[6][7] Young William Shakespeare is a struggling playwright who tires of making gloves in order to support his wife and three children.

In doing so, he befriends the rest of the company, pushes out the previous playwright and falls in love with Burbage's daughter, Alice.

While seeking fame and fortune in London, Will keeps his Catholicism secret from those who would threaten to kill him and exploit his connection to the wanted Robert Southwell.

Plagued with guilt over the arrest of fellow playwright Baxter, whom Marlowe set up, Will confesses to Alice about his family ties to Catholic priest Father Robert Southwell.

Also, he secretly meets his cousin Father Southwell, who proposes a dangerous collaboration, that Will help him finish writing his treatise to the queen about Catholics attaining religious freedom.

Will is taken in for questioning by Topcliffe, who intends to use Will as a weapon in the war against the papacy by having him write an anti-Catholic play to counter Southwell's propaganda.

Also, Marlowe "sells his soul" by seeking out the Devil during Kelley's ritual, which inspires him to write Doctor Faustus.

After another Catholic becomes a martyr, Will writes about Topcliffe's life by disguising the torturer's evil actions in a play: Richard III.

As Will discovers Alice's passion to follow Southwell's cause, he must repay his debt to Marlowe by introducing him to the man himself.

Richard III is a success and the main character's being modeled after Topcliffe causes him public shame.