Notes

William Herbert, 3rd Earl of Pembroke has a double claim to be the dedicatee in Thomas Thorpe's dedication. Firstly, his initials are contained within the text of the dedication. Secondly, he and his brother, Philip, are noted as dedicatees in the first folio of Shakespeare's works, where Hemminge and Condell (the editors and two of Shakespeare's fellow actors) write:

Whilst we study to be thankful in our particular, for the many favors we have received from your L.L we are falne upon the ill fortune, to mingle two the most diverse things that can bee, feare, and rashnesse; rashnesse in the enterprize, and fear of the successe. For, when we valew the place your H.H. sustaine, we cannot but know their dignity greater, then to descend to the reading of these trifles: and , while we name them trifles, we hae depriv'd our selves of the defence of our Dedication. But since your L.L. have beene pleas'd to thinke these trifles some-thing, heretofore; and have prosequuted both them, and their Authour living, with so much favour: we hope, that (they out-living him, and he not having the fate, common with some, to be exequutor to his owne writings) you will use the like indulgence toward them, you have done unto their parent. There is a great difference, whether any Booke choose his Patrones, or finde them. This hath done both. For, so much were your L.L. likings of the severall parts, when they were acted, as before they were pblished, the Volume ask'd to be yours. We have but collected them, and done an office to the dead, to procure his Orphanes, Guardians; without ambition either of selfe-profit, or fame: onely to keepe the memory of so worthy a Friend and Fellow alive, as was our SHAKESPEARE, by humble offer of his players, to your most noble patronage.

Clearly, William Herbert had a lively interest in Shakespeare's works, having 'prosecuted both them (Shakespeare's works), and their Authour living, with so much favour'. As the 'onelie begetter' of the sonnets, his role was to acquire them, the fourth sense of 'beget' listed in David and Ben Crystal's Shakespeare's Words, 'to obtain, develop, nurture'.

Shakespeare's sonnets are previously noted by Francis Meres as circulating 'amongs his private friends'. It is highly unlikely that Shakespeare himself gathered together these works which effectively represent a graphic illustration of his own folly.

The onelie begetter, who is identified as Mr W.H. These are the initials of William Herbert, 3rd Earl of Pembroke, who is also recorded in the dedication to the first folio as patron, along with his brother Philip. The two brothers are noted there also to have shown Shakespeare 'much favour' during his lifetime.