closes or grounds with the appurtenances, called or known by the name of Parson's Close* alias Shakespere's Close, lying and being in Hampton aforesaid, to have and to hold the same to the said George Combe for and during the term

of his natural life, and after his decease the said last mentioned premises with their appurtenances, and the reversion and reversions thereof, to be and remain to my said nephew John Combe, and the heirs males of his body lawfully begotten and to be begotten, and for default of such heirs to my nephew William Combe, and the heirs males of his body lawfully begotten and to be begotten, and for default of such heirs to my nephew Thomas Combe, and the heirs males of his body lawfully begotten and to be begotten, and for default of such heirs to my said brother John Combe, and the heirs males of his body lawfully begotten and to be begotten, and for default of such heirs to the right heirs of me the said John Combe for ever. Item, I give and bequeath unto Thomas Raynoldes, son of Thomas Raynoldes of Old Stretford aforesaid gentleman, one hundred pounds of lawful English money. To my cousin Margaret Raynoldes, wife of the said Thomas Raynoldes the elder, one hundred pounds of lawful English money. To the children of Jane Featherston, daughter of the said Thomas Raynoldes the elder, one hundred pounds of lawful English money, equally to be divided amongst them, and to be paid unto the said children at the decease of the said Jane; and my will and meaning is and so I devise and will that the said one hundred pounds shall within one year after my decease be set forth by my executors and overseers to the best use and commodity that

*In indentures dated 1736 and 1760, Parson's Close is described as containing twenty-five acres, heretofore in the tenure of Francis Oldfield, since of Hiccox, and late in the tenure of Sir John Clopton or his assigns or under

tenants.

To Snitterfield

may be, and the use thereof coming shall be paid yearly to the said Jane during her life for her maintenance. Item, I give and bequeath to Margaret Raynoldes, daughter of the said Thomas, twenty pounds. To every one of the rest of my cousin Thomas Raynoldes his children ten pounds apiece, to be paid within one year after my decease, and my will is and so I devise that if any of the children of the said Thomas Raynoldes happen to die, then his her and their legacy so dying shall be and remain amongst the rest of his now children as shall be then living, equally to be divided amongst them. Item, I give and bequeath to my brother George Combe my best suit of apparel and my second gown, and if he be not living at my decease, my will is that his son shall have the said apparel and gown. Item, I give and bequeath to my sister Hyett and her children one hundred marks of lawful English money to be paid within six months after my decease, and to be equally divided amongst them. Item, I give and bequeath unto my nieces Mary Combe and Joyce Combe, daughters of my brother Thomas Combe deceased, one hundred pounds apiece of lawful English money to be paid within one year after my decease, and if either of them die before her legacy be due to them, my will is and soe I devise that her legacy so dying shall be paid and remain to the survivor of them, and if both of them so die, then my will is and so I devise that both their legacies shall remain and be paid unto my brother George his two daughters, equally to be divided between them. Item, I give and bequeath to my said brother George his two daughters one hundred marks apiece of lawful English money, to be paid unto them within one year after my decease, and if either of them die before that time, her legacy so dying shall remain and be paid to the survivor of them, and if they both die before their legacies be due, my will is and so I do devise that both their legacies shall remain and be paid unto the said Mary and Joyce Combe, equally to be divided between them. Item, I do give, will, and devise unto my cousin Margaret Reynoldes, wife of the said Thomas Raynoldes the elder, all my right and title I have to those grounds called Samon Joale and Samon Tayle lying and being within the parish of Stretford upon Avon in the county of Warwick, to have and to hold the same for and during the term of her natural life, and after her decease, the said last mentioned premises and the reversion thereof to be and remain to William Raynoldes her son, and the heirs males of her body lawfully begotten and to be begotten, and for default of such heirs, to Thomas Reynoldes her son and the heirs males of his body lawfully begotten and to be begotten, and for default of such heirs, to Walter Reynoldes her son and the heirs and the heirs males of his body lawfully begotten and to be begotten, and for default of such heirs, to the right heirs of the said Margaret Reynoldes for ever. Item, I give, bequeath and release unto my said cousin, Thomas Reynoldes the elder, all such sums of money and debts which he oweth unto me, and thereof, and of all reckonings accompts and demands whatsoever, I do by this my will release acquit and discharge him, the said Thomas Reynoldes the elder, his heirs, executors, and administrators for ever. Item, I give and bequeath unto my said cousin Margaret Raynoldes all my plate, my best gown, and all my household stuff except my apparel. Item,

I give and bequeath unto my servant Richard Mason, if he be my servant at my death, fifty pounds of lawful English money; to Audrean Holder, if he be my servant at my decease, thirty pounds of lawful English money. To John Featherston, ten pounds. To Robert Davies, if he be my servant at my death, twenty pounds. To Richard Burnett, if he be my servant at my decease, twenty shillings; and to Panckeridge, if he be my servant at my decease, fourty shillings; and to my cousin Thomas Reynoldes the elder, his servants, such as shall be his servants at my decease, five shillings apiece. All these legacies to be paid within one year after my decease. Item, I give and bequeath to my uncle, John Blunt, if he be living at my decease, fourty shillings to buy him a ring. To my cousin Anne Dickins, five pounds to buy her a ring. To my god-daughter Garden twenty pounds, and to her sister ten pounds, to be paid within one year after my decease. Item, I give, will and bequeath, one hundred pounds of lawful English money to be used and employed for ever according to my intent and meaning hereafter expressed in this my will, that is to say, and my will is, that my executors and overseers hereafter herein named shall, within one year after my decease, upon good and reasonable security, lend the said hundred pounds unto fifteen poor or young tradesmen, occupiers or handicraftsmen dwelling within the borough of Stretford upon Avon aforesaid, viz. to every one of them twenty nobles apiece for the term of three years, every one of them paying yearly during the said three years the sum of three shillings and four pence at the feasts of Saint Michael the archangel and the Annunciation of blessed Mary the Virgin by equal portions, and at the end of the said three years to fifteen others for three years, every one paying yearly 3s. 4d. in manner aforesaid; so from three years to three years for ever, paying as aforesaid, according to my true meaning, which said yearly several sums of three shillings and fourpence before mentioned to be paid as aforesaid for the said one hundred pounds, shall be and for ever remain to the use of the almsfolks of Stretford aforesaid. And my will is, and so I do desire that my executors and overseers, or the survivor of them, will take such order either with the bailiff or burgesses of the borough of Stretford aforesaid for the time being, or by some other way or mean, that the said hundred pounds and the benefit thereof coming may continue for ever according to my meaning before expressed. Item, I give and bequeath to the poor of Stretford twenty pounds, to the poor of Warwick five pounds, and to the poor of Alcester five pounds. Item, I give unto William White fourty shillings which he oweth me by bond, if he be living at my decease, and the same bond to be cancelled. To Mr. William Shackspere five pounds, and to my landlord John Davies 40s. Item, I give and bequeath unto Francis Collines the elder of the borough of Warwick ten pounds of lawful English money, and to my godson John Collens his son other ten pounds of like lawful English money, to be paid unto them within one year after my decease, and if either of them die before receipt of his said legacy, then my will is and so I devise and bequeath that the survivors of them shall have his legacy that shall so happen to die and if the said Francis and John Collens happen to die before the time appointed for the payment of their legacies,

then my will is, and so I devise and bequeath both their legacies of ten pounds apiece to Susanna Collens, wife of the said Francis, and to the eldest son of the said Francis equally betwixt them. Item, I give and bequeath to the said Susanna Collens six pounds thirteen shillings four pence of lawful English money, and to Mr. Henry Walker twenty shillings. Item, I give and bequeath unto my servants Richard Mason and Audrian Holder, if they be my servants at the time of my decease, all my wearing apparel not before given, except that apparel that was my uncle William Combes; and if they be not my servants, then to such persons as my executors shall appoint. Item, I give and bequeath to my cousin Thomas Reynoldes the elder, and Margaret his wife, my team of oxen which I shall have at my decease, and if I then shall have no team, then I give and bequeath forty marks of lawful English money; and also I give unto them, the said Thomas and Margaret, my waynes, tumbrells, ploughs, and other things belonging to a team. Item, I give and bequeath unto Sir Francis Smith, knight, five pounds to buy him a hawk, and to the Lady Anne his wife fourty pounds of lawful English money to buy her a bason and ewer; and unto Mrs. Palmer, the wife of John Palmer esquire, 40.s. to buy her a ring. Item, I give and bequeath to every one of my godchildren before not named five shillings apiece. Item, I give will bequeath and devise to my cousin Thomas Combe, his heirs and assigns for ever, all my meadow ground with the appurtenances in Shottery meadow, to the uses intents and purposes hereafter herein mentioned, that is to say that he the said Thomas Combe, his heirs and assigns, shall yearly and every year for ever pay to a learned preacher twenty shillings to make a sermon twice a year at Stretford church aforesaid, and also shall and do yearly and every year for ever, one week before the feast of the Nativity of our Lord God, give and deliver to such ten poor people within the borough of Stretford aforesaid as shall be yearly appointed and elected by the bailiff and chief alderman for the time being of the said borough, and two of the ancientest aldermen there, ten black gowns, every one of them worth thirteen shillings and four pence apiece: and if my said nephew Thomas Combe, his heirs or assigns, shall or do not pay the said twenty shillings yearly to a preacher, and give and deliver the said gowns, then my will is, and so I will and devise that it shall be lawful to and for the bailiff and burgesses of the borough of Stretford aforesaid and their successors for the time being, from time to time and at all times hereafter, so often as the said twenty shillings shall not be yearly paid to a preacher, or the said gowns or any of them delivered and given as aforesaid, according to my will and meaning herein mentioned, to enter into the said meadow ground and every part and parcel thereof, and the issues and profits thereof, to pay give and satisfy the yearly sum of twenty shillings so behind unpaid and the arrearages thereof, if any be, together with the said gowns as shall be behind undelivered, according to this my will, and after, the said meadow ground to be to the said Thomas Combe his heirs and assigns, charged as aforesaid. Item, I give and bequeath to every one of my good and just debtors for every twenty pounds that any man oweth me, twenty shillings, and so after this rate, for a greater or lesser debt, to be delivered back to them by my executors when they pay in their debts. All the rest of my goods, chattels, leases, credits,

and rights whatsoever, after my debts and legacies paid, and my funerals discharged according to my degree, and my will performed, which I will and charge my executors to do within one year and an half after my decease, upon pain of forfeiture of such legacies of as well of lands as money or goods I leave or do herein give and bequeath unto my said nephew Thomas Combe. And I do make and ordain the said Thomas Combe, Sir Richard Verney, knight, and Bartholomew Hales, esquire, executors of this my last will and testament. And I do give and bequeath to the said Sir Richard Varney and Bartholomew Hales twenty pounds apiece of lawful English money, and also I do nominate and appoint Sir Edward Blunt, knight, Sir Henry Rainsford, knight, Sir Francis Smith, knight, and John Palmer of Compton, esquire, to be overseers of this my will, unto whom I give five pounds apiece, or unto every one of them a silver salt worth five pounds. Item, I give to Mrs. Barnes fourty shillings to buy her a ring, and to the Lady Rainsford fourty shillings to buy her a ring; And my will is and so I do devise that if any person whatsoever before named shall dislike of such legacies as I have herein devised or bequeathed unto them, and not hold themselves therewith contented, shall lose the same and all other benefit that they can any way claim by this my will. And I do hereby revoke all former wills by me heretofore made; and do declare and publish this to be my last will and testament, and have unto every sheet hereof written my name.

Interior of the Hall of Stratford College, 1785.

Posterity has reason to deplore the haste of the three officers in their tour of 1634, for their want of time to