Phoenix and Turtle

 

This obscure poem by Shakespeare tells the story of Queen Elizabeth, Robert Dudley, Dudley’s wife Amy Robsart, and Francis Bacon.

Loves Martyr: or, Rosalins Complaint (1601) is attributed to Torquato Caeliano as the author and Robert Chester the translator, but both names cannot be identified; besides that, Rosalin in the title is never mentioned in the book.

At the end of the book includes several poems by John Marston, George Chapman, Ben Jonson, and William Shakespeare. The one by Shakespeare has no title, often called the Phoenix and Turtle.

Background

The Phoenix and Turtle talks about a funeral of “Love and Constancy.” Some birds are invited to the funeral, some rejected. This allegorical poem is often considered the obscurest and hardest poem by Shakespeare, suggesting an extremely sensitive story may be sealed behind it. However, if Shakespeare really wanted it to be solved, enough clues should be given.

Assuming Shakespeare followed the rules of Sidney anagram, then all birds identified by anagrams should be related. The result connects to the rumor from 1560 till the beginning of the 17th century about Elizabeth Tudor (1533–1603), Robert Dudley (1532–88), their illegitimate child, and Dudley’s wife Amy Robsart (1532–60). The funeral is for Amy Robsart’s suspicious death in 1560, and marks the termination of love and potential marriage between Dudley and the Queen.

Reasoning this poem via anagrams can match the content of Dictionary of National Biography (DNB) related to Robert Dudley, which may or may not be the truth. Shakespeare may write this poem based on rumors or facts. All reasonings here are based on word’s logic, including the unidentified Rosalin, Robert Chester, and Torquato Caeliano.

Marriage is supposed to promise a constant love. The death of “Love and Constancy” in this poem can apply to the marriage of Amy Robsart and Robert Dudley being terminated after Robsart’s suspicious death. The potential marriage of Queen Elizabeth and Dudley was terminated the same time. Similar theme can be found in The Shepheardes Calender where Lobbin mourns the death of Dido without grief.

A Spanish ambassador’s letter to King Philip II said that Queen Elizabeth and Robert Dudley were lovers, and they were talking of how to get rid of Dudley’s wife Amy Robsart, who knew that but had no power to fight against them. “She was very well and taking care not to be poisoned.”

If Amy Robsart died of natural cause, or a suicide looked like a natural death, that would satisfy the Queen who stole her husband. Besides that, Christians view suicide a sin. Robsart needed a way to solve both. Her revenge was to die as a Love’s Martyr, a sacrifice between an accident and a murder.

Murder will make her husband or the Queen a suspect and they could never get together. Accident will grant her a Christian burial. Robsart’s suspicious death gave her both, and that changed England’s history. The Queen remained unmarried all her life.

The name Amy Robsart can spell martyr as in this book’s title.

To achieve a death between accident and murder needs careful planning and preparation. Robsart might do that by herself but would be very hard, or she can get certain professional support, possibly from agents of William Cecil or Dudley’s enemies, to assure her plan will work with less pain. Rumor came later that the Queen was a mother already in January 1560, and Francis Bacon (1561–1626) was the illegitimate of the Queen and Dudley. Amy Robsart died on September 8, 1560. Records show that Francis Bacon was borne on January 22, 1561, but the date can be arranged.

First Line and Title

Shakespeare’s poem has no title unlike other poems in Lover’s Martyr. Its first line, “Let the bird of lowdest lay,” seals the identity of the Phoenix and Turtle via anagrams.

Author of Lover’s Martyr, Torquato Caeliano and its translator Robert Chester cannot be traced and identified. “Allegorically shadowing the truth of Love” suggests that Phoenix and Turtle allude to two renowned persons.

Love’s Martyr: or, Rosalin’s Complaint.

Allegorically shadowing the truth of Love,

in the constant Fate of the Phoenix and Turtle.

A Poem enterlaced with much variety and rarity;

now first translated out of the venerable Italian

Torquato Caeliano, by Robert Chester.

Phoenix is one of the Queen’s symbols. Shakespeare selected Turtle Dove as her lover, for Turtle Dove can spell Tudor. Phoenix and Turtle can spell Dudley and Tudor. Their first names Elisabeth (Elizabeth) and Robert can be found in Caeliano and Robert Chester.

Birds in this poem include phoenix, turtle dove, eagle, swan, and crow. The “shriking harbinger” (shrieking) in line 5 does not indicate what kind of bird it is. Some analysts assume it to be an owl. Robert Dudley was a Knight of Garter, which functions as a shrieking harbinger for Queen Elizabeth.

Robert Chester

The book’s title, Love’s Martyr, can spell Amy Robsart except letter b, which is mended by Robert Chester. The same can apply to its subtitle, Rosalin’s Complaint. Rosalin never appears in the book. The name is taken from Rosalind in The Shepheardes Calender.

Robert Dudley was assigned chancellor of the county palatine of Chester. A county palatine may enjoy certain autonomy and privilege. The privilege of Robert Chester would be his vague identity, for the rumor about Robert Dudley and the Queen was highly sensitive.

On 13 Aug. 1560 Anne Dowe of Brentford was the first of a long line of offenders to be sent to prison for asserting that Elizabeth was with child by Dudley. — Dictionary of National Biography, Volume 16, page 113.

Robert Chester reflects Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester. Robert can be a perfect anagram of rob-ert; ert has the usage of to incite or urge; chester of one who puts a body in a coffin (Robert's wife Amy); Chester is also a both-way anagram of chest-ert. The name Chester may be inspired by the ending of -ester in Leicester.

Torquato Caeliano

This Italian name cannot be identified same as Robert Chester. Torquato Caeliano can be a perfect anagram of “quarto to ceal anoy”; ceal is an obsolete form of seal; anoy of annoy.

This anagram could be a coincident, but it also says the book Love’s Martyr, printed as a quarto, is to seal a scandal that will annoy certain persons. Both names of the book’s author (Torquato Caeliano) and translator (Robert Chester) seal the book’s theme, and both cannot be identified. This can protect the organizers and true authors of this book.

Sir John Salisbury

Love’s Martyr is dedicated to Sir John Salisburie (Salisbury), assumed to be the Welsh politician Sir John Salusbury (1567–1612) who married Ursula Stanley, daughter of Henry Stanley (1531–93), 4th Earl of Derby.

Salisburie can be a perfect anagram of slay-buries or slays-burie (bury) to cope with the name Chester as one who puts a corpse to a chest, alluding to Dudley who slays Amy Robsart indirectly, and one Sir John buries her together with her secret. Sir John has the usage of a priest’s nickname since the 14th century. Sir John Lack-Latin has the usage of an ignorant priest. Salisbury is the place of monument for Merlin’s mother in The Birth of Merlin.

The Poem

Let the bird of lowdest lay,[01]

On the sole Arabian tree,[02]

Herauld sad and trumpet be:[03]

To whose sound chaste wings obay.[04]

But thou shriking harbinger,[05]

Foule precurrer of the fiend,[06]

Augour of the fevers end,[07]

To this troupe come thou not neere.[08]

From this Session interdict[09]

Every foule of tyrant wing,[10]

Save the Eagle feath’red King,[11]

Keepe the obsequie so strict.[12]

Let the Priest in Surples white,[13]

That defunctiue Musicke can,[14]

Be the death-deuining Swan,[15]

Lest the Requiem lacke his right.[16]

And thou treble dated Crow,[17]

That thy sable gender mak’st.[18]

With the breath thou giu’st and tak’st,[19]

Mongst our mourners shalt thou go.[20]

Here the Antheme doth commence,[21]

Loue and Constancie is dead,[22]

Phoenix and the Turtle fled,[23]

In a mutuall flame from hence.[24]

So they loued as loue in twaine,[25]

Had the essence but in one,[26]

Two distincts, Diuision none,[27]

Number there in loue was slaine.[28]

Hearts remote, yet not asunder;[29]

Distance and no space was seene,[30]

Twixt this Turtle and his Queene;[31]

But in them it were a wonder.[32]

So betweene them Loue did shine,[33]

That the Turtle saw his right,[34]

Flaming in the Phoenix sight;[35]

Either was the others mine.[36]

Propertie was thus appalled,[37]

That the selfe was not the same:[38]

Single Natures double name,[39]

Neither two nor one was called.[40]

Reason in it selfe confounded,[41]

Saw Diuision grow together,[42]

To themselues yet either neither,[43]

Simple were so well compounded.[44]

That it cried, how true a twaine,[45]

Seemeth this concordant one,[46]

Loue hath Reason, Reason none,[47]

If what parts, can so remaine.[48]

Whereupon it made this Threne,[49]

To the Phoenix and the Doue,[50]

Co-supremes and starres of Loue,[51]

As Chorus to their Tragique Scene.[52]

Threnos.[53]

Beautie, Truth, and Raritie,[54]

Grace in all simplicitie,[55]

Here enclosde, in cinders lie.[56]

Death is now the Phoenix nest,[57]

And the Turtles loyall brest,[58]

To eternitie doth rest.[59]

Leauing no posteritie,[60]

Twas not their infirmitie,[61]

It was married Chastitie.[62]

Truth may seeme, but cannot be,[63]

Beautie bragge, but tis not she,[64]

Truth and Beautie buried be.[65]

To this vrne let those repaire,[66]

That are either true or faire,[67]

For these dead Birds, sigh a prayer.[68]

William Shake-speare.[69]

Notes

[01] Let the bird of loudest lay,

*Let . . . lay: This line can spell Elisabeth Tudor Robert Dudley. To seal two related names in a short line is rare. Shakespeare’s A Lover’s Complaint has similar design.

*bird: a guy; a young person; a playful term of endearment, as “Oh Anthony, oh thou Arabian Bird!” in Anthony and Cleopatra. *loud: a strong powerful voice; lowd is an obsolete form of loud. Spelling of loud and lowd, aloud and alowd, both exist in the Lover’s Martyr. *lay: a lair, place to lodge; a lyric for singing.

[02] On the sole Arabian tree,

*sole: unique; lonely. *Arabian tree: Arabian can spell Britain except letter t, which is mended by “tree.” *the sole Arabian: This term can spell Elisabeth Britain; “sole” provides the needed letter s and l to spell her name.

Phoenix is a mythical bird dwelled in the Arabian area. It will burn itself and revive from its ashes every 500 years. Arabian bird, tree, and Phoenix allude to rarity, loneliness, throne, and reigning in the 1623 folio.

Sebastian.

A living Drollery: now I will believe

That there are Unicorns: that in Arabia

There is one Tree, the Phoenix throne, one Phoenix

At this hour reigning there. — The Tempest

Iachimo.

If she be furnished with a mind so rare

She is alone the Arabian-Bird; — Cymbeline

[03] Herald sad and trumpet be:

*Herald: an officer for royal proclamations; a messenger or precursor. *trumpet: a horn for alerting; a trumpeter. *sad and trumpet: This term can spell Edmund Spenser, suggesting he plays the role of the herald and trumpeter here. The story of Robert Dudley is also sealed in The Shepheardes Calender. Spenser was close to Philip and Mary Sidney. His name appears again in line 49, “Whereupon it made this Threne.”

[04] To whose sound chaste wings obey.

*chaste wings: a circle of people (poets) undefiled. *obey: to comply with; to salute respectfully; to bow. This line implies that unchaste persons would not salute and comply with this poem, including “shriking harbinger” in line 5, and “fowl of tyrant wing” in line 10. *Line 1 to 4: Story of a unique and lonely person with the highest power in England is told by a herald with sad trumpet that all chaste ones must bow.

[05] But thou shriking harbinger,

*shrike: a variant of shriek, to make a shrill loud sound. *harbinger: an entertainer; a forerunner. *thou shriking harbinger: This term may be inspired by the Knight or Order of Garter that Dudley awarded in 1559. Knights of Garter functions as the Queen’s harbinger. The term “thou shriking harbinger” can spell Knight Garter; harbinger of the fiend can spell Order of the Garter.

[06] Foul precurrer of the fiend,

*precurrer: a precursor, forerunner; currer is an obsolete from of courier. Precurrer can be an anagram of pre-curer, one who cures something in advance; cure has the usage of to fix. *fiend: a heartless, vicious person. *Foul precurrer of the fiend: The name Robert Dudley can be spelt by “thou harbinger” in line 5, and “foul fiend” in line 6, suggesting that Robert Dudley was like a foul fiend betrayed his wife Amy Robsart.

[07] Augur of the fever’s end,

*Augur: a fortuneteller by acts of birds. *fever: a morbid or sick condition, alluding to the triangle of Dudley, Robsart, and the Queen. *Augur of the fever’s end: Amy Robsart’s death ended this morbid condition.

[08] To this troupe come thou not near.

*troupe: a variant of troop, a circle of people, indicating the group of “chaste wings” (line 4) who knew the truth of Amy Robsart’s death. Troupe can also be a variant of trope; trope has the usage of an improper figurative language. Troupe may pun for a literary circle using figurative language. *come thou not near: Robert Dudley did not attend his wife’s funeral; he was not in the literary circle of Wilton House.

[09] From this Session interdict

*session: a group of people in a ceremony; a meeting to judge. *interdict: to prohibit, forbid. Interdict can be a perfect anagram of inter-dict; inter has the usage of to bury; dict of a saying or maxim. *this Session interdict: this group of people who buried and forbade sayings.

[10] Every fowl of tyrant wing,

*fowl: Original spelling here and in line 6 are both foule; foule can be an obsolete form of fowl and foul, a pun of foul fowl or a loathsome guy. *wing: protecting care. *Every . . . tyrant wing: every foul person under the protection of a tyrant.

[11] Save the Eagle feathered King,

*feathered King: a ruler of birds; a leader furnished with feathers. Feathered has the usage of furnished feathers on subjects (e.g. arrows) for flight, or light-weighted. “Eagle feathered King” and “obsequy” in the next line can spell Elisabeth Tudor Queen, suggesting the identity of Eagle. She played both the role of Dudley’s lover and the Queen of England.


Eagle may also indicate Queen Elizabeth’s representative Margery Williams Norris (?–1599) as the chief mourner (and monitor) of Amy Robsart’s funeral. Margery married Henry Norris (1525–1601), son of Henry Norris (?1482–1536) who was executed for the charge of adultery with Anne Boleyn (1501–36), mother of Queen Elizabeth.

[12] Keep the obsequy so strict.

*obsequy: funeral rites compliant to one’s will. Amy Robsart’s funeral ceremony must follow the will of Queen Elizabeth (the Phoenix), to avoid rumor of murder connected with the Queen’s affair with Robert Dudley.

[13] Let the Priest in Surplice white,

*Priest: The priest of Amy Robsart’s ceremony was Francis Babington (?–1569), one of Dudley’s chaplains. Priest can be a perfect anagram of pry-set, or both-way anagram of pry-test. The priest came to pry Robsart’s funeral for any rumor related to Dudley. *Surplice: a loose vestment in church services. The original spelling “Surples” can be a variant or anagram of surplus, something superfluous or excess. *white: blank, void. *Surplice white: alluding to a void, superfluous priest to pry this funeral.

[14] That defunctive Music can,

*defunctive: dying, losing function. *Music: the original spelling Musicke can be a both-way anagram of muse-sick; muse has the usage of profound meditation (in a ceremony). The term “sick Muse” appears in Shakespeare’s sonnet 79, “And my sick Muse doth give another place.”

[15] Be the death-divining Swan,

*divine: to foretell by divine power; to predict by inspiration or intuition. *Swan: a sacred bird of Apollo; a sign of coming death. *death-divining Swan: The priest played the role of swan with “defunctive Musicke” for Amy Robsart’s death.

[16] Lest the Requiem lack his right.

*Requiem: a mass for the deceased. Requiem can be a perfect anagram of quire-’em or quier-’em; quier is an obsolete form of queer (odd or bad), and quire of quere (to enquire). Requiem puns on an odd mass to inquire them. *his: same as its in Shakespeare’s time, indicating the requiem, swan, or the Priest. *his right: the correct way of the requiem; the priest’s authority. *lest . . . lack his right: to keep the funeral under control.

[17] And thou treble dated Crow,

*date: to affix a time that something will happen. *treble dated Crow: referring to Peter denies Jesus three times. The Crow reflects Amy Robsart as a reminder to Robert Dudley who denied her several times.

Iesus sayde vnto him, Verely I say vnto thee, that this night, before the cocke crow, thou shalt denie me thrise. — Geneva, Matthew 26:34

Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. — KJV, Matthew 26:34

[18] That thy sable gender mak’st.

*sable: a funeral robe or mourning garment. Sable and crow both have black appearance related to mourning and funeral. *gender: sort, class, genus. *thy sable gender: Gender of sable is far from crow. This term can be a perfect anagram of this-able-gender to cope with the next line, that Amy Robsart made her own funeral robe and was able to end her own life. This anagram is similar to Astrophel and Stella.

[19] With the breath thou giv’st and tak’st,

*breath thou giv’st and tak’st: One gives breath when one is alive; one takes away one’s own breath is suicide. This line may be inspired by the perfect anagram of Amy Robsart as may-rob-star or a both-way anagram of may-rob-stars; star has the usage of one’s fate or fortune, alluding that Amy Robsart who may rob her own fortune, a hint on suicide.

[20] Mongst our mourners shalt thou go.

*our mourners: In this poem Swan is a priest; Eagle keeps the funeral strict; every “tyrant wing” and “shriking harbinger” are rejected. Crow is the only bird identified in this funeral truly accepted by “our mourners.”

*shalt thou go: suggesting that the Crow is dead and shall go. Mourners will be on her side. No more second person pronoun appears after this line. Crow’s life story stops here. Phoenix and Turtle appear in the next stanza.

[21] Here the Anthem doth commence,

*Anthem: a sacred song; a formal composition. Anthem can be a perfect anagram of anth-’em, or a both-way anagram of ant-them; anth- or ant- is a variant of anti-. Anthem puns on the composition against the death of “Love and Constancy” in the next line.

[22] Love and Constancy is dead,

*Love and Constancy: a hint on marriage. *is dead: The marriage of Robsart and Dudley is dead after Robsart’s death. Dudley the Turtle is freed now to pursue the Phoenix. Story of the Phoenix and the Turtle starts after this line.

[23] Phoenix and the Turtle fled,

*Phoenix, Turtle: The two appear in this poem the first time in one line, right after “Love and Constancy is dead.” *flee: to free from restriction. The death of Amy Robsart freed Robert Dudley and the Queen temporarily. *Phoenix and the Turtle: changed to “the Phoenix and the Dove” in line 50.

[24] In a mutual flame from hence.

*flame: burning fire, passion. *from hence: from this issue or time. *mutual flame from hence: Love and marriage of Dudley and the Queen could inflame after the death of Dudley’s wife, but will burn them eventually.

[25] So they loved as love in twain,

*twain: a couple; consisting of two parts. *in twain: into two parts; a disunited pair. *they loved as love in twain: After Amy Robsart’s death, the Queen and Dudley can love as a disunited pair. *twain, one, none, slain: The last word of line 25 to 27 show the descending (slain) of number: twain (2), one (1), none (0). This descending foretells their fate to “none.”

[26] Had the essence but in one,

*essence: central, basic, vital substance. *in one: in one single form. *Had the essence but in one: The two lovers had one nature vital substance, an illegitimate child.

[27] Two distincts, Division none,

*Two distincts: two distinguished persons; not one flesh, not being recognized as husband and wife, from Bible:

Therefore shall man leaue his father and his mother, and shall cleaue to his wife, and they shall be one flesh. — Geneva, Genesis 2:24.

Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. — KJV, Genesis 2:24.

*Division none: The two unmarried lovers kept not the distance they should. *none: a hint that the two lovers will separate at the end. Their illegitimate child was unadmitted and disconnected from his natural parents, so none was left.

[28] Number there in love was slain.

*slay: to terminate, destroy. *number: a hint on the number play of twain, one, and none to match two-lovers, one-child, and none-left. *Number there in love was slain: Number in this stanza is slain from twain to none. The same number play appears again in line 45 to 47.

[29] Hearts remote, yet not asunder;

*remote: indifferent, unconcerned, distant. *asunder: torn apart; separated. *not asunder: The two lovers kept distant but not separated.

[30] Distance and no space was seen,

*Distance . . . no space: They maintained the same distance before and after Amy Robsart’s death, and there was no space for their love to grow. Later in 1578 Dudley secretly married Lettice Knollys (1543–1634), who was then banned from the court. The Queen forgave Dudley.

[31] Twixt this Turtle and his Queen;

*this Turtle: a pun for a speedy bird turtle dove and a tardy crawling tortoise, alluding the level difference of Dudley and the Queen, hinted by “remote” and “distance.” *Queen: a hint on the identity of the Phoenix and Queen Elizabeth. “Turtle and his Queen” can spell Queen Elisabeth except letter B, which can be mended by “But” in the next line.

[32] But in them it were a wonder.

*wonder: a rare curious event causing astonishment. The join of tortoise and phoenix is a wonder. The last two lines can spell Queen Elisabeth Tudor Robert Dudley, suggesting the identity of the Phoenix and Turtle.

[33] So between them Love did shine,

*shine: to make a brave show; to stand out clearly. *Love did shine: Their love was exposed to the public due to the “wonder” in line 32. Rumor of their love affairs appeared already in 1559.

[34] That the Turtle saw his right,

*right: legal title to the possession of authority and power. *Turtle saw his right: Robert Dudley saw power in marrying the Queen, which worried and irritated some courtiers.

[35] Flaming in the Phoenix’ sight;

*flaming: glowing, flourishing. *sight: aspect, appearance; an obsolete form of sigh. *Phoenix’ sight: The Queen well rewarded Dudley until Dudley’s death, not affected by his marriage of Lettice Knollys, probably due to Dudley was her son’s biological father and Dudley held some evidence to prove that.

[36] Either was the other’s mine.

*mine: source of treasure, suggested by “property” in the next line. *the other’s mine: The Queen was Dudley’s source of power; Dudley the Queen’s source of romance and child.

[37] Property was thus appalled,

*Property: something valuable possessed by the two lovers. *thus appalled: The Queen and Dudley’s illegitimate child was a shocking and terrifying property owned by them.

[38] That the self was not the same:

*the self: A child can be seen as the second self of the child’s parents. *not the same: An illegitimate will not be the same as a legitimate child.

[39] Single Nature’s double name,

*single: lonely; unique. *single Nature: loneliness as the nature of an illegitimate. *double: false, deceitful. *double name: An illegitimate having a false name is not recognized by its natural parents. Dudley had an illegitimate son Robert Dudley (1574–1649) with Douglas Howard (1543–1608).

[40] Neither two nor one was called.

*called: named, alluding to the acceptance by a family. *Neither two nor one: Their illegitimate was not accepted by Tudor and Dudley (two), nor by Tudor, nor by Dudley (one). Following lines talk about this illegitimate.

[41] Reason in itself confounded,

*reason: cause of an act; justified rational decision. This word appears also in line 47 twice, all capitalized. Reason can be a perfect anagram of ear-son, a son by rumor. Rumor related to the Queen’s pregnancy and illegitimate existed already in 1560 and 1563. *itself: the personified Reason who speaks in line 45.


*confounded: confused, mixed. *Reason . . . confounded: This line can spell Earl of Leicester Francis Dudley, suggesting the identity of the illegitimate Francis Bacon should be Francis Dudley. The illegitimate was confounded.

[42] Saw Division grow together,

*division: the state of being divided. *Saw Division grow together: Line 41 can also spell Francis Bacon except letter B, which can be divided to two D’s. The illegitimate saw the division of two D’s in “confounded” and Dudley. They “grow together” and form the letter B, so he became Francis Bacon instead of Francis Dudley.

[43] To themselves yet either neither,

*themselves: indicating the Queen, Robert Dudley, and their illegitimate. *either neither: The illegitimate cannot be raised together either with his biological father, neither his mother. The “either neither” has either within neither, same as son in Reason, and Threne in Threnoes (line 49 to 53).

[44] Simple were so well compounded.

*simple: a simplified solution. To grow an illegitimate in a foster family is a simplified solution. *compound: to settle a dispute; to mix, combine. *well compounded: The confounded illegitimate issue was well settled.

[45] That it cried, “how true a twain,

*it: indicating personified “Reason” in line 41. *cry: to shout; to weep. *twain: The last word of line 45, 46, 47 (twain, one, none) are the same as in line 25, 26 and 27. The last word “slain” of line 28 is changed to “remain” in line 48; something is remained after the slain of numbering.

*how true a twain: The illegitimate of Robert Dudley, and son of Nicholas Bacon (1510–79) were both true for Francis Bacon.

[46] Seemeth this concordant one,

*seem: to befit; to appear like. *concordant: harmonious, correspondent, agreeing. *Seemeth this concordant one: The “true a twain” fits the conflictless agreement between the Dudley and Bacon family.

[47] Love hath Reason, Reason none,

*Reason: personified Reason, indicating the illegitimate. *Love hath Reason: This love affair has reason. Dudley wanted power; the Queen may due to lonely. *Love hath Reason: This love affair has an illegitimate. *Reason none: a rational decision for Dudley and the Queen was not to marry after Amy Robsart’s suspicious death, which resulted nothing for their illegitimate.

[48] If what parts can so remain.”

*part: a role in a stage play or event. *remain: If all the involved persons can “remain” their roles in their normal lives, then the illegitimate issue will be gone.

[49] Whereupon it made this Threne,

*whereupon: immediately after that. *Threne: Threne and Threnos (line 53) frame several related anagrams. *it: indicating the one who wrote this Threne. *Whereupon it made this Threne: This line can spell Edmund Spenser and Mary Sidney. Spenser was close to Philip and Mary Sidney (Clorinda). Mary Sidney had the chance to know the story of the Queen and Robert Dudley for she was the niece of Dudley.

[50] To the Phoenix and the Dove,

*Phoenix: a person of unique excellence, corresponding to “supreme” in the next line. *Dove: a gentle person; a simpleton. The word Dove appears only once here. Changing from Turtle to Dove alludes to the end of this love affair.

[51] Co-supremes and stars of Love,

*co-supremes: The two lovers raised themselves to higher level of their fortune. *stars: fortune, fate. *stars of Love: Two stars in the sky can never meet, which is their fate.

[52] As Chorus to their Tragique Scene.

*As Chorus: a both-way anagram of asch-hours; asch is an obsolete form of ash; a wordplay of ash-hours chorus. *Tragique Scene: Scene sounds like sin. “Tragique Scene” can spell Queen’s-sin, alluding to a tragic scene of Queen Elizabeth’s sin.

[53] Threnos

*Threnos: Threnos can be a perfect anagram of shorten, hinted by the shortening of this poem from quatrains to tercets, or the number from twain to one to none in line 25, 26, 27 and line 45, 46, 47. Threnos can spell threne (line 49); threne can spell three, supported by tercets of this threnos.

Threnos is also a perfect anagram of thrones, alluding that this threne or threnos is related to royal members, Elizabeth Tudor, Robert Dudley, and Francis Bacon. Switching from quatrain to tercet may reflect the death of Amy Robsart, a story of four ends with three alive.

[54] Beauty, Truth, and Rarity,

*Beauty: anything beautiful; a beautiful story or event; a child is a beauty, including an illegitimate. *Truth: the existence of the illegitimate in this poem is a truth, supported by “Truth may seem, but cannot be” in line 63. *Rarity: something unusual and valuable, indicating their love affair and illegitimate.

[55] Grace in all simplicity,

*Grace: title of a sovereign, alluding to the Queen. *simplicity: the state of being simple. *Grace in all simplicity: simplicity of the illegitimate issue may keep the Queen’s grace. This line can spell illegitimate.

[56] Here enclosed, in cinders lie.

*cinder: a piece of burnt coal that can be combusted further in the future. *lie: to settle; to cheat. *enclosed, in cinders lie: the story enclosed here will be disclosed in the future.

[57] Death is now the Phoenix’ nest,

*Death: the loss of vitality. *nest: shelter. *Death is now the Phoenix’ nest: Queen Elizabeth never married. It’s assumed that a single old woman failed in love may lose her vitality.

[58] And the Turtle’s loyal breast,

*And the Turtle’s loyal breast: This line can spell Robert Dudley Elisabeth Tudor. *loyal: Robert Dudley never admitted his affair with the Queen. *breast: affection, private thought. *Turtle’s loyal breast (to eternity doth rest): Loyal is close royal; loyal breast can spell royal breast. Dudley’s loyal breast can never turn to royal breast, for the chance to marry the Queen rested forever.

[59] To eternity doth rest.

*rest: what is remained; to relief; to cease, stop. *To eternity doth rest: Dudley’s royal dream is dead forever. Their story will remain forever to be solved. Amy Robsart died in 1560. Dudley died in 1588. The Queen died in 1603.

[60] Leaving no posterity,

*Leaving no posterity: Robert Dudley and the Queen left no descendant carrying their names. *Leaving: This word contains most letters to spell illegitimate except m and t, which is mended by “infirmity.” Their illegitimate was not recognized as their descendant and being left behind.

[61] ’Twas not their infirmity,

*infirmity: physical unhealthiness; inability; weakness. *not their infirmity: They have no descendant not because of their physical inability or unhealthiness, but they refused to admit their illegitimate.

[62] It was married Chastity.

*Chastity: restraining from unlawful sexual intercourse. *married Chastity: Rumored that the Queen married Dudley secretly in Pembroke’s Wilton House and was “a mother already.” It this is true, then they were lawful to have a child.

[63] Truth may seem, but cannot be,

*Truth may seem, but cannot be: Their chastity marriage may seem to be a truth, but cannot be a truth.

[64] Beauty brag, but ’tis not she,

*Beauty: anything beautiful. *brag: to boast, vaunt. *’tis not she: The beauty here indicates not Phoenix the Queen, but the love’s martyr Amy Robsart. This truth of Amy Robsart cannot be known, so the truth and Robsart both will be buried.

[65] Truth and Beauty buried be.

*buried be: Truth of Amy Robsart, a beauty who dies as a martyr of love, will be buried.

[66] To this urn let those repair,

*urn: a vessel for lots; a container to preserve the ashes of the dead. Urn can be a perfect anagram of run, to escape. The original spelling urne can be a perfect anagram of rune, an obsolete form of roun; roun has the usage of a secret, speech, or discourse; run is also an obsolete form of roun. *repair: To fix the broken pieces of the truth from this mystical discourse, is like taking lots from an urn.

[67] That are either true or fair,

*fair: unbiased; free from injustice; pleasing, beautiful. *either true or fair: Story of this poem cannot be both true and fair, but be true and unjust, or untrue and beautiful. The death of Amy Robsart is unjust.

[68] For these dead Birds, sigh a prayer.

*dead: without vitality; without future. *Birds: all persons involved in this story, Elizabeth Tudor, Robert Dudley, Amy Robsart, and Francis Bacon. *prayer: The next line is a prayer. *sigh a prayer: Sigh a prayer of “William Shake-speare” via anagram: Amy will shake the sphere of Britain. The name Shakespeare fits the rhyme of repair, fair, and prayer in this stanza.

[69] William Shake-speare.

*William Shake-speare: The name can be a perfect anagram of “Amy will shake a spere”; spere is an obsolete form of sphere. The suspicious death of Amy Robsart changed the history of Britain. It can also be a perfect anagram of “Will may shake speare”; spear is a soldier’s weapon and a poet’s sharp-pointed pen.

This poem has the risk of being decoded. If so, then the man William Shakespeare will be blamed. He can be sacrificed as a firewall for Wilton House.