Two Things on William Shakespeare

I am one of those people who thinks that Shakespeare was a committee, named after the man who was a member of the committee.

The coolest thing about Shakespeare is that we Dawson's and Eitelman's are his cousin, like so...

William Shakespeare is my 6th cousin, 8 times removed (and the 6th cousin, 8 times removed of all of my siblings and Eitelman 1st cousins).

This is because...

William SHAKESPEARE was the son of

John SHAKESPEAR who was the son of

Abigail WEBB who was the daughter of

John Alexander WEBB, Jr. who was the son of

John Alexander WEBB, Sr. who was the son of

William WEBB who was the son of

John WEBB who was the son of

Geoffrey WEBB, our great great great great great great great great great great great great great grandfather.

Time to go down the line, now, to us...

That same Geoffrey WEBB was father to

Alice WEBB who was mother to

William II RICHMOND who was father to

William III RICHMOND who was father to

Henry RICHMOND who was father to

John RICHMOND who was father to

Sarah RICHMOND who was mother to

Elnathan WALKER who was father to

Phebe WALKER who was mother to

Edward SEARS who was mother to

Philo SEARS who was father to

Susan E. SEARS who was mother to

May Katherine PITMAN who was mother to

Edward Decatur PITMAN who was father to

ELEANORE ANNE EITELMAN who was mother to

myself.

So, there it is.

Next, It is said by some that the King James Bible is "very Shakespearean" in its language, and that Shakespeare must have actually participated in the articulation of the English language translation of the King James Bible.

Lo and behold, for 2 years Shakespeare's organization was shut down by order of the crown as a measure to reduce exposure to plague in theatres -- in the 2 years prior to publication of the King James Bible!

So, he had time to do it.

Now, look at this coincidence...

When the King James Bible was published by the crown in 1611, William Shakespeare (the man -- not the committee) was 46 years of age.

So, go to Psalm 46 in the KJV, and count in 46 words from the beginning, and 46 words from the end (excluding "Selah," a procedural instruction to bow).

This is what we get...

Pss.46[1] God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.[2] Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;[3] Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.[4] There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.[5] God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early.[6] The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted.[7] The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.[8] Come, behold the works of the LORD, what desolations he hath made in the earth.[9] He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire.[10] Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.[11] The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

Shakespeare jokingly encoded his name into the Bible's text!