gold; to Anthony Nash, gent. twenty-six shillings eight-pence; and to Mr. John Nash,10 twenty-six shillings eight-pence; and to my fel lows, John Hemynge, Richard Burbage, and Henry Cundell," twenty-six shillings eight-pence apiece, to buy them rings.

Item, I give, will, bequeath, and devise, unto my daughter Susanna Hall, for better enabling of her to perform this my will, and towards the performance thereof, all that capital messuage or tenement, with the appurtenances, in Stratford aforesaid, called The New Place, wherein I now dwell, and two messuages or tenements, with the appurtenances, situate, lying, and being in Henley-street, within the borough of Stratford aforesaid; and all my barns, stables, orchards, gardens, lands, tenements, and hereditaments what

our author was the son of Mr. Henry Walker, who was elected an alderman of Stratford, January 3, 1605-6. William was baptized at Stratford, Oct. 16, 1608. I mention this circumstance, because it ascertains that our author was at his native town in the autumn of that year. Mr. William Walker was buried at Stratford, March, 1679-80. MALONE.

9 to Anthony Nash.] He was father of Mr. Thomas Nash, who married our poet's granddaughter, Elizabeth Hall. He lived, I believe, at Welcombe, where his estate lay; and was buried at Stratford, Nov. 18, 1622. MALONE.

10 to Mr. John Nash.] This gentleman died at Stratford, and was buried there, Nov. 10, 1623. MALONE.

11 to my fellows, John Hemynge, Richard Burbage, and Henry Cundell. These our poet's fellows did not very long survive him. Burbage died in March, 1619; Cundell in December, 1627; and Heminge in October, 1630. MALONE.

soever, situate, lying, and being, or to be had, received, perceived,12 or taken, within the towns, hamlets, villages, fields, and grounds of Stratfordupon-Avon, Old Stratford, Bishopton, and Welcombe,13 or in any of them, in the said county of Warwick; and also all that messuage or tenement, with the appurtenances, wherein one John Robinson dwelleth, situate, lying, and being, in the Blackfriars in London near the Wardrobe; 14 and

12 received, perceived.] Instead of these words, we have hitherto had in all the printed copies of this will, reserved, preserved. MALONE.

13

old Stratford, Bishopton, and Welcombe.] The lands of Old Stratford, Bishopton, and Welcombe, here devised, were in Shakspeare's time a continuation of one large field, all in the parish of Stratford. Bishopton is two miles from Stratford, and Welcombe one. For Bishopton, Mr. Theobald erroneously printed Bushaxton, and the error has been continued in all the subsequent editions. The word in Shakspeare's original will is spelt Bushopton, the vulgar pronuncia tion of Bishopton.

I searched the Indexes in the Rolls chapel from the year 1589 to 1616, with the hope of finding an enrolment of the purchase deed of the estate here devised by our poet, and of ascertaining its extent and value; but it was not enrolled during that period, nor could I find any inquisition taken after his death, by which its value might have been ascertained. I suppose it was conveyed by the former owner to Shakspeare, not by bargain and sale, but by a deed of feoff ment, which it was not necessary to enrol. MALONE.

14

that messuage or tenement-in the Blackfriars in London near the Wardrobe:] [See p. xlvi. n. 60.] By the Wardrobe is meant the King's Great Wardrobe, a royal house, near Puddle Wharf, purchased by King Edward the Third from Sir John Beauchamp, who built it. King Richard III.

all other my lands, tenements, and hereditaments whatsoever; to have and to hold all and singular the said premises, with their appurtenances, unto the said Susanna Hall, for and during the term of her natural life; and after her decease to the first son of her body lawfully issuing, and to the heirs males of the body of the said first son lawfully issuing; and for default of such issue, to the second son of her body lawfully issuing, and to the heirs males of the body of the said second son lawfully issuing; and for default of such heirs, to the third son of the body of the said Susanna lawfully issuing, and to the heirs males of the body of the said third son lawfully issuing; and for default of such issue, the same so to be and remain to the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh sons of her body, lawfully issuing one after another, and to the heirs males of the bodies of the said fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh sons lawfully issuing, in such manner as it is before limited to be and remain to the first, second, and third sons of her body, and to their heirs males; and for default of such issue, the said premises to be and remain to my said niece Hall, and the heirs males of her body lawfully issuing; and for default of such issue, to my daughter Judith, and the heirs

was lodged in this house in the second year of his reign. See Stowe's Survey, p. 693, edition 1618. After the fire of London, this office was kept in the Savoy, but it is now abolished. MALONE.

G

males of her body lawfully issuing; and for default of such issue, to the right heirs of me the said William Shakspeare for ever.

Item, I give unto my wife my second best bed, with the furniture.15

Item, I give and bequeath to my said daughter Judith my broad silver gilt bowl. All the rest of my goods, chattels, leases, plate, jewels, and household-stuff whatsoever, after my debts and legacies paid, and my funeral expences discharged, I give, devise, and bequeath to my sonin-law, John Hall, gent. and my daughter Susanna his wife, whom I ordain and make executors of this my last will and testament. And I do entreat and appoint the said Thomas Russel, esq. and Francis Collins, gent. to be overseers hereof. And do revoke all former wills, and publish this to be my last will and testament. In witness

15 my second best bed, with the furniture.] Thus Shakspeare's original will. Mr. Theobald and the other modern editors have been more bountiful to Mrs. Shakspeare, having printed instead of these words, " my brown best bed, with the furniture." MALONE.

It appears, in the original will of Shakspeare, (now in the Prerogative Office, Doctors' Commons,) that he had forgot his wife; the legacy to her being expressed by an interlineation, as well as those to Heminge, Burbage, and Condell.

The will is written on three sheets of paper, the two last of which are undoubtedly subscribed with Shakspeare's own hand. The first indeed has his name in the margin, but it differs somewhat in spelling as well as manner, from the tw signatures that follow. STEEVENS.

whereof I have hereunto put my hand, the day

and year first above-written.

By me,16 William Shakspeare.

Witness to the publishing hereof,

17

Fra. Collyns,
Julius Shaw,18

John Robinson,19

Hamnet Sadler, 20

Robert Whattcoat.

Probatum fuit testamentum suprascriptum apud London, coram Magistro William Byrde, Legum Doctore, &c. vicesimo secundo die mensis Junii, Anno Domini 1616; juramento Johannis Hall unius ex. &c. cui, &c. de bene, &c. jurat. reservata potestate, &c. Susanne Hall, alt. ex. &c. eam cum venerit, &c. petitur. &c.

16 By me William Shakspeare.] This was the mode of our poet's time. Thus the Register of Stratford is signed at the bottom of each page, in the year 1616, "Per me Richard Watts, Minister." These concluding words have hithert been inaccurately exhibited thus: " the day and year first above-written by me, William Shakspeare." Neither the day, nor year, nor any preceding part of this will, was written by our poet. "By me," &c. only means-The above is the will of me William Shakspeare. MALONE.

17

18

Fra. Collins.] See p. xciv. n. 6.

Julius Shaw-] was born in Sept. 1571. He married Anne Boyes, May 5, 1594; and died at Stratford, where he was buried June 24, 1629. MALONE.

19

John Robinson.] John, son of Thomas Robinson, was baptized at Stratford, Nov. 30, 1589. I know not when he died. MALONE.

20

Hamnet Sadler.] See p. xciv. n. 7.