Bacon is Shake Speare
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Sir Edwin Durning Lawrence >> Bacon is Shake Speare
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MARK TWAIN, b. 1835, d. 1910.
Samuel Langhorne Clemens, who wrote under the pseudonym of Mark Twain,
was,--it is universally admitted,--one of the wisest of men. Last year
(1909) he published a little book with the title, "Is Shakespeare dead?"
In this he treats with scathing scorn those who can persuade themselves
that the immortal plays were written by the Stratford clown. He writes,
pp. 142-3: "You can trace the life histories of the whole of them [the
world's celebrities] save one far and away the most colossal prodigy of
the entire accumulation--Shakespeare. About him you can find out
_nothing_. Nothing of even the slightest importance. Nothing worth the
trouble of stowing away in your memory. Nothing that even remotely
indicates that he was ever anything more than a distinctly common-place
person--a manager,[15] an actor of inferior grade, a small trader in a
small village that did not regard him as a person of any consequence,
and had forgotten him before he was fairly cold in his grave. We can go
to the records and find out the life-history of every renowned
_race-horse_ of modern times--but not Shakespeare's! There are many
reasons why, and they have been furnished in cartloads (of guess and
conjecture) by those troglodytes; but there is one that is worth all the
rest of the reasons put together, and is abundantly sufficient all by
itself--_he hadn't any history to record_. There is no way of getting
around that deadly fact. And no sane way has yet been discovered of
getting round its formidable significance. Its quite plain significance
--to any but those thugs (I do not use the term unkindly) is, that
Shakespeare had no prominence while he lived, and none until he had been
dead two or three generations. The Plays enjoyed high fame from the
beginning."
PRINCE BISMARCK, b. 1815, d. 1898.
We are told in Sydney Whitman's "Personal Reminiscences of Prince
Bismarck," pp. 135-6, that in 1892, Prince Bismarck said, "He could not
understand how it were possible that a man, however gifted with the
intuitions of genius, could have written what was attributed to
Shakespeare unless he had been in touch with the great affairs of state,
behind the scenes of political life, and also intimate with all the
social courtesies and refinements of thought which in Shakspeare's time
were only to be met with in the highest circles."
"It also seemed to Prince Bismarck incredible that the man who had
written the greatest dramas in the world's literature could of his own
free will, whilst still in the prime of life, have retired to such a
place as Stratford-on-Avon and lived there for years, cut off from
intellectual society, and out of touch with the world."
The foregoing list of men of the very greatest ability and intelligence
who were able clearly to perceive the absurdity of continuing to accept
the commonly received belief that the Mighty Author of the immortal
Plays was none other than the mean rustic of Stratford, might be
extended indefinitely, but the names that we have mentioned are amply
sufficient to prove to the reader that he will be in excellent company
when he himself realises the truth that
BACON IS SHAKESPEARE.
A NEUER WRITER, TO AN EUER READER. NEWES.
Eternall reader, you haue heere a new play, neuer stal'd with the Stage,
neuer clapper-clawd with the palmes of the vulger, and yet passing full
of the palme comicall; for it is a birth of your braine, that neuer
under-tooke any thing commicall, vainely: And were but the vaine names
of commedies changde for the titles of Commodities, or of Playes for
Pleas; you should see all those grand censors, that now stile them such
vanities, flock to them for the maine grace of their grauities:
especially this authors Commedies, that are so fram'd to the life, that
they serve for the most common Commentaries, of all the actions of our
Hues shewing such a dexteritie, and power of witte, that the most
displeased with Playes are pleasd with his Commedies.....
And beleeue this, that when hee is gone, and his Commedies out of sale,
you will scramble for them, and set up a new English Inquisition. Take
this for a warning, and at the perrill of your pleasures losse, and
Judgements, refuse not, nor like this the lesse, for not being sullied,
with the smoaky breath of the multitude.[16]
ADDENDA ET CORRIGENDA.
Footnote to page 45. There was a forest of Arden in Warwickshire.
Footnote to page 51. This Richard Quyney's son Thomas married 10th
February 1616, Judith, William Shakespeare's younger daughter, who, like
her father, the supposed poet, was totally illiterate, and signed the
Register with a mark.
Footnote to page 62. In 1615, although nothing of poetical importance
bearing Bacon's name had been published, we find in Stowe's "Annales,"
p. 811, that Bacon's name appears seventh in the list there given of
Elizabethan poets.
ERRATA.
P. 5. For "knew little Latin" read "had small Latin."
P. 29. For "line 511" read "line 512."
P. 81. For "Montegut" read "Montegut."
For "Greek for crowned" read "Greek for
crown."
P. 93 & 94. For "Quintillian" read "Quintilian."
P. 133. For "Greek name" read "Greek word."
PROMUS
OF
FOURMES AND ELEGANCYES
BY
FRANCIS BACON.
PREFACE TO PROMUS
To these Essays I have attached a carefully collated reprint of Francis
Bacon's "Promus of Formularies and Elegancies," a work which is to be
found in Manuscript at the British Museum in the Harleian Collection
(No. 7,017.)
The folios at present known are numbered from 83 to 132, and are
supposed to have been written about A.D. 1594-6, because folio 85 is
dated December 5th 1594, and folio 114, January 27 1595.
The pagination of the MS. is modern, and was inserted for reference
purposes when the Promus was bound up in one volume together with
certain other miscellaneous manuscripts which are numbered from 1 to 82,
and from 133 onwards.
A facsimile of a portion of a leaf of the Promus MS., folio 85, is given
on pages 190-91, in order to illustrate Bacon's handwriting, and also to
shew his method of marking the entries. It will be perceived that some
entries have lines //// drawn across the writing, while upon others
marks similar to the capital letters T, F, and A are placed at the end
of the lines. But as the Promus is here printed page for page as in the
manuscript, I am not raising the question of the signification of these
marks, excepting only to say they indicate that Bacon made considerable
use of these memoranda.
"Promus" means larder or storehouse, and these "Fourmes, Formularies and
Elegancyes" appear to have been intended as a storehouse of words and
phrases to be employed in the production of subsequent literary works.
Mrs. Pott was the first to print the "Promus," which, with translations
and references, she published in 1883. In her great work, which really
may be described as monumental, Mrs. Pott points out, by means of some
thousands of quotations, how great a use appears to have been made of
the "Promus" notes, both in the acknowledged works of Bacon and in the
plays which are known as Shakespeare's.
Mrs. Pott's reading of the manuscript was extremely good, considering
the great difficulty experienced in deciphering the writing. But I
thought it advisable when preparing a reprint to secure the services of
the late Mr. F. B. Bickley, of the British Museum, to carefully revise
the whole of Bacon's "Promus." This task he completed and I received
twenty-four proofs, which I caused to be bound with a title page in
1898. There were no other copies, the whole of the type having
unfortunately been broken up. The proof has again been carefully
collated with the original manuscript and corrected by Mr. F. A.
Herbert, of the British Museum, and I have now reprinted it here, as I
am satisfied that the more Bacon's Promus--the Storehouse--is examined,
the more it will be recognised how large a portion of the material
collected therein has been made use of in the Immortal Plays, and I
therefore now issue the Promus with the present essay as an additional
proof of the identity of Bacon and Shakespeare.
EDWIN DURNING-LAWRENCE.
[Illustration: Plate XLII. Facsimile of portion of Folio 85 of the
Original MS of Bacon's "Promus." see page 199]
[Illustration: Plate XLIII. Portrait of Francis Bacon, from a Painting
by Van Somers. Formerly in the Collection of the Duke of Fife]
Promus of Formularies.
_Folio 83, front_.
Ingenuous honesty and yet with opposition and
strength.
Corni contra croci good means against badd, homes
to crosses.
In circuitu ambulant impij; honest by antiperistasis.
Siluj a bonis et dolor meus renouatus est.
Credidj propter quod locutus sum.
Memoria justi cum laudibus at impiorum nomen
putrescet
Justitiamque omnes cupida de mente fugarunt.
Non recipit stultus verba prudential nisi ea dixeris
quaee uersantur in corde ejus
Veritatem erne et noli vendere
Qui festinat ditari non erat insons
Nolite dare sanctum canibus.
Qui potest capere capiat
Quoniam Moses ad duritiam cordis uestri permisit
uobis
Obedire oportet deo magis quam hominibus.
Et vniuscujusque opus quale sit probabit ignis
Non enim possumus aliquid aduersus ueritatem sed
pro ueritate.
_Folio 83, front--continued_.
For which of y'e good woorkes doe yow stone me
Quorundam hominum peccata praecedunt ad judicium
quorundam sequuntur
Bonum certamen certauj
Sat patriae priamoque datum.
Ilicet obruimur numero.
Atque animis illabere nostris
Hoc praetexit nomine culpam.
Procul o procul este prophani
Magnanimj heroes nati melioribus annis
_Folio 83, back_.
Ille mihi ante alios fortunatusque laborum
Egregiusque animi qui ne quid tale videret
Procubuit moriens et humum semel ore momordit
Fors et uirtus miscentur in vnum.
Non ego natura nec sum tam callidus vsu.
aeuo rarissima nostro simplicitas
Viderit vtilitas ego cepta fideliter edam.
Prosperum et foelix scelus, virtus vocatur
Tibi res antiquas laudis et artis
Inuidiam placare paras uirtute relicta.
Iliacos intra muros peccatur et extra
Homo sum humanj a me nil alienum puto.
The grace of God is woorth a fayre
Black will take no other hue
Vnum augurium optimum tueri patria.
Exigua res est ipsa justitia
Dat veniam coruis uexat censura columbas.
Homo hominj deus
Semper virgines furiae; Cowrting a furye
Di danarj di senno et di fede
Ce ne manco che tu credj
Chi semina spine non vada discalzo
Mas vale a quien Dios ayuda que a quien mucho
madruga.
Quien nesciamente pecca nesciamente ua al infierno
Quien ruyn es en su uilla
Ruyn es en Seuilla
De los leales se hinchen los huespitales
_Folio 84, front_.
We may doe much yll or we doe much woorse
Vultu laeditur saepe pietas.
Difficilia quae pulchra
Conscientia mille testes.
Summum Jus summa injuria
Nequiequam patrias tentasti lubricus artes.
Et monitj meliora sequamur
Nusquam tuta fides
Discite Justitiam moniti et non temnere diuos
Quisque suos patimur manes.
Extinctus amabitur idem.
Optimus ille animi vindex laedentium pectus
Vincula qui rupit dedoluitque semel.
Virtue like a rych geme best plaine sett
Quibus bonitas a genere penitus insita est
ij iam non mali esse nolunt sed nesciunt
Oeconomicae rationes publicas peruertunt.
Divitiae Impedimenta virtutis; The bagage of
vertue
Habet et mors aram.
Nemo virtuti invidiam reconciliauerit praeter
mort ...
Turpe proco ancillam sollicitare Est autem
virtutis ancilia laus.
Si suum cuique tribuendum est certe et venia
humanitati
Qui dissimulat liber non est
Leue efficit jugum fortunae jugum amicitiae
Omnis medecina Innouatio
_Folio 84, front--continued_.
Auribus mederi difficillimum.
Suspitio fragilem fidem soluit fortem incendit
Pauca tamen suberunt priscae vestigia fraudis
Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori
Mors et fugacem persequitur virum.
Danda est hellebori multo pars maxima avar [is]
_Folio 84, back_.
Minerall wytts strong poyson and they be not
corrected
aquexar.
Ametallado fayned inameled.
Totum est majus sua parte against factions and
priuate profite
Galens compositions not paracelsus separations
Full musike of easy ayres withowt strange concordes
and discordes
In medio non sistit uirtus
Totem est quod superest
A stone withowt foyle
A whery man that lookes one way and pulls another
Ostracisme
Mors in Olla poysonings
Fumos uendere.
[Sidenote up the left margin oriented at ninety degrees to the text:
FOURMES COMERSATE]
_Folio 85, front_.
Dec. 5, 1594.
Promus
// Suauissima vita indies meliorem fierj
The grace of God is woorth a faire
Mors in olla F
// No wise speech thowgh easy and voluble.
Notwithstanding his dialogues (of one that giueth
life to his speach by way of quaestion). T
He can tell a tale well (of those cowrtly giftes of
speach w'ch. are better in describing then in
consydering) F
A goode Comediante T (of one that hath good
grace in his speach)
To commend Judgments.
// To comend sense of law
// Cunyng in the humors of persons but not in the
condicons of actions
Stay a littell that we make an end the sooner. A
// A fooles bolt is soone shott
His lippes hang in his light. A. T
// Best we lay a straw hear
A myll post thwitten to a pudding pricke T
// One swallo maketh no sumer
L'Astrologia e vera ma l'astrologuo non sj truoua
// Hercules pillers non vltra. T
// He had rather haue his will then his wyshe. T
Well to forgett
Make much of yourselfe
_Folio 85, front--continued_.
Wyshing yow all &c and myself occasion to doe
yow servyce
// I shalbe gladd to vnderstand your newes but none
// rather then some ouerture whearin I may doe
// yow service
// Ceremonyes and green rushes are for strangers T
How doe yow? They haue a better question in cheap side w'lak ye
// Poore and trew. Not poore therefore not trew T
_Folio 85, back_.
Tuque Inuidiosa vestustas. T
Licentia sumus omnes deteriores. T
Qui dat nivem sicut lanam T
Lilia agri non laborant neque nent T
Mors omnia solvit T
// A quavering tong.
like a cuntry man that curseth the almanach. T
Ecce duo gladij his. T
Arnajore ad minorem. T
In circuitu ambulant impij T
Exijt sermo inter fratres quod discipulus iste non
moritur T
Omne majus continet in se mjnus T
Sine vlla controuersia quod minus est majore
benedic ... T
She is light she may be taken in play T
He may goe by water for he is sure to be well
landed T
// Small matters need sollicitacion great are remem-
bred of themselues
The matter goeth so slowly forward that I haue
almost forgott it my self so as I maruaile not
if my frendes forgett
Not like a crabb though like a snaile
Honest men hardly chaung their name. T
The matter thowgh it be new (if that be new wch)
hath been practized in like case thowgh not in
this particular
I leaue the reasons to the parties relacions and the
consyderacion of them to your wysdome
_Folio 86, front_.
I shall be content my howrs intended for service
leaue me in liberty
// It is in vayne to forbear to renew that greef by
// speach w'ch the want of so great a comfort must
// needes renew.
// As I did not seeke to wynne your thankes so your
// courteous acceptacion deserueth myne
// The vale best discouuereth the hill T.
// Sometymes a stander by seeth more than a plaier T.
The shortest foly is the best. T.
// I desire no secrett newes but the truth of comen
newes. T.
// Yf the bone be not trew[17] sett it will neuer be well
till it be broken. T.
// Cheries and newes fall price soonest. T.
You vse the lawyers fourme of pleading T.
// The difference is not between yow and me but
between your proffite and my trust
// All is not in years some what is in howres well
spent. T.
// Offer him a booke T
// Why hath not God sent yow my mynd or me your
// means.
// I thinke it my dowble good happ both for the
obteynyng and for the mean.
// Shutt the doore for I mean to speak treason T.
I wysh one as fytt as I am vnfitt
I doe not onely dwell farre from neighbors but near
yll neighbors. T
_Folio 86, front--continued_.
// As please the paynter T.
Receperunt mercedem suam. T.
Secundum tidem vestram fiet vobis
Ministerium meum honorificabo
_Folio 86, back_.
Beati mortuj qui moriuntur in domino
Detractor portat Diabolum in lingua T
frangimur heu fatis inquit ferimurque procella
Nunc ipsa vocat res
Dij meliora pijs erroremque hostibus illum
Aliquisque malo fuit vsus in illo
Vsque acleo latet vtilitas
Et tamen arbitrium que, rit res ista duorum.
Vt esse phebi dulcius lumen solet
Jam jam cadentis
Velle suum cuique est nee voto viuitur vno
Who so knew what would be dear
Nead be a marchant but a year.
Blacke will take no other hew
He can yll pipe that wantes his vpper lip
Nota res mala optima
Balbus balbum rectius intelligit
L' agua va al mar
A tyme to gett and a tyme to loose
Nee dijs nee viribus equis
Vnum pro multis dabitur caput
Mitte hanc de pectore curam
Neptunus ventis impleuit vela secundis
A brayne cutt with facettes T
T Yow drawe for colors but it prooueth contrarie
T Qui in paruis non distinguit in magnis labitur.
Every thing is subtile till it be conceyued
_Folio 87, front_.
That y't. is forced is not forcible
More ingenious then naturall
Quod longe jactum est leviter ferit
Doe yow know it? Hoc solum scio quod nihil scio
I know it? so say many
Now yow say somewhat.s. euen when yow will; now
yow begynne to conceyue I begynne to say.
What doe yow conclude vpon that? etiam tentas
All is one.s. Contrariorum eadam est ratio.
Repeat your reason.s. Bis ac ter pulchra.
Hear me owt.s. you were neuer in.
Yow iudg before yow vnderstand.s. I iudg as I vnderstand.
You goe from the matter.s. But it was to folow yow.
Come to the poynt.s. why I shall not find yow thear
Yow doe not vnderstand y'e poynt.s. for if I did.
Let me make an end of my tale.s. That which I
will say will make an end of it
Yow take more then is graunted.s.
you graunt lesse then is prooued
Yow speak colorably.s. yow may not say truly.
That is not so by your fauour.s. But by my reason
it is so
_Folio 87, back_.
It is so I will warrant yow.s. yow may warrant me
but I thinke I shall not vowche yow
Awnswere directly.s. yow mean as you may direct
me
Awnswere me shortly.s. yea that yow may coment
vpon it.
The cases will come together.s. It wilbe to fight
then.
Audistis quia dictum est antiquis
Secundum hominem dico
Et quin[18] non novit talia?
Hoc praetexit nomine culpa
Et fuit in toto notissima fabula celo
Quod quidam facit
Nee nihil neque omnia sunt quae dicit
Facete nunc demum nata ista est oratio
Qui mal intend pis respond
Tum decujt cum sceptra dabas
En haec promissa fides est?
Proteges eos in tabernaculo tuo a contradictione
linuarum.
[Greek: prin to thronein katathronein epistasai]
Sicut audiuimus sic vidimus
Credidj propter quod locutus sum.
Quj erudit derisorem sibj injuriam facit
Super mjrarj ceperunt philosopharj
_Folio 88, front_.
Prudens celat scientiam stultus proclamat stultitiam
Querit derisor sapientiam nee invenit eam.
Non recipit stultus verba prudentie nisi ea dixeris
quae sunt in corde ejus
Lucerna Dej spiraculum hominis
Veritatem eme et noli vendere
Melior claudus in via quam cursor extra viam.
The glory of God is to conceale a thing and the
glory of man is to fynd owt a thing.
Melior est finis orationis quam principium.
Injtium verborum ejus stultitia et novissimum oris
illius pura insania
Verba sapientium sicut aculej et vebut clavj in
altum defixj.
Quj potest capere capiat
Vos adoratis quod nescitis
Vos nihil scitis
Quod est veritas.
Quod scripsj scripsj
Nolj dicere rex Judeorum sed dicens se regem
Judeorum
Virj fratres liceat audacter dicere apud vos
Quod uult seminator his verborum dicere
_Folio 88, back_.
Multe te litere ad Insaniam redigunt.
Sapientiam loquiraur inter perfectos
Et Justificata est sapientia a filijs suis.
Scientia inflat charitas edificat
Eadem vobis scribere mihi non pigrum vobis autem
necessarium
Hoc autem dico vt nemo vos decipiat in sublimi-
tate sermonum.
Omnia probate quod bonum este tenete
Fidelis sermo
Semper discentes et nunquam ad scientiam veritatis
pervenientes
Proprius ipsorum propheta
Testimonium hoc verum est
Tantam nubem testium.
Sit omnis homo velox ad audiendum tardus ad
loquendum.
Error novissimus pejor priore.
Quecunque ignorant blasphemant
Non credimus quia non legimus
Facile est vt quis Augustinum vincat viderit vtrum
veritate an clamore.
Bellum omnium pater
De nouueau tout est beau
De saison tout est bon
Dj danarj di senno et di fede
Ce ne manca che tu credj
Di mentira y saqueras verdad
_Folio 89, front_.
Magna Civitas magna solitude
light gaines make heuy purses
He may be in my paternoster indeed
But sure he shall neuer be in my Creed
Tanti causas sciat ilia furosis
What will yow?
For the rest
It is possible
Not the lesse for that
Allwaies provyded
Yf yow stay thear
for a tyme
will yow see
what shalbe the end.
Incident
Yow take it right
All this while
Whear stay we? prima facie.
That agayne. more or less.
I find that straunge It is bycause
Not vnlike quasi vero
Yf that be so Best of all
What els
Nothing lesse
Yt cometh to that
Hear yow faile
To meet with that
Bear with that
And how now
_Folio 89, front--continued_.
Of grace
as if
let it not displease yow
Yow putt me in mynd
I object, I demaund I distinguish etc.
A matter not in question
few woordes need
much may be said,
yow haue
well offred.
The mean the tyme
All will not serue
Yow haue forgott nothing.
Causa patet
Tamen quaere.
Well remembred
I arreste yow thear
I cannot thinke that
Discourse better
I was thinking of that
I come to that
That is iust nothing
Peraduenture Interrogatory.
Se then how (for much lesse)
NOTE.--This folio is written in three columns. The first two are printed
on page 209, and this page forms the third column. The first line, "Of
grace," is written opposite the sixth line on page 209, "What will yow?"
_Folio 89, back_.
Non est apud aram Consultandem.
Eumenes litter
Sorti pater equus vtrique
Est quoddam [_sic_] prodire tenus si non datur vltra.
Quem si non tenuit magnis tamen excidit ausis
Conamur tenues grandia
Tentantem majora fere praesentibus equum.
Da facilem cursum atque audacibus annue ceptis
Neptunus ventis implevit vela secundis
Crescent illae crescetis Amores
Et quae nunc ratio est impetus ante fuit
Aspice venturo laetentur vt omnia seclo
In Academijs discunt credere
_Vos adoratis quod nescitis_
To gyue Awthors thear due as yow gyue Tyme his
dew w'ch is to discouuer troth.
Vos graeci semper pueri
Non canimus surdis respondent omnia syluae
populus volt decipi
_Scientiam loquimur inter perfectos
Et Justificata est sapientia a filijs suis_
Pretiosa in oculis domini mors sanctorum ejus
Felix qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas.
Magistratus virum iudicat.
Da sapienti occasionem et addetur ej sapienta
Vite me redde priorj
I had rather know then be knowne
_Folio 90, front_.
Orpheus in syluis inter Delphinas Arion
Inopem me copia fecit.
An instrument in tunyng
A yowth sett will neuer be higher.
like as children doe w'th their babies when they haue
plaied enowgh wth them they take sport to
undoe them.
Faber quisque fortune suae
Hinc errores multiplices quod de partibus vitae
singuli deliberant de summa nemo.
Vtilitas magnos hominesque deosque efficit auxilijs
quoque fauente suis.
Qui in agone contendit a multis abstinet
Quidque cupit sperat suaque illum oracula fallunt
Serpens nisi serpentem comederit non fit Draco
The Athenians holyday.
Optimi consiliarij mortuj
Cum tot populis stipatus eat
In tot populis vix vna fides
Odere Reges dicta quae dici iubent
Nolite confidere in principibus
Et multis vtile bellum.
Pulchrorum Autumnus pulcher
Vsque adeone times quern tu facis ipse timendum.
Dux femina facti
Res est ingeniosa dare
A long wynter maketh a full ear.
Declinat cursus aurumque uolubile tollit
Romaniscult.
Vnum augurium optimum tueri patriam
Bene omnia fecit
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7 | 8 |
9 |
10 |
11