my Executors and Overfeers, then my Will is, that Item, I give and bequeath unto my faid Sifter Joan Twenty Pounds, and all my wearing Apparel, to be paid and delivered within one Year after my Decease; and I do will and devife unto her the House with the Appurtenances in Stratford, wherein the dwelleth, for her natural Life, under the yearly Rent of Twelve Pence. Item, I give and bequeath unto her three Sons, Item, I give and bequeath unto the faid Elizabeth Hall all my Plate that I now have, except my broad filver and gilt Boxes, at the Date of this my Will. Item, I give and bequeath unto the Poor of Stratford aforefaid Ten Pounds, to Mr. Thomas Combe my Sword, to Thomas Ruffel, Efq; Five Pounds, and to Francis Collins of the Borough of Warwick, in the County of Warwick, Gent. Thirteen Pounds Six Shillings and Eight Pence, to be paid within one Year after my Deceafe. Item, I give and bequeath to Hamlet Sadler Twenty Six Shillings, Eight Pence to buy him a Ring; to William Reynolds, Gent. Twenty Six Shillings, Eight Pence to buy him a Ring; to my Godfon William Walker Twenty Shillings in Gold; to Anthony Nab, Gent. Twenty Six Shillings, Eight Pence; and to Mr. John Nash Twenty Six Shillings, Eight Pence; and to my Fellows John Hemynge, Richard Burbage, and Henry Cundell Twenty Six Shillings, Eight Pence apiece to buy the Rings. Item, I give, will, bequeath, and devife unto my Daughter Susanna Hall, for the better enabling of her to perform this my Will, and towards the Performance thereof, thereof, all that capital. Meffuage or Tenement, with the Appurtenances in Stratford aforefaid, called the New Place, wherein I now dwell, and two Meffuages or Tenements, with the Appurtenances, fituate, ly, ing, and being in Henley Street within the Borough of Stratford aforefaid; and all my Barns, Stables, Orchards, Gardens, Lands, Tenements, and Hereditaments whatsoever, fituate, lying, and being, or to be had, referved, preferved or taken within the Towns, Hamlets, Villages, Fields, and Grounds of Stratford upon Avon, Old Stratford, Bufhaxton, and Welcombe, or in any of them, in the faid County of Warwick; and also all that Meffuage or Tenement, with the Appurtenances, wherein one John Robinson dwelleth, fituate, lying, and being in the Black-Friers in London near the Wardrobe; and all other my Lands, Tenements, and Hereditaments whatfoever; to have and to hold all and fingular the faid Premifes, with their Appurtenances, unto the faid Sufanna Hall, for and during the Term of her natural Life; and after her Decease to the firft Son of her Body lawfully iffuing, and to the Heirs Males of the Body of the faid first Son lawfully iffuing; and for default of fuch Iffue, to the fecond Son of her Body lawfully iffuing, and to the Heirs Males of the Body of the faid fecond Son lawfully iffuing; and for default of fuch Heirs to the third Son of the Body of the faid Sufanna lawfully iffuing, and of the Heirs Males of the Body of the faid third Son lawfully iffuing; and for default of fuch Iffue, the fame to be and remain to the fourth, fifth, fixth, and feventh Sons of her Body, lawfully iffuing one after another, and to the Heirs Males of the Bodies of the faid fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh Sons. lawfully iffuing, in fuch Manner as it is before limited to be and remain to the first, fecond, and third Sons of her Body, and to their Heirs Males; and for default of fuch Iffue, the faid Premifes to be and remain to my faid Niece Hall, and the Heirs Males of her her Body lawfully iffuing; and for default of fuch Iffue, to my Daughter Judith, and the Heirs Males of her Body lawfully iffuing; and for default of fuch Iffue, to the right Heirs of me the faid William ShakSpeare for ever. tem, I give unto my Wife my brown beft Bed with the Furniture. Item, I give and bequeath to my faid Daughter Judith my broad filver gilt Bole. All the rest of my Goods, Chattels, Leafes, Plate, Jewels, and Housholdftuff whatsoever, after my Debts and Legacies, paid, and my Funeral Expences difcharged, I give, devife, and bequeath to my Son-in-law John Hall, Gent. and my Daughter Sufanna his Wife, who I ordain and make Executors of this my laft Will and Testament. And I do intreat and appoint the faid Thomas Ruffel, Efq; and Francis Collins, Gent, to be Overfeers hereof. And do revoke all former Wills, and publish this to be my laft Will and Teftament. In witness whereof I have hereunto put my Hand, the Day and Year first above-written, by me William Shakspeare. Probatum coram Magiftro William Byrde Legum 1 To the foregoing accounts of Shakespear's life I have only one passage to add, which Mr. Pope related, as communicated to him by Mr. Rowe. I' N the time of Elizabeth, coaches being yet uncommon, and hired coaches not at all in ufe, those who were too proud, too tender, or too idle to walk, went on horfeback to any diftant business or diverfion. Many came on horfeback to the play, and when ShakeSpear fled to London from the terrour of a criminal profecution, his firft expedient was to wait at the door of the play-house, and hold the horses of thofe that had no fervants, that they might be ready again after the performance. In this office he became fo confpicuous for his care and readiness, that in a fhort time every man as he alighted called for Will. ShakeSpear, and fcarcely any other waiter was trufted with a horfe while Will, Shakespear could be had. This was the first dawn of "better fortune. Shakespear finding more horses put into his hand than he could hold, hired boys to wait under his infpection, who, when Will. Shakespear was fummoned, were immediately to present themselves, 1 am Shakespear's boy, Sir. In time Shakespear found higher employment, but as long as the practice of riding to the play-house continued, the waiters that held the horfes retained the appellation of Shakespear's Boys. TO THE MEMORY of my beloved the AUTHOR, Mr. WILLIAM SHAKESPEAR, And what he hath left us. T O draw no envy (Shakespear) on thy Name, 2 |