Appendix: Comparative Orthography, Hand D and Oxford's Letters
Oxfordians who mock the spelling "Shaksper" ought to look more closely at Lord Oxford's letters. An e to him is merely a decorative element, to be put on and off like a jewel in his hat, as the fancy takes him. He writes lat, late, and latte, or hop, hope, and hoope indifferently. "Sake" is sak and slake is "slack." On the contrary, Shakespeare makes distinctions: made is not mad, and warrs are not wares. If Hand D is evidence, he is rather sparing of superfluous terminal "e"s; whereas Oxford lavishes them on the smallest words: he writes I ame, frome, hade, hathe, and even ofe. Words ending in "ion" or "ing" or "eth" almost always get the final flourish of an "e." One in three of the words in his letters is so ended; in More and the Quartos, the count is one in five. Shakespeare distinguishes u/v from w; Oxford does not, leading to such striking spellings as lavers, dravne, knev, hawe, vove. His predeliction for ow is evident throughout his orthography, in habitual spellings like wowld and thowght and howld—indeed, he uses that digraph over twice as frequently as Shakespeare does in Sir Thomas More: in 5.4% of words to 2.3%. Oxford spelled as he spoke, so dialect variants such as leke for "like," and vulgarisms like oft for "ought" naturally appear in his letters. Almost every word in Hand D can be mismatched with a dissimilar spelling in the letters: some variants exceptional or sparse; but others, like wowld, leke, tyne, laue/lave, all but invariant, and totally unknown in Shakespeare's works.
It has not been possible to hand-count every difference between Shakespeare's and Oxford's glossaries. Where counts have been done, the dark red cells indicate Oxford's signature spellings (80-100% usage); light red, common spellings (40-79% usage). Purple cells mark several of Oxford's distinctive variants: not his commonest, but very rare in print. Exceptional spellings for each writer are in red under Hand D, and in blue under Oxford.
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Hand D |
Oxford |
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Short a for WS long a |
case made [2] make [3], shake name [3] spane, tane babes, babyes, Safes, safer, shape |
cas, casse [2] mad [=made] sak [=sake] becam, cam [3] vnaquantte[d] carfully [4], incoragment [2] |
|
|
state, maiestrate |
abatte [2], datte, estatte, gratfull [3], importunat, innovat, lat [=late 2], latly(e) [3], latte [2], lattly, nominat [2], rat, ratte(s) [=rate(s), 5], recreat, reiteratte, relat, statte [2], vngratfull |
|
Short e for WS long e |
breed, feed, needs, proceed feet keep(es) [2] adheres, meerly
be [9], beeff, kneele, me [4], see [2], we [6], wee, weele [4] |
inded, ned [= need, 2] complet kep her to fore [=heretofore], herafter [15], herby(e) [4], herof(e) [2], releus [=relieves], steple [=steeple] |
|
|
seek(e) |
leklier, leklihode, lekly(e) [5], leklywhodes, lekwise [12] |
|
Short e for WS long ea |
bere(s) [=bears, 2], eate, entreate, hear, heare [9], leade [2], meale, peace [17], perceaue, speake(s) [3], teares |
aferd [=afeared], cler(ly) [2], eschet [2], eschette [1], nerly |
|
Short i for WS long i |
desyres, knyves, my [4], mynds, nyne, ryse, tymes, whiles
|
aduertis(ment) [4], lickinge [=liking], ocupid [=occupied], satisfis [=satisfise, satisfy], sid [=side], spitfull, tryffell, wryte [=writ] |
|
Short o for WS long o |
abode, both [5], grote, knowe, loff [=loaf], sowles, throne, throtes, throts |
grotte [2], hop [2], impos [2], suppos, wrott [=wrote, 2] |
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Short u for WS long u |
procure, nature refuse
|
procur, coniectur [2], leisur, abus, pervs [=peruse], tusday conclud [3], exclud, frut, frutfull, frutles, imput [3], prosecut [2], sut, swt [=suit, 12, 2] |
|
Long a for WS short a |
backs can had [4] man trespas warrs add, alas [3], ampler, appropriat, at [4], captaine, desperat, flanders, maisters, master(s) [3]
|
bake [=back, 10] cane [5] hade [17] mane [=man, 2] pase [=pass] ware(s) [=war(s), 3] ame [=am, 9], bare(s)[=bar(s), 10], crosebare, fare [=far, 6], glade [3], hape(s) [3], hapens, pakets, paste [=past], perhapes [7], quarell, shypwrake, slabes [5], slake [=slack], stare [=star], thane [=then, therefore], tryales [2], Walthame |
|
Long e for WS short e |
men [4] Bett(s) [8], lets [2], Lett, letts [2], sett, whett penny, prentisses [3], prentizes, rebell(s) [4], red, tell [3], well |
takene, tene [=ten] yete
excheker [3], exprese, forene [=foreign], hundrede [7], reken. rekeninge, steed [=stead] |
|
Long i for WS short i |
bid, Chidd, did, forbid, hiddious Credyt, Submyt him [10]
slipp, parsnyp(s) [2], thipp [=the hip] worship
Cytty [3], forgyven, lyst, lyve, symple [3], still [2], sytt |
dyde [=did] admite, benefite, benifite(s) [18], benifited, benyfite [2], benyfyte, commite [2], credite [4], forfited, forfyted, fyles [=fills], infenite, meite(s) [2], profite(s) [10], vnfite
hime [2], hyme [=him 2]
slipe, slype friendshipe(s) [4], keepershipe, lordshipe(s) [37], lordshype [3], shypes, wardshipes
Berwike, sithe [5], sixe, smythe, styke [=stick], syke [=sick], syxe [2], trafike |
|
|
sinn, ymagin |
tyne(s) [=tin 145], tynemaster begine [4], Robine, Skiners |
|
Long o for WS short o |
Doll [3], doggs, gospell, gott [2], not [14] |
cofers [8], crose [3], crosebare, frome [= from 54], ode [=odd], stope [2] |
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|
|
blokes [19], cloke [=clock, 3], cofers [8], cokescome, crose [3], crosebare, floke, frome [= from 54], stoke(s) [=stock(s), 23], stope [2] |
|
EO one for WS on |
pardon reasons |
pardone [8] seasone [9], treasones
abandone, comparisone [3], Ihone [=John, 5], Londone [4], lyone, persone(s) [15], sone [6], therone [2], vpone [12], whearone, wherone, whervpone
Essendone, Essingdone, Hamptone(s) [10], Hattone [2], Havltone, Havtone, Herdsone, Keltone, Mid(d)eltone(s) [7], Myddel(l)tone(s) [4], Northamptone |
|
Long u for WS short u |
ruff Arther, Arthur, spurne, Surrey [5], Sury com, Come, Coms, comand, Comaund [2], Wisdome [2]
thus [2]
Comforts, Countrey, Countreymen [2], Countrie, Country [2], cutt, much [2], must, nvmber, Submyt, such [3], vp [4], vs [4] |
rufe [=rough] Arthure, spures cumes [=comes], blossumes,
thuse
begune, iuge [=judge 10], rune(s) [=run(s), 8], sune(s) [=son(s), 10], tune [= tun] |
|
|
[some; sum Q] |
sume [=some 98], sumeone, sumes [=sums, 4], lothsume, troblesume [9] |
|
a for WS ai |
plaigue straing, straingers [6], straungers |
plage strange [6], stranger(s) [17], stranglye, strangnes |
|
EO aale for WS all, aule |
calls shall [2]
al, all [14], braule, enstalls, palsey [2], portigall, quallyfy |
caald, caale shale [=shall]
Cornwaale [Cf. Waales, 2], Cornwale [7], faal(e) [=fall 3], fales, haales [2], smaale [2], smale [10] |
|
EO all for ale |
|
sall [=sale], salles |
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EO e for WS ea |
geat, togeather
himsealf, sealf [4], sealues
hearing [=herring] |
aleage, alleage(d) [3], altogether [2], to gether [3], together, forget [10], forgett [2], forgettfull, get [5], gett(es) [11], getter
self(e) [139], selfwill, selues [11], seluf, themselues [12], herself [6], himself(e) [19], miself, myself [5] |
|
EO e for WS i/y |
lyke [5] |
disleke, dislekinge, leeke, leke(s) [21], leket [=liked], lekinge [7], leklier, leklihode, lekly(e) [5], leklywhodes, lekwise [12], misleke(e) [4], misleked, mislekes, senister [=sinister] |
|
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aucthoryty [2] |
authorite &c. [158], authoritie &c. [4] , quantetie [4], quantety(e) [7] |
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EO i/y for WS e |
be [9], me [4] |
byfolde [=befooled], mithink [=methinks], my thowght [methought]
betwien(e) [13], betwyne, bin(e) [=been 4], briche [=breech], cosine [=cozen, cheat], imbassadour(es) [3], leuide [=levied], sildommer [=seldomer?], wikes [=weeks] |
|
EO oo for WS o [o:] |
both [5] go [2], no [10], o [2], so [2] grote abode, sowles, throne, throtes, throts Moor [16], moore [2], more [pers. name] |
boothe [12] goo [15], noo [10], soo [18], sooever groot [1] hoole [=hole], hoop(s) [=hope 2], hoope(s), hoopinge, [9], loo [=low], loode [=load], moo [=mo(re)], moore [17], mooreover [2], moost [2], noot(es) [=note 6], prooceede, restoore, Roo [=Row],whoole [17], whoolye, wroot(e) [=wrote 2] |
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EO oo for WS o |
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woord(es) [18], woordlye, woorste, woorthe |
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do [7], doon [=done] who, whose |
doo [118], done [43], don [1], donne [1] whoo [44], whome [35], whoome, whoose |
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EO o for WS oo [u:] |
choose, moorne, rootes, rule [4]
|
byfolde [=befooled], singouler [=singular], tropes [=troops]
|
|
EO o for WS u, short oo |
look, stood put |
vnloktfor, vnderfotte pute |
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Brother [2] |
broother [6], moother moover |
|
of |
of [26] |
ofe [3], offe [1], herofe, theareofe, thearofe, therofe [12], theroffe[1], whereofe [5]
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|
EO ow for WS oo |
coold [2], shoold [5], woold [8] |
cowld [17], could [18], showld(e) [121], showldbe [4], should(e) [2], sowlde, wowld(e) [106], wowldbe, would |
|
EO owld/ould for WS old |
hold [3], told |
behouldinge [4], behowld, behowldinge [9], bould, boulder. bouldly [2], bowld(e)[5], bowldest, bowldlier, copihoulders, gould, gowlden, hould [2], houshould, houshowlds, howld(es)[5], howlden, howldinge, howledinge, howshowld, ould, owld(e) [7], sould [=sold 3], sowld(e) [=sold 18], tould, towld(e) 10], vnfould |
|
EO oy for y |
[Cf. noyce, troy, voyce] |
priuoyte, pryvoy(e) [=privity, privy, 2] |
|
EO u/v for w |
lawe |
laue [4], laufull(y) [3], lav, lave [34], laver(s), owtlavrie [=outlawry 2], vnlaufull [Cf. Lauenhame=Lavenham] |
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|
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drave(s) [=draw(s) 10], dravethe, dravinge, dravne [=drawn 5], drue, feve [=few 2], knev [=knew], reneve [=renew], save [=saw], vove [=vow] |
|
EO w for u/v & we for ew |
haue [10]
out
trewe [3]
|
hawe [=have]
dowghter(s) [3], dowt(es) [23], dowtethe, mowthe, owt(e) [58], owtlavrie, owtwardes, withowt, yowse [=use], yowthe
trwe [17], trwithe [2], trwly assewred [=assured], bwy(es) [=buy(s) 8], bwyer, bwyinge [3], bwylt [=built], bwyrd [bird], dwe [4], swt(es) [=suit(s) 23], swter(s) [3], valwe, yeu [=give] |
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you [58], youle [2], your [6], yor [13], our [5] |
yow [301] , yowe [9], yowre [556], yowr [16], yowres [7], youre [1], owre [15] |
|
WS c for t |
adicion, infeccion, transportacion |
[never] |
|
WS ct for t |
aucthoryty [2] |
authorite [9], authoritie [1] |
|
EO de/te for WS d/t |
Charterd, clothd, lyvd, pleasd, quelld, ruld, sufferd, topt, vsd, willd |
aduertisde, disposeste, grievde, promisde, satisfisde [=satisfied 5] |
|
EO -ede for -ed |
aged, detested, infected [2], owed, remoued, wretched |
abusede, allowede [2], callede, considerede, deceasede, deceyvede, destroyede, disposede [3], experiencede, fearede, gaynede, performede, pleasede, ponderede, preferrede, provede, ratede, raysede, repeatede, rootede |
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aught |
taught
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doughter(s) [5] |
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EO gh: ough/ought |
although
thoughts
through
brought, wrought |
allthough, allthowghe, although, althoughe [3], althowgh(e) [15], thoughe [3], thowghe [9], allthought [2], althought, thowght [3], thought [2], althoth(e) [2]
thought [9], thowgh, thowght [33], thowghte [2]
through, throughly, throw, throwgh(e) [13], throught [5], throwght [2] |
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enough |
inoughe [2], inought [2], inowghe [3] |
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rough |
rufe, rufly(e) [2] |
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ought/oft |
[ought] |
oft(e) [7] |
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EO ough for ou |
doubt
out |
dought [6], doughted, doughtfullye, doughtinge, vndoughtedly
ought [10], wytheought, wythought |
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EO ight for it(e) |
quyte (Cf. right)
|
aquighted [=acquitted], quight [2], wright [5], wrightinge [8], wryght [2], wryghtinge |
|
EO -inge |
breaking, doing, eating [2], hearing, plodding, removing, rysing, saying, shillings, vndoing, vrging bring, king(s) [7], kinge, thing(s) [4] |
acceptinge, &c. [259]; accordinglie, &c. [37]
bringe [25], kinge(s) [8], everythinge, nothinge [39], sumthinge(s) [11], sumthynge, thinge(s) [56] |
|
EO -ione |
adicion, infeccion, mediation, nation, opynions, proclamation, question, supposytion, transportacion, ynnovation |
actione, &c. [253], actions, &c. [71] |
|
WS -nc for -nce |
audience, obedienc [3], obedyenc, ffraunc, insolenc, province, violence |
france [3], fraunce [3] + 185 -nce prince [10], princlie, princlye [2] |
|
WS -nck |
banck, thanck, thinck |
anker, blank, drunke, mithink, prankes, thank(es) [18], thankfull, thankfulnes, thankfuly, thankinge, think(es) [41], thinkethe [2], thinkinge [4], thynke [8] |
|
EO -rck |
mark(e) [3], shark |
marckes |
|
WS sc- for s- |
scilens, sylenct, silnes [sic] (Cf. discipline) |
silence, silently, sylence |
|
WS mono, EO disyll. |
shreef, shreeve, Shreiff, Shreiue, Shreue, shrevaltry |
sherife [2], sheryfe [2] |
|
EO -the |
with |
with, within, etc. [172]; wyth, wythought, etc. [15]; wythe, notwythestandinge, thearwythe, wytheought, etc. [84]; whearwithe, etc. [52] |
|
EO -the |
hath [4] |
hathe [182], hatthe |
|
|
there, ther, thers
where, wherin |
thear(e) [21], thearabout, theareofe. theares, thearfore, thearin, thearofe, thearwythe
whear(e) [13], whearas [22], whearat, whearby, wheareas, whearfore [5], whearin [8], whearof [4], whearone, whearvpon, whearwithe |
|
EO y for i/j |
|
inyoy [=enjoy] |
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Notable |
accept |
dept [=debt] |
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afoord |
afford |
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another |
an other [26] |
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aucthoryty [2] |
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babes |
slabe(s) [= slabs 5] |
|
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bloody |
bludd [3], bludde [1], bloode [1] |
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boy [302], boyes [21], boies [5] Q |
boij |
|
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certainly |
certeyn(e) [23], certeine [3], certayne [1] |
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Charg, charge |
larglie |
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dung [2] (Cf. strong) |
tonge, yong (Cf. stronge [2], wronge(s) [4]) |
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fower, power |
fowre [39] foure [1], fourpence [1], fowrtene [1], powre [4] |
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freind(s) [2], frends [1] |
friend(es) [75], freend(es) [4], frend [1] |
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gentlemen |
gentelman [3], gentelmen [2], gentellman [1] |
|
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halfpence, halfpeny [Q] |
halfpennie, halpenie [5], halpennie(s) [7], halpenny(e) [15], halpens, halpeny(e) [6] |
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hart |
sterue [=starve] |
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has |
hathe [182], hath [3], hatthe |
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Iarman (Cf. Maiestie) |
Germanie [2] (Cf. Magestie) |
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Ingland [2] |
England(e) [41], English(e) [3] |
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Iugge [F; Q, Iug=common name for a woman, a term of disparagement] (Cf. iugling, iuggler, vs. iudge, iudgment Q] |
iugges [=judges 9], iuge [=judge 10], iugment [3], iugged [=judged] (Cf. iuggel, iuglinges =juggled, jugglings) |
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levenp<enc>e (Cf. leven wether WT) |
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lugage |
Luggate [=Ludgate] |
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oft [=often] |
oft [=ought] |
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passe |
gresse [=grass] |
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vppon [3] |
vpon [85], vpone [12] |
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waight |
streyght(er) [3], weyghinge, weyght(es) [71], weygthe(s) [5], weight [1] |
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what [12], whats |
whatt [24] |
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which [4] |
whiche [187] |