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A little fun with history

Aelfgyva

Aelfgyva

Senior Member
It has been said that history is written for those who sit in the seat of power. I agree and after reading many threads through the years,it seems to me that sometimes written history just doesn't "fit" with the memories that some of us have, myself included. I would like to share MY remembered history as compaired to written history! Maybe others would like to "rewrite" a bit here too...just for fun!

William the Conqueror, his wife, his brother Odo and the Bayeux Tapestry...(as seen through my eyes... a "meid" from Matilda van Vlaanderen.)

)She (Matilda) is sitting in the sun and her children are running wild around her. She has the patients of a saint and is so calm that I think I'll go crazy! We are getting ready to cross over and we are both not happy about this. Willam has prepared the way, it is safe now. The children will not come with us and she says to me she will not stay long, not in England. I am happy about that, I too, do not want to stay long. I walk outside and feel the warm air blow through my hair, a touch of salt on my lips. We are in Brugge and it is late summer.

)Odo has called for "all hands" to work on this tapestry. I am very good with a needle, Matilda sends me away. I am shocked! She does it as though I mean very little to her although we have been together since our childhood. She is Queen now...I must go...I never see her again...

)The tapestry is being made for Odo. He wants to be King. I know to think this is very dangerous...we don't talk about it among ourselves, but we all know. He is a very threatening person, I try not to look at him when he comes to the crypt where we are working.

)Willam doesn't care about this tapestry. He cannot understand what in the world his brother is doing. He says the time and money spent is a waste and if Odo hadn't been wealthy in his own right, this would be stopped once and for all. He walks away, his legs are bowed and I see his reddish hair has been badly cut in the back. Odo looks at us as if he is embarrassed that we have heard this exchange and I can feel his anger.

)Contrary to written history which says a part of the tapestry is missing...the tapestry was never finished. Odo was arrested and Lanfranc was relieved to have him and everything that was even minutely related to him gone.Our work ended abruptly.
 
That's much more interesting than a history book, and I'm fond of those! Like many people, I've always loved the Bayeux Tapestry. Your memory of why it wasn't finished makes sense. I hope others add "living history" here.
 
I always found the idea of Shakespearean plays interesting and as far back as high school, seemed to "get" the sense of what was going on despite the use of an older style of language. The comedies are especially bright and very funny. It was only some years later that I almost felt contempt for the "Bard of Avon", and could not understand my sense of enmity for the person who wrote some of the finest material in history.


At a later date, I watched Kenneth Branagh in "Henry the Fifth" and was paralysed as he recited the "Band of Brothers" speech on the eve of St. Crispin's Day and the Battle of Agincourt. I got such an intense and negative feeling that I went out and ran several miles to shake it off, and I was still out of sorts hours later.


So, to tie this with historic significance, I went to my akashic records and requested information about why I had such a negative reaction to Shakespeare and to one of his plays in particular. I was able to find very clear vignettes of two lives in particular which came with very strong emotion...my keys to some level of veracity. In the first place, I was a player's son and as a child and young man, I knew all the players, or actors, participating in these plays. Shakespeare the man, was not only another player, but a hustler of sorts as well. We (my father and alot of the other players) did not trust him nor would we rely on him for anything. Shakespeare was paid for the use of his name to hide the identity of the real author of "Shakespeare's Plays", and it wasn't to hide a noble from embarrassment or persecution. I have a clear understanding of who the true author is but it will not be proven, and I actually enjoy watching the debate rage over the "mystery" of it all.


As for the Band of Brothers matter, I understand the speech and the jingo-istic rallying cry it provided to a country seeking it's own identity with a new sovereign, but my emotional reaction spoke to much the opposite view. To me, the absolute devastation and slaughter inflicted on France as a result of the mutual stupidity involved in the whole affair is tragic to this day and has left its mark firmly upon my soul. At that time I was a monk and the only male survivor of a large northern French family. I was the one who had to go onto the killing field to try to find the remains or survivors of my family among all the carnage, waste and filth. All this while trying to hold together the sanity of the women and children, both from my family and from those around me, in an obviously insane world. The history books state the death toll of the French over the English was about 40 to 1, though no one is sure how many were actually killed, and it is safe to say the French lost thousands. From my particular viewpoint, I was struck by the near complete elimination of several generations of men from the entire region, all for the desire of an English king to "take back what was his (questionable) birthright", and the stupidity and overconfidence of the confused and poorly led French forces.
 
Fascinating usetawuz...enjoyed reading very much. I can relate with the enjoyment you experience when "others who were not there" talk about the mystery of it all. My memories are so detailed that in my naivety I thought I could help unfold some of the secrets surrounding the Bayeux Tapestry, but when writing to the authors of some of these books, I got absolutely no reply. I have tried writing to universities...no reply.


Thanks again for your story!
 
Aelfgyva and Usetawuz.


Wow, very interesting! Hopefully one day reincarnation will be accepted to the point where the history books will have to be rewritten!
 
Red Night said:
Aelfgyva and Usetawuz.
Wow, very interesting! Hopefully one day reincarnation will be accepted to the point where the history books will have to be rewritten!
Click to expand...
I need that facebook LIKE icon here :)
 
Aelfgyva and Usetawuz - fascinating! Thank you both for sharing.


As for me, I (so far) have not remembered any events that are different from what history says...At least not that I know of yet. ;)
 
Part Two...


In most of our history books, the making of the Bayeux Tapestry is pictured with well dressed women, talking or smiling, needles in hand... and watching over them is William the Conqueror's wife Matilda. The Tapestry has also throughout history carried the name


"La Tapisserie de la Reine Mathilde" (Tapestry of Queen Matilda). Here are a few memories of mine...they have nothing to do with the history books...


) Because no women are allowed in St. Augustine’s Abbey, we are put in a part of the abbey where the men usually don’t come- in the crypt. We are to have no contact with them, therefore we live very primitive. Our fresh water is in a wooden barrel which is frozen in winter.Our food is left outside of the crypt. We know there are dead buried here.


) The walls of the crypt seem to be dark yellow as if the sun is setting. The fire has produced so much smoke that my eyes hurt and we cover the tapestry because it might get dirty. The smell of the woolen yarn is sometimes unbearable. When the room is hot, it stinks of urine.


) The barrel is always outside of the work room and there is “soap?” and a very hard brush for scrubbing our hands, especially under our fingernails. NO one is allowed to start work with dirty hands. Sometimes in the winter, I would break the ice on the surface and my hands remained cold all day…so cold that they hurt, and I can’t always feel the needle.
 
Usetawuz and I had an interesting discussion going about Christopher Marlowe and Shakespeare on another thread. This thread seems a more appropriate place for the discussion, so I moved it here. I hope you don't mind, Aelfgyva. As I read Usetawuz' posts about Shakespeare, I began to get a strange feeling about Marlowe. I would like to know if any one else experiences this "rewriting" of history in the same way. It was a feeling of recognition, but also what I would describe as queasiness. The room "tilted". I'm searching for words, to describe a phenomenon I don't have a precedent for. Remember 'Rubick's Cube'? You could twist the halves in opposite directions. I felt I was being twisted, and the answer would pop out of my middle! We were commenting on a research thread. I briefly googled Marlow, and the date on which we were posting was listed as his birthday. Now, in the state between sleeping and waking, I "see" a man in Elizabethan clothing in the distance. He isn't close enough for me to distinguish his features. I know there are peacocks across the lawn. There is a library with a heavy book open on the table. I thought perhaps peacocks didn't arrive in England until the Raj, but they were brought by the Romans. Chaucer coined the phrase "proud as a peacock". So, at least that part checks out. And yes, Usetawuz, I believe you are correct, and Marlowe wrote the plays. How he faked his death evades me, however.
 
By all means....


BriarRose...what a wonderful idea, I have been following the discussion on the other thread and find it fascinating! And what you yourself are feeling could be a piece of a very big puzzle. I hope more members will continue to bring bits of "their" history here!
 
BriarRose...the sense I get is not so much queasy, but I liken it to when I've had a fever and I sense a perspective shift...as if the view through one eye suddenly sees through the other, and shifts back and forth quickly...a little disconcerting, but I like the resulting clue to something coming.


There are several good Christopher Marlowe websites I have found and while they do not categorically state he was the author, they are very free with the obvious evidence of his authorship. Also, the necessary logistics to fake his death are made clear and sound easier than one might think...they even include an example of another man who was also prohibited from writing who faked his own death and resumed writing under another name. As I mentioned in the other thread, some of it resonates and some of it doesn't but it is fun to be somehow "dialed in".


I didn't see the transferred thread here...though it would probably do well in line with the above.
 
I didn't move or merge the thread - I thought any further discussion could happen here, and perhaps there are others who have history altering experiences. I do have one other bit of circumstantial evidence. I was a very unusual child, a fact that would probably be true for many others on the forum. Around age eleven, I decided to read librettos from operas. When I read about Dr. Faustus (one of the stories on which Chris Marlowe based a play), I was overwhelmed with terror. I was sure if I said "Mephistopheles" out loud, or even thought the word, the devil would come and steal my soul. I still think of it as the "M" word. When I researched accounts of the stage productions, it was said that some play-goers were so over-whelmed, they thought that demons were among the audience. (There goes the universe twisting feeling again.) I think I may have been in the audience, but still have no idea if I knew Marlowe personally.
 
I don’t have a history altering experience but would like to add here what I’ve read and found about Shakespeare and Marlowe, given that it is being discussed in this thread.


There is a past life account of Shakespeare’s life given in Steve Burgess’ book – Famous Past Lives. Almost 1/3 of the book is dedicated to this.


The author Steve Burgess does attempt to address whether Shakespeare is the author of the plays credited to him, but he does not categorically say that Shakespeare is the author. The man regressed is named ‘Terry’ – a middle-aged, retired boxing trainer who had fallen in love with Italy and had undertaken a course to study the language. Terry is probably not the man's real name, and no photograph of Terry is provided. Terry was having difficulty retaining knowledge and was struggling in the class, hence the regression session. As a child he was humiliated by his teacher - called stupid and singled out for misspelling a word. He had left school at a young age without qualifications. Quite the contrary to Shakespeare, who by all accounts was a school teacher.


Here are some examples of Terry’s ‘memories’ as Shakespeare writing.


“I’m writing in my journal – a big leather book – again. It has thick paper, about the full length of my forearm and about the same width for each page. .... “


.... “I think I’m halfway between Verona and Venice, on my way to Venice. We put the horses under a colonnade. The sun’s high and it’s very hot, too hot to travel. The village is very quiet and I can see a haze on the sea in the distance. I sense a strong connection between Venice and Remagen. As if my journey begins or ends there. Something to do with my writing. I think as if there’s an old trade route, maybe a Roman trade route, between Remagen and Venice. In Remagen I see Roman ruins. I’m looking at a big mosaic on the floor, with lots of colours – blue, brown and white – the shapes of fishes. The building it’s in faces down to the river. I feel I have lots of important writing to do. I’m becoming more and more aware that Hamlet was written here. I definitely wrote Hamlet here. It’s an old town with spiral house tops. I’m on the south side of the town on the edge of a wooded area, looking down towards a river. I’m outdoors, writing. A woman brings me a cold drink, I think it’s beer. I’m sitting near some rocks with my journal resting on a board like an easel. I feel busy. I’m near a cottage overlooking the river. There’s bluey-grey granite rock and bright green grass. The air’s clean, so no flies land in the ink. I’ve got a real flow in the writing and it’s coming really easy. After a page of writing I don’t have to wait for long for the ink to dry to turn the page over as it’s warm outside .... I’ve walked back to the village now and I’m in a tavern where I’m staying talking to some locals. They’re asking me where I’m from so I draw a map to show them. They’ve never heard of it as it’s beyond the mountains. They’re quite well off, tradesmen I think. They’re friendly. One’s a tanner and he’s amazed I can make money by writing.” .....


In the early sessions, Terry mentions a Charles Worthy or Charlesworthy. Under regression Terry says “He’s like a backer, but also a friend and mentor. He’s the link between the top people in the theatre and the top people who go to the theatre”. Steve, at that point, wondered if he was relevant in some other way, such as whether he wrote the plays after Shakespeare had furnished him with ideas and stories that he had collected on his travels. This is because Steve had read a few books years earlier on the subject and was impressed by the arguments that someone else, other than Shakespeare, might have written the plays. But, Steve came to no conclusion about Charles Worthy (or Charlesworthy). He tells the reader he was aware he needed to remain impartial and not prompt Terry in any way.


Terry’s later regression sessions confirm Shakespeare travelled to Italy, Greece, Germany etc., and the timing of his visits fit with when Shakespeare’s plays were thought to have been produced. What he saw during those travels could have provided Shakespeare with some of his material.


In effect, Terry’s details seem to correspond with what is actually known about Shakespeare and that period of time, and his memories seem to fill in some of the gaps as little is known about Shakespeare.


***


A man by the name of Patrick Bernauw claims to have been Marlowe in a past life. Patrick is a writer of historical mysteries and supernatural stories. He is also a playwright, performer and producer of music theatre, murder mystery and city games. He bears a strong physical resemblance to Marlowe and certainly his birth and name details suggest – TO ME – that he could have been Marlowe. Also Marlowe’s nickname was KIT and the name Patrick contains that essence.


***


Kryon, channelled by Lee Carroll, has said that Christopher Marlowe was Shakespeare and that he faked his death.


***


Another website I came across many years ago analysed Marlowe’s birth and date of death astrologically – the conclusion drawn was that there was no doubt that Marlowe altered his identity at some stage during his life, and that he operated in secret with another and in the process lost his identity and career. Given the suspicion that Marlowe was a spy, this assessment of him operating in secret with another is hardly surprising. Whether it signifies Marlowe was a 'secret' writer in cahoots with Shakespeare ... who knows.


***


It’s interesting that Shakespeare’s signatures have been cited by some as evidence that he was illiterate, and that Terry – the man regressed by Steve Burgess - left school with no qualifications. However Terry’s account suggests Shakespeare was a school teacher. School teachers are never illiterate.


'If' Marlowe (or someone else) did author Shakespeare’s plays, then what was Terry/Shakespeare writing? Terry claimed “I [shakespeare] definitely wrote Hamlet here”. Hamlet is frequently voted Shakespeare's greatest play. If Terry’s memory is to be believed, then his recall of Shakespeare’s writing “coming really easy” is in conflict with those who have have theorised Shakespeare was illiterate.


Lastly, 'even if' it were true that another person wrote Shakespeare's plays (whether this was Marlowe or someone else), it doesn't necessarily follow that Shakespeare himself wrote none of the plays. Terry's regression 'seems to' indicate Shakespeare did write Hamlet (there's nothing I've seen that proves his account of course, but I've seen no evidence in what others have said/posturised/theorised either).
 
That was fascinating, Firebird. I was glued to the screen . I don't think I was Marlow, I think I may have known him. 'Dr. Faustus was first produced eleven years after Marlowe's supposed death. As for whether "Terry" was Shakespeare or not, who knows? One person's PL memories are in many cases, just as verifiable as any other. The book you reference keeps popping up - I will have to look for it. As for "Master Shakesper", as Ustawuz, calls him, I have no memories. I know Marlowe was called "Kit", but to me, calling him "Chris" feels normal. Anyway, thank you for your information. I would certainly want to investigate those channels.
 
To be or not to be!


As an English teacher, of course Shakespeare was required reading, but as an American English teacher, that was about it! I had to look up Christopher Marlowe in wikipedia!! :confused:


What I did notice, way back then, was that the style and word play was very different in some of his works! For a great writer, as he is said to be, this is not uncommon. But... after reading all these very interesting posts, I have the feeling that many people may have written these works and as firebird says, even Shakespeare himself...Labeling them as a "Shakespeare" might have made them more apt to get published???


P.S...as a (retired) school teacher I can only say that we all have our problems, maybe not illiteracy...but I suffer from dyslexia which means my dictionary is never far away! If I were to sit down and just start writing, you would think I may be illiterate. Who knows what it was like in the 1600's!
 
That's an excellent point, Aelfgyva. I've never thought about what it may have been like to be dyslexic in other times. When most people were illiterate, it probably didn't matter, but afterward, probably very difficult. Marlowe couldn't have his plays produced when he was at odds with the Queen, even if she allowed him to live. Thomas Kydd, a contemporary of Marlowe's, was tortured by her agents, and later died of his injuries. He mentioned Marlowe's work in his writing, which led to Kit's troubles. Perhaps a lot of people presented work under Shakespere's name, because it was unsafe, or politically impossible under their own? Speaking of being illiterate, I have continual arguments with Mr. Spellcheck. He thinks he's right, I say I am! I try to ignore him, but he's really pushy. He just underlined his own name! :laugh:
 
Don't want to turn this into the Shakespeare Thread or anything, but thought everyone might be interested in this series from the BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/r4shakespeare Although it takes the view the Shakespeare wrote the plays, it does give a good overview of the times. They were dangerous times to think or write certain things (especially relating to royal succession, Ireland or Catholicism), so maybe others using the name Shakespeare to write anything considered 'politically dangerous' is a valid theory.
 
Aelfgyva - apologies for hijacking your thread yesterday. Your memories of the Bayeux tapestry are truly fascinating! It’s interesting that the first line in Hamlet - ‘to be or not to be, that is the question’ - would make perfect sense coming from a living - but 'dead' - Marlowe .... yet Terry’s regression seemed to indicate he/Shakespeare wrote Hamlet. Then again, if Shakespeare was a cover for Marlowe, I can't see why he could not have written it.


By the way I use wikipedia often ... and spelling is overrated.


BriarRose – “One person's PL memories are in many cases, just as verifiable as any other”. Well sadly memories can’t always be verified.


For me, it’s a terrible pity that Shakespeare’s actual date of birth is unknown, as the astrology would give up more of the truth here. Astrologers have speculated at a possible date of birth but this is NOT ideal; and without a time of birth, the ascendant, moon placement and house positions can’t be known. On the other hand Marlowe’s supposed date and time of death is available, and that chart doesn't suggest death occurred.


I've not read all the discussion about Shakespeare and Marlowe in this forum so I wasn’t aware you felt you had a connection with Marlowe. Who do you feel you were? I do believe that Patrick Bernauw was Marlowe. We should go and knock on his door for answers (I'm joking). I would love to know more about Marlowe's activities as a spy, never mind his writing or Shakespeare. As for Burgess’ book I actually only purchased it to read about one of the other case histories. I don’t have the book handy at the moment but one of the regression cases was a woman who recalled being a victim of Jack the Ripper (now that was an interesting, but chilling, read).
 
My goodness, I will get that book. The Jack the Ripper victim sounds really interesting. I did a little research on Patrick Bernauw. He certainly does resemble Marlowe physically, especially when he was younger. I don't have much information, but I do agree that he could be Marlowe. I am not sure where I figure into all this. I may just have been someone in the audience when Doctor Faustus was performed. At first I thought Lady Arabella Stuart. Marlowe was her tutor when she was 13, just the age when a sheltered young girl would get a "crush" on a handsome teacher. I'm also considering one of the players in a theatre troupe, that might have had an "intimate" relationship with him. My memories are thus far vague and ill-defined. I'm not usually prone to believe that I was anyone note-worthy, or aquainted with anyone of that caliber. However, it stands to reason that some people alive today are reincarnations of the well-known!
 
Dear firebird...


We are all here for a common cause, therefore "hijacking" is impossible. ;) Any information is more than welcome...I myself am truely fascinated!
 
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