manor of Rowington, unto my daughter Sufannah Hall, and her heirs for ever. Item, I give and bequeath unto my faid daughter Judith one hundred and fifty pounds more, if the, or any iffue of her body, be living at the end of three years next enfuing the day of the date of this my will, during which time my executors to pay her confideration from my deceafe according to the rate aforefaid and if fhe die within the faid term without iffue of her body, then my will is, and I do give and bequeath one hundred pounds thereof to my niece Elizabeth Hall, and the fifty pounds to be fet forth by my executors during the life of my fifter Joan Harte, and the use and profit thereof coming, fhall be paid to my faid fifter Joan, and after her decease the fifty pounds fhall remain amongft the children of my faid fifter, equally to be divided amongst them ; but if my faid daughter Judith be living at the end of the faid three years, or any iffue of her body, then my will is, and fo I devife and bequeath the faid hundred and fifty pounds to be fet out by my executors and overfeers for the beft benefit of her and her iffue, and the ftock not to be paid unto her fo long as the fhall be married and covert baron; but my will is, that fhe fhall have the confideration yearly paid unto her during her life, and after her decease the faid ftock and confideration to be paid to her children, if the have any, and if not, to her executors and affigns, the living the faid term after my decease; provided that if fuch husband as fhe fhall at the end of the faid three years be married unto, or at and after, do fufficiently affure unto her, and the iffue of her body, land anfwerable to the portion by this my will given unto her, and to be adjudged fo by my executors and overfeers, then my will is, that the faid hundred and fifty pounds fhall be paid to fuch husband as fhall make fuch affurance, to his own ufe. Item, Item, I give and bequeath unto my faid fifter 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 houfe, with the appurtenances, in Stratford, wherein fhe dwelleth, for her natural life, under the yearly value of twelve pence. Item, I give and bequeath unto her three fons, William Hart, — Hart, and Michael Hart, five pounds apiece, to be paid within one year after my decease. 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 fword; to Thomas Ruffel, efq; five pounds; and to Francis Collins of the borough of Warwick, in the county of Warwick, gent. thirteen pounds fix fhillings and eight pence, to be paid within one year after my decease. Item, I give and bequeath to Hamlet Sadler twentyfix fhillings eight pence to buy him a ring; to William Reynolds, gent. twenty-fix fhillings eight pence to buy him a ring; to my godfon William Walker twenty fhillings in gold; to Anthony Nash, gent. twenty-fix fhillings eight pence; and to Mr. John Nafh twenty-fix fhillings eight pence; and to my fellows John Hemynge, Richard Burbage, and Henry Cundell twenty-fix fhillings eight pence apiece to buy the rings. Item, I give, will, bequeath, and devife unto my daughter Sufannah Hall, for the better enabling of her to perform this my will, and towards the performance 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, fitu ate, ate, lying, and being in Henley-ftreet, within the borough of Stratford aforefaid; and all my barns, ftables, 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 alfo 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 whatsoever; to have and to hold all and fingular the faid premifes, with their appurtenances, unto the faid Sufannah Hall, for and during the term of her natural life; and after her decease to the firft fon of her body lawfully iffuing, and to the heirs males of the body of the faid first fon lawfully iffuing; and for default of fuch iffue, to the second son of her body lawfully iffuing, and to the heirs males of the body of the faid fecond fon lawfully iffuing; and for default of fuch heirs to the third fon of the body of the faid Sufannah lawfully iffuing, and of the heirs males of the body of the faid third fon lawfully iffuing; and for default of fuch iffue, the fame to be and remain to the fourth, fifth, fixth, and feventh fons of her body, lawfully iffuing one after another, and to the heirs males of the bodies of the faid fourth, fifth, fixth, and feventh fons lawfully iffuing, in fuch 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 fuch iffue, the faid premises to be and remain to my faid niece Hall, and the heirs males of 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 right heirs of me the faid William Shakespeare for ever. Item, I give unto my wife my brown best bed with the furniture. Item, I give and bequeath to my said daughter Judith my broad filver gilt bole. All the rest of my goods, chattels, leafes, plate, jewels, and houfholdftuff 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 Sufannah his wife, who I ordain and make executors of this my laft will and teftament. 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 publifh 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 Shakespeare. Witness to the Publishing hereof, Fra. Collins, Julius Shaw, John Robinson, Robert Whattcott. Probatum coram Magiftro William Byrde, Legum Dottore Commiffario, &c. vicefimo fecundo die menfis Junii, Anno Domini 1616. Juramento Johannis Hall unius ex. et cui, &c. de bene et Jurat Refervata poteftate et Susanne Hall alt. ex. &c. cu vendit, &c. petitur. To the foregoing Accounts of SHAKESPEARE'S LIFE, I have only one Paffage to add, which Mr. Pope related, as communicated to him by Mr. Rowe. IN '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 horseback to any diftant bufinefs or diverfion. Many came on horfeback to the play, and when Shakespeare fled to London from the terror 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 readinefs, that in a fhort time every man as he alighted called for Will, Shakespeare, and scarcely any other waiter was trufted with a horfe while Will. Shakespeare could be had. This was the firft dawn of better fortune. Shakefpeare, finding more horfes put into his hand than he could hold, hired boys to wait under his infpection, who, when Will. Shakespeare was fummoned, were immediately to present themselves, I am Shakespeare's boy, Sir. In time Shakespeare found higher einploy ment; but as long as the practice of riding to the play-house continued, the waiters that held the horses retained the appellation of, Shakespeare's boys. JOHNSON. [N] |