Jeff Falzone January 4 at 7:16am Somebody on Twitter is trying to decipher this handwriting: LikeShow more reactions Comment 1313 Comments Emma Secker Whose book is It? 1 Manage LikeShow more reactions · Reply · 3w Jeff Falzone replied · 1 Reply Richard Malim I am not sure the writing is contemporary c. 1616. If it is any later than 1640 it is probably of little value Manage LikeShow more reactions · Reply · 3w Richard Waugaman It's a chance for us to note the Poet-Ape double capitalization, which Ben Jonson also used in this 1616 Folio for Shake-Speare. 5 Manage LikeShow more reactions · Reply · 3w Ron Song Destro There seems to be a Shakespeare written under it...Manage 7 LikeShow more reactions · Reply · 3w Darin Stelting Is it German? Manage LikeShow more reactions · Reply · 3w Monika Steiner I read Playwrite and poetaster...it isn't german. 1 Manage LikeShow more reactions · Reply · 3w · Edited Heidi Jeanne Jannsch I think the middle of the second line to the middle of the third line may read "in another epigram Playwright; (and in) Poetaster (... ) Crispinus" I'd guess the epigram #100 (one of three "on" or "to" a Playwright) which talks about stolen works and h...See MoreManage 2 Herbie Taylor This is clearly not from the 1616 issue of Jonson's Works (page layout, title font, font on first line "Poet-Ape" differes from First edition -- which probably makes it closer to mid century or later. 3 Manage LikeShow more reactions · Reply · 3w James McGrath Who are we thinking the "Poet-Ape" is? 2 Manage LikeShow more reactions · Reply · 3w Ed Boswell King James or King Kong, take your pick Manage Like · Reply · 3w Richard Malim Herbie: it is not from the 1640/1 edition [google wikipedia Jonson folios Vol 1] ? from 1690 edn -were there any others? Manage Like Richard Malim Alexander Waugh thinks Poet Apew is WS I think he is Fletcher Manage LikeShow more reactions · Reply · 3w James McGrath My own opinion is that "Poet-Ape," considering the matter of the epigram, very well could refer to Oxford. Manage LikeShow more reactions · Reply · 3w Roger Stritmatter Shakspere and Dekker are the two obvious picks. 2 Manage LikeShow more reactions · Reply · 4d Stephen Moorer It certainly fits Shaksper. Right down to the wool reference. Manage LikeShow more reactions · Reply · 2d James McGrath To me it seems that IF the author believed he was addressing William, he would also have to believe that William was writing. Manage Like · Reply · 2d Stephen Moorer Clearly identified as, first and foremost, a play broker. Manage Like Richard Malim Stephen M. Wool reference not reconcilable with the last two lines - not shown - in picture, which make it clear that the mocked must be a writer 1 Manage LikeShow more reactions · Reply · 2d James McGrath Or, according to the poem, believes himself to be one. Manage Like · Reply · 2d Richard Malim which WS never claimed Manage Like · Reply · 2d Stephen Moorer Respectfully disagree. ? I feel entire poem makes sense and is in agreement with at least *one theory of authorship. Manage Like · Reply · 2d · Edited James McGrath Recall that Harington said Ignoto had a higher opinion of his own versification than his talents warranted. Also, in Teyurn to Parnassus, the "big Italian who melts his heart in sugared sonneting" is also admonished to use his own wit more and to stop filching from others. Manage James McGrath If Oxford were the subject of the poem, the activity in which he was involved that would allow one to call him a broker would have been advocating for and helping develop other writers. Manage LikeShow more reactions · Reply · 2d James McGrath You really couldn't say William was a broker of plays unless he was actually involved in handling manuscripts between Oxford and the Theatre, which I don't believe there is any evidence for. And how would "become so bold a thief" come from that? The ...See More Manage LikeShow more reactions · Reply · 2d Hide 11 Replies Stephen Moorer Sorry, we have different theories of authorship, so responding further about the theory you follow is not really something I want to jump into. As an exit line, I can only say that I have long thought this poem is evidence that S of Stratford was (initially) a play broker. ...See More 1 Manage Like · Reply · 2d James McGrath What exactly is a play broker, and what did/do they do? Manage Like · Reply · 2d Herbie Taylor James McGrath Simply an agent who evaluated and acquired scripts for the company, or for personal investment. Edward Allen acquired many titles for the Lord Admirals Men such as "Vaywode" authored by Henry Chettle: pd vnto my son Edward alleyn the 21 ...See More 1 Manage Like · Reply · 2d James McGrath Herbie Taylor I agree that some of the payments you quote seem to be for the plays themselves; however, others seem to actually be payments for performances. Considering your own statement: ...Although there are no surviving records of similar transa...See More Manage Like · Reply · 2d · Edited Herbie Taylor James McGrath If you pick up a copy of Foakes edition of Henslowe's accounts it becomes clear which entries are for performance receipts and which are payments to authors. I am away from my copy but will enter a few examples when I am home. All the examples from the Pipe Roll are for performances - so perhaps I wasn't clear about that. 1 Manage Like · Reply · 2d James McGrath Herbie Taylor I was referencing only the quotes you included in your comment. For instance... To John Hemynge and George Bryan, servants to the late Lord Chamberlain… For five Interludes or playes, viz., on St. Stephen's daie at night last, the Sonda...See More Manage Like · Reply · 2d Herbie Taylor James McGrath You are correct - those are all performance related. I mentioned Shakespeare's appearance with Burbage and Kempe as LCM in the Pipe Rolls only to illustrate that he was involved in the early business of the company. I am personally agnost...See More Manage Like · Reply · 2d Stephen Moorer Herbie Taylor Did you mean that some Oxfordians see that (WS as broker) as a possibility? I, for one, do, and I’m an Oxfordian. Manage Like · Reply · 2d Herbie Taylor Stephen Moorer Certainly, as do many other non-Stratforidans. I see Poet-Ape as more likely an outgrowth of Poetomachia - perhaps Marston or Dekker. Manage Like · Reply · 2d James McGrath We still have no real contemporary evidence here as to what, exactly, play brokering was. Manage Like · Reply · 2d Stephen Moorer Well, we have Ben Jonson saying that the practice existed. And we have the fact that “broker” and “brokage” were well known and understood terms. With those as givens, I’m not sure where the confusion lies. Manage Like KA Pope James McGrath Here's how I read it. The opening letters in POor Poet-Ape are odd because only the initial one should be capitalized. So which letter stands out as an oddity? O. O is like a second capital or "initial" letter where there should not be ...See More Manage LikeShow more reactions · Reply · 2d Darin Stelting There's nothing special about that O; the whole book is typeset that way. Manage Like · Reply · 2d KA Pope Darin Stelting Thanks, you're right. I was looking at Jonson's Upon an Hourglass, an original handwritten scan and what I thought was an original print version.It didn't have the second letter capitalized and also wasn't the same print version as this. Apart from the O, the rest remains long held suspicion. Manage Like · Reply · 2d · Edited KA Pope The anamorphism angle is too much to explain here but it was one of the most distinctive hallmarks of Shakespeare's style and Jonson invoked it multiple times when referencing him. That leaves me open to considering possible dual meanings he may have intended. Manage Like James McGrath I'm looking at what is said in the poem. For the most part, everything has to fit sensibly when seeking a subject as candidate. There are a some problematic statements in the poem when considering Will Shaksper as the subject. Manage LikeShow more reactions · Reply · 2d · Edited Stephen Moorer You mean “everything has to fit sensibly...” (according to your particular theory of authorship) “when seeking a subject as candidate.” Same with me. From my standpoint (and my theory of authorship) every line of the poem fits perfectly. Manage Gilbert Wesley Purdy The yellow highlighting of "to" shows that it is a Google Book. The note on Crispinus is copied from the Gifford edition of the *Works of Ben Jonson*. The double columns strongly suggest that it is the 1853 edition of the Gifford *Works*. Manage LikeShow more reactions · Reply · 2d James McGrath So, if you're correct, the most interesting thing here is the poem itself, and not the marginalia. Manage Like · Reply · 2d Gilbert Wesley Purdy The writer's guess (Decker) is wrong. So is the traditional assignment to Shakespeare (which the writer rejects). Still, he's read his Gifford and Chalmers (note in upper right corner). He also has learned to form certain of his letters in a manner similar to the secretary hand. I'd say whoever jotted the notes was quite knowledgeable. Manage Like · Reply · 2d James McGrath Gilbert Wesley Purdy I'll reiterate my thinking that the subject of this poem is Oxford himself. Manage Like · Reply · 2d Gilbert Wesley Purdy I'll write an essay soon revealing who was the Poet-Ape. Perhaps next week. Manage Like · Reply · 2d James McGrath Give us a teaser. Manage Like · Reply · 2d Gilbert Wesley Purdy Not Oxford. Not Shaksper. The traditional identification of Crispinus with Marston is almost certainly correct. It was not Marston. I think my explanation of *The Poetaster* in my *Edward de Vere was Shakespeare* (https://www.amazon.com/dp/1543136257/) makes very clear which character was Shakespeare and why Jonson clearly knew that Oxford was Shakespeare.Manage Like · Reply · 2d James McGrath thanks for the obscure teaser. if i didn't have time right now to read a book, who do you think is the subject of the poem? Manage Like · Reply · 2d Gilbert Wesley Purdy I do not reveal the identity of the Poet-Ape in *Edward de Vere was Shakeseare*. I do, however, reveal which character represents Shakespeare/Oxford in *The Poetaster*. Manage Like · Reply · 2d Richard Malim My book p.205: Fletcher as loathed by Jonson after The Tamer Tamed Manage Like · Reply · 19h Gilbert Wesley Purdy Can't say I'm up on that, Richard. Manage Like · Reply · 19h Disqus View the discussion thread.
