On this day in 1564, William Shakespeare was born. Coincidentally, he also died on this day (aged 52) in 1616.
Unfortunately, there are no birth and death certificates to back up either of these facts. But the traditional custom of the period was to baptise children on the third day after their birth, and bury the dead on the second day after their death. As good luck would have it, in Shakespeare's case there are records of these events taking place on 26 and 25 April respectively.
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