1. Dead Shepherd

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. 13 June 1978. 60 min

In which Will progresses from ostler to cockerel to ghostwriter - to London's premier playwright as Kit Marlowe falls from grace.

2. Alms for Oblivion

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. 20 June 1978. 60 min

Will's new troupe of actors arrive in a plague-ridden London and perform Richard III to great acclaim, but a death in the family jeopardises all. A handsome rogue is not what he seems, luckily for Will.

3. Of Comfort and Despair

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. 27 June 1978. 60 min

Plague over, life returns to normal in London and the theatres reopen. The inconstancy of a dark mistress and the jealousy of an Earl conspire to enlarge Will's understanding of human nature.

4. The Loved Boy

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. 4 July 1978. 60 min

Will's taking his son to London to introduce him to life and get to know him proves to be a mixed blessing with a tragic ending.

5. Rebellion's Masterpiece

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. 11 July 1978. 60 min

In the wake of Essex's failure to tame the Irish rebels, the actors' brush with politics has catastrophic consequences.

6. The Living Record

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. 18 July 1978. 60 min

While Will pleads with the dying Queen for suicidal Hal's life, his poems are stolen, printed and distributed without his permission, setting in motion a chain of events that could prove disastrous.