Words which were lined-out in the original but which are
still legible are indicated by [brackets]. Words which were added
interlinearly are indicated by italic text. The word "Item" is given
in bold text to aid reading and is not so written in the
document. |
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the name of god Amen I William Shackspeare, of Stratford upon Avon in the
countrie of Warr., gent., in perfect health and memorie, God be praysed,
doe make and ordayne this my last will and testament in manner and forme
followeing, that ys to saye, ffirst, I comend my soule into the hands of
God my Creator, hoping and assuredlie beleeving, through thonelie merites,
of Jesus Christe my Saviour, to be made partaker of lyfe everlastinge, and
my bodye to the earth whereof yt ys made. Item, I gyve and bequeath
unto my [sonne and] daughter Judyth one hundred and fyftie poundes of
lawfull English money, to be paid unto her in the manner and forme
foloweng, 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 shillings in the pound for soe long tyme as the same
shalbe unpaied unto her after my deceas, and the fyftie poundes residwe
thereof upon her surrendring 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 shee nowe hath, of, in, or to, one copiehold
tenemente, with thappurtenaunces, lyeing and being in Stratford upon Avon
aforesaied in the saied countrye of Warr., being parcell or holden of the
mannour of Rowington, unto my daughter Susanna Hall and her heires for
ever. Item, I gyve and bequeath unto my saied daughter Judith one
hundred and fyftie poundes more, if shee or anie issue of her bodie by
lyvinge att thend of three yeares next ensueing the daie of the date of
this my will, during which tyme my executours are to paie her consideracion
from my deceas according to the rate aforesaied; and if she dye within the
saied tearme without issue of her bodye, then my will us, and I doe gyve
and bequeath one hundred poundes thereof to my neece Elizabeth Hall, and
the fiftie poundes to be sett fourth by my executours during the lief of my
sister Johane Harte, and the use and proffitt thereof cominge shalbe payed
to my saied sister Jone, and after her deceas the saied l.li.12 shall
remaine amongst the children of my saied sister, equallie to be divided
amongst them; but if my saied daughter Judith be lyving att thend of the
saied three yeares, or anie yssue of her bodye, then my will ys, and soe I
devise and bequeath the saied hundred and fyftie poundes to be sett our
by my executours and overseers for the best benefitt 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 executours and overseers]; but my
will ys, that she shall have the consideracion yearelie paied unto her
during her lief, and, after her ceceas, the saied stocke and consideracion
to be paied to her children, if she have anie, and if not, to her
executours or assignes, she lyving the saied terme after my deceas.
Provided that yf suche husbond as she shall att thend of the saied three
years be marryed unto, or att anie after, doe sufficientlie assure unto her
and thissue of her bodie landes awnswereable to the porcion by this my will
gyven unto her, and to be adjudged soe by my executours and overseers, then
my will ys, that the said cl.li.13 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 apparrell, to be paied and
delivered within one yeare after my deceas; and I doe will and devise unto
her the house with thappurtenaunces in Stratford, wherein she
dwelleth, for her naturall lief, under the yearlie rent of xij.d.
Item, I gyve and bequeath |
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| unto her three sonnes,
William Harte, ---- Hart, and Michaell Harte, fyve pounds a peece, to be
paied within one yeare after my deceas [to be sett out for her within one
yeare after my deceas by my executours, with thadvise and direccions of my
overseers, for her best frofitt, untill her mariage, and then the same with
the increase thereof to be paied unto her]. Item, I gyve and
bequeath unto [her] the saied 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 fyve poundes; and to Frauncis Collins, of the borough of Warr. in
the countie of Warr. gentleman, thirteene poundes, sixe shillinges, and
eight pence, to be paied within one yeare after my deceas. Item, I
gyve and bequeath to [Mr. Richard Tyler thelder] Hamlett Sadler
xxvj.8. viij.d. to buy him a ringe; to William Raynoldes gent., xxvj.8.
viij.d. to buy him a ringe; to my dogson William Walker xx8. in gold;
to Anthonye Nashe gent. xxvj.8. viij.d. [in gold]; and to my fellowes
John Hemynges, Richard Brubage, and Henry Cundell, xxvj.8. viij.d. a peece
to buy them ringes, Item, I gyve, will, bequeath, and devise,
unto my daughter Susanna Hall, for better enabling of her to performe
this my will, and towards the performans thereof, all that capitall
messuage or tenemente with thappurtenaunces, in Stratford aforesaid,
called the New Place, wherein I nowe dwell, and two messuages or tenementes
with thappurtenaunces, scituat, lyeing, and being in Henley streete, within
the borough of Stratford aforesaied; and all my barnes, stables, orchardes,
gardens, landes, tenementes, and hereditamentes, whatsoever, scituat,
lyeing, and being, or to be had, receyved, perceyved, or taken, within the
townes, hamletes, villages, fieldes, 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
thappurtenaunces, wherein one John Robinson dwelleth, scituat, lyeing and
being, in the Balckfriers in London, nere the Wardrobe; and all my other
landes, tenementes, and hereditamentes whatsoever, To have and to hold all
and singuler the saied premisses, with theire appurtenaunces, 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 heires males of the bodie of the saied first sonne lawfullie
yssueinge; and for defalt of such issue, to the second sonne of her bodie,
lawfullie issueing, and to the heires males of the bodie of the saied
second sonne lawfullie yssueinge; and for defalt of such heires, to the
third sonne of the bodie of the saied Susanna lawfullie yssueing, and of
the heires males of the bodie of the saied third sonne lawfullie yssueing;
and for defalt of such issue, the same soe to be and remaine to the ffourth
[sonne], ffyfth, sixte, and seaventh sonnes of her bodie lawfullie
issueing, one after another, and to the heires |
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| males of the bodies of the
bodies of the saied fourth, fifth, sixte, and seaventh sonnes lawfullie
yssueing, in such manner as yt ys before lymitted to be and remaine to the
first, second, and third sonns of her bodie, and to theire heires males;
and for defalt of such issue, the said premisses to be and remaine to my
sayed neece Hall, and the heires males of her bodie lawfullie yssueinge;
and for defalt of such issue, to my daughter Judith, and the heires males
of her bodie lawfullie issueinge; and for defalt of such issue, to the
right heires of me the saied William Shackspeare 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, chattel, leases, plate, jewels, and household
stuffe whatsoever, after my dettes and legasies paied, and my funerall
expenses dischardged, I give, devise, and bequeath to my sonne in lawe,
John Hall gent., and my daughter Susanna, his wief, whom I ordaine and make
executours of this my last will and testament. And I doe intreat and
appoint the saied Thomas Russell esquier and Frauncis Collins gent.
to be overseers hereof, and doe revoke all former wills, and publishe this
to be my last will and testament. In witness whereof I have hereunto put my
[seale] hand, the daie and yeare first abovewritten.
Witnes to the publyshing
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