The Monument Inscription: is it a rebus?

[Elvira Cardigan]

According to Peter Farey's brilliantly worked out reading, the monument to William Shakespeare in Holy Trinity Church, Stratford-upon-Avon, may contain a hidden message (in the form of a rebus) that identifies Marlowe as the true author of the works. IMO, this is a huge cut above the general order of codes, anagrams and hidden meanings 'found' in famous works to justify any number of esoteric beliefs. As anyone who reads Peter's article can see, his argument hangs together well, and the rebus is actually quite plausible.

But is it real, or just an example of researchers tending to find what they are looking for?

Several questions arise, both about the message itself and about the wider issue of the practicalities of who might have put it there, how and why. I'll kick off with a couple.

1. Who do we suppose created this hidden message?

2. For what purpose?

3. How was it done? Were the inscription on the grave and the monument both written by the same person at the same time?

[dan]

3. It looks to me as if the grave and monument might have been carved by the same person, but I could be quite wrong about that. In any case it would be interesting to research what other inscriptions might have been carved by the same person or people - maybe it would lead to a suggestion as to who ordered the work done.

Compare:
www.pinepoint.org/uploaded/photos/Learning/ISP_09/shakespeare_grave_rubbing.jpg
themarlowestudies.org/z-farey/stratinscription595x196.png

[jim]

Without the two Latin lines we lose 25% of the monument. Anything solved below can be overridden. If the English part seals message, the Latin should tell more, for it describes Shakespeare oddly.

[dan]

Yes, I've always wondered about that Latin bit ... it does seem somewhat odd. Damned if I can see anything hidden in it. Maybe someone with better Latin than me, and perhaps a better appreciation of Jonson's scholastic ideas, might be able to shine more light on it.