sion of the Duke of Buckingham, is said to have been traced back to a former owner, Sir William Davenant, and as this can, I am told, be substantiated by evidence, the picture bears greater authenticity than any others that have been asserted to be original likenesses of the great bard. Kneller painted a picture of Shakespeare which he gave to Dryden, but no portrait which cannot be traced much nearer Shakespeare's time can be regarded as an original authority, and so little critical judgment was formerly displayed in such matters, that a painting of James I. was palmed upon Pope as a representation of the poet. The bust in the chancel of Stratford Church is beyond the reach of any such doubt, and is in no way assailable to hesitating criticism. It is at once the most interesting memorial of the dramatist that remains, and the only one that brings him before us in form and substance. There is a living and a mental likeness in this monument, one that grows upon us by contemplation, and makes us unwilling to accept any other resemblance.* Let us repeat the lines that are inscribed beneath this memorial (p. 87), and implore the reflective observer to pause before it,— *The reader will find a woodcut of this bust at the commencement of the work, and, I believe, it is the first in which all the characteristic features of the original have been scrupulously expressed. Mr. Fairholt's pencil has ex19 LIBRARY OF THE I have elsewhere noticed a popular belief that Shakespeare's union was not productive of much social happiness, and an interlined clause in the will has unnecessarily tended to perpetuate this notion,-"Item, I gyve unto my wief my second best bed with the furniture.' So far from this bequest being one of slight importance, and exhibiting small esteem, it was the usual mode of expressing a mark of great affection. The first bequest in the will of Joyce Hobday,* of Stratford, dated March 28th, 1602, is, "I geve and bequeth to my brother Rychard Ward of Warwycke my best fether bed, one boulster, a pillowe, and the best coveryng for a bed." Henry Harte, of Andover, whose will (in the Prerogative Office) was proved in 1586, gives "unto John Harte one bedde one the right hande comminge in at the doore in the Starr Chamber with all the furniture, and twoe other beddes, with twoe coverletts, and twoe bolsters, and twoe blanketts; item, I give to William Harte one bedd with all the furniture in the chamber called the Hallffe Moone.” William Underhill, in his will dated 1595, proved in 1599, in the same office, bequeaths two similar legacies of beds with their furniture to near relatives; and John Sadler, whose will is dated in 1625, gives and bequeaths "to my sone John Sadler of London the bed and whole furniture therunto belonging in the parlour where I lye." These instances might be multiplied, but what is here before us is quite sufficient to show that the ordinary opinion concerning this often-quoted bequest of Shakespeare to his wife is hibited to us every fold and wave of the garment, and the positions of the fingers and hands, which are extremely appropriate and beautiful in the original, are not well shown in any representation hitherto published. *It should be remarked that this lady was possessed of considerable property, and that therefore the bequest here mentioned, which now appears so trivial, was not by any means the result of poverty. Similar entries occur in many other old wills. One other entry from this may be quoted: "Item, I geve and bequeth unto Frauncis Smyth aforenamed a ffetherbed wyth the furnyture therof." altogether erroneous. On equally uncertain grounds, it was alleged that the poet left his partner no provision for her life, and it was reserved for Mr. Knight to point out that she was provided for by dower. Thus each allegation on which the above-mentioned belief is founded has been dissipated. It has also been supposed that the poet in some respect neglected part of his family to found an inheritance of great magnitude for a favorite daughter, but it must be recollected no proof has yet been adduced of the manner in which he employed the very large sum he received for his shares in the Globe and Blackfriars theatres, and, in the absence of any direct evidence on the subject, it is not unreasonable to assume that it was expended for the benefit of his family. None of the Hathaways are mentioned in Shakespeare's will, not even by the small remembrances with which the poet has honoured so many not related or connected with him; yet we cannot on this negative evidence conclude he was not on good terms with his wife's relatives. The only notice of any intercourse between Anne Shakespeare and the friends of her youth at Shottery is contained in the will of Thomas Whittington of that hamlet, who was shepherd to Anne's father, Richard Hathaway, in 1581. Whittington died in April, 1601,* and in his will, made a few days previously, and proved on April 29th, occurs the following: Item, I geve and bequeth unto the poore people of Stratford xl.s. that is in the hand of Anne Shaxspere, wyfe unto Mr. Wyllyam Shaxspere, and is due debt unto me, beyng paid to mine executor by the sayd Wyllyam Shaxspere or his assignes according to the true meanyng of this my wyll. A judicious bequest, not implying any want of friendship for the Shakespeares, but most likely considering that the owners of New Place were too wealthy to require such an *"1601, April 10, Thomas Whitingtonne, shepard."-Register of Burials for the Parish of Stratford on Avon. addition to their substance. It is worthy of remark that when Anne's father died, in 1582, he owed this person £4 6s. 8d, and it is most probable that the £5 was merely placed for security in the hands of Anne Shakespeare, as a person in whom Whittington had confidence. The principal value of the information this bequest affords is the glimpse it gives us of transactions between Shakespeare's wife and her early friends. Whittington also left twelve-pence to "Thomas Hathaway sonne to the late Margret Hathway," who may have been one of Anne Shakespeare's nephews; but the will of Richard Hathaway, her father, a very important document, which I have discovered in the Prerogative Office since my account of the family in the former part of this volume was printed, does not enable us to decide that question. I take the opportunity of introducing it in this place, merely remarking there is nothing unusual in the circumstance of all the members of the family not being mentioned, however much it is to be regretted that no notice of Anne Hathaway is there to be found. His daughter Joan, born in 1566, is also not alluded to. In the name of God amen; The firste daie of September, in the yeare of oure Lorde God one thowsande fyve hundred eightie one, and in the three and twentithe yeare of thee raigne of oure soveraigne ladye Elizabethe, by the grace of God queene of Englande, Fraunce, and Irelande, defender of the faithe, etc. I Richard Hathway of Shottree in the perishe of Stratford uppon Avon in the countie of Warwick, husbandman, beinge sicke in bodye but of perfecte memorye, I thancke my Lord God, doe ordaine and make this my last will and testamente in manner and forme followinge. Firste, I bequeathe my sowle unto Allmightie God, trustinge to be saved by the meritts of Christes Passion, and my bodye to be buried in the churche or churche yarde of Stratforde aforesaide. Item, I give and bequeathe unto Thomas my sonne sixe poundes thirtene shillings fower pence, to be paide unto him at the age of twentie yeares. Item, I give and bequeath unto John my sonne sixe poundes thirtene shillings fower pence, to be paide unto him at the age of twentie yeares. Item, I give and bequeathe unto William my sonne tenne poundes to bee paide unto him at the age of twentie yeares. Item, I give and bequeathe unto Agnes my daughter sixe poundes thirtene shillinges fower pence, to be paide unto her at the daie of her marriage. yeares. Item, I give and bequeathe unto Catherine my daughter sixe poundes thirtene shillinges fower pence, to be paide unto her at the daie of her marriage. Item, I give and bequeathe unto Margaret my daughter sixe pounds thirtene shillinges fower pence, to be paide unto her at the And of seaventene age if it fortune that any of my said sonnes or daughters before named, that is to saie, Thomas, John, William, Agnes, Catherine, or Margarett, to decease before theie receyve theire legacies, then my will is that the legacies of he or she so deceased to remayne equallie amonge the rest, and so unto the longest lyvers of theme. Item, my will is (withe consente of Jone my wife) that my eldiste sonne Barthellmewe shall have the use, commoditie and profytt, of one halfe yearde lande withe all pastures and meadowinge therto belonginge, withe appurtenaunces, to be tilled, mucked, and sowed at the charges of Joane my wyffe, he onelie findinge seede, duringe the naturall life or widdowehode of the same Johan my wife, to be severed from the other parte of my lande for his commoditie and profitte. And my will is that he the same Bartholomewe shalbe a guide to my saide wife in hir husbandrye, and also a comforte unto his bretherne and sisters to his power, Provided alwaies that if the saide Joane my wife shall at anye tyme or tymes at-after my decease goe aboute to disannull or to take awaye from my saide sonne Bartholomewe the foresaide half yarde lande withe the appurtenaunces, so that he doe not enjoye the commoditye and proffitte of the same, accordinge to the trewe meaninge of this my last will and testamente, then my will is that the sayde Joane my wief shall gyve delyver and paye unto my saide sonne Bartholomewe, within one yeare after any suche deniall or discharge the somme of fortie poundes of lawfull Englishe monney. Item, my will is that all the seelings in my hall howse, withe twoe wyned beddes in my parlor, shall contynewe and stande unremoved duringe thee naturall liffe or widowhode of Jone my wyffe, and the naturiall lief of Bartholomewe my sonne, and John my sonne, and the longest lyver of theme. Item, I gyve and bequeathe unto everie of my godchildrenne fower pence a pecce of theme. Item, I gyve and bequeathe unto Agnes Hathway and Elizabeth Hathway, daughters unto Thomas Hathway, a sheepe a peece of theme. This bequest donne, debts paide, and legacies leavied, and my bodye honestlie buried, then I gyve and bequeathe all the rest of my goods moveable and unmoveable unto Joane my wief, whome I make my sole executrixe to see this my last will and testament trulye performed. And I desier my trustic frende and neighbours Stephen Burman and Fowlke Sandelles to be my supervisors of this my last will and testamente, and theie to have for theire paynes therin to be taken twelve pence apeece of theme. Witnesses, sir William Gilbard clark and curate in Stretforde, Richarde Burman, John Richardson, and John Hemynge, withe others. Signum Richardi Hathwaie testatoris. Debtes to be paide. Inprimis, I doe owe unto my neighbour John Pace fortye shillings. Item, I owe unto John Barber thirtie sixe shillings fower pence. Item, I owe unto Thomas Whittington, my sheepherd, fower poundes sixe shillings eight pence. Item, I owe unto Edwarde Hollyocke for woode twenty shillings. [Probatum &c. nono die mensis Julii, 1582.] |