Was Shakespeare a gangster?

Zed · #1 11-15-2011, 12:45 AM

http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/hist...eare-gangster/

"one of the very few new documents to emerge from the National Archives over the last century. It is an obscure legal paper, unearthed from a set of ancient sheets of vellum known as “sureties of the peace”, and it not only names Shakespeare but lists a number of his close associates. The document portrays the “gentle Shakespeare” that we met in high school English class as a dangerous thug; indeed, it has been plausibly suggested that it proves he was heavily involved in organized crime.

The 1596 writ charging Shakespeare with making death threats, discovered in Britain's National Archives by the Canadian scholar Leslie Hotson in 1931. The second of the four entries is the one relating to the playwright.

Exploring this unlighted lane in Shakespeare’s life means, first, looking at the crucial document. “Be it known,” the Latin text begins, that William Wayte craves sureties [guarantees] of the peace against William Shakspere, Francis Langley, Dorothy Soer wife of John Soer, and Anne Lee, for fear of death, and so forth. Writ of attachment issued by the sheriff of Surrey, returnable on the eighteenth of St Martin [November 29, 1596].

A few pages away in the same collection of documents, there is a second writ, issued by Francis Langley and making similar charges against William Wayte.

FIPS · #2 11-15-2011, 03:02 AM

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They were probably trying to evict the bahstid for non-payment of rent, and this was his response.

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Monster · #3 11-15-2011, 06:41 AM

In his book "Alias Shakespeare", Sobran cites historical evidence that William of Stratford was involved in a street fight that resulted in someone's death. Maybe I'll look it up tomorrow. But it doesn't matter because the Stratford man evidently did not write the body of literature that we know as "Shakespeare".

Monster · #4 11-15-2011, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Monster

In his book "Alias Shakespeare", Sobran cites historical evidence that William of Stratford was involved in a street fight that resulted in someone's death. Maybe I'll look it up tomorrow. But it doesn't matter because the Stratford man evidently did not write the body of literature that we know as "Shakespeare".

I looked at "Alias" and I didn't find this incident. I don't know where I picked it up. Maybe I'm thinking of Marlowe's murder? Sorry I got this wrong.

Anyway, Sobran does mention the dispute with Wayte:

Quote:

William Wayte obtained sureties of the peace against Mr. Skakspere and three others, evidently fearing violence at their hands. The incident remains onscure, but it appears to have been part of a feud connected with the Swan theater.

Zed · #5 11-15-2011, 07:28 PM

some of the comments following that article discuss the case for Edward De Vere being the author, another commenter does a good job of refuting the case. It's worth taking a look