Cryptic Signatures "Prove Shakespeare was a Secret Catholic"

In an article from the London Times today Richard Owen exposes a piece of parchment found in the guest book of The Venerable English College in Rome, suggesting that is it proof that the Bard sought refuge there along with many other hidden English Catholics during the Reformation.  The entries fall between Shakespeare's "missing years" of 1585, when he abruptedly left Stratford, and 1592, when he began his career as a playwright in London.

According to Father Andrew Headon, vice-rector of the college and organiser of the exhibition, the names can be deciphered as “[King] Arthur’s [compatriot] from Stratford [in the diocese] of Worcester” and “William the Clerk from Stratford

"There are several years which are unaccounted for in Shakespeare's life," Father Headon explains. He adds that it was very likely that Shakespeare had made a pilgrimage to Rome and was a covert Catholic.

The article's best quote comes from Hildegard Hammerschmidt-Hummel, a German biographer of Shakespeare.  In a recent book she said that she had “come to the conclusion that Shakespeare was a Catholic and that his religion is the key to understanding his life and work”.  Plays such as Romeo and Juliet and Measure for Measure are “rich in Catholic thought and rituals”, with positive depictions of priests and monks and invocations of the Virgin Mary.

I love being able to throw in personal references to my kids when I'm teaching them about a composer or author, especially if it's some tidbit about their spiritual life.  To read the whole article yourself you can find it online here.

Another convert!  And yet another  reason to love and study Shakespeare!  (Did we really need another reason?)