Fact1: Ben Jonson is making ready to enter stage, Fact2: soldiers set fire to theatre, Fact3: Robert Devereux 's actions lead to civil war if managed carefully, Fact4: Ben is to act as author of Edward 's play, Fact5: Edward is forced into marriage with William 's daughter
Output: An actor arrives at a theater where he delivers a monologue questioning the lack of manuscript writings of William Shakespeare. Ben Jonson is making ready to enter the stage. In a flashback, Ben is running through the streets carrying a parcel and being pursued by soldiers. He enters the theatre called The Rose and hides the manuscripts he carries as the soldiers set fire to the theatre. Ben is detained at the Tower of London to face the questioning of puritanical Robert Cecil. The writings by Edward de Vere that Robert Cecil thought Ben had, are not found on him. In a flashback of five years, an adult Edward visits a public theatre, and comments as to how a play can sway people, and thinks that it can be used to thwart the influence of Robert Cecil with Queen Elizabeth concerning her successor. Robert Cecil wants Elizabeths cousin, James VI of Scotland, crowned king. Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, rumoured to be an illegitimate son of Elizabeth, proclaims to Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton that he is the worthy heir to the throne. When Henry shares Robert Devereuxs plan with Edward, he warns him that Robert Devereuxs actions could lead to civil war if not managed carefully. Ben is to act as author of Edwards play, Henry V. At curtain call, William Shakespeare, a drunken oaf, steps forward to be recognized as the author of the play. Elizabeth accepts a gift that evokes a memory from forty years before, when the boy, Edward, performed in his own play, A Midsummer Nights Dream as Puck. The teenage Edward must has secretly written his plays, when his education is entrusted to the puritanical William Cecil, father of Robert. During this time, Edward kills a spying servant and is forced into a marriage with Williams daughter, Anne. Edward has an affair with a ladyinwaiting to Elizabeth and is banished from court, and eventually learns the name of his illegitimate child with Elizabeth. Shakespeare discovers that Edward is the real author; he then extorts money from him to keep the secret. Shakespeare builds the Globe Theatre, bans any work by Ben to be performed there, and purports Edwards plays to be his own works. Christopher Marlowe finds out about Shakespeares deal; he is later found with his throat slit. Ben confronts Shakespeare and accuses him of the murder. Edwards Richard III is to be used to incite a mob that is to march to the palace to champion Essexs claim to the succession. Simultaneously, Edward would gain access to Elizabeth by sending her his Venus and Adonis so that he could counsel her to support Robert Devereux. The plan is set to fail when Ben makes Robert Cecil aware of the play. The mob is stopped at the Bridge, and Robert Devereux and Henry surrender in the palace courtyard when the soldiers fire on them from the parapet. Robert Cecil tells Edward that Elizabeth has had other illegitimate children, Edward himself being one. During the private audience with Elizabeth, Edward is told that she will spare Henry, but insists that Edward remain anonymous as the true author of Shakespeares works. After Elizabeths death, James of Scotland succeeds as James I of England. On his deathbed, Edward entrusts a parcel full of his writings to Ben to keep them out of the hands of the royal family. Robert Cecil hears that the Rose has been destroyed by fire, and Ben is released. Ben finds the manuscripts where he hid them. At a performance of a Shakespeare play, James I remarks to Robert that he is an avid theater goer. Ben would later write the introduction to the collected works purported to be authored by William Shakespeare.