my godson William Walker xx in gold; to Anthonye Nashe gent., xxvj. viij.; and to Mr. John Nashe xxvj.“. viij.d. [in gold]; and to my fellowes John Hemynges, Richard Burbage, and Henry Cundell, xxvj viij.d a peece to buy them ringes. Item, I gyve, will, bequeath, and devise, unto my daughter Susanna Hall, for better enabling of her to performe this my will, and towards the performans thereof, all that capital messuage or tenemente with thappurtenaunces, in Stratford aforesaid, called the New Place, wherein I nowe dwell, and two messuages or tenementes with thappurtenaunces, scituat, lyeing, and being in Henley streete, within the borough of Stratford aforesaied; and all my barnes, stables, orchardes, gardens, landes, tenementes, and hereditamentes, whatsoever, scituat, lyeing, and being, or to be had, receyved, perceyved, or taken, within the townes, hamletes, villages, fieldes, and groundes, of Stratford upon Avon, Oldstratford, Bushopton, and Welcombe, or in anie of them in the saied countie of Warr. And alsoe all that messuage or tenemente with thappurtenaunces, wherein one John Robinson dwelleth, scituat, lyeing and being, in the Blackfriers in London, nere the Wardrobe; and all my other landes, tenementes, and hereditamentes whatsoever, To have and to hold all and singuler the saied premisses, with theire appurtenaunces, unto the saied Susanna Hall, for and during the terme of her naturall lief, and after her deceas, to the first sonne of her bodie lawfullie yssueing, and to the heires males of the bodie of the saied first sonne lawfullie yssueinge; and for defalt of such issue, to the second sonne of her bodie, lawfullie issueinge, and to the heires males of

the bodie of the saied second sonne lawfullie yssueinge; and for defalt of such heires, to the third sonne of the bodie of the saied Susanna lawfullie yssueing, and of the heires males of the bodie of the saied third sonne lawfullie yssueing; and for defalt of such issue, the same soe to be and remaine to the ffourth [sonne], ffyfth, sixte, and seaventh sonnes of her bodie lawfullie issueing, one after another, and to the heires males of the bodies of the saied fourth, fifth, sixte, and seaventh sonnes lawfullie yssueing, in such manner as yt ys before lymitted to be and remaine to the first, second, and third sonns of her bodie, and to theire heires males; and for defalt of such issue, the said premisses to be and remaine to my sayed neece Hall, and the heires males of her bodie lawfullie yssueinge; and for defalt of such issue, to my daughter Judith, and the heires males of her bodie lawfullie issueinge; and for defalt of such issue, to the right heires of me the saied William Shackspeare for ever. Item, I gyve unto my wief my second best bed with the furniture. Item, I gyve and bequeath to my saied daughter Judith my broad silver gilt bole. All the rest of my goodes, chattel, leases, plate, jewels, and household stuffe whatsoever, after my dettes and legasies paied, and my funerall expenses dischardged, I give, devise, and bequeath to my sonne in lawe, John Hall gent., and my daughter Susanna, his wief, whom I ordaine and make executours of this my last will and testament. And I doe intreat and appoint the saied Thomass Russell esquier and Frauncis Collins gent. to be overseers hereof, and doe revoke all former wills, and publishe this to be my last will and testament. In witness whereof I have

hereunto put my [seale] hand, the daie and yeare first abovewritten.

By me WILLIAM SHAKSPEARE.

Witnes to the publyshing hereof,

FRA: COLLYNS,'

JULYUS SHAWE,

JOHN ROBINSON,

HAMNET SADLER,

ROBERT WHATTCOTT.

Probatum coram magistro Willielmo Byrde, legum dottore comiss. &c. xxijdo. die mensis Junii anno Domini 1616, juramento Johannis Hall, unius executorum, &c. cui &c. de bene &c. jurat. reservat. potestate &c. Susannæ Hall, alteri executorum &c. cum venerit petitur, &c. (Inv. ex.)

146 Stratford Registers. Burial:

1616, Aprill 25. WiH. Shakspeare gent.

147 The inscription on Shakespeare's monument in the church of the Holy Trinity, Stratford-onAvon.

Judicio Pylium, genio Socratem, arte Maronem

Terra tegit, populus mæret, Olympus habet.

Stay, passenger, why goest thou by so fast?
Read, if thou canst, whom envious death hath plast

1 Francis Collyns was the lawyer at Warwick who prepared the will, of which the draft only was executed, no time being possible for an engrossed copy.-D. H. L.

Within this monument: Shakespeare with whome
Quick nature dide; whose name doth deck ys tombe
Far more than cost; sith all yt he hath writt

Leaves living art but page to serve his witt.

Obiit ano. doi 1616. Ætatis 53. Die

148 1616. Title-page of "Lucrece."

23 Ap.

THE RAPE OF LUCRECE. By Mr William Shakespeare.
Newly revised. London. Printed by T. S. for Roger
Jackson, and are to be solde at his shop neere the
Conduit in Fleet-street. 1616. [16mo.]

149 Entry at Stationers' Hall:

1616-7, 16o Febr. 1616, Rr. 14o. Mr. Barrett. Assigned over unto him by Mr. Leake and by order of a full Courte, Venus and Adonis.

150 1617-18, February 10. Abstract of Deed trans-
ferring the Legal Estate of the Blackfriars
property in trust to follow the directions of
Shakespeare's Will. (Original in the possession
of Mr. Marsden Perry, Rock Island, U.S.A.)

John Jackson John Hemming of London gentle- Parties.
men and William Johnson citizen and vintner of
London of the one part and John Greene of Clements
Inn Middlesex gent. and Mathew Morris of Stratford

upon Avon Warr. gent. of the other part.

The said J. Jackson, J. Hemming and W. Johnson Testatum. in performance of the confidence and trust reposed in

Parcels.

Habendum.

Uses.

them by William Shakspere of Stratford deceased and
to the intent that the lands tenements and heredits.
therein mentioned may be conveyed according to the
true intent and meaning of the last Will of W. Shake-
speare hereby bargain sell etc. to John Greene and
Mathew Morris their heirs and assigns for ever
All that (as in deed of 10th March, 1612)
To have and to hold, etc.

Unto said John Greene and Mathew Morris their heirs and assigns for ever

To the use and behoof of Susannah Hall for her life and after her decease to the use of the first son of her body (and so on in tail male) and in default of such Remainder. issue to the use of Elizabeth Hall, daughter of Susannah, and her heirs male, and in default to the use of Judith Quiney wife of Thomas Quiney one other of the daughters of W. Shakespeare and her heirs male. of her body and in default to the use of the right heirs of W. Shakespeare for ever.

Covenants by John Jackson with J. Green and M. Morris against incumbrances Except in respect of a lease of the said premises made by W. Shakespeare, Jackson, Hemming and Johnson to John Robinson for a certain term of years unexpired.

Similar covenant by John Heming against incumbrances except as aforesaid.

Similar covenant by William Johnson.

Signed and sealed by said Jo. Jackson John Heminges, Wm Johnson in the presence of witnesses.

151 1618. Extract from the Accounts of the Treasurer of the Chamber. (Public Record Office, Audit Office Declared Accounts, 390, 55.)