Page 10 - LOTN Issue 45

DIOCESE
Rare copy of Shakespeare's last play found

in Royal Scots' College library in Spain

uring the summer it was reported in the Sunday life of London."
Telegraph that a rare volume of Shakespeare’s last Collections of English books in Spain in the 17th and 18th
Dplay has been found among the old books of a centuries were rare because of ecclesiastical censorship, but the
Scottish Catholic college in Spain. Scots college had special authorisation to import whatever they
The Two Noble Kinsmen, written by Shakespeare with John wanted.”
Fletcher, was found by a researcher investigating the work of In addition to the book that contains The Two Noble
the Scots economist Adam Smith. The play was included in a Kinsmen, Stone discovered in Salamanca a second volume of
volume made up of several English plays printed from 1630 to English plays from the same years, and both volumes bring
1635 and could be the oldest Shakespearean work in Spain. together 19 plays that must have arrived unbound at the first
John Stone, who teaches at the University of Barcelona’s headquarters of the Royal Scots College in Madrid, in any case
Faculty of Philology and Communication found the play in the not later than 1654.
library of the Real Colegio de Escoceses — Royal Scots College After arriving in Madrid, the works were transferred to the
(RSC) — which is now in Salamanca. different locations that the Royal College of Scots library has
He explained that it is likely that these plays were acquired had. Historical sources allow us to reconstruct this route: the
around 1635 by an English or Scottish traveller who might works went from the original headquarters in Madrid to the
"have wanted to take these plays — all London editions — with building of the College of the Irish in Alcalá de Henares, where
him to Madrid where the College was located at that time. they remained from 1767 to 1770; later, to the headquarters
He said: "It is likely that these plays arrived as part of of the Royal College of Scots in Valladolid (1770-1985), and
some students personal library or at the request of the chief finally to the Royal College of Scots in Salamanca, where they
administrator of the Royal Scots College, Hugh Semple, who have now been discovered.
was friends with Lope de Vega and had more plays in his The rector of the Scots College, Father Tom Kilbride, told the
personal library.” BBC that the college was proud of the discovery.
Dr Stone added: “By the 1630’s English plays were increasingly He said: "It says a lot about the kind of education the trainee
associated with elite culture, and Rector Semple, due to his priests were getting from the foundation of the college in
political ambitions, wanted to stay in touch with the cultural Madrid in 1627, a rounded education in which the culture of
the period played an important part.”

Pope awards Chris Penny,

Banchory stalwart, medal

for devoted service to Church

anchory parishioner, Chris Penny has been awarded the
Benemerenti medal by Pope Francis for devoted service to
Bthe Catholic Church. Originally established as an award to
soldiers in the papal army, the medal was later extended to the
clergy and the laity. Literally translated Benemerenti means "well
merited", or person of "good merit".
Chris has served his parish and local community in Banchory with
dedication for almost fifty years and was nominated for the award
early this year.
The restrictions due to the pandemic meant that Chris was not
able to leave his present home (Bellfield Care Home) and so it
was not possible to present the award publicly. Under normal
circumstances Bishop Hugh Gilbert OSB would have made the
presentation, but on this occasion he delegated Fr Peter Kelly,
parish priest of St. Columba’s, Banchory.
Chris was presented with the medal on the 28th October at the
Bellfield Care Home.

Chris Penny with his daughter Gillie Nicholls and
Father Peter Kelly
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