The hypothesis is that the translation of Tacitus done in 1598, and attributed to Richard Grenewey, was done by Henry Neville. (See the first blog post on this issue) The other hypothesis is that Henry Neville wrote the works of Shakespeare. Combine these and we have the big question:
Did Shakespeare translate Tactitus' Annals in 1598?
As is well known, the Oxford English Dictionary over-represents the works of Shakespeare in its illustrative quotations. There are two good reasons for this. First of all, people want to see quotations from Shakespeare. Secondly, when the OED was originally written, Shakespeare concordances were available which made it very easy to find relevant quotations. Therefore, no matter what you look up in the OED, it's pretty likely there will be one, if not several, quotations from Shakespeare.
The OED also has 310 illustrative quotations taken from Grenewey's translation of Tacitus; a pretty large number. However, for comparison, just the play Henry IV, Part II, has 1,031 citations. So you can see just how uneven these numbers are, and how over-represented Shakespeare is.
With numbers like this, we should expect citations from Grenewey to be paired with Shakespeare, just by chance. Such pairings certainly do not, in and of themselves, imply common authorship.
Using the OED to Compare Word Usage
The OED makes very fine distinctions in many entries. So a single word can be broken up into dozens of senses. Most authorship attribution techniques look at a whole word and make no distinction between how that word is used. So "double down" in blackjack and "body double" would count as the same word "double".
By looking at OED entries, we can see connections between the works of Shakespeare and Grenewey's translation. We can see examples where the same words are used in similar ways. This is qualitative information rather than quantitative information. Counting up the number of "hits" doesn't really tell us much.
However, the OED editors had a motivation to not pair the quotations. The works of Shakespeare and the translation of Grenewey are from exactly the same time period. Usually, the OED tries to spread out its illustrative quotations in terms of date. So in some cases, when citations are grouped together, it's an indication of a relatively unusual use of a word.
Take the Example of Clamber
The OED lists Shakespeare and Grenewey as examples of "clamber" in a transitive use. What does this mean? If you do a search on EEBO, "clamber" wasn't a very common word. But even within those uses, almost all of them are intransitive uses. So we have "clamber up" or "clamber through" or "clamber on." But Grenewey says "clamber the tops of trees" and Shakespeare in Coriolanus has "clambering the walls." These transitive uses (use of a direct object) were actually quite rare at that time. The fact that both Shakespeare and Grenewey use the word in that way is of interest!
Third Edition vs Second Edition
The best examples are "Third Edition" entries. Those are often ones where the OED editor had full access to digital databases, so any "hit" is more likely to be due to a real similarity rather than the bias towards Shakespeare -- or the coincidence of which words from Grenewey happened to be jotted down on a slip of paper by an OED contributor. But Second Edition entries are also very valuable. I have noted which are which.
Once again, I am not suggesting that this implies common authorship. But it is very interesting to compare the style of Grenewey with Shakespeare. Since it is a qualitative comparison, you would need to read each example carefully to judge possible commonalities. I have left out some examples, these are the better ones.
[I've modernized spelling a bit for ease of reading.]
abode, v.
transitive. To presage, foretell (usually something bad). Now rare.
1595 Shakespeare Henry VI, Pt. 3 v. vi. 45 The owl shrikt at thy birth, an evil sign, The night Crow cride, aboding luckless tune.
1598 R. Grenewey tr. Tacitus Annales iii. ii. 67 The which when Piso perceived, to aboade his utter destruction.
[Third Edition entry; original entry just had the Shakespeare citation. Grenewey citation added in 2009.]
afeared, adj.
a1616 Shakespeare Macbeth (1623) v. i. 35 Fye, my Lord, fie, a Souldier, and affear'd ?
a1616 Shakespeare Taming of Shrew (1623) v. ii. 18 You miss my sense: I mean Hortentio is afeard of you.
1598 R. Grenewey tr. Tacitus Annales iv. xv. 114 Some came back & shewed themselves again, afeard for that they were seen to be afeard.
[Third edition entry; Grenewey citation added in 2012]
agree, v.
With on (also as to, †of, upon). To come to agreement on a matter or point; to settle something by agreement.
1598 R. Grenewey tr. Tacitus Annales vi. vii. 131 To lay down such things as they agree of.
a1616 Shakespeare Timon of Athens (1623) iii. vii. 68 To let the meat cool, ere we can agree vpon the first place.
[Third edition entry.]
bear, v.
fig. To entertain, harbour, cherish (a feeling).
1598 R. Grenewey tr. Tacitus Annales iv. ix. 103 She beareth the mind to pass the rest of her life with a Gentleman of Rome.
1602 Shakespeare Merry Wives of Windsor iv. vi. 9 The fervent love I bear to young Anne Page.
[Second edition entry]
bearing, n.
1598 R. Grenewey tr. Tacitus Annales xiv. ii. 200 Agrippina..caused herself to be carried to Baias in a bearing-chair.
a1616 Shakespeare Winter's Tale (1623) iii. iii. 112 Look thee, a bearing-cloth for a Squires childe.
[Second edition entry]
in behalf of
a1616 Shakespeare Troilus & Cressida (1623) v. iii. 22 And rob in the behalfe of charitie.
1598 R. Grenewey tr. Tacitus Annales iii. iii. 65 Not hoping to finde him cruell in his behalfe..but rather fauorable.
a1616 Shakespeare Merry Wives of Windsor (1623) i. iv. 151 Let mee haue thy voice in my behalfe.
[Second edition entry]
betake
reflexive. To commit oneself, have recourse or resort to any kind of action.
1598 R. Grenewey tr. Tacitus Annales xii. viii. 166 The enemy betook him to his heels with small loss.
a1616 Shakespeare Twelfth Night (1623) iii. iv. 215 That defense thou hast, betake thee too't
[Second edition entry]
break v.
†to break on the torture: to put to the torture, dislocate on the rack, etc.
1598 R. Grenewey tr. Tacitus Annales xi. vii. 148 Being broken on the torture, he confessed nothing.
a1616 Shakespeare Tempest (1623) iii. i. 26 I had rather crack my sinews, break my back, Then you should such dishonor undergo.
[Second edition entry]
button, v.
To close tightly; to fasten, to confine, to keep under restraint. Often with up.
1598 R. Grenewey tr. Tacitus Annales xi. ix. 151 The Princes ears would be buttoned and deaf [L. clausae].
a1616 Shakespeare Comedy of Errors (1623) iv. ii. 34 On[e] whose hard heart is button'd up with steel.
[Third edition entry]
carry, v.
to carry it away: to have the advantage, carry the day. Obsolete.
1598 R. Grenewey tr. Tacitus Annales xiii. vi. 187 This opinion carried it away.
a1616 Shakespeare Hamlet (1623) ii. ii. 361 Do the Boyes carry it away?
[Second edition entry]
clamber, v.
transitive; cf. climb v.
1598 R. Grenewey tr. Tacitus Annales ii. iv. 38 Some cowardly fleeing away, sought to clamber the tops of trees.
a1616 Shakespeare Coriolanus (1623) ii. i. 207 The Kitchin Malkin..Clambring the Walls to eye him
[Second edition entry]
father-in-law
(meaning stepfather)
1597 Shakespeare Richard III v. v. 34 All comfort that the dark night can afford, Be to thy person noble father in law .
1598 R. Grenewey tr. Tacitus Annales iii. vi. 72 A..band of alliance..betwixt the father in lawe, and his wives children.
[Third edition entry]
hammer, v.
To devise plans laboriously, ‘cudgel one's brains’, debate or deliberate earnestly (upon, on, at, of); with upon, sometimes, To reiterate, persist in, insist upon. Obsolete.
1598 R. Grenewey tr. Tacitus Annales xv. viii. 232 He came again to Rome, hammering greatly with himself of going to the provinces of the East.
a1616 Shakespeare Two Gentlemen of Verona (1623) i. iii. 18 That Whereon, this month I have bin hammering
also:
Of an idea: To present itself persistently to one's mind as matter of debate; to be in agitation.
1594 Shakespeare Titus Andronicus ii. iii. 39 Blood and revenge are hammering in my head
[Second edition entry]
interess, v.
To affect injuriously; to injure, endamage.
1598 R. Grenewey tr. Tacitus Annales iii. ii. 66 Whereof being convicted, he could not be interessed; if he could purge himself of the later crimes.
a1616 Shakespeare King Lear (1623) i. i. 85 To whose young love, The Vines of France, and Milk of Burgundie, Striue to be interest.
[Second edition entry]
interlace, v.
To interweave one thing or set of things into another; to introduce as by interweaving; to insert, interpolate. Chiefly figurative or transferred. Obsolete.
1594 Shakespeare Lucrece sig. K2 Here and there the Painter interlaces Pale cowards marching on with trembling paces.
1598 R. Grenewey tr. Tacitus Annales i. iii. 6 Yet he interlaced some things among, touching his attire and behauiour.
[Second edition entry]
jump, n.
1598 R. Grenewey tr. Tacitus Annales ii. iii. 36 Being therefore at a jump to hazard all [L. igitur propinquo summæ rei discrimine], thinking it convenient to sound the soldiers mind.
a1616 Shakespeare Antony & Cleopatra (1623) iii. viii. 6 Our fortune lyes upon this jump.
[Second edition entry]
ken, v.
To descry, see; to catch sight of, discover by sight; to look at, scan. Now only archaic.
a1616 Shakespeare Henry VI, Pt. 2 (1623) iii. ii. 101 As far as I could ken thy Chalky Cliffs..I stood upon the Hatches in the storm.
absol. To see, look. Obsolete or archaic.
R. Grenewey tr. Tacitus Annales iii. i. 63 Places, from whence a man might farthest kenne.
[Second edition entry]
lay, v.
To deal blows with vigour; to make vigorous attack, assail. (Formerly often with dative pronoun denoting the object of attack.)
1598 R. Grenewey tr. Tacitus Annales i. viii. 14 They..laide them on with stripes.
a1616 Shakespeare Macbeth (1623) v. x. 33 Lay on Macduffe, And damn'd be him, that first cries hold, enough
[Second edition entry]
mingle, v.
To bring together, intersperse, or associate (material or immaterial things, persons, etc., frequently with or among others, or one with another); to unite or join in company or (occasionally) in sexual union.
1598 Shakespeare Henry IV, Pt. 1 iii. ii. 63 The skipping king..Mingled his royalty with capring fools.
1598 R. Grenewey tr. Tacitus Annales i. viii. 14 Besides this, womens quarrels were mingled among.
[Third edition entry]
Nervii, n.
A Celto-Germanic tribe inhabiting an area between the rivers Rhine and Schelde in northern Gaul (now Hainault, Belgium); the members of this tribe.
1598 R. Grenewey tr. Tacitus Annales 266 The Treueri and the Neruij ambitiously seem to have their beginning from the Germans.
a1616 Shakespeare Julius Caesar (1623) iii. ii. 171 That day he [sc. Caesar] overcame the Neruij .
[Third Edition Entry]
next way
the (occasionally your, etc.) next way: the shortest, most convenient, or most direct way; (in extended use) the easiest or most obvious thing to do. Now archaic and English regional.
1598 R. Grenewey tr. Tacitus Annales xiii. ix. 191 The legions were not brought the next way,..but went ouer a farre off.
a1616 Shakespeare All's Well that ends Well (1623) i. iii. 59 I speake the truth the next waie
[Third Edition Entry]
oracle, n.
A response, decision, or message delivered by an oracle, especially one which is obscure or ambiguous in meaning.
1598 R. Grenewey tr. Tacitus Annales iii. xiii. 84 The Smyrnæans alleged an oracle of Apollo, by which they were commanded to dedicate a temple to Venus Stratonicis.
a1616 Shakespeare Winter's Tale (1623) iii. ii. 117 Therefore bring forth (And in Apollo's Name) his Oracle
[Third edition entry]
reason, n.
A reasonable quantity, amount, or degree. Also: spec. the measure used in taking a miller's toll from a quantity of grain or flour (see toll n.1 2a(b)). Obsolete.
1598 R. Grenewey tr. Tacitus Annales vi. vi. 130 Agrippina not contented with reason, and greedy of rule.
1600 Shakespeare Much Ado about Nothing v. iv. 74 Bene. Do not you love me? Beat. Why no, no more then reason .
[Third edition entry]
Sardian, n.
An inhabitant of Sardis.
1598 R. Grenewey tr. Tacitus Annales iii. xiii. 84 The Sardians brought in matters of later memory.
a1616 Shakespeare Julius Caesar (1623) iv. ii. 55 You have condemn'd, and noted Lucius Pella For taking Bribes here of the Sardians .
[Second edition entry]
scoff, n.
‘Contemptuous ridicule; expression of scorn; contumelious language’ (Johnson); mockery. Phrase, to make scoff. Now rare or Obsolete.
1598 Shakespeare Love's Labour's Lost v. ii. 263 By heaven, all drie beaten with pure scoffe .
1598 R. Grenewey tr. Tacitus Annales i. iii. 6 [Augustus] asked the opinion of the Pontife in a scoffe, whether there might be a lawful marriage betwixt them.
[Second edition entry]
set, v.
to set naught or nought (nothing, not anything) by: to have no esteem or regard for. Obsolete.
1598 R. Grenewey tr. Tacitus Annales i. v. 8 The souldyers..set nought by all military discipline.
a1616 Shakespeare Twelfth Night (1623) v. i. 189 I thinke you set nothing by a bloody Coxecombe.
venture, v.
To dare, or have the courage, to attempt or undertake (some action); to risk the issue or result of; to venture upon (see sense 9b).
1598 R. Grenewey tr. Tacitus Annales ii. xv. 54 Catualda..ventured a revenge.
a1616 Shakespeare King John (1623) iv. iii. 5 The Wall is high, and yet will I leap down... I am afraid, and yet Ile venture it
[Second edition entry]
verse, n.
A small number of metrical lines so connected by form or meaning as to constitute either a whole in themselves or a unit in longer composition; a stanza.
1598 R. Grenewey tr. Tacitus Annales iii. xiii. 84 The Smyrnæans alleged an oracle of Apollo,..the Tenians a verse [L. carmen] of the same Apollo, commanding them to offer an image and Temple to Neptune.
a1616 Shakespeare Twelfth Night (1623) ii. iv. 7 Now good Cesario, but that peece of song, That old and Antic song we heard last night;..Come, but one verse .
[Second edition entry]
