University of Virginia Library

Mystifications: Perverse or Tolerable?

Initials derived from pseudonyms occur among the works of Francis Godwin:

   

1638	11943	E. M.	Edward Mahon	Misprint in STC
1629	11944	Ed. M. Ch.

These were correctly explained as masks of Godwin by the late Grant McColley,[15] but he did not account for the Ch. in the second. McColley overlooked essential evidence in another Godwin book (1616-11941), which has the formula: "Edw. Mahonides, Aliàs Christopher." Why Godwin adopted this pseudonym remains a mystery.

More common is the use of arbitrary initials as pseudonyms. At least they appear arbitrary, although they may have had esoteric meaning to the perpetrator. The signature B.C. seems meaningless, whether The Dolefull Knell (1607-19403) was written by Robert Parsons or by Philip Woodward.[16] Why should Thomas Heywood sign an epistle N. R. (1631-13313)? Many other examples are at hand, but overindulgence may induce a state of lying all night staring at one's great toe, about which initials —as namely, B[en] I[onson] (1613-22218) —fight in one's imagination.

One's sympathy with initial-mongers is reserved for the persecuted minorities who had good reason for camouflage. Disguised names of Catholic controversialists have been liberally cited. Here is another example involving both author and patron:

 

1595

18326

C. N. dedicates to Ladie M. C. A.

A saint's life (1609-4830) is dedicated to Ladie D. I., English recusant at Louvain. The internal evidence, matched with our extensive knowledge of this community,[17] proves beyond doubt that the woman was Cardinal Allen's sister-in-law, Mrs. Elizabeth Allen.

But dissenters as well as recusants had good reason to conceal identities, and it is in this field that one finds the leviathan of all initials. John Penry addresses part of a rare pamphlet ([1593]-19608) to the following congregation in London, "the distressed faithful. . . wither in bondes or at liberty":

Here affixes like Master are scattered so confusingly that a detailed solution is impossible. It is not only impossible; it is supererogatory, for the names of the group are preserved in the records of the persecution.[18] The plight of these sufferers for conscience reflect another world from the smart mystifications of professional writers.[19]