ree years, the principal to be
invested, the interest paid to her, and the principal to be divided at
her death.

{19}

Shakespeare left his sister, Joan Hart, L20 and his wearing apparel,
and her house in Stratford rent-free till her death, at a shilling a
year. His plate he divided between his daughters. The minor bequests,
which include L10 to the Stratford poor, are chiefly notable for the
bequest of money (26s. 8d.) for rings to "my fellowes, John Hemynges,
Richard Burbage, and Henry Cundell." These were fellow-actors in the
Lord Chamberlain's Company.

Within half a century Shakespeare's line was extinct. His wife died
August 6, 1623. His daughter Susanna left one daughter, Elizabeth, who
married, April 22, 1626, Thomas Nashe, who died April 4, 1647. On June
5, 1649, she married John Barnard of Abington, Northamptonshire,
afterwards knighted. She left no children by either marriage. Her
burial was recorded February 17, 1669-70. Shakespeare's daughter
Judith had three sons,--Shakespeare, baptized November 23, 1616, buried
May 8, 1617; Richard, baptized February 9, 1617-8, buried February 16,
1638-9; Thomas, baptized January 23, 1619-20, buried January 1638-9.
Judith Shakespeare survived them all, and was buried February 9,
1661-2. Shakespeare's sister, Joan Hart, left descendants who owned
the Henley Street House up to the time of its purchase, in 1847, by the
nation.

The best books on the life of Shakespeare: J. O. Halliwell-Phillipps,
_Outlines of the Life of Shakespeare_, tenth edition, London, 1898 (the
greatest collection of sources and documents); Sidney Lee, _A Life of
William Shakespeare_ (New York, Macmillan, 1909), (the best extended
life, especially valuable for its study of the biographical value of
the sonnets); Professor Wallace's articles referred to in the text.

[1] This reference was discovered among the Plume Mss. (1657-1663) of
Maldon, Essex, by Dr. Andrew Clark, in October, 1904. Sir John Mennes
was, however, not a contemporary of John Shakespeare, but doubtless
merely passed on the description from some eyewitness.

[2] The dates between January 1 and March 25, previous to 1752, are
always thus written. In 1752 England and its colonies decided to begin
the year with January 1 instead of March 25, as formerly. Thus for
periods before that date between January 1 and March 25, we give two
figures to indicate that the people of that time called it one year and
we call it