3 of the house in Blackfriars has been photographed
from the original document in the Guildhall Library, by permission of the
Library Committee of the City of London; and the autograph on the deed of
mortgage relating to the same property, also dated in 1613, has been
photographed from the original document in the British Museum, by
permission of the Trustees. Shakespeare's coat-of-arms and motto, which
are stamped on the cover of this volume, are copied from the trickings in
the margin of the draft-grants of arms now in the Heralds' College.

The Baroness Burdett-Coutts has kindly given me ample opportunities of
examining the two peculiarly interesting and valuable copies of the First
Folio {xi} in her possession. Mr. Richard Savage, of Stratford-on-Avon,
the Secretary of the Birthplace Trustees, and Mr. W. Salt Brassington,
the Librarian of the Shakespeare Memorial at Stratford, have courteously
replied to the many inquiries that I have addressed to them verbally or
by letter. Mr. Lionel Cust, the Director of the National Portrait
Gallery, has helped me to estimate the authenticity of Shakespeare's
portraits. I have also benefited, while the work has been passing
through the press, by the valuable suggestions of my friends the Rev. H.
C. Beeching and Mr. W. J. Craig, and I have to thank Mr. Thomas Seccombe
for the zealous aid he has rendered me while correcting the final proofs.

_October_ 12, 1898.

CONTENTS
I--PARENTAGE AND
BIRTH
Distribution of the 1
name of Shakespeare
The poet's ancestry 2
The poet's father 4
His settlement at 5
Stratford
The poet's mother 6
1564, April The poet's birth and 8
baptism
Alleged birthplace 8
II--CHILDHOOD,
EDUCATION, AND
MARRIAGE
The father in 10
municipal office
Brothers and sisters 11
The father's 12
financial
difficulties
1571-7 Shakespeare's 13
education