Bacon and Shaksper PROOF THAT WILLIAM SHAKSPERT Wivem. Braffi COULD NOT WRITE. The Sonnets WRITTEN BY FRANCIS BACO N TO THE EARL OF ESSEX AND HIS BRIDE, A. D. 1590. In this book SHAKESPEARE" is the Author, Shaksper the Stratford *man. BACON IDENTIFIED AS THE CONCEALED POET IGNOTO. A. D. 1589-1600. BY WM. HENRY BURR,AM. (1919-1908) WASHINGTON, D. c. JANUARY 22, 1886. Copyright, 1885, by W. H. Burr. Additions and corrections made by the Author in 1906. PROOF THAT SHAKSPER COULD NOT WRITE. No handwriting of Shaksper has ever been discovered except five autographs. In March 1613, when he was nearly 49 years old, he signed his name to a mortgage, and again to a deed relative to the same transaction. Three years later he subscribed his name to three briefs or sheets of his will. The five facsimiles are here reproduced: They are all such signatures as an illiterate person, unaccustomed to write, would be likely to scrawl; and |