aforesaid ten pounds; to Mr. Thomas Combe.my sword; to Thomas Russel, esq.five pounds; and stó 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 decease. of Lue dreamped alie, I m

of Item, I give and bequeath to Hamlet [Hamnet]} Sadler fotwenty-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 godson, Williagr Walker twenty shillings in gold; to Anthony Nash1) goiad boMr Thomas Combe,] This gentleman was baptized at Stratford, Febs 91 1588-9, so that he was twenty-seven years old at the time of Shakspeare's death. He died at Stratford in July 1667, aged 68; and his elder brother William died at the e same place, Jan. 300 1666-7, aged 80. Mr. Thomas Combe by his will, made June 20. 1656, directed his executors to convert all his personal property into money, and to lay it out in the purchase of lands, to be settled on William Combe, the eldest son of John Combe of Allchurch in the county of Worcester, gent. and his heirs-males remainder to his two brothers successively. Where, therefore, our poet's sword has wandered, I have not been able to discover. I have taken the trouble to ascertain the ages of Shakspeare's friends and relations, Is, and the time of their deaths, because we are thus enabled to judge how far the traditions concerning him which were

2.

Worthted to Mr. Rowe in the beginning of this century, are

7

credit. MALONE.

to Francis Collins- This gentleman, was, I believe, baptized at Warwick. He died the year after our poet, and was buried at Stratford, Sept. 27. 1617, on which day he died. MALONE, edit. 1821.

8 to Hamnet Sadler] This gentleman was godfather to Shakspeare's only son, who was called after him. Mr. Sadler, I believe, was born about the year 1550, and died at Stratford-uponAvon, in October 1624. His wife, Judith Sadler, who was god. mother to Shakspeare's youngest daughter, was buried there, March 25. 1613-14. Our poet probably was godfather to their son William, who was baptized at Stratford, Feb. 5. 1597-8. MALONE. Og to my godson, William Walker, William, the son of Henry Walker, 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' Stratford, March 1. 1679-80. MALONE.

to Anthony Nash,] He

was father of Mr. Thomas Nash,

gent. twenty-six shillings eight-pence; and to Mrs John Nash's twenty-sixvishillings eight-penceTand to my fellows, John Hemynge, Richard Burbage, and Henry Cundell, twenty-six shillings eight-pence apiece, to buy them rings.soyono nidtiw bisq ed of sonag-tdgis bas 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 tene ments, with the appurtenances, situate, lying, and being in Henley-street, within the borough of Stratford afore said; and all my barns, stables, orchards, gardens, lands, tenements, and hereditaments whatsoever, situate, 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 messuage or tenement, with. the appurtenances, wherein one John Robinson dwelleth, situate, lying, and being, in the Blackfriars in London near the Wardrobe: and 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

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 feoffment, which it was not necessary to enroll. MALONE.

5

that messuage or tenement—in the Blackfriars in London, near the Wardrobe;] This was the house which was mortgaged to Henry Walker.

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.

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-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. 6

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 son-in-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 Russell, 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.

6 my second best bed, with the furniture.] Thus Shakspeare's original will.

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 last two 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 signatures that follow.

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. cui, &c. de bene, &c. jurat. reservata potestate, &c. Susanna Hall, alt. ex. &c. eam cum venerit, &c. petitur, &c.