Shakespeare     The Author Identified

          A Freemason's Theory

by Ted R. Bowling, MPS

INTRODUCTION

Haue I gone mad? That's what I thought when I began to
notice the similarities in the works of Shakespeare and teach-
ings of Freemasonry.

Initial research disclosed several writers had written on
Shakespeare and Freemasonry.

On the 1st of January 1872 there were 1335 Freemason's
Lodges on the register of the Grand Lodge of England. Until
1867, all of the lofty names of our Noble English Literature,
Shakespeare's was the only one borne by a Lodge on the
English Register and no less than six were called after him.
    Raymond Burnette Pease, Ph. D., wrote: Here is a
consideration of the greatest master of drama and seer into
the human heart that the world knows, considered from the
standpoint of Masonic teaching.
    Alfred Dodd, P.M., used Shakespeare's writings to show
that he invented Freemasonry. A large part of his book looks
at the play, Titus Adronicus, with comparisons to the
Masonic Rltual.
    Dodd later denounces Shakespeare as the true author and
argues that Francis bacon is the true author.

              Problem
     The problem was voiced by Looney: We have before us a
piece of human work of the most exceptional character, and
the problem is to find the man who did it.

         THEORIES CONTRARY
          TO TRADITIONAL
            SHAKESPEARE

Several Theories have been submitted to demonstrate that
Shakespeare, the actor, did not write the works attributed to
him.

Sir George Greenwood submitted two separate works per-
taining to the problem. He concluded Shakespeare was in-
capable of writing the plays. Although he had no candidate
for the real author, he concluded the writer was an unknown
lawyer.

Francis Bacon: The Bacon supporters, mostly lawyers,
point to Shakespeare's lack of formal education, they also
point to additional factors. With the amount of legal infor-
mation contained in the writings, the writer must have been
a barrister. Some of Bacon's supporters believe he wrote
works attributed to other writers, such as Greene. Some sup-
porters use cryptograms to support their theory.

Problem with Bacon: Francis bacon was a lawyer; how-
ever' he preferred to write rather than pursue his legal pro-
fession. If Bacon wrote under the name of Greene; Why
would Greene have referred to Shakespeare as the "upstart
crow" in 1592? Also, Bacon outlived Shakespeare by ten
years. Why did Fletcher and/or Beautmont and Fletcher
help write the last several works attributed to Shakespeare?

Earl of Oxford: Supporters of Edward De Vere, the 17th
Earl of Oxford, also note the lack of education on the part of
Shakespeare. They display six signatures of William
Shakespeare as evidence that he could not have written the
many works. Based on the play, The Merchant of Venice, the
requirement that a person with extensive knowledge of Italy
surfaced. These supporters argue that Oxford best fits this
requirement.

Problem: Oxford died in 1604, some 12 years before
Shakespeare and nine years before the recognized date of
Shakespeare's last play. Some of Shakespeare's greatest
writings came after Oxford's death.

William Stanley, afterwards Earl of Derby: In France, a
professor dealt with the problem in about the same manner as
the Oxfordians. In addition, his research disclosed the
writer must have been at the Court of Navarre at Nerac in
about 1583 based on the information contained in the play,
Loves Labour Lost.

Problem: On one has ever placed Derby at the Court of Navarre
at Nerac. At about this time Derby was believed to be on his
way to Spain.

Marlow: The Marlow theory has few supporters as he was killed
and pronounced dead by the Queen's Coroner years before the
majority of Shakespeare's works were published.

PROFILE OF THE WRITER

Based on the above mentioned theories, the successful must
meet all the listed requirements:

 1. Be a member of the nobility.

 2. Be an unknown or little known lawyer.

 3. Be a writer with demonstrated ability to write the
plays.

 4. Be a traveler with in-depth knowledge of Italy.

 5. Must have been at the Court of Navarre at Nerac in
about 1583.

Additional factors: As the writing relate to an in-depth knowl-
edge of sports, including falconry, the successful candidate
must have been in a position to acquire this knowledge.

A synopsis of an article in Shakespeare Research and Op-
portunities references the article written by Bland, D.S. titled
Arthur Broke, Gerard Legh and the Inner Temple. Broke's
sponsors for admission to the Inner Temple were Thomas
Sackville and Thomas Norton, leading credence to the possi-
bility that this Arthur Broke wrote the narrative verse,
Romeus and Juliet from which Shakespeare drew. . .

If the candidate were a member of the inner temple, his
position would be strengthened.

                FREEMASONRY

Definition:  Freemasonry is a beautiful system of morality,
veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols.

Isn't Shakespeare's writings a beautiful system of morality?
Isn't this system of morality veiled in allegory and illustrated
by symbols? The answer to both questions is yes.

                 THE FORMER
                GRAND MASTER

Former Grand Master Sir Thomas Sackville was born in
1536 at Buckhurst, Sussex, England. He was a statesman,
poet and dramatist remembered largely for two achieve-
ments of significance in the development of Elizabethan
poetry and drama: the collection, A Myrrour for Magistrates
(1563) and the Tragedy of Gorboduc (1561).

Sackville settled in London in 1553. In 1558 he became a
barrister and a member of Parliament. He began an ex-
tended visit to Italy in c. 1563 and returned on his father's
death in 1566. He continued to serve the government, be-
coming a member of the Privy Council. He served on diplo-
matic missions to the Hague. He was also the Chancellor of
the University of Oxford and Lord High treasure. He died
19 April 1608 in London at the Privy Council Table.

Sackville's father, a first cousin to Henry VIII's Anne Bo-
leyn, held various positions governmental positions under
Henry VIII, Edward VI, and Queens Mary and Elizabeth.
He greatly enriched himself thereby.

Thomas Sackville received an excellent education. Local
grammar school, Hart college, Oxford graduated M.A. He
studied law at the Inner temple.

When Queen Elizabeth came to the throne, he was con-
stantly in private attendance on her person. On 8 June 1567,
he was Knighted and created Baron of Buckhurst. He va-
cated his position of Grand Master of Freemasons, a position
he had held since 1561. He plunged into affairs of the state
and was made Earl of Dorset in 1604. He was Elizabeth's
ambassador to negotiate her marriage to the Duke of Anjou.
The marriage never took place. He also represented her on a
special embassy in France. He was chosen to convey the
news of sentence of death to Mary, Queen of Scots.

In 1589 he was made a Knight of the Garter and negotiated
a peace with France in 1591. As Lord Steward, he presided
over the trial of the Earl of Essex and passed sentence on
him. The coming of James I to the throne in 1603 did not
affect his position at all.

He married Cicely Baker, a daughter of a Privy Councilor
in 1555, who bore him four sons and three daughters and
outlived him. Their marriage seems to have been a happy
one.

Henry Machyn, citizen-tailor of London, noted on 27
December 1561, there came riding through London a Lord
of Misrule, gorgeously dressed and accompanied by a
hundred horsemen with chains of gold, who rode into the
Inner Temple; "for there", he writes in his dairy, "was great
cheer all Christmas. . . and great revels as ever for the Gentle-
men of the Temple every day, for many of the council were
there.

This dairy entry corroborates the meeting held by Grand
Master Thomas Sackville on St. John's Day in December
1561. Note the meeting was held in London, and not at York
as some believe and some question if the event took place at
all.

The queen had deputized officers to break up the Grand
Lodge. Some of the officers agreed to be admitted to the
order. A play was presented to invited guests along with the
deputized officers. The Queen wanted the play staged at the
Inner Temple to be presented at Court. The play present
at Court was Gorboduc

Traditionally, some play or ritual would be performed
commemorate the admittance of newly made member
especially on St. John's Day. The play would have be
Masonically related; such as what we now recognize as "I
Legend of the Temple."

                    GORBODUC

The play, Gorboduc concerned an aged King not heeding
good counsel and dividing his kingdom, giving each of his
two sons a part. The younger of the two new Kings, Porrex,
killed Ferrex, the elder in order to have all the original
kingdom. Videna, the wife of King Gorboduc, then killed Por-
rex. The subjects of the realm rose up and killed both
Videna and Gorboduc throwing the kingdom into anarchy.

Queen Elizabeth had issued an edict against plays touching
on religion and politics. Coincidentally, Grand Master
Thomas Sackville decided to travel to Europe to continue his
education. He was gone from England from about 1563 to
the death of his father in 1566. The play, Gorboduc, was not
presented again during the Queen's lifetime.

Shortly after the death of Queen Elizabeth, essentially the
very same play was presented under the name of "King
Lear. " Can other similarities be found in the writings known
to be from Sackville and the writings attributed to
Shakespeare?

The first works attributed to Shakespeare were the three
parts of Henry VI. Compare Gorboduc, known to have been
written by Sackville:

The father shall unwitting slay the son,

The son shall slay the sire and know it not. (5.02.212)

From 3 Henry VI:

Alarm. Enter a son that has killed his father, draging in
the body...

Enter a father that killed hiks son, bringing in the body.
(3HVI 2.05.54-101)

Is there a Masonic allusion in the three parts of Henry VI?

          Compare from Masonic ritual:

I now present you this Lambskin or white leather apron.

From 2 Henry VI:

Here Robin, and if I die, I give thee my apron. (2HVI .03.071)

If Queen Elizabeth became upset over the play, Gorboduc.
because it alluded to politics; Why was King James I not
upset when King Lear was presented?

The answer might be that King James I was a member
the fraternity. There is evidence James I was a member
the "Lodge of Scoon and Perth" in Scotland.

             CONCLUSION

Sir Thomas Sackville, Past Grand Master of Freemason
meets all the requirements of the profile of the person most
likely to have written the works attributed to Shakespeare.

He was:

1. A member of the nobility.

2. An unknown or little known lawyer.

3. A writer capable of writing the Plays.

4. A traveler with in-depth knowledge of Italy.

As the Queen's ambassador to negotiate her marriage
the Duke of Anjou and as her special embassy in France,
would have been the most likely person to have been at
Court of Navarre at Nerac in about 1583.

His father was a member of King Henry VIII's entourage.
Sackville would have been a position to acquire the necessary
knowledge of sports, including falconry, while accompanying
his father on Henry VIII's sporting outings.

He also was a member of the Inner Temple.

CONCERNS AND QUESTIONS

1. Why write under someone else's name?

First, Sackville had already been reprimanded by the
Queen for the production of Gorboduc.

Secondly, it was the custom of the time that nobles not write
fiction under their real names.

Thirdly, should any play offend the Queen, or should the
Queen s fragile government be overthrown, the identity of
the true writer would not be revealed.

2. Why Shakespeare?

Shakespeare, from Stratford-On Avon, had a hometown
friend in London who owned a printing shop. Shakespeare
was mobile, he did not own vast estates which would have
been forfeited to the crown should the Monarch be dis-
pleased with the writings. Should the need arise, he could
retire to the interior of the country and remain there until he
was forgotten, then he could go abroad and so be free.

3. Could Shakespeare be trusted?

The Holy Trinity Church at Stratford, where William
Shakespeare was baptized and is now buried, was built by
Stonemasons. The several graves in the churchyard marked
with the square, compasses and three castles mark the graves
of Stonemasons. At a time when the stone building trade was
declining, the graves would indicate a Lodge remained in the
area and possibly accepted non-operatives as speculative
members, as the church was completed. Shakespeare's
father, a glover and a holder of several positions in the Strat-
ford government would have been a prime candidate for
membership. He would have been in a position to provide
the Lambskins or white leather apron as well as the symbolic
white gloves. Once William became 21 years old he would
have been in a position to join the Lodge. William was 21
years old when he left Stratford for London. If William
Shakespeare was a Freemason, if only a Fellowcraft, he could
have been trusted.

4. Was William Shakespeare a Mason?

Clearly, the person who wrote the works attributed to
Shakespeare was a Mason. The works progress through the
three degrees of Symbolic Masonry. The poems start with the
writing of Venus and Adonis, representing youth and beauty.
The works progress into the plays representing strength and
manhood such as King Henry VI, Richard III, Taming of
the Shrew, Henry V, etc... To be a Master Mason required
the Mason to be of noble birth. Once William Shakespeare
became a member of the nobility by virtue of a Coat of Arms
being recognized for his father in 1599, plays alluding to the
themes of the third degree are produced. These are the plays
alluding to wisdom or the workings of the mind such as:
"Hamlet" and Macbeth". The play Measure for Measure,
short titled, MM, was produced at about this time. Could
this MM be an allusion to Master Mason. Does the play,
"Pericles, Prince of Tyre," be another allusion?

5. Would the pattern of two plays a year mean anything to
Freemasons?

Yes. As Freemasons celebrate the Saint John's days in June
and December, an appropriate ceremony is in order. "A
June, while "A Winter's Tale" might be approiate for
December.

6. Is there any other evidence to suggest the Shakespeare had
Masonic connections?

Yes. John Shakespeare would make his sign, the com-
passes, instead of signing his name ever to official documents
when he was an officer of Stratford. Anciently, it was a
requirement the Master of the Lodge be a nobleman. The
Warden would preside over the Lodge in the absence of the
Master. Therefore, the non-nobleman could only progress to
the rank of Deacon. The compasses is the symbol of the
Deacon. To be a Grand Warden required a member to be of
noble birth. This may explain why the Coat of Arms was
obtained for John Shakespeare and not William. If the
of Arms was granted to William, be would have been a
nobleman, but not of noble birth.

7. Sackville died in 1608 and Shakespeare wrote six to eight
works after 1608. Explain the discrepancy.

When Sackville died, he would have been working on
several projects. With the assistance of some member of the
craft, these works would have been completed in 1609 or
1610. Shakespeare retired and returned to Stratford in 1609
or 1610. There is a marked difference in the plays produced
from 1599 and 1608, such as "Hamlet" and Macbeth" and
those produced from 1608 to 1613, such as, "The Tempest",
"A Winter's Tale" and "Two Noble Kinsmen". Fletcher is
recognized as having assisted Shakespeare with his last
several writings. It is important to note, Fletcher's father,
and Sackville worked closely, especially during the trial of
Mary, Queen of Scots.

8. Did the last works of Shakespeare complete the last teachings
of Freemasonry?

Yes. "Two Noble Kinsmen", one of the last plays, if not
the last play, attributed to Shakespeare, written with as-
sistance of Fletcher, has an important Masonic Theme.
Three widowed Queens approach a Duke for assistance to
recover the bodies of their husbands who had been killed in
battle. The bodies were recovered and received a peaceful
burial.

With this play, the final teaching point of Freemasonry is
presented to the public. Since time immemorial, the craft has
had the teaching of the immortality of the soul. This play
progresses beyond the immortality of the soul to a Christian
Theme.

We are taught by Revelations, that on the glorious morn of
resurrection, our bodies will rise and become as incorrupt-
ible as our souls.

Clearly, Brother William Shakespeare, the actor, the
Freemason, understood and believed this doctrine. He there-
fore ordered his body buried seventeen feet deep in the
church floor, the grave covered with a stone with a warning
to curse the man who moved his bone.

So Mote It Be

REFERENCES

Parkinson. "The Bard Of Avon Lodge" ' A record written
in 1872 for private circulation.

Pease. " Masonic Parallels in Sator Of Freemasonry, Lon-
don 1937.

Dodd. "The Secret Shakespeare" Rider & Co Lon-
don. MCMXLI.

Hope, W. And K. Holston, : "The Shakespeare Con-
troversy", ~Jefferson, NC, 1992)

Gibson, N.H., "The Shakespeare Claimants", (NY

Bland, D.S., "Arthur Broke, Gerard Legh and the inner
Temple"' a synopsis of an article in Shakespeare Research
and Opportunities; Vol nos 7-8, 1972/74

New Encyclopaedia Britannaica, 29 volumes,    __ ,
Univ. Of Chicago, 1985, vol 7

Kunitz, S.J.& H. Haycraft, "British Authors Before 1800
A Biographical Dictionary, (NY 1952)

Cauthen, I.B. Jr., "Gorboduc or Ferrex an Porrex"  by
Thomas Sackville and Thomas Norton., Ed. By Cauthen,
Jr., Univ. Of NebraskaPress, 1961.

The Philalethes volume XLVIII. 1995 Tennessee Craftsman


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