and Oxford followed suit soon after becoming a courtier at twenty-one in 1571.

Poetry was part of Edward de Vere’s family heritage.  He was a boy when the lyrical verses of his late uncle the Earl of Surrey were published, and among them were the first English sonnets in the form to become known much later as the “Shakespearean” form.

Soon after Oxford turned twenty-one in 1571 and began his steep rise in the royal favor, he himself composed the first “Shakespearean sonnet” of the Elizabethan reign.

My research indicates that said “Certayne Notes” was definitely written by Edward de Vere and published in 1575 as indicated. Amazingly, the unnamed writer, whom I identify as Lord Oxford, wrote:

“Then haue you Sonnets: some thinke that all Poemes (being short) may be called Sonets, as in deede it is a diminutiue worde deriued of Sonare, but yet I can beste allowe to call those Sonnets whiche are of fouretene lynes, euery line conteyning tenne syllables. The firste twelue do ryme in staues of foure lines by crosse meetre, and the last two ryming togither do conclude the whole.”

I offer the above in evidence for the thesis that Lord Oxford was “Shakespeare” and the more intimately we are aware of the biography of Edward de Vere, and the facts, of that biography, the clearer the truth shines. I offer the above in evidence for the thesis that Lord Oxford was “Shakespeare” and for the proposition that the more intimately we are aware of the biography of Edward de Vere, and the facts, of that biography, the clearer the truth shines. Edward de Vere was Shakespeare, Ignoto, etc.

If there is a "fraud" being practiced, as the Oxfraud group maintains, it is they, who maintain the myth of the Stratfordians,who are practicing it, not those who believe Lord Oxford was Shakespeare.