Question about SHAKESPEARE'S BIRTHPLACE

of furthur interest -

http://www.gunpowder-plot.org/people/j_gerard.htm 

my apoligy to readers who arent interested in these facts. 

For anyone interested in the Gunpowder Plot (UK 5th NOVEMBER, bonfire night)   here is an incite. In connection with the above posts you will also find here a reference to Fr John Gerrard.

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07081b.htm 

I have not yet been able to read all the links, but I will.  If you don't want to bother the other members of POE perhaps you could message me personally because I am very interested in all this what with being English & Scots and a convert to Catholicism (my husband Lee who is also on POE is a convert to Catholicism.  We converted before we ever met.  We had our 35th anniversary on 15 November 2010.  We were married at a nuptial mass by an Irish priest--my spiritual director at that time & one of the kindest men I've ever known)

I read 2 of the links.  I learned more from the page on St. Edmund Campion than I did from reading his biography in 1974, the year of my conversion. Jan 1974 I was 29 yrs. old. and received into the Faith.  I read several pages pertaining to Fr. Gerard (their spelling)  Anyway, at the bottom of the page under Later Years I cannot completely understand what the writer means.  I don't understand what the ambassadors of Flanders and Spain have to do with anything.  Could you clarify for me?

Has Fr. Gerard ever had a cause put in in Rome?  Perhaps not because of quartering with Elizabeth Vaux.  But I imagine she had the safest place to stay.  But you know how suspicious Devil's Advocates can be.  Fr. Gerard's hands were so mangled from torture that it is hard to believe how he was able to get across a strung rope to get out of the Tower (he took his jailer (gaoler) with him because he knew the man would be in terrible trouble when the authorities found Gerard gone and the jailer and Fr. Gerard had become buddies)

JMJ           Is your name Mike Gerrard?  If it isn't I don't know why you put that name in there.  You certainly are of noble blood!!  Do you reside in one of those stately homes?  By the photo you used to use you look either like an actor (the "tough guy") or a boxer.

Lol at Linda! Yep thats my name but I have a bungalow (not a mansion), I'm a gentle everyday sort of guy who has studied some history lol.

re- your question regarding the ambassadors of flanders and spain? Its a long storey, but in a nut shell (as we say), around the time Queen Elizabeth l etc., following her father Henry Vlll's, 'fallout' with the Pope in Rome because the Pope would not allow Henry to devorce and remarry (Henry wanted a son as his heir but couldnt have one) Henry basicly wanted absolute rule of Britain without Rome telling him what he could or couldnt do, so he 'kicked out' anything to do with Rome and the Catholic faith, burnt the abbeys and imprisoned or 'got rid of' the priests and their followers, denouncing them as witches or devils. The Pope (and those not of the the same mind as Henry), over many years following, tried to get a foothold back into Britain so he enlisted the Catholic countries such as the King of Spain to attack the protestant rulers of Britain (Protestants were original a group of French Catholics who 'protested' against some things happing in Rome, hence' Protestants' ). hence the Spanish armada was sent to attack Britains coast but failed miserably as it was defeated whilst was resting off the coast of France, by the British  led by Sir Francis Drake.

lol Linda, history in a 'nut-shell! 

Thanks, Mike for all your time & trouble in finding all these links for me.  Yes, I was interested in knowing a Dr. Gerrard went to Maryland.  You see Maryland was founded by Catholics (hence Mary-land).  It had the most freedom of all the colonies.  That is not my say-so--it was taught to us in elementary school and we were all taught about the Spanish armada and how Sir Francis Drake was on the bowling green when the armada was spotted.  Why weren't the Spanish a bit more clever?  I don't know.  Anyway, Maryland welcomed people of all faiths even Jews.  The first Bishop of the US was Bishop Carroll of Baltimore (capital of Maryland and a charming city even today).  He is the one who helped the first American-born saint, Elizabeth Ann Seton, to found her free school for young girls out in the wilds of western Maryland.  Those girls became her first daughters when she founded the Sisters of Charity of Emmitsburg, MD affiliated with the French Sisters of Charity.

Gee, a bungalow.  We've got that.  My, my I thought you'd at least have a small castle in Lancashire.  Pulling your leg.  Yes, we also say "in a nutshell" that one crossed the pond intact.  My old Dad was born & raised in Liverpool but stowed away twice till he got to America, but wanted to go back c. 1935, but my mother threatened divorce so he quit insisting on going back to England.  He wanted to build up a chicken & egg farm somewhere in Lancashire.  I wish they had gone back because I love historic places like Britain.  All those old parish churches, abbeys, cathedrals and castles to explore and such splendid summers also plus the greenery.

Must get back to reading another link.

Hoghton Towers, Lancashire (Goolgle it), was in our family as one of my ancestors married into the De Hoghtons family, which brings us back to Shakespear as it is written (though some dispute this), that he spent his teenage years here studying the Catholic faith and acting.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoghton_Tower

Should you wish to visit this area, i'm sure you'll find somewhere local to stay by searching the Picturesofengland (POE) webbsite.