Text Transcript of Shakespeare's Will:

Vicesimo Quinto die Januarii [struck through] Martii Anno Regni Domini nostri Jacobi nucn Regis Angliae etc decimo quarto & Scotie xlixo Annoque Domini 1616

Testamentum

Willemi Shackspeare

Registretur

In the name of god Amen I William Shackspeare of Stratford upon Avon in the countie of Warr' gent in perfect health & memorie god by praysed doe make & Ordayne this my last will & testam[en]t in manner & forme followeing That ys to saye first I Comend my Soule into the hands of god my Creator hoping & assuredlie beleeving through thonelie merittes of Jesus Christe my Saviour to be made partaker of lyfe everlastinge And my bodye to the Earthe whereof yt ys made.

I[te]m I Gyve and bequeath unto my sonne in L[aw] (struck through) Daughter Judyth One Hundred & ffyftie pounds of lawfull English money to be paied unto her in manner and forme follewing That ys to saye One Hundred Poundes in discharge of her marriage porc[i]on within one yeare after my deceas w[i]th considerac[i]on after the Rate of twoe shillinges in the pound for soe long tyme as the same shalbe unpaid unto her after my deceas & the ffyftie pounds Residewe thereof upon her surrendering of or gyving of such sufficient securitie as the overseers of this my will shall like of to Surrender or graunte All her estate and Right that shall discend or come unto her after my deceas or that she nowe hath of in or to one Copiehold ten[emen]te with theappertenances lyeing & being in Stratford upon Avon aforesaied in the saide countie of warr' being parcell or holden of the mannor of Rowington unto my daughter Susanna Hall & and her heiries for ever.

Item I gyve and bequeath unto my saied Daughter Judyth One Hundred & ffyftie Poundes more if shee or Anie issue of her bodie Lyvinge att thend of three yeares next ensueing the daie of the date of this my will during which tyme my executors to paie her considerac[i]on from my deceas according to the Rate aforesaied. And if she dye within the saied terme without issue of her bodye then my will ys & and I doe gyve & bequeath One Hundred Poundes thereof to my Neece Elizabeth Hall & ffiftie Poundes to be sett fourth by my executors during the lief of my Sister Johane Harte & the use and proffitt thereof Cominge shalbe payed to my saied Sister Jone & after her deceas the saied L li shall Remaine Amongst the children of my saied Sister Equallie to be devided Amongst them. But if my saied daughter Judith be lyving att thend of the saeid three yeares or anie issue of her bodye then my will ys & soe I devise & bequeath the saied Hundred & ffyftie poundes to be sett out by my executors and overseers for the best benefitt of her and her issue and the stock not to be paied unto her soe long as she shalbe marryed and Covert Baron by my executors & overseers (struck through) but my will ys that she shall have the considerac[i]on yearelie paied unto her during her lief & after her deceas the saied stock and condierac[i]on to bee paid to her children if she have Anie & if not to her executors or Assignes she lyving the saied terme after my deceas provided that if such husbond as she shall att thend of the saied three yeares by marryed unto or attain after doe sufficientlie Assure unto her & thissue of her bodie landes answereable to the porc[i]on gyven unto her & to be adjudged soe by my executors & overseers then my will ys that the saied CL li shalbe paied to such husbond as shall make such assurance to his owne use.

Item I gyve and bequeath unto my saied sister Jone XX li & all my wearing Apparrell to be paied and delivered within one yeare after my deceas. And I doe will & devise unto her the house with thappurtenances in Stratford where in she dwelleth for her naturall lief under the yearelie Rent of xiid

Item I gyve and bequeath unto her three sonnes William Harte (name omitted) Hart and Michaell Harte ffyve pounds A peece to be payed within one yeare after my decease to be sett out for her within one yeare after my deceas by my executors with thadvise & direccons of my overseers for her best proffitt untill her marriage & then the same with the increase thereof to be paied unto her (struck through).

Item I gyve and bequeath unto her (struck through) the saied Elizabeth Hall All my Plate (except my brod silver and gilt bole) that I now have att the date of this my will.

Item I gyve and bequeath unto the Poore of Stratford aforesaied tenn poundes; to Mr Thomas Combe my Sword; to Thomas Russell Esquier ffyve poundes & to ffrauncis Collins of the Borough of Warr' in the countie of Warr' gent. thirteene poundes Sixe shillinges & Eight pence to be paied within one yeare after my deceas.

Item I gyve and bequeath to mr Richard (struck through) Hamlett Sadler Tyler thelder (struck through) XXVIs VIIId to buy him A Ringe; to William Raynoldes gent XXVIs VIIId to buy him a Ringe; to my godson William Walker XXs in gold; to Anthonye Nashe gent. XXVIs VIIId to mr. John Nash XXVIs VIIId in gold (struck through) & to my ffellowes John Hemynges, Richard Burbage & Heny Cundell XXVIs VIIId A peece to buy them Ringes.

Item I Gyve Will Bequeth and Devise unto my Daughter Susanna Hall for better enabling of her to performe this my will & towardes the performans thereof All that Capitall Messuage or tenemente with thappertenaces in Stratford aforesaid called the newe plase wherein I nowe Dwell & two messuags or ten[emen]tes with thappurtenances scituat lyeing and being in Henley Streete within the borough of Stratford aforesaied. And all my barnes, stables, Orchardes, gardens, landes, ten[emen]tes and herediaments whatsoever scituat lyeing & being or to be had Receyved, perceyved or taken within the townes & Hamletts, villages, ffieldes & groundes of Stratford upon Avon, Oldstratford, Bushopton & Welcombe or in anie of them in the saied countie of warr And alsoe All that Messuage or ten[emen]te with thappurtenances wherein one John Robinson dwelleth, scituat, lyeing & being in the blackfriers in London nere the Wardrobe & all other my landes ten[emen]tes & hereditam[en]tes whatsoever. To Have and to hold All & sing[u]ler the saied premisses with their Appurtenances unto the saied Susanna Hall for & during the terme of her naturall lief & after her deceas to the first sonne of her bodie lawfullie yssueing & to the heiries Males of the bodie of the saied first Sonne lawfullie yssueinge & for defalt of such issue to the second Sonne of her bodie lawfullie issueinge & of [struck through] to the heires Males of the bodie of the saied Second Sonne lawfullie yssyeinge & for defalt of such heires to the third sonne of the bodie of the saied Susanna Lawfullie yssyeing &of the heires Males of the bodie of the saied third sonne lawfullie yssueing And for defalt of such issue the same soe to be Remaine to the ffourth, sonne (struck through) ffythe, sixte and seaventh sonnes of her bodie lawfullie issueing one after Another & and to the heires Males of the bodies of the saied ffourth, ffythe, Sixte and Seaventh sonnes of her bodie lawfullie yssueing one after Another & to the heires Males of the bodies of the saied ffourth, fifth, Sixte & Seaventh sonnes lawfullie yssueing in such mamer as yt ys before Lymitted to be & Remaine to the first, second & third Sonns of her bodie & to their heires males. And for defalt of such issue the saied premisses to be & Remaine to my sayed Neece Hall & the heires Males of her bodie Lawfully yssueing for default of (page damaged) such issue to my daughter Judith & the heires Males of her bodies lawfullie yssueing. And for dsfalt of such issue to the Right heires of me the saied Will[ia]m Shackspere for ever.

Item I gyve unto my wief my second best bed with the furniture; Item I gyve and bequeath to my saied daughter Judith my broad silver gilt bole.

All the Rest of my goodes Chattels, Leases, plate, Jewles & Household stuffe whatsoever after my dettes and Legasies paied & my funerall expences discharged, I gyve devise & bequeath to my Sonne in Lawe John Hall gent. & my daughter Susanna his wief whom I ordaine & make executors of this my Last will and testam[en]t. And I doe intreat & Appoint the saied Thomas Russell Esquier & ffrauncis Collins gent to be overseers hereof And doe Revoke All former wills and publishe this to be my last will & testam[en]t. In Wit[ne]s whereof I have hereunto put my Seale (struck through) hand the Daie and Yeare first above Written.

Witness to the publishing hereof: Fra: Collyns, Juilyus Shawe, John Robinson, Hamnet Sadler, Robert Whattcott.

By me William Shakespeare

Probatum coram Mag[ist]ro Willi[am]o Byrde legum d[o]c[t]ore Commissar[io] etc xxiido die mensis Junii Anno d[omi]ni 1616 Juramento Jahannis Hall unius ex[ecutorum] etc. Cui etc de bene etc Jurat[i] Res[er]vata p[o]te[st]ate etc Sussane Hall alt[eri] ex[ecutorum] etc cum ven[er]it etc petitur.

Inventarium exhibitum.