Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Dedication
- Contents
- List of Illustrations
- List of Abbreviations
- Acknowledgements
- Editorial Procedures
- Introduction
- Part I Roots 1548–1562
- Part II Youth 1562–1571
- Part III Emancipation 1571–1574
- Part IV Exploration 1574–1576
- Part V Alienation 1576–1579
- Part VI Intrigue 1579–1580
- 37 Oxford vs. Sidney
- 38 Oxford vs. Leicester
- 39 Table, Gallery, Garden
- 40 Atheist
- 41 Sodomite
- 42 Prophet
- 43 A Passing Singular Odd Man
- 44 Oxford's Folly
- 45 Literary Patronage (1)
- 46 Oxford's Players (1)
- Part VII Sedition 1580–1581
- Part VIII Release 1581–1585
- Part IX Reiteration 1586–1591
- Part X Renewal 1592–1595
- Part XI Re-engagement 1595–1599
- Part XII Decline 1600–1604
- Part XIII Aftermath 1604–1613
- Notes
- Appendix: Oxford's Letters and Libel Documents
- Bibliography
- Index
- Liverpool English texts and Studies
41 - Sodomite
from Part VI - Intrigue 1579–1580
- Frontmatter
- Dedication
- Contents
- List of Illustrations
- List of Abbreviations
- Acknowledgements
- Editorial Procedures
- Introduction
- Part I Roots 1548–1562
- Part II Youth 1562–1571
- Part III Emancipation 1571–1574
- Part IV Exploration 1574–1576
- Part V Alienation 1576–1579
- Part VI Intrigue 1579–1580
- 37 Oxford vs. Sidney
- 38 Oxford vs. Leicester
- 39 Table, Gallery, Garden
- 40 Atheist
- 41 Sodomite
- 42 Prophet
- 43 A Passing Singular Odd Man
- 44 Oxford's Folly
- 45 Literary Patronage (1)
- 46 Oxford's Players (1)
- Part VII Sedition 1580–1581
- Part VIII Release 1581–1585
- Part IX Reiteration 1586–1591
- Part X Renewal 1592–1595
- Part XI Re-engagement 1595–1599
- Part XII Decline 1600–1604
- Part XIII Aftermath 1604–1613
- Notes
- Appendix: Oxford's Letters and Libel Documents
- Bibliography
- Index
- Liverpool English texts and Studies
Summary
Charles Arundel accused Oxford of sexual crimes under the heading ‘Dishonestye of life’:
– [Oxford] confessid buggerie to William Cornwallis.
– The cooke, wepeinge to my Lord Harry and my selfe at Hampton Corte, confessid how my Lord had almost spoyleid him, and yet he durst not open his grefe to Baker.
– Rafe Hopton, beinge commawnedid by my Lord to staye Mackwilliam in his bed chamber till he came downe, wept to my Lord Harry and me, fearinge least yf my Lord shuld deale with him as he delte with Rocco in Brodstrete, the matter comminge owte he might be callid to accownte for an instrument; declaringe further that his harte akeid to consider what he knewe and what the worel[d] vnderstode at this time, sayinge that once when he was my Lordes page he was abowte to have stabbid him [=Oxford] with his [=Oxford's] dagger for profferinge so great a villonye. …
– Auracio [=Orazio] that came with him owte of Italie made it the quarrell of his departure, as Henrye Locke can testefie.
– He wold often tell my Lord Harrye, my selfe, and Sowthewell that he had abusid a mare.
– That the Ingelishe men were doltes and idiots for ther was better sporte in passa pecora – which they knewe not – then in all ther occupiynge.
– That when wemen were vnswete, fine (yonge) boyes were in season.
– He hathe a yerelie celebracion of the Neapolitan malaldye.
The passa pecora that surpasses all sexual habits practised by the English is an unorthodox position, recorded by Aretino and translatable as the ‘grazing sheep’. Henry Howard's charges echo Arundel's, with greater circumspection. Francis Southwell, even more circumspect, confesses the hearing of scandalous reports, but will not accuse Oxford of ‘pedication’.
Arundel and Howard drew upon both the broad and the narrow range of significations attached to buggery or sodomy. On the one hand, Oxford was a ‘compleat’ sodomite, guilty of the triple crime of atheism, pederasty, and necromancy, and their correlatives: prevarication, murder, and lèse majesté. Arundel characterizes Oxford as a ‘monster’ capable of any crime: ‘my monstrus adversarye Oxford, who wold drinke my blud rather than wine, as well as he loves it’ (LIB-5.12).
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- Monstrous AdversaryThe Life of Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford, pp. 213 - 217Publisher: Liverpool University PressPrint publication year: 2003