Dorothea Dickerman - The Roar of the Mouse: Anne Cecil de Vere & What She Tells Us About Shakespeare

Torn for most of her life between her father -- the most powerful man in Elizabethan England - and her husband, Edward de Vere, Anne Cecil has been traditionally regarded as the passive, long-suffering model of a Tudor noblewoman. In this paper, we move past the commonly-known facts about Anne to take a substantially deeper dive into a few pivotal moments in her life. While exploring the extraordinary circumstances that took her from pious, obedient mouse to roaring out the most powerful political secret of the reign, we discover much about her husband, the man who wrote extraordinary literary works under the pseudonym “William Shakespeare”.
Bio: Dorothea Dickerman retired as a partner from a 34-year career practicing commercial real estate law in the Washington D.C. offices of a 1000-lawyer international law firm to research and write on the Shakespeare Authorship Question. She uses her experiences as a lawyer to delve into and give context to Tudor law, history, politics and personalities through primary source historical and literary documents. Her foreign language skills include Italian and French. She solicits second opinions on her Latin translations and secretary hand transcriptions.
A prior speaker at Shakespeare Oxford Fellowship events and a frequent podcast guest, Dorothea also writes articles and book reviews and is currently working on an Elizabethan historical novel series. She serves as a trustee of the Shakespeare Oxford Fellowship.
Dorothea was awarded her B.A. from Amherst College summa cum laude in English and Political Science and her J.D. from The University of Chicago Law School.
This talk was presented as part of the Shakespeare Oxford Fellowship 2022 Annual Conference in Ashland, OR, on September 23, 2022. Learn more at ShakespeareOxfordFellowship.org.

[@claire58412]

Man, they just don't make Royal scandals like they used to! (Sorry, couldn't resist) This is brilliant. All the pieces other scholars have contributed have been given a solid foundation. Good work Ms. Dickerman. Thank you.

[@jwrigley100]

That would make an incredible film script.

[@duncanmckeown1292]

Yes...a riveting lecture! The more I read (and listen to) of the Oxfordian scholarship, the more intriguing the history becomes. To think that this evidence has been kept from us for centuries...in the first place, perhaps, out of fear of political repercussions, but in the last 200 years merely to preserve reputations and the "conventional wisdom" that supports them. The truth will out! Vero nihil verius.

[@sorellman]

I read a few books on this topic, but this is a truly enlightening lecture.

[@MundaSquire]

Forgive the overused sports metaphors, but this was a slam dunk, an overhead smash, an out of the park grand slam. For me, who as an Oxfordian who felt I needed to not outright fully make the Oxford claim, am now given permission since your presentation is incontrovertible evidence in my mind. Expert explication and presentation of supporting materials! Thank you.

[@twothecat]

I just watched Alexander Waugh's video, which is of the opinion that Lucrece is Penelope Rich, but your take is quite compelling, I must say!

[@lachenmann]

Oxford's relationship with the Queen is taboo for some Oxfordians. They avoid it at all costs.

[@stevenhershkowitz2265]

Outstanding.

[@GildaLee27]

This account of Anne's ordeal is very interesting, tragic and sad.

[@MundaSquire]

DeVere's poem: They teach the true truths: they are the backbone of the false truth, and only the Truths remain: they want the rest in vain. Therefore, true to truth, if you are the spouse and parent of Truth, then you must be good and particularly true. Make your mind always burst with truth and love. ALWAYS LOVING THE TRUTH, may your words be true. What more, in order that you may perform, you will require from the true Author. Let the literature teach you: it breeds spiritual industry, dear as long as men thus lifting the desires. The glory of the true man of your true voice.

[@Nope.Unknown]

That was excellent! Thank you!

[@joyplanta2402]

Wow! I’m speechless.😊

[@australianmade2659]

I’m not a conspiracy person. I’m a 47 year old man. I’ve considered hours and hours of discussion on Shakespeare and I am of the firm opinion Oxford is the great man. Unfortunately in this TikTok world we live in, we are shut down if we stray from groupthink. The stories mean much more when compared to the actual life of Oxford. It’s stories are windows to his mind.

[@lylecolombo4442]

You mentioned that the effigy on Anne’s tomb in Westminster is the only likeness of her. William Larkin painted a full length portrait of her.

[@DorotheaDickerman-dw3hr]

Hi Lyle, thanks for your comment on my video. You may be confusing Anne Cecil (1556-1588) with Diana Cecil (1596-1654), the lady in Larkin’s 1614 portrait. Anne (the subject of my talk) was the daughter of William Cecil, Lord Burghley and married Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford; Diana (Larkin’s subject) was the grand daughter of William Cecil’s oldest son, Thomas Cecil, who was Anne Cecil’s elder half brother. Diana Cecil (in the Larkin portrait) married Edward de Vere’s son, Henry de Vere, the 18th Earl of Oxford. William Larkin was born in the 1580s; Anne Cecil died in 1588. Understandable confusion with Cecils marring de Veres in adjacent generations. Cheers!

[@suziewheeler6530]

I believe there is an aspect of all this intrigue that is ignored. How burley, manipulated everyone including the queen . Who ended up with all the power and all the money. The Ceciles. Evil incarnate

[@jaelynrae6045]

I've always heard that Dudley was rumored to have had a secret child with Elizabeth, but ive NEVER heard of DeVere possibly having one! Wasn't he a LOT younger than the queen? She would have to have been quite old when she had a child with him...which is far more dangerous and less likely in those days to have a mature birth after age 30. 🤔 I believe Elizabeth had secret lovers but dont believe she had any children. By many accounts, she was terrified of childbirth and if she did get pregnant, I believe she would have taken measures to abort it.

[@travisbaechler1267]

1570s Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher...

[@jimsteele9559]

Why on Earth would a glove maker’s son newly arrived from the country write such a thing? And dedicate it to a lord? Shakespeare is Oxford.

[@isusmankh7114]

With regards to a previous video about your husband being a lawyer, did Shakespeare not say, my name is Will! As I see it , it would be, because that’s exactly what it is a Will, in other words it’s the last will and testament of Shakespeare which has never been read, is it not then a legal document?