xecutors, and
only the interest paid her as long as she was married, unless her
husband had "assured her in lands answerable to her portion."

Sister Joan was to have L20, the testator's wearing apparel, and a
life-rent in the Henley Street house, under the yearly payment of one
shilling. Five pounds a piece were left to her sons. Elizabeth Hall was
to have all the plate, except his broad silver-gilt bowl, which he left
to Judith. Ten pounds he left to the poor, his sword to Mr. Thomas
Combe, L5 to Thomas Russell, L13 6s. 8d. to Francis Collins. Rings of
the value of 26s. 8d. each were left to Hamnet Sadler, William Reynolds,
gent., Antony Marsh, gent., Mr. John Marsh; and in interpolation "to my
fellows, John Heming, Richard Burbage, and Henry Condell," and to
William Walker, his godson, 20s. in gold.

To enable his daughter Susanna to perform all this, she received "the
Capital Messuage called New Place, wherein I now dwell, two messuages in
Henley Street, and all my Barns, Stables, Orchards, Gardens, Lands,
Tenements and hereditaments whatsoever lying in Stratford-upon-Avon, Old
Stratford, Bishopton, and Welcombe, in the County of Warwick"; and "that
Messuage in Blackfriars in London near the Wardrobe wherein one John
Robinson now dwelleth."

The descent was to be to her sons if she had any, failing whom to the
sons of his grand-daughter Elizabeth, failing whom to the sons of his
daughter Judith, failing whom "to the right heires of me William
Shakespeare for ever."

Item interpolated: "I give unto my wife my second-best bed, with the
furniture."

Everything else to his "sonne-in-law John Hall, gent., and to his
daughter Susanna, his wife," whom he made executors.

Thomas Russell, Esq., and Francis Collins, gent., were to be overseers.
There were several witnesses. It was proved June 22, 1616, by John Hall,
at Westminster, but the inventory is unfortunately lost.

Much discussion has taken place over Shakespeare's legacy to his wife.
It may very simply and naturally have arisen from some conversation in
which a reference had been made to giving her "the best bed." But that
was the visitor's couch. "The second-best" would have been her own, that
which she had used through the years, and he wished her to feel that
that was not included in the "residue." That was to be her very own. As
to any provision for her, it must have taken the form of a settlement, a
jointure, or a dower. There is no trace of the first or