© Gunnar Tómasson

5 May 2018

Introduction

The Life of Shakespeare

(Amazon.com)

Carefully researched and energetically written by the pioneering editor of the plays, Nicholas Rowe, himself one of the most distinguished tragedians of his age, this biography is the source for most of the facts and some of the legends of Shakespeare’s life. Rowe interviewed widely to collect as much reliable information about Shakespeare as he could, and his text is as close as we will ever get to contact with the people who knew and worked with Shakespeare. Never before reprinted, except as an appendix to Alexander Pope’s later edition of the plays, Rowe’s biography remains a fascinating document not just about Shakespeare himself, but also for the growth of his reputation, and the expanding interests of critics and the world of letters at the beginning of the 18th century. Rowe (whose translation of Lucan’s Pharsalia was hailed by Samuel Johnson as „one of the greatest productions of English poetry“) writes a vivid, elegant English that is a constant pleasure to read. This edition is introduced by Charles Nicholl, who places this fascinating text in its time, and reads it with the insight of a fellow sleuth into the world of the Globe and its dramatist.

***

I. Nicholas Rowe: How far I am in the right,

is left to the Reader to determine

(The Golden Verses of Pythagoras, 1707)

330839

22581 = I Hope the Reader will forgive the Liberty I have taken

22037 = in Translating these Verses somewhat at large,

27002 = without which it would have been almost impossible

29373 = to have given any kind of Turn in English Poetry to so dry a Subject.

23196 = The Sense of the Author is, I hope, no where mistaken;

15023 = and if there seems in some Places to be

24862 = some Additions in the English Verses to the Greek Text,

27831 = they are only such as may be justify’d from Hierocles’s Commentary,

16887 = and deliver’d by him as the larger and explain’s

17678 = Sense of the Author’s short Precept.

21439 = I have in some few Places ventur’d to differ from

19654 = the Learned Mr. Dacier’s French Interpretation,

22125 = as those that shall give themselves the trouble

16068 = of a strict Comparison will find.

25083 = How far I am in the right, is left to the Reader to determine.

330839

II/III + IV = 166838 + 164001 = 330839

II. Yes, trust them not – The Vp-start Crow

(Construction G. T.)

166838

Greenes Groatsworth of Wit

10282 = Yes trust them not:

29160 = for there is an vp-start Crow, beautified with our feathers,

23774 = that with his Tygers hart wrapt in a Players hyde,

25415 = supposes he is as well able to bombast out a blanke verse

7638 = as the best of you:

16349 = and beeing an absolute Iohannes fac totum,

25466 = is in his owne conceit the onely Shake-scene in a countrey.

Saga-Shakespeare Myth

Stratfordian Man

4600 = Scialetheia – A Shadow of Truth

Stratfordian‘s

“Death/Burial”…

10026 = Will Shakspere, gent.

2502 = 25 April – 2^nd month old-style

1616 = 1616 A.D.

…and “Resurrection”…

-2487 = Anus – From Anne Hathaway‘s Second-best Bed

…As New Man

7000 = Microcosmos – Man in God’s Image

5497 = Et in Arcadia Ego

166838

III. David Garrick Stratford Statue

Celebrating “Death“ of Ignorance

(Jubliee 1769)

166838

“Death” of Ignorance

Alpha

1000 = Light of the World

Cosmic Time

25920 = Platonic Great Year

Omega

3310 = Fróðari/Wiser – Edda, Gylfafinning

Garrick’s Statue, Stratford City Hall

Pedestal Inscription

7938 = Take him for all in all.

16533 = We shall not look upon his like again.

21078 = The Corporation and Inhabitants of Stratford

20379 = Assisted by The munificent Contributions

19782 = of the Noblemen and Gentlemen in the Neighbourhood

14687 = Rebuilt this Edifice in the Year 1768.

22845 = The Statue of Shakespear and his Picture within

13366 = were given by David Garrick Esq.

166838

IV. This Figure, that thou here seest put

(Ben Jonson, First Folio, 1623)

164001

5506 = To the Reader.

18236 = This Figure, that thou here seest put,

16030 = It was for gentle Shakespeare cut;

13614 = Wherein the Grauer had a strife

15814 = with Nature, to out-doo the life:

16422 = O, could he but haue drawne his wit

13172 = As well in brasse, as he hath hit

19454 = His face; the Print would then surpasse

16560 = All, that vvas euer vvrit in brasse.

13299 = But, since he cannot, Reader, looke

15354 = Not on his Picture, but his Booke.

541 = B.I.

164001

V. Nicholas Rowe Sets forth Rules of Conduct

Followed by Comments thereon

(The Golden Verses of Pythagoras)

360530

22461 = These are the Rules which will to Virtue lead,

17657 = And teach thy Feet her heav’nly Paths to tread.

19574 = This by his Name I swear, whose sacred Lore

19861 = First to Mankind explain’d the Mystick FOUR,

20379 = Source of Eternal Nature and Almighty Pow’r.

20803 = In all thou dost first let thy Prayers ascend,

18391 = And to the Gods thy Labours first commend,

23981 = From them implore Success, and hope a prosp’rous End.

17082 = So shall thy abler Mind be taught to soar,

18911 = And Wisdom in her secret Ways explore;

18944 = To range through Heav’n above and Earth below,

17484 = Immortal Gods and mortal Men to know.

24439 = So shalt thou learn what Pow’r does all control,

24928 = What bounds the Parts, and what unites the Whole:

20140 = And rightly judge, in all this wondrous Frame,

16498 = How universal Nature is the same;

19552 = So shalt thou ne’er thy vain Affections place

19445 = On Hopes of what shall never come to pass,

360530

VI. What bounds the Parts, and what unites the Whole

(Dedication, Venus and Adonis, 1593)

398532

What bounds the Parts

9987 = TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE

20084 = Henrie Vvriothesley, Earle of Southampton,

8814 = and Baron of Titchfield.

21943 = Right Honourable, I know not how I shall offend

23463 = in dedicating my vnpolisht lines to your Lordship,

25442 = nor how the worlde vvill censure mee for choosing

25266 = so strong a proppe to support so vveake a burthen,

17161 = onelye if your Honour seeme but pleased,

13387 = I account my selfe highly praised,

18634 = and vowe to take aduantage of all idle houres,

23217 = till I haue honoured you vvith some grauer labour.

23437 = But if the first heire of my inuention proue deformed,

15796 = I shall be sorie it had so noble a god-father:

12970 = and neuer after eare so barren a land,

16690 = for feare it ield me still so bad a haruest,

17496 = l leaue it to your Honourable suruey,

18884 = and your Honor to your hearts content,

27199 = vvhich I wish may alvvaies answere your ovvne vvish,

17766 = and the vvorlds hopefull expectation.

11662 = Your Honors in all dutie,

9322 = William Shakespeare

What unites the Whole

1000 = Light of the World

4600 = Scialetheia – A Shadow of Truth

3635 = Emmanuel – Matt. 1:23

4000 = Flaming Sword – Cosmic Creative Power

6677 = God with us – Matt. 1:23

398532

I + V + VI = 330839 + 360530 + 398532 = 1089901

VII. From the most able, to him that can but spell:

There YOU are number‘d.

(Second Dedication, First Folio 1623)

1089901

13561 = To the great Variety of Readers.

18892 = From the most able, to him that can but spell:

9182 = There you are number’d.

14728 = We had rather you were weighd.

15557 = Especially, when the fate of all Bookes

13394 = depends upon your capacities:

20912 = and not of your heads alone, but of your purses.

13554 = Well! It is now publique, [&]

23807 = you wil stand for your priviledges wee know:

18554 = to read and censure.  Do so, but buy it first.

21606 = That doth best commend a Booke, the Stationer saies.

16477 = Then, how odde soever your braines be,

10334 = or your wisedomes,

15985 = make your licence the same, and spare not.

24287 = Judge your sixe-pen’orth, your shillings worth,

17527 = your five shillings worth at a time,

24612 = or higher, so you rise to the just rates, and welcome.

11893 = But whatever you do, Buy.

21523 = Censure will not drive a Trade, or make the Jacke go.

16347 = And though you be a Magistrate of wit,

14375 = and sit on the Stage at Black-Friers,

16653 = or the Cock-pit to arraigne Playes dailie,

19936 = know, these Playes have had their triall alreadie,

11212 = and stood out all Appeales;

14266 = and do now come forth quitted

10782 = rather by a Decree of Court,

18968 = then any purchas’d Letters of commendation.

12191 = It had bene a thing, we confesse,

13729 = worthie to have bene wished,

22206 = that the Author himselfe had liv’d to have set forth,

16780 = and overseen his owne writings;

18214 = But since it hath bin ordain’d otherwise,

14716 = and he by death departed from that right,

16744 = we pray you do not envie his Friends,

9148 = the office of their care,

10224 = and paine, to have collected [&]

18118 = publish’d them; and so to have publish’d them,

14326 = as where (before) you were abus’d

24981 = with diverse stolne, and surreptitious copies,

17347 = maimed, and deformed by the frauds and stealthes

21644 = of injurious impostors, that expos’d them:

22192 = even those, are now offer’d to your view cur’d,

10913 = and perfect of their limbes;

18580 = and all the rest, absolute in their numbers,

7282 = as he conceived thē.  [ē = e]

19215 = Who, as he was a happie imitator of Nature,

16850 = was a most gentle expresser of it.

13670 = His mind and hand went together:

24530 = And what he thought, he uttered with that easinesse,

16842 = that wee have scarse received from him

8351 = a blot in his papers.

28510 = But it is not our province, who onely gather his works,

12949 = and give them you, to praise him.

11633 = It is yours that reade him.

20122 = And there we hope, to your divers capacities,

21545 = you will finde enough, both to draw, and hold you:

23021 = for his wit can no more lie hid, then it could be lost.

12608 = Reade him, therefore; and againe, and againe:

11921 = And if then you doe not like him,

16481 = surely you are in some manifest danger,

10556 = not to understand him.

19247 = And so we leave you to other of his Friends,

15036 = whom if you need, can bee your guides:

8443 = if you neede them not,

15710 = you can leade yourselves, and others.

13893 = And such Readers we wish him.

4723 = John Heminge

5786 = Henrie Condell

1089901

INSERT

And such Readers we wish him.

24402

(13893)

     7 = Man of Seventh Day

5950 = The Tempest

7936 = Edward Oxenford

13893

4723 = John Heminge

5786 = Henrie Condell

24402

As in

1000 = Light of the World

10594 = Sir Francis Bacon, Knight

7671 = O RARE BEN JOHNSON – Epitaph, Westminster Abbey

5137 = Judgement Day

24402

END INSERT

VIII. Oxenford‘s Booke to be Perfected

By Cosen Bacon and Seriant Harris

(Letter to Robert Cecil)

511378

9205 = My very good brother,

11119 = yf my helthe hadd beene to my mynde

20978 = I wowlde have beene before this att the Coorte

16305 = as well to haue giuen yow thankes

15468 = for yowre presence at the hearinge

15274 = of my cause debated as to have moued her M

10054 = for her resolutione.

23461 = As for the matter, how muche I am behouldinge to yow

22506 = I neede not repeate but in all thankfulnes acknowlege,

13131 = for yow haue beene the moover &

14231 = onlye follower therofe for mee &

19082 = by yowre onlye meanes I have hetherto passed

13953 = the pykes of so many adversaries.

16856 = Now my desyre ys. Sythe them selues

15903 = whoo have opposed to her M ryghte

17295 = seeme satisfisde, that yow will make

7234 = the ende ansuerabel

22527 = to the rest of yowre moste friendlye procedinge.

12363 = For I am aduised, that I may passe

22634 = my Booke from her Magestie yf a warrant may be procured

21532 = to my Cosen Bacon and Seriant Harris to perfet yt.

25516 = Whiche beinge doone I know to whome formallye to thanke

16614 = but reallye they shalbe, and are from me, and myne,

23196 = to be sealed up in an aeternall remembran&e to yowreselfe.

18733 = And thus wishinge all happines to yow,

13574 = and sume fortunat meanes to me,

19549 = wherby I myght recognise soo diepe merites,

13775 = I take my leave this 7th of October

11101 = from my House at Hakney 1601.

15668 = Yowre most assured and louinge

4605 = Broother

7936 = Edward Oxenford

511378

IX. Nicholas Rowe: Advice to Wretched Man

Concluding section

(The Golden Verses of Pythagoras)

672793

22268 = Man, wretched Man, thou shalt be taught to know,

23953 = Who bears within himself the inborn Cause of Woe.

16941 = Unhappy Race!  That never yet could tell

20275 = How near their Good and Happiness they dwell.

17740 = Depriv‘d of Sense, they neither hear nor see;

16072 = Fetter‘d in Vice, they seek not to be free,

17950 = But stupid to their own sad Fate agree.

25196 = Like pond‘rous Rolling-stones, oppress‘d with Ill,

21053 = The Weight that loads ‚em makes ‚em roll on still,

15792 = Bereft of Choice, and Freedom of the Will.

18066 = For native Strife in ev‘ry Bosom reigns,

17850 = And secretly an impious War maintains:

19029 = Provoke not THIS, but let the Combat cease,

16118 = And ev‘ry yielding Passion sue for Peace.

23006 = Wouldst thou, great Jove, thou Father of Mankind,

16365 = Reveal the Demon for that Task assign‘d,

20915 = The wretched Race an End to Woes would find.

13682 = And yet be bold, O Man, Divine thou art,

15669 = And of the Gods Celestial Essence Part.

16846 = Nor sacred Nature is from thee conceal‘d,

18826 = But to thy Race her mystick Rules reveal‘d.

17583 = These if to know thou happily attain,

19994 = Soon shalt thou perfect be in all that I ordain.

23807 = Thy wounded Soul to Health thou shalt restore,

14688 = And free from ev‘ry Pain she felt before.

18437 = Abstain, I warn, from Meats unclean and foul,

16826 = So keep thy Body pure, so free thy Soul;

17633 = So rightly judge; thy Reason, so, maintain;

18256 = Reason which Heav‘n did for thy Guide ordain,

16921 = Let that best Reason ever hold the Rein.

16695 = Then if this mortal Body thou forsake,

16669 = And thy glad Flight to the pure Æther take,

17175 = Among the Gods exalted shalt thou shine,

14884 = Immortal, Incorruptible, Divine:

19453 = The Tyrant Death securely shalt thou brave,

16300 = And scorn the dark Dominion of the Grave.

Satan

-1000 = Darkness – Grave‘s Dark Dominion

And yet be bold, O Man,

Divine thou art

10347 = Our Ever-living Poet

Destined to be Resurrected …

-2487 = Anus – From Anne Hathaway‘s Second-best Bed

…As New Man

7000 = Microcosmos – Man in God’s Image

672793

VIII + IX = 511378 + 672793 = 1184171

X. The Workes of William Shakespeare

(First Dedication, First Folio 1623)

1184171

14218 = TO THE MOST NOBLE AND INCOMPARABLE

7257 = PAIRE OF BRETHREN

10897 = WILLIAM Earle of Pembroke,

100 = [&] c. [c = 100 in “&c”]

23572 = Lord Chamberlaine to the Kings most Excellent Maiesty.

12457 = 11590 = AND PHILIP Earle of Montgomery,

100 = [&] c.

14413 = Gentleman of his Maiesties Bed-Chamber,

22026 = Both Knights of the most Noble Order of the Garter,

12835 = and our singular good LORDS.

7826 = Right Honourable,

25994 = Whilst we studie to be thankful in our particular,

22062 = for the many fauors we haue receiued from your L.L.

15163 = we are falne vpon the ill fortune,

23449 = to mingle two the most diuerse things that can bee,

7485 = feare, and rashnesse;

13524 = rashnesse in the enterprize,

9965 = and feare of the successe.

23541 = For, when we valew the places your H.H. sustaine,

20442 = we cannot but know their dignity greater,

19953 = then to descend to the reading of these trifles:

13987 = and, while we name them trifles,

13439 = we haue depriu’d our selues

12261 = of the defence of our Dedication.

14022 = But since your L.L. haue beene pleas’d

21688 = to thinke these trifles some-thing, heeretofore;

13969 = and haue prosequuted both them,

11588 = and their Authour liuing,

17599 = with so much fauour: we hope, that

18400 = (they out-liuing him, and he not hauing the fate,

9370 = common with some,

21390 = to be exequutor to his owne writings)

21711 = you will vse the like indulgence toward them,

14513 = you haue done vnto their parent.

10083 = There is a great difference,

23131 = whether any Booke choose his Patrones, or finde them:

8125 = This hath done both.

26340 = For, so much were your L.L. likings of the seuerall parts,

22932 = when they were acted, as before they were published,

12680 = the Volume ask’d to be yours.

11979 = We haue but collected them,

9384 = and done an office to the dead,

16553 = to procure his Orphanes, Guardians;

22380 = without ambition either of selfe-profit, or fame:

20760 = onely to keepe the memory of so worthy a Friend, &

17475 = Fellow aliue, as was our SHAKESPEARE,

10986 = by humble offer of his playes,

13891 = to your most noble patronage.

17511 = Wherein, as we haue justly obserued,

11812 = no man to come neere your L.L.

17121 = but with a kind of religious addresse;

13332 = it hath bin the height of our care,

11876 = who are the Presenters,

18405 = to make the present worthy of your H.H.

7339 = by the perfection.

21098 = But, there we must also craue our abilities

10498 = to be considerd, my Lords.

19548 = We cannot go beyond our owne powers.

17096 = Country hands reach foorth milke, creame,

12856 = fruites, or what they haue:

12066 = and many Nations (we haue heard)

11967 = that had not gummes & incense,

19601 = obtained their requests with a leauened Cake.

18385 = It was no fault to approch their Gods,

11086 = by what meanes they could:

12483 = And the most, though meanest,

14011 = of things are made more precious,

14733 = when they are dedicated to Temples.

9271 = In that name therefore,

18545 = we most humbly consecrate to your H.H.

19643 = these remaines of your seruant Shakespeare;

12955 = that what delight is in them,

16951 = may be euer your L.L. the reputation his, &

15521 = the faults ours, if any be committed,

8213 = by a payre so carefull

21028 = to shew their gratitude both to the liuing,

5435 = and the dead, as is

15589 = Your Lordshippes most bounden,

4723 = IOHN HEMINGE.

5558 = HENRY CONDELL.

1184171

EPILOGUE

(Matt. 16:13-19, KJB 1611)

16:13 When Iesus came into the coasts of Cesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom doe men say, that I, the sonne of man, am?

16:14 And they said, Some say that thou art Iohn the Baptist, some Elias, and others Ieremias, or one of  the Prophets.

16:15 He saith vnto them, But whom say ye that I am?

16:16 And Simon Peter answered, and said, Thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God.

Revelation – Transformation

16:17 And Iesus answered, and said vnto him, Blessed art thou Simon Bar Iona: for flesh and blood hath not reueiled it vnto thee, but my Father which is in heauen.

16:18 And I say also vnto thee, that thou art Peter, and vpon this rocke I will build my Church: and the gates of hell shall not preuaile against it.

16:19 And I will giue vnto thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen: and whatsoeuer thou shalt bind on earth, shall be bound in heauen: whatsoeuer thou shalt loose on earth, shall be loosed in heauen.

***

A

Perfecting Oxenford’s Book

45740

     7 = Man of Seventh Day

7936 = Edward Oxenford

4669 = Cosen Bacon

7347 = Seriant Harris – Pseudo-Name

Omega Play Written

Alpha Play In First Folio

9322 = William Shakespeare

5950 = The Tempest

Book Perfected

4723 = John Heminge

5786 = Henrie Condell

45740

B

Will Shakespeare

     7 = Hebrew Man of Seventh Day

8282 = Will Shakespeare

-2118 = TIME, End of

19365 = IUDICIO PYLIUM, GENIO SOCRATEM, ARTE MARONEM

20204 – TERRA TEGIT, POPULUS MÆRET, OLYMPUS HABET*

45740

*With the judgment of Nestor, the genius of Socrates, the art of Virgil,

earth covers him, the people mourn him, Olympus has him.

C

Man of Seventh Day‘s Mission

Uniting Male and Female Parts of JHWH‘s

Holy Name

45740

10594 = Sir Francis Bacon, Knight

-4000 = Dark Sword – Man-Beast

7671 = O RARE BEN JOHNSON –Buried Standing in Westminster Abbey

8525 = Gunnar Tómasson

12385 = Guðrún Ólafía Jónsdóttir

10565 = JHWH – 10-5-6-5 in Hebrew Gematria

45740

D

Personal Dream

Middle Eastern Shepherd Speaks

45740

Alpha

1806 = 18 August – 6th month old-style

1978 = 1978 A.D.

20143 = “The Spirit of Jesus is now with you.“

432 = Right Measure of Man

8525 = Gunnar Tómasson

12385 = Guðrún Ólafía Jónsdóttir

Omega

-6529 = The Gates of Hell

Christ‘s Church

7000 = Microcosmos – Man in God‘s Image

45740

E

Builder of Christ‘s Church

45740

4000 = Flaming Sword – Cosmic Creative Power

Christ‘s Church

7000 = Microcosmos – Man in God‘s Image

Jesus Come and Gone

(Matt. 10:34, KJB 1611)

19148 = Thinke not that I am come to send peace on earth:

15592 = I came not to send peace, but a sword.

45740

***

Calculator for converting letters to cipher values is at:

http://www.light-of-truth.com/ciphersaga.htm