at
his coming of age. To this same Edward Kent she left L30 for his
apprenticeship. To Rose, Elizabeth, and Susanna, three other "daughters
of my kinsman, Thomas Hathaway, L40 a piece." Henry Smith was to have L5
for his pains, and Edward Bagley to be residuary legatee. "To my
kinsman, Thomas Hart, the son of Thomas Hart, late of Stratford, all
that my other messuage or Inne commonly called the Maydenhead, with the
next house thereto adjoining, with the barne belonging to the same, now
in the occupation of Michael Johnson; to Thomas Hart and his heirs,
failing whom to his brother George Hart and his heirs," failing whom to
her own right heirs for ever. She made her "loving kinsman Edward
Bagley" executor, "in witness of which I set my hand and seal." It may
be seen that she retained absolute power of the poet's purchases, but
justly left his inheritance from his father John to his sister's
descendants. But she did no more than justice.

It is not clear how the connection is traced between her and her other
legatees, but it is very noticeable her preference for the Hathaway
connections to those of the Shakespeare side.

Ere she died the poet's Blackfriars tenement had been reduced to ashes
in the Great Fire of 1666. What right in it or its site remained,
accrued to Edward Bagley, "citizen of London," her executor and
residuary legatee, who proved her will, March 4, 1669, though it is
stated to have been sold in Shakespeare's Biography in the Dictionary.

Edward Nash did not buy New Place, after all. It was bought by Sir
Edward Walker, at one time Secretary of War to Charles I., and then
Garter King-at-Arms. Halliwell-Phillipps states[205] it was sold by the
"surviving trustee," but Sir Edward Walker's own will[206] puts it a
little differently. He left to his dear daughter Barbara, wife of Sir
John Clopton, various bequests, among which appear "A yarde land in
Stratford field I bought of _Mr. Hall_, of the value of L12 10s. by year
... fyftly Land I bought of Sir John Clopton in the mannor of Clopton,
of the yearely value of L10. Sixtly 4 yard land lying in Stratford and
Bishopton fields which I bought of _Mr. Bagley_, and a house called the
New Place, situated in the Towne of Stratford upon Avon, of the yearely
value about fyfty fyve pounds ... my deare daughter and her husband Sir
John Clopton, sole executors, 30th June, 1676." He died early the
following year, and his will was proved March 10, 1676-77.

Thus, the