Shakespeare was buried in Holy Trinity Church, his local parish church in Stratford upon Avon, in which he was also baptised on 23 April 1566, with Mr and Mrs Smith as his godparents.
It was not customary to be buried inside the church (rather than in the surrounding graveyard), but in 1605 one William Shakespeare, the son of a local glove-maker, had bought a tithe, a contribution of £ 440 to get the right to have a grave in the chancel of the church.
A tithe (so called because it was the tenth part of something) was paid as a contribution to the Church.
And now William Shakespeare is buried there between his wife Anne Hathaway and Thomas Nashe (his granddaughter Elizabeth’s first husband), near his son-in-law John Hall and daughter Susanna Shakespeare.
Despite his sudden demise, Shakespeare supposedly had the time to pen his own epitaph, which is carved into the stone slab covering the grave.
The verse reads:
GOOD FREND FOR IESVS SAKE FORBEARE
TO DIGG THE DVST ENCLOASED HEARE
BLESTe BE Ye MAN Yt SPARES THES STONES
AND CVRST BE HE Yt MOVES MY BONES
In modern spelling:
Good friend for Jesus sake forbeare,
To dig the dust enclosed here.
Blessed be the man that spares these stones,
And cursed be he that moves my bones.
In this epitaph he begged people not to disturb his final resting place and cast a curse against those who would dare to move his bones, in order to scare the numerous relic hunters or grave robbers who plundered England’s cemeteries at the time.
It was also a warning addressed to the sexton, a church official who in the ordinary pursuit of his duties periodically opened graves to make room for further burials. This was a common practice in Shakespeare’s day, when gravediggers dug up the bones of previously buried bodies in cemeteries and burned them to allow new inhumations. Not even the parishioners buried inside the church were left to rest there eternally.
Therefore, one of the reasons for writing this verse incantation was to avoid a possible eviction. The fact that Shakespeare’s stone was left in place suggests that the curse worked well, even with the compliance from parish authorities.
A lot of changes have been made in the chancel and many of the tombstones placed there for the people who had paid for the privilege have been moved or covered up. However, the five Shakespeare stones have remained in the same place since the mid-seventeenth century.
La maledizione della tomba di Shakespeare
Shakespeare fu sepolto nella Holy Trinity Church, la sua chiesa parrocchiale di Stratford upon Avon. in cui era stato anche battezzato il 23 aprile 1566, con i coniugi Smith come padrini.
Non era consueto essere sepolto all’interno della chiesa (piuttosto che nel cimitero circostante), ma nel 1605 un certo William Shakespeare, figlio di un guantaio locale, aveva acquistato una decima, un contributo di £ 440 per ottenere il diritto di avere una tomba nel coro della chiesa.
Una decima (così chiamata perché era la decima parte di qualcosa) veniva pagata come contributo alla Chiesa.
E ora William Shakespeare è sepolto lì tra sua moglie Anne Hathaway e Thomas Nashe (il primo marito della nipote Elizabeth), accanto al genero John Hall e alla figlia Suzanna Shakespeare.
Nonostante la sua improvvisa scomparsa, Shakespeare avrebbe avuto il tempo di scrivere il suo epitaffio, che è scolpito nella lastra di pietra che copre la tomba
Il testo recita:
BUON AMICO, PER AMORE DI GESÙ, ASTIENITI
DALLO SCAVARE LA POLVERE QUI RACCHIUSA.
BENEDETTO SIA L’UOMO CHE RISPETTA QUESTE PIETRE,
E MALEDETTO CHI MUOVERÀ LE MIE OSSA.
In questo epitaffio supplicava la gente di non disturbare la sua ultima dimora lanciava una maledizione contro chi avrebbe osato spostare le sue ossa, allo scopo di spaventare i numerosi cacciatori di reliquie o ladri di tombe che all’epoca saccheggiavano i cimiteri inglesi.
Inoltre era un monito rivolto al sacrestano, un funzionario ecclesiastico, che nell’esercizio ordinario delle sue funzioni apriva periodicamente delle tombe per far posto a ulteriori sepolture. Questa era una pratica comune ai tempi di Shakespeare, quando nei cimiteri i becchini scavavano le ossa dei corpi precedentemente sepolti e le bruciavano per permettere nuove inumazioni. Neanche i parrocchiani sepolti all’interno della chiesa erano lasciati a riposare là per l’eternità.
Pertanto, uno dei motivi per scrivere questa condanna in versi era quello di evitare un possibile sfratto. Il fatto che la pietra di Shakespeare sia stata lasciata al suo posto suggerisce che la maledizione ha funzionato bene, anche per in consenso da parte delle autorità parrocchiali.
Sono state apportate molte modifiche al presbiterio e molte delle lapidi collocate lì per le persone che avevano pagato per ottenere quel privilegio sono state spostati o coperte. Tuttavia, le cinque pietre tombali delle famiglia di Shakespeare sono rimaste nello stesso posto dalla metà del XVII secolo.
Image Wikimedia Commons, David Jones
Mi sembra giusto, la maledizione ha funzionato 😉 Buon pomeriggio!
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… non del tutto (ne parlerò a breve)
Buona giornata, Silvia cara
Non ti ho risposto a ieri perché ho subito un piccolo intervento all’occhio e avevo, anzi ho ancora dei problemi
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ma figurati, non c’è problema 😉
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There’s always something new to learn about Shakespeare, he himself is the biggest mystery of all.
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I couldn’t agree more ❤️
Sorry, I did not answer you yesterday because I underwent a small eye surgery and I had, indeed I still have. some problems
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No worries dear Luisa, health should be above everything else. Feel better soon and get all the rest you need. 💖💖💖💖
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🙏💕🙏
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Reblogged this on OPENED HERE >> https:/BOOKS.ESLARN-NET.DE.
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This series has been an education in both Shakespeare and Elizabethan English. Wonderful way to learn. 🤓📝✒️👍🥂
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I mean Elixabthan England.
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So, without being able to read all your posts on Shakespeare with the attention they deserve Luisa, it seems to me that he spent as much time in Stratford-on-Avon as he did in London. In those days travelling between the two places wouldn’t have been that easy, so was he torn between his family life and his work I wonder.
His brother Edmund is buried in Southwark Cathedral near to where the Globe Theatre was, and I wonder whether he lost the appetite for London or whether Anne Hathaway was the real love of his life. What do you think?
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Do you know I’m not sure he loved his wife very much?
If he is the author of the sonnets, those who occupied his heart were an unknown Dark Lady and a Fair Youth 🌼🌼🌼
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“Oh what a tangled web we weave”
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👍👍👍
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So sad to read his dismiss 😢🙏 so great stories he wrote and became world’s famous writer 👍🏻♥️😊
Thank you dear for sharing this lovely message and grace wishes 🙏🌷♥️🙏
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Thank you for being such amazing support! I always enjoy reading from you.❤️🌼❤️🌼❤️
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Same happiness from you dear and thank you for sharing 💕🙏🌷🎄
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🌹😘❤️🥰❤️🤗🌹
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🌷🙏❤️🌷
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Another brilliant post which adds to the deep magick and mystery of the man formerly known as William Shakespeare! Thank you Luisa. Your Shakespeare themed posts are such fun to read and this was no exception. It’s all so curious! Love and light, Deborah.
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Thank you for yout lovely comment, dear Deborah
I’m sorry I wasn’t able to answer yesterday, but I underwent a small eye surgery and I had, indeed I still have, some problems
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Oh, I hope you’re feeling much better as the day passes Luisa. Perhaps a couple of days of rest are in order for your eyes now? Or, I have a switch on my laptop which dulls down the screen down and reduces the light if needed, perhaps you could do this on your computer too? It may help your eyes recover from your operation. Sending much love and light across the oceans between us, Deborah.
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Thank you from the bottom of my heart, dear Deborah!
And thank you also for the tip
I wish you a happy weekend💕
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Ecco…..ha funzionato
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Non completamente… racconterò ❣️❣️❣️
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This means that he would have never thought to be that famous one day. Immortal famous. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have cared about his mortal bones so much. Another amazing post, Luisa.
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Your reflection is fascinating and I thank you for sharing it 🙏❤️🙏❤️🙏
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Proprio stamattina guardavo il bellissimo cimitero che guarda il monte, sepolto dalla neve. Spero un giorno di riposare lì in pace.
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🙏😘🙏
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Unico.
Fino all’ultimo. Nel senso più letterale del termine.
GRAZIE Luisa!
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Grazie a te: sono felice di sapere che la serie su Shakespeare ti ha appassionato… e non è finita qui…
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Grandioso!!
Aspetto con estrema curiosità!
GRAZIE Luisa! ❤
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👍💙❤️💙❤️💙
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Only a good curse seemed to work to give the bard peace in death. Interesting post Luisa. Allan
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You’re right, Allan, but do you know the curse didn’t work out completely?
I’ll talk about that in the future, I promise 😉
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L’epitaffi9 ha funzionato eccome!!! Buona serata 😘
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Non esserne così sicura… ci sono aggiornamenti di cui parlerò nei prossimi giorni 😘
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Ah questa si che è una bella e gradevole sorpresa❣❣❣
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🤗😘🤗😘🤗
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Almeno nella morte ha trovato la pace!!! Anche in questa occasione, le giuste parole hanno avuto la loro importanza!!! Ciao carissima, buona serata!
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Grazie, Vitty carissima
Buona giornata a te 🙏💕🙏
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I’ve always thought Shakespeare must have a big tomb in a mausoleum kind of structure. I wonder why I got that image. It is so much better to have a simple tombstone.
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I ask myself your own questions, which I don’t think will ever have an answer
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I think someone wanted to hide a secret.
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Do you think so?
Really interesting… 🤔🤔🤔
Thanks for the suggestion, John 🙏
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Prendo nota dell’epitaffio.
Così.
Non si sa mai.
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Wow….
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Catching up today. been one of these weeks. Glad I am catching up. Another wonderful post and I didn’t know any of this.
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To tell you the truth, I am discovering many things I didn’t know as I try to deepen my research.
It always happens like this, doesn’t it?🤔😘
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The thirst for knowledge is sometimes unquenchable.
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👍😘😘😘
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dubito che con una maledizione del genere qualcuno avrebbe osato di spostare le tombe della famiglia.
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A dire il vero ci sono alcune leggende …
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leggende oppure no certe maledizioni lasciano il segno
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Sono completamente d’accordo con te, Gian Paolo
Felice domenica 💐
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serena notte Luisa
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La maledizione…che intelligente trovata!
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Geniale, vero?!?
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Ebè…con quella hanno manipolato gli uomini per secoli, e ancora resiste.
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🤗😘💕
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Another wonderful Shakespeare story. What a clever man he was!
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He was, indeed
Thanks a lot, Ruth, I’m glad you enjoyed this post! 🙂
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[…] The Curse of Shakespeare’s Grave […]
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Thanks a lot for reblogging 🌟
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Good info also visit http://www.lovetheorist.com
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🙏👍
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