recusant - n - One of the Roman Catholics in England who incurred legal and social penalties in the 16th century and afterward for refusing to attend services of the Church of England; A dissenter; A nonconformist.
Very little is known about Shakespeare's life, which has resulted in much speculation. For instance, there is the (mostly) discredited idea that he was a Catholic recusant.
A small but dedicated group believes that Shakespeare didn't write the plays attributed to him. The main candidates for the title of "real" Shakespeare are Francis Bacon and Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford. A couple of people I respect (Joseph Sobran and Michael Hart) believe Oxford was Shakespeare; Sobran has written a book, Alias Shakespeare, which argues the case for Oxford at some length.
My advice to both of you is, if you plan to attain historical fame, be sure to leave a large paper trail.
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