Tom Townsend — De Vere’s Lesser Legacy: The Legal Concept of Equity

Well-hidden in Shakespeare’s 1 Henry IV—in the amusing Gadshill scene—just after the Travelers are robbed, Falstaff makes an unusual and curious comment, “…there’s no equity stirring.” But what is “Equity” and why is it stirring? And why should we care? To understand Falstaff’s comment, this presentation takes a circuitous path through broader but relevant legal aspects of Elizabethan society at the time of the True Shakespeare. It offers a backdrop to legal topics largely unknown in the 21st century.

These legal topics greatly affected Edward de Vere’s writings as Shakespeare—his plays and sonnets. Reviewing the works of Shakespeare in a new way uncovers intriguing information pointing to critical issues of great import to the True Author. Evidence is given for the traditional author’s familiarity with the legal doctrine of equity and contrasted with Edward de Vere’s sources and knowledge of equity. The disparity is significant. From this overall discussion, and a noteworthy case study, it’s possible to understand Edward de Vere’s strong forward-thinking impact upon history, even today. This significant and critical new information will be pertinent to Oxfordians and certainly, anyone interested in Shakespeare.

This talk was presented on November 3, 2016, at the SOF Annual Conference in Boston.

Tom Townsend was Director of Consumer Insights for a large advertising agency in the Detroit area until retiring. He has an M.B.A. in Psychology and Marketing from Case Western Reserve University and a B.A. in Economics from Oakland University. As a Director of Consumer Insights, Tom brings a discipline of both quantitative and qualitative research to his observations and reporting. Additionally, his lifelong interest in history—especially Elizabethan history—motivates him to investigate historical detail, not generalities. Tom was a founding member of the Oberon Shakespeare Discussion Group of South Eastern Michigan and served as its Treasurer and Chairman. He and his wife, Joy, recently moved to Seattle. He’s been welcomed into the Seattle Oxfordian group. Tom was a presenter at the 2006 and 2011 Oxfordian conferences.

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