Thomas Nashe……
….who The Shakespeare Code believes was William Shakespeare’s collaborator – dedicated his ‘Strange Newes’ pamphlet…….
……to a mysterious ‘Mr. William Apis Lapis’.
Scholars are united in the belief that ‘Apis Lapis’ is a Latin Code…
‘Apis’ is Latin for bee…..
‘Lapis’ is Latin for stone…
Ergo, ‘Apis’ ‘Lapis’ is ‘Bee’ ‘Stone’ – William Beeston….
But who was he?
The Shakespeare Code firmly believes it has the answer!
There was a William Beeston who lived as Posbrook Farm in Titchfield…..
Beeston was a vintner and cheese maker – AND THE MODEL FOR SIR JOHN FALSTAFF!
To read the full argument, please read: ‘The Strange Case of Mr. Apis Lapis.
And if you would like the end-notes, please contact The Code.
We now live here ànd believe paid lapis was the earl of Southampton?
Dear Paul, The Shakespeare Code’s belief is that Apis Lapis (Apis=Bee Lapis=Stone) was Tom Nashe’s code for William Bee-Stone = Beeston who once owned Great Posbrook Farm. He was the model for Falstaff. The Titchfield History Society now believe this theory is ‘possible’. For many years one of their members tried to block this information.
Dear Stewart, I am writing an article about Sir William Beeston and naturally turned to your blog for information about his father. I dimly recall reading somewhere that William Beeston and Elizabeth Bromfield were married in London. Were you the source of that information?
May I add a point of clarification. It its unlikely that William Beeston ‘owned’ Posbrook, but instead leased it from the earl.
Dear Bryan, Thank you for your note. I can’t recall Beeston marrying in London, I’m afraid. ‘Owned’ sounds like a mistake as most people rented then! Best wishes, Stewart
I’m afraid my memory is becoming increasingly grant as I get older, soI may be confusing the Beeston marriage with another reference.
I took another look at the Strange Newes dedication this morning and am inclined to agree with you that the use of the word ‘carminist’ is in its farting context. the irreverent, bantering style of the dedication makes that the best interpretation, I think, and towards the end he writes: ‘Proceede to cherish thy carminicall arte of memory with full cuppes’, reinforcing Beeston’s celebrated characteristic. It may be John Florio who first introduced the word to the English, which he defined as making ‘gross humours, fine and thin’, and Nashe would have picked that up.
‘errant’ not ‘grant’. Predictive text strikes again!
Stewart. I have noted your comments about Ken’s book and would like to explain. I do not however wish to do this publicly. If you would like to hear from me, please contact me through email, and I can correspond.