Item, I give and bequeath to Hamlet [Hamnet] Sadler twenty-fix fhillings eight pence, to buy him a ring; to William Reynolds, gent. twentyfix fhillings eight-pence, to buy him a ring; to my godfon William Walker, twenty fhillings in gold; to Anthony Nash,3 gent. twenty-fix fhillings eightpence; and to Mr. John Nafh,4 twenty-fix fhillings eight-pence; and to my fellows, John Hemynge, Richard Burbage, and Henry Cundell,5 twenty-fix fhillings eight-pence apiece, to buy them rings.

Item, I give, will, bequeath, and devife, unto my daughter Sufanna Hall, for better enabling of her to perform this my will, and towards the formance thereof, all that capital meffuage or tene

per

I to Hamnet Sadler-] This gentleman was godfather to Shakspeare's only fon, who was called after him. Mr. Sadler, I believe, was born about the year 1550, and died at Stratfordupon-Avon, in October 1624. His wife, Judith Sadler, who was godmother to Shakspeare's youngest daughter, was buried there, March 23, 1613-14. Our poet probably was godfather to their fon William, who was baptized at Stratford, Feb. 5, 1597-8. MALONE.

2- to my godfon, William Walker,] William, the fon of Henry Walker, was baptized at Stratford, Oct. 16, 1608. I mention this circumftance, because it ascertains that our author was at his native town in the autumn of that year. Mr. William Walker was buried at Stratford, March 1, 1679-80.

3

MALONE.

to Anthony Nash,] He was father of Mr. Thomas Nash, who married our poet's grand-daughter, Elizabeth Hall. He lived, I believe, at Welcombe, where his eftate lay; and was buried at Stratford, Nov. 18, 1622. MALONE.

4 to Mr. John Nash,] This gentleman died at Stratford, and was buried there, Nov. 10, 1623. MALONE.

S to my fellows, John Hemynge, Richard Burbage, and Henry Cundell,] These our poet's fellows did not very long furvive him. Burbage died in March, 1619; Cundell in December, 1627; and Heminge in October 1630. See their wills in The Account of our old Actors, in Vol. III. MALONE.

ment, with the appurtenances, in Stratford aforefaid, called The New Place, wherein I now dwell, and two meffuages or tenements, with the appurtenances, fituate, lying, and being in Henley-ftreet, within the borough of Stratford aforefaid; and all my barns, ftables, orchards, gardens, lands, tenements, and hereditaments whatfoever, fituate, 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, Bifhopton, and Welcombe," or in any of them, in the said county of Warwick; and alfo all that meffuage or tenement, with the appurtenances, wherein one John Robinfon dwelleth, fituate, lying, and being, in the Blackfriars in London near the Wardrobe; and all other my

8

• received, perceived,] Inftead of these words, we have hitherto had in all the printed copies of this will, referved, preferved. MALOne.

"Old Stratford, Bishopton, and Welcombe,] The lands of Old Stratford, Bishopton, and Welcombe, here devised, were in Shakspeare's time a continuation of one large field, all in the parish of Stratford. Bifhopton is two miles from Stratford, and Welcombe one. For Bishopton, Mr. Theobald erroneously printed Bufhaxton, and the error has been continued in all the fabfequent editions. The word in Shakspeare's original will is fpelt Bushopton, the vulgar pronunciation of Bifhopton.

I fearched the Indexes in the Rolls chapel from the year 1589 to 1616, with the hope of finding an enrolment of the purchasedeed of the estate here devised by our poet, and of afcertaining its extent and value; but it was not enrolled during that period, nor could I find any inquifition taken after his death, by which its value might have been afcertained. I fuppofe it was conveyed by the former owner to Shakspeare, not by bargain and fale, but by a deed of feoffment, which it was not neceffary to enroll. MALONE.

that meffuage or tenement-in the Blackfriars in Lon

lands, tenements, and hereditaments whatsoever; to have and to hold all and fingular the faid premifes, with their appurtenances, unto the faid Sufanna Hall, for and during the term of her natural life; and after her decease to the first son of her body lawfully iffuing, and to the heirs males of the body of the said first son lawfully iffuing; and for default of fuch iffue, to the fecond fon of her body lawfully iffuing, and to the heirs males of the body of the faid fecond fon lawfully iffuing; and for default of such heirs, to the third fon of the body of the faid Sufanna lawfully iffuing, and to the heirs males of the body of the faid third fon lawfully iffuing; and for default of fuch iffue, the fame fo to be and remain to the fourth, fifth, fixth, and seventh 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 firft, fecond, 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 heirs of me the faid William Shakspeare for ever.

don near the Wardrobe ;] This was the house which was mortgaged to Henry Walker. See p. 149.

By the Wardrobe is meant the King's Great Wardrobe, a royal houfe, near Puddle-Wharf, purchafed 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.