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ment, with the appurtenances, in Stratford aforefaid, called The New Place, wherein I now dwell, and two meffuages or tenements, with the appurtenances, situate, lying, and being in Henley-ftreet, within the borough of Stratford aforesaid; and all my barns, ftables, orchards, gardens, lands, tenements, and hereditaments whatsoever, fituate, lying, and being, or to be had, received, perceived, or taken, within the towns, hamlets, villages, fields, and grounds of Stratford-upon-Avon, Old Stratford, Bishopton, and Welcombe, or in any of them, in the said county of Warwick; and also all that meffuage or tenement, with the appurtenances, wherein one John Robinson dwelleth, fituate, lying, and being, in the Blackfriars in London near the Wardrobe ; & and all other my

-received, perceived,] Instead of these words, we have hitherto had in all the printed copies of this will, referved, preferved. MALONE.

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-Old Stratford, Bishopton, and Welcombe,] The lands of Old Stratford, Bifhopton, 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 erroneoufly printed Bushaxton, and the error has been continued in all the fubfequent editions. The word in Shakspeare's original will is spelt Bushopton, the vulgar pronunciation of Bishopton.

I fearched the Indexes in the Rolls chapel from the year 1589 to 1616, with the hope of finding an enrolment of the purchasedeed of the estate here devised by our poet, and of afcertaining its extent and value; but it was not enrolled during that period, nor could I find any inquifition taken after his death, by which its value might have been afcertained. I suppose it was conveyed by the former owner to Shakspeare, not by bargain and sale, but by a deed of feoffment, which it was not neceffary to enroll.

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MALONE.

- that messuage or tenement-in the Blackfriars in Lonlands, tenements, and hereditaments whatsoever; to have and to hold all and fingular 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 faid third son lawfully issuing; and for default of such issue, the same so to be and remain to the fourth, fifth, fixth, and seventh fons of her body, lawfully issuing one after another, and to the heirs males of the bodies of the said fourth, fifth, fixth, and seventh sons lawfully iffuing, in such manner as it is before limited to be and remain to the first, second, and third fons of her body, and to their heirs males; and for default of such issue, the said premises to be and remain to my faid niece Hall, and the heirs males of her body lawfully issuing; and for default of such issue, to my daughter Judith, and the heirs males of her body lawfully issuing; and for default of such issue, to the right heirs of me the faid William Shakspeare for ever.

don near the Wardrobe ;) This was the house which was mortgaged to Henry Walker. See p. 149.

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

MALONE.

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Item, I give unto my wife my second best bed, with the furniture.9

Item, I give and bequeath to my faid daughter Judith my broad filver gilt bowl. All the rest of my goods, chattels, leases, plate, jewels, and houfhold stuff whatsoever, after my debts and legacies paid, and my funeral expences discharged, I give devise, and bequeath to my fon-in-law, John Hall, gent. and my daughter Susanna his wife, whom I ordain and make executors of this my last will and teftament. And I do entreat and appoint the said Thomas Ruffel, 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 whereof I have hereunto put my hand, the day and year first above written.

By me1 William Shakspeare.

Witness to the publishing hereof,

Fra. Collyns,
Julius Shaw, 3

John Robinfon, 4
Hamnet Sadler, 5

Robert Whattcott.

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

MALONE.

It appears, in the original will of Shakspeare, (now in the Prerogative-Office, Doctor's 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 two fignatures that

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