Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Dedication
- Contents
- List of Illustrations
- List of Abbreviations
- Acknowledgements
- Editorial Procedures
- Introduction
- Part I Roots 1548–1562
- Part II Youth 1562–1571
- Part III Emancipation 1571–1574
- 15 Majority and Marriage
- 16 Country Muses
- 17 Country Matters
- 18 Murder
- 19 Mayhem
- 20 Wanderlust
- 21 Desperadoes
- 22 Flight
- Part IV Exploration 1574–1576
- Part V Alienation 1576–1579
- Part VI Intrigue 1579–1580
- Part VII Sedition 1580–1581
- Part VIII Release 1581–1585
- Part IX Reiteration 1586–1591
- Part X Renewal 1592–1595
- Part XI Re-engagement 1595–1599
- Part XII Decline 1600–1604
- Part XIII Aftermath 1604–1613
- Notes
- Appendix: Oxford's Letters and Libel Documents
- Bibliography
- Index
- Liverpool English texts and Studies
19 - Mayhem
from Part III - Emancipation 1571–1574
- Frontmatter
- Dedication
- Contents
- List of Illustrations
- List of Abbreviations
- Acknowledgements
- Editorial Procedures
- Introduction
- Part I Roots 1548–1562
- Part II Youth 1562–1571
- Part III Emancipation 1571–1574
- 15 Majority and Marriage
- 16 Country Muses
- 17 Country Matters
- 18 Murder
- 19 Mayhem
- 20 Wanderlust
- 21 Desperadoes
- 22 Flight
- Part IV Exploration 1574–1576
- Part V Alienation 1576–1579
- Part VI Intrigue 1579–1580
- Part VII Sedition 1580–1581
- Part VIII Release 1581–1585
- Part IX Reiteration 1586–1591
- Part X Renewal 1592–1595
- Part XI Re-engagement 1595–1599
- Part XII Decline 1600–1604
- Part XIII Aftermath 1604–1613
- Notes
- Appendix: Oxford's Letters and Libel Documents
- Bibliography
- Index
- Liverpool English texts and Studies
Summary
Untouched by the crimes of his servant George Brown, on 22 April Oxford received votes from ten of the twelve electors for the Order of the Garter, including Burghley in his first year of membership in the Order (G-BL). Elizabeth did not make the appointment.
On 30 April Roger, Lord North, eccentric, powerful, and cultured Lord Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire, wrote to Burghley from his country residence at Kirtling of a rural intrigue with a set of characters as odd as himself. One was a runaway servant of Oxford's surnamed Booth, probably ‘my seruant William Bothe’ named in Oxford's letter of 27 November 1575 (LL-08). A second was Josias Bird, MA, fellow of Benet (now Corpus Christi) College, Cambridge, son of Samuel Bird of Walden, Essex. A third was Oxford's gentleman-servant Richard Thimbleby. North wrote as follows:
My singvlar good Lord: I ame more redy then able to do you plesvre: but when I may here [=hear] of anything that conserneth you: my eares shalbe yours.
Sir I have h[e]ard yow do seke to have on[e]: Booth: some time sarvant to my Lord of Oxford for what purpose I know not: what I have learned your Lordship shall here.
this Booth: did lie at an alehowse yn Chesterton by Cambridg before Easter and after: disgised yn a shepperds cloke: an old hatt and an yll paire of hose: he called him self Sturdye: this Booth repaired to one Bird a Master of art yn Benet Colledge: with whom I have spoken: and what I have learned of him followeth.
Speches past [=passed] by Booth to Mr Bird of Benet Colledg
1 Booth being asked whie he went so disguised: and laye yn sutch an ale howse saith my Lord tresorer doth lay waite for me yn every place and I darr not be seen:
2 yt was time for me to goe from my Lord of Oxford: for saith he: there was poison bowght: to poison me withall
3 he told Bird that my Lord cowld not like my Lady [=Countess Anne] adding words rather of his lewdnes then dishonorable to my Lady saieng she was a child.
Bird ys able to say more but he fereth my Lord of Oxford and some displesure to follow:
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Monstrous AdversaryThe Life of Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford, pp. 92 - 98Publisher: Liverpool University PressPrint publication year: 2003