Vicesimo Quinto die
Januarii Martii Anno Regni Domini nostri Jacobi nucn Regis Angliae
etc decimo quarto & Scotie xlixo Annoque Domini 1616Testamentum
Willemi Shackspeare
Registretur
In the name of god Amen I William Shackspeare of Stratford
upon Avon in the countrie of Warr' gent in perfect health and memorie
god by praysed doe make and Ordayne this my last will and testament in
manner and forme followeing that ys to saye first I Comend my Soule into
the hands of god my Creator hoping and assuredlie beleeving through thonelie
merittes of Jesus Christe my Saviour to be made partaker of lyfe everlastinge
And my bodye to the Earthe whereof yt ys made.
Item I Gyve and bequeath unto my sonne in Law and
Daughter Judyth One Hundred and fyftie pounds of lawfull English money
to be paied unto her in manner and forme follewing That ys to saye One
Hundred Poundes in discharge of her marriage porcion within one yeare
after my deceas with consideracion after the Rate of twoe shillinges in
the pound for soe long tyme as the same shalbe unpaid unto her after my
deceas & the fyftie pounds Residewe therof upon her surrendering of
or gyving of such sufficient securitie as the overseers of this my will
shall like of to Surrender or graunte All her estate and Right that shall
discend or come unto her after my deceas or that she nowe hath of in or
to one Copiehold tenemente with theappertenances lyeing & being in
Stratford upon Avon aforesaied in the saide countie of warr' being parcell
or holden of the mannor of Rowington unto my daughter Susanna Hall and
her heires for ever.
Item I gyve and bequeath unto my saied Daughter Judyth
One Hundred and ffyftie Poundes more if shee or Anie issue of her bodie
Lyvinge att thend of three yeares next ensueing the daie of the date of
this my will during which tyme my executors to paie her consideracion
from my deceas according to the Rate afore saied. And if she dye within
the saied terme without issue of her bodye then my will ys and and I doe
gyve and bequeath One Hundred Poundes therof to my Neece Eliabeth Hall
and ffiftie Poundes to be sett fourth by my executors during the lief
of my Sister Johane Harte and the use and proffitt therof cominge shalbe
payed to my saied Sister Jone and after her deceas the saied L li shall
Remaine Amongst the childredn of my saied Sister Equallie to be devided
Amongst them. But if my saied daughter Judith be lyving att thend of the
saeid three yeares or anie issue of her bodye then my will ys and soe
I devise and bequeath the saied Hundred and ffyftie poundes to be sett
out by my executors and overseers for the best benefit of her and her
issue and the stock not to be paied unto her soe long as she shalbe marryed
and Covert Baron by my executors and overseers but my will ys that
she shall have the consideracion yearelie paied unto her during her lief
and after her deceas the saied stock and condieracion to bee paid to her
children if she have Anie and if not to her executors or Assignes she
lyving the saied terme after my deceas provided that if such husbond as
she shall att thend of the saied three yeares by marryed unto or attain
after doe sufficiently Assure unto her and thissue of her bodie landes
answereable to the portion gyven unto her and to be adjudged soe by my
executors and overseers then my will ys that the saied CL li shalbe paied
to such husbond as shall make such assurance to his owne use.
Item I gyve and bequeath unto my saied sister Jone XX
li and all my wearing Apprell to be paied and delivered within one yeare
after my deceas. And I doe will and devise unto her the house with thappurtenances
in Stratford where in she dwelleth for her naturall lief under the yearelie
Rent of xiid
Item I gyve and bequeath unto her three sonnes William
Hart-Hart and Michaell Harte ffyve pounds A peece to be payed within one
yeare after my decease to be sett out for her within one yeare after
my deceas by my executors with thadvise and direccons of my overseers
for her best proffitt untill her marriage and then the same with the increase
thereof to be paied unto her.
Item I gyve and bequath unto her the said Elizabeth
Hall All my Plate (except my brod silver and gilt bole) that I now have
att the date of this my will.
Item I gyve and bequeath unto the Poore of Stratford aforesaied
tenn poundes; to Mr Thomas Combe my Sword; to Thomas Russell Esquier ffyve
poundes and to ffrauncis collins of the Borough of Warr' in the countie
of Warr' gent. thriteene poundes Sixe shillinges and Eight pence to be
paied within one yeare after my deceas.
Item I gyve and bequeath to mr richard Hamlett
Sadler Tyler thelder XXVIs VIIId to buy him A Ringe; to William
Raynoldes gent XXVIs VIIId to buy him a Ringe; to my godson William Walker
XXVIs VIIId in gold and to my ffellowes John Hemynges, Richard
Burbage and Heny Cundell XXVIs VIIId A peece to buy them Ringes.
Item I Gyve Will Bequeth and Devise unto my Daughter Susanna
Hall for better enabling of her to performe this my will and towardes
the performans thereof All that Capitall Messuage or tenemente with thappertenaces
in Stratford aforesaid called the newe plase wherein I now Dwell and two
messuags or tenementes with thappurtenances scituat lyeing and being in
Henley Streete within the borough of Stratford aforesaied. And all my
barnes, stables, Orchardes, gardens, landes, tenementes and herediaments
whatsoever scituat lyeing and being or to be had receyved, perceyved or
taken within the townes and Hamletts, villages, ffieldes and groundes
of Stratford upon Avon, Oldstratford, Bushopton and Welcombe or in anie
of them in the saied countie of warr And alsoe All that Messuage or tenemente
with thappurtenances wherein one John Robinson dwelleth, scituat, lyeing
and being in the blackfriers in London nere the Wardrobe and all other
my landes tenementes and hereditamentes whatsoever. To Have and to hold
All and singular the saied premisses with their Appurtenances unto the
saied Susanna Hall for and during the terme of her naturall lief and after
her deceas to the first sonne of her bodie lawfullie yssueing and to the
heiries Males of the bodie of the saied Second Sonne lawfullie yssyeinge
and for defalt of such heires Males of the bodie of the saied third sonne
lawfullie yssye ing And for defalt of such issue the same soe to be Reamine
to the ffourth sonne, ffythe, sixte and seaventh sonnes of her
bodie lawfullie issueing one after Another and and to the heires Males
of the bodies of the saied ffourth, ffythe, Sixte and Seaventh sonnes
lawfullie yssueing in such mamer as yt ys before Lymitted to be and remaine
to the first, second and third Sonns of her bodie and to their heires
males. And for defalt of such issue the saied premisses to be and Remaine
to my sayed Neede Hall and the heires Males of her bodie Lawfully yssueing
for default of...such issue to my daughter Judith and the heires of me
the saied William Sahckspere for ever.
Item I gyve unto my wief my second best bed with the furniture;
Item I gyve and bequeath to my saied daughter Judith my broad silver gilt
bole.
All the rest of my goodes Chattels, Leases, plate, jewles
and Household stuffe whatsoever after my dettes and Legasies paied and
my funerall expences discharged, I gyve devise and bequeath to my Sonne
in Lawe John Hall gent and my daughter Susanna his wief whom I ordaine
and make executors of this my Last will and testament. And I doe intreat
and Appoint the saied Thomas Russell Esquier and ffrauncis Collins gent
to be overseers herof And doe Revoke All former wills and publishe this
to be my last will and testament. In witnes whereof I have hereunto put
my Seale hand the Daie and Yeare first above Written.
Witness to the publishing hereof: Fra: Collyns, Juilyus
Shawe, John Robinson, Hamnet Sadler, robert Whattcott.
By me William Shakespeare
Probatum coram Magistro Williamo Byrde legum doctore Commissario
etc xxiido die mensis Junii Anno domini 1616 Juramento Jahannis Hall unius
executorum etc. Cui etc de bene etc Jurati Reservata potestate etc Sussane
Hall alteri executorum etc cum venerit etc petitur.
Inventarium exhibitum.