Young Shakespeare is forced to stage his latest comedy, "Romeo and Ethel, the Pirate's Daughter," before it's even written. When a lovely noblewoman auditions for a role, they fall into forbidden love -- and his play finds a new life (and title). As their relationship progresses, Shakespeare's comedy soon transforms into tragedy.

An aging King invites disaster, when he abdicates to his corrupt, toadying daughters, and rejects his loving and honest one.

In 1596, a Spanish girl, Isabel, is kidnapped by the English during the Capture of Cádiz and sent to England, where, already an adult woman, she falls in love with her kidnapper's son.

The Earl of Essex, a person favourite of the Queen, is in jeopardy of losing his relationship with the monarch after secretly marrying one of the Queen's ladies-in-waiting.